As far as where to get gas for a lawn mower goes, everybody has their own opinion. Some people hunt down the best prices to the cent, and some people pick up a handle and pump gas without even looking at the price. With so many different options it can be hard to figure out exactly where you should be getting gas. Rather than try to convince you that there’s only one best spot for gas, I’ll share what I do along with what I’ve heard works well.
Where to Get Gas for Your Lawn Mower – A Few Options
When it comes down to where exactly you can get gas for your lawn mower, you basically have two options: a gas station or a lawn and garden supplies store. I’ll list some of the pros and cons of both places and things that you should look out for.
Gas Stations
Heading to a gas station to fill up a red, plastic gas can is probably the most common means of refilling lawn mowers. This is what I do and it’s because you can find a gas station almost anywhere. Even the loneliest towns will have one place to buy gas (and one place to buy beer).
The trickiest part of getting gas at a gas station is deciding what fuel to use in your lawn mower. I usually go with either regular unleaded, or non-oxygenated gas if it’s available. However, when faced with a bunch of different options it can be a little overwhelming.
Then comes the act of filling up a gas can. Being sure to do this safely is really important. Obviously, you can’t smoke near gas pumps, but how you transport a filled gas can into a car is also really important. Ideally, you never want to have a gas can inside of a car. The back of a pickup truck is the safest option. If you don’t have a truck, try to find a friend that does. Putting your gas can in the trunk and driving straight home is the next best option. If your car doesn’t have a trunk, you can put the gas can in the passenger compartment, open the windows, and head home without delay. Gas fumes are toxic and you don’t want them in the car with you.
Lawn & Garden Stores
When wondering where to get gas for a lawn mower, going to a big lawn and garden store isn’t what most people think of, but it is actually a great option. This is especially true for people that don’t have experience pumping their own gas.
At these stores, you can buy fuel that has been canned and is all ready to go. Canned fuel is usually marketed as higher quality gas and most of the time this is actually true. Lots of canned fuels are ethanol-free, and oftentimes they include detergents and other additives that engines like. The only thing you’ll need to know when buying canned fuel is what type of mower you have. Two-stroke engines require different fuel than four-stroke engines because two-stroke engines require engine oil to be mixed in directly with the gas they burn. Luckily, there are unmixed canned fuels you can buy for four-stroke mowers, and different oil-to-gas ratio canned fuel mixes you can buy for two-stroke mowers.
Another perk of buying your gas this way is that transportation is safer. Since canned fuel is sealed, you won’t have to worry as much about fumes in your car. But let’s talk about the disadvantages of using canned fuel. First of all, it usually takes more time to get. Big lawn and garden stores aren’t as accessible as gas stations and there just aren’t as many. Also, canned fuel is always more expensive. Though some claim that it’s worth every penny, it depends on how much work you have to do to buy it.
Where to Get Non-Oxygenated Gas for a Lawn Mower?
So if you’ve noticed me mentioning it, you might be wondering where to get non-oxygenated gas for a lawn mower. In short, the two places you can find non-oxygenated gas are the same as the two places you can find normal (oxygenated) gasoline: gas stations, and lawn & garden stores. Nearly all of the fuel you’ll find at lawn & garden stores is non-oxygenated. This is because they typically don’t have any ethanol, which is the most common oxygenating additive to gasoline. But, pretty much all unleaded gasoline sold at gas stations contains up to ten percent ethanol. This is because oxygenated gas has better combustion and therefore lower emissions.
But as far as finding non-oxygenated fuel at gas stations goes, you have to know where to look. If you live in the United States or Canada, you can refer to this awesome list of gas stations that sell non-oxygenated gas.
If not, don’t worry, there are other ways to chase down ethanol-free gas. The best place to start is by looking for gas stations that are likely frequented by boaters, snowmobilers, ATV riders, or classic car enthusiasts. Something that all of these groups of people share are engines that love pure gasoline.
Most of the time gas stations that offer ethanol-free gasoline are harder to find in city centers. Try going outside of town a bit to gas stations that are closer to lakes or other recreational areas. If nothing else works, “Google” it and look for local recommendations or ask the gas station attendants if they sell non-oxy gas. If they don’t ask them if they know a place that does.
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