Lawn mower drill golf. How to Charge Your Lawn Mower Battery, Power Tools and More

How to Keep Your Right Elbow Down in a Golf Swing

No golf swing is the same or created equally. One aspect that has been often taught, asked about, and worked on is. how does the trail arm and right elbow work in the golf swing? (We will get into this later). There is no questioning the importance of the right elbow in golf swings, the trail arm plays an instrumental role at more than one point in the swing. In this blog I will discuss the importance of the trail arm, how it works and why, different techniques and non-negotiables. Additionally, I will provide you with some of my favorite drills for improving the mechanics of the trail arm so that you can own a better golf swing once and for all.

Why is the Right Elbow Key to Golf Swing Consistency?

Everyone wants a more consistent golf swing. That is by far the most requested need from a student when they visit me. The trail arm plays a massive role in one’s ability to deliver the club head consistently into impact. Here are the top three areas of the swing that it influences.

• The first move off the ball is one of the most important parts of the golf swing. Hogan called it one of his “crossroads” where things could easily go one way or another. The right elbow is instrumental in the golf backswing. When I see a poor take-away it almost always stems from a lack of connection starting back. Either the trail arms folds early and the club rolls in, or it moves in a sawing motion (like starting a lawn mower) behind the body and puts the player in a very weak and unathletic position. Either way you are dead in the water! Having the trail arm fold progressively going back in conjunction with a good turn is huge. Also maintaining width and not trying to keep the trail elbow close to the body at this point is important for power.
• The transitional phase in the swing is really the make or break point regarding how the trail arm and right elbow moves and operates. The ability to shallow the golf club to deliver it on the proper path to impact is directly related to how the trail arm rotates. It is important for the trail arm to rotate externally which allows the right elbow to move closer to the body. You want to tuck the right elbow close to the body in order to let the club head move behind the hands and into a power position moving to impact on an inside path. On the contrary, the trail arm rotating internally and the right elbow flying away from the body on the way down is a huge reason why players get too steep and struggle to create power.
• The moment of truth (otherwise known as impact) is a great time to look at where the trail arm is relative to the body. The trail arm getting just in front of the hip without any space to be seen between the arm and body is instrumental for having proper ball first contact. When the right elbow gets away from the body and straightens too early the player will struggle with power, and with making a consistent divot after the ball.

Is There One Correct Position for the Right Elbow?

In no way is there one correct position for the right elbow at the top. There are several elite players who have been successful with a “flying right elbow” such as Nicklaus, Fred Couples and in modern times Matt Wolfe. These players were all able to quickly and efficiently externally rotate their trail arm back into position and deliver it beautifully into the impact zone. At the same time, I find that for most players it is easier to get into a good early transition position with the trail arm when it is away from the body but closer to vertical than horizontal. IF that move is natural with a flying right elbow, I do not see a need to change it. However, for most golfers, having your arms in a well-structured position at the top where they maintain their initial space can make all the difference in the world.

Tuck the Right Elbow in Your Downswing

The proper movement of the right elbow on the downswing allows for so many complementary and fundamentally sound movements to occur. It allows the club to shallow and move behind the hands, which in turns promotes more rotation of the body. This makes it much easier for the hands to lead the club into impact and provide a powerful and consistent impact.

Right Elbow Golf Swing Drills with Swing Align

At the top of the swing the distance between the elbows should remain consistent to how they were at address. A good drill is to swing to the top and FOCUS on maintaining your elbow spacing. The Swing Align swing trainer with its flexible connection belt will keep your elbows from flying too far apart and away from your body during the transition from backswing to downswing.

With your trail arm in a good position the lower body can initiate downswing and pass control to the upper torso, then to the arms in the proper sequence. Having the right elbow in the proper position at the top allows the trail arm to move externally and under the lead arm resulting in a shallowing of the club shaft. This allows you to deliver the clubhead to impact on an inside track with strong body rotation for power and control. Starting at the top rehearse initiating your downswing and shallowing the club by driving your right elbow down and in front of your right hip. The alignment rod across your arms will be pointed slightly up in front. If it is pointed down you are getting too steep and coming over the top.

Having the trail arm move away from the body during the downswing can lead to a multitude of negative consequences the worst of which is a steep shaft angle that puts you in the death position with an over-the-top delivery back to the ball leading to a chunk, slice or dead pull. All of the things you want to avoid! Wearing a Swing Align device to rehearse positions or take full swings makes it impossible to separate your arms in this way.

Practice Your Right Elbow Tuck with Swing Align!

There is no better way to guarantee quality and beneficial practice than using the Swing Align. It gives you terrific feedback on where your arms are in the swing and what they are doing. Not only does it help you stay more connected going back, but it helps you maintain arm structure at the top as well so that you can develop the muscle memory needed to be more consistent. It provides a great visual of where the trail arm is coming down relative to the lead arm. It hits all the points for a beautiful, consistent, and effective golf swing in one device. Your time is worth a lot! Do not waste it by practicing without feedback. Get your Swing Align Now! And see for yourself the importance of the right elbow in golf swings.

How to Charge Your Lawn Mower Battery, Power Tools and

Behind every healthy lawn is a healthy lawn mower battery.

Actually, every house project relies on batteries. The drill you used to hang the TV runs on a battery. So does your cordless sander. Batteries take your tools farther than any cord, as long as they’re healthy.

Here’s how to get more life out of your batteries.

Why you should charge your lawn mower battery before spring

You can get years more out of your lawn mower battery, if you follow two simple steps:

Your riding lawn mower comes with the same essential parts a car has. It has an internal combustion chamber, an alternator, a 12-volt lead-acid battery, etc. A riding lawn mower with an especially small engine may have a 6-volt battery. The lawn mower’s alternator keeps its battery charged. A few hours of mowing recharges it the same way hours of highway driving can keep your car battery mostly charged.

You might not mow the lawn in winter.

That means your lawn mower battery may be totally drained.

Lead-acid batteries drain themselves when they’re not used. That’s bad news. They need to stay charged or they’ll lose the ability to hold electricity. You can try to charge them if that happens. Still, they may be too weak to start an engine.

How much longer will your lawn mower battery last?

Let’s check! Bring your lawn garden battery to any Interstate Batteries ® location for a battery test. Let’s see how many summers your battery has left.

Lithium-ion batteries drain themselves, too, when they’re not in use, just not as quickly. Keeping your rechargeable lawn mower fully charged for months isn’t healthy for the lithium-ion battery inside. Letting it drain to zero percent damages it, too.

Whether your lawn mower uses a lithium-ion battery or a lead-acid battery, charge it in January or February. Charging your lawn mower battery keeps it healthy for years.

