The Best Mulching Blades (2026): 7 Picks, and How to Match One to Your Mower

The best mulching blade is the one made for your mower, so start with the part number. For the 21 inch push mowers MTD builds for Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt and Craftsman, our pick is the Oregon Gator G5 598-631: Oregon lists it as the replacement for the 742-0741 and 942-0741A factory blades, and an Oregon G5 21 inch mulching blade came out on top in Project Farm's eight-blade test. Honda HRX217 and Toro Recycler owners have their makers' own blades below, and riders need a set matched to the deck; if your mower is not listed, the part-number section shows how to find yours.

Blades do not swap between mowers, even at the same deck size. Two 42 inch decks on this page take different blades: the John Deere blade on this page is 21-3/8 inches with a 7-point star center hole, and the MTD and Cub Cadet blade in pick 4 is 21-3/16 inches with a 6-point star. A mulching blade also needs a mower set up for it; Troy-Bilt says its mulching blades are designed to work with decks equipped with mulch baffles, and to check your operator's manual before you switch.

One note on who is writing: we make digging spades, not mower blades, so nothing on this list is ours and we did not run any of these blades. How we picked is below.

Disclosure: some links in this guide are affiliate links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, Spear Head Spade earns from qualifying purchases. This is at no extra cost to you, and it never changes our honest, use-based recommendations.

The best mulching blades at a glance

How we chose these

We did not run any of these blades. We matched each pick to its mowers with the maker's own fit data (Oregon's fit guides and cross references, Honda's parts guide, Toro's product page, and the MaxPower and Oregon listings' replacement-part lists), then compared the blades with what four named sources reported. Project Farm bolted eight blades in turn to one 21 inch Craftsman M220 and measured air speed, noise and how much grass each packed into the bag, then rated leaf mulching, mulching with the bag off, and a strike into rebar; we read its video description and transcript. Bob Vila publishes a researched list, not a hands-on test. On YouTube, John Salt tested a MaxPower mulching set on a 42 inch John Deere, and Messick's Farm Equipment, a dealer, ran Oregon Gator blades against factory blades on a zero-turn.

Lawn and leaf advice comes from Michigan State, Kansas State, UConn, University of Missouri and University of Minnesota extension pages, and blade care from Purdue and the blade and mower makers; where Bob Vila's lawn care expert adds a view, we name him. Every pick was in stock on Amazon when we checked on September 22, 2026. Where a tester's blade was out of stock, down to limited stock, or listed for a different mower than the tester said, it sits under Also considered with the reason.

Match by OEM part number before you buy

Find the part number first. Cub Cadet and Troy-Bilt both say their genuine blades have the part number stamped into them, and both point you to the operator's manual or parts list to confirm it. Then compare three things with the new blade's listing: the length, measured diagonally from end to end (Troy-Bilt); the center hole's shape and size; and the offset, which Oregon defines as how far the blade's center sits above a table when the cutting edges lie flat on it. Even one shape comes in two sizes: Oregon says MTD 6-point star spindles held by a bolt and lock washer take an 11/16 inch star, and those held by a large flange nut take a 5/8 inch star.

The makers' own warnings. MaxPower's John Deere set tells you to "Check your owner's manual to verify that the OEM number of the blade being replaced matches one of the OEM numbers provided for this item." An Oregon-branded Amazon listing for 42 inch Cub Cadet decks says "DOUBLE CHECK THE MOWER MANUAL & VERIFY THE FIT." Toro says to "verify model and serial number to ensure the correct part." Honda says to use only genuine twin blades and blade bolts "for the best fit and safety." Craftsman is the trap: MaxPower's listing for a 42 inch Craftsman set says it "Does not fit Craftsman models manufactured by MTD," because Craftsman riders were built by more than one maker. Match the number on the blade, not the name on the hood.

If your mower is not on this page. Take the number from your old blade or from the parts list in your operator's manual, then look it up in a blade maker's cross reference: Oregon's website has a Part Finder, and every Oregon blade page lists the OEM numbers it replaces and the models it fits. Buy only a blade whose listing names your number, then check the length, center hole and, on a riding deck, how many blades come in the box. Battery and electric mowers: MaxPower says its 20 inch universal mulching blade is not recommended for battery powered or electric mowers, so start with your mower maker's own blade.

