 Mulching Mowers: Signs of Quality |
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Here are a few things to look for in a quality mulching mower: Convertibility. Can you easily convert the mulching mower to a bagging mower or a side-discharge mower? This is important, since it's sometimes difficult for the mower to cope with thick, lush, rapidly growing grass. You may want to temporarily switch to a side-discharge mode to avoid clogs and prevent stalling out the mower. A bagging mower is useful in the fall, when you may want to collect your leaves for use as mulch for your vegetable garden or flower beds. Engine type and horsepower. A mulching mower should have at least 5 horsepower, preferably 6. Low-cost mowers with 3.5-horsepower engines may not have sufficient power to chop up clippings thoroughly. Automotive-design overhead-valve engines on premium mowers are powerful, efficient, and tend to have larger and quieter mufflers. For mowing over hilly terrain, you may want to consider a mower with a two-cycle engine, since they are constantly injected with lubricating oil and don't have the problem of oil starvation that standard, splash-lubricated four-cycle engines do. Electric/cordless models. In recent years, major manufacturers like Toro* and Lawn-Boy have introduced innovative electric corded and cordless mowers, some with mulching capability. Toro's CareFree offers on-board charging and enough reserve power to cut an average-sized lawn. Mulching technology. If you take a look at some competitive mowers, you'll see some distinct differences in how they solve the problem of chopping up grass fine enough so that it disappears. Most manufacturers design the mower's deck and blade so that the clippings will be stirred up and cut several times before being blown back into the grass. Some manufacturers add baffles or fans to the inside of the deck to enhance the process. One manufacturer, Toro, equips their Recycler mower decks with specially designed deflectors to make it easier to cut through dense, damp grass and leaves. Build quality. As with other consumer products, "you get what you pay for" when you buy a mulching mower. To take advantage of some of the advanced features discussed above, such as overhead-valve engines and high-efficiency decks, you'll pay around $400 or more. There are some good, solid values out there for less than $300, but make sure the products are supported by a dealer network that will be able to fix them if they break down. Many dealers refuse to touch bargain-basement machines. Better-quality units have power-paint finishes that don't flake off, sturdier wheel adjuster assemblies, easily replaced drive belts, multiple-speed gear-drive transmissions and a minimum of plastic parts. RELATED SUBJECTS: This Remodel Guide: page is courtesy of Toro Wheel Horse Tractors® & Riding Mowers |
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