If you need a lawnmower that you can put through the paces on an almost daily basis, then a commercial option is the way to go. Of course, the tool will likely feature more controls as compared to the residential option. Also, the build quality may be superior. Ideally, the best commercial lawn mowers would be purchased by lawn maintenance companies. However, there is no rule against regular people buying this tool if they feel their lawn maintenance needs warrant it.
After reviewing 20 products, we narrowed our list down to eight viable purchase options. Out of these eight, we were able to select one that features superior value to most others in the form of the Ariens Apex 60” Kawasaki. This can be seen in the powerful engine, easy operation, and even the warranty. Also, there are seven other excellent choices available on our list, and you need to decide which option to pick.
As it stands, we were able to get data from the manufacturer websites on the products we reviewed. This is in regard to the type of mower, the engine, cutting width and height, warranty, and finally, any extra features available. Where the data fell short, we used information from Amazon and other vendor sites to fill in the gaps. As a result, we can give you information on what each machine can and cannot do. You will find this information in the detailed product reviews section sandwiched between the table below and a buying guide. Also, with all the information given here, it would be hard to make mistakes in your search for the best commercial lawnmower.
Other features: 8 MPH / 4 MPH (fwd/rev), fully tubular steel frame, self-adjusting belt technology, foot-operated deck lift
Once you start checking out the features of this machine, it’s hard to find anything that you might not like. One of the highlights is the fully tubular 10-gauge steel frame. With such a sturdy body, you are sure that no harm will come to the engine or any important interior components. This as well elongates the life of the tool.
Even the frame comes with a warranty that covers you for five years.
Another impressive attribute of this machine is the 24 hp, 726cc engine. Supposedly this is one of the more powerful engines in the manufacturer’s line-up. It also ranks high among the more powerful engines on this list as well. This engine powers both the blade and the wheels of the device since this is a riding lawnmower.
Additionally, this tool moves at 8 MPH while the forward gear is engaged. When reversing, this speed is cut in half to 4 MPH. Of course, all controls should be easily accessible as you sit on this machine. As such, you have the foot-operated deck lift that will allow you to change cutting height at a moment’s notice.
Also, you have different cutting height options ranging from 1.5”-5”. Another noteworthy attribute of this tool is the seat, which is impressive. It comes with springs, lever adjust, and armrests as well.
Additionally, there is an extra warranty for the machine parts, which include the engine, spindle, and even the belt components. This is available for four years, which is still impressive coverage as compared to other devices on this list.
The 60” cutting width as well is something that will make slight work of your lawn. Also, one cannot fail to mention the 5-gallon fuel capacity of this tool.
More features: commercial-grade steel deck, low noise, self-propelled
This premium pick has a lot to offer. It’s a self-propelled lawnmower that runs on battery power alone. No worry about gas and high emissions or dealing with power cords. The lawnmower comes with everything you need, including four batters and a dual power charger. With four batteries, you can almost always guarantee you will have a sufficient charge to get your tasks completed without running out of juice. And you can have two backups charging simultaneously.
There are many reasons something might end up as our premium pick. Sometimes it’s the price tag paired with the quality and other times it’s because it’s a highly sought-after item. In this case, it’s a mix of each of these. This mower is highly-rated by customers who have tried it out. It is a bit higher priced but with the commercial grade steel deck and ability to run much longer with four batteries, you really can’t beat the quality.
When you compare this to options like our Best commercial push mower from Greenworks, the biggest difference is the extended battery life. The Makita mower is much larger and slightly more powerful to make your lawn mowing quick and efficient. They both resource the greatest in technology to give you an edge in the mowing game.
Other features: 80V 2AH li-ion battery, up to 60 min runtime, Smart Cut Load sensing technology, brushless motors
The Greenworks Pro 80V 21″ Lawn Mower is a brushless model with smart cut technology. The mower can adjust the power depending on the length and thickness of the grass. This will extend the mowing time to cut lighter grass and it improves the cutting quality on thick grass. The power supply is an 80v unit with a full charging time of 1 hour or 30 minutes if you have the 2Ah variant. The battery power can be monitored via a simple LED power indicator but for longer mowing jobs you may need a second charged battery on-hand.