• Leave the battery in the mower. You don’t have to uninstall the battery to charge it.
• Clean the terminals. Use baking soda and a dry cloth.
• Check the voltage and amp settings. Your battery’s label will say if it’s lithium-ion or if it contains lead. You’ll also see if it’s 12 volts or 6 volts. Set the charging amps to less than 2 amps if the charger has the settings for it. Charge slowly to protect the battery.
• Follow the charger’s instructions. The manual gives you any other steps your charger needs.
• Last-minute safety check. Take off jewelry. Put on gloves and safety glasses. Make sure there’s decent airflow around you.

steps to charge your lawn mower battery

A trickle charger makes it easy to keep your lawn mower battery ready. It charges lead-acid batteries for days at a time to protect the battery’s lifespan. You could leave your lead-acid lawn mower battery on the charger all winter long if it has a float setting. The charger will top off its charge for months and keep it from losing power while it sits on the shelf.

A Smart charger will recharge a lawn mower battery in hours. Adjust the voltage and amp settings if you’re charging a 6-volt lawn mower battery instead of a 12-volt one.

Want to protect your lead-acid lawn mower battery? Keep it 100 percent charged.

Want to protect your lithium-ion lawn mower battery? Leave it 70 percent to 80 percent charged while in storage. Being fully charged or totally depleted hurts lithium-ion batteries. Check the manual for charging instructions.

Need mower power? Start with Interstate ®

We’re the reason the grass is greener. Pick up an Interstate lawn garden battery to power up your lawn mower, clipper or tree trimmer.

The nice part is you can just recharge your lithium-ion lawn mower if it doesn’t start. You’ll never need to jump-start a riding lawn mower with a lithium-ion battery.

Now, you can jump a lawn mower if it has a lead-acid battery. Aquí le enseñamos cómo.

How you can safely jump-start your lawn mower battery with your car

You can jump your lawn mower with your car. It’s the same steps as a regular jump-start — with three big differences.

• Turn off the car before connecting cables to your lawn mower. The car’s alternator generates too many amps and can damage the mower’s parts, including the battery. Never jump-start a lawn mower battery from a running car. Don’t even leave the key in the ignition.
• Protect the positive cable from touching anything but the battery terminals in the car and mower. The positive cable is usually the red one. You’ll connect it first to the mower, then the car. Otherwise you could damage your car battery.
• Run the mower for at least two hours after disconnecting the cables. John Deere, Ryobi, Cub Cadet — all gas-powered riding lawn mowers have an alternator. Mowing will charge their starting battery.

Jump-starting should be the last resort. Wait if you can. Connect your lawn mower’s battery to a charger. Then do a different home project with your other power tools.

Time to talk about your other power tools.

Tips to make your power tool battery last longer

Take care of your power tool batteries, and your tools will be ready any time you need them.

Power tools run on three different types of batteries:

• Nickel cadmium or NiCd batteries
• Nickel-metal hydride or NiMH batteries
• Lithium-based, including lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries

Now, each battery type needs different care. It’s easy to assume one tip for one battery type will work for all batteries. The truth is each battery type needs something different.

Attention! This is not a drill!

Is your cordless drill turning into a screwdriver? Don’t toss your power tool. Let’s rebuild its battery instead. Available at select Interstate All Battery Center ® locations, we put the power back in your power tools.

You might be reaching for a screwdriver sooner than you expect if you give your cordless drill the wrong kind of TLC.

The right way to care for your NiCd battery

A NiCd battery needs to be run hard. Charge it up and drain it to zero percent every month or two. Then store your NiCd battery when it’s fully drained.

NiCd batteries are one of the few types that like being stored on empty. They also drain themselves quickly when they’re not in use. Don’t bother recharging it if you only used it for two minutes.

Fast charging doesn’t stress a NiCd battery. So put it on the charger right before you run your leaf blower or cordless sander. Then use every bit of energy before putting it back.

Sitting on a charger can damage a NiCd battery. Its insides can crystalize and resist turning back into electricity. That might be why your NiCd battery doesn’t last as long as it used to. A pulse charger can heal your NiCd batteries if you’ve kept it charged too long. You might not get the battery back to perfect health, though.

Instead, keep fast-charging your NiCd battery and draining it to zero.

Exercising it protects the material and gives your cordless power tool batteries a much longer lifespan.

The right way to care for your NiMH battery

A NiMH battery needs to stay out of the heat, to charge with its original charger and to be drained to zero percent every few months.

If you’re using your power drill for a few hours every day, a NiMH battery is perfect. NiMH batteries are handy for power tools. They weigh less, carry more power and last longer between charges than a NiCd battery.

They don’t do well in storage. NiMH batteries will drain themselves. It’s not as quick as a NiCd battery. All the same, you’ll want to use your NiMH-powered drill every other day to get the most life from the battery.

Recharging NiMH batteries uses a special algorithm. Don’t use a NiCd charger on a NiMH battery. It can hurt the battery’s lifespan if not overcharge it. Keep the charger that came with the power tool. You can replace it, but make sure it’s specifically made for NiMH batteries.

Mow power to your lawn mower and weed whacker battery

You just jumped your riding lawn mower? Might be time for a new battery. Go for lawn garden batteries and power tool rebuilds, available at select Interstate All Battery Center ® locations.

NiMH batteries struggle with heat. That’s a problem because a NiMH battery will heat up as it runs power or charges. Be gentle with it. Take it off the charger early if the case feels warm. Also, let it cool down before you recharge after it charges.

You can expect a long, full life out of your NiMH battery by keeping it in use and near its original charger.

The right way to care for your Li-ion battery

Lithium-ion batteries weigh the least and offer the longest life overall, but they’re sensitive to getting dropped, overheated or overcharged. How you protect your phone battery would work on your lithium-ion power drill:

• Keep it away from heat.
• Don’t leave it on the charger.
• Don’t let it ever run down to zero percent.

Store a li-ion battery at 80 percent power, not 100 percent. This battery type doesn’t drain itself that quickly. It’ll hold charge for weeks.

The way to take care of your lithium-ion battery is to charge it before it drops to 20 percent. Keep it charged between 40 percent and 80 percent. You can top it up to 100 percent before you sand the deck or trim the hedges. Just don’t leave it fully charged.

Staying at 100 percent corrodes the active materials, which means the battery can’t hold as much electricity as before. The same happens if it ever drains to zero, but faster. Check the power level while you work. Stop and recharge it if you’re close to 25 percent left.

Take care of your lithium-ion battery, and it’ll keep powering on.

Leaving your power tools on the charger does not help the battery.

Trying to charge a battery that’s already full can damage it. Most battery chargers will stop charging if the battery is full.

The built-in protection means it should be safe to leave it on the charger, right? Not quite.

Only lead-acid batteries like to stay fully charged. The other battery types need exercise. They’ll drain themselves, even if sitting on a shelf. That’s okay, depending on the battery type. All battery types need exercise. Leaving them on the charger robs batteries of that exercise.

A battery on the charger will go through short run-and-recharge cycles. It’ll drain to 99 percent, recharge, drain again and recharge again. Those short cycles hurt most batteries. Instead, your power tool batteries need to keep the electrons flowing.

Consider it another good reason to do those house projects today.

Revive your power tools.

All rechargeable batteries wear down. But you don’t have to throw out your favorite tool! Rebuild its battery at select Interstate All Battery Center ® locations.

The 14 Best Lawn Mower Brands of 2023

Michelle Ullman is a home decor expert and product reviewer for home and garden products. She has been writing about home decor for over 10 years for publications like BobVila.com and Better Homes Gardens, among others.

Andrew Hughes is a certified arborist, member of the International Society of Arborists specializing in tree heal care, and reviews tree content on The Spruce’s Gardening Review Board. He founded and runs Urban Loggers, LLC, a company offering residential tree services in the Midwest and Connecticut.

Shereen Jegtvig is an author, fact-checker, and expert with over two decades of experience in health and wellness in the lifestyle space. In addition, she is a Developmental Editor for Dotdash Meredith where she reviews the work of other fact checkers.

A healthy lawn requires regular mowing, and that means sorting through the many lawn mower brands, along with the various types of mowers, that are available. There are walk-behind mowers, self-propelled mowers, riding mowers, and even robotic lawn mowers. Some lawn mower brands specialize in just one or two types of mowers, while others offer them all.

To sort through the many options, we spoke with three landscaping experts: Alex Tinsman, gardener and founder of How To Houseplant; Brock Ingham, gardener, landscaper, and founder of website Bigger Garden; and gardener Henry Bravo, founder and editor-in-chief of Smart Garden Home. The three were unanimous in naming Toro, Honda, and Robomow as top brands, and praised many others, including Greenworks, Cub Cadet, and Husqvarna.

We’ve come a long way since the first lawnmower was invented in 1830, Ingham says. It weighed over 100 pounds and had to be hand cranked! Now there are many brands of lawn mowers on the market, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. The best brand of lawn mower depends on the type of mower you are looking for and your specific needs. That’s why it’s important to do your research and read reviews before making a purchase.

We evaluated lawn mower brands based on reputation, quality, durability, range of products and types of mowers offered, and value, as well as input from our three landscaping experts.

Honda

• Powerful and reliable
• Manufactures gas push and self-propelled mowers
• Easy to start
• Many innovative features

Founded in Tokyo in the 1940s by Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa, Honda Motor Company started off as a maker of motorcycles, but today, of course, they are a global powerhouse that manufactures a wide range of automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles, as well as engines used by other brands in their own gas-powered products. Honda first started making lawn mowers in the late 1970s and quickly became one of the top brands for both commercial and residential use. All of the experts we spoke with named Honda as one of the top gas lawn mower brands for push mowers and self-propelled mowers. We especially like the Honda HRN216VKA 21-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower, which like other Honda mowers, is easy to start, powerful, and very effective in making even, clean cuts across the lawn.

Honda mowers, notably the HRX series, are well-regarded for their powerful engines, reliability, and innovative features like the Versamow system, which allows you to easily mulch, bag, discharge, or shred leaves, Bravo notes. Honda’s mowers also have a patented two-blade system, rather than the usual single blade, which further increases the cleanness of their cuts through all types of grass.

Honda mowers have few downsides, other than being somewhat expensive. And the company only offers gas mowers, not electric. Depending on the model, the warranties on Honda’s lawn mowers range from one to five years.

Toro

• Powerful and reliable
• Manufactures gas, battery, self-propelled, riding, and zero-turn mowers

Another brand recommended by all of our experts, Toro was founded in 1914 as a maker of engines for farm tractors. The company invented the first golf-course mechanical mower in 1919, and introduced its first power mower in 1924. Thanks to many innovative ideas and features, Toro became a dominant brand of lawn mowers and other landscaping equipment by the 1950s and continues to hold that position today. Toro mowers are known for their durability and ability to handle tough mowing conditions, Ingham says.

While Toro is best-known for gas push mowers, it also manufactures self-propelled mowers, battery-powered mowers, riding mowers, and zero-turn mowers, all of which are considered tops in their categories. We especially love their self-propelled Toro 22-Inch Recycler, which includes the Personal Pace system praised by Bravo, who says, The Personal Pace system, found in Toro’s TimeMaster and Super Recycler series, automatically adjusts to your walking speed, providing a more comfortable mowing experience.

Like Honda, Toro mowers can be expensive, but their quality, power, and great features make them worth the extra cost. Depending on the model, warranties on Toro lawn mowers range from three years to five years.

Husqvarna

• Powerful and reliable
• Manufactures gas and electric push mowers, riding mowers, zero-turn mowers, and robotic mowers

Swedish company Husqvarna was founded more than 300 years ago as a maker of rifles (it exited the weapons industry a couple of centuries later), but over the hundreds of years since, the comany expanded its range to include many products for the home and landscape, including top-rated chainsaws. Husqvarna has been making lawn mowers since 1918 that, according to Ingham, are known for their powerful engines and versatility, making them a great choice for large lawns. Along with highly rated gas push-mowers, Husqvarna makes some of the best riding mowers and zero-turn mowers, including our favorite, the Z254F 23-HP 54-Inch Zero-Turn Lawn Mower.

Husqvarna has also entered the robotic mower market with its Automower line. Bravo notes, Husqvarna’s Automower series is known for its cutting-edge technology, GPS-assisted navigation, and weather-resistant design. These mowers can handle complex lawns with various obstacles and slopes, providing a consistently manicured finish with minimal human intervention.

While Husqvarna makes a wide range of powerful, effective mowers, it is also one of the more expensive brands. Husqvarna mowers are covered by a three-year limited warranty.

Greenworks

• Reasonably priced
• Innovative technology
• Offers battery push mowers, self-propelled mowers, riding mowers, and corded electric mowers

Greenworks was established in 2002. Bravo praises the company, saying, Greenworks, a pioneer in battery-powered lawn equipment, offers a comprehensive line of cordless mowers, including their Pro 60V and 80V series. These mowers provide excellent cutting performance, lightweight designs, and superior battery life, making them a top choice for homeowners and professionals alike. Greenworks also offers very reasonably priced corded mowers, including the 25022 3-in-1 20-Inch Mower, although as batteries become ever-more powerful, the popularity of corded electric mowers is fading.