The best mulching blades, by mower

1. Oregon Gator G5 598-631 21-Inch Mulching Blade: the best for 21 inch MTD-built push mowers

The Oregon Gator G5 598-631 (ASIN B0895C21VQ, three blades in the pack) is Oregon's G5 mulching blade for MTD-built 21 inch walk-behinds. Oregon's cross reference lists it as the replacement for 742-0741 on MTD, Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt and Bolens mowers and for 942-0741A on MTD, Cub Cadet, Bolens and Craftsman mowers. Oregon calls the G5 a heavier-duty version of its G3, with tungsten carbide fused into the cutting edge to lengthen the time between sharpenings.

Project Farm's best overall was an "Oregon G5 Mulching" blade on its Craftsman M220. It packed the most grass into the bag, 12.8 pounds, pulverized about 95 percent of a bed of leaves packed together and settled on ground with little grass, and did "by far the best job yet" of mulching with the bag and chute off. It carried the longest sharpened edge in the test, eight inches, and was the heaviest blade at 1,104 grams. We cannot confirm Project Farm's part number: its Amazon link no longer returns a listing. Lowe's lists the Craftsman M220's factory blade as 742-0741A / 942-0741A, and 598-631 is the G5 Oregon lists for those numbers.

Where it loses: power. With the bag and chute off, Project Farm found "the engine just doesn't make enough torque to handle the G5 mulching blade", and it names the blade's biggest drawback: it "does require a lot of horsepower". Bob Vila gives its G5 pick the same con: "May stall or bog a low-powered engine".

Order now atamazon

2. Honda 08720-VH7-000 Mulching Blade Set: the genuine twin blades for a Honda HRX217

The Honda 08720-VH7-000 Mulching Blade Set (ASIN B00GIDK42W) is Honda's own pair for the HRX217. A Honda parts retailer lists the set as one 72511-VH7-000 and one 72531-VH7-000, and Honda's replacement parts guide gives exactly those two numbers, lower and upper blade, for every HRX217 from the K0 to the K6. Honda calls this its MicroCut twin blade system: four cutting surfaces that result in "ultra fine clippings for superior mulching and more clippings per bag".

No tester we read ran this set; it earns the slot on fit. The HRX mulches with its factory pair, so the right replacement is the same pair, and Honda's blade care page says to "Use only Honda genuine and precision-crafted twin blades and blade bolts for the best fit and safety."

Where it loses: it fits the HRX217 serial ranges in Honda's guide and nothing else. The HRR216 takes a different lower blade (see Also considered), and Honda now recommends the HRX-BV in place of the discontinued HRX217VKA; the guide we used does not cover the HRX-BV.

Order now atamazon

3. Toro 131-4547-03 22-Inch Recycler Blade: the factory blade for a Toro 22 inch Recycler

The Toro 131-4547-03 (ASIN B00DEKKR1U) is Toro's own 22 inch Recycler blade, sold individually. Toro describes its "wings," which it calls "accelerators," as acting like a fan to force "the tiny bits of grass back into the earth." The listing says it replaces 108-9764-03 and gives it as 21-11/16 inches long, 2-1/4 inches wide and 0.1500 inch thick, with a 7/16 inch center hole and 0.3820 inch outside holes.

No tester we read covered a Toro-fit blade. It is here because it is the part Toro itself sells for its Recycler deck. Toro's page also calls it a "Recycler straight edge, standard discharge blade," so think of it as the deck's factory blade rather than an add-on mulcher.

Where it loses: the fit check is on you: match 131-4547-03 or 108-9764-03 to the parts list for your model and serial number.

Order now atamazon

4. MaxPower 561532B 2-Blade Mulching Set: for 42 inch MTD, Cub Cadet and Troy-Bilt riders

The MaxPower 561532B (ASIN B0058I2GOC) is a two-blade mulching set for "many 42-in cut MTD, Cub Cadet, and Troy-Bilt mowers". The listing gives each blade as 21-3/16 inches long and 2-3/4 inches wide with a 6-point star center hole, and lists the factory numbers it replaces.

No tester we read ran this exact set. It fills the 42 inch Cub Cadet and MTD slot with an in-stock set whose listing names its numbers. MaxPower's 21 inch mulching blade was Project Farm's toughest, and John Salt tested its John Deere set (pick 5).

Where it loses: its list is short. An Oregon listing ties Cub Cadet's XT1-LT42 to 942-04308-X, a number MaxPower does not list for this set, so XT1 owners should look at the Oregon blades under Also considered. It does not give the star size either, and MTD 6-point stars come in two sizes (see above).

