What do you hate about lawn mowing?

[FastCarFan]

I work in market research for a lawn mower manufacturer. As a sort of informal market research project, I am interested in your opinions.

We are thinking about the future state of lawn mowers & lawn maintenance. For the purposes of this "survey", let's forget about robotic mowers. We know about them already. There are some currently on the market & their effectiveness is limited, they are inefficient (they drive around your lawn randomly cutting grass, rather than in any sort of pattern), they are very expensive, & they currently are only for rather small lawns. With that said, here goes....

To begin with, what do you dislike about mowing your lawn? What hassles do you have cutting your grass? What could be done to remove the hassles & make you like it more (or dislike it less)?

What do you like about mowing your lawn? What could be done to make the experience better?

What do you dislike about maintaining your lawn mower? How could the maintenance hassles be eliminated or reduced?

If you were designing a walk-behind or riding lawn mower, how would it be different from what is currently on the market? Feel free to think of other product categories (e.g., cars, appliances, boats) for inspiration.

What features would the perfect lawn mower or riding mower have? Don't hold back -- go crazy.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts & opinions. I look forward to reading them. I expect some rather interesting -- & entertaining -- reading....

Thanks again!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Lawn mowing? What's that?

[BRPORSCHE]

For push lawnmower I would love for the handle to pivot side to side, not just up and down. Seems like it would be really helpful in some tight spaces. This is found on a few lawnmowers, let me see if I can get a pic or something.

[Joe Bob]

I like mowing, the smell of newly cut grass is like a perfume....but I hate it when wet grass clogs the catcher. Not enough horsepower for thick grass.

[legion]

All of my lawn mowers (as in ones I have ever owend) are four-stroke walk-behind models. I don't like self-propelled mowers--the mechanisms tend to break.

My current lawn mower (Honda) does not have an oil drain plug, which means I have to siphon oil out to change it.

The thing I hate the most is having to rake leaves before I mow. I can't think of a solution as the city I live in will take leaves but not lawn-clippings--or anything mixed with lawn clippings.

[Mr_Wizard]

I have a little over an acre to cut so I can not talk to push mowers. I have a Craftsman riding mower that works great. I have a beer holder and a sun shade for it. Only problem I have had was i bent the tie rod (ran into a fence post, thats another story). As far as manintenance goes, i change the oil at the beginning and end of the mowing season, fuel filter, air filter, and spark plug at the beginning each year.

[craigster59]

Cupholders and a self emptying bag on the walkbehind. maybe a fertilizer broadcaster on the back of a riding mower.

[Zef]

The sound on the Sunday morning...!

[Seahawk]

Riding mowers:

Must be shaft drive. Get rid of drive belts at all price points.

Hose hook-up (and piping) in the bottom mower deck for cleaning...turn on the water,run the mower deck until clean.

Better design on how the mower deck is removed...most designs are stupid.

Zeus fitting on all top mower deck shrouds for easy cleaning.

Small AM/FM radio, antenna and plugs for sound attenuating headphones.

That's about it...notice three of the five suggestions are about maintenance

[ls23h]

I mow an acre with a lawnboy 21" pusher..
I would like to see more 28"- 30" units offered.

Nothing like the smell of a 2 stroke lawn mower!

[frogger]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Lawn mowing? What's that?

+1. What is this thing you call lawn?

[Aerkuld]

I don't like the fact that it's hot whenever I need to cut the grass, but there isn't much you can do about that unless you make a silent mower with headlights so I can cut the grass at night without disturbing the neighbors. Even then, I hate...
1. Having to get the lawn mower out of the garage.
2. Having to start it.
3. All the dust and grass clippings getting in my shoes and up my nose.
4. Having to dispose of all the grass clippings.
5. The long stalks that you think you've cut then spring back up as soon as you get back indoors.
6. Having to clean the lawn mower
7. having to put it back in the garage.
Apart from that I don't mind cutting the grass at all.

So, in summary I want a silent mower with headlights for night operation. Of course if it could cut the grass itself then I wouldn't need the lights. It needs to be weatherproof so I can leave it outside without any maintenance. It needs to be ready to go as soon as I get to it, magically contain and dispose of all the grass clippings and clean itself when I'm done.

I think I'm going to buy a sheep.

[Moses]

Standard wheels like this just plain suck.



The "outrigger" swivelling front wheels are MUCH better.

[Tanick]

The gas mileage.

[p911dad]

Doug, mowing is a task, a chore, and in upstate NY where it rains every week it seems, an endless duty to the property. This must be the turf capital of the US! So it isn't ever going to fun for me. But there is a certain mindless satisfaction of circulating around on the mower, mulling over the perfect straight line you just mowed.. That being said-
1. lifetime bearings(no grease fittings)
2. no more drive belts
3. zero turn radius
4. better muffler
5. quieter blade(sounds like propeller noise- I suggest modifying the tips or turning at a lower speed)

[peppy]

I will ask my wife!

[scottmandue]

Paying the guy who doesn't speak English.

[widgeon13]

Writing the check for the lawn care company every month.

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by FastCarFan

To begin with, what do you dislike about mowing your lawn? What hassles do you have cutting your grass? What could be done to remove the hassles & make you like it more (or dislike it less)?

I have a Husqvarna self propelled walk behind right now I am not 100% happy with it. What I look for in a mower is rear wheel drive and BOTH rear wheels drive it in a posi traction type of setup. My Husqvarna only drives with on rear wheel and I don't like that.

I wish I could get a closer side cut and front cut with it, in other words I wish the blade was beyond the wheels on at least 2 sides of the mower so I could get in tight with it so weed eating would be easier.

What do you like about mowing your lawn? What could be done to make the experience better?

I enjoy mowing my lawn, its sort of a meditation time for me. Everyone leaves me alone and its a thoughtless task so I can think of other things while I do it.

Maybe a spot to put an I-pod, walkman, Stilleto would be cool. Almost everyone listens to music while they mow.

What do you dislike about maintaining your lawn mower? How could the maintenance hassles be eliminated or reduced?

Oil drain on the bottom so I do not have to lay it on its side to drain the oil.

If you were designing a walk-behind or riding lawn mower, how would it be different from what is currently on the market? Feel free to think of other product catetories (e.g., cars, appliances, boats) for inspiration.

I only use walk behind so I cannot comment on the ride on. I gave some suggestions above.

What features would the perfect lawn mower or riding mower have? Don't hold back -- go crazy.

I prefer a lawn mower with a good old fashioned choke instead of the these ball pump types. Also, go back to variable speed control on the throttle. This governed one engine speed stuff is annoying too.



As far as mowing my own lawn, I am the only one within 5 houses in each direction that mows their own lawn. Everyone else uses landscapers. I prefer to do it myself, I also take care of my own pool. Scoop my own dog poo. (yes there are now services for that) I refuse to pay people to do things I can do myself. Especially mow my own lawn.

BTW - I live in Florida and have to mow 12 months a year, in the summer I have to mow at least once a week if not twice. I am a power user.

[livi]

Mowing when the grass is not completely dry (seldom is in Sweden) and the darn grass clogs up in thick moist lumps under it until the engine chokes and dies. Raking out the gunk, start over again and resume the same procedure five minutes later...

..or at least, that´s what my neighbor´s kid say.