Along with electric push mowers, Greenworks offers several self-propelled mowers. The innovative SmartCut technology lets these mowers sense the thickness of the lawn grass and adjust the speed and power accordingly, thus extending battery runtime. We especially like the 40-volt, 21-inch self-propelled mower, which has the SmartCut feature. Along with push and self-propelled mowers, Greenworks also offers battery-powered riding mowers.

While Greenwork mowers are not the most powerful, Ingham Комментарии и мнения владельцев, Greenworks mowers are known for their affordability and wide range of features, making them a great choice for budget-conscious buyers. Greenworks lawn mowers are covered by a limited three-year warranty.

BLACKDECKER

• Reasonable prices
• Makes corded and cordless push mowers, self-propelled mowers, and some gas mowers
• Good for small lawns

Named for founders S. Duncan Black and Alonzo G. Decker, BLACKDECKER has been around for over a century, during which it has become one of the leading brands of power tools. It patented the first electric drill in 1917, was the first company to offer electric garden tools to homeowners in the 1950s, and was one of the first companies to sell battery-powered tools to DIYers and homeowners when it came out with a cordless drill all the way back in 1961. While BLACKDECKER does also have gas lawn mowers, those are falling by the wayside in favor of electric models.

BLACKDECKER offers a range of affordable and lightweight battery mowers with features like folding handles for easy storage and adjustable cutting heights. Their lithium-ion batteries provide long run times and charge quickly, Tinsman says. Along with reasonably priced push mowers, the company also offers self-propelled electric mowers at budget-conscious and is one of the few brands that still offer corded electric mowers, including the MM2000 20-Inch Push Mower.

Don’t expect the highest power or performance from a BLACKDECKER mower, but if you are looking for a reasonably priced lawn mower to keep a relatively small lawn under control, this is a reliable brand that you can count on. BLACKDECKER lawn mowers have a two-year limited warranty.

RYOBI

• Reasonably priced
• Makes corded and cordless push mowers, self-propelled mowers, and riding mowers
• Good for small lawns

Founded in Japan in the 1940s, today Ryobi in North America is a brand name of Techtronic Industries. The company is a top name for a wide range of power tools, including outdoor products such as edgers, trimmers, snow blowers, and of course, lawn mowers. While Ryobi does not make gas mowers, it does offer corded electric push mowers as well as cordless push mowers, self-propelled mowers, and even battery-powered riding mowers. Ryobi mowers are known for their innovative features, such as adjustable cutting heights and mulching capabilities, Ingham notes.

While Ryobi electric mowers aren’t the most high-powered, they are reliable and reasonably priced, making them excellent options for homeowners who don’t have a very large lawn. We especially like their 40-volt, 20-inch push mower, which has a long battery runtime and is easy to store. Like other Ryobi battery mowers, it’s lightweight and easy to maneuver, making mowing less of a chore. Ryobi offers a three-year limited warranty on lawn mowers.

Robomow

• Very innovative features
• Can mow large lawns
• Models that are controlled through Amazon Alexa

Israeli company Robomow was founded in 1995 as Friendly Machines. As the name suggests, the company is a top manufacturer of robotic lawn mowers with ever-increasing advanced technology and useful features, such as their RC312 Pro S, which can be controlled through Amazon Alexa. The Robomow RS series can handle lawns almost an acre in size. All Robomow mowers return to their charging docks when necessary, can handle rugged terrain or slopes, are undeterred by tall grass, are easily programmed and controlled, and remain within the perimeters set by you.

All three of our experts listed Robomow as a top brand for robotic mowers. Robomow Robotic Mowers are known for their advanced technology and precise cutting capabilities, Tinsman says. Their models feature weather sensors and a mobile app for remote control and monitoring. Bravo adds, Robomow, a pioneer in robotic mowing, offers a range of models designed for different lawn sizes and complexities. Their RS and RC series features intelligent navigation, customizable mowing schedules, and smartphone app integration, allowing you to monitor and control your mower remotely.

Like all robotic mowers, these are very expensive machines. And they are not always easy to find; few brick-and-mortar stores carry them and you might have to hunt to find them online. Websites Wellbots and Autmow regularly carry current models. Most Robomow products are covered by a three-year warranty.

WORX

• Manufactures corded and cordless push and self-propelled mowers, as well as robotic mowers
• Reasonably priced

Chinese company WORX was founded in 2004 and manufactures many electric corded or cordless tools, including chainsaws, string trimmers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, and of course lawn mowers. While WORX offers some corded electric mowers, its main FOCUS is on battery mowers, including push and self-propelled options. Most WORX mowers include the patented IntelliCut technology, which automatically increases the power when mowing through thick grass and then dials it back to increase battery runtime. WORX mowers are known for their affordability and ease of use, making them a great choice for small to medium-sized lawns, Ingham says.

WORX has recently entered the robotic mower market with Landroid mowers, including our favorite, the WR155 Landroid M. Like other robotic mowers, it depends on you to set its perimeters, but once inside them, it tirelessly follows your orders to keep your lawn looking its best. And while still expensive, the Landroids are generally not quite as pricey as robots from other brands, making them a good choice for an entry-level lawn robot. Most WORX lawn mowers have a three-year warranty.

Cub Cadet

• Manufactures gas and electric riding mowers, zero-turn mowers, robotic mowers, push mowers, and self-propelled mowers
• Powerful, reliable performance
• Many innovative and premium features

When it comes to riding lawn mowers, all three of our experts are in agreement that Cub Cadet is one of the best in this category, although Cub Cadet does also make push mowers and self-propelled mowers, and has even released a line of robotic mowers. The American company has been making riding mowers since 1961, though it is now owned by Stanley Black Decker. Ingham likes Cub Cadet riding mowers for their excellent performance and easy maneuverability, which makes them especially well-suited to yards with slopes or rough terrain. You can choose from many models, including gas-powered, electric, and zero-turn.

Tinsman especially likes Cub Cadet’s gas riding mowers, praising their powerful engines, self-propulsion feature, rear-wheel drive, and high-performance cutting decks that provide a smooth and even cut. Bravo specifically praises Cub Cadet’s XT Enduro and Ultima series: They provide excellent cutting quality, powerful engines, and a variety of attachments for versatile landscaping tasks. We agree with him—the XT1 Enduro LT is our favorite gas-powered riding mower.

On the downside, you’ll pay more for the premium quality of Cub Cadet mowers. They are covered by a three-year limited warranty.

John Deere

• Reliable, powerful, and great features
• Makes gas riding mowers, lawn tractors, and zero-turn mowers

Another brand that’s renowned for riding mowers, this company has a history that goes back to 1837, when blacksmith John Deere invented a steel-bladed plow that revolutionized farming. The company continued to expand its agricultural offerings and began manufacturing tractors in the early 1900s. But it wasn’t until 1963 that the company began selling lawn tractors specifically for tending residential lawns. John Deere riding mowers are known for their durability, comfort, and versatility, making them a great choice for large properties, Ingham says.

