Lawn mower commercial funny. Best Zero Turn Mower Under 3000 Qualified Mechanic’s Review 2023

Best Zero Turn Mower Under 3000 [Qualified Mechanic’s Review 2023]

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I’ve reviewed 13 top value mowers and found the best zero turn mower under 3000. There’s no need to spend a lot of money on the best zero turn mower! The mowers in this 2023 review are all great value, but there are definitely some standouts.

Since first publishing this review last year, the for zero turn mowers have gone through the roof. It is, unfortunately, almost impossible to find one under 3000!

Our winner, the Cub Cadet ZT1 54, is now just shy of 3500. That’s still great value, don’t get me wrong, it just doesn’t quite fit the “under 3000” bill.

Husqvarna’s Z254 isn’t available anymore and their newer models, the Z254F (aprox 4200) and the Z248F (aprox 4000), are much more expensive than 3000.

Bad Boy’s MZ42 is now 3299, not bad value – you get a whole lot of mower for that. However, for another 250 or so – I recommend you go for the Cub instead.

Despite the changing prices, I’ve left our winners’ technical details and why I think they’re the best cheap zero turn mowers listed below.

If you don’t want to read right through the tech specs, here’s a summary of my recommendations:

• Our best zero turn mower for large yards is the Cub Cadet ZT1 54 Ultima.
• The best zero turn mower under 3000 for small yards is the Bad Boy MZ 42, closely followed by Snapper’s 360Z. Unfortunately, the 360Z is no longer available so we really only have the two winners above!

Both of these mowers are maneuverable and easy to store, but the Bad Boy came out on top because of its exceptional deck construction.

I’ve included 13 zero turn mowers under 3000, something for everyone! Use the table of contents for a quick overview or scroll down for what to look for in the best zero turn mower.

What’s Inside:

• Size of the Cutting Deck
• Power and Engine
• Hydrostatic Transmission
• Mowing Speed
• Gas Tank Capacity
• Which Zero Turn Mower Under 3000 Has the Best Warranty

• 1. Cub Cadet ZT1 54 Ultima Zero Turn Mower – 2999
• 2. Husqvarna Z254 Hydrostatic Zero Turn Riding Mower
• 3. Bad Boy MZ 42″ Zero Turn Mower – 2999.99
• 4. Snapper 360Z 19HP 36″ Zero Turn Mower
• 5. Troy-Bilt Mustang Fit 34″ Zero Turn Mower
• 6. Troy Bilt Mustang Z50 Zero Turn Rider – 2899
• 7. Husqvarna Z242F 42″ 18HP Zero Turn Mower
• 8. Cub Cadet ZT1 50 Ultima Zero Turn Mower – 2999
• 9 and 10 – Cub Cadet ZT1 46 and ZT1 42 Zero Turn Mowers – 2699
• 11. Husqvarna Z142 42″ Zero Turn Riding Mower
• 12 and 13 Troy Bilt Mustang Z46 and Z42 Zero Turn Mowers – 2499

What to Look for in the Best Zero Turn Mower [Buyer’s Guide]

The best zero turn mowers offer excellent maneuvering capabilities and high-quality performance. You don’t have to spend a fortune to buy one, as we’ve seen in the list above, all under 3000.

Size of the Cutting Deck

I’ve listed zero turn mowers here today with cutting widths between 34″ and 54″. You can get bigger ones as well, but you’re looking at spending more money.

What size is right for you?

• Less than 42 inches. This is the best choice for small to medium-sized yards, especially those with many obstacles. Properties up to 1 acre.
• Between 42 and 46 inches. Best for medium-sized yards with obstacles. These mowers also generally fit in the back of your pickup, so you can transport them from one property to another, or around the farm. Properties up to 1 acre.
• Between 48 and 50 inches. These zero turn mowers are best for larger yards, between 1 and 3 acres. These mowers have a very decent cutting width so you can mow large areas quickly.
• Over 50 inches. These are best for large yards. Our biggest one today was a 54″ cutting width, but you can get much bigger. These zero turn mowers tend to be wider so more stable on uneven ground. Yards over 3 acres.

Power and Engine

You need power if you want to mow your lawn efficiently. This is why the horsepower of the engine should be the very first thing that you look for.

The higher the horsepower is, the faster your lawn can be cut, plain and simple.

How much power you need in your zero turn mower depends on a few things.

• The size of the deck. The bigger the deck, the more power you need.
• The grass. Tall, thick grass needs more power than a manicured lawn that’s mowed regularly. If you’re skimming the lawn every week, you’ll need less power. Wet, tall grass can be a struggle for zero turn mowers with smaller engines.
• The size of your property. On smaller properties with neat lawns, you get away with less power. On bigger properties and acreage, you want as much power as you can afford.

Look for zero turn mowers with a full pressure oil system, the ones that actually have an oil filter. The old splash-fed technology is antiquated. Twin cylinders tend to have more grunt than single cylinders.

Engines with OHV are best. Some engines are underhead valve, which is very old fashioned. That’s what they had in cars 100 years ago. Nonetheless, they do seem to be pretty good and reliable. Motors like little Briggs engines, even single-cylinder underhead valve ones, seem to go and go. –

Dan, Qualified Mechanic Small Engine Specialist

Dan really likes Kohler engines. He made a good point in comparing some of these zero turn mowers with my John Deere mower. Mine has a 22HP engine with a 42″ deck. It has plenty of grunt, never really bogs down unless you try and mow tall grass too fast.

Some of the mowers in this list have 54″ cutting decks. You really wouldn’t want any less than 24-26HP engines in these mowers, especially if you’re on a larger property.

Hydrostatic Transmission

Being zero turn mowers, they’ll all have hydrostatic transmissions.

TOP 5 Zero Turn Mowers for 3000 | 2022

The difference between a standard mower and a zero turn mower is the transmission.

In a standard mower, you have one transmission set up, which drives the back wheels. In a zero turn, you’ve effectively got two transmissions (in one unit), each driving a separate wheel.

With this setup, one wheel can go backward and the other forwards. This is what makes a zero turn mower turn on the spot, in zero space. The wheels are fully independently controllable with the steering bars.

If you happen to come across a “zero turn” without hydrostatic transmission, don’t go there. You don’t want anything but hydrostatic.

Mowing Speed

Most of the zero turn mowers in this list have a top speed of 7.5mph, although a couple were slightly less.

This is not something I’d put too much consideration on unless you have a perfectly flat golf-course type lawn that allows you to “race” across it.

The slower you go, the better it mows. – Dan

Gas Tank Capacity

The higher the fuel capacity, the fewer times you will have to stop to refill your tank. The smallest gas tank today was 3 gallons, but most were around 3.5, so not a lot of difference.

If you’re mowing long-distance, the bigger the better.

