How Much Does a Lawn Mower Cost?

If you want your lawn to be lush and healthy, you must care for and maintain it. You will have to water, fertilize, and keep the yard clean for the best results. Additionally, your lawn needs regular mowing to keep the landscape looking good throughout the seasons. Regular mowing can be expensive if you rely on outsourcing mowing services from grass-cutting companies. 

These companies may charge you $30 to $70 per session. The best way to avoid overspending and keep your lawn evergreen and lush is to invest in a lawnmower. But, are lawnmowers not expensive?

Well, the price of a lawnmower depends on the type. If you are on a budget, you can get a lawnmower going for as low as $90. The price of the electric walk behind mower starts at $90, while the self-propelled gas mower goes for $600 or more. If you need a powerful and professional lawnmower, you can go for the engine tractor, robotic, or zero-turn lawnmowers.

However, the above-mentioned powerful lawnmowers will cost you $1000 to over $5000, depending on the model and type. Remember, there are various types, and your choice will depend on your budget and needs. Keep reading as this article will guide you on the prices of the different types of lawn mowers available in the market. 

The Average Cost of Lawn Mowers

As mentioned earlier, the cost of a lawnmower depends on the mower type, brand, or manufacturer. The following are the commonly used mowers available: 

1. Walk-Behind Mowers

If you have a small or medium-sized yard, walk-behind mowers are ideal since they cannot mow large areas. Some walk-behind mower brands are self-propelled, while others you have to push them manually. If your lawn is big and you don’t want to tire quickly, you should consider the self-propelled model. However, the manual type is also great if you don’t mind pushing it and if the lawn is small. 

Walk-behind mowers can be different depending on their power source. There are gas-powered and electric walk-behind mowers. The prices of these mower models are as follows: 

• Gas-powered mowers: May cost $300 or more
• Electric (corded) mowers: Their price varies between $90 and $300
• Electric (cordless) mowers: Goes for $120 or more

The self-propelled mower prices are as follows: 

• Cordless: Goes for $350 or more
• Gas-powered models: Starts from $400

Note: Price may vary over time according to manufacturers and their models!

2. Rear Engine Mowers 

Rear engine mowers are perfect for mowing large areas and for use by physically challenged persons. They look like small tractors and can move in all directions easily. Due to their usability and power, they go for approximately $1,200 to $3,000. 

3. Robotic Lawn Mowers 

Robotic lawn mowers are self-driving lawn mowers that can help you mow the grass any time you let them out on your grass. Some unique robotic mowers can recharge themselves and then cut the grass. A robotic lawnmower’s price tag begins at $1000 and higher depending on the brand and the manufacturer. 

4. Zero Turn Mower 

Zero-turn mowers are specially designed machines that allow you to have great control while mowing and promote accurate turns. It leaves the lawn looking perfect so that you don’t have to trim it afterward. 

Zero-turn models are classified into:

• Entry-level 
• Semi-professional 
• Commercial 

Depending on the classification type, you can expect zero-turn mowers to cost between $3,000 and $5,000. 

The Average Cost of Electric Mower Brands

Over the years, various manufacturers have earned reputable names in the mower production industries. Each company provides mowers with specific designs and features and, therefore, different prices per lawnmower unit. The following are reputable manufacturers of electric mower brands and the average costs of their machines: 

• EGO

EGO produces some of the most potent and expensive mowers in the marketplace. Their electric mowers can run for up to one hour while on the electric version. Their push version machines go for $400, while the self-propelled models cost $500 or more. 

• Ryobi

Ryobi push model mowers retail for $300, while the self-propelled models go for about $380. 

• Greenworks 

Greenworks company produces some of the best lawnmowers with great features. For instance, the 21-inch deck model has impressive mulching, bagging, and side discharge features. The various Greenworks models retail at $500 while their battery-powered mowers attract a price tag of about $300. 

