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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4 Best Stihl String Trimmers (w/ Prices): 2024 Update

Stihl fs56rc motor head

The best Stihl String Trimmer is the Stihl FS 56 RC or RC-E because it is affordable, great for commercial or residential landscaping, and extremely reliable.

Stihl string trimmers are the standard when it comes to landscaping. Just about every landscaper you see around town is going to have one of these bad boys strapped to the back of their trailer. 

Now that’s why they are so dang popular. But there are many classes of Stihl weed eaters – residential, landscaping / professional, and even battery-powered. I’d like to cut through all of the options and bring the best right up to the top for you. 

Ready?

Let’s get started.

Curious at how Stihl stacks up vs ECHO?

The Ultimate Stihl Weed Eater Buying Guide

To really cut to the chase, we distilled down the dozens of Stihl weed eaters to a concise list, by category of user. No need to do a Top 10 when you just want the best, right?

Most Powerful Stihl String Trimmer for Landscapers: Stihl FS 240 R

When you’re looking for a weed eater as a landscaper there are a few things to keep in mind. First is how effective and reliable the machine is, second is how efficient it is, and third is how it feels to use. 

All of these are related to speed. Speed is the name of the game in landscaping. More jobs = more money. You aren’t going to be nearly as fast with a dinky weed eater that you’re constantly having to mess with. 

Meant to be on a landscaping trailer.

The Stihl FS 240 R is the answer to the speed issue. Here are a few of my favorite things about this Stihl Weed Eater:

  • A large fuel tank. Having a larger fuel tank allows for less re-fuels which means you can spend more time getting the job done.
  • Massive cutting width. The 16.5 inch cutting swatch on the FS 240 R is best in class. Having a big cutting swath means you can tackle thicker brush and absolutely devastate any grass. Another huge time saver.
  • An easy way of starting the string trimmer. This automatically returns the throttle to the start setting whenever the trimmer is stopped. Another time saver.
  • A shoulder strap. Again, not having to take breaks on your arms or shoulders when using this is going to get you from one job to the next in less time.

Stihl consulted with professional landscapers with each element of this design. Every element of it was meant to be focused on one thing: empowering the landscaper to move from one job to the next while providing consistent reliability.

You can check out more details on Stihl’s website.

The Stihl FS 240 R costs about $670, which is very expensive but also saves you a ton of time on the job. Tough balance. It goes on sale at Ace Hardware.

Best Stihl Weed Eater for Green Landscaping: Stihl FSA 130 R

Green landscaping is using battery-powered lawn tools to get the job done instead of exclusively gas-powered tools. It is a growing trend, but still not the most practical way to run your landscaping business.

Frankly, gas-powered tools get the job done faster because refueling is way quicker with gas than it is with a battery. Most batteries take a few hours to fully charge, which is precious time you don’t have on the job site. Even if you buy multiple batteries, they still have to charge somewhere sometime. 

But Stihl has recently entered the battery-powered string trimmer space and has a mostly residential line of weed eaters (see below for more). The new FSA 130 R however, was designed for landscaping applications. 

The Stihl FSA 130 R differentiates itself from its gas counterparts by selling itself as the quiet weed eater. The reason this sells well with landscapers is that it simply isn’t practical to be an entirely gas-free landscaping company (yet). They aren’t going to be interested if that’s the angle Stihl takes.

So Stihl is playing this really well. Landscapers can use this for properties that require quiet environments. Think schools, churches, hospitals, etc. that are customers of the landscaping company. Having quiet features is a huge benefit to them. 

Simple speed control lever.

Here are some of the features on this that really make it best in class:

  • Extremely light at only 8.6lbs, compare that with almost 15 on the gas one above
  • No maintenance other than replacing string 
  • Starts with the push of a button
  • Has a quiet motor
  • Comes with separate “quiet” string trimmer line

Essentially, this is the ninja of commercial landscaping. 

See how it plugs in?

One major downside to Stihl’s commercial battery line is that you have to wear the battery as a backpack. You’re reading that right. There’s a backpack that fits their battery and connects to the tool with a cable. It’s weird and bulky, but it does give you the flexibility to have significant run time that an attached battery can’t do without throwing the tool out of balance.

Kind of weird.

If you’re interested in more, check this one out on Stihl’s website.

The Stihl FSA 130 R costs about $500, which is a heck of a lot of money.

Best Stihl Weed Eater for Home / Residential Use: Stihl FS 56 RC-E

Not a commercial landscaper and just want a really high quality and reliable weed eater? Well Stihl has you covered here, too. 

We’ve written extensively about the Stihl FS 56 RC-E, which we also did a YouTube video review about as well.

The Stihl FS 56 RC-E is an amazing all-around weed eater for home use. Made right here in America, it provides the power and reliability of the commercial series at a size and price that fit the average homeowner’s needs well. 

Me using the Stihl FS 56 RC-E around my house.

I’ve owned this string trimmer for a few years and it has continued to be one of the most reliable tools in my shed. Here are a few things I love about it:

  • High end power with 5 more ccs of output than its ECHO SRM 225 competitor
  • Straight shaft and lack of vibration
  • 10.6lbs, super light for a gas powered weed eater
  • Easy 2 Start technology helps reset the choke and allows you to start on the first pull
Easy2Start – they mean it!

One complaint I have after owning this for a few years is that replacing the line is super difficult. It’s always a tedious task and it still takes a lot of guess-and-check for me to get it done right. 

I got mine at Ace Hardware, but the Stihl website should be able to guide you well.

The Stihl FS 56 RC-E comes in at about $229, which you can grab at Ace Hardware.

Best Stihl Weed Eater for Small Yards: Stihl FSA 57

So you want a Stihl weed eater but don’t need anything big and fancy, just a reliable and easy to use trimmer with the brand power of Stihl?

Maybe you just downsized and sold your big bad gas trimmer?

Whatever your situation, if you have a small yard then you don’t need to go overkill and spend too much money. Stihl is trying to build a bigger footprint in the homeowner sector and has launched their battery line to appeal to lighter-duty needs. 

The Stihl FSA 57 (one of their newest) battery weed eater (which we reviewed as well in a long form post) is a great tool for the average homeowner in a smaller house. I love that it still has a straight shaft and it’s super easy to use.

As compared to the commercial line of battery lawn tools that require a backpack that you plug the tool into, the residential weed eaters from Stihl have a nice little battery you can pop right on. I also love that WITH the battery, this string trimmer comes in at 7.5 lbs. That is maybe the lightest weed eater on record. 

Look who they are marketing to…

Lastly, this thing has a really cool feature that auto-feeds string trimmer line when it gets short. Huge timesaver. 

The auto-feed feature is great.

One thing I don’t love about this Stihl weed eater is that it doesn’t have a brushless motor, meaning it may have a tendency to not last quite as long as its brushless counterparts. It also only has an 11 inch cutting width, which is probably fine for most small yards but definitely weaker than the bigger string trimmers out there. 

The Stihl FSA 57 Weed Eater comes in at about $199. 

Fuel Mixture for Stihl Weed Eater

Stihl Weed Eaters take a 50:1 gas to oil fuel mixture ratio. You can measure this out yourself or grab a pre-mixed fuel mixture from Stihl on Amazon.

Best Weed Eater String for Stihl String Trimmers

We developed the world’s best weed eater string by testing dozens of weed eater strings and taking the little elements of each one that we like the most. We found that a .095″, green, triangle shaped string was the most visible, durable, and had the best performance. It is incredible.

Final words about Stihl Weed Eaters

Stihl Weed Eaters are top of the line for a reason – they consistently deliver the most power, the best user experience, and absolutely unbeatable reliability.

From landscapers to homeowners, Stihl’s lineup is impressive. 

Not a Stihl person? Try our list of the competitor’s leading ECHO weed eaters here.

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. 

Stihl’s reputation

Stihl is still at it! Pumping out high quality product after high quality product. They’re thought of as one of the GOATS of the yard product game. The boys in orange are known to have a superior product to their competitors. The Stihl Trimmers are obviously no exception to their already super strong lineup.

The world’s largest chainsaw manufacturer, the company moved some operations to Virginia in the 1970s and opened up their first factory dedicated to a single chainsaw. They have continued to master their craft and expand their product offers in the lawn care space. They have amazing blowers like the Stihl BG 86 C and the Stihl BR600 backpack blower.

Stihl has a great reputation that many commercial landscapers rely on each day. Many residential owners will be more than pleased with their products and they’ve recently launched a new battery line-up.

Gas vs Electric Weed Eaters

When purchasing a piece of lawn equipment in 2023 it’s important to understand your power source options. It basically boils down to gas or electric. Electric trimmers are typically easier to start and require little to no maintenance.

They also have less of a noise and environmental impact. Electric trimmers are usually a good bet for small jobs.

Trimmer powered by gas usually end up having more power and are more suitable for larger, more commercial type applications. Because some electric trimmers receive power by a cord they’re not super mobile, gas powered weed eaters can go where you can go. If you want to trim up the moon, it can go with you.

If you want to know more about weed eater string, check out our guide to finding the right weed eater string.

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ImoLaza Smart Sprinkler Controller: Our Review

The ImoLaza Smart Sprinkler Controller solves a huge problem: water waste. With a smart controller you can rest assured that watering your yard is efficient and effective.

Have you ever driven through your neighborhood in the pouring rain and seen your neighbor’s irrigation system watering their yard?

Personally, our HOA has a system like that and it drives me crazy because I am the one paying for that water! 

It’s a huge issue for water conservation efforts but it also can hurt your lawn pretty badly. Overwatering your lawn can result in nutrients getting washed away and fungal growth throughout your yard. Not good!

Today, we are going to walk through the ImoLaza Smart Sprinkler’s features and benefits.  These things are one of the huge trends in lawn care towards technology.

Let’s get started!

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. 

If you’re still rocking the manual sprinkler, check out our post about the best sprinkler run times.

The ImoLaza Smart Sprinkler Controller: Features and benefits

Smart sprinkler controllers are the lawn watering product of the future, conveniently available now for the early adopters. Let’s walk through our experience with the ImoLaza controller system.

Unboxing

The ImoLaza smart sprinkler felt like unboxing a new Apple product. It was well packaged and  well-presented upon opening, no parts scattered throughout. 

Nice looking box!

Installation

Installing the ImoLaza Smart Sprinkler controller took us about 20 minutes. One thing that was immediately shocking to us during installation was using the app to walk through the instructions. You simply download the app, create a login, and then follow the directions.

Well packaged and presented.

