When Do Lawn Mowers Go on Sale?

Mowers follow the grass. Demand climbs in spring, peaks when the lawn is growing fastest, and falls off a cliff once growth slows in fall. Prices follow the same curve, just in the opposite direction.

If you can plan ahead, you can buy near the bottom of that curve. If your old mower just died in June, you can still avoid overpaying. Here’s how the US mower calendar works, based on what Consumer Reports, dealers and retail trackers have published.

I’m not giving percentages here on purpose. Discounts change every year and by store, and any number I quoted would be a guess. What stays fairly steady is the timing.

The short version

Fall: the end-of-season clearance

This is the one to wait for if you can.

As the mowing season winds down, stores need floor space for snow blowers, leaf blowers and holiday stock. Mowers that don’t sell by fall have to be stored over winter, which costs dealers money. That’s when markdowns get real.

Bob Vila’s buying guide points to early fall, around the first week of October, as the time to look for the lowest prices. LawnStarter goes further and calls September through February the off-season, with the deepest clearance discounts. Consumer Reports, in its holiday sales guide, lists September as one of its two best months for mowers and tractors.

The catch is selection. By October, the model you wanted might be gone. Commenters on a long-running ToolGuyd thread describe exactly this: lower prices in fall, but the specific models they wanted sold out. One reader who sells mowers said fall is the best time because shops clear mowing stock before snowblower season.

My take: if you’re flexible on brand and model, fall is the best value. If you’ve set your heart on one specific mower, buy it when you see it at a fair price.

When fall clearance starts depends on where you live

Mowing season isn’t the same length everywhere. LawnStarter notes that in the South, where warm-season grasses like bermuda, zoysia and St. Augustine keep growing later into fall, demand stays high longer and clearance starts later. In northern states with cool-season lawns and shorter seasons, the pattern can be earlier.

If you’re in a warm zone, don’t expect deep cuts in September. Wait a few more weeks. My lawn care calendar shows how the season shifts between cool-season and warm-season regions.

Spring: new models and the best selection

Late winter and early spring are when stores and dealers stock up. Makers release new models, and every type is on the floor, from cheap push mowers to zero-turns.

Bob Vila calls March the sweet spot for variety. Discounts are small, because demand is about to rise and stores know it. Consumer Reports lists April as its other good month to buy, before peak season pricing takes hold.

Spring is also the time to buy if you need a specific model, a newly launched battery platform, or a robot mower you want installed before the grass starts growing. And it’s when used mower listings pick up: LawnStarter notes that Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and OfferUp listings increase in early spring.

Holiday sales: Memorial Day, Father’s Day, July 4th, Labor Day

The big summer holiday weekends all bring lawn equipment promotions.

Memorial Day is the big one. Consumer Reports calls Memorial Day weekend a good time to buy, because in-store inventory is still plentiful and retailers cut prices to draw shoppers. It also notes that sale prices often hold through the long weekend and sometimes into the following week.

Father’s Day and the Fourth of July bring more promotions. Bob Vila lists both along with Memorial Day and Labor Day as common sale weekends for lawn tools.

Labor Day comes right as the end-of-season slide begins, so it often overlaps with the first clearance markdowns.

The honest warning: holiday sales during peak season rarely beat fall clearance. Both Bob Vila and ToolGuyd make this point. Consumer Reports adds that late-spring discounts are small because the mowing season is in full swing, and that the steepest markdowns tend to be on older models.

Black Friday and online sales

Black Friday isn’t a mower holiday the way it is for TVs. LawnStarter notes that Black Friday sometimes includes power equipment, and that robot mowers in particular tend to show up in major online sales events.

That makes sense. Robot mowers are sold more like electronics, often directly by the maker or through big online retailers. If you’re shopping for one, watch the big online sale events and the maker’s own site. Before you buy, check how much a robot lawn mower costs so you know what a fair price looks like.

Model-year changeover

Mower makers update their lineups, typically with new models arriving in early spring. When that happens, last year’s units need to go.

LawnStarter notes that previous-year push mowers and open-box units are typically marked down in early fall. On bigger machines, dealers run their own events. John Deere, for example, has run fall promotions on select lawn tractors, and its US site has featured year-end sales events with savings and financing offers for residential buyers. The specifics change each year, so check the maker’s site and your local dealer in fall and winter.

A changeover can also be forced by rules. One ToolGuyd commenter described riding mowers being discounted ahead of an engine emissions rule change that required new model numbers. It’s not a yearly event, but it shows why “last year’s model” can be a bargain: often the mower is nearly identical.

What to check on a prior-year model:

• Is the battery the current one for that platform, or an older version?
• Is the warranty the same length as on the new model?
• Are parts and blades still listed on the maker’s site?

Dealers vs big-box stores

Big-box stores (Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, Ace) run the holiday promotions and the fall clearance aisles. Dealers work a bit differently.

LawnStarter notes that dealers often hold riding mower markdowns until late summer through fall, and that buying from a dealer gets you hands-on advice and local service. One dealer manager it quoted recommended buying early in the season for selection, since popular models sell out. For large machines, ask for the full out-the-door price including delivery and setup.

Wright, which sells only through dealers, says in its buying guide that makers and dealers announce special prices on specific models through the year, so knowing exactly which model you want helps you catch them.

Two more tips that work at both:

• Price protection. ToolGuyd notes that many retailers have a 30-day price guarantee. If the price drops after you buy, ask for an adjustment. Keep the receipt.
• Clearance and open-box units. Ask to see them. Floor models and open-box returns can be good buys, as long as the full warranty applies.

A simple plan if you can wait

1. Decide on the type and size now. Know whether you need a push, self-propelled, rider or robot, and which deck width fits your lawn.
2. Pick two or three models you’d be happy with. Flexibility is what lets you take advantage of clearance.
3. Watch prices from Labor Day through October. Check big-box clearance aisles and your local dealer.
4. Ask about last year’s models and open-box units. Confirm the full warranty applies.
5. Keep the receipt and use price protection if the price drops within the window.

The months to avoid

Late spring through summer is the expensive window. Bob Vila calls May through September the worst time to buy: grass grows fast, old mowers break, demand is high and discounts are few. LawnStarter names May through July as the most expensive period.

If your mower dies mid-season, you don’t have much choice. You can still:

• Shop the next holiday weekend if one is close.
• Compare the same model across several stores.
• Look at last year’s model if one is still in stock.
• Ask about price matching and price protection.
• Get the old mower looked at. Sometimes a new spark plug, carburetor cleaning or a sharpened blade buys you a few more months.

By mower type

If you’re still deciding between types, types of lawn mowers explains the options, and best cordless lawn mowers has my current picks.

One thing to know about warranties

LawnStarter points out that most maker warranties start on the purchase date, not the first time you mow. If you buy in October and store the mower until April, you’ve used up some months of coverage before the first cut. It’s rarely a deal breaker, but keep it in mind when comparing a fall deal with a spring price.

Also keep your receipt with the manual. Many makers want proof of purchase for warranty claims.