Tag: Husqvarna

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My Experiment With Budget Robotic Mowers (Mind Blown)

robotic mower comparison

Robotic lawn mowers are here to stay whether you like it or not. But they are REALLY expensive compared to a normal mower.

That’s why I went on Amazon and bought the three top selling robotic lawn mowers for under $1,000. Ones that are still in the reasonable price range that may make not having to go out into the heat and mow for an hour worth it. I put these to the test and had them do a three-way battle for the best cut for the best price.

The results were…interesting. Here are the three

budget friendly robotic mowers under $1,000, ranked:

  1. Husqvarna Automower 115 H Robot mower
  2. Worx Landroid S 20V WR 165 Robot lawn mower
  3. Gardena Sileno Minimo Robot mower

My experience with robotic lawn mowers

Frankly, I am just a normal dude who really likes mowers. I’ve used a billion gas powered push  mowers, dozens of battery powered mowers, but NEVER a robotic mower. Until now.

But I think that helps you realize I am not a biased source here. I do not have stake in a robotic mower company. I was not paid to create this review – and I didn’t even get these for free (am I doing something wrong?).

I know a thing or two about mowing the grass, though. And that will help me provide a super unbiased review of my experiences with these three robotic mowers. Let’s get started.

Testing out budget-friendly robot mowers

I looked at a few factors when ranking these mowers, so let me break down each one, how I tested it, and how it ultimately performed.

Breaking down the Worx Landroid S 20V Robotic Mower

The Worx Landroid is powered by a 20V battery, which took about 60 minutes to charge each time it made it back to the base station. This one is able to mow about ⅛ of an acre, or about 5400 square feet. If you have no clue or context for what that means in your lawn, you can go to www.measuremylawn.com and get it figured out really quickly.

The height adjustment on this goes all the way down to 1.5 inches all the way up to 3 inches, which is easily adjustable using a knob on the top of the mower. You may note right off the bat here that this isn’t an acceptable height for folks with tall fescue or other grass types that require you to mow high. At 1.5 inches, you’re at a great height for bermudagrass or warm season grasses. This one can also do a 20% slope, which was the lowest of the three. This means it isn’t a great mower for steep lawns or bumpy backyards. It also has a cutting width of about eight inches, which is less than half the width of a normal residential push mower.

This one is available on Amazon for sale right now for a really good price.

Gardena Sileno Minimo: Overview

The Gardena Sileno is the one I had the most reservations about going into this. I’ve done a ton of reviews of Worx products and Husqvarna products, but have never heard of Sileno. I had to get this one because it is one of the top sellers on Amazon for under $1,000.

Much to my surprise, this thing is manufactured by Husqvarna. The charging station even has “Husqvarna” written on the side. The Sileno Minimo takes about 65 minutes to fully charge and runs for about 65 minutes until it heads back into the charging station. Gardena’s Sileno Minimo covers about ⅛ of an acre, which is exactly the same as the Worx above.

The height setting on this one was tough, which cuts between 0.8 inches and up to 2.0 inches. This cut height is ideal for warm season grasses but will get you into major trouble for longer grass types, like transitional or cool season grasses (think Tall Fescue). 

This thing was tiny though – with a cutting width of about 6.5 inches which is well below the Worx which means it will take a while longer to cut the same amount of grass as the Worx above. At a really good price over on Amazon – this one is cheaper than the Worx and still in a decent price range. 

Lastly, I couldn’t really get the mobile app to work on this thing. 

Husqvarna Automower 115 H Robot Mower: Analysis

The Husqvarna Automower is the “OG” of the robotic mower space because Husqvarna has been at this for a while and has a full spectrum of more expensive (but better) robotic mowers.

The specifications on this one are quite a bit more impressive. It takes about 60 minutes to charge but can cover 0.4 acres, which puts it well above the Worx Landroid and Gardena Sileno Minimo robotic mowers. The Automower also had a noticeable speed difference and zoomed across my yard relative to the other two mowers.

The height adjustment settings on this one go from 2 inches to 3.6 inches – putting it in a much better category for cool season grasses and overall making it great for both cool and warm season grass. The Automower can also handle a slightly steeper slope – rating at 30 degrees of incline before spinning its wheels. 

Best of all, the Husqvarna Automower has a 9 inch cutting width which is the widest. It also comes in at the lowest price point – right at $700 on Amazon. 

Ranking Robotic Mowers Based On My Backyard Experience

Alright – now that I’ve provided an overview, here are my rankings of the most affordable robotic lawn mowers on Amazon.

3. The Gardena Sileno Minimo

It was basically unusable on my cool season grass so it didn’t get the best chance. Besides it not fitting my lawn, it was extremely buggy, the app never worked, and it was slow and tiny. Even in a short, warm season grass – this thing would be a total wimp compared to the other two.

When I first got it, I could barely get it to operate and spent a bunch of time on the phone with customer support who tried to get me to do a hard reset on it or plug it into my USB drive of my computer. It was a really hectic process and it ultimately couldn’t get the job done.

It also doesn’t have a screen so its hard to operate it without the app (which never worked). If you are interested in learning more, you can check it out on Amazon.

2. Worx Landroid S 20V Robotic Lawn Mower

Coming in at number two is the Worx Landroid. I liked the rugged look of this one but it only cuts up to about 3 inches, which isn’t going to cut it in my lawn. It also kept getting stuck and lost in my yard. It was essentially an expensive turtle that kept getting flipped over on its back. 

It made it through my lawn eventually, but needed a lot of support to get the job done. Overall, the power isn’t there with this one. I was able to download the app on this one that let me schedule the cuts and also had a funny “party” mode. 

I did like the height adjustment knob on this one that was really intuitive, but overall I can’t give the Landroid the number one spot. This one is still pretty good and goes on sale on Amazon from time to time.

1. Husqvarna Automower 115H Robot Lawn Mower

The Husqvarna Automower 115H took the top spot in budget robotic lawn mower rankings based on my experience. It looks sort of goofy, but I’ll be darned – the mower worked. As compared to the Worx, which stalled out a few times, the Husqvarna was really good at “unstucking” itself. Whenever it got into a tough or tight spot, it could always find its way out and never needed my assistance.

It was cutting so fast and often, which was surprising to me, but it did a great job and really turned me from a skeptic to a bit of a believer in robotic mowers. If you want to spend some more money, you can grab a better Automower – but for the money – this one cannot be beaten. 

You can grab this one for a really low price on Amazon, where I got mine.

Final thoughts: Would I use a robotic mower forever?

I really thought these things would totally suck and was happy to be proven wrong. The Husqvarna was pretty cool but also did a great job and my lawn looked awesome.

In the long term, I would not use a robotic mower. Regardless of how good of a job they can do, I love putting the sweat equity into my yard and doing it myself. If you’re like me, then you understand.

The basics of how these robotic mowers work

Here are a few things I learned that all of these things have in common. They are all way more alike than they are different, but have nuances that ultimately make one better than the other two.

