What Does CC Mean On A Lawn Mower & What Size Do You Need?

Compared to a larger machine like a car, lawn mower maintenance isn't too involved. Mowers from different brands of all shapes and sizes should be routinely cleaned, have their spark plugs replaced as needed, and have their oil changed — with the right kind, of course, since not all lawn mowers take the same type of oil — to name a few relatively easy repair tasks. With that said, to get these done correctly on your own, you should have some knowledge of your mower beyond its brand and model. There are under-the-hood stats you should be aware of to understand fully what your mower can do.

For example, looking over the average lawn mower will reveal a number accompanied by the "cc" unit of measurement. The cc stands for cubic centimeters, which pertains to the abilities of the engine itself. It represents engine displacement, created by the size of the cylinder within, which correlates to the amount of fuel the engine can take in and turn into power. This measurement is crucial for basically anything with an engine, cars included, as it's key to determining performance. A higher cc means more fuel intake and higher power, yet reduced fuel efficiency, though a lower cc means less fuel intake and less power, with greater fuel efficiency.

While not everyone takes it into consideration when shopping around for a new lawn mower, cc numbers can be the key to getting exactly the model you need. On the lower end of the spectrum are push lawn mowers that give you standard performance without any kind of self-propel feature. These engines start at around 125cc or 140cc , so make sure to look for models at those specifications if you only need the bare minimum for your yard. However, if your yard is slightly bigger or you could use some help moving your mower, you'll want that self-propel option. These aren't too different, ranging from around 160cc to over 200cc.

All of this only speaks to walk-behind mower models. Once we get into riding mowers, the cc rating jumps significantly. With larger engines, blades, and a whole ride-on system to account for, these engines jump from just under 400cc to over 700cc. Aside from your preferred lawn mowing experience, choosing the right cc engine comes down to the qualities of the lawn itself. Is your lawn small, thin, and generally dry? A lower cc mower should serve you just fine. Therefore, larger, thicker, and oftentimes more damp yards will need a more powerful, higher cc engine mower to get the job done. Unfortunately, this would mean higher fuel consumption due to the larger, more powerful engine, so keep this in mind as well.

While cc measurement is crucial to gas mowers, electric units are a different story entirely. There are some powerful electric lawn mowers from major brands, but their power is measured in another way. 

Engine cc is measured by the amount of fuel taken in and power generated based on the cylinder size. When looking at electric lawn mowers, however, there is no gas, no engine cylinder, and no traditional engine layout. This means that cc measurement isn't something to go by when looking into electric lawn mowers, so you'll need to look at a few different measurements instead. 

Similar to cc measurement is voltage. Generally speaking, both of these forms of measurement are a guide to letting you know what kind of power you can expect out of a mower. As the electric mower market has expanded, various voltage levels have sprung up. On the lower end are those between 24 volts to 48 volts, while more heavy-duty models can reach 80 volts and slightly above. Much like gas mowers , choosing an electric mower based on its voltage level requires looking at your lawn. The thicker, larger, and damper your lawn is, the bigger and higher voltage mower you'll want to get. Overall, it's a good idea to compare gas and electric lawn mowers to see which is the best choice.

No matter how you slice it, power is key to lawn mowing technology. Whether it's cc or voltage measurement, you want to make sure you're going to get enough power from your mower to get your grass cut right.