Author: Alex @ TLR

Alex is not a lawn care natural. He had to learn things the hard way. But after stumbling through his first few seasons of lawn care, he learned a lot. Mostly - what not to do. Alex has become one of the country's advocates of battery-powered lawn tools, quoted in the Washington Post among other highly visible publications. Alex started The Lawn Review with his friend Tyler - who you may see in some of the videos on this website - to help normal people like you understand how to take care of their lawn themselves with the best tools possible. Alex has thousands of hours of experience using hundreds of different lawn tools and has found exactly what to look for in each type of tool. He speaks with deep experience not only about the boring technical specifications, but what the tool actually feels like when you are using it, what to look for before you make a purchase, and how the lawn tool measures up when you factor in price.
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How Long Should Lawn Sprinklers Run?

aqua joe sprinkler

We recommend letting your sprinklers run for about 30 to 40 minutes per watering session, two to three times per week.

Unless you live on the lush Big Island of Hawaii, you probably have to water your lawn throughout the year. Chances are, you have impact, oscillating, or stationary sprinklers that keep your lawn hydrated and green. 

But watering your lawn doesn’t always mean you’ll have the best-looking yard on the block. For example, overwatering your lawn can lead to suffocation and stunted root growth. In other words, watering your lawn too much can leave it looking like a swamp. On the other hand, not watering your lawn enough will leave you with a brown yard.

What’s the happy medium?

The Ultimate Lawn Sprinkler Run Time

We recommend letting your sprinklers run for about 30 to 40 minutes per watering session, two to three times per week. Therefore, you should let your sprinklers run a minimum of one hour per week and a maximum of two hours. This obviously doesn’t apply to winter months when your lawn is covered in snow, nor does it apply if you receive a decent amount of rainfall.

The key here is to let the water saturate the soil so that roots can grow deeper. This gives you a better looking lawn but also a much healthier root base for your grass.

It’s also a good idea to turn on your sprinklers earlier in the morning when it’s cooler, making it easier for the roots to absorb the water.

If you’ve recently placed down sod, then check out our guide on how to care for a new sod lawn. You want to lighten up on the sprinkler run time so that you don’t build up fungus in the sod. 

The 4 Best Budget Lawn Sprinklers for 2024

Now that I’ve revealed the secret of how long lawn sprinklers should run, I will share the best lawn sprinklers for 2023. A new year, a new sprinkler – is that how that saying goes? 

1. Aqua Joe Oscillating Sprinkler

If you want the best bang for your buck, you can’t go wrong with the Aqua Joe Indestructible oscillating sprinkler. This sprinkler comes in two sizes – a 16-inch and 20-inch option. The 16-inch device covers up to 3,600 square feet of lawn, and the 20-inch alternative covers 4,400 square feet. Aqua Joe claims that the sprinkler’s size has the largest size-to-spray distance ratio on the market. I love that the sprinkler doesn’t clog and it doesn’t overspray, meaning no more wasted water. 

It’s indestructible.

I’ve also dragged this thing across my yard more times than I can count and it is banged up but  still works beautifully. It’s also super easy to set up and find the right spray pattern for your yard.

I recommended this one to my dad recently because he was in the market. He got it off Amazon for a ridiculous price and has loved it for his front yard. You can grab it on Amazon here like we did.

2. Segomo Tools 360 Degree Automatic Rotating Garden Sprinkler

This Segomo does a 360 as it sprays every corner of your yard. A single sprinkler covers 3,600 square feet, but you can also get your hands on a two-pack for 7,200 square feet of coverage. I don’t know about you, but I’ve dealt with tons of sprinklers that seem to wobble with every gust of wind. The Segomo sprinkler doesn’t have that problem thanks to its heavy-duty premium ABS material and solid base. Basically, it is solid and heavy.

To add the cherry on top, the sprinkler comes with two rubber gaskets and a 1 x ½” quick hose connector.

Riding spinners – they don’t stop.

The cool thing about this is that you can just plop it in your yard and let it go crazy. This is definitely for Type B people who just want to get their yard covered without being precise. 

I like it because it is kind of crazy and you can get it for a great price on Amazon.

3. Kadaon 360 Degree Garden Sprinkler

Another contender in the 360-degree category is the Kadaon 360 Degree Rotating Lawn Sprinkler. I’ll preface by saying that this product isn’t as highly rated as Aqua Joe, but it is a great budget sprinkler set up. These types of sprinklers aren’t going to last forever, but have the benefit of doubling as an awesome sprinkler for your kids or pets (my dog used to try to fight the sprinkler). 

It’s cheap and it works.

So, what’s all the hype? This sprinkler features a three-arm design with an ABS plastic rotary. It boasts a patented water-saving design and a large coverage area. This sprinkler isn’t just for watering your grass either; it makes a great pass time for kids.

This thing is a dang steal. It’s really similar to the 360 spinner up above, but it sticks into the ground, is slightly weaker, but is an insanely cheap price on Amazon.

4. Melnor 65074-AMZ XT Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler

This Melnor sprinkler actually went into a face-off with our Aqua Joe indestructible sprinkler. The results were confusing.  Both have a similar spray pattern and  similar coverage. I like that the Melnor is slightly better for being precise with spray patterns, allowing you to expand the spray pattern horizontally to adjust the width. 

I like the Aqua Joe because it is heavier, simpler, and truly indestructible. 

It was a close battle.

So it’s a tough one. The Melnor oscillating sprinkler here is a great sprinkler (I own both), so you really can’t go wrong with it. To me, it just comes down to price. Both go on sale frequently on Amazon, so check the price of the Melnor to see which is better.

Frequently Asked Questions about lawn sprinklers

Curious to know more about lawn sprinklers and watering your yard? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions we get about lawn sprinklers.

How much does it cost to have in-ground sprinklers?

Depending on the size of your property, you can expect to pay between $1,500 to $3,000 for inground sprinklers. Fortunately, in-ground sprinklers can help increase your home’s value because they operate efficiently and keep up your curb appeal. 

What time of the year should you water your grass?

Most homeowners in the United States water their lawns after winter – when the snow melts and the grass underneath slowly reappears. However, you may not need to water your grass during the spring if you live in a moist climate, such as the Southeast or Midwest. The same is true in the summer. Summer is a time of sporadic weather, and sometimes there are dry spouts, while other times there are endless days of rain. 

In summary, you should water your lawn starting in spring through the fall, but can you scale back on the watering if there are higher-than-normal levels of precipitation

Can you water your grass too much?

Yes, you can easily water your grass too much if you aren’t careful. If you notice water running off your yard, there’s a good chance you’re overwatering. In addition, overwatering your grass can cause it to feel spongy and promote weed growth. Worst of all, creepy crawlers will flock to your lawn, which may require an exterminator visit.

How Long Should Lawn Sprinklers Run: A Recap

The general rule of thumb is that lawn sprinklers should run two to three times per week and for 30 to 40 minutes per session. However, this rule isn’t exactly set in stone. You may need to water your grass more during a drought or less during periods of high precipitation. And if you don’t have the right sprinkler for your yard yet, be sure to check out my list of the best lawn sprinklers for 2023. 

Why we started this site

We started The Lawn Review out of frustration. We couldn’t find clarity around what type of products were actually good and reliable. All the fertilizers we tried didn’t work. We ended up with a dying lawn, wasted time, and wasted money.

So we started buying and reviewing lawn tools and figuring out which ones were the best. And now we’ve moved onto actually keeping that lawn looking nice all year around. 

How we spend our time.

We’ve spent thousands of hours building this content for people just like you and me – normal people.

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5 Powerful Electric Pressure Washers That Rival Gas

Electric pressure washers are on the rise because they have two underrated qualities: they are quiet and they are super easy to start. My favorite electric pressure washer is the Greenworks 3000 PSI pressure washer because it is extremely durable and provides a LOT of power.

You’re going to sacrifice a bit of power when it comes to these, but how much power do you need? For most homeowners, electric pressure washers are going to be more than enough power. 

I’ll explain more later, but my electric pressure washers are the second most satisfying tool on the planet. My sister-in-law bought one and finds excuses to use it. She is about as girly-girl as they come and she is constantly on the search for grime to blast away outdoors. 

But pressure washers are hard to compare. They all look the same, they have a ton of acronyms, and they cost a nice chunk of change. 

So today, we are going to break down what to look for in a pressure washer and give you the 5 best electric pressure washers in 2024.

We’ve reviewed all of these at length and even recorded videos of us using several of them on our YouTube channel.

Let’s get started. 

How I tested these electric pressure washers

I tested these electric pressure washers by checking out a few things. Obviously the PSI and GPM matter as well as the other technical specifications, but it’s also important to measure performance, bells and whistles (like number of nozzles and soap tanks), and portability.

I am using this pressure meter to test the claims!

With each of these, I did an actual test of the pressure (not the advertised test) and a similar test for gallons per minute using a 5 gallon bucket. It was a labor of love doing all this testing, but it helped me help you.

Seriously Powerful Electric Pressure Washers

Whereas most folks make you scroll down to the bottom to see the number one choice, I like to start at the top to not waste any of your time. I also think the number one choice is the absolute best, so you may not even need to scroll further. 

Here we go!

Updated Number One: Greenworks 3000 PSI pressure washer

The Greenworks 3000 PSI electric pressure washer is a VERY solid pressure washer. I got it, tested it extensively, and posted a review of it on my Youtube channel.

Not only does it look cool, but it is easily the best electric pressure washer I’ve ever used. Here are a few features that made me obsessed with it:

  • One of the highest PSI electric pressure washers on the market
  • A brushless motor that comes with a ten (10) year warranty. That is a crazy warranty and lets you know just how well this is constructed.
  • Really easy to store and wheel around. The wheels are huge and are never-flat, so you don’t have to worry about filling them up with air.
  • It comes with a ton of nozzles, including a turbo nozzle, that all store super conveniently on a little dashboard.
  • A high quality hose and a really good waterproof extension cord both come included in the purchase.

This thing did a great job cleaning off my deck and even concrete pavers in my backyard. I was impressed. It is also for sale on Amazon for a really good price.

1b. Ryobi 3000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer

We wrote about this Ryobi 3000 PSI electric pressure washer (which also ranked #1) on list of Ryobi Pressure Washer ranking. When I opened this post I said that electric pressure washers often exchange power for convenience and ease of use. The Ryobi 3000 PSI electric pressure washer does both.

We bought this one for our giveaway winner.

Yep – 3000 PSI is right up there with the Dewalt gas pressure washers and a whole bunch of others. This means you can likely take it beyond some household applications, such as spraying off graffiti or stripping paint off a fence. You can also tone it down to be used for washing a car or pressure washing your driveway.

While this has a really strong PSI, it is a little light on the GPM. Again, this means that you’ll have a strong stream but not quite the widest spray or most efficient surface.

But hey, it’s electric and this is about as good as it gets.