  1. They’re basically giant Roombas with razor blades attached on a spinny disk
  2. They mow in random patterns all throughout your lawn
  3. They are almost constantly running when they aren’t charging
  4. Most require boundary wires to set up the perimeter (all of these do), but others use GPS technology to set a perimeter
  5. Your lawn gets cut…….eventually
  6. Each mower has all the controls you need on top of the mower itself 

Setting up the robotic mowers

Unboxing and setting up the robotic mowers was basically the same thing over and over again. The cheaper (under $1,000) robotic mowers all use boundary wires. I believe the high-end robotic mowers have some sort of GPS technology that keeps them in a defined area.

But these cheaper ones have boundary wires and stakes that are used to define the perimeter of your yard. You simply put the stakes into the boundary wire and hammer them down. You can bury them if you’d like, but I didn’t find that necessary as the grass and soil will overtake them after a bit of time passes. One major differentiator in this process is that the Husqvarna Automower and the Gardena Sileno Minimo both require a guidewire that tells the mower how to get back to the charger, whereas the Worx Landroid uses the outer perimeter wire to get it back home to the charger. 

Each of these robotic mowers had the exact same setup process – including the perimeter wire, stakes, and instructions on how to set up the mower via an app that they like you to download. One tip to keep in mind with the boundary perimeter wire is that you will want to be cautious not to clip it with your weed eater or edger. 

I have to give the advantage in this section to the Worx Landroid robotic mower. Not having to set up the guidewire back to the charging station made the process a bit more straightforward and saved me some time.

Common questions about robotic mowers

Here are some common questions I had before I bought and tested these robotic mowers.

How much does a robot lawn mower cost?

Robotic lawn mowers have extremely high ceilings, but for residential use you can grab one for $700-$5,000.

Are robotic lawn mowers worth buying?

Robotic mowers are worth buying if you hate cutting your grass and want to spend more time doing other things.

Why are robotic lawnmowers so expensive?

Robotic mowers have a ton of tech inside that make them really expensive despite being so small.

What are the disadvantages of a robotic mower?

Robotic mowers have limited cut heights, don’t cut your lawn in a specific pattern, and can be quite expensive.

Do robot mowers cut well?

Robot mowers actually cut pretty well but not in a specific pattern.

How long do robot mowers last?

The jury is still out, but robot mowers likely last between 5-7 years.

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5 Durable Huqsvarna String Trimmers for Any Yard

The Husqvarna 128LD is the best Husqvarna string trimmer because it is affordable, easy to use, and can work for both residential and commercial landscaping.

The classic.

Husqvarna string trimmers are some of the baddest on the market. Bad in a good way, of course. They are extremely powerful, reliable, and trusted by folks all across the industry. But there’s a ton of them. I’m talking about over 20 different string trimmers made by Husqvarna.

So, let’s get started.

Jump ahead:

Only the best Husqvarna String Trimmers

Husqvarna weed eaters will be evaluated by the above criteria, but also with price in mind. Husqvarna products aren’t sold everywhere and can often be found at Lowe’s or some specialty heavier equipment stores. Let’s jump right in!

Best Husqvarna String Trimmer for Residential Use: 128LD

When it comes to residential use, I have way more options and am going to really care about the experience. I want something easy to use, affordable, and can get my yard looking pristine on the first pass.

We love the Husqvarna 128LD string trimmer. It has a ton of power, comes at a decent price point, has the reliability of gas power, and is a beast. Here’s what we love about the 128LD for homeowners:

  • 17 inch cutting swath – which is professional grade and more than you’ll get from any battery operated weed eater.
  • Lightweight at around 12lbs, which means you won’t destroy your shoulder lugging this around your yard.
  • Straight shaft – which is always preferred for residential string trimmers.
  • Easy to start thanks to the Smart Start recoil system that Husqvarna has put in their fuel pump.
  • A detachable shaft which makes transporting or storage easier in your garage.
Photo cred: Husqvarna.

The 128LD was designed for homeowners to bring the power of commercial use to the budget and comfort level of the normal person. It’s also decently affordable at just under $250 and can be found at Lowe’s. 

I also like the loop handle on this which lets me crank it on its side to use for edging our yard as well. 

Best Husqvarna String Trimmer for Commercial Use: 525L

When it comes to commercial use, you want something that is comfortable and reliable. Easy to start and isn’t going to give you a ton of problems. The name of the game is speed.

The Husqvarna 525L commercial string trimmer is my favorite because it has a huge cutting swath, is light as a feather, and doesn’t go overboard with features – which makes it an incredible price.

In particular, I like that the 525L has:

  • A straight shaft that is just about 6 feet long, giving you serious precision. It’s almost a foot and a half longer than the weed eater above.
  • An 18 inch cutting swath for serious power and easy edging in addition to trimming
  • Super lightweight at under 10 lbs, easy to carry around and toss in the back of the truck
  • One of the lowest priced commercial string trimmers by Husqvarna at just around $350

One thing not on the list of things I like is that the 525L doesn’t have a ton of bells and whistles. In my experience, the more new parts and computer controlled pieces on board, the likelier it is to break or be more expensive to service.

They all look the same honestly.

With this one, it’s always been an air filter, spark plugs, new weed eater string and that’s about it. You can also buy brush cutting blades or a harness later, but those are nice-to-haves.

Best Battery Operated Husqvarna String Trimmer: 325iLK

When it comes to battery-powered and electric weed eaters, I’m known to have a lot of opinions. In particular, we’ve spent extensive time reviewing one of the market leaders for a multi-head attachment system, the EGO Power+ Multi-Head Combo Kit. We loved it and EGO is super popular because they have a great battery system that works with tons and tons of tools. 

The EGO Multi-Head System.

Husqvarna has their own. The Husqvarna 325iLK string trimmer attachment system is pretty sweet as well. Knowing that Husqvarna is best-in-class with quality is what makes me feel like this system is going to be perfect for Husqvarna loyalists. But not for everybody. 

Here’s what I like:

  • Quick click operating system that allows you to easily detach and attach the attachments
  • An adjustable handle that is helpful when you move from things like a hedge trimmer attachment to a string trimmer attachment
  • A brushless motor – an absolute must-have that means it’s going to be more durable
  • It’s 70 inches long which gives you serious room for things like trimming hedges
  • A massive 16.5 inch cutting swath, which puts in the highest class for battery powered weed eaters

Here’s what I don’t like:

  • 40V 4Ah battery means that you aren’t going to get a long run-time with this.
  • Husqvarna is relatively new to the battery game – if you have another battery powered tool, I’d stick with that line and save big money on batteries.
Photo cred: Husqvarna.

It has pros and cons for sure, but I would definitely stick with gas if I am doing anything more than a small to mid sized yard. Husqvarna has a ways to go when it comes to maturing and refining their battery line-up, but this is a great start for anyone looking to dive in.

Best Curved Shaft Husqvarna String Trimmer: 122C

I am notoriously not a fan of curved shaft string trimmers but some people are and they have good use cases. Curved shaft is great if you hold the string trimmer face down instead of sideways. It’s helpful for cutting long grass where most areas can’t mow. 

The Husqvarna 122C string trimmer is a great curved shaft string trimmer for exactly that kind of use. Another great application for this is for really small yards or side yards that are narrow between houses. Basically, any type of domestic use is great but these are not often used in commercial settings. 

Not my cup of tea.

