If you have moved into a new house, or just need a new lawnmower, there are a lot of choices available. Now-a-days, you can purchase anything from a basic reel mower that just uses your body for power to riding mowers that can also be used to work in the garden and around the yard. There are even automatic lawnmowers that let you sit in the lawn chair and watch as the handy robot takes care of everything. So, deciding on what is best for you is going to depend on a large number of factors.



First of all, how big is the yard? If you have an acre of grass to mow, you are most likely not going to want a mower that has no external power supply. In small yards, these reel mowers can be fantastic and let you get in some exercise at the same time, but larger yards can take hours or even days to mow and leave you a quivering pile of jelly at the end. Second, how is your lawn shaped? Are there a number of sharp angles and curves?

Looking at the contours and obstacles you need to mow around will help determine what kind of maneuverability you will need in a mower. Third, take a look at the condition of the lawn. Are there spots that stay wet pretty consistently? Do you have tree and other kinds of roots sticking up from the grass?

Another set of factors that will be crucial in deciding on a new lawnmower is who is going to be doing most of the mowing. If you do not enjoy working outside in the yard, you are going to want something that will do the job that needs to be done and quickly. If you do enjoy spending time on your yard and take pride in how it looks, you may need to have several tools available to help make it look 'just so'. Then, of course, you are going to want to have a basic idea of the functionality you want in a mower or lawn tractor. There are lawn tools, mowers and tractors that have accessories to do everything from aerating a yard to plowing the snow out of the driveway in the winter. Budget is going to be a primary consideration. You can buy a push mower for less than a $100 or a riding mower that runs into the tens of thousands of dollars.

Push Mowers

While reel mowers fall under this category, most often these kinds of mowers are gas or electric powered. These are the lightest and most maneuverable kinds of mowers. Powered push mowers can make quick and easy work of small yards. With medium-sized and larger yards, especially lawns that have a lot of objects to mow around, these can be, and are, used in conjunction with riding mowers.

Push mowers can get very close to objects and landscaping in the yard without causing damage to the mower or the landscaping. If you have a hilly yard you may want to get one that is self-propelled. These mowers use some of the power produced by the engine to turn the wheels, which makes going up hills, if you have any, or just getting it around the yard, a lot easier on you.

Riding Mowers

Sitting down while you mow, with a drink close at hand, is pretty appealing to most people. Riding mowers come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. A cheap, simple riding mower can shave hours off the time it takes you to get your lawn looking spectacular. Again, though, you need to consider exactly what you want from your mower. Do want the clippings from the yard to be small enough that you can allow them to lay and nourish the yard, or do need them bagged while you are mowing so you can throw them on a compost pile?

A zero-radius turn mower can give your lawn a professionally finished look, but will require more money out of your pocket. As mentioned above, bigger mowers and tractors may make other jobs around the yard easier, too. Some come with attachments that will allow you to easily turn the ground for your garden or landscaping, plow the driveway, aerate and fertilize your yard or haul materials and tools to job sites around the house. Keep in mind, though, that storage is going to become an issue as you get larger mowers and more attachments.

It all comes down to your needs, wants and limitations. There are hundreds of great lawnmowers on the market. The best way to determine what will be best for you is to look around. Make some basic decisions before you go shopping to help narrow down the choices, and then compare the mowers, available features and prices.