Here’s what I love about Ryobi’s 3000 PSI pressure washer BESIDES the power:

  • A push-button start
  • Never-flat tires that allow you to easily stroll it around a job site
  • A brushless motor
  • A big soap tank
  • BUILT IN NOZZLES on the tip of the sprayer, a cool treat

It’s easily one of the most powerful electric pressure washers on the market and the most powerful on today’s ranking. It’s extremely dynamic which is why we gave it such high marks.

It is a bit on the pricier side at about $450 and can be found at Home Depot.

2. Sun Joe SPX3500 2300 Max Psi Brushless Induction Electric Pressure Washer

Sun Joe is a slightly lesser known brand which is an offshoot of Snow Joe (and they also have Aqua Joe). They have one of the most popular pressure washers ever made and the top-seller on Amazon (also #5 on our list), the Sun Joe SPX3000. 

Definitely a cooler color scheme

The Sun Joe SPX3500 is basically the culmination of all the feedback received about the SPX3000. They went back and made it slightly more powerful, easier to carry around, more durable, and fixed a common problem – the hose connector. It used to be plastic and now it is brass on the 3500.

At 1.5 GPM, this is going to be more efficient at household jobs than the Ryobi, but won’t be able to deliver quite the same pressure.

Here’s what else we like about the SPX3500:

  • A solid 2300 PSI
  • The addition of a brushless motor
  • Black color – better looking
  • The ability to add a bunch of attachments
  • 1.5 GPM for an efficient job

Many people overlook the 3500 because it isn’t as popular as the 3000, but it went ahead and fixed all the complaints and is the superior option. 

Let me be clear – this is not the most powerful pressure washer in the world and doesn’t claim to be. But as far as electric pressure washers go, this one does a heck of a job.

You can grab it on Amazon for an extremely low price and I think that’s the only place you can get it.

3. Greenworks pro-2300 Max PSI 14 Amp brushless electric pressure washer

Greenworks is a great brand. They spend a lot of time making sure their claims are true and that their products hold up well. They nailed it with their PRO series 2300 PSI pressure washer. This  thing is sweet and the only reason I ranked it number three and not number two is that it is a bit more expensive than the Sun Joe.

Dominant.

Here’s what I love about this one:

  • Extremely sturdy – often underrated feature but it’s got a sturdy base and won’t topple over when you’re at the end of the hose
  • It has a brushless motor with water pressure-sensing technology that makes sure you have a consistent amount of pressure
  • It has a 25 foot hose and a 35 foot electrical cord which means you can go further than most
  • The power cord has an inline GFCI (little box with buttons), meaning you can plug it into just about any outlet without it getting in the way
  • It’s got a 2.3 GPM flow rate, which is extremely efficient. This means it is virtually the same pressure as the Sun Joe above, but at a much more efficient rate. Is it worth the extra money? I can be convinced by a good sale…

We’ve spoken with the guys at Greenworks who oversee pressure washers and they’re legit. They definitely know what they’re talking about. We’ve done a compilation of the Greenworks pressure washers, and this one is still number one – even when we compared it to the Sun Joe SPX4600.

If you’re looking for quality, this one is going to be your best bet. Just be prepared to pay a premium (which most of us will).

It’s available on their website or from Amazon for a moderate price, but still lower than most gas washers.

4. Worx Hydroshot Power Washer

While the Worx Hydroshot isn’t your classic pressure washer, I had to put this in the top five because it is so dang cool.

The Hydroshot is a battery-powered power washer that is totally portable. All you need is a body of water or a bucket and you’re good to go. It comes with this cool hose attachment that you can toss into a lake and use to wash off your bike, paddle board, or camping equipment.

You can also toss it in a bucket and wash off your kids shoes or your dog before getting back into the car. It’s like a high powered water gun designed to clean things.

Not your grandpa’s pressure washer.

Heck – you can even connect it to your pool and do some patio chair cleaning. The cool part about this is that it has a rotating nozzle on the end that can go from gentle spray to intense stream. 

These are really handy and if you’re an outdoor junkie, they are probably one of the coolest gifts you can buy.

You can grab it on Amazon for a great price (right now its like 40% off).

5. Sun Joe SPX3000 2030 Max PSI 1.76 GPM 14.5-Amp Electric High Pressure Washer

Yep, we still put the Sun Joe SPX3000 on this list because it is so dang popular. One of the best selling pressure washers of all time, they’re in hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of garages across the country. 

We like the SPX3000 because it is super simple to use, provides decent power, and is dirt cheap.

We made a full Youtube video about the SPX3000 and even compared it to the next best seller on Amazon. It was quite the battle.

Just a classic.

But the SPX3000 is great for toting around your yard and cleaning off fences, windows, cars, mailboxes – whatever. It is the small-to-medium sized homeowner’s dream. I wouldn’t take it to any work site, but for about 80% of Americans, this is the perfect combination of price, power, and ease of use. 

The great soap canisters.

We love that this has a soap tank and a bunch of detachable nozzles that make it extremely flexible and great for anything light duty.

Why we started The Lawn Review

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

How we spend our weekends.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

What to look for in a pressure washer

You gotta know what to look for on these pressure washers. Some of these pressure washers look identical, but have small, nuanced differences that you need to keep an eye on.

Pressure washer nozzles

When choosing a pressure washer, you should pay attention to the nozzles included in the package. Two types of spray nozzles are available, adjustable spray nozzles that can be controlled and quick-connect nozzles with predefined spray patterns.  

The predefined spray patterns typically come in different angles, allowing for you to quickly switch between a broad, lower pressure spray or a narrow, higher pressure stream.

Quick connect nozzles are super convenient, but they’re almost like airpods – you can lose them!

Soap tanks on a pressure washer

Additionally, you may want to consider a soap tank-equipped pressure washer. Some of these pressure washers have “foam cannons” where you can simply add some soap and it will mix it in with the water. Pretty cool.

I recommend a soap tank for cars and windows.

Wheels are important

Despite these seemingly minor features, they can have a big impact, especially with larger units. No sense in lugging around one of these in your yard and tripping all over the place.

Some pressure washers have a tendency to flip over and be top heavy, so make sure the base is sturdy.

Pressure washer hose types

There’s a big difference between how easy or difficult it is to use a pressure washer based on the kind of hose that comes with it. Stiff, rigid hoses make it extremely difficult to have any maneuverability without messing up the job or knocking over the base.

Portability and weight

Even if this has the drawback of making the unit less powerful, a portable, smaller pressure washer will be a better choice if you have to move around or carry the unit with you. Most of us do this, especially if you are doing the exterior of your house.

Totally depends on the job you are trying to do.

Pressure washer motor type

We are looking for brushless motors as they are more reliable, more powerful, and have a much longer life. 

Not interested in buying? Try renting a pressure washer.

GPM and PSI on electric pressure washers

GPM stands for gallons per minute. GPM measures how quickly water is leaving the end of the electric pressure washer. PSI stands for pounds per square inch and is a measure of pressure that is being applied out of the electric pressure washer.

Here’s how it looks on the real deal.

If this is confusing to you, you’re not alone. In reality, if you are looking for power, you want both. They work hand-in-hand to deliver water from the machine at a high rate and effective and efficient volume.

For reference, a pressure washer can have a high PSI but a low GPM, meaning it is able to have a high pressure but generally not over a large area. Having both a high PSI and high GPM means that it’s coming out fast and it’s producing a more effective stream.

Likewise, you can also have a low PSI and higher GPM. This is a good ratio for cleaning cars because you get a lot of water at a safer pressure.

So what’s a good PSI for a pressure washer?

It depends on the job you want to do. For heavy duty jobs, you will need 3000 PSI pressure or higher. This is for things like stripping graffiti and is not as common for homeowners, unless you have teenagers.

Anything under 1000 PSI is going to be pretty weak, but still has a place – like cleaning the mud off of a dirt bike or washing down a surf board.

Between 1000 and 3000 PSI is the sweet spot for most homeowners. This will provide a decent amount of pressure to do things like cleaning windows, cars, driveways, patios, decks, etc. Obviously the higher up you go, the stronger job you can do. And per our lesson above, the more GPM, the faster you can get the job done.

Best Electric Pressure Washers: Parting Thoughts

As long as you’re getting an electric pressure washer with a good motor that is easy to use and delivers the power you want, then you’re going to get a good piece of equipment. There are definitely more than 5 good electric pressure washers on the market, but the ones that made this list are ones we’ve found to be both reliable, popular, and affordable.

Is gas more your thing? Check out the Honda GCV pressure washer series.

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5 Best EGO Weed Eaters I Tested This Year

EGO Weed Eaters are top of the line battery-powered tools. My favorite EGO weed eater is the ST1511T because it has serious width and is highly reliable – from the motor to the cutting head.

We’ve reviewed a TON of EGO content and recorded quite a few YouTube videos with their stuff, even giving away an EGO 765 CFM blower at one point – totally free!

But today I want to break down their new line of weed eaters. They basically all look the same, vary wildly in price, and have features that I haven’t seen anywhere else.

So buckle up and let’s get going.

Full ranking of EGO weed eaters:

  1. EGO Power+ ST1511T 15 inch Weed Eater
  2. EGO Power+ ST1623T 16-inch string trimmer
  3. EGO Power+ MHC1502 string trimmer and attachment kit
  4. EGO Power+ ST1502 Battery String Trimmer
  5. EGO Power+ ST1524 String Trimmer

5 EGO Weed Eaters (Ranked)

One thing that I love about EGO’s weed eaters is that they are all straight shafts. Which means they check one of my boxes already. They also all have a brushless motor and use the awesome 56V battery that EGO has so famously committed to. The main differentiating points with these weed eaters are the bells and whistles, so I’ll be extra sure to pick those apart and the minute differences that can cause $100+ swings in each of these.

Let’s get started:

1. EGO Power+ ST1511T 15 inch 56V PowerLoad Weed Eater with Telescopic Aluminum Shaft

I like to cut right to the chase and start with number one – the EGO ST1511T. I’m not sure what the numbers mean, but I know what I love about this EGO trimmer.

This thing has Powerload technology, which if you reference our dictionary above means that you can run the line through the head of the trimmer, press a button, and it will automatically wind it to the appropriate length. On this weed eater, that is a 15 inch-wide cutting swath which is the gold standard for residential weed eaters. 

The absolute must-haves that this one has: a brushless motor, a 45 minute run time (with the 2.5 Ah batteries, you can go higher if you want), and the ability to carry a .095 inch weed eater string. The EGO ST1511T weed eater checks the boxes. Now for the bells and whistles.

Best value in our opinion. Photo cred: Amazon.

This one has two-speed settings, which in reality I always use max speed for a weed eater unless I’m trying to be extra delicate around a bed of flowers or something. But the reason I really liked this one is that it has a telescopic aluminum shaft. That’s a fancy way of saying you can super easily change the length of this without it being complicated.