Here’s why we picked the 122C out of all of Husqvarna’s curved shaft weed eaters:

  • It’s dirt cheap without sacrificing quality
  • It’s got a 17 inch cutting swath, which is huge for a trimmer of this size
  • Extremely light

Guys, I’m admittedly not a huge fan of these and think they’re way too short to be practically used. If you’re going to grab one, I’d grab this one since it’s under $175. 

Best String Trimmer Line for Husqvarna String Trimmer

The best Husqvarna weed eater string is our .095” green, triangle-shaped weed eater string.

We tested dozens of weed eater strings in a bunch of different Youtube videos. Through this process, we discovered this was the perfect combination of attributes to make an indestructible, powerful, and highly visible string trimmer line. 

Final thoughts on Husqvarna and their weed eaters

Husqvarna weed eaters, like all of their other tools, are freaks of nature. Super well built, durable, and powerful lawn tools that will outlast  most, if not all, of your other tools.

You can grab some of these at Lowe’s or go straight to their website and get them shipped to your house. 

Why we review lawn tools

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

How we spend our time now.

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

How to instantly improve your weed eater

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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 Husqvarna

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

These bad boys are serious.

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

That being said, you can see how all of Husqvarna’s industry experience could lead to them making the best weed eaters known to man.

What to look for in a weed eater

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

  • Feel – Obviously this is subjective, but feel is everything to me. I have had weed eaters in the past where the handle is off to the side, making me torque my shoulders and back. If you can, get as many adjustable pieces as possible to make this customizable. It doesn’t seem like you use a weed eater for a long time, but the work is precision work that requires a steady hand and focus.
  • Gas vs Battery Powered Motors – brushless motors are king if you are looking for a battery powered string trimmer.. They are longer lasting and more durable. Regular brushed motors are fine, too. The key difference here is that brushless motors use magnets, instead of friction, to power the motor. This means less heat, more durability, and a longer life. Gas engines are what they are – will last you your whole life but require quite a bit of maintenance, fuel, and are way noisier. But they are generally much more powerful.
  • Curved vs Straight shaft – I always, always, always prefer straight shafts. They are so much easier to use and control and are much longer than curved shafts. Curved shafts are good for clearing out a small piece of land unable to be mowed. But if you want to actually do some good trimming and edging, a straight shaft is much better. Curved shafts are difficult to maneuver and to create a straight line for edging. 
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5 High Quality Husqvarna Riding Mowers

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

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

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

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

Let’s get started.

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

Best Husqvarna Lawn Tractors: Ranked

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

1. Husqvarna YTH24V48 Riding Mower

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

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

Simple, beastly, inexpensive.

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

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

Here’s why I think so:

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

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

2. Husqvarna YTH18542 Riding Mower

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

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

Slimmer but still a beast!

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

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

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

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

3. Husqvarna TS 354XD Riding Mower / Lawn Tractor

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

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

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

The things that really set apart this mower are:

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

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

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

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

4. Husqvarna TS 242XD Riding Mower

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

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

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

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

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

Nice side profile! Photo cred: Husqvarna

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

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

5. Husqvarna TS148X Riding Mower

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

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

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

Photo cred: Husqvarna

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

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

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

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

Why we review lawn tools

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

How we spend our time now.

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

About Husqvarna

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

They’re well known for these bad boys.

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

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

What to look for in a riding mower

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

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

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

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The Husqvarna Z246 Is A Perfect Residential Zero-Turn

The Husqvarna Z246 zero-turn mower is an absolute beast. If you are looking for a zero-turn mower that is somewhere between a residential and commercial mower, this one can do both!

I like the reinforced cutting deck on the Z246.

Bottom Line: The Husqvarna Z246’s combination of an absolute beast of an engine, larger deck, and Husqvarna quality make for one of the best zero-turn mowers on the market. The Z246 is great for residential lawns that are large or smaller commercial projects.

Let’s take a look at the outline for this Husqvarna Z246 zero-turn mower review:

The Husqvarna Z246 review: Features

The Husqvarna Z246 is a high-end residential zero-turn mower. This mower has a great combination of a super powerful, reliable engine, a wide cutting deck, and some nice bells and whistles.

Power breakdown

The Husqvarna Z246 has a 20-horsepower Briggs and Stratton engine. Although the Z254 has a bit more horsepower and width, this bad boy has a little bit smaller of a deck. Don’t be concerned, the 20 horsepower engine is plenty and will not have a much more noticeable difference than the 24hp Z254 mower.

All that being said, the Husqvarna Z246 has some power under the hood. The one thing I love about all Husqvarna products is that they are flat out powerful. The oversized cooling fan, premium air filtration, chrome plated valves and smooth bearings all give this engine a high-end performance that you won’t find from some of the big box retailers.

This thing is a beast.

Another thing I love about Husqvarna is that they know what to outsource. Many of these companies try to vertically integrate and make sure that they own every single part of the mower. Husqvarna has the humility to ensure that their owners are getting a super refined product. Many mowers rely on Briggs and Stratton for their engines because they simply dominate the engineering of that space. When you get into the high horsepower range, you will be glad they decided to loop in Briggs and Stratton. 

Using the Husqvarna Z246 zero-turn mower

One element I love about the Husqvarna Z246 is that the folks over at Husqvarna have mowed lawns before. When putting together machines, they always consider the mowers’ experiences. This one uniquely feels like it was designed for commercial property landscaping, but also able to be used in your backyard. 

For starters, the Z246 comes with an automatic park brake system. When the steering levers are deactivated (resting in a separated form), the parking brake is automatically activated. For context, most zero turn mowers have a separate brake that you have to engage. This is a part of all of their Z200 series mowers and something that is so intuitive, you couldn’t imagine buying a mower without it.  

The Husqvarna Z246 also has an ergonomic control panel. Ergonomic is a label placed on anything, so I rolled my eyes when I first saw this. But it is nice having a panel that includes the ignition, hour meter, and speed control all together in one spot. On the other side of the control panel, there is the deck lift system, which is extremely standard on really any riding mower. Nothing special here. 

This mower does come with the ability for some attachments. One attachment I absolutely love is the striping kit. Just makes your yard pop. The 46 inch mower deck on this is over double the size of your average push mower, so you can save time and money by upgrading to one of these puppies. Compare this to the 42 inch deck on the Z242f, which is slightly smaller.

Drivability

Earlier, when I mentioned that this was designed for commercial folks, I meant it. An example of this is the rubber bellows (little rubber part at the bottom of gear shifters in manual cars), that are at the bottom of the handles. 

You see, these rubber bellows are actually very important and you will see them on industrial equipment for a reason. When moving joints on any metal tool get a lot of use (especially outdoors), they get exposed to grass, twigs, debris, rain, wind, extreme temperature fluctuations, etc.. As we all know, water is the biggest destroyer on the planet. The rubber bellows protect the moving joints on the steering levers and maintain the integrity of the steering components for much longer than its peers.

Lastly, the anti-slip foot area is just another common sense detail found on this mower that actually is missing from a lot. Others will have the smooth, finished steel with holes in it. That is great and all for when you want to hose down the mower, but when you actually need to make an awkward step in or out, you will wish you had an anti-slip surface available. 

The mowing deck has something called “air induction technology” that actually sucks the grass up so the blades can get the most complete cut. For an analogy of this, imagine your hairdresser pulling your hair out with a comb to cut it evenly. The design of this deck does the same thing with air. 