Which Zero Turn Mower Under 3000 Has the Best Warranty

The better the warranty on your zero turn mower, well… the better. There’s no such thing as a warranty that’s too long!

The best zero turn mower warranties:

• Husqvarna zero turn mowers: “Bumper to Bumper”, 3 years. Steel reinforced stamped deck shell only – 10-year limited warranty. Fabricated deck shell and steel guard deck shell – limited lifetime warranty.
• Cub Cadet zero turn mowers: 3 year / unlimited-hour warranty. Limited lifetime warranty on frame and fabricated deck shell.
• Troy-Bilt zero turn mowers: 3-year limited residential. Limited lifetime frame warranty.
• Snapper zero turn mowers: 3-year limited residential. Lifetime frame warranty.
• Bad Boy zero turn mowers: This warranty is more intricate. They’ll repair or replace for 2 years or 200 hours, unless it’s used for commercial, industrial, or rental purposes. Belts are covered for 90 days, seats for 1 year (excluding suspension seats). You will need to pay for the transport of the mower to the service place, or for a service call out. I didn’t see details on this for the other mowers, so it may be the same for them. I suppose Bad Boy are at least transparent with this… I do think though, that if something is wrong with your brand new mower and it’s a manufacturing fault, they should carry the responsibility for this! There are more rules, like the engine. They don’t cover the engine, they’re covered by their respective manufacturers. I recommend you read the entire warranty document before purchase.

Any of these mowers purchased through TractorSupply can also come with their “Protect your Purchase” plan. A 1-year service plan costs 299.99 and 2 years costs 389.99. They’ll fix it, replace it, or reimburse it for you.

Let’s Review Our Top 13 in Detail!

Cub Cadet ZT1 54 Ultima Zero Turn Mower – 2999

This is our best zero turn mower under 3000 for large yards.

Features

• 24 HP 725cc KOHLER 7000 series V-twin automatic OHV engine
• 54″ cutting deck
• Great mower for slight, rolling hills. Suitable for yards up to 4 acres with several obstacles
• Lap bar-controlled dual-hydro transmissions
• Open frame design with hinged/removable floor pan. Gives you easy access to the deck and the engine for maintenance
• Finance available
• 3.5 gallon fuel tank capacity
• Hydro-Gear EZT 2200 transmission

What We Liked

• Great Kohler engine
• Good size mower deck
• Deck access from the top of the deck
• Square frame makes this mower solid

What We Didn’t Like

• Collects a lot of grass on the deck. It compacts inside the spindle covers, on the pulleys, and the tension spring. Does come with hose attachment for deck cleaning.
• Some customers mentioned the tires don’t have a lot of traction, making it only suitable for slight hills.

Cub Cadet Ultima Series Zero Turn Mowers

Cub Cadet offers a few zero turn mowers under 3000 in their Ultima series.

They’re all well-priced, but our pick here is the Cub Cadet ZT1 54 zero turn mower.

For the price, it’s not worth choosing the others as you’re getting a more powerful engine and a bigger mower deck.

Husqvarna Z254 Hydrostatic Zero Turn Riding Mower

This is our runner-up for best zero turn mower under 3000.

One of the best budget zero turn mowers on the market is the Husqvarna Z254 zero turn riding mower.

Yes, it’s just over 3000, I apologize for that, but it’s only 100 over and it’s worth it. This lawnmower offers a very powerful engine and a wide cutting deck of 54 inches that makes it very efficient to cut large lawns.

Features

• 54″ cutting deck
• 26 HP Kohler engine
• Max speed of 6.5 MPH
• Park brake system that automatically activates or deactivates as the steering levers are moved outward or inward
• Reinforced steel stamped cutting deck made of heavy flat-stock steel
• spring-assisted deck lift
• LED lights
• Chrome-plated valves
• Big cooling fan

What We Liked

• Lots of torque delivered by the powerful 26 HP Kohler engine
• Very user friendly
• Good for heavy-duty use
• Compact size
• Very efficient performance overall
• Maintenance-free transmission

Bad Boy MZ 42″ Zero Turn Mower – 2999.99

The Bad Boy MZ 42″ zero turn mower under 3000 is the underdog in our review today, and it got a boost up from 9th position to best in class after speaking to Chad Belding of The Fowl Life and Bad Boy Mowers.

Chad provided some very helpful feedback about his mowers and why he believes the Bad Boy zero turn mower is “ the best-built mower in its class for the best value”.

Now, my mechanic husband is the main reason this mower got moved up to top position for best small zero turn mower under 3000.

The main things you want in a mower are a fabricated deck, decent deck steel thickness, and the spindle shaft size. You don’t see anyone listing the spindle shaft size, but the other details should be readily available. The most important part about a mower is the mowing part, so a tough deck is a must.

Once a deck is bent, it’ll never mow straight again. You can have a great mower but if the deck’s bent, it’s useless. A weak deck will need constant repairs, deck straightening, new spindles – hopeless.

Dan Meager

Chad informed us that their deck is fabricated, 7-gauge steel.

Compared to, for example, Cub Cadet’s ZT1 54 at 11-gauge, Snapper’s 12-gauge, and Troy-Bilt’s 13 gauge, that’s a helluva lot thicker and tougher.

This is personal to us. We have a great John Deere mower, great engine, plenty of power. But it’s never, ever mowed straight. Right from the get-go, it’s mowed with ridges in the grass. The flimsy pressed deck was bent straight from the shop.

Dan’s put in a huge amount of bracing to hold the deck together. It’s tough now but it still doesn’t mow straight.

This is more an issue when you’re in rough country. If your lawn is a bowling green, you’ll get away with a thinner deck, but if you’re on a rougher country property like we are, the deck is all-important.

Chad also mentioned the Bad Boy MZ has a cast-iron spindle, not aluminum. Dan says he’d like to see billet steel, but since you can’t get that, cast-iron is definitely better than aluminum. Chad recommends this mower for properties up to 1 acre.

This is a really great zero turn mower for small yards. It has a 36″ cut which will get your lawns done in no time, and being a zero-turn, you’ll zoom around flower beds and obstacles.

What I really like about this mower is the integrated rear cargo bed. It’s a little carry platform where you could store a bag of fertilizer to disperse while you’re mowing, or anything else you might want to take with you.

As Snapper says: “Haul dirt, carry tools and flowers, and of course, cut the grass with the 360Z Zero Turn Mower”

Features

• Fully 12-gauge welded steel frame
• 19HP Briggs Stratton engine
• Integrated rear cargo bed with 50lb capacity
• Thick-walled front axle
• Durable steel mower deck
• 36″ cutting width and 7 cutting positions from 1.5″-4.5″ height

What We Liked

• Easy access maintenance points
• 3-years limited residential warranty
• Integrated cargo bed with rail system so you can use third-party ATV/UTV accessories like tool clamps and cargo nets
• Very comfortable, adjustable seat

What We Didn’t Like

• 3-gallon gas tank is the smallest on this list
• 36″ cutting width is much smaller than the top mowers on this list

Troy-Bilt Mustang Fit 34″ Zero Turn Mower

The Troy-Bilt Mustang Fit 34″ is the cheapest zero turn mower on my list today. It is a great choice if you want to go with a zero-turn pivot lawn mower that is also very simple to operate.

