Buying a first mower. Suggestions

[gevans]

Hi everyone I am needing some help working through what lawn mower I want to buy. My experience with lawn care is minimal as this is my first house. The yard is small as the lot is .07 acres total and there is a slope to the front of the property. As for price I don't have a firm number but I don't think I would see any benefits from extra features with such a small yard.

What I am looking for is a fairly bare bones cheap lawn mower that is reliable and will last a few years. For features I think larger rear wheels would be nice for the slope and a mulching setting. I am not wedded to gas powered mowers but I don't think reel or corded electric will work for me. In the interest of weed control I want to keep the grass tall so I don't think a reel mower is the right fit. For corded electric I don't think I would have enough length to mow the yard without using multiple extension cords.

So if anyone has recommendations or advice that would be appreciated.

 

[Charlie8d]

If it is .07, it is a tiny yard. There are some pretty good small battery powered mowers on the market that should be able to handle that. 40volts should be plenty.

 

[Born2Mow]

Battery sounds nice, but I see too many problem reports. IMHO, battery mowers are simply NOT ready for "prime time". If it's not battery issues, then it's charger issues. The mowers are like battery drills. Right when you need a new battery pack, they stop making that model to introduce a new model. Of course, the old model battery is no longer available. So for want of a $10 battery, your $500 tool is useless.

A good gasoline mower will last you 20 years, with minimal maintenance.

1. Deal with a Dealer (not a big box store) near you.
2. Stick with a major US brand like Toro, TroyBilt, John Deere, Snapper, etc.
3. Due to the slope, look at self-propelled walk-behinds, about 21" cutting width.
4. Change the oil once a year.
5. Empty ALL fuel BEFORE winter storage. Storage with Ethanol fuel is the #1, #2, and #3 issue for all owners. No fuel = No problems.
6. Always store a mower out of the weather, inside a building. Never under a tarp.

 

[bertsmobile1]

If you have a big slope then look for a good second hand 2 stroke mower or cut the grass with a line trimmer.
If it was my yard then I would put in a garden & forget about mowing all together.
Think about a flowering ground cover then pop a couple of shrubs in after you have been there for a while and know what the sun / water regeime is like .
I think you have made a mistake with the calculations.
0.25 acres is a std building block.
0.125 acres is a small town house
0.07 Acres is about the size of a double garage & car port

 

[Born2Mow]

.07 acres = 3050 sq. ft., or 101 x 30ft.

Burt's has a great idea. Put it mostly in garden in the flat areas, with perennial ground cover on the slopes. Lots of things you can grow so easily and offset your grocery bill... plus it tastes better. Your wife will love it.

DO NOT plant English ivy as a ground cover.

 

[Charlie8d]

My math is the same as Bert = the size of a double garage.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Yeh OK it is a bit bigger than a double garage & car port .
The smallest block you can build a stand alone house on down here is 0.1 acres and even a modest house on a block that size has a front yard so small to make putting a lawn in look like the space between wheel ruts and usually on blocks that size the front "lawn" becomes parking space in any case.
The small garden around the workshop is bigger than Gevans entire lot.
The average new house down here is 0.06 acres, without garage .
So no I would recommend a packet of wildflower seeds, some prostrate flowering ground covers or a pile of fragrent herbs & small shrubs like lavender & rosemary.
Things that look after themselves and smell nice as you brush past them entering & exiting, or walk over them like mints, correander or even aniseed .

If you have a flatish back yard and a cloths line then perhaps a bit of grass under the line trimmed with an unpowered reel mower

 

[slomo]

Minimum 72" 0-turn with the CAT Diesel engine. Park it in the middle of that yard. Turn the blades on. Turn the blades back off. Drive the mower in the garage. Go watch the game.

slomo

 

[toddsyr]

Minimum 72" 0-turn with the CAT Diesel engine. Park it in the middle of that yard. Turn the blades on. Turn the blades back off. Drive the mower in the garage. Go watch the game.

slomo

Yes you're kidding.....BUT..... across the street from a friends house a guy bought a riding mower. No BS, the front yard is about 6 feet by 25 feet because of the driveway, shrubs etc. The backyard is about the same.

 

[NJMower]

For really tiny yards:

1. There's always the push reel mower. No joke.
2. I would consider a new battery mower by Dewalt. Their 20/60v battery system fits dozens of things that you might use around your new house from cordless drills to lights, chainsaws, blowers, hedge trimmers, string trimmers, inflators, power tools, etc. Depending on the condition of house and your skills, you may soon be in the market for a set of battery powered tools.