It was really nice setting this up over my existing irrigation system. The guide was super easy to follow, with the ability to screw in each wire to the appropriate valve location without relying on old fashioned spring clips that tend to come undone. 

Once the wires were all configured, mounting on the wall was also super easy. I chose to mount this inside my garage to avoid any exposure to the elements. If you do want to hang it up outside, you’ll need to purchase an additional cover that helps protect the electrical unit. 

Mounting was really straightforward as it came with a mounting guide. I simply hooked it right onto a stud in my garage (not me, the wooden stud).

Programming the smart sprinkler

Programming the sprinkler was also straightforward. When you have 8 zones, it is easy to confuse them and get lost trying to figure out which one is which. Luckily, the app asks you to take pictures of each zone so that you can associate its location with the control in the app. This  makes it easy for stupid people like me to never lose track of my zone. 

Easy to follow wire instructions

The customization that you can apply to your zones was a huge differentiator. You can input the type of grass, the type of sprinkler, the grade of the lawn, how much sunlight it gets, etc. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

Crazy enough, it can take into account things like temperature, wind, and moisture to assess whether or not it is a good time to water your lawn. Obviously you don’t want to water your lawn if it is freezing outside, the wind is going wild and spewing water everywhere, or if it is actively raining or just finished raining. 

With the ImoLaza smart sprinkler, you don’t have to worry about rushing over to the device to make sure it doesn’t turn on. It does that for you.

And even if it didn’t do that for you, you can still control it from the App.

Using the app

The ImoLaza app is pretty slick. It tells you a few things that are really important and definitely luxury item:

  • Whether or not your system is online and connected
  • The current temperature and weather
  • Several days forecasted weather
  • The next scheduled sprinkler run
  • The last completed sprinkler run
  • How much water you are using by day ANDmonth
  • Then has a full schedule you can look at and modify
  • Your zones, with pictures

It is really impressive to have this much control over your yard. If you are starting your lawn from scratch or just aerated and overseeded, this thing is going to be a lifesaver. 

It gives you surgical precision into exactly how much water you want in your yard and even reports out on how much you are using. No more leaks that run up your water bill. 

Screencap from the app from ImoLaza’s website

One of the other huge benefits to this sprinkler controller is the ability to make changes while you are 500 miles away. As long as you have an internet connection, you can modify the sprinkler schedule. For example, your yard treatment crew comes while you are on vacation and applies lime to your yard. You need to follow up with a few days of intense watering. Simply pull out your phone, open the app, increase the frequency, and continue enjoying your vacation. No concerns about coming back to a suboptimal yard. 

Lastly, ImoLaza has a thing called Smart Cycle soaking, which allows you to cycle watering between zones. This has been shown to not overwater any areas that may overlap. It gives each zone time to soak in the water before starting the next cycle.

Final thoughts

Smart sprinklers give you an astonishing level of control over the water levels in your yard, including the ability to make meaningful steps forward in terms of water conservation. This will save you a good bit of money over the long run by reducing water output, ensuring your grass has optimal health, and making sure the other investments you make in your yard are worthwhile.

You can grab the ImoLaza smart sprinkler controller on Amazon in either a 4 or 8 zone configuration.

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Lawn Care Trends and Costs: 2023 Annual Report

Lawn care trends and costs have changed DRAMATICALLY over the past few years.

With a market size of $128.8 billion, the lawn care industry isn’t just booming – it’s exploding. After all, millions of homeowners across the United States require frequent mowing, weed control, and fertilization services. 

These things are becoming extinct!

While expanding industries often experience growing pains, that’s not the case with lawn care services. Lawn care companies are becoming more efficient with a wider selection of innovative tools that makes their work easier and more cost-effective. At the same time, consumer sentiment is shifting toward natural lawn care products and electric lawnmowers and trimmers, among other types of equipment.

The growth of the lawn care industry is mind-blowing, but don’t just take our word for it. The numbers don’t lie. Let’s look at some statistics from 2023.

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.

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.

The Top Lawn care Statistics for 2023

  • The landscaping services market size in the United States recently reached $128.8 billion
  • There are over 1.2 million Americans that work in the landscaping industry
  • Employment in the lawn care industry is expected to grow by 10% between 2019 and 2029 
  • The global demand for power lawn and garden equipment is roughly $24.2 billion 
  • There are over 604,000 landscaping businesses in the United States
  • The average American consumer spends around $500 on gardening and lawn care services annually 
  • Landscape workers in the United States make an average of $35,000 annually
  • California is the state with the highest number of landscaping workers

The Best Lawn Care Products In 2023

Are you looking for a new lawn care product for your home or business? Check out our recommendations for some of the best lawn care products in 2023.

Battery powered push mowers in 2023

Starter homes and townhouses with small lawns are rising, and homeowners are choosing battery-powered push mowers. These mowers are great for small yards because they can do the job without recharging. The average cost of a battery-powered push mower is about $300, but they can range from $75 – $550. 

The prices are really dependent on build quality, but you can expect to pay more for premium features like metal decking, self-propelled functions, and dashboard displays.

Ryobi’s 40V mower!

We had the pleasure of testing out a ton of mowers last year and had a few stand out as really easy to use. These are some of the best battery-powered push motors in 2023.

Lawn tractor costs in 2023

A lawn tractor might be calling your name if you have a big yard or own a lawn care company. On average, a lawn tractor will set you back $2,000 to $3,000. However, some of the newer electric models go for $4,000. 

Lawn tractors, also known as riding mowers, are great residential lawn tools for folks with larger yards. In lawn tractors, I’m generally looking for a mix of power and durability, but also really emphasize comfort as you spend a super long time sitting on these.

Cub Cadet makes a MEAN lawn tractor.

We have reviewed a handful of 2023 lawn tractors, including:

There are also some really nice electric lawn tractors that we’ve ranked.

Leaf Blowers

One of our favorite cordless Kobalt blowers

Autumn brings beautiful fall colors, but it also brings heaping piles of leaves. Thankfully, leaf blowers have your back.

And sometimes, your back has leaf blowers.

There are various types of leaf blowers on the market, including backpacks, handheld gasoline, and electric blowers. When it comes to leaf blowers, you have two options: gas and electric. An electric leaf blower ranges from $70 to $350, depending on the brand. On the other hand, gas-powered leaf blowers cost around $250 on average.

Here are the top leaf blowers in 2023:

Electric Trimmers / Weed Eaters / Weed Wackers

Whatever you call them – they are one of the more common electric tools on the market.

Do you want to ditch gasoline altogether? If so, you can’t go wrong with an electric trimmer. You can expect to pay around $170 for an electric trimmer in 2023. Some of the more expensive brands can cost upwards of $650, but tend to be more suited to commercial applications, like professional landscaping.

Some downside to electric trimmers is that they are only as good for as long as the batteries can run. With limited time, make sure to buy a lawn tool with battery that can last for as long as the job you need.

EGO has some great string trimmers, like this attachment for their Multi Head tool.

The top electric trimmers in 2023 include:

Gas Trimmer

The Husqvarna 128LD is one you will see strapped to landscaping trailers.

If you’re not ready to ditch gasoline yet, there’s still a great selection of gas trimmers on the market. A gas trimmer in 2023 will set you back around $180 but depending on the quality; you could spend up to $430.

Gas trimmers are generally the tool of choice for landscapers or homeowners with larger yards. Landscapers love them because they are super powerful and reliable but also can run all day as long as you keep fueling them.

For homeowners, I tend to recommend gas trimmers way less than I do battery trimmers. This is mostly because gas trimmers are louder, require more maintenance, and can take much longer to start.

These are the best gas trimmers in 2023:

Electric Pressure Washers

A good pressure washer can make things look brand-spanking new. There are two types of pressure washers: gas and electric. Electric pressure washers are a smart choice for environmentally-conscious consumers with small-to-medium-sized jobs.

An electric pressure washer is one of those tools that is extremely satisfying to use, especially when it comes to cleaning off a car, deck or driveway.

You can expect to pay around $190 for an electric pressure washer. I think this is totally worth the satisfying use alone. For smaller electric pressure washers, you can easily pay under $100 and have a quality tool.

Sun Joe has some great ones!

Check out the best electric pressure washers in 2023:

Gas Pressure Washers

Although electric pressure washers are becoming more popular, gas pressure washers aren’t going away anytime soon. Gas pressure washers are more reliable and cost around $400.

I don’t enjoy using gas pressure washers because they are EXTREMELY loud. No pressure washing job takes under an hour, so be prepared to wear ear protection when using these.

These are the best gas pressure washers in 2023:

2023 Lawn care Trends That You Can’t Overlook

From robotic lawnmowers to landscape design software, one can’t deny that 2023 has brought immense change. Whether you’re a homeowner or a lawn care company owner, it’s important to stay in the loop, so you don’t miss out on some of the hottest trends of 2023.

These are the top lawn care trends you can’t overlook in 2023:

Battery-Powered Equipment Takes the Stage

We here at The Lawn Review have always been big proponents of electric lawn tools – especially for the average homeowner. Consumers have shifted from gas-powered vehicles to electric cars in the last decade. It’s no surprise that lawn care businesses are following suit to meet consumer demand.

Instead of using gas-powered equipment, companies now use electric mowers, blowers, trimmers, and other rechargeable equipment. Homeowners that don’t hire lawn companies also prefer all-electric equipment because it’s environmentally friendly. Also, everyone hates going to the gas station to refuel, especially when gas prices rise. 

We’re no strangers to electric lawn care equipment. We have reviewed some of the hottest battery-powered equipment of 2023:

In addition to our stand-alone product reviews, we also put together an all-encompassing guide to the best electric mowers.

While we can’t predict the future, we believe many manufacturers will ditch gas-powered products for electric equipment as consumer sentiment evolves.

The Advancement of Artificial Intelligence

When you hear “artificial intelligence,” you generally don’t think of lawn care. Nevertheless, a few lawn care companies with an artificial intelligence focus have already commenced operations. One of these companies is Deep Lawn, a startup based out of Texas.

Deep Lawn is designed for lawn care and pest control companies wanting to streamline operations. Deep Lawn is an all-encompassing tool that provides automated lawn measurement and an easy-to-use customer portal checkout system. Some of the various data elements that Deep Lawn compiles includes lawn square footage, driveway square footage, and house perimeter.

Me looking at my new electric mower. (Photo cred I, Robot, not really me)

Deep Lawn isn’t the only company with a piece of the artificial intelligence pie. Lawntap is also in on the game. This company provides a sensor that lawn care providers can put in their customers’ yards. Once the grass reaches a certain height, the lawn care company receives a notification.