The cutting deck is a 21” steel unit which adds a negligible amount of weight and some considerable durability. The wheels are ball bearing for improved maneuverability which makes mowing a more enjoyable experience. There are seven different blade cutting heights and the adjustments are made with a simple single lever action. There are three forms of grass discharge, they are side, rear, and mulching. This is a flexible way to deal with grass cuttings as you mow and the rear mounted grass collection bag is easy to remove and empty.
Other features: 6.5 MPH, 2.8 acres/hr, reinforced steel stamped cutting deck, manual deck lifting
The Husqvarna Z254 is a great product as well, and maybe just what you need for your commercial mowing needs. With its choke system, this tool doesn’t require manual input to start. Also, the reinforced steel cutting deck might be one of the reasons you end up buying this tool. After all, you do want a tool with a durable body as well.
For those looking for a wide cutting area with their purchase, this fits the criteria. Also, it comes with a maximum speed of 6.5 MPH. If you couple this with the cutting width, you get that this tool is capable of cutting up to 2.8 acres an hour, which is an impressive feat.
Another top-class component of this tool is the air induction technology. This draws in air from the bottom and top of the deck, which leads to improved grass lift. Consequently, you get even cuts all around your lawn.
The three-year warranty also adds to the pros of owning this tool. Users will as well appreciate the maintenance-free aspects of this tool, including the transmission.
Other features: 4.25 MPH, 18-inch turning radius, 13-inch front wheels, 18-inch rear wheels
The next offering on our list is the Troy-Bilt 30-inch Lawn Mower. You get a little bit of information about the device just from reading the name. As implied, this tool has a 30” cutting width. As such, this may be suitable for some smaller lawn spaces as compared to our first few picks.
However, storage should be a lot easier since you can find space for the same in a garage or shed. You should note that the blade on this machine can be adjusted to five different heights.
Also, this tool should be relatively easy to use for most of you. This is because you have a manual power start and even a 13-inch grip wheel. Additionally, you have a seat that can be adjusted to ensure you are comfortable as you mow.
Before purchase, you should know that this tool is for use on relatively level terrain. As such, it doesn’t have the most powerful engine. However, the Briggs and Stratton 10.5 HP option should be enough for most lawn maintenance needs. Also, at 4.25MPH, you might take a little longer than even the Husqvarna Z254, depending on the size of the lawn.
Additionally, the durability of the body of this tool is praiseworthy. This is including the deck and wheels. You even have a two-year limited warranty to back your purchase of this product.
Other features: 3-in-1, battery-powered, brushless motor, folding handle
The DEWALT DCMW220P2 is the last mower featured and one of the best commercial walk behind lawn mowers on the list. It should also help you save a lot of money on fuel since all you need to do is charge the battery before you put it to work. Another benefit of being a push mower is that it will be able to handle most terrains, depending on the strength and stability of the person pushing it.
Also, it features a 20” cutting width. In comparison with most riding mowers, this is relatively small. However, it should be sufficient for a push-mower. Additionally, you get to choose the cutting height from the 1.5”-3.4” range available. Where the overall size of the invention is concerned, this tool is compact. This is seen especially when the handle is in a folded position. This also makes it easy to store.
The manufacturer also relieves some of the worries of purchasing this tool by offering a three-year warranty.
Other features: 6 MPH / 3 MPH (fwd/rev), foot-operated deck lift, high-back padded seat, deck wash-out port, 4-point deck hanging system
Another Ariens tool makes it onto our list in the form of the Ariens Zoom 42. Nevertheless, it costs about half as much as its predecessor, and as such, you don’t expect the functionality to be on par.
Nonetheless, there are some positives, including the 660 cc engine that powers your mower. You also cannot call the body of the tool flimsy as it features 12-gauge steel construction.
