There is no denying the great aesthetic touch a well-tended lawn gives to any home. There are many ways to tend to your lawn and our focus today is on the use of mulching to achieve this. Mulching helps to keep the soil nourished and in turn, you get a beautiful natural green covering for your front or back yard.
Mulch reduces soil erosion, adds to the soil’s organic matter, and reduces evaporation therefore this content enriches the soil providing needed nutrients for plant matter to grow which in this case is grass. Lawnmowers play an instrumental part in achieving this by chopping up the grass into tiny bits before having them go back on the ground as mulch.
In this review, we look at top contenders for the best lawn mower for mulching leaves and everything bit you need to know about mowers with mulching capability. Let’s dive in!
Best Lawn Mower for Mulching Leaves-Top Picks
1) Greenworks 12 Amp 20-inch 3-in-1 Electric Corded Lawn Mower
Greenworks 12 Amp 20-inch 3-in-1 Electric Corded Lawn Mower racks up points when it comes to convenience and best value for money for small size yards. For convenience and ease of operation, this lawnmower has foldable handles to save on storage space. The mower is compactly manufactured to be lightweight and comes with proper-sized wheels that easily maneuver tight spaces and corners. Its compact lightweight nature makes it suitable for use on regular basis plus it is designed with a focus on noise reduction in that it emits fewer vibrations when being used. The top and cutting deck are made of steel that remains solidly useful for a long time. The 20-inch dimension of the cutting edge gives a wide area for efficient cut-through. Cutting height can be adjusted in 7 different positions from 1.5 to 3.75 inches. The 12-amp motor offers efficiency in cutting down tender to the toughest of grass varieties. Being an electric lawnmower, run-time is unlimited and it incorporates an integrated cord lock that prevents the cord from getting disconnected. When it comes to mulching, there is a 3-in-1 system that features rear collection, mulching, and side discharge. Features
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2) Craftsman M215 Self-Propelled Gas-Powered Lawn Mower with Bagger
Should you opt for the gas option, Craftsman M215 is among the best lawn mowers for mulching leaves. 159 cc is enough engine power for cutting through almost all grass types. The inclusion of the auto choke feature makes the startup process an easy one. This mower also bears the 3-in-1 system of side and rear discharging and carries out mulching as well. Self-propulsion combines with variable front-wheel speed to make it easy to quickly turn and go in all directions during mowing. Its structure is designed in such a way that the rear wheels are higher and larger than the front ones so you can tip up and turn when need be. The rear wheels size allows the lawnmower to work on uneven terrain easily as well. With such a design the weight of the lawnmower is not felt as you move it about. Dual-lever on the lawnmower enables you to adjust to six different cutting heights to suit your preference as you chop off the grass on the yard. Features
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3) Sun Joe 24V-X2-17LM-CT Cordless Mulching Lawn Mower
The battery-powered Sun Joe Cordless Mulching Lawn Mower does a good job in cutting grass at different mow height settings, collection, and runs for up to 75 minutes. For this lawnmower, you will need two iON+ 24 Volt batteries and a charger to experience uninterrupted mowing. The 670 watts engine can be counted upon to keep the mower running for a long period while retaining the needed power for cutting. The steel blade inside offers 17 inches cutting width in every pass and cutting can be adjusted from 1 to 3 inches in six different settings for precision. To keep the lawn neat from unnecessary clipping litter the mower features the 11-gallon grass collection bag. It also has a built-in grass indicator window to let you know when it is time to empty the bag. Lastly, for smooth mobility, you get easy-glide wheels to move around the lawn quickly. Features
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4) WORX WG779 40V Power Share 4.0 Ah 14” Lawn Mower
Still, on battery-powered mowers, we have a WORX lawn mower that also works best for mulching leaves. When it is fall and leaves are causing a sight nuisance you can get rid of them using this lawn mower that gives you the option to bag them for later disposal or to use them for mulching. This is made possible by the 2-in-1 system of mulch or bag collected chippings in the .85 bushels capacity bag, which is close to 8 gallons. That is not all, the bag has an indicator that lets you know when it is time to empty the contents. This lawnmower boasts state-of-the-art construction which is seen through the Intellicut feature that torque when needed in tough conditions. Simply put, the amount of power needed to rotate and twist cutting blades remains reliable even those tough grass blades. Batteries are rechargeable and the dual-port charger comes with indicators that tell when they are fully charged. Another thing to love about WORX Power Share is that you can use the 20V batteries on any WORX power share tool. Features
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5) Craftsman M105 140cc Gas Powered Push 21-inch 3-in-1 Lawn Mower
It is annoying to have an untidy yard and the only way you can get your mower to start up is by first battling your way past the choke. If you find yourself cheesed off by this process, it is time to consider our next best lawn mower for mulching leaves, the Craftsman M105 Gas Powered Push Lawn Mower. The 140cc engine comes with auto choke and recoil, you just need to pull and the mower starts running. Deck width is 21 inches that are enough size for mowing small to medium size yards. It has both side and rear discharge design alongside the ability to mulch. The bagger attached to it takes the chipping collection assignment seriously. On height adjustment, there is a dual lever that helps switch between the 6 height settings available. Overall, it is durably constructed with the wheels having zag treads for smooth propulsion on the lawn. What’s more? Every purchase comes backed with a 2-year warranty. Features
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6) Greenworks 40V 16-inch Cordless Push Lawn Mower
Cordless lawn mowers have several advantages that give them a leading edge over their corded counterparts. The range covered when mowing is increased and so is mobility. Cordless lawn mowers are particularly useful for mowing distances longer than 100 feet without the need for a power outlet. Greenworks Cordless Push Lawn Mower is one of the cordless types you come by in the search for the best lawn mower for mulching leaves that do not necessarily need a power outlet to run. Fully charged batteries guarantee up to 45 minutes of runtime. The 16-inch-wide cutting deck comfortably handles mowing through small to medium size yards. A single lever 5-position height adjustment offers a maximum of 3.4 to 1.3 inches height change allowance. The fact that it runs on gas makes it environment-friendly and easy to operate as the startup is just by the push of a button. Greenworks lawn mowers are also made with foldable handles to save on space. Features
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See Also
- Best Self-Propelled Electric Lawn Mowers
- Electric Lawn Mower for Medium Garden
- Reel Mower with Bag
- Best Self-Propelled Lawn Mowers
- Self-Propelled Mulching Lawn Mowers
Choosing the Best Lawn Mower for Mulching Leaves
Blade Type/ Size
One of the main things to consider when getting a lawnmower for mulching is the blade specifically the blade type found in the mower. There are several types of mower blades the most common ones being: high lift, low lift, and mulching blades. High lift blades are useful for bagging purposes and in the prevention of grass clogging up in that cutting area.