The Troy-Bilt Mustang Fit has the smallest deck/cutting size of all the zero turn mowers under 3000 on my list, at 34″, with a twin blade system.

This means it’s one of the easiest zero turns to maneuver around smaller yards and obstacles, but is not the best choice if you have acres and acres of mowing to do.

When you compare this mower’s 34″ cutting capacity to the top 2 mowers in the list today, you’ll see that you can mow nearly twice as much in one sweep with those two.

The Cub Cadet ZT1 54 and the Husqvarna Z254 both have a 54″ cutting capacity.

For that reason, this is my favorite mower for small yards today. If you have the space though, I recommend the two bigger mowers at the top of my list.

Features

• 452 cc Troy-Bilt engine
• Dual hydrostatic transmission
• Reinforced heavy-duty frame
• 8-position height adjustment. Adjust the cutting height from 1.25″ to 3.75″
• Limited lifetime frame warranty on the frame and a 2-year limited/120-hour warranty on the other components

What We Liked

• Compact enough to fit through most standard gates and is easy to store in the garage or shed
• Easy to maneuver around flower beds and obstacles
• Excellent warranty

What We Didn’t Like

• You need to buy attachments like a rear bagger or mulch kit separately
• Tires are quite small
• Mows well, except for wet grass
• Turns a bit jerky in tighter turns
• Exposed drive belt sometimes jumps off with twigs or things like pine cones
• Difficult to see the gas level without removing the gas cap

Features

• 50-in cutting deck
• 679cc V-twin OHV Troy-Bilt engine
• Dual EZT 2200 transmission
• Support of deck wheels and a front roller to smooth over bumps
• Adjustable high back seat
• Built in America
• 3.5 gallon fuel tank
• Heavy-duty, full length, fully welded, 2-in tubular frame

What We Liked

• A comfortable ride with the adjustable high back seat
• Built in America
• Limited lifetime frame warranty
• Large 50-in deck
• Foam grip steering controls
• Easy to use and maneuver

What We Didn’t Like

• The guard sits quite high, which means cut grass blows a distance. Use caution if you have rocks etc. on your property in case they shoot out
• Hard to see how much gas you’ve got left
• Can be a bit hard to get out of the crate

Troy-Bilt Zero Turn Mowers

Troy-Bilt’s zero turn mowers are quite similar to Cub Cadet’s, although possibly not as popular, as you can see by the number of reviews.

Their mowers are of great quality, however, so don’t discount them because of the lack of reviews. Have a look at this video, “overtesting” Troy-Bilt mowers.

Features

• 23 HP Kawasaki® FR691V series Twin-cylinder engine
• 50″ cutting deck
• Open frame design with hinged/removable floor pan. Gives you easy access to the deck and the engine for maintenance
• Great mower for slight, rolling hills. Suitable for yards up to 4 acres with several obstacles
• Adjustable lap bars with soft-touch ergonomic hand grips
• 3.5 gallon fuel tank capacity
• Hydro-Gear EZT 2200 transmission
• Financing available

What We Liked

• Cuts from 1″ to 4.5″ and it’s a level, even cut
• Goes about 7mph forward and 3.5 in reverse
• The seat is adjustable and comfortable
• Headlights to be able to see and maneuver at night
• The deck has a hose attachment to enable you to clean underneath the deck

What We Didn’t Like

• The deck has a lot of vibration and can “jump” when you engage it
• Gas tank could do with a fill level indicator of some sort. You have to pull the seat over or open the gas cap to see the fuel level
• Choke lever is in an awkward location. Can be confused with the PTO but pulling the choke instead.

9 and 10 – Cub Cadet ZT1 46 and ZT1 42 Zero Turn Mowers – 2699

I’m not going into a lot of detail on these two, mainly because they’re very similar to the ZT1 54 and ZT1 50, with different deck sizes.

These two are a bit cheaper than the other two, so the choice is up to you. Value wise, I recommend the two zero turn mowers above. You’re getting more power and bigger cutting width for not much more money.

The 300 you save with the ZT1 42 and ZT1 46 is not worth it when you look at the extra HP you get and the bigger deck size.

The only reason to consider one of these two is the more compact size due to the smaller cutting deck. They’re similar in features to the ZT1 50 and ZT1 54.

Husqvarna Z142 42″ Zero Turn Riding Mower

This mower mainly didn’t make it to the top because it’s not available anywhere that I could find, and Amazon, for example, doesn’t know if it will be in stock again.

It may well be an outdated model. I’m listing its features for inclusion purposes anyway, in case it does become available.

This zero turn mower offers a bit less power than several other competitors but still has a very wide cutting deck at 42 inches.

Features

• 17HP Kohler engine
• No-maintenance zero-turn transmission
• Reinforced steel stamped cutting deck
• Clippings can be discharged, mulched or bagged (mulching kit and bagger attachment sold separately)
• ZT-2200 transmission
• Air induction technology, meaning that air is drawn from the top to the bottom of the deck.
• 3.5 gallon gas tank

What We Liked

• Pretty decent Kohler engine. Not like the 24HP Cub, but still not too bad for the price
• Excellent maneuverability for rounded corners and tight conditions
• 3-year warranty

What We Didn’t Like

• You need to buy mulching kits and bagger attachments separately
• Lower engine horsepower than several competitors, but still suitable for residential use

12 and 13 Troy Bilt Mustang Z46 and Z42 Zero Turn Mowers – 2499

The Mustang Z46 exactly the same as the Z50, especially for deck size. The Z46 is 46″ and the Z50 is 50″. The price difference is 200, so you need to decide whether the extra 4″ of cutting size is worth 200. The Z42 has a 42″ cut.

They have the same engine, so you may find the Z46 has a little less trouble in tall, wet grass because it has less to push. However, bogging down was not mentioned by any Z50 owners.

That’s Our Top 13 Best Zero Turn Mowers Under 3000

All in all, my top pick for a zero turn mower at or under 3000 is Cub Cadet’s ZT1 54 Ultima.

This zero turn lawnmower offers plenty of grunt, a great size cutting deck, great warranty – couldn’t ask for more.

A very close second zero turn mower for large yards is the Husqvarna Z254 mower.

For small yards, our winners are Troy-Bilt’s Mustang Fit and Snapper’s 360Z. Both are maneuverable, have good engines, and are easy to operate.

Snapper came out on top because of its innovative carry platform on the back the ability to use third-party ATV accessories with it.