Order now atamazon

5. MaxPower 561811XB Commercial Mulching Set: for 42 inch John Deere riders

The MaxPower 561811XB (ASIN B010B3B2D4) is a two-blade commercial mulching set for many 42 inch John Deere mowers. Each blade is 21-3/8 inches long and 2-1/2 inches wide with a 7-point star center hole. MaxPower describes the design as "a greater cutting surface for increased mulching performance, sharpened cutting teeth for a precision cut, and a centrifugal air lift design for uniform chopping distribution".

John Salt tested this set on a 42 inch John Deere with John Deere's mulching kit fitted, against the factory blades and the kit's own blades. On grass still wet from a morning shower, the factory blades left clumps and the kit's blades were "really not much better". The MaxPower set left very little, "pretty much as good as the little honda push mower" he uses as his benchmark, and after 35 minutes of mowing damp grass its forks had not clogged.

Where it loses: out of the box, one of John Salt's blades was heavier on one side, and he took an angle grinder to the edge until it balanced (the balance section below covers how).

Order now atamazon

6. Oregon Gator G3 96-370 2-Pack: for 46 inch Husqvarna, Craftsman and Poulan riders

The Oregon Gator G3 96-370 2-Pack (ASIN B002T4PYCO) is Oregon's G3 blade for 46 inch Husqvarna and Poulan tractors and the Craftsman models that share their blade numbers. Oregon describes the G3 as having "progressive geometry on the cutting edge for a cleaner cut and an aggressive blade angle to increase air flow for superior bagging or side discharge", with the Gator teeth that circulate cut grass back into the deck.

No tester named this exact set; it is the 46 inch member of the G3 line whose 54 inch set Bob Vila lists (pick 7). Messick's, running Oregon Gator blades on its zero-turn, found the longest Gator clippings shorter than with factory blades, and the clippings "a little bit better dispersed".

Where it loses: power and fit, on Messick's evidence. Its host thinks the Gator "requires more horsepower", felt the machine "lugging and fighting" more, and saw more ragged, uneven patches than the sharp factory blades left. It also found the Oregon blade slightly longer corner to corner than the factory one, which "sometimes can cause some contact issues underneath the deck"; it did not say which Gator series or size it ran.

Order now atamazon

7. Oregon Gator G3 54-Inch Set of 3: for 54 inch Husqvarna, Craftsman and Poulan riders

The Oregon Gator G3 54-Inch Set of 3 (ASIN B0038FBCRE) is three G3 blades for the 54 inch decks on Husqvarna, Poulan, Ariens and Craftsman tractors. Its replacement numbers match Oregon's 95-605 blade, which Oregon says requires three blades for a 54 inch cut and gives as 18-7/16 inches long, 2.50 inches wide and 0.187 inch thick. The listing's first line says 52 inch; its title and Oregon say 54, and we go with Oregon.

Bob Vila's researched roundup lists this set as its best for riding mowers, calling it "Extremely heavy duty". It is a full set, which matters: Bob Vila warns that replacing only one blade on a multi-blade deck is a bad idea, because differently weighted blades run differently.

Where it loses: fit, in Bob Vila's own words: "May not be compatible with all 54-inch mowers", and "a common complaint is that they don't fit all 54-inch decks from the intended manufacturers". Messick's horsepower finding (pick 6) may apply here too. Check the 187255 or 187256 number on your old blade, and mind the Craftsman caution above.

Order now atamazon

Also considered: models that missed the list and why

MaxPower 331981B 21-Inch Universal Mulching Blade. Project Farm's toughest blade, its "Maxpower Mulching" (after a rebar strike "the Briggs and Stratton barely slowed down"), and a Bob Vila pick. It has a 1 inch center hole and reducing washers. Project Farm ran it on the same Craftsman M220, but it missed on fit: its listing says only "universal replacement for 21 in. cut mowers", while MaxPower's listing for the 20 inch version of the same round-hole blade says it "Will not work with star or other shaped spindle". Bob Vila says it fits five-point star and bow-tie shafts; neither MaxPower listing we saved says so. It also showed limited stock.

8TEN LawnRAZOR Toothed Mulching Blade for MTD 742-0741. It fits the same 742-0741 mowers as pick 1. Project Farm's "8TEN Mulching" came with about 3.75 inches of sharpened edge, "the grass seems to have been ripped away from the plant and not cut", and with the bag and chute off the engine stalled. It mulched leaves second only to the G5, but the cut is why it missed.

