Practically any mower will cut your grass. But you can get better results with less effort by choosing a machine based on lawn size, your mowing preferences--and your budget.

Mowing options range anywhere from $100 manual-reel mowers to tractors that can cost $4,000 and beyond. Manual-reel and electric walk-behind mowers are appropriate for people with small yards, while gasoline-powered walk-behind mowers are fine for most lawns up to about half an acre. Those with lawns larger than that will appreciate the ease and speed of a riding mower or a lawn tractor.

Gasoline-powered mowers produce a disproportionate amount of air pollution compared with cars. Federal regulations aimed at reducing smog-producing lawn-mower emissions by 390,000 tons annually are being phased in over the next several years.


WHAT'S AVAILABLE

Manual-reel mowers are still made by a few companies, while major electric-mower brands include Black & Decker and Craftsman (Sears). Craftsman is also the largest-selling brand of gasoline-powered walk-behind mowers, riding mowers, and lawn tractors. Other less-expensive, mass-market brands for gas-powered mowers and tractors include Murray, Scotts, Stanley, Yard Machines, and Yard-Man. Pricier brands traditionally sold at outdoor power-equipment dealers include Ariens, Cub Cadet, Honda, Husqvarna, John Deere, Lawn Boy, Snapper, and Toro, although models from several of these brands are now available at large retailers.

Which type is best for your lawn? Here's what to think about for each:

Manual-reel mowers. Pushing these simple mowers turns a series of curved blades that spin with the wheels. Reel mowers are quiet, inexpensive, and nonpolluting. They're also relatively safe to operate and require little maintenance other than periodic blade adjustment and sharpening. On the downside, our tests have shown that most can't cut grass higher than 1 1/2 inches or trim closer than 3 inches around obstacles. Cutting swaths just 14 to 18 inches wide are also a drawback. Consider them for small, flat lawns a quarter acre or less. Price range: $100 to about $250.

Electric mowers. These push-type walk-behind mowers use an electric motor to drive a rotating blade. Both corded and cordless versions start with the push of a button, produce no exhaust emissions, and, like reel mowers, require little maintenance aside from sharpening. Most offer a side or rear grass catcher, and many can mulch--a process where clippings are recut until they're small enough to hide unobtrusively within the lawn. But electrics tend to be less powerful than gas mowers and less adept at tackling tall or thick grass and weeds. What's more, their narrow, 18- to 19-inch swaths take a smaller bite than most gas-powered mowers.

Both corded and cordless electrics have other significant drawbacks. Corded mowers limit your mowing to within 100 feet of a power outlet--the typical maximum length for extension cords. Cordless versions, while more versatile, weigh up to 30 pounds more than corded models and typically mow just one-quarter to one-third acre before their sealed lead-acid batteries need recharging. That makes both types of electrics suitable mainly for small, flat lawns a quarter acre or less. Price range: corded, $125 to $250; cordless, $300 to $400.

Gasoline-powered walk-behind mowers. These include push as well as self-propelled models with driven wheels. Most have a 3.5- to 6.5-hp four-stroke engine and a cutting swath 20 to 22 inches wide, allowing them to do more work with each pass and handle long or thick grass and weeds. And all can mow as long as there's fuel in the tank. But gas mowers are relatively noisy and require regular maintenance.

Most gas mowers provide three cutting modes: bagging, which gathers clippings in a removable catcher; side-discharging, which dispenses clippings onto the lawn; and mulching, which cuts and recuts clippings until they're small enough to nestle and decompose in the lawn. Consider a push-type model for lawns of about a quarter acre that are relatively flat or for trimming larger lawns; a self-propelled model for lawns of a half acre or more or those that are hilly. Price range: push-type, $100 to more than $400; self-propelled, $250 to $900.

Riding mowers and tractors. These are suitable for lawns one-half acre or larger. Riding mowers have their engines in back and tend to be smaller, simpler, and easier to maneuver than tractors. While their 28- to 33-inch mowing swath is larger than a walk-behind mower's, it's far smaller than the 38 to 48 inches offered by lawn tractors and the 60 inches available with some larger garden tractors. Lawn and garden tractors have larger engines mounted in front for better weight distribution. Both can also accept attachments that allow them to plow and tow a cart as well as clear snow, while garden tractors accept soil-tilling equipment. Lawn tractors have become far more popular than garden tractors, although even these usually can't mulch or bag without accessories; figure on another $25 to $150 for a mulching kit and $200 to $450 for a bagging system.

Zero-turn-radius riders and tractors are also gaining ground in the marketplace. With most, you steer by pushing or pulling control levers, each controlling a driven rear wheel, although John Deere manufactures a zero-turn lawn tractor that uses a conventional steering wheel. The payoff for these tight-turning machines is added maneuverability in tight spots and around obstacles. But you pay a premium for that agility. Price range: riding mowers, $700 to $2,000; lawn tractors, $800 to $3,500; garden tractors, $2,000 to $6,000; zero-turning-radius mowers, $3,000 to $7,000.