The device also connects to sprinklers and a voice system. Moreover, the AI-powered device can estimate when a yard will need the next service and create a custom quote. HOAs can leverage Lawntap to maintain communities and reduce lawn care costs. 

I still think we are at the very beginning of companies and technology like this taking over our lawns. We will keep a close on eye on trends that are impacting the space and keep you updated!

Robotic Lawnmowers are Becoming More Popular

Artificial intelligence has also caused a surge of robotic lawnmowers to hit the marketplace. With one of these ingenious devices, you’ll never have to whip out your push mower on a scorching-hot summer day. And although robotic lawnmowers sound great in theory, it’s always good to be skeptical before you hit the ground running and shell out one-thousand dollars on one of them. 

This thing is a mower!

You probably have a few questions running through your head. How does the robot know where my property lines are? Is the robot powered by gas or electricity?

Almost all robotic lawnmowers are battery-powered (similar to a Roomba vacuum). The device functions like clockwork. It cuts your grass, and when it runs out of battery, it goes to a charging station, recharges, and then returns to cutting. The mowers typically have a control panel that allows you to program the mowing frequency. Defining your yard’s boundaries is another story. You can’t program your property boundaries within the control panel.

Most robotic lawnmowers require you to put an invisible wire boundary around your yard’s perimeter. The wire keeps the lawnmower from leaving your property and entering your neighbor’s yard.

 If you want to get your hands on one of these futuristic devices, check out our review of the WORX WR165 Landroid S 1/8 Acre.

Consumers Want Natural Products

Consumers are shifting away from toxic lawn care products to be more environmentally conscious. These products are not only harmful to pets, but they can also negatively impact the local environment.

Therefore, companies traditionally using run-of-the-mill fertilizers and pesticides should consider using natural and environmentally-friendly products as we head into 2023. And while natural lawn products might be costlier to procure, most U.S. consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products. This sustainable mindset doesn’t just apply to grass treatment products; it also applies to lawn care equipment (i.e., electric mowers instead of gas-powered ones). 

What could happen if a lawn care company doesn’t offer natural products? First and foremost, local competitors could nab a larger percentage of the local market share. Additionally, jurisdictions could impose stricter rules on lawn chemicals, leaving businesses with no choice but to adhere.

Companies like Sunday have cornered the market on sustainable, easy-to-use lawn care products.

Landscape Design Software Is Evolving

Designers have been using software to design homes, commercial buildings, and machinery for the last few decades. There’s also a wide range of innovative software designed specifically for landscapes. While the average lawn care company may not benefit from these programs, they’re valuable for contractors and exterior designers.

One of the most popular design tools on the market is Pro Landscape. This tool quite literally has it all (and then some). Designers take a photo of their client’s home and then upload it to Pro Landscape. After importing the image, they can use 18,000 built-in pictures of plants, grass, mulch, and hardscapes to create virtual landscapes. A computer-aided design (CAD) feature lets users draw scaled landscape plans using a library of pavers, mulch, grass, and more. After creating the perfect design, you can also put together a professional proposal. 

There are other things like smart sprinklers that are cool as well.

Pro Landscape has unique tools, including drag-and-drop lighting design and 3D rendering. Various other companies offer similar software, and there’s no doubt that the features will continue to advance, giving designers and lawn care entrepreneurs a powerful suite of tools.

The Most Commonly Asked Questions of 2023

Do you want to learn more about the general topic of lawn care in 2023? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions of 2023:

How much does lawn care service cost?

Most homeowners can expect to pay between $30 – $75 per week for lawn service.

Lawn maintenance, which includes weed removal and watering, can cost $100 – $400 per visit. Before picking a lawn care service provider, we recommend getting a few quotes to ensure you get the best deal.

The United States has seen high inflation over the last few years; therefore, the cost of lawn care services is slowly increasing. However, the exact price depends on a few factors, including the size of your lawn, the scope of the services, and your location.

What does lawn care service include?

Basic lawn care service includes mowing and trimming. However, there are various other services for lawn care at an additional cost. These services include:

  • Debris removal
  • Weed removal
  • Watering
  • Hedge trimming
  • Fertilization
  • Irrigation system maintenance

Do lawn care services require a contract?

Not all lawn care services require a contract – it depends on the provider. If you want long-term, monthly services from a lawn care company, you will generally need to enter an agreement.

How often should a lawn be maintained?

Most lawn care companies recommend mowing your lawn once per week. The frequency of other services varies:

  • Weed removal: Every one to two weeks to stay on top of it.
  • Fertilization: Depends on where you live, but a few times per year.
  • Irrigation system maintenance: Once per year
  • Hedge trimming: Twice per year, particularly when growth is rapid.

Note: The frequency of these services depends on where you live. For example, if you live in a dry environment that doesn’t get much rain, you may only need to mow your lawn twice per month. 

How long is a healthy lawn?

Most experts say you should keep your lawn between 2 ½ and 3 inches. Having a longer, luscious lawn keeps weeds from proliferating.

If you cut your grass too short, it can be damaged by excessive sunlight and lose precious real estate to weeds and other seedlings (holler if you’ve ever tried to get rid of a crape myrtle). If your grass is too long, on the other hand, it won’t stand up properly and can begin to experience some rotting or fungus down near the roots.

Do I need to use fertilizer?

While fertilizer promotes healthy grass growth, it isn’t always necessary. But if you want to pamper your grass with extra nutrients, Milorganite fertilizer is one of the best products on the market (seriously, you can’t go wrong with it).  

How much does leaf removal cost?

Leaf removal can cost as little as $40 for small yards. However, most homeowners pay between $90 to $470, depending on the size of their property. If you want to tackle leaf removal on your own, check out some of the best budget-friendly cordless leaf blowers.

How much does tree trimming cost?

Trimming a tree generally costs between $300 to $750 per tree. The exact price depends on the size of the tree. For example, an oak tree will cost significantly more than a Japanese maple. In fact, tree trimming can cost as little as $90 to trim a small tree.

How much do yard cleanups cost?

The average cost of a yard cleanup ranges from $160 to $380, depending on the size of your yard and the services performed. Most cleanup services include tree and bush trimming, weed removal, and debris removal, among other services. You can save money by having one landscaping company complete the entire job

A Final Glance: The Changing Landscape of Lawn Care

Twenty years ago, who would have guessed we would have mini robots mowing our lawns? Who would have imagined we could use artificial intelligence to monitor the length of our grass? It’s safe to say most of us didn’t expect this level of innovation! Nevertheless, lawn care is a continuous need; therefore, we can expect constant innovation. There’s a lot in store for consumers and lawn care services in the future. New technology will continue to make lawn care cost-efficient, and consumers will have access to more natural, toxin-free products. It’s safe to say that we’re only at the beginning of an ever-changing industry. 

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5 Ryobi Pressure Washers With Serious Power

The best Ryobi Pressure washer is the electric 3000 PSI Ryobi pressure washer because it is reliable, requires no maintenance, and still has most of the power you would find from a gas powered Ryobi pressure washer.

The electric Ryobi 2000 PSI pressure washer.

Ryobi pressure washers are high quality and have a bunch of models tailored for different types of jobs. You’ve got your light duty, around-the-house pressure washer all the way to your gas-powered, super-powerful pressure washer. 

Today, let’s walk through exactly what to look for in a pressure washer, which one is right for you, and the best Ryobi pressure washer for each type of job,

SPOILER ALERT: 

The Best Ryobi Pressure Washers for Every Occasion: Breakdown

Well folks, we now understand what to look for in a pressure washer and the basic answer is: it depends. So let’s break down some scenarios where you might want a certain Ryobi Pressure washer and give you the best one for that scenario. Ready? Break.

Most Powerful Ryobi Pressure Washer

Sometimes, you just need some raw freaking power. I’m talking absolutely shredding off some paint on your deck, getting rid of graffiti, or stripping grime from a driveway. 

You need a pressure washer with higher PSI (pounds per square inch). Basically PSI is a measure of water force coming out of the pressure washer. High PSI = more power. You can modify this further by changing the angle at which the water comes out, with 0 degrees being the most powerful. 

Made for job sites.

Ryobi has a great solution here. The Ryobi 3600 PSI gas pressure washer with a Honda engine is an absolute unit. As made abundantly clear in the title, it has 3600 PSI, which means it is the highest PSI pressure washer offered by Ryobi. 

Basically any professional job you would do with a pressure washer can be tackled with this thing. It really is great for the true pros who use these day in and day out. Here’s what I love about this pressure washer:

  • Extremely powerful engine
  • 35 foot hose, meaning you can cover a large area without having to move the entire base
  • Ability to fold down for easy placement in your truck
  • Flat-free tires. Take comfort on the job site by knowing you’ve got tires that aren’t going to pop and force you to lug this thing around.

Honestly, this thing is made for professionals. It has all the bells and whistles that make it bulletproof and can be used in industrial settings. 

Great example: used outside of a warehouse.

You can grab this thing at any old Home Depot (link will check the price). It will set you back about $750 – an investment that will  make you a return after the first job.

Best Gas Pressure Washer: Ryobi 3200 PSI Pressure Washer

I know what you’re thinking – didn’t we just cover the most powerful Ryobi pressure washer and it was gas?

Yes, but the 3200 PSI pressure washer is also really good. It’s almost as powerful, but is $400 cheaper. So you’re getting a less industrial, slightly less powerful pressure washer for a WAY better price.

What really sets this Ryobi pressure washer from the rest of the gas-powered gang is the combination of power and residential usability. Or put more simply, the fact that it was designed for the normal dude. 

Convenient soap tank.

A few things I like about it:

  • It comes with a three-year warranty.
  • Soap tank gives you flexibility with lighter-duty jobs
  • It has accessory storage built into the tool, so no losing pieces
  • A nice Kohler engine, which is reliable AF
On board accessory storage

As far as gas pressure washers go, this thing is top notch. For the normal homeowner, this Ryobi 3200 PSI pressure washer will be your best friend. Reliable, powerful, and has all the “extras” that make it really attractive to operate.

This one can be found on Amazon for a great price, but also at Home Depot where they have an exclusive contract..

Best Ryobi Electric Pressure Washer: Ryobi 3000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer

Most folks think that once you go over to the world of electric tools, you end up with dinky, weak tools. And that’s partly true. There are some WEAK electric tools out there.

But the Ryobi 3000 PSI pressure washer is NOT one of them. We JUST broke down a really nice, 3200 PSI gas pressure washer. This is right up there with that one in terms of power, just a slight downgrade. But here’s what you get in return:

  • A much quieter running machine
  • Push-button start
  • No maintenance

Seems like a decent trade for a 200 PSI difference. This thing is a freak and there’s a lot to like about it.

No keys, push to start.

When it comes to electric motors, the most important thing you can have is a brushless motor. And this Ryobi pressure washer has got it. It also comes with an additional “turbo nozzle” which apparently speeds up the cleaning job. 

Still has never-flat tires.

This 3000 PSI Ryobi pressure washer has all the same attributes as the industrial-grade pressure washer we reviewed at the beginning. A 35 foot hose, flat-free wheels, and more. It is quite literally the best electric pressure washer we have reviewed – PERIOD. 

Would not guess its electric looking at it.

It also comes with a 3 year warranty, which is great for dispelling concerns around the reliability of electric pressure washers. It also has a Brushless Ryobi motor which is amazing.

Oh yeah, this one also is our top OVERALL electric pressure washer, too.

This one looks like it’s exclusively available at Home Depot for right at $400.

Best Light Duty Ryobi Pressure Washer: Ryobi 1800 PSI Electric Pressure Washer

Not everyone needs to pressure wash their entire driveway or remove graffiti or remove deep grease stains from the back of an 18 wheeler. 

Some people just want to wash off their deck, their outdoor patio furniture, or their car. So no reason to shell out $300 on a top-of-the-line pressure washer from Ryobi. 

If you’re one of these people, then you need a light-duty pressure washer. The Ryobi 1800 PSI pressure washer is right up your alley. 

These are great pressure washers because they are extremely simple, super portable, and really easy to store. The 1800 PSI pressure washer is a great one because it is about the size of a lunchbox. It comes with a handle. Compare that to the 74 lbs of the most powerful pressure washer listed above.

Its a lunchbox.

It comes with a soap nozzle, meaning you can strap soap right onto the front and get your car foamy and soapy before a deep wash. It is really the perfect pressure washer for stuff around the house. 

Its so tiny.

It doesn’t come with a brushless motor or any of the other bells and whistles, but it is about ¼ the price of the others. 

This is the pressure washer I would recommend to my mom and dad, who live in a townhome. It’s the perfect tool for washing their front door and front porch, their windows, their cars, and their metal fencing. 

This one is on sale for a jaw-dropping price on Amazon.

Best all-around Ryobi pressure washer

I think I did a good job making it obvious that I have a love affair with the 3000 PSI electric pressure washer from Ryobi. It not only has the power and durability of the industrial-grade pressure washers, but it comes with insane reliability. The brushless motor and three year warranty were what took this from a “wow” to a “holy crap”.

Completely unrivaled.

If you are in the market for a pressure washer and are willing to shell out a little dough, I would definitely go with this one. You can grab it at Home Depot online or maybe in store.

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. 

Basically 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 Ryobi

I’m sure you already know a ton about Ryobi or at least own a few of their tools. They are HUGE in Home Depot. We love Ryobi products and have written extensively about dozens of their tools. Here are a few of our favorite Ryobi products:

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.

  • Nozzles Matter
    • 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 tank
    • 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 on pressure washers
    • 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.
  • 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.
    • If you want to upgrade, check out our pressure washer hose comparison
  • Portability
    • 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.

Check out how Ryobi and Greenworks’ top pressure washers compare!

Pressure washers: Gas vs. Electric

Gas pressure washers have been around forever and probably aren’t going anywhere – but electric pressure washers are on the up and up like all the other lawn tools.

Electricity and water! What can go wrong?

The maintenance and cost of gas pressure washers are greater, including things like air filter changes, spark plugs, and more. Gas pressures are also insanely loud. However, electric washers simply have a power source and a button and are far quieter.

There’s a big trade-in for power and convenience with pressure washers, with gas being much more powerful and electric being much more convenient. 

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EGO 650 vs 765 CFM Leaf Blower Difference Explained

The EGO 650 CFM and 765 CFM are two of the most popular battery powered leaf blowers. The two blowers are virtually identical, with the 765 CFM having noticeably more power and a higher price tag.

Not convinced? Go read some of the comments on our YouTube review of the EGO 765 blower.

They are some of the sleekest and most powerful lawn tools on the planet. And there’s a good reason why.

We’ve written extensively and made a TON of video content about these blowers purely out of requests. We are even giving one away this month to one of our lucky newsletter subscribers. 

These bad boys can be found on Amazon or at Lowe’s, where EGO has some exclusivity, but not at Home Depot.

Let’s check out why these two blowers are quickly becoming famous, then compare them to see which one makes the most sense for you.

Jump ahead:

The EGO 765 CFM blower: Overview

The EGO LB7654 blower is an absolute unit. One of the most powerful handheld electric blowers (I think it actually may be THE most  powerful) on the planet, it was designed for absolute lawn enthusiasts.

This was the zip tie test.

Here are a few things we love about this blower:

  • It’s really versatile. It has a nice variable speed control trigger on the side with a cruise control function. This is awesome for taking the stress off of your fingers when trying to keep the blower at a consistent speed. 
  • The EGO 765 comes with a few different nozzle heads. As I’ve come to learn (shoutout to our YouTube subscribers), a lot of folks use these blowers to dry off their cars. There’s some versatility with this as though EGO kept that in mind when making it. 
  • It has a really nice molded rubber grip that makes it easier to hold onto. It is a bit heavier than other electric blowers, so it’s a thoughtful touch.
  • The 5.0 Ah battery has a run time of 25 minutes while on full-speed. With the turbo button, you can get 17 minutes of run time. Yes, we actually tested this with zip ties. We are weird but are dedicated to you. 
The speed control thumb thingy.

EGO 765 Specifications Breakdown

Pop quiz – if this thing has 765 CFMs coming out of the end, do you think it is a wide-mouthed blower with a lower speed? 

Well, it’s not. It actually has BOTH super high CFMs AND high MPHs. It’s sort of a freak of nature like that. This means that the blower can do big piles of leaves AND use an extreme jet stream to destroy wet, stuck leaves. 

That’s what makes this blower really stick out. The turbo button takes this blower to a level no other electric handheld blower has been before. 

Comparing the 765 CFM to a Stihl gas blower.

We compared the EGO 765 CFM blower to our Stihl BG86C handheld gas blower and it was pretty wild. On turbo, the EGO was actually more powerful. 

At just over 12 lbs, it is noticeably heavier than a lot of other electric blowers. You can separately purchase a sling that helps offload some of the weight. Some of our YouTube commenters that purchased the tool talked about the strain on their wrists turning it side to side. But it was also noted that the exchange in power made it worth it. Up to you!

The EGO 650 CFM Blower: Overview

The EGO LB6504 blower is also a freak of nature. If it weren’t for it’s bigger brother, the 765 CFM blower, this would still be one of the most powerful handheld blowers on the planet. 

The EGO 650 CFM blower has many of the same features as the EGO 765 CFM blower, including:

  • A cruise control button. It isn’t as easy to use as the 765 blower because it doesn’t have the thumb-controlled portion, but it does have a little knob that you can twist to set the speed. 
  • The turbo button cranks this up to 650 CFMs, which is still extremely high!
  • Multiple nozzles, including a flat nozzle that is really great for blowing leaves around your patio or near the end of your driveway. Talk about a jet stream. 
  • A brushless motor that can also be found on the 765. Brushless motors use magnets to power the motor instead of brushes. This allows for a cooler running motor, more torque, and significant durability. It’s a must have for an electric lawn tool. 

EGO 650 CFM Blower Specifications

Just like its 765 CFM big brother, the 650 CFM blower marries both high CFMs and high MPH to produce an absolute wind cannon. 

Photo courtesy of EGO.

In contrast to the 765 CFM blower, the 650 CFM EGO blower weighs about 2.5 lbs lighter, putting it back into the normal range of handheld blowers. This is a lifesaver for anyone with wrist or shoulder issues, giving you more mobility when moving the blower side to side.

EGO 765 CFM vs 650 CFM Blower: Similarities and Differences

Since these blowers look almost identical, I wanted to summarize the notable differences between the two blowers. Let’s start with similarities:

Comparing it to the gas was a joke!

Similarities between EGO 765 and 650

  • Aesthetics – unless you’re up close you can’t tell them apart
  • Both have cruise control
  • Both have a turbo button that amps up the CFMs
  • Both take the 56V battery
  • Both are extremely well-made

Differences between EGO 765 and 650

  • CFM and speed differences, obviously
  • 765 weighs 2.5 lbs more than the 650
  • 765 costs about $50 more than the 650
  • 765 comes with a nice thumb adjuster on the cruise control
Both take this great 56V battery.

So which is better? EGO 765 CFM vs 650 CFM blower?

Tough to give a concrete answer here. So I’ll do my best: the 650 CFM blower is a better value for the normal homeowner. It packs more than enough power, is $50 cheaper, and still comes with all the perks of the 765 CFM blower, just a little bit weaker. Either way, these are for sale for a cheaper price on Amazon than they are at Lowe’s.

The EGO 765 CFM blower is on Amazon for a little a great price with the charger. Without the charger it comes in at just about $50 less (but changes all the time).

The EGO 650 CFM blower is on Amazon for a great deal with the charger. Without the charger, it is on sale for UNBELIEVABLY Low (this is a steal).

The 765 CFM blower, however, has unrivaled power and speed. There are definitely times where the additional speed boost would come in handy, so it is also a great option. Also, if you just LOVE EGO products and want the newest and best tools, you have got to go with this one.

The Bottom Line: 765 vs 650 CFM EGO blowers

At the end of the day, they both have incredible specifications, amazing warranties, and extreme power. You can’t go wrong. Do you want to shell out a bit more money for some crazy power? That’s what you need to ask yourself. 

Oh and by the way, we own the 765 CFM blower 🙂.

Check this out if you want to see us compare the EGO 765 CFM blower to the Ryobi 730 CFM blower

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. 

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 an electric blower

Cordless blowers come in a bunch of shapes and sizes but there are three basic things you need to understand:

  • CFM – Cubic feet per minute. This is a measure of air output on the blower. Higher CFM = more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High CFM with a wide nozzle = lower MPH. High CFM with a narrow nozzle = high miles per hour. Ideally, you want both a high CFM with a narrow to medium nozzle for most residential jobs.
  • Usability – what is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? Have to get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier.
  • Motor type – brushless motors reign supreme. Cooler running motors with more torque, a longer run-time, and last many more years. Brushless is a no brainer when picking a blower.