For me, this was a huge selling point. If you spend any time using a weed eater, you know how easy it is to tweak your back. You can either deal with it, get a strap, or get a weed eater like this one to be perfectly sized to your dimensions. 

For me, this was the winner. It also comes with a foldable split shaft that allows you to fold it if you’d like.

You can grab this one at a number of places, but I’ve found Amazon to be super convenient and often has the best price. You can grab it on Amazon here to see the most recent price or from your local Lowe’s using this link.

2. EGO Power+ ST1623T 16-inch 56V PowerLoad String Trimmer

So this is a slightly more powerful, pimped out version of our number one rating. As a reminder,  this is probably the premium EGO weed eater, but I chose my number one option because it is about $100 cheaper and has nearly similar performance.

The belle of the ball.

The ST1623T EGO weed eater also has a 56V battery, brushless motor, Powerload technology, and more. But it really differentiates itself with the Line IQ technology, which keeps the string at a specific length (16 inches) regardless of whether or not some breaks off.

Up close on the Line IQ.

This Line IQ technology from EGO sounds great, but it can also rip through trimmer line really easily. Usually you can tell that you’re losing string when it starts to rip off and you notice it getting shorter. This is a good sign that you need to back off whatever surface you’re cutting against. With the ST1623T and Line IQ technology, you will quickly burn through string before you learn your lesson. 

Otherwise, this weed eater comes with a carbon fiber shaft and a 4.0 Ah battery, which will give you a nice run time of about an hour. 

This one is also available on Amazon and if you’re looking to spend a bit more, you can get it for a decent price – still better than most gas trimmers. This one is also available at Lowe’s for a great price.

3. EGO Power+ MHC1502 Multi Combo Kit Power Head

We LOVE the EGO multi-tool combo kit. In fact, we did a super long YouTube video about it and have written extensively about it. Yeah, it is kind of cheating that this isn’t purely a weed eater, but if you’re looking for a solid weed eater that can also add on basically every other lawn tool, then this is a no-brainer. 

The attachment still slaps.

The weed eater attachment is great and honestly one that we use all the time, including in some of our biggest weed eater videos. It still has a 15 inch cutting swath and is backed by a brushless motor. 

The full power head.

We love the edger attachment but were most surprised with how great the hedge trimmer attachment was. 

Either way, this is a great one that can be bought at a ton of places, but we got ours on Amazon and bought like 5 different attachments for it. 

4. EGO Power+ ST1502 56V String Trimmer

The EGO ST1502 is a great string trimmer and I can’t knock it at all. It is totally fine,but it doesn’t quite have the bells and whistles the others do.

This thing is more like the Honda Civic of the EGO weed eater world. Reliable, dependable, nothing that can really go wrong. I like that. In fact, it is very similar to our number one option, it  just doesn’t have the cool telescoping handle and the Powerload technology.

But if you’re a normal guy or gal, this thing is going to fit you just fine. I would definitely grab this one if I were testing out EGO for the first time. It’s a low-risk, low-reward weed eater.

Some of the features include a 15 inch cutting swath, a brushless motor, variable speed control (which is actually way better than only having two speeds), and a split shaft for folding. 

Again, not all the bells and whistles but this also means fewer parts that can break down.

This one is also competitively priced and can be found on Amazon.

5. EGO Power+ ST1524 15 inch String Trimmer with Carbon Fiber Shaft

Just like the number four EGO weed eater being a step down from the number one weed eater, this one is a step down from the number two.

It DOES have all the bells and whistles, with the exception of a telescoping shaft. Again, this one has the beautiful brushless motor, variable speed control, a 15 inch cutting swath, Powerload technology and even a freaking sweet black carbon fiber shaft.

The black shaft is really sleek.

This one frankly looks the coolest out of all the EGO weed eaters, but it doesn’t have Line IQ and is even more expensive than our number one choice.

If you have more money than you know what to do with, this one is absolutely sick. But for those of us not dripping in cash, this  one may be too expensive.

The EGO ST1524 string trimmer sometimes goes on sale on Amazon (currently 30% off), but if not then you’re going to pay a heavy price. 

How to instantly improve your weed eater

Upgrade your weed eating game with the ultimate GrassKicker Weed Eater String! While weed eaters and lawn edgers are great tools, it’s not complete without the right string. Our specially crafted line is designed to enhance your weed eater’s performance and give you flawless edges around your yard and garden.

Don’t settle for subpar string that breaks easily and leaves ragged edges. Our team has scoured the market and combined the best colors, shapes, thicknesses, and materials to create a superior line that cuts more cleanly and lasts longer.

With GrassKicker, you can take pride in your perfectly manicured lawn and make a lasting impression on your friends and family. And who knows, your envious neighbors might just start dropping by more often! Don’t wait, elevate your weed eating game with GrassKicker Weed Eater String today! Click the link now to buy.

The bottom line: EGO Weed Eaters 

When I’m looking for a weed eater, the two non-negotiables I have are a brushless motor and a straight shaft. EGO crushes it in both categories, plus adds a ton of cool features. You really can’t go wrong with any of them, but I really liked the PowerLine function and the telescoping shaft. I didn’t like the Line IQ technology and the standard weed eater string that came with the weed eaters.

Why we review string trimmers

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

How we spend our weekends.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

Why would I buy a battery-powered weed eater?

There are a few reasons to check out an electric weed eater when picking out your next lawn and garden tool kit. As compared to gas-powered weed eaters, electric weed eaters tend to be easier to use and maintain. At the end of a long winter season, you may have to refuel your gas powered weed eater and crank it a few times before you can get it to start. 

With the EGO 56V weed eater and other electric weed eaters, you simply place the battery and you are ready to go. 

Another benefit to electric trimmers is maintenance. You will not have to do anything to maintain an electric trimmer other than change out the line. No oil change, no filter change, and no messy gasoline spills. 

If you are a EGO loyalist and have one of their mowers, then you can actually use this same 56 volt battery in both the mower and the trimmer. More on that later. 

Translating EGO’s language

If you’ve been browsing EGO’s website, they have a bunch of different features that have fancy names, but don’t really make intuitive sense. We’ve done the research (and used just about every tool of theirs under the sun) to help decipher and decode what these folks are talking about.

  • Power+: basically anything from their 56V line, which is their most popular battery series line, is Power+. 
  • Powerload: The patented powerload technology basically just means that after you put the weed eater string through the head and even it out, that it will self-wind itself (with some help) to wind it all in there.
  • Line IQ: This is a device that keeps the cutting swath at the ideal length at all times. Most other string trimmers just have string that breaks off and you can bump the head to make it a little longer. 
  • Carbon fiber shaft: the shaft is made of carbon fiber which is super strong and light material.
  • Telescopic shaft: you can change the length of the shaft to be shorter or longer.
  • Brushless motor: a motor powered by magnets instead of brushes that generate electricity. Results in more torque, a cooler motor, and longer life. 
  • Cutting swath: the width from point-to-point of the sides of the weed eater string.

I think that covers it and will help make sense of the descriptions we use when talking about each of the EGO weed eaters.

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Best Lime for Lawn: 2024 Buying Guide (+ Tips)

Lime for your lawn? Is it margarita season? Always.

The best lime for your lawn is Espoma Lightning Lime Fertilizer. You can grab it here on Amazon or keep scrolling and read about some of the runner-ups.

When you hear the word “lime,” you probably think of the green citrus fruit that goes well with a handcrafted cocktail. Well, lime doesn’t just describe a tart fruit – it’s also a soil amendment formulated with limestone rock. 

It doesn’t sound so tasty now, unless you’re Fred Flintstone. Your lawn would beg to differ – lime is full of nutrients that keep grass lush and vibrant in color. Not only that, but lime helps grass maintain an ideal pH level (5.8 – 7.0). 

Why I use lime on my lawn

The great thing about lime is that you don’t have to apply it very often (unlike fertilizer). In fact, most homeowners only have to apply lime every three to five years. In contrast, some people use fertilizer a couple of times per month. 

Photo cred: Target – who is known for their limes?

Best of all, lime is cheap and readily available on the internet and in your local brick-and-mortar gardening or big box store, like Home Depot or Lowe’s. With that said, I’m a big fan of buying lime on the internet and getting it shipped straight to my house (I’m lazy). 

The Best Lime Products for Your Yard

If you’re ready to apply lime to your lawn or just want to stock up, you’ve come to the right place. Lime is not all made equally, however. While the active ingredients are generally the same, how they are made, the size of the package, and the price are all major considerations when looking to buy the BEST lime for your lawn.

Here’s a look at some of the lime products I considered for my lawn when I was doing my search. After you get a chance to review my list of the top products, be sure to keep reading to learn about the best way to apply lime.

Espoma Lightning Lime Fertilizer

Perhaps one of the most popular lime products on the planet is Espoma’s Lightning Lime Fertilizer. At first glance, I was a bit skeptical of the use of “lightning”. 

I thought to myself, “will my lawn transform into a luscious green retreat in the blink of an eye?”.

Well, not so fast, the lime adjusts pH levels in six to eight weeks. Certainly not lightning fast, but still a viable option. Remember, we are in it for the long haul when it comes to lime, knowing that it is a 2-3 times per decade application for most folks. Let’s dig some more.

Photo cred: Amazon.

Espoma claims the lime is safe to use around kids and pets. The safety element of this product comes from how it is treated. The organic product is treated with natural humic acid. And given the package’s 30-lb size, you get around five bags of regular-sized lime as compared to some of the others.

So far, so good. Comparable products take up to 14 weeks to do the job, and Espoma slices that in half (pun intended).

Additionally, Espoma claims that this lime is less dusty than other products on the market, making it easier to handle and less messy when opening. One consideration here is that this thing can cover 5x what a normal bag of lime can cover, so you need to make sure you have the right setting on your broadcast spreader (instructions are on the bag).

You can grab this bad boy on Amazon for a really good price.

Earth Science Fast-Acting Lime

We all have busy lives, so I picked another “fast-acting” lime for the list. Earth Science Fast-Acting Lime covers 5,000 square feet of yard and comes in granular form. 

Like traditional lime products, it raises the pH level to promote nutrient absorption. Similar to Espoma’s lime, the Earth Science formula is also safe around kids and pets. While this product dubs itself “fast-acting,” I couldn’t find an exact time frame. But on the bright side, the packaging says the lime is 100% guaranteed and keeps working all season. 

Although this one is a bit more expensive per square foot of coverage than the Espoma lime, it does highlight that it is able to cover what is traditionally covered by 4 bags of lime. 

Looks science-y. Photo cred: Amazon

Compare this claim to Espoma, which mentions that they can cover 5 bags of lime. This one is 25 lbs, Espoma is 30 lbs, so the formula is likely very similar. 

At about the same price as Espoma, I have to say that this one is going to be a little costlier, but a great alternative for someone who doesn’t need as much lime. It’s also available on Amazon for just over $30.

