Best Riding Lawn Mower

Picking the best riding lawn mower for your lawn

Anyone who owns a lawn knows the importance of lawn mowers for keeping it in fine condition.

However when it comes to picking the best riding lawn mower for the job, many people are not sure how to pick it.

There are just so many brands with so many features that people just cannot figure out what is best for them.

This is where you must understand the various features and base your requirements accordingly.

Size of the lawn

The first thing to evaluate is whether you really need a riding lawn mower. If your lawn is less than half an acre or 22,000 sq. ft, then do not bother with this mower. Get a push behind mower as it will work efficiently and will not cost you a lot too.

If you have a larger lawn, then you can choose the right riding lawn mower based on the area you want to mow. Anything up to an acre can be mowed with manual transmission riding lawn mowers.

Lawn between 1-2 acres would require mowers with automatic transmissions and around 17 hp twin engines. Larger lawns require the professional grade mowers with 24 hp engines and at least 48” cutting deck.

Terrain of the lawn

If your lawn has too many obstacles, you are better off with a highly maneuverable mower like the zero turn ones.

With regular mowers you would have to spend a lot of time, effort and fuel after the first mowing to cover the corners that were not clipped by the riding mower.

If it is a flat terrain, go for the mower with a larger cutting deck as you can complete the grass clipping faster with wider deck.

But do not go for a wider deck on smaller lawns. The wider the deck the more uneven the cut; on larger lawns unevenness is not that distinct as it is on smaller lawns.

Transmission

The best solution would be to have automatic hydrostatic transmission, but this can be really expensive for your mower. In this case you need a tradeoff between the cost and the comfort.

Typically it has been found that up to an acre, you can actually manage on a riding mower with manual transmission. The larger lawns require automatic transmissions as they take longer time and are quite tiring.

Controlling the speeds and direction

There are different designs used in controlling the speeds and directions of mowers. Some mowers have levers with controls to change the pace and direction of the mower. Others have pedals and steering wheels.

As pedals are natural for most people – who drive cars – these are typically preferred. But the seating arrangement for the mowers is different from a car so some people could have trouble reaching the pedal with their feet and some have trouble pressing them hard too. With the levers, the navigation is very simple and everything is controlled by your arms. However, it is a bit unique and hence it requires some practice before you settle into it.

After Sales Service

This is one point that many people tend to neglect while purchasing their best riding lawn mower.

While the brand may be great and it may also come with a warranty, if you do not have a service center close to your place, you could spend a fortune shipping that mower to the service center to have it repaired, if it goes bad. Remember that the warranty does not cover you for the shipping charges so that is a significant cost you could end up paying.

Even if you prefer to carry out the basic maintenance yourself, having a service center or distribution center close by is better. This was you do not have to wander far to get authentic replacement parts and even some quick advice on maintenance.

Accessories

The riding lawn mowers are versatile lawn vehicles. They can also be used to transport tools and material for the lawn, especially in larger lawns. However, for these you need specialized accessories. In fact, most riding mowers come with just the basic unit, if you want to bag the clipping or mulch it; you need separate attachments which need to be purchased. So you must think about the accessories too.