Lawn mowers are a must-have piece of machinery for any homeowner who has a backyard. However, depending on the model you are looking to buy, you may end up having to spend a lot of money.
People say that you get what you pay for. But there is no reason to pay more than what is necessary.
By choosing the right time to buy your lawn mower, you will be able to save on some extra cash. So when is the right time?
Are lawn mowers cheaper in the winter? Lawn mowers are sold at either retail price or a slightly cheaper price during winter. However, winter is not the best season to buy a lawn mower. Lawn mowers are the cheapest at the end of the season in the autumn. And sometimes in the spring at the start of the season.
The best time to get a good deal on a lawn mower depends on the mixture of supply and demand, seasonal trends, and more. It is how economics works.
Read along, as I get into more details about how seasonality affects the prices of lawn mowers and everything you need to know about when to buy one in order to get the best value for your money.
When Are Lawn Mowers Cheaper?
What is the most commonly given advice for saving money when shopping? If you guessed ‘shop off-season’, then you guessed right.
A lot of people do it, myself included.
Winter is considered off-season when it comes to lawn mowers. I mean, there shouldn’t be a lot of demand for them in the winter, right?
So how much can we expect sellers to actually lower their retail prices in the winter?
I decided to take a look at some of the popular lawn mower models and how their prices changed during the last year. In the following table, I have summarized my findings.
| Model | Amazon (New) | Retail (New) | Used |
| Greenworks 25322 | October –
January |
September –
November |
August –
February |
| Greenworks 25022 | August –
September |
August –
November |
August –
October |
| Black+Decker BESTA512 | June –
July |
June –
July |
August –
October |
| WORX WG744 | August –
October |
August –
April |
August –
September |
The general period of time with the lowest prices of the listed lawn mowers during the last year. (1)
Of course, these numbers are not set in stone.
There is a lot of variance and volatility when it comes to pricing a product.
A lot of different factors can affect the end price of a lawn mower, but often there will be specific trends.
And these findings coincide pretty well with what has been recommended by Consumer Reports. They say that the best time to buy lawn mowers is between April and May and August to October.
Does the Price of Lawn Mowers Drop in the Winter?
However, despite the vagueness of these numbers, you will undoubtedly notice a trend. The colder months, so to speak, are usually the months with the lowest lawn mower prices.
Of course, this was to be expected, but it definitely gives us some deeper perspective.
You can generally expect the prices of lawn mowers, both new and used, to be at their lowest during the periods of August to November, and in some instances, that trend can last until January.
However, during the winter, the prices may not necessarily be the lowest possible.
During winter, hardware stores will be focusing on the machinery, tools, and equipment that is in demand for that particular season.
Admittedly there may be a few lawn mowers in stock. However, in most stores, often there will be just a few leftover models, so retailers may not necessarily feel a need to drop their prices.
When Do Lawn mowers Get More Expensive?
Almost universally, the trend shows that during the summer months (usually from May to July), the prices will either stay the same or rise significantly.
This is normal as the manufacturers try to adapt and make use of the increased demand. There are some exceptions to this, and I will get to that in a bit.
What Is the Best Time to Buy a Cheap Lawn Mower?
The rule of thumb states that the best time to buy a lawn mower is right when the season ends. The end season usually varies between August and September, and this is when you will be able to find the best deals.
The reason behind that is that at the end of the season, retailers know that the demand will drop significantly.
And they don’t really want to end up with a lot of machinery that will be taking up valuable storage space.
So they will try to clear out their inventory from any products that may not sell by making end-of-season discounts.
If you already know what product or brand of lawn mower you want to get, I would strongly recommend just speaking with the retailers, manufacturers, or dealers and inquiring about future promotions and discounts.
After all, you have nothing to lose, and frequently they will be happy to help you.
What Is the Second-Best Time of the Year to Buy a Lawn Mower?
If you take another look at the table above, you may notice another thing.
The second best time to get a cheap lawn mower is usually right before the summer hits at the very start of the season, which is typically between April to May.
The reason for that is flash sales to jump-start the season while taking advantage of the upcoming demand during the summer.
I noticed that trend with some of the other models as well, although at much lower rates.
So if the winter has passed and you just weren’t able to get yourself a cheap lawn mower, I would recommend keeping an eye out for any sales before the summer knocks on your door.
How Much Do the Prices of Lawn mowers Drop in the Off-Season?
I have to start with a warning.
These numbers are averages and do not represent what may be happening in the future.
However, while I was doing my research, I had that very same question and a few others like, is it going to be worth my waiting for the prices to drop, or should I just get myself a lawn mower now, whatever the price may be?
So even though these numbers may not be very telling of what the future holds for us, it can nonetheless give us some idea of what to expect.
- Greenworks 25322 had a price drop of about 9%;
- Greenworks 25022 had a price drop of about 22%;
- Black+Decker BESTA512 had a price drop of about 8%;
- WORX WG744 had a price drop of about 8%;
As a good average, you can expect to come across some good deals that are 5 to 15% cheaper and sometimes even more.
Does the Price of Used Lawn Mowers Go Down in the Winter?
Conversely, one of the best and cheapest ways to get yourself a lawn mower is by purchasing a used one.
A lawn mower that has been properly maintained and taken care of can last up to eight or ten years. And without proper maintenance, this period can be cut in half.
It is recommended to get a two to three years old lawn mower that the previous owner has taken good care of. For such a mower, the price may be 30 to 40% lower compared to a brand new product.
And make sure to do your due diligence.
You don’t want just any used lawn mower. If you need to do some repairs, you may end up spending more than you would pay for a brand new model.
The prices of used lawn mowers do follow much of the same trends that regular lawn mowers follow.
During the summer they will be more expensive, and during the off-season the prices will go down.
Does the Price of Lawn Mowers Online Go Down in the Winter?
Online shops and retailers have one distinct advantage over any hardware store. They may not need to have physical storage space, which frequently means lower expenses for them.
As a result, you may find out that on average, the prices online are lower. Whenever I am browsing or shopping around and I find something of interest, I make sure to check if there are better deals online. Often there are.
Prices online usually follow the same trends; however, the end of season discounts and sales may not be as good as what you would see in a hardware store.
So the best thing to do is give yourself a few days to explore your options to find the best deal for you.