Lawn Mower

Here’s your guide to everything about lawn mowers. On this page, we’ll break down the differences between the mowers you can buy, what’s best for your situation, and how to get the most out of a lawn mower.

How to decide on the right lawn mower

Choosing a lawn mower depends on many factors, such as the size of your plot, your budget, and your time. For many, a regular lawn mower will get the job done. However, even within the “lawn mower” category, there’s so much variance that it’s hard to know what counts. To clear up the misunderstanding, let’s first go through the four types of lawn mowers.

Walk Behind Mowers

A classic push mower in most households. Many variants of this exist for specialist needs.

Ride On Mowers

Made for consumers and pros alike for larger properties. Typically reserved for regular mowing needs.

Zero Turn Mowers

Made for very large properties with a focus on detail and finish. Can be used by homeowners and pros.

Robotic Lawn Mowers

A tiny mower made for small home properties. Meant for people who want the convenience.

How to choose the best lawn mower.

The best lawn mower is ultimate the one that meets your needs. This means the engine, material, quality and some of the features will affect your choice in different ways. Are you prepared to do more maintenance, or do you simply want to get the lawn done as quickly as possible? These are some of the questions you’ll need to ask yourself as you do your research for a lawn mower. Some lawn mowers can offer extra attachments to help you get stripes on your lawn, while others are made for mulching. Being clear on your own needs helps you make a decision. We can break this section down by how large your lawn is and what options you have for each.

Which type of mower is better for small lawns?

When it comes to small areas, the main things buyers need to focus on are price, compactness and ease of use. In this category, people use walk behind mowers or robotic lawn mowers as they both are compact and easy to use. The price for these ranges from as low as $300 for entry level walk behind mowers and over a couple thousand for some modern robotic mowers. With this much variance, it becomes difficult to choose which is best for your needs.
Petrol mowers tend to be much cheaper than electric mowers, however require a lot more maintenance cost, and take up more space. Within electric mowers, you have both cable powered and battery powered. Between the two, the cable powered mowers tend to be cheaper, however rely on the purchase of another long cable, and are prone to being cut or damaged during mowing. This means you would require a special kind of cable extender with the addition of an RCD set up on the powerboard. On the other hand, battery powered mowers tend to share a battery that can be used with other powertools, which is what our Toro 60v battery series does with its electric mowers. They’re a lot safer and easier to handle.
If you’re comfortable with performing maintenance on a regular basis, then a petrol mower might be best for you, however if you want a simple option, then a battery powered electric mower works best. We do not recommend plug in electric mowers for the reason of having obstacles in the way which both pose a hazard and a threat to your mower.

The best lawn mowers for medium sized lawns and plots

As the size of your lawn gets bigger, the things you need to consider also change. For some, time and stamina become issues as mowing for a long time is truthfully quite draining. That’s why at this level, people consider upgrading to larger walk behind lawn mowers with features to make mowing easier, or go straight for a ride on mower. The choice ultimately depends on you and how you want to get your mowing done.
If you have the stamina and time to stay on your feet, then options like the Timecutter lawn mowers or the Personal Pace series can help you get the job done faster. These mowers work by having the personal pace technology, which self-propels the mower and takes pressure off you as you push it. This is perfect for situations where lawns are sloped or hilly, taking the pressure out of pushing. The timecutter not only features the personal pace technology, but also features a wider blade reach, which cuts more each time, reducing the time taken to finish your mowing.
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However, if that sounds like too much work, then it’s best to go for a ride on mower. Not only is it quicker than a mower, but it takes off all the pressure. Imagine sitting down, listening to music, the news or a podcast, and mowing your lawn all at the same time. For people who have the space to put a ride on mower and value their weekends, a ride on sounds like a no brainer. Within ride on mowers, electric models are becoming popular as they take away the noise associated with mowing, which turns your weekend mornings into quiet, pleasant ones. We recommend our es3000 ride on mower for this very reason.

Power through your clean-up in no time.

The eS3000’s compact design and top-of-the-line specifications means you can create a beautiful lawn with more time to enjoy it.

