This is the best way to go, but unfortunately my old body can't handle the southern sun in July & August especially when I get carried away with the yard work and can spend 5 -6 hours working on the lawn.
Lawn mowing advice
- Thread starter Dawgbite
- Start date
Keep the zero turn and get a big enough shed in your backyard to store it. You can get one of those prebuilt ones that they just deliver. I got one and it is built very well.
I lived north of Nashville in a neighborhood for several years. One of my neighbors had 2 of the robot mowers that would run at night. His yard was incredible and I enjoyed watching the damn things when I would walk at night. I hired 2 Mexicans that would cut my grass every 10 days for $50. They were done in 20 minutes and it was well worth the $100/month. Now back in Mississippi, I bought a Honda gas powered push mower for my front yard and a zero turn for the back and rest of the property.
The Honda is an awesome push mower.
The Honda is an awesome push mower.
Our lot is just under an acre, but actual grass area is probably a third of that. My 15 year-old uses our rechargeable 19" Snapper XD. It's on year 6 of use. We've replaced two batteries in that time, and have 3 regular and 1 large-capacity now. We bought the other tools in the system and love it. If you're not cutting much off the top and it's dry, the large-capacity will get you through one mowing. Otherwise, one change, which is the usual pattern.
Of course, as all modern manufacturers do, Snapper stopped making their best model, then discontinued push mowers altogether You can only get a self-propelled version now, and that's off old stock. The goal is to make it four years until the boy graduates and then go robotic.
Of course, as all modern manufacturers do, Snapper stopped making their best model, then discontinued push mowers altogether You can only get a self-propelled version now, and that's off old stock. The goal is to make it four years until the boy graduates and then go robotic.
For that sized yard, get an EGO push mower watch it be a seamless task (other than having to get in the heat and do it). Have had mine for 3 years, and I don't miss my gas mower and all the problems with ethanol-free fuel or ethanol treatments, etc. and having it crap out on me. And while I agree the Honda mowers are the best gas mowers, they phased out their gas push mowers (you can still find them here and there) and have gone electric.
I have a bad boy zero turn 54 inch to cut my 1.5 acres. It does the job.
I have a little Murray push mower with a Briggs & Stratton engine that I've had for almost 30 years that I can't kill. I use it to cut things I can't get to with the mower. Damn thing starts on the first pull every time - even the first start of spring.
I have a little Murray push mower with a Briggs & Stratton engine that I've had for almost 30 years that I can't kill. I use it to cut things I can't get to with the mower. Damn thing starts on the first pull every time - even the first start of spring.
I have the EGO trimmer and blower. They're pretty freaking awesome.
Was at guys house one time and he had 4 push mowers that were different colors (brands). I had to ask him about it. He said one for each boy and they are only allowed to use their mower.
They each had own section to mow (based on age) then when everyone was finished with their section they’d start on common area in each corner.
Whoever mowed the most of the acre or so common area got an extra $10, but if they did a crappy job, he’d take their $10 back.
He said it was some enjoyment moments watching them compete for that extra $10.
Screw the hoses. My yard is 6 acres. If it dies, I'll do a happy dance
At current prices, that is indeed crazy. You’re hard pressed to get someone to even consider mowing for less than $75, regardless of the yard size and the amount of weed eating involved. I’d bet your neighbors are all in the $100+ range.
I grew up in the country mowing six acres with a Sears riding mower my dad bought third hand. I live on maybe a half-acre lot now. I have ancestors who would come up out of the grave and git me if I hired someone to mow it for me.
I've been mowing a lot that size for 26 years. I use the second cheapest push mower Lowes sells. I guess I'm on my third mower now. Don't leave gas in them over the winter and check the oil every time you start it and they'll last a good while.
I've been mowing a lot that size for 26 years. I use the second cheapest push mower Lowes sells. I guess I'm on my third mower now. Don't leave gas in them over the winter and check the oil every time you start it and they'll last a good while.
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several thoughts:
1. push mower: being older myself, but also working to be fitter and do some of these crazy endurance races, push mow......it's good for you and you get steps in, and it's good for you. I'm self employed, so the opportunity to leave my phone on the counter, and listen to a engine run and slowly damage my hearing more, has become a great joy for me.
