The right lawnmower blade can make mowing grass easier and leave your lawn looking immaculate. But with so many options, how do you choose? I put 10 popular rotary mower blades through rigorous head-to-head testing to determine the best.
The Contenders
I purchased all blades myself for unbiased reviews. Here are the models compared:
- Oregon High Lift
- Maxpower 3-in-1
- AYP High Lift
- Oregon G5 Mulching
- Maxpower Mulching
- AYP Mulching
- Arnold Extreme Mulching
- Craftsman (OEM blade)
Key specs for each blade:
| Brand | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon High Lift | Extended cutting edge, dual bevel | $16 |
| Maxpower 3-in-1 | Mulch, bag, discharge | $20 |
| AYP High Lift | For throwing clippings | $22 |
| Oregon G5 | Tungsten carbide cutting edge | $22 |
| Maxpower Mulching | Enhanced mulching | $25 |
| AYP Mulching | Thicker cutting edge | $30 |
| Arnold Extreme | High turbulence for mulching | $32 |
| Craftsman OEM | Standard mower blade | – |
Let’s see how they stacked up in testing.
The Tests
I put the mower blades through the following tests using a Craftsman gas push mower:
Air Speed
Measured mph generated using an air meter. Faster speed is better.
Grass Bagging
Weighed wet grass clippings packed into a bag. More weight is better.
Mulching Leaves
Compared mulching performance on a leaf pile. Lots of dust = efficient mulching.
Discharge Distance
Observed clipping dispersal while side discharging. Wider spread is better.
Mulching Grass
Evaluated cutting evenness and mulching effectiveness on thick grass.
Impact Test
Measured damage after hitting a rebar stake. Less damage wins.
The Results
Here’s how the mower blades compared in each test:
Air Speed
| Brand | Air Speed |
|---|---|
| Maxpower 3-in-1 | 31.8 mph |
| Craftsman OEM | 31.6 mph |
| Oregon G5 | 30.6 mph |
| Arnold Extreme | 20.6 mph |
| AYP Mulching | 20.3 mph |
The Maxpower 3-in-1 and Craftsman OEM blades generated the most airflow. The mulching blades were slower.
Grass Bagging
| Brand | Weight |
|---|---|
| Oregon G5 | 12.8 lbs |
| Maxpower Mulching | 12.6 lbs |
| Maxpower 3-in-1 | 11.4 lbs |
| Oregon High Lift | 9.2 lbs |
| AYP High Lift | 8.4 lbs |
The Oregon G5 packed over 4 lbs more grass than the standard Craftsman blade.
Mulching Leaves
| Brand | Rating |
|---|---|
| Oregon G5 | 1 |
| AYP Mulching | 1.5 |
| Arnold Extreme | 1.5 |
| Maxpower Mulching | 2 |
The Oregon G5 thoroughly mulched 95% of the leaves into fine particles.
Discharge Distance
Most blades dispersed clippings 5-6 feet from the mower deck. The Maxpower 3-in-1 tossed them the farthest.
Mulching Grass
The Oregon G5 did the best job of cutting and mulching thick grass into fine particles.
Impact Test
| Brand | Rating |
|---|---|
| Maxpower Mulching | 1 |
| AYP High Lift | 1.5 |
| Oregon G5 | 1.5 |
The Maxpower mulching blade sustained the least damage when hitting rebar.
Final Rankings
Based on the test results, here are my overall rankings:
- Oregon G5
- Maxpower 3-in-1
- Maxpower Mulching
- AYP High Lift
- Craftsman OEM
- AYP Mulching
- Arnold Extreme
- Oregon High Lift
The Verdict
The Oregon G5 is my top pick for best lawn mower blade. It had the best mulching performance and packed over 4 lbs more grass than the standard Craftsman blade. Downsides are it requires more power and costs 2-3x more than basic options.
The Maxpower 3-in-1 is the best bargain blade. It generated high air speed for just $20. Mulching was decent and it tossed clippings the farthest.
Maxpower and AYP make high quality blades at reasonable prices. I’d choose them over standard OEM blades for better cutting and mulching.
The Arnold Extreme and Oregon High Lift struggled compared to the competition. I don’t recommend them.
Let me know if you found this lawn mower blade comparison helpful! I’m happy to answer any questions you have in the comments. Mow on!