Factors to consider when selecting a mower
It takes a lot of equipment to maintain a yard. Some is buried or permanently installed, like irrigation and lighting systems. Other equipment is put away in the garage or shed and only pulled out once a week or so in order to perform needed yard maintenance in order to keep a lawn healthy and looking pristine.
When choosing a lawn mower, horsepower should no longer be a deciding factor, said Ron Freund, a territory representative with PMA Outdoor Equipment Distributors of St. Charles, which supplies local dealers with Toro products and provides product training to dealer personnel.
Freund said homeowners should look at the mower's torque produced and the engine's cubic centimeters. He said it is also important to look for a brand name engine - with Toro, Briggs and Stratton, Honda and Kohler being the most highly rated.
Other important considerations include what brands your local repair shop can service, whether you want to bag or mulch your clippings, whether you want a self-propelled or push mower, and what type of starter you want (push button, key or pull-start). Some premium mowers even come with an adjustable-height handle, too, for ease of use by people of differing heights.
"If you have a large yard, you probably want a self-propelled mower and a wider one. They come up to 30-inches wide. And if you have a swimming pool, you probably want to bag your clippings so that they don't end up in the filter," Freund advised.
The Toro Co., based in Minnesota, is a leading provider of innovative turf, snow, irrigation, outdoor lighting and ground engaging equipment solutions worldwide. Toro and its associated brands help customers care for residential and commercial properties, as well as golf courses, sports fields, agricultural fields, public green spaces and other landscapes.
"I suggest to my friends and family that they buy a quality lawn mower in the first place so they are not replacing it every three or four years," Freund said.
"If you buy a Toro Super Recycler mower with a cast aluminum deck, for instance, you can expect to get 15 to 20 years of life from it," he said. "Even if you buy one of the less expensive Toro Recycler mowers, made of stamped steel, you can expect to get seven to ten years."
Recycler mowers cut and re-cut the grass into a fine mulch, then force the clippings deep into the turf to promote a lush, healthy lawn, according to Toro materials.
Freund also mentioned that Toro has two "Smart Stow" mowers that are 22 inches wide and have fold-down handles which allow them to be stored in a smaller space. The Personal Pace Recycler mower with SmartStow is new this year. It has self-propelled rear wheels for easier maneuverability, he said, and can be stored upright without concerns over leaking gas or oil. That feature saves space and makes it easier for users to clean under the deck and service the blade.
The other new and exciting development in lawn maintenance is the development of lithium ion battery-powered handheld trimmers, blowers and edgers. There are no cords to trip over or cut. Freund said they are as powerful as similar gas-powered tools and they last very long on a charge. There are also no emissions from gasoline motors and they are comparatively quiet, he said.
Visit www.toro.com to find the closest servicing dealer to your home or to see more information on Toro products.