• Sun Joe 

This brand produces some budget-friendly and inexpensive lawnmowers. However, their mowers usually take more time to cut and correct grass clipping, and they discharge less. The retail prices for their battery-powered models are $280, while the corded models go for about $220.

The Average Cost of Gas-Powered Mower Brands

Gas-powered mowers are powerful and run for longer times. You can consider buying a gas-powered mower from the following reputable manufacturers: 

• Honda

Honda produces powerful mowers with great speed and efficiency. Their self-propelled mowers provide great speed and comfort while mowing. More so, it has excellent abilities to discharge and shed grass clippings and leaves without requiring any additional tools. 

The Honda gas model prices start at about $830, going upwards, but they are worth the investment since they are powerful and cut grass perfectly. 

• Toro

This company produces mowers with powerful engines and high usability. Their machines have excellent maneuverability, which reduces fatigue and enables you to trim even on sloped areas.

 Furthermore, their models are very durable, and Toro machines come with a 5-year warranty, which guarantees that they are worth the investment. While shopping for a Toro lawnmower, be prepared to invest $600 or more, but you are assured that the machine will serve you well and for a long time. 

• Troy-Bilt

Troy-Bilt produces a walk-behind mower 3-in-1 cutting equipment that is easy to push on flat lawns. Troy-Bilt mower machine costs around $250, which is very pocket-friendly. Therefore, Troy-Bilt is considered by many people due to offering a good gas mower at an affordable price. 

How Much Do the Different Types of Lawnmowers Cost?

There are numerous lawnmowers that you can purchase for your mowing needs. These types have different features and attract different prices. Below is a breakdown of the prices of different types of lawnmowers and their costs. 

How Much Does a Push Reel Lawnmower Cost?

Push reel mowers are the most basic type of lawnmower available. These lawnmowers are easy to use and have been in practical use since 1830, after their invention. They are manually powered and use helical-shaped blades to cut through the grass.

They are relatively cheap since they do not feature modern technology such as electrical-powered features. Averagely, you can expect a push reel mower to cost between $100 and $130. However, depending on the size, quality, and accessories featured in the push reel mower, it can cost as low as $60 and as high as $200. 

How Much Does a Corded Push Lawnmower Cost?

Corded push lawnmowers are the best choice if you are looking for a machine to maintain your small-sized yard. These mowers use electricity as their power source, and therefore you need to connect them to a power source using a power cable for the engine to run. 

On average, you can find an excellent corded push lawnmower for about $170 to $190. However, due to variations in the mower quality, deck size, or other additional features, the price can range from $90 to $270. 

The corded push lawnmower may attract additional costs depending on the size of your yard. Due to the limited length of the power cable, you might be forced to buy an extension cord to enable the mower to reach all lengths. Depending on the size, the extension cord may cost you an additional $15 to $30.

How Much Does a Battery-Powered (Cordless) Lawnmower Cost?

The price of battery-powered lawnmowers ranges from $150 to $450 depending on the deck size, power ratings, and extra accessories or replacement battery packs. Averagely, an excellent battery-powered mower goes for about $250. 

Unlike corded lawnmowers, cordless mowers will give you great freedom while cutting the grass since they do not require power cords or extensions. Cordless mowers are packed with a charger and battery to recharge and power the mower. While mowing a large yard, a single charge may not be enough, and you will have to allow for some downtime to recharge the mower. 

You can also consider purchasing extra batteries so that you can replace them when one depletes its charge rather than waiting for it to recharge. However, this will lead to additional expenses. Replacement batteries may cost you an additional $60 to $120, depending on their amperage and voltage. This price is typically for Li-Ion batteries, which last for two to three years with proper care and maintenance. 

How Much Does a Gas Push Lawnmower Cost?

Gas-powered lawn mowers vary in price due to the difference in deck size, build quality, extra features, power rating of the engine, and engine capacity. The cost of gas mowers ranges between $250 and $1700. On average, you can get a well-functioning gas mower with a budget of about $450. 