72V Motor

Powered by a 72V brushless motor with up to 2 hours (8,000 sq/m) of run time.

Large width of cut with a small turning circle

76 cm (30”) twin spindle deck fits in tight spaces with a nimble 46 cm turning circle.

Built for comfort

Rider comfort is assured with a high-backed movable seat.

Lighting the way

LED front light illuminates your path if you’re heading into a twilight mow.

Multiple height of cut options

10 positions of cutting height from 2.5 cm up to 10.5 cm.

Mulching or side discharge

Conveniently located on the right-hand side of the machine, the outlet can be utilized for mulching (closed) or as a side discharge chute.

Learn more about the eS3000 Mower

Man cutting grass with a TORO eS3000 Battery Powered Ride-On Mower
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The best lawn mowers for large plots and fields

As your plot becomes larger, the option of relying on a walk behind mower becomes slim to none. While you can rely on the push mower to get small areas or tight corners, there’s a need for a machine that gets more work done. Here’s where we can re-introduce the concept of a ride on mower and introduce you to zero turn mowers. With these machines, consideration of maintenance, cost and time savings is most essential.
TORO TimeCutter MX4275 (42") Ride On Mower

What’s the difference between a ride on mower and a zero turn mower?

Zero turn mowers differ from ride on mowers based on their width and handling. Zero turns tend to have a much wider cutting deck and frame which saves a lot more time. Additionally, zero turns rely on turning handles rather than a wheel to navigate. This allows for sharper, more controlled turns. It also means you can turn on the spot without needing to move forward or backwards, thus the name zero turn mower. Zero turn mowers also tend to have a much more powerful engine or power source, allowing them to be much faster.
With this in mind, a zero turn mower offers the quickest and most efficient mowing experience. But sometimes, a ride on mower can be better, this all depends on the size and shape of your plot. If you have a plot with lots of uneven surfaces or hills, then a ride on mower is definitely the better choice as they are safer and more suited for this kind of topography. However if your plot is mostly flat, then a zero turn will make your life much easier.
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From another perspective, Toro zero turns mower come with an extra added feature of the “MyRide” comfort suspension. With adjustable suspension, your zero turn mower can be as bouncy and firm as you want it. It’s just like having a cushion installed on your mower. When you drive around for a long time, your back and bottom ultimately feel the pressure, which is why it’s important to make sure you get a comfortable seat that adjusts for your back and can absorb the impact of the surface it’s on. For these, we recommend our zero turn mower collection.
While the zero turns come at a higher price point than ride ons, the time saved and the comfort gained with this option helps you get work done faster and easier. Get your weekend back with zero turn mowers.

What’s the difference between different lawn mowers?

The main differences between walk behind lawn mowers are the engine, material, quality and some of the features. Are you prepared to do more maintenance, or do you simply want to get the lawn done as quickly as possible? These are some of the questions you’ll need to ask yourself as you do your research for a lawn mower. Some lawn mowers can offer extra attachments to help you get stripes on your lawn, while others are made for mulching. Being clear on your own needs helps you make a decision. We can break this section down by each component and understanding what’s best for your needs.

What kind of engine should my lawn mower have?

Like most engines, the higher the cc, the more powerful the engine. In the case of electic powered lawn mowers, the higher the voltage, the more power available. Generally speaking, having around 150cc is good enough for regular lawns and backyards without much challenge. However if you are cutting thicker patches of grass or working on hills and uneven surfaces, or wish to mulch your clippings, then you might need to consider going for around 180 – 200cc engines.
The brand of the engine often matters when it comes to things such as reliability (such as whether or not they need to be maintained often), their starting mechanism and their noise levels. While most of this risk is mitigated by the prospect of battery powered mowers, it can often be really hard to tell without having prior experience with the brand yourself. To summarise, we can split all lawn mower engines into two kinds, dedicated engine manufacturers and mower brand engines.

Toro uses both dedicated engine manufacturers and also creates its own engines. Many other brands tend to purchase engines under white label to be written off as their own, which is often shown through a lower price tag and underwhelming performance. To ensure you get the best quality, make sure you purchase a lawn mower from a brand that either creates their own dedicated engines or uses a dedicated engine manufacturer.

