Sep 25 2009

Buying a Ride on Lawn Mower: What to Look For

A good ride on lawn mower is a necessity for many homeowners.  If you have a large yard, this is what you need—unless you want to spend your entire weekend walking behind a push mower.  In fact, many people who buy ride on mowers are upgrading from walking to riding.  If you are ready to make the switch from pushing to riding in comfort without even breaking a sweat, here are a few tips to guide you. There are many factors to consider when looking at ride on lawn mowers for sale.  Before you purchase one, take a minute to read this guide and you will be better prepared to buy the right machine for your needs.

Types of Ride on Lawn Mowers

A cheap ride on lawn mower will usually have a larger turning radius.  What this means is that when you turn around, you will leave a track of uncut grass that you will have to come back for on the next pass.  More expensive riding mowers have all wheel steering, which decreases the turning radius.  If you’d like to perform other tasks with your machine, such as pushing snow or plowing the garden, you will need what is called a ride on lawn mower tractor.  These small tractors can take attachments that can accomplish a multitude of tasks.  At the upper end of the price range is the zero turn ride on lawn mower, which can turn completely around without leaving grass uncut.  Which type of mower you need will depend on both the size of the lawn you need to mow and the number of obstacles you need to maneuver around.

Costs of Ride on Lawn Mowers

If you are looking for a basic ride on mower for home use, you should be able to find one for around $1,200 (£735).  Lawn tractors with bigger mowing decks, more horsepower, and other features increase the price.  At the high end of the spectrum are the zero turn mowers, which will cost somewhere around $3,000 (£1,838), depending on the brand.  If you are short on cash, you can usually pick up a used ride on lawn mower for about the same price of a good new push mower.  Of course, if you buy a used machine you won’t have a warranty if it breaks down.  A good place to look is on craiglist or in your local bargain hunter weekly.  Your best bet for ride on lawn mower parts is either at a large lawn mower shop, or directly from the company’s website.

Brands of Ride on Lawn Mowers

Although all brands of ride on lawn mowers will tout that theirs is “the best” and has this or that feature, the brands do differ a bit in terms of comfort, reliability, and warranty.

A John Deere ride on lawn mower is made by a company that also produces out mega-machines.  They produce quality, durable machines with a welded steel frame.  They also feature 4 year warranties and “drive free for a year” special.

Each Husqvarna ride on lawn mower is separated into one of three categories according to use:  Homeowner, Landowner, and Professional.  All models feature ergonomic seats and cruise control.  Most Husqvarna mowers get excellent customer reviews and the brand is known worldwide as a leader in quality.

Another great brand is Toro.  A Toro ride on lawn mower is built to last, and they are used by many professional landscapers to mow fields and golf courses.  They are famous for their zero turn mowers, and all of their products are covered by a two year limited warranty.

You can buy a Murray ride on lawn mower at stores in North America and Europe, including a few of the big box stores like Wal-Mart.  This brand does not have the variety of the above mentioned brands, and it definitely has received more customer complaints than other brands.  A good place to start getting ride on lawn mower reviews is with your neighbors and family.  Ask people you know about their machines, and you will get a great deal of information regarding price, quality, comfort, and dependability


Sep 24 2009

John Deere Ride on Lawn Mower

Tag: Lawn Mower ManufacturersMowMaster @ 2:18 pm

John Deere produces some of the best ride on lawn mowers in the world.  One of their main advantages is that they have a very large selection of ride on mowers.  John Deere mowers can do a lot more than just mow your lawn as well.  Depending on the machine you get, you can add attachments to accomplish any number of tasks, including grading, tilling, snow plowing, hauling, towing, and seed planting.  Although most people pretty much only need to mow their lawn, you can also get a do-it-all tractor that will perform all of your chores.

Types of John Deere Mowers

John Deere makes a few different lines of riding mowers.  The basic models are the Series 100.  These lawn tractors are built for mowing lawns less than 2.5 acres.  There are different models to choose from in the 100 series, depending on what attachments you want, engine size, and other components.  The cheapest model is $1,499, and the higher end tractors are $2,500.

If you need to do more than just mow a bit of grass, John Deere offers Select Series X300, X500, and X700 lines of lawn tractors.  A step up from the Series 100, these tractors feature superior engines, power steering, increased durability, and a multitude of other options.  Each Line has a number of options as well, so you can choose a ride on mower that fits your needs.  These lawn tractors are great if you need to do a few extra things with them, and a cheap ride on lawn mower just won’t cut it.  Prices for these models range from $2,099 at the low end to over $10,000 for a tractor packed with accessories and superior components.

John Deere Zero Turn Ride on Lawn Mower

There is no doubt that if you have to maneuver around obstacles while mowing a zero turn lawn mower will do the job quicker.  These machines turn on a dime and enable you to quickly and efficiently mow around trees, bushes, large rocks, and other landscape obstacles.  John Deere makes a few different models of zero turn ride on mowers, and they are pretty comparable in price to the lawn tractors.  You might be wondering why everyone doesn’t just get this type of lawn mower.  The difference is that a zero turn ride on lawn mower is pretty much only for cutting grass.  A lawn tractor on the other hand can perform a multitude of other tasks if you add attachments.

If your lawn is larger than half an acre, and you feel like stepping up to a ride on lawn mower, I highly recommend John Deere.  The company is rock solid, they have been around for many years, and they get great ride on lawn mower reviews from customers.  The best part is that their prices aren’t any more expensive than their competitors for a good machine.  Yes, you can find cheaper mowers, but some of them get horrific reviews and don’t last very long.  If you get a good machine, it can easily last you a decade or more.