Solu-Cal Enhanced Calcitic Lime

Don’t panic; Solu-Cal isn’t a soul catcher. Despite the rather cryptic name, Solu-Cal Enhanced Calcitic Lime is a relatively new product with a different formula. 

This product’s formula is unique in that it combines pellet limestone with calcium to produce results as quickly as a few weeks. It seems a little far-fetched at first glance, doesn’t it? Imagine giving your grass some milk (this was actually my fourth grade science fair project and it rotted).

Solu-Cal photo from Amazon.

It’s a really good lime product for large yards, as it covers up to 10,000 square feet per bag. Other than the additional bio-available calcium, this is your run-of-the-mill lime. Nothing bad to say about it, nothing particularly great to say about it. It will do the job just fine, it just comes in a larger quantity.

This one is also available on Amazon in a much larger quantity for a really great price.

Hoffman Garden Lime

Last but not least is Hoffman’s Pelletized Garden Lime. I wanted to throw this product in as an option because it is designed for gardens. It’s a solid supplemental product to purchase alongside the products I’ve highlighted above. The lime comes in an 8-lb package and “sweetens” the soil while increasing nutrient availability to plant roots.

I probably would just get a larger bag and use some on my lawn and some in my garden instead of specifically buying an overpriced bag. But if you don’t have a lawn and just want to get some lime in your garden, then this is a nice alternative. 

It’s available on Amazon for about $20 for an 8lb bag.

The Bottom Lime (No Pun Intended)

Lime is an important component of lawn care. And even though you only have to apply it every few years, choosing the right product can make or break your lawn. Fortunately, you shouldn’t have to spend more than $150 on lime, depending on the size of your yard. However, you need a tool to apply the lime to your yard with a tool (from my own personal experience, I don’t recommend using your hands).

Before you hit the ground running with your new bag of lime, make sure you get your hands on a spreader. My favorite is Scotts Elite Spreader, which is available on Amazon for a deal. 

The spreader features dual rotor technology and holds up to 20,000 square feet of product. It also has an ergonomic handle (kiss those pesky blisters goodbye). I also recommend Scotts EdgeGuard Broadcast Spreader, which I’ve written about extensively.

Your yard will thank you no matter which lime or spreader you use. You’ll also thank yourself after your lawn transforms into lush and vibrant grass that leaves the neighbors envious.

Why we started this site

We started The Lawn Review out of frustration. We couldn’t find clarity around what type of products were actually good and reliable. All the fertilizers we tried didn’t work. We ended up with a dying lawn, wasted time, and wasted money.

How we spend our time now.

So we started buying and reviewing lawn tools and figuring out which ones were the best. And now we’ve moved onto actually keeping that lawn looking nice all year around. 

We’ve spent thousands of hours building this content for people just like you and me – normal people.

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5 Powerful ECHO Weed Eaters (+1 bonus): Buying Guide

The best ECHO weed eater is the ECHO SRM-225 because it is inexpensive, extremely reliable, and powerful enough for both commercial and residential lawn care.

My neighbor also has one and every time I walk on the sidewalk by his house, I can’t help but admire the insane borders he’s created around his yard. And he doesn’t even own an edger. 

But today, I’d like to walk you through the definitive ranking of ECHO trimmers. I recently walked into Home Depot and noticed that there are like 6 or 7 ECHO weed eaters side-by-side and you can’t tell much of a difference except for the price and can’t even really pull them off of the rack to compare.

Which is exactly why we are going to break it down for you today. 

Let’s get started!

Here is our ranking of the best ECHO weed eaters:

  1. ECHO SRM 225 weed eater
  2. ECHO GT-225 weed eater
  3. ECHO SRM 2620 weed eater
  4. ECHO SRM 266 weed eater
  5. ECHO DSRM 2600 Battery-powered weed eater
  6. ECHO SRM 410X weed eater

Check out how ECHO stacks up against Stihl.

Best String Trimmer Line for ECHO Weed Eaters

We developed our own weed eater string that absolutely slaps. Extremely powerful, durable, and visible. We tested it against DOZENS of different strings. You can check it out on Amazon here.

Best ECHO Weed Eaters: Ranked

Let’s jump straight into the rankings. I will preface this by saying it is my opinion, not gospel. I am speaking from the point of view of a homeowner, not necessarily a professional landscaper, although I do try to view each weed eater holistically. Let’s get going.

1. ECHO SRM-225 Weed Eater

The ECHO SRM 225 that my neighbor has is like ordering an old fashioned at the bar. You know what you’re going to get. And it has amazing power, consistent results, and amazing durability. There is a reason that this is their best selling string trimmer.

It’s got everything that I look for in a gas-powered weed eater. Let’s start breaking it down:

  • 17 inch cutting swath. Holy cow. That is a massive cutting swath area and can almost (probably) replace your lawn edger altogether. This is a top-of-the-line cutting swath not found on any kind of battery-powered weed eater.
  • 21.2 cc engine – this is about what you expect from a high end residential weed eater. Not too much, not too little – just right.
  • It is about 60 inches long, or 5 feet. I love when long weed eaters because it gives you more precision and flexibility when cutting and often gives you a straighter line. 
  • Speed-feed head. This is a registered trademark of ECHO, but it basically allows you to quickly reload weed eater string without having to disassemble the whole head. 
The cutting head with speed feed technology.

Like I mentioned before, this has just about everything you would want in a weed eater and comes in at one of the lowest prices you can get for an ECHO weed eater. Its MSRP is about $230, but it is currently on sale at Home Depot. 

The only thing I would change is upgrading the weed eater string from the stock crossfire string.

2. ECHO GT-225 Weed Eater

The ECHO GT-225 is a somewhat lighter version of the SRM 225 above. It has a smaller cutting swath, a curved shaft, and doesn’t have a speed-feed head, but is otherwise very similar.

While I prefer straight shaft string trimmer, I recognize there is still a place for curved shaft string trimmers. Curved shafts are great for using on flat surfaces where you aren’t necessarily trying to shape something. Think areas that are too small for traditional mowers where you still need to mow down some grass.

They’re also great around light poles, mailboxes, or other solid structures. I think you lose a bit of visibility and reach when you use them, so I always go for straight shafts.

That being said, the GT-225 still has a nice engine and all the same bells and whistles as the SRM-225. So I have to give this one the best curved weed eater made by ECHO award. 

Still super popular and is actually about $50 cheaper than the SRM 225, coming in at around $180.

3. ECHO SRM-2620 Weed Eater

The SRM-2620 is a beast. I think it may be the best all-around weed eater for commercial landscapers. It is extremely powerful and surprisingly light. This isn’t one I would use for tinkering around the yard as I am simply unworthy. 

I would consider this one an SRM 225 on steroids. It has the below similarities:

  • A 6 foot long straight shaft
  • A 17 inch cutting swath (which is huge)
  • Weighs around 12 lbs without any fuel
  • Speed feed head

The main difference in this one is that it comes with a 25.4 cc engine, whereas the ECHO SRM 225 has a 20.2 cc engine.

Nice straight shaft!

Us normies wouldn’t notice the difference, but if you are using these string trimmers for hours per day, you understand the difference in 5 cc of power output. 

It also costs about $120 more than the SRM 225, with the MSRP around $360. You can go to ECHO’s website to find a retailer near you, though I’ve seen these at Home Depot.

4. ECHO SRM-266 Weed Eater

The SRM 266 is a slightly toned down version of the 2620 above. They are nearly identical, with the following differences:

  • The 266 has a smaller fuel tank, at about 16 oz compared to the 2620’s large 20 oz fuel tank.
  • The 266 doesn’t have 1.62:1 gear reduction as found on the 2620. 
  • The 266 is slightly heavier by about 2lbs, which is odd because the engine area is a little bit smaller
  • The 266 is about $40 cheaper
Indistinguishable from the one above.

Otherwise, they are the same length and have the same cutting swath. I don’t totally understand why ECHO made these two different weed eaters, but I don’t make the rules. 

5. ECHO DSRM-2600 Battery-powered weed eater

Uh….this thing is a monster. Doing research for this article, this is actually the first time I’ve seen ECHO’s battery-powered weed eater line and quite frankly this thing smacks. 

The DSRM-2600 has all the things you would want in a sweet battery-powered string trimmer, with one major flaw. This ECHO electric weed eater has a 17 inch cutting swath, which is about 2 inches more than any other battery-powered weed eater I’ve reviewed (which is a lot).

It also matches EGO’s battery powered weed eater line by including a 56V battery. One beautiful thing that ECHO did with their battery-powered motor is including a nice brushless motor. Brushless motors provide more torque, cooler motors, and a longer life. They’re table stakes for electric weed eaters.

One major downside to this one is that the run time is only 26 mins with the 2.5 Ah battery. With the 5.0 Ah battery, you’ll be able to get 54, but even that is subject to dropping if you are stopping and going a lot or cutting thick brush. 

Look at that battery!

Neither of those are great if you are a professional. This is where many battery powered weed eaters get into trouble. They start to max out power, which is great, but you trade off time. Most people that need a lot of power ALSO need time. The technology just isn’t quite there yet. 

One other downside is that you may not use these batteries for much else, unless you want to start using ECHO’s battery line for everything else, which is possible. If you have other battery-powered tools, this may just take up another plug in your garage.

We’ve developed a weed eater string that can turn wimpier electric weed eaters into beasts. That means you can get performance + a longer lasting battery. Heck yeah.

6. ECHO SRM 410X Weed Eater

The SRM 410-X is barely a weed eater. It is actually illegal in 15 countries, including Guam. 

That part isn’t true. But this thing is INSANELY powerful, so I had to put it on the list. The numbers on this (price included) are astronomical. All of which I’ve never seen before. So here they are:

  • 42.7 cc engine. Yes you read that right, that is OVER DOUBLE the SRM 225. 
  • A 20 inch cutting swath. The next highest I’ve seen is 17 inches. HOLY COW
  • 33.8 fl oz fuel tank. I mean???
  • A 60.2 inch shaft length, which is OVER 5 feet long.
  • Almost $600
An absolute unit.

This is easily the most ridiculous string trimmer I’ve ever seen. And I love it. I want to own this thing so badly I might just go by it right now. I just know I would tear up my yard if I got this thing. It’s an absolute jack hammer.

And for that – it had to make the list.

ECHO Weed Eaters: Parting Words

ECHO weed eaters / string trimmers are workhorses. Super reliable, super durable, probably the F-150 of weed eaters (I just made some people mad).

One thing to remember is that each of these come with a 5 year residential, 2 year commercial warranty. They put their money where their mouth is when it comes to durability, making a product you can trust. 

If you’re not interested in ECHO or looking to compare, check out the competitor Husqvarna weed eaters.

