Lawn Mower Accessories

When you consider a lawn mower purchase, you need to think about the types of accessories that you will need to make the most use of your mower.  There are a variety of different lawn mower accessories-the type of mower available depends upon whether you have a riding lawn mower or a push lawn mower.

Accessories to Leave at the Store

Some lawn mower parts are not worth the extra money.  The following lawn mower parts may not be needed if you have adequate storage for your mower.  You do not need a lawn-mower cover if you have a secure, low-dust space to store your mower.  You do not need a bag for your mower if you plan to mulch your clippings and do not anticipate going long stretches between mowing. Some people might disagree with this, but we feel that the aerators that you can purchase to attach to your riding mower are spike aerators, not core aerators.  It is much better, rather than spending the $300 or so on the mower part to rent a core aerator from an equipment rental company.  That way, you always have the best aerator in working order. You may or may not want to purchase a different lawn mower seat for your riding mower, depending upon the amount of time you will be spending on the mower.  Factory-issue seats are adequate, but not the most comfortable.  If you have lots of acreage to mow, you may want to consider a more comfortable seat with more padding and shocks!

Lawn Mower Accessories for Push Mowers

Self-propelled push mowers are not quite as versatile as riding mowers, but there are some lawn mower accessories for push mowers that make certain jobs easier.  When you purchase a mower, the mower itself will determine which accessories you can use with it.  Some features come standard on some mower models, while others must be purchased separately.  For instance, lawn mowers that are specifically designed to be "mulching mowers" come with specific blades for chopping up the grass finely.  They also have fans that blow the grass clippings back down to the ground where they can decompose.  Additional lawn mower accessories for self propelled mowers include  bags to collect grass clippings. Two very useful lawn mower accessories for push mowers that do not always come standard are an electric starter and a blade break clutch.  The electric key starter for lawn mowers makes starting the mower trouble-free.  The blade break clutch allows you to keep the engine running while the blades are stopped.  This is useful if you have a gravel driveway or a lot of paved areas of different heights to work around.

Lawn Mower Accessories for Riding Mowers

Riding mowers can be made versatile with a variety of extra lawn mower parts.  Riding mowers benefit most from optional accessories and attachments.  Here are some of the best lawn mower accessories for riding mowers.

1. Snow Plow Attachment/ Loader The best type of snow plow attachment is a plow/loader skid combination.  While this attachment might set you back $300 or $400, if you have snow in your area, or you do a lot of heavy landscape maintenance, having a loader is handy.
2. Spreader If you do a lot of overseeding or top dressing of fertilizer, it is worth it to get a spreader to attach to a riding mower.  This will ensure a more even coverage of seed, fertilizer or herbicide and will save you from having to push a manual spreader.
3. Vacuum If you have a lawn with lots of trees that need to be raked consistently, one of the nicest gifts you can get yourself is a tow-behind vacuum for the riding mower.  You can vacuum leaves, grass clippings, trash and anything else covering the grass that is lightweight.

To get the most out of your lawn mower, consider purchasing some of the beneficial lawn mower accessories and attachments to extend the value and utility of your lawn mower.