But honestly, any of the zero turn mowers that I covered here today represent a solid choice, each has its own merits, pros, and cons.

Hopefully, my list of features for each helps you make an informed decision and you’ll end up with the best zero turn mower under 3000!

Do you have a zero turn mower? Thinking of upgrading? Let me know what you think in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев! I’m upgrading my John Deere to a zero turn in the near future, which is why my next article will be zero turn mowers under 5000.

I’m on 10 acres so I want to compare mowers under 3000 with mowers under 5000 to make the best choice possible. Any recommendations are much appreciated!

Reading on Mowers:

Author

Elle is the founder and visionary of Outdoor Happens. She adores wild gardens. Makes sense, considering she’s never been very good at fitting into boxes, sticking to neat rows, or following the rules. Elle is a qualified permaculture teacher with a diploma in horticulture and naturopathy. She lives on a farm with cows, sheep, horses, chickens, and a bunch of horses. Passions include herbalism, fermentation, cooking, nature, animals, and reading. View all posts

First Look: Greenworks Commercial Lithium Z industrial electric lawnmowers impress

I’ve used Greenworks lineup of 40V then 80V line of lawn equipment to take care of my acre of grass (and driveway in the winter) for over 5 years. Overwhelmingly, the experience has been positive with clean, quiet, vibration-free battery power really taking the edge off of lawn maintenance. If you are used to gas mowers, do yourself a favor and try an electric mower –– environment aside, it feels like pushing around a box fan compared to a loud, vibrating, smoke belching, antique.

When we learned Greenworks were launching a commercial lineup of Zero Turn Lithium mowers to compete with Mean Green Mowers and more importantly compete with the awful machines that commercial lawn care companies use, we had to take a look…

Greenworks

The Greenworks brand was started over a decade ago by the Chinese Global Tools Group parent company with a large minority stake being bought by German based STIHL Group as of May 2016. STIHL brings to the table expertise in high quality gasoline powered products, though the company has their own battery division with products that overlap with Greenworks portfolio.

Like I said, I’ve used Greenworks’ consumer electric tools and mowers and mostly they’ve done a great job. My biggest gripe is that sometimes the tools felt a little plastic-y and not up for hardcore tasks. I’m not sure if that’s due to the brand heritage, cost savings to offset expensive batteries or something I learned during their visit: You can’t have metal on metal moving parts on electric mowers because of static that can short the electronics.

Greenworks has gone from their original 24V lineup to an 80V lineup and a 40V lineup of consumer products. Obviously 80V allows for more power and generally speaking is used for higher-end products. Last year, the company introduced a third 60V tier of products which I found to be a mis-step because it is now watering down the product lines into too many tiers. If you have an 80V lawnmower, you can buy an 80V snowblower without having to buy another battery, often the most expensive parts of these tools. Or if you do buy another product, like a 80V chainsaw with a battery, you can use that battery to add extra time to your mowing or snow blowing. With all of these tiers, Greenworks is going to have too many tiers without needed differentiation.

If you’ll allow me to digress a little here, it would be nice if the battery-electric tool industry could standardize on one set of batteries that work with each other. For instance eGo, another great lawnmower is 56 Volts. Home Depot alone lists 3 pages of electric push mowers ranging from 20-82 Volts and none of the brands batteries work with each other. I was told by Greenworks that there might be some announcements on this front coming soon but I really feel the industry needs to consolidate here.

Greenworks Commercial

The same year that STIHL came on board, Greenworks created a new division of yet another tier 82V voltage lineup of products labelled “commercial”. I’ve not tried any of them first hand and they are only available through third-party purchasing agents who own different geographies of the US and sell direct to lawn maintenance companies, often with ~ 5-year leases. I’m told that even though the batteries in the leaf blowers and light duty gear look like the 80V batteries that I own, they aren’t compatible even though 2 volts is often a fine margin of error in electric tools.

Lithium Z 48-Inch Stand On Mower and Lithium Z 60 Inch Ride On Mower

With all of that out-of-the-way, Greenworks was nice enough to bring out their new “Lithium Z” Zero Turn Lawnmowers to my house. Little did they know that I had been in Alaska for a month and hadn’t cut my lawn in that time so I was going to give them something a little crazy to work on. Better yet, it had rained the night before.

The 20-inch high wet crabgrass didn’t seem to faze either mower as demonstrated below. In fact, there isn’t even seem to be any resistance as the quiet mowers went right through the grass with the only byproduct being clumps of shaved wet grass.

One thing that was particularly disconcerting was the lack of noise these things put out. They roll around as if they are being pushed, yet can attain a usable speed very quickly.

Each of these has 5 motors (2 for wheels and 3 for blades) powered by a 13.8kWh battery that will last around 5 hours of cutting time. I’m told that is a conservative estimate but mileage will vary there. What I was a little bit more concerned about was the charging situation. Greenworks brought along their 110V AC – 82V DC inverter that is actually external to the vehicle. I’m told it won’t work on 240V and the charging is quite slow which is unfortunate. If you think about it, most outlets put out about 1.5kW so you are looking at a 10-hour recharge. That means these things will need to charge overnight and can’t be charged for instance on the way to a job or from job to job. Also the batteries aren’t removable as far as I’ve seen.

The charging interface looks a lot like a J1772 standard EV charger but is quite different. J1772 delivers AC to a car’s on-board inverter, whereas the Greenworks Commercial mowers take a direct current charge to the batteries at 82V.

It is my belief that future commercial mowers will jump onto the same standard of AC J1772 chargers as cars allowing them to use car chargers to refuel. OR maybe they will skip right to CCS to allow very fast recharging without lugging around an internal inverter.

Notice the similarity above of the Greenworks DC charger above with a typical J1772 AC plug.

Conclusion

Like automobiles, we’re right at the beginning of electric commercial lawn care disruption. It is a much smaller market, so a lot less investment is going on but it is clear to me that the first movers will have an inherent advantage, especially when customers begin demanding them. It’s easy to see why that will happen. These are quiet, clean, and powerful and you don’t smell any petroleum residue in the lawn after it is cut.

From the lawn workers perspective, you have a much quieter ride with less vibration, no gasoline to worry about and powerful cutting and travel.

But we’re still early days here and you can tell from Greenworks’ first effort that a lot of improvements are coming. Charging will be better. The products will have a cleaner look. These look very prototype-y with bent metal exteriors vs. a moulded shell.

Also charging is currently not well done. I would expect either removable batteries or fast-charging options to eventually come to the market allowing more than 5 hours of cutting time per day.

Finally, that monster 13.8kWh battery ain’t cheap. After the demo, I was ready to pick one of these up thinking they would be in the 3-4,000 range. LOL, nope. These start at over 20,000 and if you think about the amount of batteries and the hardcore nature of the product, that makes some sense. These are meant to be run every day, not once every week or 2 weeks.

