When comes to a lawnmower, reliability is a big topic. Typically machines from a bigger company like Honda, John Deere, and Troy-Bilt, etc are more reliable than any unknown or smaller company.
But depending on the budget and type you may need to go for a different company’s product. For example, the Honda lawn mower may perform better and be reliable but they are also more expensive than others. So even if they are most reliable you may need to consider the next best thing instead of that one.
Factors to Consider on a Reliable Lawn Mower
A few things you need to consider when searching for a reliable mower. These things are the types of mower, best mower within your budget, and whether it will be a gas, petrol, or electric mower.
Types of Lawn Mower
You can find a few types of lawn mower in the market. Each of them has its own different use case. These are push mower, self-propelled mower, lawn tractor, and zero-turn mowers. Depending on the size of your yard, you will need different types of the mower to cut the lawn efficiently within a short time.
Push Lawn Mower
If you have a small yard that needs to be mowed, a basic push mower is a good choice. There are a few fuel options for this type of mower but we will discuss them in the fuel part of the article.
Self Propelled Lawn Mower
These are the same as push mowers with one exception. The exception is, they use a bit of the power to propel themselves. Where the push mower only uses the power to rotate the blade, the self propelled ones also use the power to move them forward. So you need to push them less to get them moving.
This is a pretty good option for a medium-size yard. Here using a push mower can become very hard and taxing on the body. This makes the lawn mowing process fun since it doesn’t need to be pushed too hard.
Lawn Tractor / Riding Lawn Mower
If it isn’t obvious by the name, this is like a little tractor but for mowing. It uses fuel to power itself. At the bottom, there is a blade that can be controlled from the driver’s seat. You just have to turn on the blade and drive around the yard to mow it.
There are pretty expensive and can be only used in a big yard. Because of the size of the tractor, even if you buy the thing you cannot use it in a small or medium size yard. But this makes mowing a big yard pretty easy.
Zero Turn Mowers
They are also like the lawn tractor but without a steering wheel. Instead of the steering wheel, these things have 2 handles for controlling it. This way, they can turn very easily thus the name zero turn mowers. Because of the handlebars, you will need some practice before you start mowing with it.
They are good for big yards and can cut faster than a lawn tractor. But they are also more expensive than lawn tractors. They do work a bit better on uneven land but generally unless you really want to save some time getting a lawn tractor will do the job.
Lawn Mower Fuel Choice
Fuel also plays a part in a user’s experience of a lawn mower being reliable or not. There are mainly three types of fuel a lawnmower can use. These three are gas, petrol and battery/electric.
Gas and petrol-type lawnmowers need more maintenance than an electric mower. Then again, an electric mower doesn’t run as long as a gas or petrol mower because of its limited power supplied by the battery.
So, both have their ups and downs. If you buy a gas or petrol mower then you need to have more maintenance to get reliable performance. But if you get an electric one then you will get a reliable performance without much maintenance but you will be limited on the use time.
Of course, there are some types of mower like the tractor mower that only uses petrol. These need a lot of power which is hard to supply with a battery at a reasonable cost. So there is no electric version of those.
Reliable Lawn Mower Brand within Your Budget Classified by Types
Each company has reputation for one or two types of lawnmowers they are best at. So we are going to discuss which the most reliable brand is while classifying them by riding and pushing the mower.
Riding Lawn Mower || Zero Turn & Tractor Mower
If you want to buy a lawn tractor or zero turn lawn mower, then John Deere is the most popular and reliable brand. They are very well known among the users of riding lawnmower. They are making these machines for almost 100 years and still going strong.
John Decree is known for being powerful and durable and for its high performance. It has great customer service on top of being a reliable brand. But they are also the most expensive lawnmower in the market. So if you have the budget then John Deere should be your first choice. You’ll also be able to bypass the safety switch on the John Deere lawnmower.
If you don’t want a John Deere one then there is also Craftsman and Husqvarna that have decades of experience under their name in making riding mowers. You can always go for one of them for performance and reliability.
Pushing Lawn Mower || Push & Self Propelled Mower
Unlike riding mowers, push mowers to have a bit more diversity when comes reliable brand. One of the most reliable brands these days for a push and self propelled mower is Honda. Honda is not just a lawnmower-making company. They have experience in making cars and bikes too.
Its reliability in engine making extends to the lawnmowers too. These machines are durable and reliable. But they also come at a pretty higher cost than any other company. So if you have the budget going for a Honda lawnmower isn’t a bad idea.
Other than Honda, Toro is a company that is making lawnmowers for quite some time. They have been innovating and tweaking the formula for newer lawnmowers for generations. These machines are reliable too. But they also come at a pretty steep price.
Some other reliable companies are Troy-Bilt, Greenworks, and Ego. Some customers say Troy-Bilt has fallen in terms of reliability in recent years a bit. But none the less, all these brands are more or less reliable when comes to a cheaper and affordable lawnmower.
They are not as reliable as a Honda or Toro but they do get the job done at a chapter price. So if you are short on budget you can always get one of these brands knowing your money was well spent.
FAQ
- How long should a lawn mower last?
Ans: A lawn mower should last around 10 years. But there will always be variables that you need to consider. If you use your lawn mower more or the living climate can affect how long it will last.
- Is John Deere better than Husqvarna?
Ans: In terms of reliability, John Deere is better. They need fewer repairs than Husqvarna too.
Conclusion
In short, the most reliable brand of lawn mower depends on the type of mower you are using. A Honda or Toro will be the most reliable push or self propelled lawnmower. But for riding mowers, John Deere is the best at both durability and reliability.