Once you are seated on the padded seat provided by the manufacturer, you will probably appreciate the ease of use that this tool has to offer. You can easily control the cutting height using the adjustments available, as well as whether to go forward or reverse. After that, locate patches of grass that need a trim and guide your mower accordingly.
One area where this tool has higher standing than most others is in the warranty that is three years for the machine and five for the deck. Nevertheless, this only applies to commercial users.
If you are a residential user, you get the 5-year machine warranty as well. You also have a two-gallon tank that you should make a point to fill if you are to take the machine out for extensive mowing work.
Other features: 10 MPH, Hydro-Gear 3400 transmissions, 8-gallon fuel capacity, 23” chevron tread drive tires, L.E.D. headlights
As compared to the editor’s choice, the Swisher Z3166CPKA is more impressive in almost every way imaginable. However, due to the price being more than twice that of the predecessor, you will not find many people buying it. As such, it settles in our number two spot due to its inaccessibility.
Starting with the engine, you begin to see the superiority right away. This model has a 999cc, 31 hp engine that should be able to handle any type of grass that you throw at it. Also worth noting is that the engine is from Kawasaki. The cutting width as well stands at 66,” which is a few inches larger than that of the Ariens Apex 60” Kawasaki.
Once you get to the fuel capacity, you realize that this tool spots an 8-gallon tank. This should be a necessity since the requirements of this engine are higher than those of other counterparts. It will thus need to consume more fuel.
A 10 MPH speed is also another benefit of this tool. This speed currently stands unrivaled on today’s list. Of course, this is supported by the hydro gear incorporated into the device.
Also, you should know that you don’t have to stop mowing once darkness starts to creep in. This is because the headlights incorporated into the deck of the device will serve to illuminate your way as you go along.
As if this is not enough to persuade most buyers, there is also the element of high-quality tires. These should come in handy, especially where rough, uneven terrain is involved.
You as well have electronic controls that will allow you to adjust the cutting height as you see fit. Also included is an electronic flip-up deck to allow for the easy maintenance of this invention. However, it is disappointing that this tool lacks a warranty.
You may want to buy a professional commercial lawn mower for business needs or because you have an extra-large lawn. Whichever the case, the buying guide below should help you determine which mower is ideal for your needs.
Most lawn mowers are meant to be taken out of storage and used once in a while. You can often tell this by the construction, power and cutting width. On the other hand, you have commercial lawn mowers that can handle even heavy mowing tasks on a daily basis. They also tend to have wider cutting widths to handle huge workloads.
Most lawn mowers come with different sets of features. These features will likely dictate the tasks that the tool can take on in addition to how efficient they are at their job. As such, if you know a lot about lawnmower features, you will be in a better place to pick out a suitable purchase for your needs. As such, this list of features, as well as how they affect the use of the tool, should be immensely helpful in your search for a purchase option.
Despite the list above having only two types of mowers, there are a few more options available in the market. One example is the reel mower. Reel mowers are also technically push mowers and are simply designed to work like scissors.
Usually, their blades range in number from three to seven. These blades rotate up and down in a circular motion. While they do this, they slide past another component of the mower, which is much closer to the ground known as the bedknife. Due to the proximity of the blade with the bedknife, any blade of grass that is caught between these two sharp surfaces will be cut as a result.
Hover mowers, on the other hand, work by pushing air down, and as a result, the tool has a bit of clearance from the ground. As such, these are quite easily the easiest to maneuver and are often designed to be powered by electricity.
Robotic lawnmowers require very little input from you apart from placing it where it should mow and providing a border wire. Once you do that, you can leave it on and come back when your lawn is completely mowed.
You as well have push mowers like the DEWALT DCMW220P2. All the tool needs to do is spin its blades. Your part of the job includes pushing and directing it to where the grass is so it can continue cutting.
However, you may encounter self-propelled mowers that are different to the push mower in only one major way. The device is able to propel itself forward. What’s left for you is to follow the tool and give it direction as to where it should go next by turning the handle.