Oregon 198-049 High-Lift Blade. A high-lift blade for the same bow-tie MTD mowers (its listing includes 742-0741 and 942-0741A). Project Farm found it the quietest, at 100.5 decibels, and it bagged 9.2 pounds against the factory blade's 6.8. With the bag and chute off it lost speed; "the high lift blade isn't designed for mulching". It missed because it is a bagger's blade.

Oregon Gator G5 598-629 2-Pack. Bob Vila's "Best for Leaves", which it describes as designed for MTD-made push mowers. Oregon's own fit guide lists 598-629 for Cub Cadet 42 inch riders instead, such as the LT 4200, T1000 and ZT-S42. It missed on limited stock, and because Bob Vila's label does not match Oregon's data.

Oregon 42 Inch Lawn Mower Blades for Cub Cadet, MTD and Troy-Bilt. For the newer 42 inch decks pick 4 does not list: the listing names the Cub Cadet XT1-LT42, XT2-LX42 and RZT-L42 and Troy-Bilt TB42 and Mustang 42, replaces 942-04308-X, and gives a 21-3/16 inch blade with a 6-point star. It missed because it gives no Oregon part number to check against Oregon's fit guide, and does not say how many blades are in the box; a 42 inch deck takes two.

Honda HRR216 Blade Kit. For the HRR216 K9, K10 and K11 (Honda's guide: K9 from MZCG 8670001, K10 and K11 MZCG 1140001 to 1999999): lower 72511-VL0-S00 and upper 72531-VH7-000, the pair Honda's guide gives for those models. It missed only because it is for a different Honda than pick 2, and its listing does not call it a mulching set.

Oregon 92-615 Gator G3 2-Pack for 42 inch John Deere. A Gator alternative to pick 5: Oregon's 92-615 page replaces GX22151 and GY20850 with a 21-3/8 inch, 7-point star blade. This reseller's listing says the blades are "Fused with carbide", a feature Oregon's own chart gives to the G5 and G6, not the G3. That mismatch is why it missed.

Oregon 96-401 Gator G3 2-Pack for 46 inch Cub Cadet. The G3 for Cub Cadet and MTD 46 inch decks such as the LTX1045 and LTX1046, replacing 742-04244 and 942-04290. Oregon says it will not work on 2014 and newer 46 inch stamped decks, which is why it is not a pick: check your deck's year first.

Out of stock, so not linked: Bob Vila's best overall, a Rotary set of six for 48 inch decks, and Project Farm's Maxpower 3-N-1 and Arnold Xtreme.

What Project Farm measured on one 21 inch mower

Project Farm is the only source we found that measured blades against each other on one mower; John Salt and Messick's compared by eye. The measured columns come from its video. Its bag weights include the 4.2 pound empty bag, so our computed columns subtract it to get the clippings each blade packed in before the bag plugged, then divide by the factory blade's figure.

The two mulching blades at the top packed a little over three times the factory blade's clippings, 8.6 and 8.4 pounds against 2.6, a gap the gross bag weights (12.8 against 6.8) understate. In the bagging test, the three blades with 4 inches of sharpened edge or less (the 8TENs and the Arnold) were the three whose cut Project Farm faulted. And air speed did not decide bagging: the factory blade moved the second most air, 31.6 mph, and packed the least, while the Maxpower Mulching moved 22.46 mph and packed the second most. Project Farm says a lot of its assessments were subjective.

Blade length and your deck: why length alone cannot pick the blade

This table takes every blade on this page, the seven picks first and then Also considered, divides the deck width by the number of blades the deck takes, and compares that share with the blade's listed length. Deck, blade count, length and center hole come from each maker or listing; the two computed columns are ours.

Every blade with a published length lands within half an inch of its share of the deck, so length narrows the field but does not choose. The 42 inch John Deere and Cub Cadet blades differ by only 3/16 inch and will not swap: one has a 7-point star, the other a 6-point star. Small differences still matter: Bob Vila warns that a blade too short leaves strips uncut on a multi-blade deck and one too long can strike the mower's body or another blade, and Messick's found that an Oregon blade slightly longer corner to corner than the factory one "sometimes can cause some contact issues underneath the deck". The part number settles what length cannot.