Most people consider using gas-powered lawnmowers since they have powerful engines. If you are looking for a mower to get the mowing job done quickly, you should consider investing in a gas-powered mower. 

It is imperative to note that the gas mowers attract additional costs since they require regular care and maintenance practices. The engine requires you to change the oil, replace oil and air filters, etc. They use gas or fuel to run the engine, which can be expensive. 

How Much Does a Hover Lawnmower Cost?

Hover lawnmowers are uniquely-designed mowers that have high maneuverability. These mowers can mow on slopy lawns and in areas with all different angles. Typically, hover lawnmowers attract a price tag of $65 to $150. However, more powerful gas-powered hover lawnmowers require an investment of over $500. 

How Much Does a Robot Lawnmower Cost?

Robot lawnmowers are high-tech models of lawnmowers. These machines will maintain your lawn and keep it well-manicured and with clean cuts. Robot lawnmower is very autonomous and works seamlessly without producing a lot of noise. It’s hard to know if they are working or not due to their reduced noise levels. 

However, just as you expect, they demand a considerable investment due to their high technological features and the freedom and comfort they offer. 

You can get a robot lawnmower with a budget of between $1,000 and $6,000. This price is mainly dependent on the robot lawnmowers’ working capacity, running and charging time, durability, maneuverability, and extra features. 

How Much Does a Ride-On Lawnmower Cost?

If you are looking for a heavy-duty machine to mow your massive yard, you should consider getting your hands on a ride-on lawnmower. They often come with multiple blades and can deal with almost any mowing task you throw at them. 

The price of ride-on lawnmowers ranges between $1,200 and $3,000. The cost of each ride-on lawnmower varies depending on: 

• Build quality
• power rating of the engine 
• Size of the deck 
• Capacity of the engine 
• Overall weight of the deck 
• Cutting width 
• Other extra features 

How Much Does a Commercial Lawnmower Cost?

If you want to start offering lawn maintenance services, you will need to invest in a commercial lawnmower. Consequently, you have to invest in a commercial lawnmower if you need a piece of equipment that you can use every day without breaking down or experiencing reduced performance. 

A commercial lawnmower should have a powerful engine with a vast capacity, excellent cutting width, high maneuverability features, and extra durability. This kind of mowing machine will require you to have a budget of around $800 to $1300. Their total cost will be dependent on the engine power and capacity, cutting width, built quality, and other features. 

The Cost of Lawnmower Maintenance

Having known the prices of different types of lawnmowers, it is essential to know the cost of maintaining these lawnmowers. Mowers may end up costing you more than their buying price since you have to incur the charge of maintaining or buying extra accessories or replacement parts. 

These care and maintenance costs may lead you to further losses if you are not careful enough. Generally, you can expect the following when it comes to lawn mower maintenance: 

• Manual or reel mowers are the cheapest type of lawnmowers to maintain 
• Electric powered lawn mowers require a modest cost of maintenance 
• Ride-on and gas-powered lawnmowers are the most expensive to maintain

Here are the different maintenance practices that you should carry out for your mower and how much they are likely to cost you: 

Cleaning Costs

Reel mowers are small-sized, and therefore it is easy and quick to clean them. As far as you have enough water, cleaning the reel mower will almost seem effortless. The gas-powered, electric, and ride-on lawnmowers require more water than reel mowers to clean them. Since you can always clean your lawnmower yourself, it will cost you literally no money. 

The cost of cleaning comes in when you need to clean the blade and undercarriage by scraping off the grass. You will only incur a one-time cost of buying a scraping tool. A scraping tool is inexpensive and will cost you around $10 to $20. 

Once you scrape off the grass, you can prevent it from building up again using silicone spray. Many mower users prefer spraying their mower’s deck with silicone spray to avoid corrosion and keep off grass clippings. Averagely, the silicon spray will require a tiny investment of about $8 to $20. 

