Choosing a ride on mower

If you have a large grassy area, you need to consider buying a ride on mower. If you are in the market for a ride on mower, there are a number of points that you have to consider. This will ensure that you are getting the right mower for your needs.

The Type Of Mower

There are 2 types of ride on mowers that you can purchase, and they are the lawn mower and the garden mower. The lawn mower is the more traditional design and will have a steering wheel. These mowers will have a number of attachments that you can use to bag the clippings and leaves as well as spreading seeds.

The garden mower often has a similar design to the lawn mower, but will come with more ground-engaging attachments. The engine will also be more powerful than the lawn models. Heavy-duty transmission is also more common with these mowers which make them better for larger areas.

The Transmission

Manual transmission is available and offers a range of set speeds. If you are looking at these mowers, you should choose one that allows you to shift without stopping. There are some manual transmission mowers which have a clutch similar to a car.

Most people find that automatic transmission mowers are much easier to use. You will be able to control your mower with the accelerator which will make it easier to change the speed. These mowers can be much easier to use if you have to work around obstacles.

The last type of transmission that is offered is hydrostatic which works in a similar manner to an automatic transmission. However, it uses fluid instead of belts to get power to the wheels. This type of transmission will have a smoother ride, lasts longer and will require less maintenance.

The Cut Width

When looking at a ride on mower, you need to take note of the cut width. This width will be the swath of grass that the mower will cut on a single pass. The cut width needs to be considered in terms of the size of the area that you are going to be working in.

If you have a smaller area, you should look at a smaller cut width. Larger areas should have larger widths because you will not have to pass over the grass as often.

Grass Clipping Handling

The way that the mower handles grass clippings needs to be considered. You can get a mower that offers side-discharge which directs the clippings back onto the lawn. If you choose this option, you will need to rake the clippings and dispose of them after mowing.

Other mowers will collect the clippings in a bag as you mow. This will keep the grass looking clean and reduce the amount of work that you need to do. The only issue to consider with this is the size of the bag as you might have to empty it multiple times.

The last option to consider in terms of grass clipping handling is the mulching-capable mowers. As the name suggests, these mowers will turn the grass into mulch which can add nutrients to the soil. These mowers work best when you use them regularly and do not allow the grass to get very long.