Maintaining zero-turns is a lot of work

The hydrostatic transmission means that this zero-turn mower is going to be relatively maintenance free. The 3-year bumper to bumper warranty is a good faith pledge from the people at Husqvarna that they stand behind their equipment. My suggestion is always to ride the wheels off of this for the first few years while you are still under warranty. 

The durability of this thing is high quality as well. Once you step on and feel the “thud” of your boots on the footplate, you will know that this was constructed with thick steel. The frame and casters as well are pretty dang thick. In some of the other mowers I have tried and reviewed, I read about folks actually cracking the chassis of their mower going over a weird hill or bump. I mean my word people, just put some reinforced steel and wheels on there and avoid losing $3,000+ on a mower. 

Cost and value

The Husqvarna Z246 costs about $3,000. All things considered, this is a tremendous value. In fact for the quality, power, and durability, this is probably the best value of any zero-turn mower I reviewed. I absolutely recommend this product. 

The official review: The Husqvarna Z246

FeatureHusqvarna Z246Comparable residential ZT mower
Difficulty to useBelow average difficultyAverage
DurabilityAbove average durabilityAverage durability
MaintenanceAverage maintenanceAverage maintenance
ValueSuper high valueMedium value
For lots <10,000 sq. ftWould not fitWould not fit
For lots <1 acreProbably overkill but is fun and looks coolProbably overkill but is fun and looks cool
For lots >1 acreHighly recommendedHighly recommended

Looking for something bigger? Gravely makes some zero turn mowers adored by landscapers.

Why we review lawn tools

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

How we spend our time now.

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

About Husqvarna

Husqvarna makes chainsaws, lawn mowers, trimmers,  leaf blowers, snow blowers, pressure washers, edgers, – basically every tool under the sun. Their color scheme of grey and bright orange sticks out like a sore thumb. When you pass by the big commercial mowers, you can almost always spot a Husqvarna product.

Beast mode.

Husqvarna is one of the leading product suppliers for commercial lawn care companies including government and public agencies. Ever wonder how a vast open area at a park gets trimmed? Golf courses, national parks, etc.? It is likely a Husqvarna product. 

If you are wondering how to pronounce Husqvarna, you have come to the wrong place. But this company’s 330 year history started in Sweden by manufacturing muskets. In 1919, they began engineering their first lawnmower engines. Since then, they have become a dominant force in all outdoor equipment.

Zero-turn mowers

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

Transmission is also an important consideration for a zero-turn mower. Most zero turn mowers do not have manual transmissions, but have either automatic or hydrostatic transmissions. Automatic works just like an automatic car does with a gas pedal and belts. Hydrostatic transmissions use fluid to transfer their power to the blades and the rest of the engine. I prefer and recommend hydrostatic transmissions because they typically require less maintenance and have a longer life (plus it sounds cooler).

Cost is generally of the utmost importance as well. Zero-turn mowers are expensive. In fact, you can buy an old Honda Civic for less than most zero turn mowers. Expect to spend no less than $3,000 for a good zero turn mower. Keep in mind that these will last a long time and save you a ton of weekend time.

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The Husqvarna 395XP is a Beast Chainsaw

The Husqvarna 395 XP is an absolute beast of a chainsaw. As one of the more powerful gas chainsaws on the market, you will see both commercial and residential people using this hoss. This animal will chew up and spit out just about anything you throw it’s way.

Brought to you by some of the best to ever do it, this Husqvarna lives up to the brand hype. Specifically designed for heavy duty jobs, this machine might be a little more than most people need but heck, if you can afford it, why not?

Looks kinda scary.

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. 

We’ve got some experience.

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

About Husqvarna

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

Husqvarna’s bread and butter is the heavier, commercial machinery for sure. For example, they don’t have a huge presence in the push mower space, but have some absolute units in the zero-turn mower space. Likewise, they produce big boy commercial lawn mowers and chainsaws that you will see clearing forests – which falls more in line with what we’ll be reviewing today, The Husqvarna 395 XP.

Yeah they also make these bad boys…..

Let’s dive in….

Chainsaws vs Axe vs Handsaws

When purchasing a chainsaw, it’s important to understand if you actually NEED a chainsaw. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a lil vroom vroom but when it hurts my cha ching cha ching, it makes me wonder… Is this the right tool?

All three virtually do the same thing, which is make big pieces of wood smaller. However, each one is targeted for different tasks and frequencies. If you’re cutting down a small tree, clearing some brush or splitting some logs an ax is probably all you’ll ever need.

If, however, you’ve got A LOT of small trees to take down, or some big branches to remove then a chainsaw is probably better for you. A handsaw is somewhere between, usually like a branch that is 2 to 3” in diameter that you want a clean cut for, like removing a branch close to the trunk of a tree.

There are also battery powered chainsaws and even plug-in electric chainsaws, but neither of those are in the same atmosphere as this one.

What to look for in a chainsaw

A solid chainsaw is one of the most important tools a homeowner can have. Buying the right one is absolutely essential to your kids thinking you’re a cool man or woman. Chainsaws come in a variety of different shapes, sizes, type and models. Most are either gas or electric powered. Depending on your application of course, most people can get away with a 14” bar and chain. Unless you’re cutting up massive trees you probably don’t need anything bigger than that. 

A Stihl competitor.

In addition to that, most people nowadays can probably get away with an electric model vs a more powerful, smoother cutting gas powered model. But it’s all personal preference. However, honestly I tend to always go with the bigger more powerful engines because I think they’ll last longer. So far that’s proven to be true, but I could just be wasting money. 

Just make sure your chainsaw at least has a kickback reduction feature. This prevents you from losing one of your precious fingers! You only have 10 of them ya know! Kickback reductions can be in the form of the chain or bar itself. Basically these just prevent you from cutting too aggressively which prevents your saw from bouncing back on you. Or a chain brake which causes the chain to stop when it hits something hard or moves too abruptly 

Other features that are nice to have are more comfort-centric. These include tool-less tensioners, mufflers, anti-vibration, automatic chain oilers, etc. 

Husqvarna 395 XP Chainsaw Functionality

For most homeowners, this Husqvarna is the absolute definition of bringing a gun to a knife-fight. This is honestly probably more than 95% of users need in a chainsaw. But for those of you who would rather be overloaded than under loaded, this saw has more than a few bells and whistles that make it topnotch. 

Usability of the Husqvarna 395 XP

When you’re powering through tons of logs and time is of the essence, a low vibration level and comfortable ergonomics is key. The Husqvarna 395 XP uses the patented LowVib® technology, basically reducing vibration, which SUCKS when you’re using a piece of machinery for a long time. Also, it comes with a 7 degree offset on the handle, further reducing fatigue. 

The magnesium crankcase in the Husqvarna 395xp makes it super easy to use and start.

Another couple other features I like about this saw is the air injection and quick release air filter. The air injection prevents large particulates and other crap from even entering the air filter. And the quick release air filter makes it super fast to change when time is of the essence. 

This saw also comes in 20in, 24in, 28in, 32in and 36in varieties depending on your need. 

