How to Choose a Tractor or Riding Lawnmower

If you have a lawn, you will eventually have to mow the lawn. And if you have mowed a lawn with a push mower for a few weeks, the idea of a riding lawnmower might look really enticing. These small tractor-type mowers can be a great way to mow your grass if your lawn is at least .25 acre.

There are electric models for your lawn mower as well as the standard push mowers that everybody has seen. You can find strong batteries and these models can usually go at least a half acre before it needs to be recharged. These electric models are really quiet, good for the environment and don’t produce any noxious fumes. They don’t have the power of the gasoline ones, however, and can get stuck in thicker areas.

If you are a professional lawn care specialist, you might want to look into models that have reel blades that cut out in front. The rotary type is good if there isn’t a golf link to mow. The mowing blades are usually found below the deck below the seat and can give you some vibration. A good seat with plenty of cushion, however, won’t bother you.

You can find smaller riding mowers that will work with your lawn as well. The designs are basically the same as the bigger ones. The only difference will be the size and the power of the machine itself. You will always want more horsepower with your mower, but if you have a well-built machine, it won’t need as much horsepower to do a great job.

If you have an even, smooth yard, you also won’t need very much horsepower. If you have a very hilly area, however, you will need a lot more. If you have a lot of hills, a lawn tractor will be your better choice.

A lawn tractor will have 10-15 horsepower and can work well. Considering that a car has 150 – 300 horsepower, it seems that it’s a lot less energy, but you don’t need that much. You will pay more for more horsepower, just like with a car. Make sure you really need it first.

Prices will go up if you have a mower that can cut a bigger area. Lawn tractor blades usually cut between 38 – 42 inches and can cut the lawn quicker. But you will probably be only able to cut your lawn 10% more quickly and the mower might be a lot more inaccurate.

You can get a garden tractor with 20 horsepower and up to 60” mowing blades for a powerful, efficient machine. If you need to haul dirt or tree parts with an attached trailer, you can use this more efficiently.

You will want to look at the turning radius of the mower you are about to buy too. If you have a very low or even zero degree turning radius, it will cost a lot more. If you don’t have a lawn that is difficult to negotiate, you probably won’t need it.

         

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