A good ride-on mower can often set you back $1,000 or more, but could this investment be a good one when considering your long-term mowing needs? Well, the fact is that everyone's circumstances are different, and a yard that might necessitate a ride-on mower for one person might not require one for another person. For example, if a person is older or has bad knees, a ride-on mower might be the better choice; conversely, if you're at peak physical fitness and don't mind the exercise, a standard push mower is perfectly acceptable.
Another factor is money — ride-on mowers can be costly, so it can certainly be a difficult choice for people who are strapped for cash. On the other hand, they say time is money, and if you have a large backyard that will take a lot longer to mow with a standard push mower when compared to a ride-on mower, then a ride-on mower may actually save you money in the long run when you calculate lost productivity time.
As for how big your yard should be before considering a mower, there is not going to be a standard to which everyone will agree upon (for the aforementioned reasons). Nevertheless, a ballpark figure where someone should seriously consider a ride-on mower is in the vicinity of half an acre (2,000 m2). Besides potentially making a mowing session quicker and easier, they can also be quite fun to ride on. Elderly people will particularly appreciate not having to worry about joint pain or the endurance required to mow larger yards.
Additionally, there are even larger variants for larger yards. A lawn tractor will typically cost you about $1,000–$1,500, and the more powerful garden tractors are faster, wider, and more powerful; they are also more robust and even feature headlights on some models, but they will typically cost you $1,500–$4,000+.
Finally, it is important to remember who will actually be the one to most often use the mower. The American Academy of Pediatrics, for instance, recommends that only children above the age of 12 use push mowers; on the other hand, they recommend that children be 16 years or older when using a ride-on mower. Additionally, it is important that whoever mows the lawn express maturity and responsibility, as lawn mowing can potentially be dangerous when undertaken by unskilled or reckless users. Finally, it is always a good idea to wear solid footwear and eye protection whenever mowing.