Dependability

The Husqvarna 395 XP also comes with a magnesium crankcase and a three-piece crankshaft. The magnesium holds up super well with those higher RPMs and high temperatures. The three-piece crankshaft provides serious durability for the commercial or heavy residential usage. Basically this thing won’t quit before you do. And in the off chance it does, Husqvarna offers a 5 year extended warranty on this guy. All you have to do to get the extended warranty is to buy the Husqvarna oil and register it online. Easy enough. 

From a maintenance perspective, the great thing about this chainsaw is that it has easily accessible filters.

The quick release air filters on the 395 XP.

Power

If you’ve made it this far you’ve heard me say this before but let me reiterate my point, THIS BAD BOY IS AN ABSOLUTE UNIT. Legend says one of these Husqvarna 395 XP chainsaws could clear half the Amazon. 94 cc’s on a chainsaw. If you changed the saw to helicopter blades this could easily take you to the moon. The power output is 6.6 hp (4900 W). That’s a lot. Compared, to the 4 HP offered on the electric Dewalt 60V Chainsaw this will be a massive uptick in power. Understandably so, as this is targeted to professional loggers not your everyday homeowner. 

The Official Review of the Husqvarna 395 XP Chainsaw

Do you need this? Almost certainly, no. Do you want this? Almost certainly, yes. As mentioned several times in this review, the intended use of this chainsaw is commercial tree servicing companies and professional loggers. 99% of homeowners do not need this. BUT if you find yourself in one of the aforementioned categories then you will absolutely not be disappointed in this.

This thing will cut a small forest down like butter. At an average cost of $1,319.99 this is a very expensive model. But you’re buying a Cadillac, not a Kia. Sorry Kia.

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Testing Out My Brother’s Husqvarna Z242F Zero-Turn

The Husqvarna Z242f is one of the more affordable residential zero-turn mowers on the market. One thing we know about Husqvarna is their consistent power output and reliability. Let’s review the critical components of what you need to know before considering the Husqvarna Z242f for a purchase.

Jump ahead:

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. 

The face test.

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. Always feel free to leave a comment or request a review using the form you see at the top of this page.

About Husqvarna

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

Really what they’re known for.

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

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

Zero-turn mowers

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

Transmission is also an important consideration for a zero-turn mower. Most zero turn mowers do not have manual transmissions, but have either automatic or hydrostatic transmissions. Automatic works just like an automatic car does with a gas pedal and belts. Hydrostatic transmissions use fluid to transfer their power to the blades and the rest of the engine. I prefer and recommend hydrostatic transmissions because they typically require less maintenance and have a longer life (plus it sounds cooler).

Cost is generally of the utmost importance as well. Zero-turn mowers are expensive. In fact, you can buy an old Honda Civic for less than most zero turn mowers. Expect to spend no less than $3,000 for a zero turn mower. Keep in mind that these will last a long time and save you a ton of weekend time when compared to a riding tractor or push mower. Zero turn mowers are an upfront investment, but reap a huge return over time.

Husqvarna Z242f: Feature review

Alright, now that we have wrapped our heads around ZT mowers and Husqvarna, let’s check out this specific mower from the Z200 series of Husqvarna.

The Z242f in all its glory.

Power

The Husqvarna Z242f packs a punch, no doubt. This mower has an 18hp Kawasaki engine from their FR series (which is where I think the “f” in Z242f) comes from. The Kawaski engine runs up to almost 7 miles per hour and can cover 2.2 acres in an hour. I don’t know about you, but that acre/hour statistic is pretty compelling, especially if you are looking to save time on the weekends (who isn’t?).

Just about everything you would need for a residential property is covered by this engine. No complaints from a power perspective – this is going to be more than enough to cover a multi-acre parcel of land.

One consideration for this mower, and for the Z200 series as a whole, is what size cutting deck do you need? The Z242f has a 42 inch cutting deck (the 42 in Z242f) that will leave three and a half feet of cut grass behind you. As you think through your land, consider a few things:

How many obstacles do I have to navigate? 

  • The more obstacles you have, the more nimble you will want to be. If you have a ton of trees, flower beds, or other structures, going any higher than a 42 inch deck will require some serious agility.

How much open land do I have?

  • If you have acres of open land and are making straight pass over straight pass, consider a larger deck than a 42 inch deck. If you go up to a 60 inch deck, you will cut an additional foot and a half with each pass. This foot and a half will add up tremendously after a handful of passes, saving you time. And time is money. 
You can see the 42 inch cutting deck clearly labeled on this mower.

Usability

Okay, all the power in the world is totally worthless if it is difficult to use. We have reviewed quite a few Husqvarna zero-turn mowers here at The Lawn Review, but absolutely love the features that come with the Husqvarna Z242f. 

First of all, Husqvarna has a sick automatic park brake system. After you find out what it is, you will wonder why all zero-turn mowers do not have this feature. The park brake system is activated when the steering levers fall to the side (as they naturally do when you let go of them). Yep – it is that simple. No crank you have to crank or anything else that you could forget, and then end up chasing your several thousand dollar mower down the street. 

Photo cred: Tractor Supply Co.

Another great feature of the Husqvarna Z242f is the nice little ergonomic control panel. This has things like an hour meter, choke, speed control, and ignition all in one spot. You would not believe how many manufacturers leave out something simple like an hour meter! 

Husqvarna has also addressed a few of the finer things in life, like a comfortable seat. Yes, a comfortable seat. This does have a downside of no arm rests BUT comes with a cup holder – a total game changer. Armrests are optional and are best suited for those of us with arms. 

Maintenance and durability

The Z242f comes with a hydrostatic transmission, which is an absolute must-have if you own a zero-turn mower. These will help keep your tranny (…) in good shape and tend to last longer than other transmission styles. 

From a maintenance perspective, you will have to do your regular oil changes and air filter changes, both of which are pretty standard and straight forward. Again, this is when the hour meter comes in handy so that you can freaking track when this needs to get done. Even better, it already has programmed service intervals that will remind you when this stuff needs to get done.

To top it off, as with most of their products Husqvarna offers a three year warranty for residential users. See below for reviews from their website:

People like it!

Price and value

Almost spit out my coffee when I checked the price on this bad boy. The Husqvarna Z242f comes in right at $3,000, otherwise known as three racks. 

This is a great price for a residential zero-turn mower. Shoot, there are some lawn tractors we have reviewed that cost this much and those things are not nearly as powerful. 

The official review: Husqvarna Z242f zero turn mower

FeatureHusqvarna Z242Comparable residential ZT mower
Difficulty to useSlightly above averageAverage
DurabilityAverage durabilityAverage durability
MaintenanceAvg. maintenanceAvg. maintenance
ValueVery high valueMedium value
For lots <10,000 sq. ftWould not fitWould not fit
For lots <1 acreProbably overkill but is fun and looks coolProbably overkill but is fun and looks cool
For lots >1 acreHighly recommendedHighly recommended
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The Husqvarna 125B is The Classic Handheld Leaf Blower

The Husqvarna 125B is a light, easy-to-use leaf blower offered by the folks at Husqvarna and I highly recommend it. In fact, my nextdoor neighbor owns this blower and absolutely crushes his front yard with it.

While Husqvarna is known for their mega-powerful backpack blowers, zero-turn mowers, and trimmers – the 125B is showing off their softer side.

The sleek in-line design of the Husqvarna 125B

Handheld blowers are not for plots of land with a ton of acres. They are for normal residential folks like you and me who want to clean off their back porch or driveway. While seemingly unassuming, the 125B still packs a punch and comes with all of the great features you would expect in a Husqvarna blower. 