Do mulching blades really make a difference?

On Project Farm's mower, yes: see the table above, where the G5 also pulverized about 95 percent of the leaves against 60 to 70 percent for the factory blade. John Salt's John Deere test points the same way: the factory and mulching-kit blades left clumps on damp grass, and the MaxPower set left very little. Messick's result was mixed. Its broader point: any sharp blade beats a dull, battered one.

The payoff in the lawn is the clippings. The University of Missouri says clippings left on the lawn supply up to 25 percent of its total fertilizer needs and do not contribute to thatch, and the University of Minnesota says clippings of an inch or less can be left to decompose, and it advises cutting no more than a third of the grass height at a time.

Mulching blades vs regular blades: which should you run?

Cub Cadet calls its standard blade "2-in-1" or "high-lift", built to throw clippings out of the deck or into a bagger, and its mulching blade "3-in-1", with a more curved surface and extra cutting surfaces. The trade-off, in its words: "the re-circulating airflow design of 3/1 blades makes them less efficient at discharging grass clippings than a standard 2/1 blade."

• You leave clippings on the lawn: a mulching blade with the plug that closes the discharge. Troy-Bilt says mulching blades produce higher turbulence, so grass is cut and re-cut into smaller pieces.
• You side discharge: a high-lift blade, which Troy-Bilt and the blade maker Fisher Barton both recommend for discharging.
• You bag: Troy-Bilt suggests high-lift blades "for optimal bagging performance", but on Project Farm's 21 inch mower the two best mulching blades packed more than the high-lift blades.
• You have a small engine and run with the bag off: Project Farm's Craftsman held speed with both Maxpower blades but not with the Oregon G5, and stalled with the 8TEN and Arnold mulching blades.
• You mow dry, sandy ground: a low-lift blade, which Troy-Bilt designs to limit the dust raised.

Are Gator blades better than traditional mulching blades?

Gator is Oregon's name for its mulching teeth, which it says "circulate cut grass back into the deck multiple times, creating a finer cut". The G3 has the core Gator features, the G5 adds a Fusion tungsten carbide edge that Oregon says stays sharper longer and the G6 is a thicker commercial blade.

In Project Farm's test the Oregon G5 beat the Maxpower Mulching narrowly in the bag (12.8 pounds against 12.6), clearly on leaves (about 95 percent against 80 to 90) and on mulching with the bag off; the Maxpower held engine speed where the G5 could not, and took two rebar strikes with the least damage of any blade. Messick's calls the Gator "kind of halfway to a mulching blade": shorter clippings, but not a true mulcher with deck baffles.

What are the downsides of mulching blades?

• More load on the engine. Project Farm's Craftsman could not hold speed with the G5 and stalled with the 8TEN and Arnold mulching blades. Bob Vila notes mulching blades are heavier and may make an older riding mower want to stall when the deck engages.
• Weaker discharge, on paper. Cub Cadet says the re-circulating design makes mulching blades less efficient at discharging than a standard blade. Project Farm's side-discharge test did not show it on its mower: the Maxpower and 8TEN mulching blades threw clippings about six to six and a half feet, farther than the factory blade's five to five and a half.
• Tall or wet grass. The University of Missouri says mulching mowers "do not operate easily in tall grass" and advises collecting clippings when the lawn must be mowed wet or is too tall, because they mat together.
• Risk to a push mower. Bob Vila explains that on a direct-drive push mower a thick blade that hits a stump or rock may not bend, and can bend the output shaft instead.
• The right deck. Troy-Bilt designs its mulching blades for decks with mulch baffles. The University of Missouri adds, for anyone who pulls the bagger to mulch: "Never assume your mower is still safe to operate after removing the bagging attachment. Refer to your owner's manual or equipment dealer."

How to mulch leaves with a mower

Our guide to mulching leaves covers the whole job, from mowing leaves into the lawn in several passes until the pieces are about the size of a dime, to leaf mulch for beds and leaf mold. What the extension pages add about the mower:

• Raise the deck. Michigan State University Extension says to use the highest setting and cross the leaves once or twice; mulching mowers can handle up to 6 inches of leaves in one pass, where a traditional mower might take several trips.
• Mow often, at an inch or so. Kansas State's Johnson County Extension says to mow each time an inch or so of leaves covers the turf. The extension pages differ on depth: Michigan State says a mulching mower can take up to 6 inches in one pass, and Missouri says to skip layers over about 2 inches, so mowing at Kansas State's inch or so is the safe choice. UConn says to mow when the grass is dry.
• Bag a heavy drop on the second pass. Kansas State says to mow first without the bagger, because leaves sucked straight into the bag are not shredded, then again with it.