All of that said, if you are a company buying commercial grade lawn care now, the advantages of electric far outweigh the short-term price advantage of gasoline-powered ride-ons. I highly recommend a test drive. Find a local dealer here.

The competition: Mean Green Zero Turn Mower – built in Ohio.

Other more consumer products to consider if 20K is out of your budget:

How To Cut Grass Like A Pro Using Lawn Mowing Patterns Techniques

Using lawn mowing patterns to cut your grass is beneficial, and makes the chore of cutting it more fun. In this post, I’ll tell you all about how to use different grass cutting techniques to create those nice straight lines in your yard, just like the pros.

Learning the basic lawn mowing patterns will make your yard look amazing, and it’s also better for the grass too.

You don’t need to spend tons of extra time learning how to cut grass like a pro, it’s all about being intentional with the way you mow.

When you are more intentional, it becomes much easier (and more fun!) to maintain a healthy lawn.

In this detailed guide, you’ll learn all about the different grass cutting techniques and patterns, and how to easily use them to make nice designs in your lawn.

Why Use Lawn Mowing Patterns?

You don’t need to be completely obsessed with having the perfect lawn to use mowing patterns. Some people totally geek out about it, and that’s cool.

I’m not one of those people, but I do like to maintain the grass and keep it looking nice (after all, it is often the backdrop for my gardens in photos).

Being intentional about how I mow, and using simple grass cutting patterns, makes it much easier to maintain a healthy lawn.

Even if you could care less about creating perfect stripes or patterns in your grass, it’s still important to pay attention to the way you mow.

Not only will your yard look nicer, your grass will be healthier, have less weeds, and be easier to maintain.

Mowing a criss cross pattern into my lawn

Benefits Of Grass Cutting Patterns

Here’s the deal, if you always use the exact same pattern every time you mow, the tire tracks will start to wear out areas of the grass. This can cause ugly dead spots, which invite weeds to grow.

Using the exact same cutting pattern over and over will also compact the grass over time, making it harder for healthy new blades to grow.

Switching up your routine on a regular basis minimizes the wear and tear damage caused by the mower tires.

Alternating mowing techniques also keeps the grass from becoming compacted, allowing plenty of airflow, and keeping it looking its best.

Plus, you need to mow it a little taller in order to get the right effect, which is better for the grass too (but more on that later).

And, as an added bonus, mowing patterns into the grass also helps to hide the weeds, giving the illusion of the perfect lawn.

Lawn mower tire tracks damage to the grass

Professional Lawn Cutting Techniques

If you want to mow your lawn like a professional (or just maintain a healthier yard), then learning the basic patterns is key.

There are a few simple techniques you can play around with to see which ones you like.

The easiest one to start with is creating stripes in your lawn. Once you get the hang of that, it will be simple to create other designs.

Other common designs are the checkerboard pattern, straight diagonal lines, a criss-cross diagonal pattern, and diamonds.

It might sound like things just got complicated, but all of these fancy designs are just variations of the simple striping pattern.

What Pattern Should I Use To Mow My Lawn?

There is no perfect pattern to use on every lawn. I personally like to mix it up, and use a different one every time.

But I have a large yard that is pretty square, so I have plenty of room to experiment. If yours is oddly shaped or small, you might find that only one or two of the designs will work.

Once you figure out the ones that look the best in your yard, and are the easiest to create, mowing actually becomes kind of fun.

Basic checkerboard lawn pattern

How To Cut Grass Like A Pro

Making lawn striping patterns won’t add any work, it just takes a little extra thought and a bit of planning at first, so you can visualize what you want to do.

You don’t have to mow over and over again, spending extra hours to create the stripes and patterns. It’s all about how the grass lays after you cut it.

As your mower goes over them, the blades of grass will bend in that direction. Then when you go the other way, the grass bends in that direction.

The light reflects off of the blades differently in each direction – and that’s what makes the lines.

Mowing the grass taller (raising the lawn mower height) will make the stripes show up better, because longer blades bend more than short ones.

How To Mow Patterns In Your Lawn Step-By-Step

You don’t need any special equipment to create the professional look in your own yard, any push or riding mower will work. Here’s how to create those pretty lawn stripes…

Step 1: Cut the outside edges – Mow around the outside edges of your yard first (just like when a Zamboni starts cleaning the ice).

This is where you’ll turn your mower as you’re cutting the rest of the grass. Having a few feet of turning space makes it much easier to create straight lines.

Cutting around the lawn edges like a zamboni

Step 2: Line up the first stripe – Make your first stripe using a landmark to keep it straight. I use the edges of my garden beds to help me get a nice straight pattern that matches the lines already in my yard.

You could also use a sidewalk, driveway, patio, or some other straight-edged hardscape in your yard as a guide.

Lining up my mower with a straight edge

Step 3: Use the first stripe as your guide – After you make your first stripe, turn your mower around on the outside edge of the lawn where you’ve already mowed.

Line your mower up so that the wheels are on the edge of the line you just created. Then follow that line to create your next stripe.

Mowing patterns into my lawn

Step 4: Repeat the same pattern – Continue going back and forth over your lawn, lining your mower up after each turn with the last stripe you created.

Each new stripe you make will be in the opposite direction of the last, creating those nice clean lines. If you end up with a crooked line, just mow back over it in the same direction to fix it.

Step 5: Go over the outside edges again (optional) – Once you’re done creating your lawn stripes, go back around the perimeter of the yard again.

This will get rid of any turn marks left over from your striping, and any unsightly clumps of grass that were dropped by the mower.

Taking this extra step gives the lawn a more finished look, but it is totally optional. If you’re already happy with the way it looks, then you can skip this step.

Once you get some practice making nice straight lines, play around with other patterns and designs to see which ones you like the best in your lawn.

How Grass Type Affects Lawn Mowing Patterns

It’s important to note that the type of grass you have can make a big difference in how dark your stripes will be.

We have Kentucky Bluegrass, which is a variety that does better in cooler climates (like we have here in MN). It has a longer blade, and is thicker and lusher than those you’d find in warmer climates.

If you live in a hot climate, have a shorter variety, or one that has a more stem than blades, it won’t bend as nicely as the longer grass types.

In that case, the patterns won’t be as prominent, or your mower may not leave any lines at all.

A simple lawn striping pattern

Lawn Mowing Patterns Tips Tricks

Creating stripes and designs in your lawn is easy, and it won’t take you any extra time to mow once you get the hang of it. Here are a few tips and tricks to remember when you’re just getting started…

• Try to use a different pattern or change the direction of your stripes after every 2-3 mows. This will keep the grass growing its best, and avoid wear and tear damage caused by the mower tires.

• The trick to creating darker lawn stripes is to mow the grass taller, because the blades don’t bend as well when they’re cut short.

