What should you think about before you buy a lawn mower? Here are some suggestions:


Help the environment and your wallet. Buy a solar, push reel or electric lawn mower instead of a gas powered one.

"Solar is the least impactful option," said John Motz, Resource Conservationist for the Monroe County Conservation District. "You use the sun's energy and not from a power plant."

Depending on the type of motor you use, solar powered lawn mowers can take two to four days to charge. Nevertheless, these mowers help the environment and save gas money.

Push reel lawn mowers are the next best type for the environment and, since they are powered manually, do not require gas.

"Right now electric mowers are probably winning," said Motz. "They are quieter although you have to be careful to get the right amount of power depending on what size motor you have."

Electric mowers have the disadvantage of being attached to a cord. Nonetheless, cordless electric mowers are now being sold.

Size of your lawn. The bigger your lawn, the more powerful lawn mower you will need unless you plan on mowing your lawn for an entire day.

"Gas is the most powerful," said George Werrbach, Home Depot gardening associate. "I would recommend you use a gas lawn mower if you had a lot of acreage, over half an acre."

Doug Ace, a Stroudsburg landscaper, would only recommend a push reel lawn mower if you have a small yard.

How much you are willing to spend. Typically, gas powered lawn mowers are more expensive than manual or electric powered models. Tractors are the most expensive kind of lawn mower. Electric lawn mowers are slightly less expensive than a regular gas powered mower, but there are less of them on the market.

"We have about 15 gas models available but only two or three electric," said Werrbach. "But they are harder to keep on the shelf."

The cheapest lawn mowers are the push lawn mowers which are sold for as little as $25.