One opposing view: Bob Vila's lawn care expert says "never use a mulching blade to mow fallen leaves", because they "won't mulch well and will stick to your mower", while the same article names a Gator G5 its best for leaves and Project Farm's G5 pulverized about 95 percent of its leaf bed. His other advice, to avoid mowing wet grass, matches the extension pages.

How to sharpen and balance a mower blade

This is about mower blades only. Purdue's turfgrass program says dull mower blades rip grass rather than cut it, leaving ragged tips with a whitish cast that let disease in. Oregon says a mower used only at home probably needs sharpening once a year, and to sharpen once cutting performance drops; Purdue says a busy season can call for four to six times.

• Not razor sharp. Oregon wants "aggressively sharp, but not as sharp as a razor's edge", a 0.030 to 0.045 inch edge, because a razor edge rolls over and dulls faster; Honda says a razor-sharp edge "causes the blade to chip and dull faster".
• Take metal off evenly. Purdue says to file each side the same number of times with equal pressure. Oregon says to remove material from the sharpened edge only, never the ends or back.
• Check the balance. Purdue and Oregon both hang the blade on a balancer and take more off the edge of the end that drops. Oregon says balancing protects the mower from harmful vibration and wear.
• Replace damaged blades. Oregon says to replace them immediately.

Changing a blade safely: what the makers say

These are the makers' and Purdue's steps, not ours, and your mower's manual comes first. Honda says to disconnect the spark plug on a gas mower, or the battery on an electric one, to wear heavy gloves and eye protection, and to tip a gas mower on its side with the fuel cap up. Purdue also says to remove the spark plug wire first.

The rest of the fall cleanup

For beds, gravel and corners, see our leaf vacuum mulcher picks; when the drop is too heavy to mow, our leaf rake picks move the surplus. Bagged, shredded leaves are winter mulch for beds; our garden winterizing checklist covers when and how deep to spread them. A reel mower is the one mower this page cannot help: Bob Vila's expert says reel mowers lack the power for mulching and may jam, and our reel mower guide covers what they do well. For the order of every fall job, see our fall yard cleanup checklist. If beds need digging over before the leaf mulch goes on, our spade finder matches a Spear Head spade to your ground.

Common questions

What is the best mulching blade?

The one made for your mower, matched by part number. For 21 inch MTD-built push mowers from Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt and Craftsman, the Oregon Gator G5 598-631; an Oregon G5 21 inch mulching blade topped Project Farm's eight-blade test, though Project Farm says it requires a lot of horsepower.

Do mulching blades really make a difference?

Yes, on Project Farm's 21 inch mower. Its two best mulching blades packed more than three times the factory blade's clippings into the bag once the bag's own weight is taken off, 8.6 and 8.4 pounds against 2.6, and the Oregon G5 pulverized about 95 percent of a bed of leaves against 60 to 70 percent for the factory blade.

Are Gator blades better than traditional mulching blades?

Better at chopping, but hungrier for power. In Project Farm's test the Oregon Gator G5 beat a toothed Maxpower mulching blade on leaves and on mulching with the bag off, but the Maxpower held engine speed and survived the rebar strikes with less damage.

What are the downsides of using mulching blades?

Project Farm found, and Bob Vila notes, that they can load a small engine, Cub Cadet says they discharge less efficiently than high-lift blades, the University of Missouri says they struggle in tall grass, and Troy-Bilt designs them for decks with mulch baffles. Bob Vila adds that on a direct-drive push mower, a thick blade that hits a stump can bend the output shaft.

What cuts better, high lift or mulching blades?

Neither type on its own. In Project Farm's test most blades of both types earned its top rating for cut quality; the cut suffered when a blade had too little sharpened edge (the 8TENs and the Arnold) or the engine could not hold speed, as with the Oregon High Lift once the bag and chute came off.

Can you put mulching blades on any mower?

No. Troy-Bilt says to check your operator's manual to see if mulching blades can be installed, and that its mulching blades are designed for decks with mulch baffles; the blade must match your mower's part number, length and center hole. Bob Vila's lawn care expert adds that reel mowers lack the power for mulching and may jam.