• Use a sidewalk, driveway, or other hardscape in your yard as a guide to keep your lines straight.

• Experiment with different cutting patterns to see which one you like, and what looks best in your grass.

Beautiful straight lines mowed in the grass

General Tips For Mowing The Lawn

• To help with weed control, don’t cut the grass too short. Weeds have a harder time establishing themselves in a thick, healthy lawn.

• Cut the grass lower in the fall, and make sure it’s short before snow covers it. This will help to avoid dead spots caused by winter damage, and also prevents mold growth in early spring.

• Remove all the leaves and other debris from your lawn before winter to avoid dead spots in the grass come spring.

• Keep your lawn mower in tip-top shape, and always be sure the blade is sharp for a clean cut.

• To avoid ugly clumps of grass messing up your lines, raise the mower height. Then gradually lower it when it’s time to cut your grass shorter. Mowing more frequently, and only when the grass is dry, will also prevent unsightly boogers.

When you learn how to use lawn mowing techniques and patterns, your grass will be much healthier and easier to maintain. Plus, it will look amazing too.

Yard Care Tips

Share you favorite lawn mowing patterns or tips in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев section below.

About Amy Andrychowicz

I’m an author and expert gardener who loves growing ALL of the plants. From vegetables, herbs, and flowers to cacti, succulents, tropicals, and houseplants. you name it, I’ve grown it! My green thumb comes from my parents, and I’ve been gardening for most of my life. Read

Комментарии и мнения владельцев

I started mowing a different pattern when I saw the tire marks before I mowed. Now I start the season mowing north and south, and rotate 45 degrees clockwise with each successive mowing. A little OCD, I know, but I think it looks better. I mow about 3/4 acre, so th pattern shows up.

Awesome! I feel OCD about using mowing patterns too, LOL! But it looks so much nicer, and it’s better for the grass too. Great work!

All great tips. didn’t know to lower deck before winter. Also, sharp mulching blades make a nice Clean cut. Cleaning up edges after mowing inhances the Effort you’ve put into job. it doesn’t take a lot of time to go that extra mile to show off your pride of work ! Thanks for all the great tips ! Brendan ?

Thank you for all te wonderful tips on how to mower like a pro. I will make sure my hubby read this post so he can start mowing like pros.

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Is the new ‘Manscaped’ body groomer from Shark Tank the best one yet?

Our intrepid writer tried the buzzy trimmer for ‘downstairs’ grooming to find out.

Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission. were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

I’m not sure when I first became aware of the term manscape, which apparently means to groom or trim a man’s body hair, but Urban Dictionary’s top definition dates back to 2003. I also admit that when Reviewed first asked me to test products by the brand Manscaped, made famous by Shark Tank and Instagram, I didn’t realize that its Lawn Mower is specifically marketed as a trimmer for a dude’s hair, um, down there. (Manscape’s mission is to be the global leader in below-the-waist grooming and spark a movement to unlock men’s confidence, allowing them to lead their best lives.)

A few disclosures before I get into the so-called weeds. I’m in my late 40s, married, and not especially vain. My head is mostly bald, and what hair I have on my face and body doesn’t grow particularly thick but can get unruly. I’m open to learning new things about grooming because I’m diligent about hygiene.

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What is Manscaped?

The brand, founded by a father-and-son team (feel free to unpack that on your own), sells two versions of a cordless pubic hair clipper, a cordless ear- and nose-hair trimmer, nail-grooming kits, and various grooming products for men’s hair and skin—all bestowed with clever names—both a la carte and in sets.

In the last couple years, I’ve tested the Lawn Mower 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0, which are waterproof electric hair trimmers featuring what the company calls SkinSafe Technology to prevent nicks. (The 2.0 has been discontinued.)

For this review, I also tried the Crop Preserver, an anti-chafing ball deodorant, and the Crop Reviver, a ball toner and refresher, and the Shed, a travel bag to hold all this stuff, and separately I’ve reviewed Manscaped’s Weed Whacker, which is a waterproof electric trimmer for ear and nose hair.

What does Manscaped cost?

The Perfect Package 4.0 includes the Lawn Mower 4.0, Crop Preserver, Crop Reviver, Magic Mat, Manscaped Boxers, and Shed toiletry bag.

Like many of these subscription-model startups, Manscaped’s pricing is, well, a little convoluted. Allow me to try to break it down:

• The Lawn Mower 4.0 retails for 89.99 on Manscaped.com, or 84.99 if you sign up for the Peak Hygiene Plan to receive two replacement products of your choice (such as more blades or any of the so-called Formulations) every three months for which you’re charged 14.99. (Manscaped recommends popping on a new blade that frequently for optimal performance and hygienic operation.)
• The Lawn Mower 3.0 sells for 79.99, or 69.99 with the Peak Hygiene Plan.
• Crop Preserver, 12.99, or a recurring 9.99 for each shipment with a subscription; you can choose to receive it every one, two, three, or six months.
• Crop Reviver, 10.99, or a recurring charge of 8.99 with a subscription
• The Shed travel bag, 39.99 (or free with certain sets).

A note about the Peak Hygiene Plan: Previously, this subscription plan covered only the replacement of the ceramic blade, which meant that you’d be charged 14.99 every three months and get one new blade. Now, Manscaped allows you to choose two products for the same 15, one of which can be a new blade. You can also mix and match and change your selections before each shipment. Do you want one blade for the Lawn Mower and another for the Weed Whacker? No problem. Want a new mower blade and a refill on the ball toner? Cool.

Manscaped.com also sells several sets that bundle the trimmers with other products, offering a significant discount from what you’d pay a la carte.

The Perfect Package 4.0 comes with the Lawn Mower 4.0, a bottle each of Crop Preserver and Crop Reviver, the Shed bag, anti-chafing boxers (Dear Universe: Shouldn’t all boxers be anti-chafing?), and a three-pack of Magic Mats, or disposable, recyclable-paper mats that look like a newspaper for placing on the floor to catch clipped hair (now that we no longer read actual newspapers that could be used for this purpose and instead have to buy mock newsprint is perhaps a sign of the apocalypse. but I digress, again). The Perfect Package 4.0 costs 109.99, or 99.99 with the 14.99 quarterly Peak Hygiene Plan.

The Performance Package 4.0 is all of the above plus the Weed Whacker ear- and nose-hair trimmer. This bundle costs 129.99, or 119.99 with the 14.99 quarterly Peak Hygiene Plan.

Purchased separately (and without the various subscriptions), the items in the Perfect Package would run you about 178 and those in the Performance Package about 218. So, if you want and will use all or most of those items, buying one of the packages is a no-brainer.

However, most of the products are also available on Amazon without the obligation to get a subscription. The Lawn Mower 4.0 is priced at 89.99 (at the time of publication) from Manscaped and fulfilled by Amazon (or cheaper via some third-party vendors). The Lawn Mower 3.0 costs 69.99 with no further purchase required—so it’s actually a better deal on Amazon.

