Lawnmowers and Ride-On mowers

Lawnmowers and Ride-On mowers buying guide

Veldkraft lists 90 lawnmowers and ride-on mowers, priced from R74 to R346 499, from brands including RYOBI Power Equipment, Husky Garden Equipment, Turfmaster, Stiletto. Orders are delivered to all nine provinces and to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini.

Which lawn mower suits your lawn?

Match the lawn mower to the size and roughness of the area. Electric and cordless mowers suit small, smooth lawns near the house. Walk-behind petrol mowers and three-wheel mowers handle medium to large lawns and tough grass such as kikuyu. Ride-on and zero-turn mowers cover large properties, while robotic mowers keep a set area trimmed on their own. Lawn mowers for sale here come from RYOBI Power Equipment, Scag, Stiletto, Wolf, Tuffking, WORX South Africa and Cub Cadet.

Electric, cordless or petrol?

Choose the power source by lawn size and access to a plug point. Corded electric mowers from 1800 W to 2200 W are light, quiet and need no fuel, but the cable limits how far you can go. Cordless 18 V and 36 V mowers remove the cable, with run time set by the battery. Petrol mowers, such as 190cc to 252cc models, have the power for large or overgrown lawns and need no electricity.

Why choose a three-wheel petrol mower?

A three-wheel petrol mower is easy to steer around beds, trees and borders, which is why it is widely used on large South African gardens. Models such as the Wolf 200cc three-wheeler pair a petrol engine with this layout for suburban and estate lawns. For heavier use, heavy-duty petrol mowers such as the two-speed Tuffking 750 suit larger estates and frequent mowing.

Cutting width and lawn area

A wider cut means fewer passes, so match cutting width to the area. Walk-behind mowers such as the Ryobi models cut 420 mm to 480 mm, which suits most home lawns. Ride-on mowers with a 42 inch deck and zero-turn mowers with a 48 inch deck cover large open areas faster. Robotic mowers are rated by area, such as 1300 square metres for the WORX Landroid Vision L1300, so measure your lawn before choosing.

Ride-on or zero-turn mower?

A ride-on mower, such as the Stiletto 15hp 42 inch model, steers with a wheel like a small tractor and suits large open lawns. A zero-turn mower, such as the Scag Liberty Z with a 708cc V-twin engine, steers with two levers and turns on the spot, which saves time around trees and beds. Both need firm ground, and zero-turns suit fairly level lawns, so follow the maker's slope limit for either type.

Blades, engines and upkeep

Keep a mower cutting cleanly with a sharp blade and a healthy engine. Replacement blades must match the mower model and length, such as the Ryobi RM65 blade. A replacement vertical-shaft petrol engine can return an old deck to work. Sharpen or replace blades when grass tears instead of cutting, check the engine oil before each mow, clean the underside of the deck, and clear stones and wire from the lawn first.

Lawnmowers and Ride-On mowers: common questions

Which grass cutting machine should I buy for a big yard?

For a big yard, a petrol mower is usually the starting point. A three-wheel or heavy-duty petrol mower handles a large lawn if you are happy to walk. Beyond that, a ride-on or zero-turn mower saves hours each week. A robotic mower suits a large lawn kept short, as long as the area is within the mower's rated coverage.

How much does a lawn mower cost in South Africa?

Veldkraft lists 90 lawnmowers, ride-on mowers, blades and engines priced from R74 to R346 499. Blades and small parts sit at the low end, while zero-turn and ride-on mowers sit at the top. Price rises with engine size, cutting width, battery voltage, ride-on or zero-turn design and a heavy-duty build.

Which lawn mower is good for kikuyu grass?

Kikuyu is thick and fast-growing, so a petrol rotary mower with enough engine power, from about 190cc upward, copes well. Mow often so you never remove more than about a third of the leaf at once, keep the blade sharp and raise the cutting height in dry spells. A reel mower gives a fine cut on short, flat lawns but struggles with long kikuyu.

Is a cordless lawn mower worth it?

A cordless mower is worth it for small to medium lawns where a cable is awkward and you want quiet mowing without fuel. Run time depends on battery capacity, so check whether one charge covers your lawn or plan for a second battery. On large lawns or long, wet grass, a petrol mower is more practical.

What size ride-on mower do I need?

Choose deck width by area and obstacles. A 42 inch ride-on suits large open lawns, and a 48 inch zero-turn covers ground faster and turns tightly around trees. Also check the engine size, the turning circle and the slope of your ground, and make sure you have storage space and a gate wide enough for the deck.

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