Why we review lawn tools

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

How we spend our time now.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

How to instantly improve your weed eater

Upgrade your weed eating game with the ultimate GrassKicker Weed Eater String! While weed eaters and lawn edgers are great tools, it’s not complete without the right string. Our specially crafted line is designed to enhance your weed eater’s performance and give you flawless edges around your yard and garden.

Don’t settle for subpar string that breaks easily and leaves ragged edges. Our team has scoured the market and combined the best colors, shapes, thicknesses, and materials to create a superior line that cuts more cleanly and lasts longer.

With GrassKicker, you can take pride in your perfectly manicured lawn and make a lasting impression on your friends and family. And who knows, your envious neighbors might just start dropping by more often! Don’t wait, elevate your weed eating game with GrassKicker Weed Eater String today! Click the link now to buy.

What to look for in a weed eater

Weed eaters AKA string trimmers come in all shapes and sizes. They aren’t highly complicated pieces of equipment, but they do have a few nuances. Here is how I see it:

  • Feel – Obviously this is subjective, but feel is everything to me. I have had weed eaters in the past where the handle is off to the side, making me torque my shoulders and back. If you can, get as many adjustable pieces as possible to make this customizable. It doesn’t seem like you use a weed eater for a long time, but the work is precision work that requires a steady hand and focus.
  • Motor – I’m looking for some dang power, but not so much that I shred the weed eater string every five seconds. A moderate amount of cc displacement is great with me. Anything too high is really a waste of money for me.
  • Curved vs Straight shaft – I always, always, always prefer straight shafts. They are so much easier to use and control and are much longer than curved shafts. Curved shafts are good for clearing out a small piece of land unable to be mowed. But if you want to actually do some good trimming and edging, a straight shaft is much better. Curved shafts are difficult to maneuver and to create a straight line for edging. 

Weed eater string makes all the difference, which is why we broke down the right weed eater string for ECHO tools.

Looking for a battery powered weed eater? Check out EGO’s lineup of electric weed eaters.

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5 High Quality Husqvarna Riding Mowers

Husqvarna riding mowers are super recognizable and known for one thing: quality. My favorite Husqvarna riding mower is the YTH24V48 because it has a massive cutting deck but is still easy to drive and relatively cheap.

They sell a handful of riding mowers that are absolute beasts and targeted for homeowners that give a crap. 

Every Husqvarna riding mower comes with a powerful engine that is outsourced to Kawasaki, Briggs and Stratton or Kohler – all magicians in the small engine game.

Today we will break down which Husqvarna riding mowers are the best and will take into consideration size, build quality, bells and whistles, and cost. 

Let’s get started.

***SPOILER***: Recommended Husqvarna Riding Mower: YTH24V48

Best Husqvarna Lawn Tractors: Ranked

Now that we understand how amazing the products are that Husqvarna makes, let’s start breaking down a ranking of their best riding mowers. You honestly can’t go wrong with any of these, but I am going to rank them holistically. 

1. Husqvarna YTH24V48 Riding Mower

I put the YTH24V48 at number one for a few reasons. Before I get into that, I just want to highlight the naming convention here. The 24 means it is a 22 HP engine and the 48 means it has a 48 inch wide cutting deck. 

Yes, that is a four foot wide cutting deck on a riding mower. Some are bigger, but this is also bigger than many zero-turn mowers. Heck yeah.

Simple, beastly, inexpensive.

In fact, one of the top reasons I ranked this number one is because it is the biggest and baddest riding mower from Husqvarna that can still fit in your garage (hopefully). The others really start to top out space and require a separate shad or even a whole spot in your garage.

Another reason I ranked this one number one is that it was the best value. Not the cheapest, but pound-for-pound most value dense. 

Here’s why I think so:

  • Super wide cutting deck without being obnoxious, the perfect size
  • Hydrostatic transmission operated by a pedal
  • Briggs & Stratton Intek V-Twin 24 HP engine, putting it top of class for riding mower horsepower
  • Cast Iron front axle, meaning it won’t bend or break

All-in this thing has an MSRP value of $2,799. Husqvarna uses local dealers to help you find a sales location. You can find yours by clicking here.

2. Husqvarna YTH18542 Riding Mower

The Husqvarna YTH18542 is second for me. This is the base model for Husqvarna’s YTH series and reminds me a lot of the classic, famous John Deere E100. Both are base models of brands that are known for quality and durability. 

I’ve done a full review of the Husqvarna YTH18542 that I placed at number two here, but will try to summarize why I like this riding mower so much. It is honestly extremely similar to the YTH24V48 with a few exceptions. For starters, this has a single cylinder engine instead of a twin cylinder. It also is about 10 inches narrower and 6 less horsepower. 

Slimmer but still a beast!

All of these are differences likely not noticed by the average homeowner looking to cut their yard, outside of how dang wide the 24V48 is. But many of the features are exactly the same, including:

  • The super sturdy cast iron front axle
  • Attachment-capable system for year-round use, for things like snow plow attachments or pull-behind trailers
  • Hydrostatic transmission for smooth gear changes

All-in-all this is a great entry point into Husqvarna for first time riding mower buyers. The price point is a huge reason that this one is so popular and widely recognized. 

This thing has an MSRP value of $2,399, or about $400 cheaper than our top ranked model. Husqvarna uses local dealers to help you find a sales location. You can find yours by clicking here. 

3. Husqvarna TS 354XD Riding Mower / Lawn Tractor

The Husqvarna TS 354XD is hands down the absolute most powerful and freakishly badass riding mower Husqvarna offers. At first glance, it is noticeably dominant. It stares you in the eyes until you back down.

What I ride on to pick up your girl for a date. Photo cred: Husqvarna

Just kidding. But it does have a super high-back chair with armrests that make it seem like the most comfortable riding mower in existence. 

The things that really set apart this mower are:

  • A 54 inch cutting deck, which rivals most zero-turn mowers and is 4.5 feet wide. Holy guacamole. 
  • A 24 horsepower engine, yes please.
  • 6 anti-scalp wheels that keep the blade stable when you’re going over steep banks and hills
  • A front brush-guard
  • A Kawasaki engine

I mention the Kawasaki engine here because when it comes to larger engines, Husqvarna tends to use Kawasaki engines instead of Briggs and Stratton. 

The TS 354XD truly does rival the size of zero-turn mowers, so if you’re more of a lawn tractor guy and don’t need a zero-turn, this thing is your best bet. This has added functionalities and attachments that you can buy that make this more functional than just a lawn mower. This riding mower is truly a year-round utility vehicle that happens to cut grass.

At close to $5,000 MSRP, you know it means business. 

4. Husqvarna TS 242XD Riding Mower

If you’re looking for a mower with almost as much functionality as the TS 354XD but you aren’t quite ready to drop 5k, then check out the TS 242XD. 

The TS 242XD is a toned down version of the TS 354XD, but it still has some of the features that make it incredible for over $1,200 cheaper. Sadly, the really cool high-back chair with armrests doesn’t come with this one. 

But here are the things that DO come with it that make it an incredible option for those that are still looking to have a year-round lawn tractor. 

  • 2 cylinder Kawasaki engine (21.5 HP)
  • Front brush guard
  • Hydrostatic transmission

The main differences (outside of aesthetics) are the fact that this mower cuts a foot more narrowly than the other and has 2.5 less horsepower.

Nice side profile! Photo cred: Husqvarna

It’s a great entry point into year-round lawn tractors that are attachment capable and do way more than just cutting your grass. 

It comes in at $3,700 and can be purchased at your local Husqvarna dealership.

5. Husqvarna TS148X Riding Mower

The TS148X Riding Mower is a great lawn mower. I mean that because it isn’t going to do all of the crazy things that the other TS series mowers are doing, but it also isn’t as highly priced. 

So yes, you are not getting a brush guard and a bunch of insane attachments on this one, but it is a high quality, powerful lawn mower that is great for cutting grass.

It still has a 24 horsepower engine with a Briggs and Stratton Endurance V-Twin engine and cuts 4 feet wide. It is most similar to the YTH24V48, but comes in at a higher price and doesn’t have all that many differences. I still prefer the YTH24V48 for several reasons, but if you can’t get your hands on it, this is a great, slightly more expensive alternative.

Photo cred: Husqvarna

This one comes in at close to $3,100 MSRP, making it a great mower but slightly overpriced compared to our number one choice. That’s why we ranked it last on this list (but at least it made the list!).

The Bottom Line on Husqvarna Riding Mowers: They’re good

You really can’t go wrong with Husqvarna’s riding mower and lawn tractors. You can close your eyes and throw a dart at their catalog and end up being fine. But if you’re picky or have certain jobs you want to do, some of these are going to suit your needs better. 

For us, we loved the YTH24V48 because it’s powerful, wide, but not over-the-top and very fairly priced. 

Why we review lawn tools

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

How we spend our time now.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

About Husqvarna

Husqvarna is one of the most respected names in lawn care. Not only are they producers of great, high quality lawn care tools for residential property owners, but they also create really great machinery for commercial use in parks, golf courses, and all over construction sites.

They’re well known for these bad boys.

Husqvarna’s bread and butter is the heavier, commercial machinery for sure. For example, they don’t have a huge presence in the push mower space, but have some absolute units in the zero-turn mower space. Likewise, they produce big boy commercial lawn mowers and chainsaws that you will see clearing forests. 

That being said, you can see how all of Husqvarna’s industry experience could lead to them making the best riding mowers for homeowners. 

What to look for in a riding mower

With the dawn of zero turn mowers, electric riding mowers, and flying hovercraft mowers with drone weed whackers (only kidding), the classic lawn tractor is often overlooked.

The reality is that lawn tractors are great machines that still have a place in the modern lawn care garage. Lawn tractors are great for people with a half of an acre up to two acres. They are also fine for people with more than 2 acres with few obstacles to navigate.

The zero-turn mower craze is largely hyped up for the average homeowner by the admittedly cool features. The downside of these mowers is the massive price tag and difficulty with storage. 

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What Size Weed Eater String Should You Use? (2024)

The best weed eater string you can use is a .095″ string trimmer line that is designed to be highly visible, durable, and powerful. Fortunately, we went to the lab and created this perfect weed eater string.

Bottom line: Get the weed eater string that fits your weed eater. We created our own that fits most weed eaters and combines all the best features to be extremely strong and reliable. You can grab it on Amazon here.

There are a million options available on the market. Some won’t even fit your string trimmer. Some are expensive and absolute garbage (we’ve tried dozens). And we are on a quest to find the best string trimmer line ever made. 

That’s right. We’re trying to find the weed eater string out there that can turn a wimpy battery-powered string trimmer into a commercially-powered beast. 

So let’s jump in:

Weed Eater String Sizes Explained

When it comes to string trimmer lines, size is all about thickness of the string. Think back to geometry in high school and how things were measured using diameter, or the distance from one end to another. The true width of the weed eater string.