However, neither the Perfect Package 4.0 nor the Performance Package 4.0 is available from Amazon. Instead, you can grab a bundle called the Perfect Package 3.0 for 99.99. It comes with the older model Lawn Mower 3.0, Crop Cleanser (refreshing all-in-one cleanser for post-trimming in the shower), Crop Preserver, Crop Reviver, the Shed, Magic Mat, and a five-piece stainless steel nail kit called the Shears 2.0. Confusingly, the items in this set are somewhat different from what Manscaped sells in the Perfect Package 3.0 directly on its website. That version has the Lawn Mower 3.0, Crop Preserver, Crop Reviver, Magic Mat set, Shed, and Manscaped Boxers for 89.99.

After all that, are you still with me? Deep breath.

Does Manscaped work?

The Lawn Mower 4.0 feels good in the hand with its octagonal shape.

For my first test down there, I stepped into the tub, opened the shower faucets, and went to mow the lawn under the stream of water.

The wet environment made keeping my skin taut and guiding the blade through my water-flattened hair more difficult but looking down at the hair-covered shower floor told me I was making progress.

I found it worked best without using the plastic comb attachment because the unencumbered blade lifts and cuts wet hair more easily that way. Also, I only did some light mowing, so to speak, while under the shower because of the overall reduced visibility.

Because you can use the trimmer wet or dry, I later repeated the manscaping exercise without water. This time, I stood in front of a body-length mirror on the bathroom door so I could better see what I was doing. I stepped onto some actual newsprint (yes, I still get the paper on weekends) and gave it a go below my waist.

I easily guided the trimmer around my sensitive areas, being mindful to keep the skin taut and moving the trimmer only in the direction the blade points, as per the well-illustrated guide that came in the box.

The Lawn Mower 4.0 features a small LED light just below the replaceable blade, which helpfully lights the way. I was happy to see this innovative feature from the 3.0 carry over to this latest generation.

The answer to your inevitable question: No, I didn’t nick myself in either test. Yes, I was very careful, but the Manscaped trimmer is light (just over four ounces) and easy to maneuver so I wasn’t really worried that I’d get hurt. Several of the bad reviews on Amazon are from users claiming they cut themselves using the trimmer. (A couple of reviewers even posted … photos. Oh, my eyes.) Of course this is a risk—even Manscaped includes the disclaimer in its quick-start guide that nicks, cuts, or other injury may occur and advises you to mow low and slow. But after my experiences testing three versions of the Lawn Mower, I have to wonder what those users did to draw all that blood.

Can you use Manscaped on your face?

The Lawn Mower 4.0 made pretty quick work of removing my beard.

Although Manscaped markets the trimmer for groin and body grooming, a post on Manscaped’s blog states that the Lawn Mower can be safe and effective for grooming your face. (Your face is part of your body, no?)

But the company advises you to use one blade for your face and a separate blade for the rest of your body to prevent bacterial cross-contamination. I decided to try the trimmer on my face first for this reason. But also, two more reasons: 1) I wanted to see how it performs as a beard and mustache trimmer because I personally don’t want to have to buy a different device for every corner of my person and I’m sure many of you don’t, either. So if it does a decent job there, too, cool. And 2) If I don’t shave for a long time, my beard gets quite long, curly, and wild, which presents a perfect additional challenge for testing the Lawn Mower’s mowing power.

After letting my beard grow out for about four weeks, I fired up the Lawn Mower 4.0 and pushed it into the unruly growth with the goal of clipping everything off. I shaved one half of my mug in under two minutes and paused to capture my Two-Face look on camera (see image above). Then I finished the job in just about another minute. This left me with a very short, soft buzz, which is what I like. You can either stop there, if you’re like me, or you can switch to a razor to then quickly give yourself a closer shave. And here’s the fun fact: I did all this in my backyard, without the benefit of a mirror. I felt a pinch just under my lip and again near my Adam’s Apple but that has happened to me with dedicated beard trimmers, too, so I won’t hold it against the Lawn Mower.

Can you use Manscaped for other body grooming?

The Manscaped Lawn Mower has a good feel in the hand and trims hair closely to the skin, as seen on this lower leg. (It’s a G-rated site, mmkay?)

Yes. Trimming my chest hair in the shower was quick, though I don’t have a ton of torso hair in the first place. The only hang-up was that hairs tended to stick to my skin rather than fall away, which made it harder to tell where I’d trimmed. Still, the results were good. The more I test Manscaped products, the better I get at using them. When I was a manscaping novice, I missed some spots, go figure, both on my chest and down below. But by now, I’m much more comfortable guiding the devices on my real estate to achieve smoother and neater results.

But remember—the Lawn Mower is a trimmer, not a shaver, so it can only snip your hair so short. If you’re looking to go hairless, you’ll want to go over your skin again with a men’s disposable razor like our top pick, Gillette Mach3 Turbo or try one of Manscaped’s razors, (The Plow 2.0 for le visage and the Crop Shaver for the groin—or book a waxing appointment and skip the home trimming altogether.

How do you clean the Manscaped Lawn Mower?

One benefit of the device’s waterproofing is that, even if you don’t use it in the shower, you can clean it under running water. After I rinsed it clean of hair, I popped off the blade attachment, gently tapped it and the unit to shake out loose hair, and then brushed them with a toothbrush. (The tiny brush that comes with most electric trimmers is pretty useless because it’s hard to hold and doesn’t really sweep enough. I prefer using a soft-bristle toothbrush.)

How long does Manscaped’s battery last?

The Lawn Mower is charged via USB, which was new to me in the personal care space when I first tested it. The 4.0 comes with a USB braided charging cable (it looks a lot like an iPhone charger but black instead of white) and a cradle that holds the trimmer upright while it juices up. What’s new with this model: The trimmer recharges wirelessly through electromagnetic induction, meaning the trimmer sits in the cradle and charges via contact alone. The cable it comes with is to charge the cradle. This also means that you can try charging the handheld on a third-party wireless charging pad, although Manscaped doesn’t guarantee it will work with every generic pad on the market.

To test charging time, I slid a fully drained Lawn Mower 4.0 test unit into its charging cradle and waited. A strip of three blinking lights shows the trimmer’s charging progress. (Those lights also indicate the trimmer’s approximate charge in thirds.) The mower recharged in just over three hours. Manscaped says the 4.0’s fully charged battery gets you up to 90 minutes of use. To test that claim, I let the fully charged 4.0 run with the LED on until the unit died, which took about 70 minutes. I repeated the drain-until-dead test with the LED switched off. This time, the charge lasted 91 minutes.

Remember that your real-world experience will look very different—you’ll likely use the device for just a few minutes at a time. But the battery life seems more than adequate to keep you in business for several manscaping sessions before needing to juice up. It’s also about the same charge-up and draining time I got when I tested the Lawnmower 3.0.