Sharpening the Blades

When it comes to sharpening the lawnmower blades, reel lawnmowers require a different approach. You can sharpen the reel mower’s blade using a sharpening kit. To purchase a sharpening kit, you will need about $15 to $30. 

You can sharpen the other lawnmower types using various options. First, you can sharpen the blades using a sharpening file. This is the cheapest and easiest sharpening method since a single file will only cost you $5 to $10. 

To sharpen the blades quickly and achieve the best results, you need to balance the blades appropriately. To achieve this balance, you should invest in a blade balancer that goes for about $5 to $10.

Alternatively, you can let professionals sharpen your blades for a fee. Depending on the type of blades and lawnmower, you can expect the cost to range from $5 to $20 per blade. 

Engine Maintenance Costs

Push reel lawnmowers do not require any engine maintenance costs since they lack engines. Electric-powered mowers may incur minimal engine maintenance costs. However, if you have a gas-powered lawnmower, you must prepare for additional charges to maintain their machines. 

The maintenance costs will vary depending on how you use and care for your lawnmower. However, you will have to carry out these maintenance practices for your gas mower’s engine: 

• Cleaning or replacing the spark plug 
• Draining the oil and fuel at each season’s ending
• Cleaning or replacing the air filter
• Professional tune-ups 

The Cost of Operating Lawnmowers

The cost of operating your lawnmower is primarily dependent on the type of lawnmower. Manual push reels will be very cheap to run since they use manual energy. Electric-powered mowers, whether battery-powered or corded, are also inexpensive to operate. 

For instance, if you did the calculations to determine the operating costs of a standard 12V corded lawnmower, you will realize that it costs about $0.20 per hour, which is very economical. Battery-powered lawn mowers are also economical. For instance, it will only cost you a few cents to charge a 4.0 Ah 40V battery though it depends on the battery’s efficiency and charger. 

Gas-powered lawn mowers are powerful but require high operating costs. Their engine does need not only gas but also oil to run. The price of oil and gas can be very high, especially if you use the mower for extended periods. The running costs will be even higher if your lawnmower is equipped with a 2-stroke engine. 

The amount of gas or fuel that a lawnmower consumes is influenced mainly by several factors, which include: 

• The size of the engine 
• Condition of the grass
• Terrain 
• Environmental factors such as temperature 
• Altitude 

Averagely, even after considering the above factors, it will cost you about $5 to mow one acre of yard or lawn. Another cost that many lawnmower owners sometimes do not consider is the cost of purchasing blades and accessories such as a mulching kit. 

The blades to install in your lawnmower will depend on how your lawn looks, how regularly you want to cut it, and the goals or what you plan to do with the yard. There are different types of blades such as: 

• Standard blade
• Mulching blade
• Lifting blades 
• Toothed/ gator blades

Purchasing extra blades, mulching kits, or other accessories may require you to have an additional investment of $50 to $150. 

When is the Best Time to Purchase a Lawn Mower?

When shopping for a lawnmower, timing may lead you to a good deal. You can buy a lawnmower throughout the year, but its prices fluctuate depending on the season. During summer, you can get good deals if you shop early since this season has prominent holidays. The second-best time to buy a good lawnmower at a reduced price is during the fall. 

As September kicks in, stores and dealers focus on clearing the old stock. Therefore, you can find your ideal mower at a reasonable price between September and October. Between March and May, stores have numerous machines in their stock, and you can find the best lawnmower among the choices provided. However, it is unwise to buy at this time since you will end up too much since the demand is high. 

The worst time to make a lawnmower purchase is December to January since there are numerous models in the store that did not sell. You will have limited choices because the models available are costly, cheap, or not so powerful. 

Conclusion

Making the final decision to purchase a lawnmower is never an easy task. Decide on the type and brand that will accomplish your need. Consider the power, price, durability, and a company that provides warranty for their products. 

If you want a powerful machine that you can use daily or commercially, select a mower with great features that cost $1000. You can also buy smaller lawnmowers if your lawn is well-maintained and small-sized.