The last type of mowing machine that you may encounter is the riding lawnmower. These have engines, gears, and a seat. Once seated, you can turn the machine on and engage the gears to move it forward as you would a car. Since they are meant to bear the weight of a person, these are larger than most of their other counterparts. They will also often be used to cover large areas while mowing since the user barely gets tired.
Most of these tools are either electric or gas-powered. On our list, we have the DEWALT DCMW220P2, which is a battery-powered option. This is cheaper to use in the long run, but it doesn’t have as much power as the gas-powered options. This may also explain why this is a push mower while the other options, including the Troy-Bilt 30-inch Lawn Mower, are riding mowers. However, for the gas-powered tools, you will need to purchase fuel every so often, which can get expensive.
If you want to take on large lawns with difficult terrain, you should probably look for the most powerful engine available. A purchase like the Swisher Z3166CPKA would be ideal. However, you also have to factor in your budget constraints before you make this purchase.
For some of these tools, all you would need to do is push a button to start the machine. In contrast, you have the manual start options that require you to pull a starter cord. The latter is more reliable and is guaranteed to start your device almost every time.
However, for push-start options, it depends on whether the battery incorporated is in good condition and if it has power. Older people may prefer this since it doesn’t need them to use their energy.
You can often differentiate zero-turn mowers from other options by the design of their front wheels. Examples from our list include the Ariens Apex 60” Kawasaki and the Ariens Zoom 42. Their main advantage is their zero turning radius hence the name. As a result, they are able to get into tighter spaces and are easier to maneuver.
For a tool like the Ariens Apex 60” Kawasaki with its 60” cutting width, it will take half as many runs to mow the same area as the Troy-Bilt 30-inch Lawn Mower. This is because the latter has half as much cutting width.
You also want as many options as possible where cutting height is concerned. Remember that most of the people who hire you will want their lawns at different levels. As such, the Swisher Z3166CPKA is one of the best options with its range of between 1.25”-5”.
Additionally, the fuel capacity will determine how long you need to go before you have to top up your fuel tank. It therefore makes sense to purchase the device with the biggest fuel capacity you can find and afford.
Also, you should check on the transmission and gear to ensure it affords you the control over the device that you want.
Durability also matters a lot with a purchase of such magnitude. You can often tell how long a tool will last by looking at the composition and makeup. As such, tools like the Ariens Apex 60” Kawasaki with their 10-gauge steel will last longer due to their strong bodies that serve to protect the innards from impact. These bodies will also handle the weight of the person sitting on them a lot better.
You should also look into any additional attachments that are compatible with the devices on offer. Remember that these attachments will likely add to the functionality of the tool.
Also, a warranty should be among the first things you look out for in any of the equipment you buy. Of course, warranties help to guarantee you the quality of the purchase. They might also come in handy if your device suffers from manufacturing defects. Remember, these tools are quite expensive, and it would be a shame to have to spend more money on the product soon after making the purchase.
It is different from a stamped deck since this is usually made from a single sheet of metal. Of course, to allow for the stamping, it has to be quite thin; hence it is considered weaker than fabricated counterparts.
Even as you go through our list, we recommend that you have a shortlist of three items before deciding on your final buy. This will ensure that you remain objective and get the best possible purchase. For us, as a team, we already have our top three picks as well.
The Ariens Apex 60” Kawasaki is one of them. This tool, of course, offers great value in the construction engine and transmission. The Greenworks Pro 80v 21” is a flexible mower that allows you to adjust the power according to the thickness and length of grass. The seven different blade cutting heights can be adjusted with one lever and the collection bag is easy to remove and empty.
Another top-notch tool to feature here is Greenworks Pro 80V 21″ Lawn Mower. If you have the money you should purchase this tool since it is a workhorse and will make you back your money in no time. However, it does have another downside apart from pricing which is the lack of a warranty.
If you agree with our top picks, let us know even as you order your products from Amazon. If not, notify us which products should replace them and why in the comments section below.
