Many lawn mower manufacturers are producing high quality, durable mowers these days. That has advantages and disadvantages.

The consumer now has a wide variety to choose from, so there is a good quality lawn mower for every job and budget. That is the positive side. The downside is that the choice is more difficult and confusing now due to so many options.

Your first option is to decide if you need a manual mower or if you need a portable mower. A manual mower is one that you push. These can be electric or gasoline. They are quite versatile; this and an edger can take care of all the different areas of a lawn.

But back to basics: what brand will you buy? With so many high-quality brands vying for your dollar, it can be very difficult to choose. Choose the right mower for the job and your price range.

If you’re looking for the quiet energy efficiency of a cordless electric lawn mower, you’ll want to try Honda, Black & Decker, or Simplicity. On the other hand, if you want a traditional gasoline mower, the best ones are Toro, Reel, Snapper and MTD.

Mounted mowers are of a different breed. You definitely want a ride-on lawn mower if you’re mowing commercially or have a large yard. For ride-on mowers, choose Murray, John Deere, or Husqvarna. They always get rave reviews and have zero turn radius (they can pivot in place, they don’t have to circle or U-turn). These run on gas or gasoline.

Part of the expense of your lawn mower will be repair and maintenance. Even if you take good care of the mower, it will still be a machine and there will be wear and tear. Consider replacing belts, putting in new blades or sharpening old ones, and having to make repairs to the engine.

The engine is actually the part that you really want to keep an eye on. The mulching deck will probably last forever and give you no problems, but the motor can be a real headache Ð and expensive Ð if it needs to be replaced. Take special care to keep the engine retaining oil and do not store your lawn mower with gasoline in the tank.