These are three things you need to pay attention to when looking through the specifications. 

About EGO

EGO is still relatively new to the lawn tool space. They started back in 2014 and have absolutely exploded in recent years. They are owned by the parent company Chervon, which also make SKIL and FLEX brand tools. 

EGO has quickly become synonymous with power. All of their tools (including the blowers we are reviewing today) are top-of-the-line when it comes to power. When we’ve gotten our hands on the products, the first thing we always think is “solid”. Their products are generally heavier than other brands and feel really tight and well-constructed. 

Becoming fast favorites by homeowners.

Their mowers are heavier, stronger, and faster. Their EGO string trimmers are freaks of nature. Everything is built for performance.

So let’s look at the 650 and 765 CFM blowers.

What are CFMs in leaf blowers?

I know I briefly touched on this a few paragraphs above, but the distinction is important – especially for comparing these two.

CFM stands for cubic feet per minute. Basically it is a measurement of airflow out of the end of the blower. The typical relationship you see is the higher the CFMs, the wider the mouth of the blower. It can also result in lower miles per hour of air speed, because so much more air is moving out of a wider opening. 

It’s like taking a deep breath, relaxing your mouth and blowing out compared to taking the same breath and whistling. Same amount of air is coming out, but just much faster when you whistle. 

High CFM blowers, wide mouthed blowers are great for moving large piles of leaves. Lower CFM blowers that are narrow are good for providing a jet-stream of air that is great for wet grass clippings and small amounts of leaves. 

Keep that in mind as we move forward.

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4 Powerful Ryobi Weed Eaters: Buying Guide for Any Lawn

Ryobi Weed Eaters, also known as weed wackers or string trimmers, are some of the most popular weed eaters in the game. The best Ryobi Weed eater is the Ryobi 40V ExandIt Series (mine is pictured below) because it can handle many attachments and has a super versatile battery.

Ryobi weed eaters are sold everywhere including Home Depot and Amazon. Here’s why: almost everyone has at least ONE Ryobi product. Once you have the battery already, then you can buy the other tools without the battery for cheaper.

It’s called buying  the tool-only version. It’s how these brands sink their teeth into you for life.

Here is my ranking of the best Ryobi Weed Eaters in 2024:

4 Great Ryobi Weed Eaters

Ryobi weed eaters come in all shapes and sizes. Each yard size has multiple contenders, which is why we spent so much time pulling this list together. Our goal is to remove the confusion and serve up the best recommendation for you. Let’s start with small yards.

The Best Ryobi Weed Eater for Small Yards: The small ONE+ 18V Ryobi trimmer

Smaller yards generally require smaller tools. It’s not difficult. Fortunately, with Ryobi’s ONE+ 18V series you are going to get the perfect amount of power for the job.

And the best part is that Ryobi’s ONE+ 18V series fits a TON of other tools. 

But for a small yard, a lightweight, easy-to-use tool is going to fit the bill just fine. That’s why we recommend the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Electric Cordless String Trimmer. My neighbor has one that he uses and he let me borrow it. 

Lightweight, easy to use, and still plenty powerful.

It honestly looks a little dinky, but it was a powerhouse. It’s a ridiculously low price and has everything you need for small jobs. It has a nice little ergonomic handle and is easy to roll onto its side to act as a makeshift edger.

My neighbor who used it has a really steep yard and he was moving up and down the hill with relative ease, despite being older and recently having back surgery. If you have a small yard, this thing is going to be enough to handle all your basic needs. With a 10 inch cutting diameter, it can handle most grass and weeds but will struggle with thicker brush. 

You can get it on Amazon, but if you already own the battery you can get a tool-only version for a bit cheaper. Now that’s a steal!

But its actually available for an even better price at Home Depot – check it here.

Best Ryobi Weed Eater for Medium Yards: The Ryobi 18V Trimmer

What is a medium sized yard anyways? I consider anything between around 5,000 square feet to a half-acre medium sized. 

Lawns like these still don’t require commercial-grade weed eaters, but they do need something with a little more power than you’ll get from the string trimmer above. 

That’s where the ONE+ series 18V battery provides its highest-tier weed eater. The big brother to the string trimmer above. It has a similar name, but looks completely different and has a cutting swath that is three inches wider. Comparing the 18V and 40V Ryobi weed eater is tough, but this one is sweet.

This thing is a big deal – I love the long shaft (stop).

I love this one because it comes with a longer lasting battery than the one above. It has a 4.0 Ah battery whereas the smaller version is only 1.3 Ah. Basically they have the same strength but this one lasts longer. It also has an edge on cutting ability because of the larger cutting swath (more velocity on the edge of the trimmer). 

The other thing I like about this 18V Ryobi string trimmer is that it has a straight shaft. Many weed eaters out there have a curved shaft, which is nice for clearing out small plots of grass but SUCKS when it comes to doing any type of edging work. 

At just over 11 lbs, it is really easy to work with and handle. It was designed for medium-sized yards, which is where most Americans are going to fall. Lastly, I absolutely adore that this one has a brushless motor, which means it is going to have more torque and be much more durable. 

This one is available at Home Depot for a great price as well.

Best Ryobi Weed Eater for Large Yards: Ryobi 40V ExpandIt series weed eater

I have a love-hate relationship with this one, because it was my first string trimmer. It was also my first edger and leaf blower. More on that later.

But for large yards, I recommend stepping up to Ryobi’s 40V series. Their 40V Cordless Expand-It series weed wacker is the way to go for large yards and here’s why:

  • 15 inch cutting swath
  • Bump-feed string trimmer
  • Variable speed control (not just 1 or 2 speed options)
  • Operates just as well as some gas string trimmers if you take the guard off

Not sure if I can come out and say this, but two weeks ago I took the guard off of this weed eater and my mind was blown. I can’t believe I’ve been using it for 4 years with the guard. 

Looking good!

And what you may have missed there is that I’ve been using this weed eater for 4 years. It has held up amazingly that whole time just with a few string replacements.

Take that guard off! You just need a wrench.

The string trimmer attachment on this attachment-capable kit is the absolute all-star. And having the 40V batteries will save you big money on this one if you already own them. If not, getting them with this weed eater will allow you to save hundreds of dollars on their lawn mowers, snow blowers, and leaf blowers if you want to grab those as well.

The whole thang.

I’m 6 ft 7 in, so cranking my back with a weed eater is really easy. This one has never given me too much trouble because I can pop off the attachment and re-insert it at a different angle. This allows me to hold whatever grip is most comfortable with me and continue to use it for whatever type of job I’m doing. 

I got mine at Home Depot and still use it to this day – you can check the price now at Home Depot here.

Best Attachments for Ryobi Expand-It String Trimmer

Take it from me, I learned this lesson the hard way. If you are going to go with the Ryobi ExpandIt series weed eater, then you may as well add on some inexpensive attachments. 

Here’s what I recommend:

  • The ExpandIt Edger attachment:
    • The edger attachment is an absolute beast. I’ve had it for 4 years and haven’t had to replace the blade. It has consistently given me the best looking lawn in the neighborhood by creating deep borders around my yard.
  • The ExpandIt Brush Cutter attachment:
    • I love this because we have some kudzu growing behind our yard. It is a perpetual war to keep it at bay and out of my grass and off of my trees. The brush cutter once or twice a year keeps it from ever getting out of control and crossing the line. It’s basically like the flamethrower guys from Stranger Things. 
  • The Expand-It Pole Saw attachment
    • Pole saws are kind of an insane tool. You strap a chainsaw to the end of a big stick and hope for the best. So basically they are every man’s dream. The attachment takes a while to put together, but when you get it all figured out it is super fun to use. 
Me using the brush cutter attachment.

What I don’t recommend:

  • The Expand-It blower attachment:
    • I burned through three of these in the first year. For whatever reason, the little driveshaft that spins the blower keeps getting stripped inside the blower. No idea what’s happening. Luckily, I haven’t seen these for sale online in a while, so Ryobi may have completely pulled them.

How to replace the trimmer line on a Ryobi Weed Whacker

Check out our YouTube short where we give step-by-step directions on how to replace the line on a Ryobi Weed Wacker.

They aren’t all the same, but they should be similar.

Final review: Best Ryobi Weed Eaters

Folks, you really can’t go wrong with a Ryobi weed eater as long as you are matching the size and strength of the tool to your lawn. 

Smaller lawns are okay with smaller weed wackers. Larger yards are going to require a big, higher voltage weed eater with a large cutting swath. 

If you are interested in learning about more weed eaters, check out these battery powered 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. 

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.

About Ryobi tools

Ryobi is one of the OGs of the battery-powered lawn tool world. They have EVERYTHING. Stuff you had no idea was even a real tool or could be battery powered. Some of our favorite Ryobi products include (links to full reviews we have done):

Ryobi has both a 40V and an 18V series battery that you can use. The 18V series is often called their ONE+ series, which generally fits lighter-duty products of theirs as it is a lower voltage. Their 40V series fits more of their heavy-duty stuff like mowers. Ryobi has different configurations of weed wackers that can accommodate both their ONE+ and 40V series. 

They have this distinction because weed eaters are one of those tools that can go either way. Some are lighter duty and some are used for really big yards. More to come on that.

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 Ryobi 40V 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 Ryobi loyalist and have one of their mowers, then you can actually use this same 40 volt battery in both the mower and the trimmer. More on that later.

You also want to make sure you have a nice weed eater string with the best size, color, and shape. 

Looking for gas? Check out our post comparing two super popular gas-powered weed eaters: ECHO and Stihl.

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4 Timeless Toro Lawn Mowers That Will Last Years

The best all-around Toro Mower is the classic Toro Recycler, followed by the Toro TimeCutter for zero-turn enthusiasts. Toro lawn mowers are the absolute classics of the lawn care world. The Tom Brady of lawn mowers. The classic muscle car, ‘69 Corvette of lawn mowers.

Why?

Go on a little drive this Sunday afternoon and tell me what you see. If you go through any neighborhood I guarantee you will see at least a few of these either being pushed around or stored in people’s garages.

So let’s get started. Click a link below to take you right to the section you are looking for:

The 4 Best Toro Mowers

Toro has historically been the market leader in lawn mowers. They’re well known to everyone, but have struggled to keep up with the changing landscape and the young brands (this is where my Tom Brady comparison comes in).  

But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s highlight the amazing, well-known mowers they do have. 