Let’s check it out:

Husqvarna 125B Gas Powered Blower: Features

There are a lot of things to like about the Husqvarna 125B – let’s get started by reviewing the most important things to keep an eye out for when picking a blower that is right for you.

Power output on the Husqvarna 125B Blower

Alright, I know I started this review by knocking handheld blowers a little bit and letting you know that they did not have a ton of power. This lack of power is only in comparison to the big backpack blowers. 

The Husqvarna 125B still packs a punch. This blower moves air at about 425 cubic feet per minute, or 170 mph with a flat nozzle. Nozzle shape totally impacts the speed at which air leaves the nozzle. For higher-powered, focused streams, you will want to use something like a flat nozzle attachment. If you are wanting to push a bigger pile and are not as focused, using a round, open nozzle will be better for you. 

For comparison sake, most electric blowers put out around 125 mph of air, so the 125B will still provide more “umph” than you would get otherwise. The narrow nozzle for this blower will be super helpful for knocking away wet leaves and even clearing snow off of your car. 

The flat-tip nozzle attachment for the 125B

How many cc is a Husqvarna 125B?

The Husqvarna 125B has 28 cubic centimeters of cylinder displacement, or 1.1 horsepower. 

Using the blower

Obviously there are a lot of things to like about the Husqvarna 125B, but let’s break each of those down. For starters, the thing weighs 9.4 lbs – which is extremely light for a blower. You don’t have to add on a huge 4 lb battery either, which is a plus. 

Next, the handle has a few key components that make operating this blower easy. The auto return stop switch makes re-starting the blower super easy after you cut it off. There are countless times when I am blowing that I have to cut power and move something out of the way. What traditionally would have re-started the multiple pull-string attempts has been squashed by the auto return stop switch, allowing for a quick pull and being ready to get back to work. 

This blower also features a trigger handle with air speed cruise control. Simply dial the lever to lock in a speed, saving you some finger ache. The tube also has an adjustable length to help get underneath tables and decks, or to back up and cover a wider area.

The trigger handle with cruise control on the 125B.

One often overlooked component in a blower is which direction the airflow comes from. Many blowers have an offset airflow, meaning the direction of the air flow is not in line with where the handle is. This makes for an uncomfortable holding position that has the operator using unnecessary force to keep the blower straight. The inline design on the 125B prevents that from happening.

Durability and maintaining a gas blower

The one thing I love and hate about gas blowers as opposed to electric blowers is the durability and maintenance. They go together – less maintenance, less durability – more maintenance, more durability. 

The 125B does not require an oil change, but does take a mixture of fuel. Otherwise, this blower requires the occasional filter change and that’s about it.

Husqvarna 125B blower fuel mixture

The fuel mixture required on a Husqvarna 125B is 1 gallon of gasoline to 2.5 ounce of two-stroke oil, or 2% (1:50). 

Husqvarna 125B price and value

The Husqvarna 125B leaf blower costs about $170 on Amazon. I think this is a very high value. In fact, this is less expensive than most electric blowers but provides more power, will last longer, and has the trusted guarantee of a Husqvarna product.

The official review: Husqvarna 125B

FeatureHusqvarna 125BElectric blower
Difficulty to useMore difficult to start and storeEasier to start
DurabilityMuch more durableAvg. durability
MaintenanceAverage maintenanceNo maintenance
ValueHigh valueLow to medium value
For lots <10,000 sq. ftHighly recommendedHighly recommended
For lots <1 acreHighly recommendedLess recommended
For lots >1 acreNot recommendedLess recommended

Why we review leaf blowers

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 test products.

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

About Husqvarna products

Husqvarna manufactures chainsaws, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, trimmers, snow blowers, edgers, pressure washers – basically any outdoor tool you could imagine. They stand out with their bright-orange color scheme. The chances that you have seen a ton of their products when you are out for a drive are extremely high. 

They are most known for these bad boys.

Husqvarna is one of the leading product suppliers for commercial lawn care companies including government and public agencies. Ever wonder how a vast open area at a park gets trimmed? It is likely a Husqvarna product. 

If you are wondering how to pronounce Husqvarna, you have come to the wrong place. But this company’s 330 year history started in Sweden by manufacturing muskets. In 1919, they began engineering their first lawnmower engines. Since then, they have become a dominant force in all outdoor equipment. 

Handheld leaf blowers: electric vs. gas

The Husqvarna 125B is a handheld blower powered by gas. Most handheld blowers have electric power sources, whether they are corded or battery-powered. There are a few main pros and cons when looking at a gas handheld blower:

Pros and cons of handheld gas blower:

  1. PRO: They tend to be more powerful (170 mph)
  2. PRO: They tend to have a longer run-time
  3. PRO: Handheld gas blowers will last many years
  4. PRO: You don’t have to worry about charging it
  5. CON: Maintenance and blending oil/gas
  6. CON: Noise levels are higher
  7. CON: Starting takes longer

Pros and cons of electric blowers:

  1. PRO: Super easy to operate, no maintenance
  2. PRO: Generally lighter
  3. PRO: Battery can often be used in other tools
  4. CON: Battery life can run short
  5. CON: Less powerful on average
  6. CON: Corded blowers require long extension cords
Comparing a gas and an electric blower.

As you can see, there is not really a “better” option, simply whatever you prefer and what your jobs require. 

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Husqvarna MZ61 Zero-Turn Mower: A Massive Beast

The Husqvarna MZ61 zero-turn mower is simply a beast. One of the biggest, baddest zero-turn mowers I have had the pleasure of reviewing, this thing absolutely means business.

Photo cred: Husqvarna

If you don’t want to read much further, here’s the bottom line: the Husqvarna MZ61 zero-turn mower is from an extremely high-performing class of mowers and is extremely wide, making your job way quicker. I recommend it.

The folks over at Husqvarna have a reputation for putting out monster equipment so I am excited for us to roll up our sleeves and dig in. 

Let’s get started, click these links to jump ahead:

The Husqvarna MZ61: Feature review

The first thing to know about the MZ61 is that it is one of the biggest zero-turn mowers offered by Husqvarna. The 61 obviously stands for a 61 inch cutting deck, which is over 5 feet wide. This is not your neighborhood lawn mower, but more for those of us with a lot of land or commercial obligations.

The Husqvarna MZ61 in all of its glory.

Power provided by Briggs and Stratton

The Husqvarna MZ61 boasts a 27hp engine, which is on par for some motorcycles. This thing is an absolute beast. Briggs and Stratton manufactures the engine, which is a feature I love. Husqvarna often outsources their engines to Briggs and Stratton, who have perfected and refined small engines. They provide lawn mower engines to some Toro mowers as well. 

The engine is a V-twin Endurance engine that features premium air filtration, chrome plated valves, super finished bearing surfaces, and an oversized cooling fan. Translating all of this into English, this mower is super durable and can handle several days in a row of runtime, thick brush, and high speeds. 

