Ask anybody who toiled in the backyard in the 60s, 70s or 80s: Mowing the grass used to be an exercise in frustration. People struggled with equipment that was limited by the technology of the day. They yanked the starting cord on less-than-reliable engines, trudged through the yard pushing tough-to-maneuver mowers, and wrestled with awkward bags of grass clippings. America could put a man on the moon, but why in the world couldn’t it come up with an easier way to mow?

A 2007 national consumer survey by outdoor power equipment manufacturer Lawn-Boy shows that today’s homeowners are demanding features that make life in the backyard easier. In the survey, more than half of lawn-mowing consumers ranked an easy-to-use bag at the top of their wish lists, giving it either a 9 or 10 on a scale of 1 to 10.

“For many people, bagging has long been the worst part of the whole mowing process,” says Lawn-Boy senior engineer Joe Hager, whose company studied homeowners using mowers in their yards and developed new features to accommodate how people actually mow. “In our research, we found homeowners frustrated with their bagging system, struggling to get the bag on and off their mower.” Lawn-Boy responded to that challenge by developing a bag that can be removed or replaced with just one hand. The large-capacity bag is engineered to completely eliminate the need for a spring-loaded door. Lawn-Boy’s bag fits into a convenient cradle on the back of the mower.

The survey of 627 consumers who care for their lawns also found:
* People aged 55 and older said that they’re looking for a mower with easy height adjustment and a self-propel feature.
* Younger consumers want a mower with easy bagging and inset wheels for easier trimming.
* Women said they prefer a lightweight, easy-to-handle mower.

Some manufacturers are listening closely. Lawn-Boy’s extensive research before designing its line of Insight, Insight Gold and Insight Platinum walk-behind mowers resulted in a variety of cutting-edge improvements such as their patented self-propel system that automatically senses and adjusts the mower to the user’s walking speed to make mowing easier. Other exclusive features include easy-start performance engines, an easy-lift bag, adjustable handles, and compact storage features. “Technology has finally advanced to the point where we can give people exactly what they’ve always dreamed about,” says Lawn-Boy’s Hager.

With the variety of features available on today’s mowers, how do you know which piece of backyard equipment — or which combination of features — is right for your particular situation? To help make the whole process easier, Lawn-Boy has created an online shopping guide that walks you through the decision-making process. On www.FindYourMower.com, you can enter information such as: who will be doing most of the lawn care, the size of your yard, and what kind of terrain you’ll be mowing. The guide then takes that information and helps you select a model that best meets your needs.

“The key to choosing the right lawn mower is to take a good look at your specific needs and go from there,” says Hager. “With all the options available, there’s no reason to settle for anything less than a perfect fit.”

More information is available at www.FindYourMower.com or www.Lawn-Boy.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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