Comparing Gas Lawn Mower PricesWe all consider price when shopping for new lawn mowers, and this isn't a bad idea. While higher price does not necessarily correlate to a better mower in the mid or upper range, at the lower end it does have strong quality implications. Just looking at price, however, can cause you to make mistakes. When looking at prices, keep the following things in mind.
You need to think of cost on a longer scale than just initial investment. Generally, you should expect a lifespan of eight years from a quality mower. If you get a lower quality mower, however, you can expect it to stop working much sooner.
In the long run, that initial savings will disappear if the mower doesn't last. Consider the comparison between a 300 dollar lawn mower and a 400 dollar one. Clearly the 300 dollar option will save you money, right? Paying just 100 dollars more for a mower now, though, could mean the difference between a mower that you have for eight years and one you need to replace during that same time period. When you think of it this way, that extra hundred dollars is really saving you the 300 dollars you'd have to spend to replace that mower sooner than the more expensive model.
Warranties can also affect price. Good warranties save you money in repairs. The better the warranty, the more you stand to save in repair and replacement costs over the life of the mower. While you can find mowers with five year warranties, two to three year warranties are more common. You might also notice that some mowers come with a deck warranty as well. You can find deck warranties that last the life of the mower.
No discussion of price would be complete without stipulating that sometimes, extra cost is worth it. If a particular mower has a feature that will cut your mowing time, and time is something you don't have much of, then certainly the extra cost is worth it. Likewise, if a specific feature makes mowing the lawn something that you no longer dread or put off, you're doing yourself a favor by investing the extra cash.
Many users swear by an electric starter, for example, even though it does raise the price by around 50 dollars. Experts often suggest making this extra investment because it can save so much effort. Even though it may not be strictly necessary, it does make the job easier enough that it becomes worth the cost. If 50 dollars saves you weekly aggravation, it's worth the investment, especially when you consider you'll likely have to start the mower more than 2,900 times over eight years. Keep that in mind, as well, when shopping for a mower.
The Author: Thomas Fairweather is long time industry writer and blogger. He enjoys working on new ventures, writing, and listening to music. You can find more on this topic by visiting the following link: garden dad You can find more articles on the author's profile page.