What is the right deck size for me?

When browsing for mowers, one of the biggest differences comes from the cutting width or the deck size. The mower deck size simply refers to how wide the mower can cut at any one point. Typically, deck sizes start from around 36cm, and can go as large as 76cm. With a larger deck size, the price of the mower inevitably goes up. Additionally, the weight of your mower also increases, which can be a strain for many people, especially with those with uneven slops or hills.

With a larger deck size, you’ll inevitably be able to get your lawn done faster, but it comes at the cost of your energy. Without any additional support, people who don’t have the strength to mow up hills might prefer choosing a smaller deck size. However, with some features such as Personal Pace and self propelling, this disadvantage can be mitigated.
Toro Personal Pace, Self Propel
Toro Personal Pace, Self Propel

Is a self propelled lawn mower worth it?

In most situations, people and businesses both will recommend the self propelled makes of their lawn mower. We also agree with the sentiment, because the self propelling feature helps take the pressure off your wrist and arms, and also helps you mow faster. Regardless of the weight of your mower, a self propelling system will always take over, and make your mowing feel weightless. As such, if you ever come across the choice, we recommend going for the self propelled mower option even if it costs a little extra.

With a larger deck size, you’ll inevitably be able to get your lawn done faster, but it comes at the cost of your energy. Without any additional support, people who don’t have the strength to mow up hills might prefer choosing a smaller deck size. However, with some features such as Personal Pace and self propelling, this disadvantage can be mitigated. If you choose models such. as out AWD mowers, then the amount of self-propelling power increases even more, and mowing becomes even faster and easier.

Do I need to get a mower that can mulch or side discharge?

The difference between having a regular lawn mower that catches grass clippings in a bag and a mower that can also eject grass clippings is whether you want to use the grass clippings for your lawn or have a need to dispose of the grass clippings. Grass clippings can be used to provide nutrients to your grass, however this depends on whether or not you’re dedicated to taking proper care of your grass.

For most people, mulching is a nice to have because it means there’s no need to collect any of the grass clippings. To mulch means to take the grass clippings, and cut them into even finer, smaller pieces which fall back into the grass. When this grass falls back, it will naturally decompose quickly, providing nutrients to the soil. For the most part, this is really good as it helps retain the grass’ moisture. The downside is that this only occurs under certain circumstances.

Firstly, you can only mulch grass that is already in good condition and healthy. Mulching also needs to be done more regularly than regular mowing; in Summer and Spring it must be done weekly and in Autumn and Winter it’ll need to be done every two weeks. Additionally, you should only mulch the grass when it’s dry, meaning you’ll also be affected by weather conditions. Lastly, you cannot mulch grass that has lots of weeds, debris or leaves.

This means that if you don’t have the time to be able to prepare your lawn and keep it in a pristine condition before each mulching cycle, then you may prefer a side discharge mower or a regular bagging mower. In contrast to mulching mowers, side charge mowers are much more convenient to use. Similar to mulching mowers, there’s no bagging involved when you eject all your clippings out the side, and it also works to release vitamins back into your lawn. However the difference lies in the clippings and how they’re cast.

With a side discharge mower, you can cut through thick grass and debris quickly without stopping. However, you’ll inevitably make a large mess with the grass if you are cutting near concrete or footpaths. This makes it difficult if your lawn is located close to your neighbours or the road. Additionally, the clippings will take a lot longer to breakdown and decompose.

With TORO mowers, most come with the option to switch between bagging and mulching mode. This allows you to easily clean up your lawn on the first cut, then finish it off with a quick mulching cycle. You’l get yourself the best of both worlds with this. Additionally, you can also purchase an additional side discharge kit which allows you to turn many of our mowers into side discharging mowing. With a 3-in-1 option available, TORO mowers prove to be the best to cater for all kinds of lawn needs.
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3 Year Residential Warranty

Enjoy our premium 3 year residential warranty on this product. Rest assured that your product will be covered with our local repair and servicing centres based around New Zealand.