Us Americans use the correct way of measuring things and it is in inches. There are some who will measure weed eater string in millimeters and they are not to be trusted. 

But here are the common weed eater string sizes and what they mean.

Let me explain what I mean further here:

.060 inch Weed Eater String

.060 inch weed eater string is great for smaller weed eaters. If you have a Black and Decker string trimmer or WORX weed eater that is relatively small, you can get away with using this string. 

This is the smallest string trimmer line on the market and is also one of the most popular for normal homeowners. In my opinion, homeowners leave a lot on the table by just buying the “stock” weed eater string for their Ryobi, WORX or Black and Decker weed eaters. 

.060 is really light and pretty cheap, but sacrifices durability and cutting power. More on that later. 

Pros of .060 inch weed eater string:

  • Relatively inexpensive
  • Super lightweight, allowing your weed eater to reach maximum RPMs
  • Fits most weed eaters

Cons of .060 inch weed eater string:

  • Less durable
  • Mostly only capable of being bought in “round” shapes, which are inferior to other designs

.080 inch Weed Eater String Size

 .080 inch weed eater string is a great alternative to .060. 

It has more thickness than .060 weed eater string but isn’t so thick that it slows you down. It adds more durability to each cut and is still extremely easy to load into basically ANY weed eater, even ones that normally take .060. 

This one was a great color, but it broke easily.

The added benefit of the .080 inch weed eater string is that there is more room to create patterns or different shapes in the string that allow for added cutting surfaces that absolutely melts grass. 

Pros of .080 inch weed eater string:

  • More durable than .060 inch
  • Ability to add patterns
  • Fits most weed eaters

Cons of .080 inch string trimmer line:

  • May be too weak for bigger weed eaters

.095 inch Weed Eater String Size

If I were to apply the scientific “Goldilocks” method, I would say that .095 inch string trimmer is just right. Here’s why.

Once you start using a .095 inch weed eater string, there’s a noticeable difference. I put it in my Ryobi Expand-It (cheap) weed eater and it freaking rocked.

For starters, the .095 inch weed eater string is heavier. In some tests we ran with an EGO string trimmer, it absolutely dominated the grass. It was truly the Mike Tyson of weed eater string.

This weed eater string is when you’ll start to notice more tension when winding it. This makes it a little tougher to load, but adds a ridiculous amount of cutting power.

Really a great size.

We think .095 weed eater string is the best thickness of all the weed eater string we’ve tested – which is a LOT.

Most weed eaters that take .095 inch weed eater string make it so that you can’t tell. For example if you are using an ECHO SRM 225 or comparable battery-powered weed eaters, this thing will load like a breeze.

Pros of .095 inch trimmer line:

  • Much more durable
  • Much more weight behind it
  • Able to have crazy patterns due to so much room


Cons of .095 inch trimmer line

  • May not fit into tiny weed eaters

.0105 inch and above Weed Eater String

.0105 inch and above string trimmer is really going to be commercial applications. Think dudes that are doing commercial landscaping jobs around schools, libraries and office buildings. They’re also used in walk behind string trimmers that have great use as pseudo-lawn mowers for dense brush or wild land. 

This stuff is not going to be great for the average homeowner or even most residential landscapers and is far less common. But it still has its place as an absolute beast in all types of trimming for big, professional jobs.

Pros:

  • Thicker than a bowl of oatmeal
  • Hearty, durable
  • Able to be used on dense brush for a long time

Cons:

  • Heavier
  • More expensive
  • Not suitable for the average homeowner

Know your Weed Eater String Colors 

Many people think weed eater string colors correlate to thickness or patterns or something else. That’s not true – there is no correlation between color and thickness across all the different providers of string trimmer line.

The truth of colors when it comes to string trimmer line is simply preference. But there are important things to note with color.

Clear? It actually wasn’t the worst.

Most notably, the color of the weed eater string is there to help you visualize the string better. There are dozens of different colored strings out there, but what you’re really looking for is how the string looks when it’s spinning a few thousand rotations per minute. 

We have tested just about every color and our favorite was surprisingly bright green, followed by orange. 

Green wins!

Bright green and orange gave the best contrast to the grass when cutting it. Visibility is really important when using a weed eater, especially around delicate surfaces like a shed, a deck, or even prized flowers and plants. You can accidentally seriously damage many things around your yard if you don’t know exactly where you are cutting. 

We were least impressed by the red, black, gray, and clear string trimmer lines. They simply disappeared or were hard to see when up and spinning.

Weed Eater String Shapes make a difference

You may notice if you’ve spent any time shopping for string trimmer line that it comes in a bunch of different shapes. This isn’t just a marketing gimmick (okay it seems like some of it is), but has some serious utility. Let me break down what we have seen and tested over the past few weeks.

The different shapes

These things look like you walked into the space bar in Star Wars. Creatures from every end of the earth. Some of the most common weed eater string shapes are:

  • Round
  • Square
  • Cross-shaped
  • Braided
  • Hexagonal
  • Twisted

We learned a lot when we tested all of these suckers. I’m going to group these into round, pointed, and braided / twisted.

Round weed eater string

Round weed eater string is probably the most common. It is the “stock” weed eater string because it is super easy to manufacture, isn’t complex, and is easy to wind and fit into every string trimmer. 

We expected this one to be the worst in our tests for all the above reasons. It surprised us.

This one was a total dump! It broke really quickly.

It still wasn’t the best, but it was much more durable than we expected. You would think it would be the easiest to break because it isn’t as “hardcore” as the pointed and patterned ones, but it was pretty structurally sound. 

Round weed eater string had average performance when it came to cutting performance. Nothing special, but not poor by any stretch. 

Pointed weed eater string

For weed eater string that had several sides, like a square or hexagon, we actually found the string to be more brittle. We did not expect this. It definitely has more razor-like qualities that help cut grass more, but it also exposes much more structural breakdown opportunities when compared to round weed eater string. 

You can see the points, which open it up to structural breakdown.

There was one in particular that was star-shaped that we tried and it truly seemed to break down every 10 seconds or so.

The best weed eater string shape we found was a triangular shape. It had fewer points, but still had the razor-like quality that shredded grass. We found it to have the most structural integrity while providing the best cutting power. 

Braided and twisted weed eater string

The cool things about braided and twisted weed eater string is that it has a meaningful impact on the sound of the string trimmer. It is much quieter spinning, which is great. But in reality, the spinning string is not really the loudest part of most weed eaters – it’s the motor. 

So while the braided and twisted lines are quieter, they still hardly make a dent on the overall noise level of the weed eater.

Yeah this stuff looks pretty rad.

Spiral and braided string trimmer also have more durability than non-twisted pointed weed eater string. Obviously they don’t make a twisted, round weed eater string (it would just be round) so it really just applies to patterned ones.  

Overall these are more durable but only apply to less durable string trimmer lines with patterns. So they are good benefits in the end but also come at an extra cost. I’ve also found the twisted ones have more built-in torque, making them harder to load into your weed eater.

How to replace weed eater string

Here are the steps to replace weed eater string on most weed eaters:

  1. Cut about 10 feet of weed eater string from the spool
  2. Align the arrows on the head of the weed eater with the arrows on the twisty knob
  3. You should be able to see light from one side of the string to the other
  4. Insert string into one end and pull through to the other side
  5. Keep pulling until the string is about 5 feet on each side
  6. Twist the knob clockwise and spin until there are about 6 inches of string on each side
  7. If one side is longer than the other, simply cut it down to match the shorter side

We’ve included a super short YouTube short we made below:

Common questions about weed eater string we get

Yep, over the years we have compiled dozens of questions about weed eater string that we get over and over. Let’s get started:

Can I use a thicker trimmer line?

To a point, yes. For most residential weed eaters, you can use up to .095 before things start to get hairy. Many gas trimmers can go higher, up to .105 or .110 but not much higher than that.

How do I know what size weed eater string to use?

Conventional wisdom says that for most residential weed eaters, .095 or .080 are the most common sizes that fit your weed eater and maximize performance.

What size weed eater string is best for Stihl weed eaters?

We have had luck using a .095 weed eater string for Stihl’s weed eater lineup. It fits their gas powered weed eaters like the Stihl FS 56 RC and should fit most of their battery-powered ones as well. 

What size weed eater string is best for ECHO weed eaters?

Echo weed eaters like the SRM 225 can handle .095 or .105 thickness to get the job done.

What size weed eater string is best for Ryobi weed eaters?

There’s a huge variety of weed eaters offered by Ryobi, but my Ryobi weed eater absolutely crushes with .095 weed eater string. It came with .060 but I upgraded and it took it from a dinky tool to a freaking machine.

What’s the best weed eater string for Husqvarna weed eaters?

If you have a gas-powered Husqvarna weed eater like the Husqvarna 128LD, you’ll be safe with a .095 weed eater string.

Why we started this site

We started The Lawn Review out of frustration. We couldn’t find clarity around what type of products were actually good and reliable. All the fertilizers we tried didn’t work. We ended up with a dying lawn, wasted time, and wasted money.

How we spend our time now.

So we started buying and reviewing lawn tools and figuring out which ones were the best. And now we’ve moved onto actually keeping that lawn looking nice all year around. 

We’ve spent thousands of hours building this content for people just like you and me – normal people. 

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Best Time To Aerate and Overseed Lawn: 2024 Update

Learning how and when to aerate and overseed your lawn is critical to a beautiful lawn that makes your neighbors jealous. Remember: you reap what you sow. And the window for sowing the perfect lawn isn’t open year-round.

Today we are going to walk through the difference between aerating and overseeding, when is the best time aerate and overseed, and give you some insight on how we get this done each year.

Jump ahead:

Let’s get started!

Aerating vs Overseeding

Aeration consists of perforating soil with small holes, allowing nutrients and water to seep inside and reach the roots of the grass. This technique promotes healthy and nourished grass, leaving your lawn green and lush. If you don’t aerate your lawn, the soil can become compact, which can deprive the grass of the key nutrients it needs to flourish. Grass that isn’t aerated is particularly susceptible to the elements (extreme heat and drought, for example). 

You can use a big time aerator like this one we rented from Home Depot.

You can decipher whether your lawn needs aeration by examining the soil. If the soil is hard or has a spongy texture, it’s time to aerate. Thin grass losing color is another telltale sign that you need to aerate your lawn.

Overseeding generally accompanies aeration. You add grass seeds across the entire yard when you overseed your lawn. The goal of overseeding is to regrow grass in areas where it is damaged or thinning. Now you may wonder, “do I have to aerate my lawn before I overseed it?”

The answer is yes; it’s best to aerate your lawn before overseeding because aeration helps the soil absorb nutrients and gives it fresh, overturned soil to thrive in. Aerating after overseeding can be massively disrupt to new seedlings.

Overseeding using a broadcast spreader.

