Which lawn rollers are best?
When it comes to your home, appearance is everything, and your yard has a major effect on appearance. Even the most beautifully sculpted home can be overlooked if it has an unkempt yard. But yard care isn’t as simple as mowing from time to time. You need a dozen-plus tools to tackle every challenge.
One of these is a lawn roller. Using one before mowing can make mowing easier. They also can even out your yard or help newly planted seeds and sod take root faster.
What to know before you buy a lawn roller
Rolling style
Lawn rollers are rolled using one of two methods.
- Push-and-pull rollers require some elbow grease to use, so they’re smaller. They’re best for gardens and small-to-average yards.
- Towed rollers need to be hitched to a trailer or a riding lawn mower, depending on size. These are the largest, heaviest and most cumbersome to use, but they can handle large yards faster than a push-and-pull roller.
Most rollers are either/or in rolling style, but a few are designed to work both ways.
Material
Lawn rollers are typically made of plastic or steel.
- Plastic rollers are more affordable and more commonly used for residential purposes. They’re durable enough to handle the job but can warp if left in the heat of the sun.
- Steel rollers are heavier and more durable, making them better for commercial use. However, they’re expensive and prone to rusting.
Size
A lawn roller’s size is chiefly focused on the drum, which has two measurements: width and diameter. The width is usually 20 to 48 inches. The diameter is usually 13 to 24 inches.
The length of the handle or frame is usually 45 inches.
Weight and capacity
Lawn rollers only work when they’re heavy enough to push down on the yard with sufficient force. However, if they’re too heavy, they can’t be easily put in and brought out of storage.
The solution: lawn rollers are hollow, so their weight can be adjusted. Without filling — which is usually water or sand — they can weigh between 20-100 pounds. With filling, they can weigh 1,000-plus pounds.
Drain plug
Drain plugs have a few aspects to consider.
- Size: The size of a plug should match what you want to fill it with. Smaller sizes are better for water while larger sizes are better for sand.
- Security: The best plugs screw in to avoid popping out as traditional plugs can do under enough pressure.
- Location: The plug is always located on the side, but it can be placed close to the edge or more toward the center. Plugs close to the edge are easier to fill and empty
Scrapper bar
Grass, dirt and mud have a habit of clumping up and sticking to lawn rollers’ drums. If these clumps are left on, they can become compressed and hard enough to start kneading holes into your yard, the opposite of what a roller aims to do. So the best rollers have a scrapper bar just above the drum that eliminates clumps before they can form.
Baffle bar and support disc
Baffle bars run inside the drum from end to end and provide more structure and stability. Support discs have the same benefits but focus on the center of the drum.
How much you can expect to spend on a lawn roller
Most lawn rollers for non-commercial use cost roughly $100-$250. Commercial-grade rollers usually cost $300-$500.
What are the best lawn rollers to buy?
This tow-behind lawn roller is perfect for heavy-duty jobs and large yards. It’s 16 by 20 inches with a 16-gallon capacity.
Sold by Amazon
If you have a massive yard, you need a massive lawn roller. This one is 24 by 48 inches and weighs a staggering 900 pounds when filled with water.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
This is a more affordable, smaller version of the 45-0216C at 18 by 36 inches with a weight of 400 pounds when filled with water.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Brinly-Hardy PRT-481SBHC-A Lawn Roller
This towed roller is the big beast you need to handle large yards. The easy-turn plug makes filling and emptying it simpler and faster. It’s 18 by 48 inches with a 54-gallon capacity.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Brinly-Hardy PRT-36SBH Lawn Roller
This is still a towed roller, but its slightly smaller size makes it better for, well, slightly smaller yards. It’s 18 by 36 inches with a 42-gallon capacity.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Brinly-Hardy PRC-241BH-A Lawn Roller With Dethatcher
This is an excellent starter set for those with a brand new yard to maintain, or you can buy just the roller. The roller is 18 by 24 inches with a 28-gallon capacity. The dethatcher is electric and come with a collection bag.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
This is big enough to tackle large yards quickly but light enough to hang up when empty. It comes in two sizes: 12 by 36 inches with a 17-gallon capacity and 13 by 24 inches with a 13-gallon capacity. It comes in black or green.
Sold by Amazon
Goplus Lawn Roller for Gardens
This narrow roller is perfect for gardens or small strips of yard and can be pushed or towed behind. It’s 16 by 20 inches and weighs 155 pounds when filled with water.
Sold by Amazon
A scrapper bar stops clumps from forming and rounded edges prevent damage to your lawn while turning. It comes in two sizes: 12 by 36 inches with a 17-gallon capacity and 13 by 24 inches with a 13-gallon capacity.
Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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