The Best Toro Zero-Turn Mower: Toro TimeCutter SS4225

The Toro TimeCutter SS4225 is a zero-turn mower with a reputation for being top of the line. In fact, these are super popular among residential homeowners, but also with commercial landscapers. You RARELY see those two overlap as they are looking for different applications, but the TimeCutter SS4225 appeals to both.

Why?

Well not only does it have the comfort and affordability that attracts homeowners, but it also has the durability and power that landscapers are looking for. Sounds too good to be true? It isn’t.

My son trying out the Toro TimeCutter.

The Toro TimeCutter SS4225 boasts a 22.5 HP V-twin Toro engine (I think that is where the 225 in the name comes from) in addition to a 42 inch cutting deck (where the 42 comes from in the name). This is serious power. For comparison’s sake, a number of riding mowers come in at 16-18 horsepower. This is a huge step up. Even the Cub Cadet ZT1, a hot competitor, comes in at only 22hp.

The SS in SS4225 stands for SmartSpeed, which means that it allows you to slow down when making tight maneuvers so that you can make sharp, smooth cuts around garden beds. 

The nice new deck on the 2024 Toro TimeCutter.

Guys, I can’t highlight enough how well this zero-turn mower was engineered. There’s a reason it is one of the most popular zero-turn mowers on planet Earth. 

Quick summary of what I love about the TimeCutter:

  • Extremely comfortable
  • High horsepower, well-made engine
  • Hydrostatic transmission
  • Durability
  • Deck washout system + cup-holders

The Toro TimeCutter can actually be bought online from Home Depot – check the price and make up your mind!

Best Toro Mower for Medium-Sized Yards: Toro TimeMaster 30

If you ask anybody who has worked for a landscaping company what the best push mower is, the TimeMaster 30 is going to be on their list. 

The Toro TimeMaster 30 is a beast. It may be one of the higher end push mowers on the market, costing over $1,000 (thanks Biden!) but it is totally worth it.

The TimeMaster 30 has TWO blades on it across a 30 inch cutting deck! That size of a cutting deck on a push mower is competing with the cutting decks on riding lawn mowers and lawn tractors. Y’all….

Yeah…that’s a PUSH mower.

But the TimeMaster has a ton of bells and whistles as well. You can tell a true lawn pro designed this one. For example, it has a feature where if you let off the gas, the engine will keep running. Sounds small, but in reality it’s extremely helpful.  There’s nothing worse than mowing a lawn, having to stop to move a stick or rock, then going back to your mower to pull the cord until it starts again. That’s exact situation is what you avoid by using the TimeMaster 30.

Also can we revisit how massive the deck is on this? Most push mowers are between 18 and 24 inches. 30 inches allows you to get an extra FOOT on each pass. Those things add up over the course of a mow and will save you some serious time. 

This thing is huge.

Lastly, Toro has made maintenance a breeze on this mower. It has a strict “no oil change” policy. Instead of changing out the oil, you just add more. I actually have no clue how this works other than burning oil off, but I’m not here to ask questions. I am here to have the best mowing experience of my life. 

I also love the deck washout system, which is also found on the TimeCutter above. You can connect your hose to the deck of the mower and it is designed internally to funnel the water in such a way that it cleans out the entirety of the deck.

It’s the details for me!

Quick summary of what I love about the TimeMaster 30:

  • Massive cutting deck
  • SmartStop function
  • Self-propelled
  • TWO blades

The TimeMaster is for sale exclusively at Home Depot and it’s price often changes – check it here.

Best Toro Mower for Small Yards: Toro Recycler

The Toro Recycler is your all-American lawn mower. This is the mower you see in everyone’s garage or shed with the classic “TORO” print on the collection bag on the sides. If you’ve seen it (which you definitely have), then you know what I’m talking about. Sadly, the newer versions don’t have that. BUT that’s a good sign because the old ones clearly last FOREVER.

IYKYK!

At 22 inches, the Toro Recycler is THE perfect width for lawns on the smaller side. I’m not talking townhouse mower small, but probably up to ½ acre or so, which is what most of us have here in America. 

The Toro Recycler has all the well-engineered parts that make the TimeMaster so incredible. It has the personal pace self-propelled function, the no oil change philosophy, a deck washout, and a well-made engine. 

It even has a really cool feature that is front-wheel drive for the self-propelled function. This function is wonderful if you have to mow over steep banks or hills. Instead of the rear wheels having the self-propelled motor, which results in spinning and getting stuck, the front wheels have it. This makes it so the mower creeps over any inconsistencies in the lawn and is particularly useful for hills. It helps pull the mower forward instead of pushing from behind.

Just an absolute classic.

The other unheard of bell and whistle that comes with this mower is their vortex technology. I’ve never seen this on any other push mower. Basically, the mower has this airflow opening that flows air from the ground up through the blades, causing the grass to stand up. It’s like using Electric Shave or whatever that makes your hair stand up before you shave. What in tarnation?

The Toro Recycler comes in two varieties, one with the front-wheel drive (called high-wheel drive) and a classic rear-wheel drive. Both are for sale at Home Depot.

Quick summary of what I love about  the Toro Recycler:

  • Great size for the average yard
  • Nice FWD self-propelled function
  • Vortex technology that lifts the grass before a cut

Best Battery-Powered Toro Mower: Toro Recycler SmartStow 60V

It flies under the radar completely, but the Toro Recycler SmartStow 60V mower is one of the best battery powered mowers ANYWHERE.

Yeah, we have all heard of EGO, Greenworks, Ryobi, and all the other battery powered brands. But the Toro 60V should be right at the top of that list as well.

Here’s why: it basically has all the same features as its gas counterpart. Yes, that means an incredible steel deck, the vortex airflow thing, front wheel drive self-propelled functionality, and the ability to fold in half like a lawn chair for easy storage.

Photo cred: Toro. I mean you can’t beat that pic.

Honestly, I can’t imagine what else I would add to this mower to make it any better. The only drawback when compared to some of the big name battery brands is that the Toro battery line is generally underdeveloped. Brands like EGO have hundreds of tools built around a single battery line, making it easier to get more of those tools and use the same battery. 

But as a standalone piece of equipment, Toro absolutely knocked it out of the park. I actually like that they don’t have 1,000 different mowers like Ryobi does. They go with the one shot, one  kill method. Milwaukee has a mower that is built the same way. 

Milwaukee’s mower. Just built different.

This one is definitely expensive, though. The main downside is that it is over $700. This is high for most battery powered mowers, but actually pretty reasonable when compared to some of the higher-tiered gas mowers.

All around a good buy. They sell it at Home Depot for a great price.

Final words: Toro mowers legacy

Toro mowers are world-class. You can’t go wrong with really any of their mowers and I’ve yet to see a decline in quality.

Like I mentioned earlier, I guarantee your grandpa had a Toro mower sitting in his garage that could crank up in one pull even after 15 years. These things last. 

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. 

Our testing methods are extreme.

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. 

Toro lawn tools

Toro is a well known company that serves lawn equipment for homeowners. Toro also is one of the preferred products for golf courses, sports fields, and agriculture. They clearly know what they are doing.

I’ve reviewed other Toro equipment, like their recycler push mower. One thing that stood out to me in that review is their engineering. I truly believe they have quality equipment and there’s a few ways to tell. The first is how heavy and solid their equipment is. Their quality stands out to me as top tier. 

Unmistakable brand.

Another thing I noticed when reviewing the recycler mower is the attention to details. The mower just grinds and grinds and grinds until it produces a fine consistency that feeds your lawn. Other mower manufacturers do not put considerations like this into their products. They even have a patent for the fine grass clippings that nourish your yard.

Things I look for in mowers

Knowing what to look for in a mower varies on the type of mower.

  • Zero-turn mowers: For zero-turn mowers, I am looking for comfort. If you have a zero-turn mower it is because you have a big job in front of you. You’re going to be sitting in this thing and steering it precisely for a while. There’s nothing worse than being uncomfortable. I also look for things like a hydrostatic transmission to allow for longer transmission life. Lastly, I want durability – reinforced casters and a deck that won’t crack under pressure. 
  • Push mowers: Push mowers have less to worry about as they are a much less costly investment. Still, push mowers can come with some great bells and whistles that make them way better to use. One of these is a self-propelled function, which I love on gas-powered mowers. Deck width is also important – if you have a medium-sized yard, then a wider deck is better. For smaller yards, a narrower deck. Otherwise, easy height adjustments, deck cleaning ports, and easy-start engines are must-haves.
  • Battery mowers: Battery powered mowers have a lot more room for error. For one, you have a super finite battery life that will take you out of the game if you kill too much battery. Gas mowers at least refill easily and then let you get on your merry way. But with battery mowers, you will see many made with a plastic deck. Avoid these unless they are super duper thick. I also generally avoid self-propelled functions on these because they crush the battery life. Lastly, you NEED to buy one with a brushless motor. 
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How to Get Rid of Ants in Your Lawn (Without Killing Your Grass)

Getting rid of ants in your yard WITHOUT killing the grass is like pulling out the table cloth while leaving all the dishes intact. I’ll go ahead and give away the sauce – I use baking soda and vinegar to get rid of them just like the classic science fair experiment.

Some can be hidden!

The exponential number of ants colonizing Earth shouldn’t be a surprise, as myrmecologists (nerds) estimate there are over one quadrillion (one million billion) ants on Earth. When there’s one ant in your lawn, there are thousands more nearby, living inside secluded nests underground or in the trees. And unless you live in Antarctica, there’s a good chance that hundreds of ant species call your community home. 

But seriously.

Your backyard is likely a breeding ground for thousands of eusocial insects.

Let’s face it: Spotting a single ant in your yard usually isn’t cause for alarm. However, when one ant turns into two, and two turns into four, Houston, we have a problem. 

At this point, you’ll have to resist the urge to whip out the flamethrower (which we did in this YouTube short). Despite common belief, you can remove ants from your lawn without killing your grass (or damaging it, for that matter). But before proceeding, there are a few considerations that we must remember: 

  • Why does your lawn have ants in the first place? We can temporarily eliminate the ants, but if we don’t find the root of the problem, they’ll keep coming back.
  • How do you identify ants in your yard? There are more than 12,000 ant species in the world. Are you sure they’re ants or a species that looks similar?

How to Get Rid of Ants Without Killing Your Grass

Follow these techniques to get rid of ants infestations while preserving your grass:

Diatomaceous Earth is a natural way to get rid of ants

Diatomaceous Earth removes many bugs, including ants, fleas, silverfish, and roaches. The formula attracts the pests and causes them to dry out and die within 48 hours. Best of all, insects don’t build up immunity to Diatomaceous Earth, making this product highly effective.