The Best time to Aerate and Overseed

If you have cool season or transitional grass, the best time to aerate and overseed your lawn is the early fall. During the early fall, the temperature is cooler while the soil is still warm. This combination allows your lawn to recover quickly and see the most benefit from the aeration and overseeding. Cool season grass truly thrives during the fall months and gives your seeds the best chance of survival.

A general guide to grass zones.

If you have warm season grass, early-to-mid spring is the best time to aerate and overseed your lawn. Warm season grasses thrive in the summer so you want to give them time to germinate. This allows a root system to begin to form and for the grass to start living it up when the warmer temperatures arrive.

Don’t know your grass type? Reference this!

If you are noticing your grass starting to have brown tips, check out our guide on how to sharpen your mower blades.

Do-It-Yourself Lawn Aeration

While lawn aeration is typically a job left to the professionals, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, you can take lawn aeration into your own hands (literally). But before you hit the ground running, you should understand the cost of DIY aeration techniques and the effort required.

Our process is typically:

  1. Scalp your lawn – cutting it very short allows for the best preparation for overseeding and will allow more soil to be dug up through the aeration process. Make sure to bag the clippings to not choke your yard.
  2. Use a dethatcher to dig up all the dead grass off of the surface of your yard. Dethatchers and aerators are different, but compliment each other very well.
  3. Rent a gas-powered aerator from Home Depot. It helps to go in with a few neighbors to rent one and split the cost. There are also lawn tractor pull-behind aerators that work really well, too.
  4. Use the aerator to go over every square inch of your yard, pulling up old

One of the most popular DIY dethatcher products is the Sun Joe Dethatcher. This electric aerator and dethatcher is extremely satisfying and works wonders despite looking kind of dinky.

The Kobalt dethatcher attachment.

If you’re looking for a great workout and to be made fun of by your neighbors, you can also aerate your lawn with DenForste Lawn Aerator shoes, also available on Amazon. I’ll preface by saying you’re in store for a serious workout if you use these shoes. I definitely don’t recommend using them for a larger yard and suggest aerating when the temperature drops in the evening. On a positive note, the shoes have a solid aluminum base and spikes that won’t bend. And while the idea of aerator shoes sounds far-fetched, Amazon reviewers seem to dig these shoes.

Want to learn more about the difference between an aerator, dethatcher, and scarifier? Check out my guide that explains the difference between the three and how to use them. 

Do-It-Yourself Overseeding

Do-it-yourself overseeding is a lot easier than aeration. But remember, depending on the soil quality, you may need to dethatch or aerate your lawn first.

Once your lawn is ready-to-go, I recommend getting your hands on a Scotts Turf Builder Broadcast spreader. This handy device makes it mind-blowingly easy to overseed your yard and holds up to 15,000 square feet of product.

You can also use a handheld spreader if you have a smaller yard or only need to overseed a few concentrated areas of grass.

We recommend using Anderson’s seed for your lawn based on personal experience. Scotts has some good cheap stuff, but we’ve found it typically is contaminated with random grasses or weeds (and it says so on the bag)

Frequently Asked Questions about Aerating and Overseeding

Everyone has some natural curiosity about aeration and overseeding. If you’re eager to know more about the ins and outs of this all-important lawn care technique, take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions below.

How Much Does It Cost to Aerate Your Lawn?

You can expect to shell out anywhere from $150 to $230 to aerate your lawn, depending on where you live and the size of your property. If you’d like a more precise cost estimate, multiply every thousand square feet of lawn by $17. For example, if your yard measures 5,000 square feet, you will pay around $85 to aerate your lawn (5 x 17). 

How Much Does It Cost to Overseed Your Lawn?

The cost of overseeding is about double the cost of aeration alone. In other words, a lawn care company that charges $150 to aerate a yard will charge $300 to aerate and overseed it. If you’re lucky, they may also throw in some fertilizer. 

Can You Aerate and Overseed Your Lawn by Yourself?

Yes, you can aerate your lawn by yourself using an at-home aerator or aerator shoes. However, these methods are much more labor intensive and may not be as effective as hiring a professional to do the job.

How Often Should You Aerate Your Lawn?

Most lawn care professionals recommend aerating your yard annually. However, some people can get away with doing it once every two or three years if they have sandy soil and healthy grass.

Lawn Aeration and Overseeding: A Final Glance

Aeration and overseeding help your lawn absorb healthy nutrients and regrow in areas that are thinning or damaged. Aeration costs between $150 to $230, while aeration and overseeding together double the price of aeration alone. The general rule of thumb is to aerate and overseed your lawn once per year. The best time to aerate and overseed your yard is the early fall because the temperature is starting to cool, but the soil is still warm. 

Rest assured, lawn aeration and overseeding may seem slightly inconvenient, especially if you attempt to do it on your own. Nevertheless, the pros of aeration and overseeding far outweigh the cost involved. You’ll have vibrant and evenly-distributed grass that boosts your home’s curb appeal and makes the lawn much easier on the eyes.

Why we started The Lawn Review

We started The Lawn Review out of frustration. We couldn’t find clarity around what type of products were actually good and reliable. All the fertilizers we tried didn’t work. We ended up with a dying lawn, wasted time, and wasted money.

So we started buying and reviewing lawn tools and figuring out which ones were the best. And now we’ve moved onto actually keeping that grass nice and healthy all year around. 

How we spend our time now.

We’ve spent thousands of hours building this content for people just like you and me – normal people.

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5 Inexpensive Troy Bilt Lawn Mowers That Last

The best Troy Bilt Lawn Mower is the Troy Bilt TB100 push mower – I should know, I have owned it for seven years.

What can get more patriotic than an American made lawn mower brand with Red and White colors?

The reason Troy Bilt mowers are so popular is the fact that they are relatively inexpensive and extremely reliable. This is coming from someone who has done minimal maintenance and maximum abuse to my first mower ever, the Troy Bilt TB160.

But Troy Bilt has a lot more to offer than cheap push mowers. They have a bunch of self-propelled mowers, lawn tractors and even some sweet zero-turn mowers.

So – let’s figure out the best in each category and take EVERYTHING into consideration. 

Here’s what we’ll cover:

Yeah…it is a lot. So we should probably get started.

The Best Troy Bilt Mowers for Every Job

Now that we know what we are looking for, let’s dig right in, starting with push mowers and finishing with zero turns.

Best Troy Bilt Push Mower: TB100

Guys I am super biased here but I actually think the low-end Troy Bilt TB100 is the best push mower. Why? Well I’ve owned it for over 5 years and it starts on the first try every time. I’ve pushed this thing through some extremely thick and wet grass and choked it dozens of times. I’ve even forgotten to do oil changes and the thing still runs just fine.

Trusty. Rusty.

The thing is, Honda has stopped making lawn mower engines, so Troy Bilt has switched over to Briggs & Stratton, another really high quality brand. The thing is a dang beast.

Here’s what I love about the Troy Bilt TB100:

  • Incredibly easy to start
  • Minimal maintenance (yearly oil change)
  • Super simple
  • Very inexpensive
  • Right-sized cutting deck at 21 inches

Yes, the TB100 can withstand the most abusive of owners. Honestly, it was the first mower I bought in my first home with my first yard. I assembled it right out of the box without any clue of what I was doing.

Basically, if you aren’t a lawn nerd like me and want a super easy and effortless mower on the cheap, this is one of best gas push mowers that you can buy. Sad that I can’t get the TB160, but this one is a really good alternative.

It’s available from Home Depot for a great price, but the price is always changing. Check it by clicking here.

Best Troy Bilt Walk-Behind Mower: TB230B XP

Yes, there’s a difference between walk-behind mowers and push mowers. They look the same and you sort of push both of them, but walk-behind mowers are easier. Walk behind mowers are self-propelled, meaning they creep forward and assist the push mower operator (you). 

Self-propelled mowers are pretty dang sweet, especially if you have steep banks and hills. It takes a surprising load off and is a great option for gas powered mowers because there is no battery to destroy.

Pretty dang sweet.

Anyways, Troy Bilt has also mastered this one with the TB230B XP. It is very similar to the TB100 in size, but has 15% more cutting power and a ton of other bells and whistles.

Here is what I love about the TB230B XP mower. 

  • Super easy to start “ReadyStart” system
  • Front wheel drive is the superior self-propelled mechanism
  • Bigger wheels than the other models
  • Hose adapter to wash out the deck

This honestly reminds me a lot of the Toro Recycler mower. They look the same and have a ton of the same features. Both are classic brands that have long dominated the residential lawn care space.

You can grab this one online at Home Depot and pick it up or ship it.

Best Troy Bilt Wide Area Mower: TBWC28T

Wide Area Mowers are essentially walk-behind mowers with a really big head. They are super wide, allowing for fewer passes in the yard. They’re perfect for residential professional landscapers who bounce from house to house for smaller yards.

Our HOA contracts with a company that mows a ton of people’s smaller lawns with a wide area mower. They’re super efficient for this very specific purpose. It’s essentially almost the width of a lawn tractor, but for areas that a lawn tractor would have a tough time navigating. 

Troy Bilt made an extremely aggressive looking wide area mower in the TBWC28T. It will absolutely destroy grass for any professional landscaper or with anyone with a medium sized yard that doesn’t want to store a lawn tractor. 

Here are some cool things about the Troy Bilt TBWC28T:

  • A 28 inch cutting deck – about 30% wider than the other mowers
  • This cool vacuum chute that launches grass clippings into a bag
  • Self-propelled
  • Speed adjustment lever

This thing is honestly for pros and the price reflects it. The other two mowers above are both under $500 and this one is nearly $1,400. Yikes.

Looks like a transformer.

But if you are cutting lawns as part of your job, this thing will get paid back in no time. Oh, and the 3 year warranty on these things is a great peace of mind. 

This thing is available online from Troy Bilt.

Best Troy Bilt Lawn Tractor: Pony 42 Riding Lawn Mower

I can hear Peyton Manning calling this one out from the line of Scrimmage. “Pony….42”. But seriously, this mower is pretty sweet. Lawn tractors are great for those of us with a larger yard. Sure, you can cut it with a push mower but it would take all afternoon. Even with a walk behind.

Lawn tractors are a great middle ground before you get to zero-turns, which are just freaks of nature.

Anyways, for most people’s yards and most people’s budgets, lawn tractors are perfect. Enter the Pony 42 Riding Lawn Mower from Troy Bilt. It has a pretty sweet 500cc engine (the push mowers were like 140cc for reference) and a 42 inch steel deck. The Pony 42 has enough power to get the job done without going overboard. It isn’t quite a zero-turn, but still has an 18-inch turning radius – not bad. 

She thinks my tractor’s sexy.

I chose this one over the Bronco for two reasons – the price and the availability. The Bronco 42 is a higher end version of this mower with more power. It is not really necessary for the average homeowner in my opinion, unless you are clearing some serious brush.