Super wide cutting deck and operations

As mentioned earlier, the Husqvarna MZ61 has a 61 inch cutting deck (or 5 feet and 1 inch). That is huge. The deck itself is fabricated 11 gauge steel with three anti-scalp wheels. Anti-scalp wheels prevent against scalping, or when the blades run into the earth when maneuvering over uneven terrain or hills. The deck lifting system is manual and foot-operated whereas the blade engagement system is an electric clutch. The cutting height has 12 steps, or levels, that dictate the length of grass you would like to cut. 

The three (yes, three) blades underneath this beast rotate at about 18,500 fpm and can handle even the densest of brush. Unfortunately, the MZ61 does not come with a deck wash port that allows for a hose to be directly connected to the deck to remove any built up debris like caked-on grass. 

Another often overlooked feature of this mower is the 6 inch castor wheels on the front. These are massive front wheels that allow for a sturdy ride that is also easily maneuverable. 

Comfort

Of course one of the best things about Husqvarna zero-turn mowers like the MZ61 is the comfort. Husqvarna designers are definitely people who have used zero-turn mowers before and every user experience detail is confronted. 

First, the Husqvarna MZ61 has armrests. So many dang lawn mowers come without armrests and I always wonder why. They are absolutely essential for anyone who has to mow more than 10 minutes at a time, and they are a huge pain to go without.

Arm rests are game changers.

Second, the super high-back chair on the Husqvarna MZ61 is unrivaled. Most zero-turn mowers have a 15 inch chair, and that is being generous. The MZ61 has a 21 inch chair back. Yep, the designer has mowed a large property before. It is so crazy how this is easily overlooked – I am guessing that it is an expensive feature or something? 

I always love the other simple things like a cup holder and phone holder. The Husqvarna MZ61 has all of these. 

Durability and maintenance

Something missing from a lot of mowers is an hour meter. Hour meters keep track of how long you have been mowing so that you know when you need to do an oil change and other routine maintenance. The Husqvarna MZ61 has an hour meter with a service reminder built in, which helps keep you focused on the job instead of manually tracking. 

The built in hour meter on the MZ61, with a service reminder.

The transmission on the MZ61 is also an integrated zero-turn transmission with features that contribute to longer life like charge-pumps, larger axles, and expansion tanks. For other features underneath like belt replacements, etc. you can simply remove the foot pan to access a significant amount of deck-related hardware. 

The oversized chassis with massive dimensions help provide a durable frame. In combination with the 6-inch caster wheels and massive rear tires, the frame and drive on this mower are extremely durable. You can also buy a roll over protection system (ROPS) as an optional add-on to protect against any rollover concerns. 

The easy access points on the Husqvarna MZ61 for any service needs.

Frankly, this thing is built like a tank and you will not have any concerns about durability. 

Cost and value

I do not particularly like talking about the cost and price associated with mowers like these because these are truly investments. 

The MZ61 comes in at just over $5,000. To me, this is a high-value purchase. With proper maintenance and attention, this mower is going to last you for a decade or longer. If you have more than 2 acres, this mower is absolutely the top of the line.

The official review: Husqvarna MZ61 zero-turn mower

FeatureHusqvarna MZ61Comparable residential ZT mower
Difficulty to useBelow average difficultyAverage
DurabilityAbove average durabilityAverage durability
MaintenanceAverage maintenanceAverage maintenance
ValueSuper high valueMedium value
For lots <10,000 sq. ftWould not fitWould not fit
For lots <1 acreToo largeProbably overkill but is fun and looks cool
For lots >1 acreHighly recommendedHighly recommended

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 review and test tools.

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.

Husqvarna’s reputation

Husqvarna is one of the leading product suppliers for commercial lawn care companies including government and public agencies. Ever wonder how a vast open area at a park gets trimmed? Golf courses, national parks, etc.? It is likely a Husqvarna product. 

Everyone knows Husqvarna for these…

Husqvarna makes chainsaws, lawn mowers, trimmers, leaf blowers, snow blowers, pressure washers, edgers, – basically every tool under the sun. Their color scheme of grey and bright orange sticks out like a sore thumb. When you pass by the big commercial mowers, you can almost always spot a Husqvarna product.

If you are wondering how to pronounce Husqvarna, you have come to the wrong place. But this company’s 330 year history started in Sweden by manufacturing muskets. In 1919, they began engineering their first lawnmower engines. Since then, they have become a dominant force in all outdoor equipment. 

Zero-turn mowers

I usually give a run down of zero-turn mowers and why they are superior for large yards. I compare them to lawn tractors and push mowers and all that jazz. But if you searched for the Husqvarna MZ61 and stumbled upon this review, I am guessing you are an experienced mower and have had a zero-turn mower in the past. 

The long and the short of it is that Husqvarna’s are high quality machines. Their zero-turn mowers, particularly this one, are top of the line and absolutely sweet. Let’s not waste any time trying to explain what the best yards are for zero-turn mowers and get into the review.

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The Husqvarna Backpack Blower with Extreme Power

The Husqvarna 350BT is a big, bad blower offered by Husqvarna. The Husqvarna backpack blower was designed for the large yard owner, and it shows.

The long, wide tube of the Husqvarna 350BT

Bottom Line: The Husqvarna 350BT is great for large yards or commercial landscaping use. You can grab it on Amazon or at a local Husqvarna dealer.

Let’s check out the guide for today’s review:

Husqvarna 350BT Backpack Leaf Blower review: Features

The Husqvarna 350BT has a ton to love, while a few things that are less than ideal. Let’s check out each focus area to see what to think of this blower.

Top tier power

The Husqvarna 350BT has a 50cc engine with about 2.1 hp of power output. This has a cfm of just over 494, which puts it in a slightly higher range for gas blowers. The airspeed leaving the pipe is about 180 mph. The Husqvarna 150BT has a little less cfm, but higher airspeed….how is this possible?

The Husqvarna 350BT has a wider nozzle, meaning it blows a wider path at a slightly lower speed. This is what contributes to the 350BT being a large yard blower. The backpack blower simply moves large quantities of air at a time versus being a focused, narrow streamline. 

For those looking to move large piles of leaves, the 350BT will likely be better suited for the job. The 150BT will be great for things like cleaning up grass clippings that have a propensity to stick to concrete. This narrow stream of the 150BT allows for focused power in specific areas.

Comfortable experience

Here is an area of the Husqvarna 350BT that is simply unmatched. You can tell when you strap on one of these blowers that the designers and manufacturers have simply done a lot of yard work. 

The 350BT comes with an ergonomic handle that is to the side of the blower. The positioning of the handle is important. Some handles are right over the top of the blower arm, meaning you are constantly thrusting against the direct force of the blower. This one is slightly offset, meaning you feel less of that “kick” against your hand while blowing. The handle is also adjustable and has settings right at the tip of your fingers so that you do not have to fidget around making adjustments.

The offset handle on the Husqvarna 350BT.

One downside to this blower is the back. While the straps are comfortable, the back is hard plastic and has the engine parts screwed into it. This makes it feel like you are wearing an engine sitting on top of hard plastic. It does not necessarily feel like a solid machine but more of a conglomeration of random parts. Overall, the back part is just uncomfortable and unnatural feeling – especially compared to some of the competitor backpack blowers.

The blower will last a long time with proper maintenance

As is the usual situation with Husqvarna products, maintenance is super simple. These blowers do not require an oil change or anything like that, simply an air filter change. The air filter is super simple to pop off and replace, so that will be the bulk of any maintenance.

