Mower

• Mowing your grass is essential in keeping it healthy and looking good. Choose a mower with adjustable wheels so you determine how short you cut the grass. Go for a mulching mower over a mower with a bag. The mulch feeds your lawn and helps it grow. Look for a mower with blades you can easily remove, so you can either sharpen them yourself or take them to be sharpened so you cut the grass and don't tear it. If your lawn is large or has inclines, opt for a self-propelling mower.
  
  

Spreader

• A spreader is one of the best yard tools you can have in your yard care arsenal. You'll need it to spread fertilizer on the lawn at least four times a year and you'll need it to seed your lawn in the spring and over-seed your lawn in the fall. Choose a spreader with a deep hopper so you're not constantly stopping to refill it. Select a larger spray spreader for over-sized yards. Test the spreaders in the store before you make your final selection to ensure it's easy to push and the handle is the correct height for you.
  
  

Rake

• Raking the yard is never anyone's favorite thing to do, but with the right rake, it's done easier and faster. Choose a rake with flexing tins rather than the fixed and heavy metal tins. Not only is it safer, it's better for your lawn. Choose a rake with a spread of the appropriate width for your lawn. Check the assembly to confirm that the rake was screwed to the handle and not just glued.
  
  

Sprinklers

• Oscillating sprinklers are fun to run through but they're not the best yard tool.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  Watering your lawn is essential for healthy roots and an attractuve yard. The sprinklers you choose not only make a difference in how much water gets to your yard but also in the cost you'll pay for watering. Look for drip hoses and sprinklers that keep the water low to the ground instead of arching sprinklers that oscillate. Oscillating sprinklers create more water loss through evaporation than other sprinklers. Choose sprinklers with a reach that waters your full lawn with no gaps.