You can apply Diatomaceous Earth on ant mounds, in areas with high moisture, and alongside your house for best results. Rest assured, Diatomaceous Earth is compliant in the use of gardening so that it won’t destroy your grass. 

I would buy this just for the roaches NGL.

It’s super easy to use and can be found on Amazon for a reasonable price.

Use vinegar to kill ants in your lawn without killing grass

Mixing a 50/50 solution of vinegar with water is a popular DIY technique to eliminate ants. After mixing the two liquids in a spray bottle, spray the mixture on top of the ant nests in your yard. You can also spray the mixture around your patio and against windows and doors for extra protection.

Guarantee you have this in your pantry!

While this concoction will certainly kill ants, you may need a little more fuel. If that’s the case, consider taking advantage of baking soda’s unique ant-killing abilities. 

Try Baking Soda to kill ants without killing grass

There’s a good chance you already have baking soda in your cupboard. You probably didn’t realize that it doubles as a baking ingredient and ant killer. 

In order to kill ants, you must sprinkle baking soda on top of an ant nest and other areas with high populations of ants. You should also create a barrier around your outdoor living spaces and entry points to your home (doors, windows, etc.). 

Moreover, you can combine baking soda with powdered sugar if you have a serious ant issue and want to bait ants into eating the baking soda and powdered sugar death trap. 

Just make sure not to combine with an egg, flour, and chocolate chips and heat at 350 for 17 minutes – otherwise you will have just made a chocolate chip cookie.

Natural Bug, Insect, & Pest Killer

Natural Amor Store’s Natural Bug, Insect, & Pest Killer is a proven way to kill ants outdoors and indoors. It comes with an easy-to-use spray bottle perfecting for targeting large mounds.

The formula is also all-natural, featuring a formula of peppermint, clove, and vinegar.

This pest killer doesn’t just get rid of ants; it keeps them away for up to 12 months. Good with us!

The Bottom Line: Ants dead, grass alive

On the one hand, ants can destroy your yard if you let an infestation go unnoticed. On the other hand, removing ants using harsh products can kill your grass. The suggestions we’ve detailed above are a great starting point if you want to get rid of ants naturally without harming your grass. 

If your grass is looking rough, it may be because you need to sharpen your mower blades.

Why Do Ants Live in Yards?

Have you ever thought, why me? I do that all the time when I’m looking in the mirror.

 Why did ants flock to my yard but not my neighbors? Chances are three things attract them to your yard: Food, water, and protection. 

Let’s go deeper.

Ant food in your yard

It’s only a matter of time before ants find a food source in your yard. Ants love to munch on smaller insects, including termites and fly larvae. They’ll also group and feast on larger, dead insects.

Ants enjoy human food, too, so you should ensure your yard is free of food or easily-accessible waste bins. After clearing food from your yard, there’s one more thing to look for: decaying plant matter, including dead trees and weeds. You can get rid of a lot of decaying grass by using a dethatcher.

Ants adore decaying plant matter and come in armies to have a meal.

Water – grass loves it, so do ants

Like mosquitoes and cockroaches, ants are commonly found in areas with high moisture. When it comes to your yard, ants flock to rain puddles and all sorts of things that accumulate water, such as rain collection barrels. If you have leaky pipes or a broken dehumidifier, you can find them inside your home.

Protection for ants

At the end of the day, your yard provides protection and shelter for ants. Most ants will build their mounds directly on top of your soil, while others will find more discrete shelters. Your yard might be attractive to ants if it has tall grass, rocks, and debris, making it easy to set up a shop. 

So often they are bordering sidewalks like this.

How to Identify Ants in Your Yard

If you think you have a case of ants in your yard, there’s a good chance you do. But how do you know for sure, considering these small bugs can measure less than 3mm in length?

Here are some telltale signs that you might have an ant problem in your yard:

  • You have physically spotted ants roaming around your lawn
  • There are sawdust trails surrounding your home (these trails come from carpenter ants)
  • You notice ant mounds scattered throughout your yard
  • Ants have started to make their way into your home
  • You spot more ants in moist areas inside and outside of your home
  • Ants are prevalent around your indoor and outdoor trash bins

If you’re experiencing these telltale signs of a lawn ant infestation, it’s time to get ready for some ant-killing action. After all, you’ve probably spent hundreds (or thousands) of dollars to get the best lawn on the block. 

But not so fast – how do you kill ants without obliterating your yard? Fortunately, we have some tricks up our sleeves to get rid of these pesky insects without killing your belove

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Ultimate Rubber Mulch Buying Guide: 2024 Update

Rubber mulch is one of those weird things in the landscaping industry that makes a lot of people suspicious. Why use rubber mulch when there is an abundance of wooden mulch?

Photo cred: Wikipedia.

Bottom line on Rubber Mulch: Rubber mulch has quite a few benefits, but really is optimal for only a handful of scenarios.

Today, I am going to walk you through what the heck rubber mulch is, when to use it, where to get it, and more.

But before we get started, let’s be clear – rubber mulch isn’t for everyone. In fact, most homeowners aren’t even aware of its existence. Buckle up, because you’re about to have your mind blown.

Jump ahead:

Rubber mulch vs wood mulch

Rubber mulch and wood mulch are both used for similar purposes. Beyond the aesthetics, mulch has a number of meaningful functions that provide a safe environment for plant growth.. 

Let’s check it out.

Classic bagged mulch at Lowe’s.

Similarities between rubber and wood mulch

Below are some similarities between rubber mulch and wood mulch:

  • Aesthetics: from a distance, rubber mulch looks just as good as a fresh mulching with wood-based mulch. 
  • Weed control: although this remains a subject of contention, both rubber and wood mulch provide protection against weeds. Many folks argue that it requires a lot of rubber mulch to fully choke out the weeds, but so does wood mulch. It probably just “feels” like more mulch since it spreads so differently.
  • Temperature regulation: rubber mulch retains heat decently well and can provide a decent level of protection, as does traditional wood mulch.
  • Durability to soil: both wood and rubber mulch provide a level of durability to wherever they are laid. This helps prevent soil runoff, is more forgiving when people or animals walk through it.

Differences between rubber and wood mulch

While they look the same and provide many of the same benefits, there are definitely differences between a synthetic and an organic substance. Let’s take a look:

  • Water retention: rubber mulch may provide some benefit to water retention, but only marginally when compared to wood mulch. The density of wood mulch allows it to act like a sponge for water. 
  • Decomposition: wood mulch breaks down over time and provides nutrients to the soil, allowing it to benefit from the mulch. Rubber mulch breaks down over 50 to 80 years and provides no nutrients to your soil. 
  • Replacement frequency: wood mulch needs to be replaced every 1-3 years due to its decomposition. Rubber mulch can last for 10 years (or more). 
  • Price: Wood mulch is pretty cost efficient and can be picked up in bulk or in bags. Lowe’s has 5 bags of mulch for $10 on sale every year and Home Depot also has a mulch sale where you can get mulch for a great deal.

Does Rubber Mulch smell?

Remember the days in gym class when they would take everyone out to the track and make you run a few laps? The running wasn’t the tough part, it was the smell.

Some people like it – but mostly due to the nostalgia of running track or playing on a turf football field. But if you expect to have a rubber mulch yard, you will definitely get whiffs of rubber. 

Heat can definitely make the smell a little more potent, but it truly isn’t a super noticeable smell.

AND regular mulch has a smell as well – so there isn’t a totally smell-free choice.

How long does rubber mulch really last?

Most folks say that rubber mulch will last over 10 years. While most wood mulches fade in color and decompose, rubber mulch keeps its color and doesn’t break down. Additionally, the maintenance is minimal – only requiring occasional raking. 

What is rubber mulch made of?

Believe it or not, rubber mulch is made of recycled tires. Yep, they take all the old tires from cars, trucks, farming equipment, and construction equipment then shred it down to a consistent size. 

It then gets dyed with whichever color you choose, bagged, and shipped to whichever place you grab it. 

What are the benefits of rubber mulch?

Rubber mulch has a bunch of benefits that make it popular at upscale resorts, playgrounds, and other commercial properties. 

  1. Prohibits weed and fungal growth: part of the reason people pick rubber mulch is that it doesn’t store water or contain nutrients the way that rubber mulch does. This means that fungus is not going to grow in this soil. 
  2. Keeps insects and mice away: again having an artificial environment makes it an unattractive place for insects or mice to get their food. Keep pests away from your house with rubber mulch.
  3. It’s super low maintenance: weeds don’t grow in it either because they can’t germinate in the soil below if they never make it. That means weeding is super rare and you only have to give it the occasional rake to keep the sun-exposed pieces mixed in with the others. Oh yeah – and you only have to change it every DECADE.

So what are the problems with rubber mulch?

Sounds too good to be true? Well, it can be. There are definitely some drawbacks. For starters, rubber mulch doesn’t have as much of the “smothering” effect that wood mulch has. With wood mulch, you can use it to crush and kill weeds. With rubber mulch, you’ll really want to clear the weeds beneath and do what you can to keep them dead. Once the rubber mulch is down however, you shouldn’t have problems.

Ever heard of a tire fire? Well, rubber mulch is flammable just like rubber tires. Which is an absolute nightmare. I’ve never heard of this happening personally, but it is definitely a possibility.

Lastly, rubber can leach chemicals into the soil and surrounding environment. Recycled tires tend to soak up other chemicals they get exposed to during their lifetime. If the tires that are now in your garden were exposed to high levels of zinc or other minerals – they can leach into the soil and kill some plants. During the rubber breakdown process, there are other chemicals that can accumulate and leach into the soil as well. At high concentrations, these have been found to be harmful. 

Rubber mulch for playgrounds

Nothing like a transition from the dangers of rubber mulch to its applications in children’s playgrounds! Nevertheless, rubber mulch can have great applications in playgrounds. I say this because it does such a good job of absorbing falls.

Yeah, I could have used this as a kid.

Although rubber mulch can have a tough texture and not necessarily feel good to fall on to, it gives much more bounce to kids when they fall down. Another beauty to rubber mulch for playgrounds is that you don’t get the natural erosion that you see with wooden mulch playgrounds. You know the areas under the swings that form holes and fill with water? Rubber mulch really won’t do that. 

Lastly, rubber mulch on playgrounds is way less messy. That means you can save a bit on laundry by letting your kids have a blast in their playground without becoming completely covered in mud. 

Where to buy rubber mulch near you

Both your local Home Depot and Lowe’s sell bagged rubber mulch. Rubber mulch is much more expensive than traditional wood mulch, with costs being nearly 3-4x higher per cubic foot.

