Tools & Equipment

It depends on your lawn size and grass type. For small lawns (under 2,000 sq ft), a battery-powered push mower is ideal, quiet, no fuel, low maintenance. For medium lawns (2,000–6,000 sq ft), a self-propelled gas mower gives more power and runtime. For large lawns (6,000 sq ft+), consider a riding mower or robot mower. If you have St. Augustine grass, make sure the mower has a height adjustment that goes to at least 3.5 inches.

For lawns over 3,000 sq ft, robot mowers can be a great investment, they mow daily (keeping grass at the perfect height), mulch clippings as they go, and free up your weekends. Brands like Husqvarna Automower, Worx Landroid and EcoFlow Blade are popular options. Expect to pay $1,000–$3,500 depending on lawn size. The main drawback: they struggle with very steep slopes and uneven ground.

Battery mowers have improved dramatically. For most suburban lawns (under 4,000 sq ft), a 56V or 80V battery mower does the job, quieter, no fuel, no pull-starting, almost zero maintenance. Gas still wins for large lawns, thick growth, and tall grass where you need sustained power. If you already have batteries from a tool brand (EGO, Makita, Ryobi, Milwaukee), buy into that ecosystem to share batteries.

If your soil is heavy clay (common in the Midwest, parts of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic), yes, compacted soil prevents water, air and nutrients from reaching the roots. Signs you need aeration: water pools on the surface instead of soaking in, grass looks thin despite feeding, or you can’t push a screwdriver into the soil easily. Aerate once a year in early fall for cool-season lawns or late spring for warm-season lawns. For small lawns, a manual core aerator ($30–$50) works fine. For large areas, rent a powered aerator for a day (~$75–$100 from Home Depot or Lowe’s).