The company makes powerful, reliable, and innovative riding mowers, lawn tractors, and zero-turn mowers, almost all of which are gas-powered. Bravo particularly likes the company’s X300 and X500 series of gas lawn tractors, saying they deliver exceptional performance, reliability, and comfort. We also recommend the S120 22HP 42-Inch Hydrostatic Riding Lawn Tractor, which is a very sturdy and versatile mower that even has cruise control.

As with other high-end riding mowers, you’ll pay quite a bit for a John Deere, but in return, you’ll get quality you can count on. Depending on the model, the warranty on a John Deere mower can range from two years to five years.

EGO

• Excellent power and battery runtime
• Offers cordless push mowers, self-propelled mowers, and riding mowers
• EGO batteries can be interchanged among all EGO products

EGO has established itself as one of the top names for battery-powered outdoor tools, including leaf blowers, weed eaters, chainsaws, and lawn mowers. Thanks to powerful batteries, which Ingham says are known for their long runtimes and quick recharge, an EGO lawn mower—whether push, self-propelled, or even riding—can be almost as powerful as a gas mower.

EGO’s Power series boasts industry-leading battery technology, offering Rapid charging times, impressive runtimes, and compatibility across multiple tools, Bravo says. These mowers are powerful, quiet, and environmentally friendly, with the added convenience of being virtually maintenance-free. We agree—we love the EGO Power LM2102SP self-propelled mower, which matches your walking speed and runs for up to an hour, even on hilly terrain.

While EGO mowers tend to be some of the most expensive battery options, they are also some of the best. Plus, you can use any EGO battery in any of their tools, making the brand highly versatile. The warranty on an EGO lawn mower is five years.

Craftsman

• Reasonably priced
• Makes gas and electric push mowers, self-propelled mowers, riding mowers, and zero-turn mowers

Now owned by Stanley Black Decker, Craftsman was established in 1927 as a brand name for tools sold at Sears department stores. This iconic brand is well-known for its extensive range of basic hand tools, such as hammers and screwdrivers, as well as power tools. The company offers a wide range of lawn mowers, as well, including both gas and electric push mowers, self-propelled mowers, riding mowers, and zero-turn mowers. We like the Craftsman gas-powered M110 21-inch push mower, which is easy to start and powerful.

Craftsman lawn mowers are known for their affordability and reliability, making them a great choice for budget-conscious buyers, Ingham says. While these aren’t top-of-the-line mowers, for the most part, they are more than sufficient for the average homeowner who wants to keep the lawn looking good, yet not spend a fortune on the tools to accomplish that goal. Craftsman mowers come with a three-year limited warranty.

Sun Joe

• Reasonable price
• Offers corded and cordless push mowers, self-propelled mowers, and manual reel mowers

Snow Joe started selling snow blowers in 2004, but later added on Sun Joe lines of various outdoor landscaping tools, including chainsaws, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers, and lawn mowers. Sun Joe Battery Mowers are known for their eco-friendly design and easy maneuverability, Tinsman says. They offer a range of models with features like instant start and detachable grass bags for easy disposal of clippings. The brand does not have any gas mowers, but does have a wide range of electric mowers, both corded and cordless, as well as manual reel mowers, an uncommon offering in the lawn mower industry.

Geared toward homeowners, not professional landscapers, Sun Joe mowers are reasonably powerful and have good battery life, but they aren’t heavy-duty tools intended for large lawns or rugged use. They aren’t exceptionally expensive mowers, which adds to their appeal. For a budget-priced model, we like their corded MJ401E-PRO push mower, which performs well for the price and is easy to maneuver and store. The warranty period for a Sun Joe mower is two years.

Troy-Bilt

• Powerful and reliable
• Makes gas push and self-propelled mowers, gas and electric riding mowers, zero-turn mowers, and manual reel mowers

Yet another brand now owned by Stanley Black Decker, Troy-Bilt was originally founded in 1937 with the first residential rototiller. It went on to manufacture a wide range of outdoor landscaping tools, including excellent gas-powered push and self-propelled lawn mowers and even manual reel mowers. But it’s riding mowers, both gas and electric, that the company is best known for. Tinsman especially likes this brand, saying, Troy-Bilt offers a range of versatile riding mowers with features like cruise control and adjustable cutting heights. Their models feature a range of attachments for year-round use.

While Troy-Bilt riding mowers might not be quite at the level of those made by Honda or John Deere—but they also aren’t as expensive as those brands—these are still popular machines that have many innovative features, are comfortable to ride, and handle well even on large lawns or rugged terrain. And Troy-Bilt push mowers are definitely worth a look as well; we recommend the gas-powered TB110 21-inch mower, which starts easily, is very powerful, and gives a clean, even cut to the lawn. Most Troy-Bilt mowers come with a two-year warranty.

What to Look for in a Lawn Mower Brand

Types of Lawn Mowers

There are quite a few types of lawn mowers available to homeowners these days, so along with choosing a brand, you need to choose a type of mower.

One of the biggest considerations is whether you want a gas-powered mower or an electric mower. Gas mowers tend to be more powerful, but are also louder and emit fumes. Electric mowers, which can be corded or cordless, have come a long way; today’s batteries are more powerful, run longer, and charge faster, making battery mowers a very appealing option to the average homeowner looking to tend a small to medium-sized lawn.

There are brands that offer only electric mowers, including Greenworks and WORX, and brands that are known for their gas mowers, such as Honda and John Deere. Many lawn mower brands, however, offer both gas and electric models. EGO takes it a step further by making only battery lawn mowers; they do not have corded electric mowers as do the other all-electric brands.

There are two basic types of walk-behind mowers: push mowers, which require you to use your own power to push the mower across the grass, and self-propelled mowers, which use their own power to keep the mower in motion. Tor is especially acclaimed for its walk-behind mowers. Most companies that make walk-behind mowers, whether gas, electric, or both, offer both push and self-propelled models.

Riding lawn mowers, also called lawn tractors, are ideal for very large lawns. Several companies on our list offer riding lawn mowers, although Cub Cadet and John Deere are especially renowned in this category. Zero-turn mowers are riding mowers that can make 180-degree turns on the spot. Just about all companies that make riding mowers, including Craftsman, also offer zero-turn mowers.

Robotic mowers are the newest additions to the lawn care scene. These battery-powered devices independently work their way around your lawn, mowing as they go, and are controlled by onboard controls or by an app. Robomow specializes in robotic mowers, but a few other companies, including Husqvarna and WORX, also make them.

Customization Options

When choosing a lawn mower, there are various features that can make your mowing experience easier and faster. Just about all mowers allow you to adjust the height of the blades, which lets you tailor the cutting height to your variety of lawn grass. The brands on our list make this adjustment easier by using a single lever or dial to move the blades higher or lower.

Some battery brands, including WORX and Greenworks, have sensors in their mowers that can detect especially thick grass. These mowers then automatically increase the power of the blade’s spin while tackling the tough spot, and then decrease it again once past the difficult patch of grass, thus saving on battery power.

All brands of self-propelled mowers let you adjust the speed of the mower to more comfortably match your own pace, usually by squeezing a lever; the harder you squeeze, the faster the mower moves. Some brands, though, including Ryobi, have mowers with cruise control so you can set a comfortable speed without having to keep a grip on a lever.

Most walk-behind lawn mowers have just one blade, which spins very quickly to lift and slice the grass. But Honda and EGO both offer mowers with twin blades, which give a more precise, clean cut.

Walk-behind mowers usually give you three choices for handling the grass clippings: bag them, mulch them, or discharge them back onto the lawn. Some mowers, however, only let you bag or mulch the clippings. Always read the description carefully before buying a particular mower, because this is a detail that can vary from model to model within the same brand.

Durability

Nobody wants a lawn mower that only lasts a season or two before failing. While all of the brands on our list are known for making quality mowers that should stand the test of time, as a rough rule of thumb, gas mowers tend to last longer than electric mowers, and top brands Honda, Toro, John Deere, and Cub Cadet are especially known for the durability of their mowers, all of which are used by professional landscaping companies as well as homeowners.

Where You Can Shop

With the exception of Robomow, which is only carried by a handful of specialized dealers, you can buy all of the other brands on our list at large home improvement centers or through the big home improvement center websites, including The Home Depot and Lowe’s, you can buy them from brick-and-mortar lawn care shops or from tool-and-garden websites, or you can find them on Amazon, Overstock, or similar outlets.

While buying a lawn mower online makes it easier to shop around for the best price, as well as have the mower shipped directly to your home, shopping in person gives you the opportunity to ask questions, touch and handle the lawn mower to get a feel for it, and usually take it home that very day.

The frequency of mower maintenance depends on the type of mower and how often you mow your lawn with it. But as a general rule, you should check the oil and fuel level before each use with a gas mower, and be sure the battery is fully charged before powering up your electric mower. After mowing, once your lawn mower has cooled down completely, remove any clots of grass from the blades and the bottom of the deck. Wipe away mud, wet grass, and other grunge from the deck. You’ll need to sharpen the mower blades at least annually, and more often if you mow very frequently or have tough or thick grass. Gas mowers require more maintenance than electric mowers, generally. At least annually, you should give your gas mower a complete oil change, replace the spark plugs, and replace the air filter.

Gas mowers usually measure their level of power in cubic capacity, which is a measure of the amount of air and fuel that can push through the cylinders. For walk-behind mowers, this generally translates to somewhere between 2 and 6 horsepower. Riding mowers are far more powerful; the engines in these mowers usually have between 12 and 20 horsepower. Battery mowers do not use horsepower or cubic capacity measurements. Instead, the battery voltage indicates the power of these mowers. You’ll find battery mowers ranging from 20 volts to 80 volts, but residential mowers most often use 40-volt batteries.

As lawn mowers are powerful tools with very sharp, rapidly spinning blades, they can cause injury if not used properly. There are some safety features required on all lawn mowers today, including a safety brake that stops the blade from spinning within three seconds if the user releases their grip from the controls and a foot shield that prevents the mower’s foot from being able to slip beneath the cutting deck. Common sense is also an important part of using your mower safely. Never mow barefoot or without full foot coverings. Don’t mow in floppy pants or clothing that could become entangled in the mower blade or wheels. Never put your hands or feet near the deck of the mower when it’s on, and never pull a running lawn mower backward toward your feet. Pick up toys, rocks, or other debris from the lawn before you begin to mow. Never mow when you are feeling unwell, overly tired, or otherwise impaired.

Why Trust The Spruce?

This article was researched and written by Michelle Ullman, who is a writer specializing in home and garden products. She has been a commerce writer for The Spruce since 2020, covering a wide range of home improvement products including power and hand tools, painting supplies, landscaping tools, and tool organizers. To choose the best brands of lawn mowers for this article, she consulted dozens of customer and third-party reviews, as well as websites specializing in landscaping, lawn care, and lawn mowers.

She also received extensive, helpful input from Alex Tinsman, gardener and founder of How To Houseplant; Brock Ingham, gardener, landscaper, and founder of website Bigger Garden; and gardener Henry Bravo, founder and editor-in-chief of Smart Garden Home.

The Best Reel Mower for Your (Small) Lawn

We’ve reviewed this guide, added competitors, eliminated older models, and reconfirmed our decisions on our picks.

Reel mowers aren’t for everyone. They’re designed for small, flat lawns, and they take some effort to push around. But they provide exceptional cut quality and a completely unplugged mowing experience, so they offer things no other mower can. We think the best one is the Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower.

For the healthiest grass

The Scotts makes the cleanest cut, has the widest cutting path, and jams the least of any reel mower, and its unusually tall 3-inch max cutting height makes it more versatile for different grass types.

Buying Options

At the time of publishing, the price was 145.

During initial tests with a golf course grounds crew and in years of follow up use, the Scotts-branded mower has the best cut quality of any of the mowers we’ve tested, and its unusually tall maximum cutting height of 3 inches makes it a versatile choice for different types of lawns and grasses. It has a 20-inch cutting swath—the widest available—and at 34 pounds, it’s light and easy to maneuver. It was also the only mower in the group that didn’t jam during testing.

Good cut, less elegant

This mower cuts almost as well as our main pick and has a taller cutting height, but it’s bulkier (making it harder to turn around) and more expensive.

Buying Options

At the time of publishing, the price was 250.

If our main pick is sold out or otherwise unavailable, we also really like the Fiskars 18-Inch StaySharp Max Reel Mower. Its a solid mower with a 4-inch cutting height is higher than any other reel mower’s. In testing the Fiskars cut well, but it wasn’t on par with the Scotts and didn’t handle tall grass quite as well. It’s also heavier and bulkier, making it more of a chore to turn around, it also costs more than the Scotts.

For the healthiest grass

The Scotts makes the cleanest cut, has the widest cutting path, and jams the least of any reel mower, and its unusually tall 3-inch max cutting height makes it more versatile for different grass types.

Buying Options

At the time of publishing, the price was 145.