For example, you can grab this rubber mulch at Home Depot for not an insane price.

Photo cred: Home depot. They sell bagged rubber mulch!

As a reminder, you have to replace rubber mulch every 10-12 years, so you will definitely save money in the long run.

Sold at home depot!

If you’re looking to buy bulk rubber mulch for a larger area, there are places like RMP USA and Mulch Direct that can ship large quantities directly to you for cheaper than bagged mulch. 

Yikes….hopefully they clean this up!

Installing rubber mulch

Installing rubber mulch is actually a breeze! I’ll make it super easy and go step-by-step.

  1. Clear the area you’d like to apply mulch. I recommend laying down weed killer a week or so in advance, then completely tilling the soil. Once it is tilled, rake it to be completely flat. We basically want this area to be dead….forever. 
  2. Once you have a flat, dead area of land – measure it out to understand exactly how much rubber mulch you need. For most gardeners, 1-2 inches deep is all you will need. If it’s a playground, I would go a little deeper just to give your kids some buffer.
  3. Calculate how much rubber mulch you need and go grab it from your store of choice.
  4. Over the area where you’d like to lay down the rubber mulch, lay down some landscaping fabric. You can get it for a really cheap price on Amazon.
  5. Once the fabric is down, you may want to secure the perimeter with some landscape edges. Some people use bricks, but you can also grab some nice edges for the exterior. I personally use this one that I got on Amazon and installed in like 5 minutes.
  6. Then, simply load in all the mulch and rake it to a nice, level surface.
  7. Go inside and pat yourself on the back!
Simple landscaping edging. Photo cred: Amazon

It really is that simple and will make you feel so accomplished.

Final thoughts on a rubber garden

Rubber mulch is great for many people, but not for everyone. Make sure you understand the downsides to using rubber mulch before diving  in head-first and making the investment. If you aren’t totally sold, start with a small area or even a potted artificial plant to see if it smells or if you like the way it looks.

If you’re looking for the best time of year to put down mulch, check out our tips.

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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Easily Transform Your Lawn With Mulch: 2024 Guide

Putting down mulch is a must-have for any nice looking yard. A fresh set of mulch is the ultimate game changer for curb appeal – the instant “pop” that sets your yard apart. 

And it’s easy, right? You just grab a couple bags and throw them on. 

But how many bags? How much mulch? How often do you mulch? When is the best time to mulch? Do you remove the old mulch? Do you have to prepare the ground for mulch? Do you water mulch?!

Don’t let it overwhelm you! Mulching can be super therapeutic and you really can’t beat the results.

So let’s get started!

What is mulch?

Mulch is mostly made of bark or shredded wood. Some of the most common types of mulch are made from shredded Cyprus or other hardwoods. Other inexpensive brands are a blend of random woods, which can sometimes look like dyed shredded plywood. 

A common bagged mulch sold at Home Depot.

Mulch goes on top of existing soil as a protective layer to help insulate the soil. Mulch has a ton of benefits, including:

  1. Inhibits weed growth
  2. Retains water better than soil alone
  3. It helps nourish soil as it decomposes
  4. It helps regulate temperature
  5. Mulch adds a level of durability to your soil, whether it be heavy rain, footsteps, or animals

How often to put down mulch

Mulch should be replaced no more than once per year. 

If you live in an area with heavy rainfall or snow, you may have to replace mulch yearly. For others that don’t get as much exposure to elements, your mulch may last a lot longer – even 3-4 years in some places.

If your mulch looks like this…time to reset it!

You will know if you need to replace your mulch if it has caked together into clumps or developed a white fungus. You may also notice that your mulch needs to be replaced if it has lost some color or faded. 

I replace my mulch in my front yard every year. It is black and gets full sun for most of the day. It takes a beating and fades from black to charcoal-grayish colored. Needless to say, I like having a nice black mulch that contrasts against our lighter-colored brick and grass. 

In my backyard, I replace the mulch every other year. It is a really large area that is mostly shaded and we use brown mulch. It holds its color really well, and we only replace it because it mostly gets washed away after two years. 

Best time of year to put mulch down

Hands down, the best time to put mulch down is in the spring.

Spring is when everything starts to bloom again which means two things:

  1. Weeds are also going to bloom
  2. Your yard needs to look its best

Mulch will help solve both of these issues. It is also when mulch goes on sale at Lowe’s for a great price, 5 for $10.

This is from Home Depot’s mulch sale, which happened at the end of April last year.

How to prepare your garden for putting mulch down

The easiest way to prepare to put down mulch is to keep one basic framework in mind – you want to put it down over dirt. Obviously, you still want it to wrap around bushes and plants, but essentially you want it to go down with nothing underneath but dirt.

A tiller like this can help dig up the soil.

So to prepare your garden bed for mulch, make sure to clear out any grass and weeds. I do this in two ways: I use a weed killer spray like RoundUp to get rid of the weeds and then use a nice tiller to get any grass or dead weeds up.

Lastly, I’ll do a quick rake and flatten the area. Nothing else is required.

I’ve heard stories about people putting down newspapers or tarps or other things and I don’t think it’s necessary. 

Remember:

  1. Remove grass and weeds (use weed killer if needed two weeks in advance)
  2. Till up the earth
  3. Rake the debris away
  4. Flatten it out with a rake

Best places to get mulch in 2024

The easiest place to get mulch is to go to Lowe’s or Home Depot and grab bags of mulch. You’ll  likely have to make several trips if you have a smaller car.

Every year, Lowe’s has a 5 for $10 mulch sale and Home Depot has its own 5 for $10 mulch sale that can happen at random, but generally around the same time.

If you have a truck or trailer, you can also go to a nursery or landscaping supply center and pick up bulk mulch, which tends to be a bit cheaper. I’ve done both and found  that bags were an overall easier experience, whereas the bulk mulch seemed “fresher” and higher quality.  

Some nurseries will even deliver the mulch to your home – but if you’re doing this you might as well just spend a little bit more money and have a landscaping company do the whole thing.

How much mulch to buy

There are a few scientific ways to measure the area of your yard that can give you a precise answer, but this is more of an art than a science. Some areas may require a bit more than the standard 2 inch depth, others may require less. Basically, it won’t be perfectly evenly distributed no matter how hard you try.

But that’s okay! We can get as close as possible with a few guesstimates + 1, as I call it. The measurements of mulch bags are in cubic feet, so you want to basically divide by the number of inches to get an estimate. 

It’s confusing, so think of it like this: multiply the dimensions of your area in feet to get square footage. If you are buying 2 cubic ft bags, then divide that by 12 to get the number of bags. If you are using 3 cubic ft bags, then divide by 18. 

I always add an additional on top of that calculation for a margin of error. Worst case scenario, you’ve got an extra bag to cover up spots if an animal digs or rain washes away some of the mulch. 

Laying down bagged mulch: tips and tricks 

Okay – we have cleared the area and flattened it to our liking. We’ve picked up some mulch and we are ready to spread it. Where do we start?

If you’re buying bagged mulch, I recommend putting on some gloves and hauling each bag around to the garden bed and setting it down in the general vicinity of where you want the mulch to go. 

It will look odd to have a bunch of bags laying around, but it gives you a game plan for spacing the mulch bags out appropriately instead of going too heavy at the beginning and having to backtrack. 

Once you have the mulch laid out, go by each bag with a box cutter and cut it right down the middle, long ways. 


After it is cut, simply roll it over and smooth it out by hand. Once you’ve done this to all of your bags, take a light raking to the top and make sure it is all level. Fill in any gaps with the extra mulch bag I told you to buy!

If you are mulching around a tree, you can use the backside of the rake or a pitchfork to leave a little “bowl” shape near the base of the stump. This enables easier water retention for the tree and is a nice little design.

In summary:

  • Lay out the bags evenly in the general vicinity of where the mulch will go
  • Slice open the bags and turn them over
  • Smooth them by hand
  • Give a gentle rake to the top to level out
  • Fill in any gaps

Laying down bulk mulch: tips and tricks 

Laying down bulk mulch is pretty similar to bagged mulch, but you have to do a bit more work. This past year was my first time using bulk mulch and it was quite the workout.

The fastest way to move the mulch!

After picking up the mulch in my truck, I then brought it home and started loading up a wheelbarrow. I then took the wheelbarrow and dumped it out in spots I thought would be equidistant for spreading the mulch around.

It took probably 20 trips with the wheelbarrow, but I got it done. My wonderful wife was the spreader, going behind each wheelbarrow-dropped mulch mound and spreading it around by hand. At the end we had a ton of mulch left over (enough to fill a garbage can, which we kept) and then raked the mulch to be completely even throughout. 

Here’s the high-level recipe:

  • Unload the bulk mulch with a pitchfork or shovel  into a wheelbarrow
  • Wheel the mulch to specific spots in the garden and dump it there
  • Make sure to evenly space out each mound that you dump
  • Level it by hand
  • Then level it with a rake

Common questions we get about mulch

Believe it or not, we get a lot of questions about mulch. We started compiling some of the most common and have answered them below:

Do you need to water mulch after putting it down?

Some people suggest watering mulch after putting it down can “settle it”, but I have found that it just speeds up the color deterioration with each watering. I leave mine alone.

How thick do you need to lay down mulch?

Mulch should be around 2 inches thick when laid down.

Do I need to remove old mulch?

You don’t HAVE to remove old mulch, but you’ll find that after about 10 years of laying mulch down in the same spot that you have created a big mound.

It’s a good idea to remove the mulch every 5 years or so to start fresh and level the ground out again.

How much does mulch cost?

It depends. If you get mulch in bulk, you can get it for about $1/cubic ft. If you get mulch in bags, you can get it for about the same price, but only when mulch is on sale at Lowe’s or Home Depot has a mulch sale. The rest of the year it is usually between $1.50 and $2.

Do you have to put something down under mulch?

Some folks will lay down a plastic sheet or tarp underneath the mulch to prevent weed growth further, but I’ve never had much success with these. They have been more trouble than they are worth. 

What do you use to spread mulch?

I use my hand for the initial spread, then finish it off with a light rake at the end.

How much do landscapers charge to put down mulch?

It depends, but on top of the cost of the mulch it will generally be about $150-200. All in you’re looking at $300-500 depending on the size of the job. 

How often should I put down mulch?

Put down mulch yearly if you live in an area with a lot of rain or direct sun, otherwise every other year will work well.

Why we write about mulch

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.

We take lawn care seriously!

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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