What’s good about Manscaped?

The LED headlight on the Lawn Mower 4.0 is one of its best features.

I’ve appreciated each version of the Lawn Mower’s design and build. The 4.0 shaver, which weighs about 4.3 ounces and measures just under six inches long, feels light and great in my hand. With my index finger wrapped under the concave of the shaver’s neck, my pinky clutches the rounded bottom while my thumb easily presses the power button, which delivers a nice tactile response when pressed.

Pressing the button three times activates the travel lock to prevent accidental activation (and draining of power) if the trimmer bangs around in the Shed or some other case while you’re on the go—a very useful feature that should be on every electronic personal care product.

The LED spotlight is genius. Without this feature—or perhaps some low-angled floodlights in your bathroom—I don’t know how you’d see where you need to trim the farther down you go. But when you don’t need to shine the spotlight on your work area, you can switch it off by holding down the power button for about two seconds while the trimmer is buzzing.

Another plus is that the Lawn Mower is quiet. You can hear the buzzing just enough to let you know it’s charged and working. In fact, for my battery life test, I placed the buzzing unit on a small washcloth on my desk while I worked on my computer and I barely noticed the humming sound after a while.

The 4.0 comes with two comb attachments, a.k.a. trim guards, which is more than enough. Each clicks into two trim lengths, giving you four options: 3mm, 6mm, 10mm, and 13mm. I’ve had shavers that came with many comb attachments I never used and they ended up being clutter. This is my preference, of course, and you might wish you could have several different lengths. But how many lengths do you need for focused grooming on your chest and groin?

After each test, I didn’t notice any itching or signs of ingrown hairs (but to be fair, I couldn’t really get that close).

What I didn’t like about Manscaped

The placement of the Lawn Mower’s power button, while comfortably under a thumb or finger, can be triggered accidentally, as several Amazon reviewers noted. The button on the 4.0 requires deliberate pressure to activate. And yet I accidentally switched off the trimmer three times while using it. This wasn’t a problem for me when I tested the 3.0, which leads me to think something may have changed design-wise.

Also, the narrow one-inch trimmer blade, while good for tight places, makes shaving larger areas, like the belly, chest, and face, a more tedious task.

As for those adjustable comb guides: I accidentally clicked the guide completely off the blade once while shaving. I’d done the same thing several times with a guide on the 3.0, so this time I knew to expect this. It would be helpful if removing the comb required a different motion than the same sliding between the two lengths.

Finally, I don’t love the price if you just opt to buy the Lawn Mower alone; 90 is a lot for a specialized hair trimmer that serves a niche purpose—and that’s 10 more than what the 3.0 cost when that model came out.

But if you’re willing to wash it thoroughly and use separate blades for your separate bits, you can get more use out of it. Also, if you go for one of Manscaped’s sets, you’ll probably appreciate the value you get for a lot of products.

How are the Manscaped Lawn Mower 4.0 and Lawn Mower 3.0 different?

Manscaped’s Lawn Mower 4.0 has udpated features, including a wireless charging station.

After testing both trimmers, I’ve concluded that the trimming performance of the 4.0 and 3.0 are very similar. In fact, they use the same ceramic blade and both have a 7,000-rpm motor.

The main differences are in the features. The 4.0 has the travel lock, which is useful if you plan to take it with you on the go. The 4.0 also has a charging and power indicator​. The 3.0 has neither. The new model also has two comb guides giving you four lengths whereas the previous model offers one comb with two lengths. And the fourth-gen unit had wireless charging.

The other noticeable difference is mostly cosmetic. The 4.0 has an octagonal shape; you can feel edges as you hold and rotate it. The 3.0 has an elliptic cylindrical shape with a textured surface; so no edges around the main shaft.

The 4.0 costs more than the 3.0, too, but if you’re looking for a device for your manscaping purposes (and have the cash to spend), I say you may as well go for the Lawn Mower 4.0.

Should you upgrade to the Lawn Mower 4.0 if you already have the 3.0?

If you like your 3.0 and it does the job, stick with it. Maybe wait for the 5.0.

Go for the upgrade if any of the following apply to you: you’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of your 3.0, you like getting new toys, you appreciate the new travel lock and wireless charging features, or you’re a hairy beast.

Are Manscaped body grooming products any good?

The Manscaped accessories can be purchased in the Perfect Package 3.0 or a la carte.

I tested two bottles: the Crop Preserver (deodorant) and Crop Reviver (skin toner). I’m a fan of keeping all areas of my body, especially that one, clean and as odor-free as possible. But I can’t help but roll my eyes at pricey liquids billed as an anti-chafing ball deodorant and a ball toner and refresher, respectively. I tried both products, which have muted but distinctly pleasant fragrances. And no, they don’t sting. (I’m sure every young man has at some point in his life experimented with deodorizing his testicles—with possibly terrifying results.)

I think we can probably survive without spending 10 bucks on a few ounces of some concoction that’s probably not that different from using a combination of good soap, standard body lotion, and possibly a shake of talcum powder.

Who else likes Manscaped?

The Lawn Mower 4.0 doesn’t have many Amazon reviews yet. It has an average rating of 4.2 stars out of 5 across about 420 global ratings. (The 3.0, by comparison, rates an average 4.5 across 51,310 global ratings.)

Many reviewers seem to love the new version, saying they like the travel lock, wireless charging, LED, and more. Others posted complaints about red marks and nicked skin. Men who are already fans of taking time to groom below the waist seem to appreciate the Lawn Mower’s design and features. But dudes who are skeptical about bringing an electric-powered blade close to their tender bits are probably not going to be convinced it is worth the trouble and care required.

Should you get Manscaped?

If you’re more consistent about manscaping than I am, you will probably like the Lawn Mower, especially if you’re single, dating, and actively working to make a great impression on intimate partners.

Still, I asked some friends about their thoughts on manscaping, to be sure I wasn’t alone in my assessment. I was a bit surprised.

Carolyn, 38, a social worker, said there’s no need to go all lumberjack. Don’t clearcut the forest, she said. Just pick up the fallen branches and cut back the weeds. Whether she is casually dating or is in a long-term relationship, Carolyn said she hopes a man’s habits are consistent. The presentation matters, and I expect somebody to do the same maintenance I do, she told me.

Angela, 43, a writer navigating the dating waters, is also pro-manscaping. A man with a well-coiffed beard is sexy. And if he’s also groomed below the belt, you know personal self-care is top of mind, she said. And that’s incredibly attractive. Seriously?

What’s the best zero turn lawn mower? #johndeere

Seriously, if it looks like an overgrown weed patch down there and I can’t find my way around, it’s totally a turn off, she said.

Well, OK then. Guys, are you paying attention?

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were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.