If your lawn deserves a new mower this year, you can pay up to $1,000 for a leading model - but there are also some top performers for less than $400.
Testers put 50 mowers through their paces. Both push and self-propelled mowers from Lawn-Boy, Craftsman, Troy-Bilt and other manufacturers were included.
The mowers are tested on six acres of grass in Fort Myers, Florida. Then Consumer Reports testers get down to business on their hands and knees to inspect how well each mower cuts.
Every mower is rated for its ability to cut in several modes: side discharge, mulching, and bagging. Good mowers disperse clippings evenly, not in big clumps.
Consumer reports found one of the best performing push mowers is also budget friendly.
The Lawn Boy 10640C sells for about $330, and is the company's top-rated mower. It's especially good at mulching and side discharge. You'll need side discharge when your grass is too tall for bagging and mulching.
Toro Recycler model 20332C is more expensive at $530 - but it rated higher in overall performance.
For electrics, Consumer Reports gives top ratings to two Black and Decker models. The cordless CMM1200 and the corded Lawn Hog, model MM875.
Many Vancouver-area lawns are small enough you can get by with just a push-type reel mower.
The advantage: they're good for the environment, and you get some exercise too.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen
