NJ Lawns Community

Hey everyone, just closed on a house in Ridgewood last week and I'm completely overwhelmed. My lawn is mostly tall fescue (I had a guy from SavATree come out and identify it) and it's about 1/4 acre in size. ThePrevious owner pretty much neglected it for years so I've got a lot of recovery work to do. I need to get a mower ASAP before summer hits but I'm torn between EGO battery mowers and Honda gas mowers. I've heard great things about both but I don't want to make an expensive mistake. Any recommendations for my situation? Budget is around $500-700. Thanks in advance!

Welcome to Ridgewood!Congrats on the new house. For tall fescue you really can't go wrong either way honestly. I'd lean toward the EGO though - I switched to their 56V self-propelled mower 3 years ago and I haven't looked back. No gas fumes, no mixing oil, and quieter operation which matters when you're mowing early on Saturday mornings in a neighborhood. The battery technology has come SO far. I picked up an extra battery from Home Depot in_paramus and I've trimmed my whole yard plus edge for about a hour on one charge. Plus you can't beat the instant start in July when it's 85 degrees and you're sweating.

Hard disagree with the EGO recommendation here. I've got both an EGO and a Honda HRX217 and the Honda cuts tall fescue WAAAY better when it's thick and slightly overgrown. The variable speed transmission on the HRX is unmatched and honestly the mulching blades on Honda are superior for fescue - you want that fine chop to give back nitrogen. The EGO is fine for routine maintenance but if you're starting with a neglected lawn and need to cut through thick stuff, you'll bog down. Also batteries degrade - mine lost about 20% capacity after two seasons. Go to Jacks Small Engines in_Mahwah and test drive both. Trust me the Honda will last 15+ years, the EGO might get you 5-7.

Either way you're making the right choice! Both EGO and Honda are solid brands. I would say think about your long term goals though - are you planning to go fully organic/chemical free? If yes, definitely look at the EGO because you can use it to vacuum up leaves in fall and then I actually compost my grass clippings which works better with the discharge option. Also, tall fescue in NJ does best when you mow at 3.5-4 inches which honestly both handle fine. Check out the community garden behind Ridgewood library - I've seen some folks there discuss their setups. Pro tip: get a soil test done through Rutgers cooperative extension - they'll tell you exactly what your lawn needs. Welcome to the neighborhood!

Oh good point on the soil test - DO THIS FIRST before dropping money on fancy equipment. I waited too long and was fertilizing all wrong for my KBG/fescue mix. Rutgers does tests for like $20. Also, I'd add that if you're doing the EGO route get the peak power version not the base model - there's a noticeable difference in torque. Mike, I'd still maintain that for long term value the Honda wins especially since you're dealing with recovery mowing. Pasture Pro in_Englewood has decent prices.

Fair points Mike, but I stand by the EGO for this specific case. They want something simple, low maintenance, and quick to start. Gas mowers are a pain - winterizing, stale fuel, carburetor issues. Our yards here in Ridgewood aren't THAT big (quarter acre is honestly small) and tall fescue is forgiving. The newer EGO models have the brushless motor now and I haven't had my battery degrade noticeably. My neighbor swears by his - he's been running the same batteries for 6 seasons. Whatever they pick, just get it BEFORE memorial day because once it's 80+ and the grass is growing fast, mowing becomes every 5 days and you'll want something reliable.