Not All Riding Lawn Mowers Can Plow Snow - Here's What You Should Look For Before You Buy

With the holiday season just about here and temperatures dropping rapidly, the reality of imminent snowfall is setting in. As a result, snow removal is once again a hot topic. While a shovel or a snowblower can get the job done in good time, there's always room to improve to get this irritating winter task over with. For some, this means hiring someone to regularly plow your driveway, or investing in a plow yourself, should you have a truck that you can equip one to. Still, snowplows can get expensive, and attaching them to a truck can get complicated, so what other comparably effective alternatives are there? Hypothetically, could a riding lawn mower get the job done with a plow?

It should be explained that, while this seems like a good idea in theory, not all riding lawn mowers can handle snowplowing. Not only is there a lack of maneuverability to account for, and the fact that the mower deck should be removed before plowing, but there are some major costs involved, too. Plow attachments can run hundreds of dollars, and on top of that, your mower might not be able to handle the work, as plowing can put a lot of strain on a mower's engine and transmission, potentially leading to serious damage. In the end, you could end up spending more on a plow attachment and mower repairs than you would on a new snowblower or a seasonal plowing service.

With that said, riding mower snowplowing isn't entirely impossible. You just need to know what to look for and don't assume any mower can handle the task in every form.

If you're in the market for a riding mower to plow snow, the first thing to do is find a model that can handle the job. For example, the Craftsman T110 riding lawn mower is specifically advertised as being able to handle snowplow efforts on driveways and yards. It's even able to adjust its plow 25 degrees to the left or right, and you can equip it with skid shoes for improved traction. On this model, the engine puts out 17.5 horsepower, so if it can handle plowing, one of similar capability or higher shouldn't have much trouble clearing a driveway — so long as the manufacturer doesn't explicitly state that it shouldn't be used for plowing.

On top of what the lawn mower itself can offer, you should be mindful of your use cases. How big of an area needs plowing? The longer the driveway or larger the yard, the larger, mower powerful lawn mower you'll want to buy. The texture of the area should be considered, as that will allow you way to attach the right tires, skid shoes, or tire chains for the job. 

The snow should be kept in mind as well. Heavy, wet snow will be more intense for a lawn mower to handle than the lighter, fluffier stuff. Thus, you should take it slow with the heavy snow to avoid overworking your mower. The snow will also dictate the best attachment for your mower, too. For instance, snow blowers and snow blades from John Deere are suited for different situations.

Evidently, a lot goes into determining the right mower and snow removal attachment for your plowing needs. For the sake of both, always remember to do throughout research so you only pay for exactly what you need.