Good cut, less elegant

This mower cuts almost as well as our main pick and has a taller cutting height, but it’s bulkier (making it harder to turn around) and more expensive.

Buying Options

At the time of publishing, the price was 250.

Why you should trust us

We spoke with Jason Kruse, assistant professor of environmental horticulture and turfgrass specialist at the University of Florida. As his bio states, Kruse’s responsibilities include “managing the University of Florida turfgrass Envirotron teaching and research facility, planning and implementing turfgrass educational field days and leading the statewide turfgrass teaching design team.” The guy knows a lot about grass.

For testing, we enlisted the aid of the grounds crew of the Diamond Hawk Golf Course in Cheektowaga, New York, a bunch of people who are serious about mowing. While using the mowers, they picked up cut blades to carefully examine how cleanly the mowers cut; they also bent down to compare the color of the turf after each one made a pass, and pushed all the mowers around on various lengths of grass.

Here at Wirecutter, we’ve been covering lawn equipment since 2014. As for the specific topic of grass-cutting implements, we’ve written extensive guides to both lawn mowers and string trimmers in addition to reel mowers.

Since the first version of this guide, we’ve recommended the Scotts as well as the runner-up Fiskars, and we’ve continued to use both models in assorted locations, paying attention to their long-term performance and any ongoing maintenance needed.

Who should get a reel mower

Before getting a reel mower, you should be aware of their pros and cons. Simply put, a reel mower is not a direct replacement for a regular mower.

As one of our long-term testers said, “I love [my reel mower]. It makes mowing feel more like a pleasant way to spend time outside and less like something I need to grit my teeth and power through.” On the other hand, a second long-term tester stated that he regrets purchasing a reel mower and has “frequently considered selling it to get a cheap electric mower.”

Reel mowers are better for the lawn’s health. They snip the grass blades like scissors, while rotary mowers tend to shred grass blades. According to University of Florida assistant professor of environmental horticulture Jason Kruse, “The scissor-cutting action of the reel mowers results in less damage to the leaf tissue, which in turn puts the plants under less stress.” He continued, “They lose less water, are less susceptible to disease, and generally look better when cut with a reel mower.”

Reel mowers are also good for the operator’s health. Because you hand-push the mower and it isn’t motorized, it takes effort to use, especially if you have a large lawn. Keep in mind that the turning wheels are what rotate the blades, which adds to the resistance. So the task is not as simple as, say, pushing an empty furniture dolly, where you’re pushing the wheels and nothing else. According to a Livestrong.com article, (which in turn credits Harvard Medical School, among others) a person weighing 175 pounds would burn approximately 251 calories by pushing a reel mower—which the article refers to as a hand mower—for 30 minutes. This is 51 calories more than someone weighing 185 pounds pushing a mower with a powered blade for the same amount of time.

Reel mowers also require minimal maintenance and are much, much quieter than regular mowers. Aside from lubricating and sharpening the blades every few years, you don’t have a lot of upkeep to do on a reel mower. As for the noise, many users of reel mowers cite the gentle snipping sound the tool makes as a key benefit. Gas mowers, on the other hand, require gas, regular tune-ups, oil changes, and winterizing. They’re also noisy and smelly. As one of our long-term testers said, “I love [my reel mower]. It makes mowing feel more like a pleasant way to spend time outside and less like something I need to grit my teeth and power through.”

But for a reel mower to be practical, you need a fairly small lawn. Anyone with more than a quarter acre (roughly 10,000 square feet) will find weekly mowing with a reel mower exhausting. One long-term tester stated that he regrets purchasing a reel mower for the size of his lawn and has “frequently considered selling it to get a cheap electric mower.”. In contrast, another of our long-term testers has approximately 1,000 square feet of lawn, and mowing takes her about 20 minutes.

A reel mower works best with a strict adherence to a regular cutting schedule. If grass gets overgrown, a reel mower will merely push it down and roll right over it, so if you tend to go a while between mowings, you should stick with a regular push mower. One long term tester had to wait so long for the reel mower to arrive that once it got there, the grass had grown so high they needed to hire someone to cut their grass. And the necessary diligence goes beyond the schedule: Reel mowers can’t mow over twigs and leaves as gas mowers can, so additional attentiveness to pre-mow lawn cleanup is required, as well.

Reel mowers are troublesome on sloped or bumpy lawns. The torque that turns the blades comes from the wheels as you roll them along the ground. On an uneven surface, the wheels lose contact with the ground as they bounce or as the weight shifts on a slope. As one of our long-term testers put it, “Small dips can lead to grass getting missed, so I often end up mowing from two or three different angles to try and get it all.”

In fact, the results in general may not be what you expect. One of our long-term testers said that their mower “often totally misses taller strands of grass” and that they “have to go back and snip those with a pair of shears.” Also, on most reel mowers, the blades are inboard of the wheels, so you’ll have a wider gap of unmowed grass against a fence or a stone wall.

How we picked and tested

To figure out how to pick the best reel mower, we spoke to Scott Dunbar, superintendent of Diamond Hawk Golf Course in Cheektowaga, New York. He explained that reel mowers can cut much closer to the ground than rotary mowers. At the golf course, the crew uses reel mowers to cut greens and approaches but uses gas-powered rotary mowers for the rough. But the average homeowner isn’t cutting the lawn for use as a putting green—in fact, cutting your lawn too low is terrible for its health. Turf experts suggest never cutting off more than a third of your grass’s length; cutting too close to the ground can cause the grass to dry out and get scorched in the summer. This means that a mower’s minimum cutting height isn’t a useful measurement, since you’re unlikely to use that setting.

The maximum cutting height was a crucial detail. We used this spec as our primary factor in eliminating mowers from contention. Few reel mowers are able to get above 2½ inches, which may not be good for your lawn. “[Cutting height] is one of the primary complaints I have against the majority of reel mowers that are marketed for home use. Most residential grasses (both cool- and warm-season) have recommended heights of cut that are at the upper limit or even exceed the height of cut that is possible with some of the mowers,” said University of Florida turfgrass specialist Kruse. “While it would be possible to use the mower, the long-term health of the turf could suffer significantly,” he continued.

Other factors were also important:

• How easy is the mower to adjust?
• How hard is it to push?
• How wide is it?
• How much does it weigh?
• What have other reviewers said about it?

We took our final four mowers to a golf course. There the grounds crew helped us adjust the blades to the exact same standard they used on their mowers so that the blades could cleanly slice a piece of paper. Over the next three hours, we pushed all four mowers back and forth on different-height grasses. On hand were course superintendent Scott Dunbar, a member of the grounds crew, a mechanic who maintains the course equipment, and an equipment salesman who happened to be at the course that day. These guys are all turfgrass experts who deal with grass and mowing equipment every day. They really took to the task of comparing these mowers, examining every aspect closely and answering all our questions about turf and cut quality.