The handle on the 350BT, up-close with functions.

I have mentioned this several times, but my Ryobi blower attachment for my 3-in-1 Ryobi yard tool simply sucks. I have had to purchase a new blower attachment for two straight years because they are cheap and loserish. Husqvarna blowers will last you 10-15 years with proper maintenance. I highly recommend saving some money in the long run, and purchasing one of these today. 

Husqvarna 350BT vs 150BT blowers

So basically, these are very similar blowers. The 350BT is going to have slightly more power with less speed, but directed over a larger area. The 150BT is going to be great for smaller yards, or more focused jobs (like blowing off wet grass). Both weigh about the same amount, have the same maintenance, and similar usability.

It’s pretty dang slick.

Price

The Husqvarna 350BT comes in at about $350 to $400 (or cheaper on Amazon). This is going to be $30 to $40 higher than the 150BT, but can be definitely worth it if you have a larger yard.

This price range is a really great value. Like I mentioned earlier, this blower will last you for 10-15 years if you treat it right. In that time, I would blow (ha) $600 to $800 on electric blowers that failed for whatever reason. 

The official review: Husqvarna 350BT backpack blower

FeatureHusqvarna 350BTElectric blower
Difficulty to useMore difficult to start and storeEasier to start
DurabilityMuch more durableAvg. durability
MaintenanceAverage maintenanceNo maintenance
ValueHigh valueLow to medium value
For lots <10,000 sq. ftLess recommendedHighly recommended
For lots <1 acreHighly recommendedLess recommended
For lots >1 acreHighly recommendedLess recommended

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 review tools.

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.

Leaf blowers: Electric vs. Gas

Obviously you have two options when selecting a leaf blower: electric or gas. They are worlds apart in just about every aspect. Electric leaf blowers tend to be cheaper, weaker, and only last a few seasons. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I used to have a Ryobi leaf blower attachment that came on their 3-in-1 tool kit. I have now gone through two of the leaf blower heads in which they start making a high pitch scraping noise when I am using it. 

An electric blower we own.

Gas blowers are superior in almost every way. They are super strong, last many seasons, and quickly get the job done. The reason you see every professional lawn care person using a backpack blower is because they work extremely well. Let’s dig into that more below.

Backpack blowers

As you may know, I have already reviewed a few other backpack blowers in addition to today’s. This includes the Husqvarna 150BT, a slightly different backpack blower offered by Husqvarna. One thing you need to know about backpack blowers is that they are the ultimate leaf blowers when it comes to medium to large yards.

Think about it – it takes a bit of time to get the backpack blower fired up, strapped on, and comfortable to use. Make sure it is worth your time to get a big, bad blower like one of these before you purchase. If you have a relatively small yard, consider a handheld blower or battery-powered blower. These can save you set-up time despite being weaker and limited.

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Why I Really Like Husqvarna’s 150BT Backpack Blower

The Husqvarna 150BT leaf blower is a backpack blower that packs a punch. In fact, if you’ve spent any time driving around during the fall months, you will see professional landscapers wearing these things around. Backpack blowers are great for commercial landscapers, but also fantastic for homeowners as well. 

While they aren’t quite as easy to use as electric blowers, backpack blowers have way more power, save you time, and last for years. 

Let’s check out today’s review:

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 test out tools.

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.

Leaf blowers: An overview

Obviously you have two options when selecting a leaf blower: electric or gas. They are worlds apart in just about every aspect. Electric leaf blowers tend to be cheaper, weaker, and only last a few seasons. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I used to have leaf blower attachment that came on their 3-in-1 tool kit. I have now gone through two of the leaf blower heads in which they start making a high pitch scraping noise when I am using it. 

Gas blowers are superior in almost every way. They are super strong, last many seasons, and quickly get the job done. The reason you see every professional lawn care person using a backpack blower is because they work extremely well. Let’s dig into that more below.

Husqvarna’s reputation

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

They also make these….

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

The Husqvarna 150BT Leaf Blower: Features

The Husqvarna 150BT leaf blower has a ton of features that you need to be aware of. Let’s check out how they measure up to their peers and what to look for when picking a backpack blower.

Looks pretty nice!

Power

The Husqvarna 150BT is admittedly a mid-size backpack blower that provides mid-range commercial power. Still blowing leaves at a whopping 251 mph, this blower is enough to get most jobs done. 

The 150BT has a 50cc engine with about 434 cfm, which is cubic feet per minute, a measurement used in blowers to indicate the amount of air leaving the blower. 400-500 cfm is pretty standard for a gas powered blower and well above the normal range for an electric blower. While there is a lot left to be desired for commercial blowers, this blower is going to still get the job done. In fact, this blower will be well suited for a residential property as well. 

Need more power? Check out the big brother review here.

Usability

The Husqvarna 150BT blower is pretty slick. It has an ergonomic handle on the right side that will help steer the blower, but also has a trigger and spring-loaded “On-Off” switch for easy starting. 

Compared to other backpack blowers that I have used, the expandable, flexible, rubber portion on the right side attached to the handle is a lot shorter. This will not impact the operations that much, but does limit the range of motion slightly. Another thing that sticks out about this blower is the long nozzle. Long blower nozzles are great, especially for talk people like me, but it narrows quite a bit and again reduces the range of motion.

The backpack itself is a little different from other backpack blowers that I have reviewed. It really is an engine and all of the associated mechanical components attached to a plastic board that has straps on it. Compared to some of the other backpack blowers, it feels a little less ergonomic and more like something you would self-engineer. 

Not as tightly put together.

Maintenance (the Husqvarna 150BT air filter)

Something beautiful about Husqvarna products is the incredible durability of their products. Unlike lawn mowers, backpack blowers take an oil-gas mixture when you fill up. For products like these, you only really need to worry about the air filter, which should be a straightforward change out process. 

This handle is super easy to use and control.

When I first started checking out the Husqvarna 150BT, I heard from so many others that they had owned an older version for 10-15 years. I know the price tag on blowers like these can be intense, but truly – they are an incredible investment.

I have blown through (haha) two electric blowers in the span of one year. Each time I think I dropped close to $150 to replace. I’ll get more into the cost and value of a Husqvarna BT150, but I think you will be able to do the math on how much you can save by purchasing one of these.

Price and value

The Husqvarna BT150 comes in at around $300 to $350. As I just mentioned, this is a reasonable price. While higher than most electric or battery powered blowers, $325 (average) is great for a backpack blower.

Photo cred: Amazon.

This thing is pretty sweet, and will take your lawn care up a huge notch. We got it on Amazon and had a great experience, but it can also be found at other places.

For clarity, most electric blowers are north of $100 and in my experience, only last a few seasons. The BT150 will last you much longer with the right maintenance. In my opinion, it is a great investment. 

The official review: Husqvarna 150BT backpack blower

FeatureHusqvarna 150BTElectric blower
Difficulty to useMore difficult to start and storeEasier to start
DurabilityMuch more durableAvg. durability
MaintenanceAverage maintenanceNo maintenance
ValueHigh valueLow to medium value
For lots <10,000 sq. ftLess recommendedHighly recommended
For lots <1 acreHighly recommendedLess recommended
For lots >1 acreHighly recommendedLess recommended
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