Choosing the ride on mower for your needs...
If your choosing a ride on mower for the very first time there's lots of questions for you to consider. You'll be bombarded by the options but it's easy to narrow the field down by looking at several key questions. If you can identify your needs and the potential challenges your mower will face you can avoid costly mistakes and make sure you get the mower that's up to your job. Many first time buyers make the easy mistake of thinking that all ride-on's are the same and purchase at the cheapest end of the scale only to be disappointed by the results and the reliability. Second or third time buyers will know - you get what you pay for.
The size and layout of the lawn In general, the larger and more open the grass areas, the more important it is that the machine has a generous cutting width. Howver - there are expections to the rule - for instance - it's important to keep in mind areas that have narrower spaces and obstructions like trees and bushes. Make sure the width of the machine is able to pass through the tightest passages, gates and paths that the mower has to travel down. Other aspects to consider are storage and productivity. High quality decks are design to get the most out of power ratio to blade speed - and deck width impacts this as it controls the size of the blades and how much grass is being cut. A well designed deck will be a certain length in order to do the very best job. Decks engineered in this way will do a better, faster job because they are being used efficiently. Decks that arn't specialised like this will suffer blocking problems, unacceptable finishes and more.
What's your terrain like?Your choice of ride on mower will be greatly influenced by what type of terrain you have. Consider the following...
-Is your property flat, undulating or hilly?
-If you need to mow steep areas - how steep are they?
-Is there areas for the mower to turn around on or will the mower need to be able to manoeuver on a hill?
It's also a good idea to consider things like how often you'll be mowing. Do you like to keep the lawn a certain length? Do you live away from the property and cut it when you visit? Do you want the ability to cut in any weather?
Mowers with Collection
If you want a ride on mower that will collect your grass clippings it's important to realise that not all mowers were created equal.
Collection in a very demanding activity. Think about it...what other machine do you expect to power you around the garden in conditions that are often damp and slippery while sucking up wet clippings, with all manner of moving parts, all while trying to avoid getting grass clippings in the engine! It's fairly hostile to say the least. So it's easy to see why mowers that have been specially designed and tested are going to have an advantage.
Grillo's innovative collection systems have been developed specifically around each model of ride on mower in order to raise the bar and achieve the best results possible. This means whatever your application - if you choose the right Grillo ride on mower for your job you're going to be pleased with the results.
Not collecting?
If you've decided not to collect your grass you have a couple of options to consider...
Side-Discharge
In applications where there is no need to leave the grass "clean", or during times when the grass is not growing fast, mowing without collection is an option. Both the Grillo FD220 and the Grillo FD300 are capable of side discharge. The FD220 has a custom designed kit that when fitted allows users to swap between discharge and collection within moments. The FD300 BeeFly utilises interchangeable decks which includes a side-discharge deck. Side discharge gives a better distribution of cuttings on the lawn, with no risk of heaps forming especially if the grass is long or wet.
Mulching
In general this is a demanding method of grass collection with advantages and drawbacks. Mulching is a process where a mower is designed to cut, then re-cut the grass within the mower deck, airflow forces the clippings into the remaining turf. Mowing a 'little but often' produces the best mulching results. For people wanting exclusively to mulch Grillo have designed the FD230L. With it's Grillo patented 106cm (42 inch) 'multicycler' deck, with 2 counter-rotating blades it allows grass to be cut even in difficult conditions, while still achieving excellent results. The FD300 BeeFly also features a specific mulching deck that produces beautiful results. Good mulching can contribute up to 25% of a lawn's fertilizer requirements.
Out-front DecksDeck placement is often overlooked when buying a ride on mower but this issue has huge ramifications practically. The options generally are between mid mount deck where the operator sits over the deck or out-front where the deck is placed out the front of the machine.
Mid mounted mowers can't reach into corners and underneath hanging bushes leaving areas that you cannot mow, and then there's the danger that the front wheels will flatten the grass before it's cut - a major disadvantage when you want a beautiful finish. Out-front decks are easier to manoeuver and offer greater visibility to your work. They are also better at reaching close to obstructions and under bushes and trees. Maintenance is also a plus as often they tilt up or to the side to make maintenance and cleaning more manageable.
As well as being out-front, Grillo's decks also float on anti-scalping wheels to ensure they follow all the contours of the ground smoothly without scalping the grass.
>> See Grillo's range of Ride On mowers |