2. my yard is actually 16,000 sq.ft. of turf, and I am intrigued, and have looked at great length into the robot unit, and essentially what I determined is that they are designed and intended to basically never stop cutting. they will allow about 1/16 of growth and start cutting again. that would be a total distraction for me, and I just do not want that. With the said, the tech is growing, improving and perfecting on the monthly, and I think in certain settings, having this would be a great idea
3. rechargeable push: I have a customer that has gone all in on "EGO" He has everything they offer and a bank of batteries (he uses their riding mower and push). He is probably 20,000 sq.ft. of turf and fairly open, and he has battery left over when done. I think EGO is the Tesla of battery powered lawn equipment.........However, I am intrigued w/ Stihl and Honda's batter powered option
4. Riding mower......I have one, and hands down, it is a luxury (zero turn), and with a mulching kit, how much better that horsepower cuts my lawn is amazing!!
1. push mower: being older myself, but also working to be fitter and do some of these crazy endurance races, push mow......it's good for you and you get steps in, and it's good for you. I'm self employed, so the opportunity to leave my phone on the counter, and listen to a engine run and slowly damage my hearing more, has become a great joy for me.
2. my yard is actually 16,000 sq.ft. of turf, and I am intrigued, and have looked at great length into the robot unit, and essentially what I determined is that they are designed and intended to basically never stop cutting. they will allow about 1/16 of growth and start cutting again. that would be a total distraction for me, and I just do not want that. With the said, the tech is growing, improving and perfecting on the monthly, and I think in certain settings, having this would be a great idea
3. rechargeable push: I have a customer that has gone all in on "EGO" He has everything they offer and a bank of batteries (he uses their riding mower and push). He is probably 20,000 sq.ft. of turf and fairly open, and he has battery left over when done. I think EGO is the Tesla of battery powered lawn equipment.........However, I am intrigued w/ Stihl and Honda's batter powered option
4. Riding mower......I have one, and hands down, it is a luxury (zero turn), and with a mulching kit, how much better that horsepower cuts my lawn is amazing!!
As others said get your kids to cut the yard. The house I grew up in had a 3acre lot. My job to earn my keep was to cut the yard. My dad had a cub cadet rider. My dad had zero mechanical knowledge. His way of fixing the riding lawnmower was call someone, have them pick it up, fix it and bring it back. That cub cadet stayed broken more than it ran. Dad’s backup mower was exactly like the one in the picture. It took awhile to cut 3acres with one those in the picture.
You'll get less busy in about 12-15 years. I know it doesn't seem like it, but once they're driving, you find yourself with some of that free time back.
I noticed my neighbor had a new mower yesterday and I think he was flexing it to make me jealous. It worked because I noticed it looked like it had a larger deck than the typical 21 or 22 inch deck and I was jealous. Are there push mowers out there with decks larger that 22 inches that don’t cost a fortune because I might want one.
My grandmother had one of those, it weighed seventy gazillion pounds.
Why in the world wouldn't everybody want their neighbor to have an electric mower if it worked for them. The noise alone would be worth not having to hear it. My wife wants to get one of those robot mowers, we got about a half acre to mow so it may be doable. When it comes time to replace my old mower, I will look into getting one but it's not this year, I hope.
My thing for quoting you is it's just a damn mower just like an EV is just a car. These are tools that will either work or not for the buyer. You aren't forced to buy one. Why do you freaking care? You for real think like that? May God bless you Neighbors for having to live next to you. They can't even buy a mower without getting criticized.
I never knew someone who didn't that was able.... that is until I met my son-in-law. That was not his worst quality. He went back to KY years ago but I never saw a lazier good for nothing man. I even gave him a self-propelled walk behind that I had extra lying around from my packaging designs and he still would not cut his 1/4 acre yard. He gone and good riddance.
Thought about it, I hire people to change my oil in my wife's car and my truck. I don't do everything I used to do either. There is a point when you have enough pay for things and that is fine. I agreed with you initially but... there is always a but.
