How to buy the best commercial mower for your needs

As a professional landscaper, chances are you’re accustomed to hearing sales pitches for different brands of commercial mower. At Husqvarna, we want to move beyond the sales pitch to help you choose the absolute best mower for your needs. We want you to be prepared for the real-world scenarios you might encounter in the field.

Whether you’re a one-man operation or you manage multiple crews, the mowers you select will have a big impact on your day-to-day productivity, overhead, client satisfaction and more. Why spend your hard-earned money on a zero-turn, stand-on or hydro walk-behind mower that doesn’t work for you or your business?

Before investing in a new mower, here are four important factors to consider:

1. Your current mowing contracts.
2. Your future mowing contracts.
3. Your personal satisfaction.
4. Your team’s experience.

Let’s go through these one by one.

1. Think about your current clients

When determining which mower to buy, it makes sense to first think about the clients you currently have and the spaces you regularly cut. After all, your shiny new mower won’t do much good if it’s not suited to the actual properties of your clients. For example:

• Are a majority of your contracts private residences? Don’t risk damaging property with a mower that’s simply too large for most backyards. As an alternative, choose a stand-on mower for improved visibility while you cut.
  
  
• Do you mow large rural properties or public areas? Save time and manpower with a larger zero-turn, perhaps with a deck as wide as 60 or 72 inches.
  
  
• Are your properties hilly or sloped? Hydro walk-behind mowers offer excellent maneuverability on uneven terrain.
  
  

If you’re falling behind on your cutting schedule, or failing to grow your business as you’d hoped, it may be time to try something new. Switch from a zero-turn to a stand-on mower – or vice versa – to give your business some new momentum.

And remember: No landscaping fleet is complete without a trusty push mower or walk mower on the trailer!

2. Think about future clients, too

Would you like to win a contract with a subdivision? Are you hoping for more high-end residential work? Look ahead to the future of your business, and plan out your mower purchases accordingly.

If you’ve had success with a particular piece of mowing equipment, you may be tempted to double-up on it. But remember: a varied trailer is a versatile trailer! By combining multiple mower types – for instance, a zero-turn and a hydro walk-behind, or a stand-on and a zero-turn – you’ll have the flexibility to take on a wider range of clients.

3. Evaluate your crew's experience

Finally, one frequently overlooked consideration is the competency and skill level of your crew members. You may be a landscaping veteran with years of experience operating different types of mowers – but what about your current and future employees?

For this reason, it’s important to consider factors such as:

• Ease-of-use. A particular mower may be your preferred style, but are the controls simple enough for a novice to operate, too?
  
  
• Precision. Professional-level mowing demands a high level of precision. Choose a high-quality mower that helps your employees perform their best mowing and striping work.
  
  
• Visibility. New employees will benefit from the improved visibility offered by certain mowers, such as stand-ons.

4. Assess your own satisfaction

Landscaping is a demanding profession, one defined by hard work and dedication. However, don’t undervalue your own enjoyment in your equipment. Positive morale is important for any line of work.

When you look at your current mowing equipment, ask yourself:

• Is it comfortable and easy to use? Ergonomics is more than a fancy word – it’s everything that affects your comfort level while on a mower.
  
  
• Does it have a sleek, professional look? Don’t underestimate the impression your mowing equipment gives potential clients.
  
  
• Does it make you excited to start working in the morning? Ultimately, a mower isn’t the right choice if you’re not excited to use it day-in and day-out.

Don’t let the wrong equipment hold you back from all you can achieve. Making a change from one mower type to another could make all the difference in your job satisfaction.