IMPORTANT FEATURES

For electric mowers. A sliding clip helps ease turns with corded mowers by allowing the cord to move from side to side. Some have a flip-over handle you move from one end of the mower to the other as you reverse direction, say, at the end of a row.

For gas-powered mowers. Some more expensive models have a blade-brake clutch system that stops the blade but allows the engine to keep running when you release the handlebar safety bail. This is more convenient than the usual engine-kill system, which stops the engine and blade and requires you to restart the engine. A four-stroke engine, which burns gasoline alone, runs more cleanly than a two-stroke engine, which runs on a mixture of oil and gasoline. An overhead-valve four-stroke engine tends to pollute less than traditional side-valve four-stroke engines.

With most gas mowers, you press a small rubber bulb called a primer to supply extra fuel for cold starting. Those with a choke ease the cold-start process. Electric starters are easier to use than a recoil starter, though they typically add $50 to $100 to the price. Most mowers with recoil starters are easier to start than they once were, however. Some models from MTD-made Cub Cadet, White, and Yard-Man now have a spring-powered self-starter, which uses energy generated as the engine is shut off to provide push-button starts without a battery or outlet. Consumer Reports tests have found the device effective, provided you don't attempt starts in thick grass.

Some self-propelled mowers have just one speed, usually about 2 1/2 mph; others have several speeds or a continuous range, typically from 1 to 3 1/2 mph. Driven mowers also include front-drive and rear-drive models. Front-drive mowers tend to be easier to maneuver and turn, although rear-wheel-drive models tend to have better traction on hills and better steering control. Mowers with swivel front wheels offer the most maneuverability by allowing easy 180-degree turns. But on many, each front casterlike wheel must be removed to adjust cutting height.

You'll also find several different deck choices. Most are steel, although some mowers offer aluminum or plastic decks, which are rust-proof; plastic also resists dents and cracks. Even many lower-priced mowers now have tools-free cutting-height adjusters, which raise and lower the deck with one or two levers. Most models also allow you to change mowing modes without tools, although a few still require wrenches and, sometimes, a blade change. Some models use a side-bagging deck design, where a side-exit chute routes clippings into a side-mounted bag or out onto the lawn--or is blocked with a plate or plug for mulching.

Mowers with a rear-bagging deck tend to cost more, but their rear-mounted bag holds more than side bags and eases maneuvering by hanging beneath the handlebar, rather than out to the side. The rearward opening is fitted with a chute for side-discharging or a plug for mulching. Some "hybrid" rear-baggers have a discharge port for clippings on the side of the deck as well as one for the bag in back.

For riding mowers and tractors. Most are gear-driven and require a lever and combination brake/clutch to change speed. Some gear-drive models use foot pedals with a pulley that allows continuously variable speed changes without the usual shifting. Spending more will buy you a model with a clutchless hydrostatic drive, which allows even more convenient continuously variable speed changes. Most models have a translucent fuel tank, making it easy to check fuel level. Some have a fuel gauge. Still others allow you to remove the collection bags without flipping the seat forward.


HOW TO CHOOSE

Performance differences. Nearly all push and self-propelled gas mowers now handle mulching, bagging, and side-discharging. In tests, Consumer Reports found that most did at least a good job at mulching, the fastest and easiest way to dispose of clippings. All but the best mulchers in Consumer Reports tests left a few visible clippings on the lawn, while the worst left enough clippings to require raking. Even the best mulchers won't work well if the grass is too tall or wet, however.

Tests also found that a mower's horsepower rating tends to have little bearing on mowing performance. Rear-bagging mowers, whether gas or electric, tended to perform better than side-baggers. Electric models did a decent job at mulching, bagging, and side-discharging. But they struggled with tall grass or weeds, and they take a relatively narrow bite with each pass.

Virtually all riding mowers and tractors can also handle all three mowing modes. In tests, most did a thorough job of vacuuming up clippings when bagging, although some clogged before their bags were full. The best held more than twice as many clippings as the best push mowers.

Recommendations. Balance the size of your yard with how much you want to spend. Gas-powered push and self-propelled mowers are appropriate for many lawns. Electric mowers offer cleaner, quieter running and easy maintenance--but they're limited by a cord or, for cordless models, relatively little mowing time between charges. Homeowners with small lawns can also consider a manual-reel mower. Just be sure that your lawn isn't too thick and that you don't skip a week. If you decide to ride, you'll probably want a lawn tractor unless your lawn has lots of tight areas and obstacles. Then the smaller size of a riding mower is an advantage. You can also opt for a zero-turn mower or tractor, which combines a wide deck with 360-degree turning; but at $3,000 and beyond, it remains an expensive option