Here are a few things that stand out to me about this one:

  • Very affordable
  • Large cutting deck
  • Spacious seating / easy entry
  • Briggs & Stratton engine

The cool thing about these lawn tractors is that they are available with a ton of accessories that can add new features, like massive bagging systems and snow plows.

I compare this one to the legendary and iconic John Deere E100 as they are both barebones lawn tractors from reliable brands.

You can grab the Pony from Home Depot for an awesome price.

Best Troy Bilt Zero-Turn Mower: Mustang Z46 Zero-Turn Rider

It just sounds cool. But Troy Bilt nailed it with this one. Frankly, I don’t see a ton of these out and about and they are relatively hard to find, but they’re really well made. 

Zero turn mowers differ from lawn tractors in that they are faster and more nimble. They’re built for commercial use from professional landscapers. The reason I picked the Mustang Z46 is mostly because it has middle-of-the-pack power but a wide cutting deck. There’s no point in getting one of the Z42 models if the cutting size is the same as a residential lawn tractor. 

That being said, there’s a lot to like about this Mustang series mower:

  • A twin-cylinder Kohler engine. Kohler engines are in some of the most expensive, premium zero-turn mowers on the planet. It reminds me of the the massive Ariens IKON XD 52 zero-turn, a much bigger mower with a similar engine.
  • Anti-scalp wheels that are less abusive to the grass but still have crazy torque and speed
  • Hydrostatic transmission that makes driving and accelerating extremely smooth
  • Quality construction from thick aluminum
  • Built in Ohio, the heartland of America!

A few things I don’t love as compared to other zero turn mowers include no armrests and a manual crank-shaft cutting height. It’s the 21st century and we need luxury.

A serious machine.

But all-in-all, this is a really nice zero-turn mower that comes in at an amazing price at just over $3,000.

Yeah, that sounds like a lot but the value is pretty wild. 

The bigger, badder version of this one is on Home Depot for a higher price.

Summary: Troy Bilt Mowers for everyone

To close us out, you can’t go wrong with a Troy Bilt. They are super well known in the residential lawn care space and are really starting to carve out their presence in the larger zero-turn game. 

The engineering is there and if you have access to grab one of these, then I would put them right up at the top of the list with their competitors like Toro and Husqvarna.

Why we review lawn tools

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site. 

How we spend our time.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. 

What we look for in a lawn mower

There are a ton of different mowers we are checking out today, so I’ll give you the skinny on what I am evaluating in each.

Push / Walk-Behind Mowers

When I’m looking at a push mower I want to know a few things. First, I consider the build quality and the engine type. My TB160 has a Honda engine, which I love. I’m also looking at deck size and construction to see if it is sturdy and the right fit for the size of my lawn.

Then next I look to see if it has a self-propelled function and if it does, if it’s front wheel drive or rear wheel drive (it makes a difference). 

Lastly, I’ll look for other bells and whistles that set it apart from others. Mostly the starting function and a whole bevy of other options that can distinguish it with something fancy (if I want to spend more money). 

Lawn Tractors

With the dawn of zero turn mowers, electric riding mowers, and flying hovercraft mowers with drone weed whackers (only kidding), the classic lawn tractor is often overlooked.

The reality is that lawn tractors are great machines that still have a place in the modern lawn care garage. Lawn tractors are great for people with a half of an acre up to two acres. They are also fine for people with more than 2 acres with few obstacles to navigate.

The zero-turn mower craze is largely hyped up for the average homeowner by the admittedly cool features. The downside of these mowers is the massive price tag and difficulty with storage. 

Zero-turn mowers

A few things to look for in zero-turn mowers are blade size, transmission, accessory capabilities and cost. Blade size is important to keep consistent with the size of your lawn. Obviously longer blades are best for larger lawns, but begin to sacrifice a little bit of the agility afforded by a smaller blade. 

Transmission is also an important consideration for a zero-turn mower. Most zero turn mowers do not have manual transmissions, but have either automatic or hydrostatic transmissions. Automatic works just like an automatic car does with a gas pedal and belts. Hydrostatic transmissions use fluid to transfer their power to the blades and the rest of the engine.

Cost is generally of the utmost importance as well. Zero-turn mowers are expensive. In fact, you can buy an old Honda Civic for less than most zero turn mowers. 

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The Best Lawn Fertilizer Ratio for Summer: 2024

Lawn fertilizer in the summer? Fertilizing your lawn in the summer can be a great idea if done correctly.

Summer is a season of extremes – drought, torrential rainstorms, and intense heat. It’s important to keep your lawn healthy and protected during the summer, no matter what the season brings. Using a fertilizer designed for summer use is one of the best ways to maintain your lawn, ensuring that it stays lush and green.

However, before picking out an ideal fertilizer, you must first understand the NPK ratio and why it matters.

The Best Fertilizer Ratios for Summer 

The best fertilizers ratios for summer are rich in nitrogen and may or may not contain potassium. A healthy dose of nitrogen is important during the summer because it promotes growth. Remember that you shouldn’t fertilize cool-season grasses during summer (unless the grass would die otherwise). On the other hand, warm-season grasses do need fertilizer in the summer. However, they don’t need excessive amounts of potassium or potash.

The best NPK Ratios for summer: 

  • 10-0-4
  • 15-0-8
  • 6-0-0

Below, we reference some that match or come close to matching these ratios pre-packaged. You can buy these ingredients separately and disseminate the perfect ratio, but the ones below make it easier.

The Best Lawn Care Fertilizers for Summer

I know you have a lot of options when it comes to choosing the best lawn fertilizer for summer. With that said, you should consider the fertilizer’s NPK ratio when looking for the optimal product. Now, it doesn’t have to be exactly 10-0-4, 15-0-8, or 6-0-0. Variations of these ratios are fine – you just want to aim for a fertilizer higher in nitrogen and lower in phosphate and potash. 

Ready to spruce up your lawn this summer? You can’t go wrong with any of these summer fertilizers:

Scotts Turf Builder Summer Lawn Food

You’re probably familiar with the Scotts brand if you’ve wandered around the lawncare section of any big box store. But there’s a good reason for that – Scotts fertilizer uses unique Eyedrop Technology that keeps your lawn thick and protects it against extreme summertime elements (i.e., drought and scorching temps).

This stuff will work.

I think Scotts Turf Builder Summer Lawn food is an awesome choice if you want to keep your lawn green while minimizing water use. This product is available in two sizes – 4,000 and 12,00 square feet. You can use it on all grass types; the results last up to six weeks. However, water your grass immediately after using the Turf Builder if the temperature is above 85 degrees.

As long you follow the instructions that come with the fertilizer, this product is foolproof. It’s available on Amazon for a great price, too!

Simple Lawn Solutions Liquid Fertilizer

Another solid summertime product is Simple Lawn Solutions Liquid Fertilizer. This fertilizer is high in nitrogen, with an NPK ratio of 16-4-8. You can get your hands on this fertilizer in two sizes – one gallon and one quart.

For reference, a gallon of liquid fertilizer can cover 12,800 square feet. Like Scotts Turf Builder, Simple Lawn Solutions works on all grass types – Buffalo, Bahia, Kentucky Bluegrass – you name it. 

Photo cred: Amazon

While all the fertilizers on my list are great at nourishing your yard, Simple Lawn Solutions Liquid Fertilizer has a unique blend of seaweed and fish (don’t worry; it doesn’t stink). The fertilizer’s high nitrogen density will keep your grass vibrantly green during the summer and encourage healthy growth. On the other hand, potassium enhances turf hardiness, while a small amount of phosphorus promotes strong roots.

If you think Simple Lawn Solutions Liquid Fertilizer is a good fit for your lawn (and I’m confident it is), check it out on Amazon. Since it comes in a concentrate, you’ll want to water it down and spread it with a backpack sprayer.

Milorganite Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer

Milorganite claims its Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer has been used on golf courses for decades, and I believe it. The fertilizer has a 6-4-0 NPK ratio, meaning it’s rich in nitrogen and ideal for summertime use.

We’ve written extensively about Milorganite and it’s role in supporting and promoting grass growth.

It works!

Milorganite product comes in a 36-pound bag with an organic composition. And like Scotts Turf Builder Summer Lawn Food, Milorganite fertilizer reduces the need for watering, which is great for summer droughts. In addition, the slow-growth formula means less mowing (I certainly won’t complain about that). 

Milorganite Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer is a great choice if you want an easy-to-use product that keeps your yard green all summer. Check it out on Amazon to stock up as summer approaches. 

Scotts Green Max Lawn Food

I couldn’t end the list without choosing another product from Scotts. The brand’s Green Max Lawn Food can be used during the spring, summer, and fall.

If you’re in Florida, you’re in luck – Scotts has a special lawn food designed exclusively for Florida residents. There’s also a standard option that’s suitable for all other states. Depending on the size of your lawn, you can choose between a 5,000 or 10,000-square-foot package. 

Definitely can get your lawn green in a pinch!

Applying Scotts Green Max Lawn Food is pretty straightforward and requires either a Scotts broadcast, rotary, drop, or Wizz Spreader. The best part about this fertilizer is that you’ll see results as soon as three days. Not only does this fertilizer produce quick results, but it also lasts up to three months. It’s available on Amazon for a great price.

The Bottom Line: Summer fertilizers

Not all fertilizers are suitable for summertime use. You should aim for one with a higher nitrogen concentration (preferably one of the NPK ratios noted above). If you’re unsure which fertilizer is right for your lawn, I highly encourage you to check out the four products on my list. These fertilizers are all excellent for summer use and work well on different types of grass.

Why we started this site

We started The Lawn Review out of frustration. We couldn’t find clarity around what type of products were actually good and reliable. All the fertilizers we tried didn’t work. We ended up with a dying lawn, wasted time, and wasted money.

So we started buying and reviewing lawn tools and figuring out which ones were the best. And now we’ve moved onto actually keeping that lawn looking nice all year around. 

How we spend our time now.

We’ve spent thousands of hours building this content for people just like you and me – normal people.

What is the NPK Ratio?

If you’re familiar with the periodic table, you may already be familiar with N, P and K. Pick up any pack of fertilizer, and you will see a three-digit ratio known as the NPK ratio.

The NPK ratio indicates the proportion of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash the fertilizer contains by weight. For example, a fertilizer with a 10 10 10 ratio has equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash. Now, you may wonder, “what’s so important about these three nutrients?” 

Study up!

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium play a vital role in grass development and health. Nitrogen promotes growth and gives grass its color. Phosphorus helps strengthen roots, making for a lush and thick yard. Potassium, on the other hand, keeps your yard alive and thriving thanks to its disease-fighting abilities. 

While these three nutrients are important for your yard, that doesn’t necessarily mean a fertilizer product needs to contain them in equal amounts. During the blistering summer months, you’ll want a fertilizer that’s dense in nitrogen. 

If you need to improve the pH of your lawn, which promotes deeper root growth, try adding in lime to your lawn as an amendment.

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