Push Mower Vs Riding Mower Explained
This is a collaborative post
I recall watching a television advertisement promoting a lottery. The advertisement aimed to get the viewer to imagine all the extravagant and unnecessary things they could buy if they became an instant overnight millionaire by winning the lottery.
Part of the advertisement showed a man sitting on a riding mower mowing his lawn. The only lawn on his entire property was a narrow strip of grass leading about 10 yards from the street to his garage, the rest of his property was concrete.
Of course, the message was that with so little lawn, this individual did not need to buy a huge and seemingly expensive riding mower for such a small amount of lawn. But he did buy a riding mower, simply because he could. He was a millionaire.
Now, most homeowners with lawns of various sizes are not millionaires, and a riding mower might be seen as excessive for most suburban properties.
But let’s look at the differences between these two options for mowing your lawn. You can also go here for Tony MacFarlane’s lawnmower recommendations.
Push Mowers
You can purchase either a manual or automatic push mower. The manual machines rely solely on the operator to push or pull the mower. Automatic machines power themselves forward.
Both are suited to small yards and provide the operator with some exercise and a well-groomed lawn.
You might prefer an automatic mower if your property has some steep slopes or is reasonably large and the regular task of lawn mowing is one you dread. Automatic mowers will usually get the job done faster and with less physical effort. Although they are more expensive.
Riding Mowers
These machines are larger and have more power. As well as a higher price tag than push mowers, the larger size and power allow the driver to sit or stand while operating the mower.
Riding mowers are best suited to large yards and commercial use because they can cover more ground than push mowers far more quickly. If your property has a significant amount of grass to mow, the higher cost will be well worth the investment.
Riding lawn mowers are ideal for large yards and commercial use as they cover more ground than push mowers in a shorter time frame. While more expensive, riding mowers are an investment worth considering if you have a significant amount of grass to mow.
Riding mowers prices start from around US$1,000, but the size and quality improve in the US$1,500 to US$4,000 range.
Recommendations
The right mower for you will depend on your individual needs like the size of your lawn, your physical mobility and motivation for lawn mowing, and cost.
- Yards up to a quarter of an acre – an electric push mower is a good option. It is not as loud as gasoline-powered models and can handle mowing up to a quarter of an acre on a single charge. Without the fuel requirement, it is also cheaper to run.
- Yards up to half an acre – a self-propelled push mower with powered wheels make it easier to mow. If your yard has steep inclines, choose one with rear- or all-wheel drive. These are also available in battery-powered models.
- Yards bigger than half an acre – This is when the speed and power of a riding mower begin to make sense. Manoeuvrability can be an issue if your lawn has trees, stones, or other obstacles. A zero-turn mower will help you get around these obstacles while still providing an even cut despite irregular terrain.
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