Our pick: Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower

For the healthiest grass

The Scotts makes the cleanest cut, has the widest cutting path, and jams the least of any reel mower, and its unusually tall 3-inch max cutting height makes it more versatile for different grass types.

Buying Options

At the time of publishing, the price was 145.

The Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower is the reel mower to get. Of the tested mowers, it offered the cleanest cut and the easiest adjustments, and it was the only one that didn’t jam. It also has a wide, 20-inch cutting swath—the widest we found—as well as height adjustments between 1 and 3 inches, which is a more versatile range than we saw on almost all of the other available reel mowers. At 34 pounds, it’s light and easy to turn around at the end of each mowing row, but it’s heavy enough that it doesn’t bounce around on slightly uneven turf.

The quality of the cut excelled against the competition. When our lawn experts were going back and forth with the mowers on a variety of grasses and lengths, they noticed that the Scotts model would leave a swath of totally trimmed grass with each blade snipped evenly across, no ragged edges to be seen. In contrast, the other mowers would leave a bunch of blades sticking up like chimneys after a house fire, requiring the testers to back up and go over the area again. The Scotts mower also never jammed up during testing, whereas all of the other mowers did.

The Scotts 2000-20 also snipped a wider path than most of the others. The Scotts is a 20-inch-wide mower, the widest size available (the measurement refers to the blade width, not the overall width). We tested another 20-inch model, the Lee Valley 20″ Mower, but that one was harder to push, and its cut quality was worse.

Our testers also gave the Scotts 2000-20 high marks for overall usability. At 34 pounds, it lands in the middle of our test group in weight but manages to hit the sweet spot between maneuverability and stability. The Fiskars StaySharp Max is heavier and harder to turn around at the end of a mowing row; by contrast, the lighter Lee Valley model bounced around on uneven ground and left a ragged cut as a result.

All of the adjustments on the Scotts mower are easy to make. For cutting height, it has two levers, one for each wheel. One other model we tested, the 16-inch Great States 415-16, required us to unbolt it each time we wanted to change the cutting height. Also, the height settings on the Scotts model are accurate; the 1-inch setting on the Fiskars, in contrast, actually cut much lower, practically scalping the lawn, before we readjusted it to a higher setting.

The Scotts 2000-20 has a cutting range of 1 to 3 inches. The vast majority of reel mowers top out around 2 inches, so we appreciated the ability to go taller, either for the health of the grass or for a less manicured look. A DIY Network article lists the ideal cutting heights for a variety of warm- and cool-weather grasses, and the capabilities of the Scotts land nicely in the strike zone for every grass mentioned. Our runner-up, the Fiskars StaySharp Max, has an even higher maximum cutting height at 4 inches, but it’s a much heavier mower with more difficult maneuvering, and it doesn’t cut as nicely.

The Scotts is easy to assemble, and doesn’t require any tools. The bolts that attach the handle have large plastic wing nuts, so tightening by hand is simple. If you ever need to take your mower apart—to fit it into a compact space like a car trunk or a small storage area—we found that the Scotts was easy enough to disassemble, too. You might need pliers to remove the small C-clips that attach the handle to the body of the mower, but otherwise it shouldn’t be a hassle.

Scotts stands behind their products. Erin Price, then Wirecutter’s Audience Development Manager, had a wheel fall off her Scotts push mower and the company replaced the entire mower for her. She told us, “I love my reel mower and perhaps love it even more now that the company was so helpful.”

It has performed well in long term testing. Two other Wirecutter staff members, who both happen to be women, also have Scotts Classics in their personal tool sheds, and they appreciate the mower’s simplicity and ease of use. Senior Photo Editor Rozette Rago had never used a reel mower before picking up the Scotts for her small, flat yard in LA, and found it quick to get used to. It was easy to figure out for two people who have never used it before. Wirecutter Producer Beth Niegelsky, who has used both the Fiskars and the Scotts, prefers the latter, “ I actually like the Scotts significantly more because it is SO much lighter.” She explained, “With the Fiskars, I basically couldn’t mow the hill of my front yard without feeling like I was doing something dangerous. It’s basically no problem with the Scotts.”

Senior Software Development Engineer Joshua Brewer had the Scotts for three years and recently replaced it for our lawn mower pick. Throughout his three years of usage, he highlighted that the Scott was “kinda fun to use.” He appreciated that it was easy to storetash, didn’t require fuel, and was quieter than a traditional lawn mower. However, the Scotts did squeak despite thorough maintenance, required multiple passes on his lawn, and his foam handle disintegrated after the first year. Overall, Brewer says The Scotts 2000-20 worked, but was much more laborious to use with a lush and dense lawn and worked a lot better when the lawn was more sparse. He’s much happier with the Ego LM2135SP now.

Supervising Editor Josh Lyon also has a Scotts and said there are bumpy parts of his lawn that he needs to go over one or two additional times, but that “the mower is so light and has such a smooth roll that even with the extra passes it takes half the time to do our entire lawn than with the gas-powered mower we used to have.” Overall, Lyon is very happy with the Scotts and says he’ll never go back to a gas mower.

Finally, even though it wasn’t a major factor in our decision, testers liked how the Scotts looked better than the other mowers (some found the Fiskars model’s oddball form to be off-putting). The Scotts 2000-20 is covered by a two-year warranty, and user reviews suggest that the manufacturer, American Lawn Mower, issues free replacement parts whenever a problem crops up.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

We analyzed the negative Комментарии и мнения владельцев at Amazon and found that most of the complaints center on the aluminum handle breaking, a plastic gear in the mechanism stripping out, or simply the realization that a reel mower is not the right choice for the owner’s particular lawn.

We investigated the plastic-gear complaint by removing the wheel of the Scotts mower and taking a look at the gear. As you can see in the photo above, it’s a pretty robust gear with deep teeth, and it interfaces with the teeth on the inside of the plastic wheel. The wheels turn as you push, and those teeth turn the plastic gear, which rotates the blades. Stripping it out is an issue to be aware of, but under proper use, the gear shouldn’t be a problem. And if it becomes one, replacing the gear is a 10-minute repair job. While it would be nice if both the wheel and the gear were made of metal, such a design would likely add money to the price tag and a significant amount of weight to the mower.

One of our long-term testers also noted that when the Scotts arrived, many of the screws holding the handle together were loose and fell out within a month. Once they were replaced, no further problems surfaced.

A close reading of the user complaints suggests that owners who were using the Scotts mower on tall or tough Southern grass had the most problems, but such difficulties are likely to be common among all push mowers and not just the Scotts.