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He said he was a liberal. That’s the equivalent of saying “with all due respect “ before insulting the crap out of someone.
I have a similar lot size - 1/3 acre with about 5500 sq ft of grass. I hired a small "company" a couple months ago, but I'm going to fire them soon - they use a huge zero turn, the guy flies around the yard resulting in an uneven, and it looks terrible. I'm going to go back to using my walk-behind Honda. Grass is Zorro zoysia.
Two of them are understandable because one was in a bad accident a few years ago and it’s hard for him to get around and the other is elderly now and can’t do it but the other guys are all younger than me and “just don’t have the time.” Our yards are not that big.
I was in a similar situation 2 years ago except my lot is about 1/2 acre. I looked at all the riding mower junk and the box stores under $2500. Passed on that and searched facebook market place for a few weeks looking for an old school snapper rear engine mower. Took about 2 weeks to find a good one. Paid $600 for a 2003 snapper with a rear grass/leaf bagging system. It's perfect for my situation. Doesn't take up much space in the garage is a bonus.
Totally agree with this. It’s hard work, especially when it’s 100+ out, but nothing is more satisfying than having a fantastic looking yard that you were 100% responsible for. I may be the only one left on my entire block that does my own, and it’s a mix of retirees and middle-aged folks here. My 70-ish neighbor only recently stopped doing his.
I do regret not having my son help out more, but once he started his football workouts in the summers I cut him a break. You can only sweat so much in a day, and his was 5 days a week.
Because in your own words it DOESN'T "work for him". Because in your own words that's one "tool that won't work for him". Myself and the rest of the neighbors have to look at his shi-tty looking yard everyday. When I drive in and out it's never cut all at one time. There's always half or more of it long as hell because his dumb azz bought a 1 battery manual push mower when he needed a damn rider the whole time. Hell he's even realized it now after 3 summers because he finally went and bought the zero turn. That's why I "freaking care". Go practice your reading comprehension because you obviously missed on this one
I have a daughter and an older man in church gave me some wise advice after I had her. He told me to make sure the man she marries can change a tire, oil, and do basic yard work. That doesn’t mean he has to do it himself (nothing wrong paying), but when things get tight you need to know he can step up. Some wise words.
The size of the deck does not matter nearly as much as how you push it. Sure, a bigger deck may get the job done faster, but a smaller deck knows how to handle those tight spots. You also need to be careful where you put your deck to begin with. My wife will not let my deck anywhere near the backyard, but that is a conversation for another day.
Looks beautifulI was in a similar situation 2 years ago except my lot is about 1/2 acre. I looked at all the riding mower junk and the box stores under $2500. Passed on that and searched facebook market place for a few weeks looking for an old school snapper rear engine mower. Took about 2 weeks to find a good one. Paid $600 for a 2003 snapper with a rear grass/leaf bagging system. It's perfect for my situation. Doesn't take up much space in the garage is a bonus.
When my wife was a teenager growing up (back in the 60s and before we ever met) her father taught her (and each of her two sisters) how to change a tire on a car - and then made them demonstrate it from start to finish - before he would allow them to get a driver license and start driving. She also bush-hogged with a tractor back then and could back a trailer as good as any man. Best wife ever.
You can pry my Husqvarna robo mower from my cold, dead hands. And I have an older model with the guidewire that I have to repair every two years or so (actually, I pay someone to do it--too bad there's no robo guidewire repair machine). When it finally breaks I'm going with a GPS models. I have a small ego mower, and trimmer and edger, as well for areas robo doesn't get.
Do these actually work well? I have a spot that I is not large enough to mow so I weed eat. Was considering a push mower but can't get myself to spend >250 for just a small strip. It's behind bushes so have considered spraying with roundup.
That sucks for him as those ego push mower are able 1/2 the price of riding mower. I guess that you live and learn. Although the way you describe him, he likely hasn't learned anything at all in the scheme of things.
Reel mowers are for short cuts in general, and typically are used for high quality lawns, like golf courses and greens. It's a lot of work to use the manual ones like in the link, so of course, most have an engine.