Low lift blades on the other hand are great for self-discharge mowers. They are designed to let grass stay in the lower parts of the mower for quick release through the side of the mower.
Mulching blades, which are what you are looking for, are more of low lift blades made with an additional short dip that assists toss around leaves and grass inside the mower for extra chopping before it is let back out into the soil.
Additionally, the blade width is important to bear in mind while purchasing as it determines how big or small the cuts will be and how many passes you will need to make in a particular lawn area. Different blade widths apply to different yard sizes.
Lawn/ Yard Size
The lawn dimensions are also part of the centerpiece and could determine the type of lawnmower to be chosen. A large yard would call for a gas-powered lawnmower while for the medium size one you may have the luxury of choosing from the electric, cordless, or petrol mowers.
Small size yards do just fine with cord or electric mowers. Understanding the size of your yard helps with selecting the best lawn mower for mulching purposes.
Lawn Mower Type
This is closely tied to yard size and also personal preference. Here are some of the types of lawn mowers you will come across.
- Push Mower: With this choice, you will be required to push the mower on the lawn as you go about mowing. It appeals to most users because there are a variety of options that are mostly budget-friendly than the other types.
- Self-Propelled Mower: this type requires your input only in controlling its direction. There are two options: rear-drive and front-drive self-propelled mowers. The rear drive works well in hilly regions with the front-drive mower working best in flat areas. Depending on what you need, you can choose the best lawn mower for mulching leaves designed to suit your yard orientation.
- Ride-on Mower: If you want to mow and mulch a vast area this is a perfect fit. As the name already suggests, you ride on it as you go about mowing.
Power Source
Considering the power source will save you a few bucks in the long run. The power source is widely divided between gas and electricity. Lawnmowers that run on gas are considered to offer more run-time over the electric ones. The challenge with gas-run mowers is that they are messier than the electric ones and that they call for high maintenance.
Electric lawnmowers are preferred over the gas ones and come corded or cordless. Of course, the length of the cord can be a limiting factor if you want to cover huge acreage while the cordless one may necessitate the use of extra batteries otherwise it will go off mid mowing.
Otherwise, electric mowers are easy to use and maintain. As long as the power is working as should be, using the lawnmower for mulching will present the desired result.
Another class of lawnmowers are those powered by batteries and will usually require charging after they run out. Nonetheless, all options are a great fit depending on individual preferences.
Noise
As the lawnmower works, there are a lot of vibrations from the running of blades and the engine which more often results in noise. Seeing that you do not want the noise all over your ears let alone annoying the neighbors, it is wise to choose from the electric lawn mower types.
Gas lawn mowers are noisier compared to electric ones so you are safe going with the latter. Currently, most lawnmower manufacturers have been actively focused on noise reduction when manufacturing mowers to deal with this inefficiency.
Best Lawn Mower for Mulching Leaves FAQs
Q: What is Mulching?
A: Mulching can be easily defined as a form of soil conservation that entails the use of organic matter such as leaves to cover the areas left between plants to preserve moisture and add to the soil’s nutrient profile.
Q: What Lawn Mower Height is Best for Mulching?
A: The unwritten rule during mowing is that the mower should be at a high of between 2 to 2.5 inches in height and never cut one-third of the grass blade at any given time. It could also be dependent on weather say for instance during hot summers do not cut too short and in chilly weather or rainy season you can go down a little.
Q: Is there a difference between mulch and compost?
A: Mulch is best for majorly reducing erosion, moisture loss, and curtailing weed growth whereas compost is used mostly to enrich the soil structure and nutrient make-up. Compost is mixed in the soil while mulch just goes over the top of the soil surface.
Q: Mulching or Regular Lawn Mower?
A: The major difference between these two types of lawn mowers is that one lets out grass after the first cut while the other swirl them for a while before ejecting them. If you are focused on mulching then better find one designed for that given purpose.
Conclusion
Mulching leaves is an ideal alternative to raking while trying to keep the yard neat. It is a hassle-free economic way to save on time and money which is why lawn mowers for mulching leaves make a worthwhile investment. You do not need to stack up bags of fertilizer to enrich the soil in an effort to green up your yard. Salt away your money in a good lawn mower and change your mowing experience.