Determining the oldest lawn mower brand still in operation today requires looking back at the history of lawn mowers. While basic mechanical grass cutters existed in the 1830s, it was not until the late 19th century when gasoline powered mowers started to become commercially available. This ushered in the dawn of the lawn mower industry and gave rise to brands that would go on to become household names.
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The First Gas-Powered Mowers
In 1868, Elwood McGuire of Richmond, Indiana designed a human-pushed mower with a rotary blade. This established some of the key features of modern mowers, like power transmission and blades that could cut grass evenly. However, the machine still required human power to operate. The first gas-powered mower is credited to John Burr, who patented his design in 1898. This eliminated the need for pushing and allowed the mower to operate on its own power. While other inventors had tinkered with gas engines, Burr’s mower was the first to be commercially successful.
Over the next couple decades, numerous companies and entrepreneurs jumped into the fledgling mower industry. Many of these earliest power mower manufacturers were located in the Midwest United States, close to the emerging auto industry which was developing small gasoline engines. By 1922, over 100 companies were producing power mowers.
The Early Lawn Mower Brands
Some of the earliest power mower companies included:
- Ideal – Founded in 1893 in Lansing, Michigan. Produced some of the earliest gasoline-powered mowers.
- Victor – Introduced in 1898, also based in Lansing, MI.
- Diamond – Launched rotary blade mower in 1898 from Anderson, IN.
- Miami – Built mowers starting in 1907 in Piqua, OH.
- Blue Grass – Formed in 1908 in Beatrice, NE.
- Lawn Boy – Founded 1909 in Minnesota, later acquired by Toro.
- True Value – Originally Associated Gas Engine Co. in 1910, later Hardware Dealer’s Mfg. Co.
Many of these companies would not survive past the early decades of the 1900s due to mergers, acquisitions and companies simply going out of business. But a few key brands did emerge and manage to maintain their longevity.
The surviving early lawn mower brands
Here are some of the lawn mower brands from the early 20th century that are still around today:
Toro
Toro was founded by John Samuel Clapper in 1914 as the Toro Motor Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company’s first product was a tractor, but they quickly added a power mower to their product lineup. Their early mowers were designed to be pulled by a tractor. In 1921, they produced one of the first riding lawn mowers. Through acquisitions and steady growth, Toro has gone on to become one of the leading manufacturers of commercial and residential outdoor power equipment. They acquired the Lawn-Boy brand in 1935, which continues today as Toro’s residential mower line.
Briggs & Stratton
Founded in 1908 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Briggs & Stratton started as an automobile parts supplier. In the 1910s they began producing small gasoline engines that were soon powering early power mowers. Their legendary Model FH engine debuted in 1923 and could be found on many mower brands over the years. Briggs & Stratton engines continue to be installed on mowers to this day, cementing their status as a pioneering lawn mower brand.
Simplicity
Established in 1922 as Simplicity Manufacturing Co. in Port Washington, Wisconsin. One of the first companies to produce tractor-powered riding mowers. Their early tractor models were called Gearshift or Gear-Drive. Simplicity was acquired by Briggs & Stratton in 2004.
Jacobsen
The Jacobsen Manufacturing Company originally focused on automotive parts and engine kits for motorcycles and boats. In 1918, they produced one of the first power reel mowers designed specifically for cutting grass tennis courts and golf greens. Jacobsen would go on to become a leading maker of commercial mowers and other turf maintenance equipment. They were purchased by Textron in 1978.
John Deere
John Deere is best known for farm equipment, but the company has produced lawn mowers since 1918. Their first mower models were designed to attach to the front of a tractor. The John Deere Model GP debuted in 1927 as one of the earliest riding lawn mowers. As a respected brand in agriculture, John Deere was well-positioned to enter and succeed in the lawn care market.
Lawn Mower Industry Consolidation
By the late 1920s, power mowers had grown in popularity with over 300 companies manufacturing them. But during the Great Depression of the 1930s, the industry saw significant consolidation. Many smaller mower makers went bankrupt or were acquired by competitors. By the 1950s, power mower production was dominated by a handful of brands:
- Toro
- Lawn-Boy (owned by Toro)
- Jacobsen
- John Deere
- Simplicity
- Wheel Horse
- Roper Corporation
These companies continued to buy up other brands over the coming decades. For example, Wheel Horse was purchased by Toro in 1986. Meanwhile, Briggs & Stratton exited mower manufacturing and focused solely on small engines. Throughout the 1900s, craftsman tool company Sears sold mowers under the Craftsman brand which were produced by various manufacturers.
The Lawn Mower Brand Leaders Today
Here are the companies that evolved to become the leading lawn mower brands in 2023:
| Company | Notable Brands |
|---|---|
| Toro | Toro, Lawn-Boy, Wheel Horse, Exmark |
| Deere & Company | John Deere |
| MTD Products | Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt, Yard-Man, Craftsman, Robomow, Arnold, Yard Machines |
| Briggs & Stratton | Ferris, Simplicity, Snapper, Massey Ferguson |
| American Honda Motor | Honda |
| Husqvarna | Husqvarna, Poulan Pro, McCulloch, Flymo, Gardena, Partner, Zenoah |
While Toro, John Deere, and Briggs & Stratton can trace their history back to the early days of the lawn mower, it’s clear that consolidation has led to a handful of major players now dominating the global residential and commercial mower markets.
Oldest Continuously Operating Lawn Mower Brand
Given this history, which company can claim to be the oldest original lawn mower brand still operating today?
The Case for Briggs & Stratton
Briggs & Stratton dates back to 1908 and had their first engines powering mowers by the 1910s. They have continuously supplied mower engines for over a century, establishing Briggs as a true pioneer in the power mower industry. While they have since sold off their mower manufacturing divisions, Briggs remains legendary for their small gas engines.
The Case for Toro
Founded in 1914, Toro produced some of the very first tractor pulled and riding mower models in the 1920s. They have manufactured lawn mowers continuously under the Toro brand for over 100 years. Through various acquisitions, they have folded in other historic mower companies like Lawn-Boy. Today, Toro is one of the leading innovators in commercial and residential lawn mowers.
The Case for John Deere
Like Toro and Briggs & Stratton, John Deere has been making mowers since the late 1910s. Their early tractor-pulled and riding mowers helped establish them as a leader in the market. As a trusted agricultural equipment company, John Deere leveraged their reputation to become synonymous with mowers. They have built riding and push mowers for over a century.
Conclusion
Based on the publicly available history, Toro, Briggs & Stratton, and John Deere all have legitimate claims as the oldest continuously operating lawn mower brands. While other companies existed prior to 1914, Toro appears to be the oldest original brand still making mowers today under their original name. Briggs & Stratton has been powering mowers the longest as an engine supplier. And John Deere built early mower innovations that capitalized on their background in farm equipment. The lawnmower industry owes much to these pioneering companies that helped establish outdoor power equipment and make lawn care more efficient for homeowners and professionals.