7 Best 21 Inch Mulching Blade 2023

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Getting your lawn rake every day gets laborious or cutting grass with uneven cuts is quite frustrating. That’s where you switch from regular to mulching blades so you can make your lawn cleaner, greener and smoother. Many mowers that people own require a 21 inch mulching blade as it fits right.

Finding the best 21 inch mulching blade for your mower merely depends on the right choice and overall compatibility. The right choice means you are not choosing any low-quality material, and compatibility means what mulching blade will be best for your mower?

To choose the best, I would recommend buying a mulching blade that has teeth on it or a cutting edge that is curved enough to create a vacuum under the deck. Keeping in mind all the buying factors which I have mentioned at last, here are some noteworthy mentions you can choose from:

Best 21 Inch Lawn Mower Blade

Maxpower 331981B, Universal 21-Inch Lawn Mower Blade

As the name indicates, it is a universal blade that can fit many mowers, including Husqvarna, John Deere, Troybilt, Craftsman, and MTD.

The best thing I observed about these blades is their lightweight 2 pounds only, which is comparatively less than other mulching blades. A lightweight profile helps the mower to rotate the blade fast and whip the grass into pieces.

Additionally, this blade has a greater cutting surface which means the sharp cutting teeth are extended in a way to produce the qualitative fertilizer called mulch.

It has a centrifugal airlift design which means the cutting edges are curved so that they produce suction, just like a vacuum pump. It means the suction will hold the grass up, and the rotating blade will hit it in the middle to cut it into small clippings.

You can observe the design in the picture below:

Maxpower 331981B, Universal 21-Inch Lawn Mower Blade

With a central hole of 1-inch and reducing washers that come with the blade, mounting this blade is damn easy.

It works equally on wet or dry grass, but it doesn’t mean you should mow your lawn just after rain.

Product Requirements
Manufacturer: Maxpower, USA
Mounting Hole: Circular, 1-inch
Reducing Washers: For right fitment, you can try from these washers sizing 3/8-inch, 7/16-inch, 9/16-inch, 1/2-inch, 5/8-inch, and 13/16-inch.
Length: 21-inch
Width: 2-1/2-inch
Compatibility: As mentioned earlier, it is a universal blade which means it fits many mowers that requires a 21-inch cut or the deck size is up to 42-inch. It perfectly fits Husqvarna, John Deere, Troybilt, Craftsman, and MTD.
Pros
  • Universally fit
  • Lightweight, which means it offers less wears and tears of engine
  • Curvy angle in their body which means more even cut
  • Help in mowing smooth and fast
  • Easy adjustment on the deck of the mower
Cons
  • It doesn’t fit 21 inch Ego, Kobalt 80V, Honda HRR216, Ariens, Greenworks lawnmowers
Summary

This 21-inch mulching blade is a lightweight, sharp, easily installable, and durable blade. If you sum up all these features and finally decide to buy it for your mower, you won’t regret it.


Longer Life 596-900, Gator Fusion G5, 21 Inch Mulching Blade

Thanks to the Oregon brand that manufactured this kind of Gator mulching blades. G5 21 inch series by Gator is better than the G3 as they are upgraded versions and offer better performance.

That’s where you enjoy mulching your lawn

In the light of mulching, the main thing to observe about these blades is the angle of their sharp serrated teethes.

It has inclined teethes that cut and throw the grass towards the cutting edge repeatedly, which means grass clippings are chopped into smaller, smaller, and smaller pieces.

You can observe its design below:

Longer Life 596-900, Gator Fusion G5, 21 Inch Mulching Blade

By the same token, its design keeps the grass clippings within the cutting circle of a rotating mulching blade. This way, a very fine mulch produces which is ready to serve the lawn.

Equally important thing about this blade is that it’s an upgrade, not a replacement. It means it enhances the functionality of your mower because you can use it lifting grass high and mulching it simultaneously.

The cutting edge of this blade is made with tungsten carbide material which means the cutting edge is hard enough to retain its sharpness over many passes.

Its longer, wider, and thicker features make your lawn look clean, avoiding the risk of bagging.

Product Requirements
Manufacturer: Gator by Oregon, USA
Mounting Hole: 5 Point-star
Length: 21-inch
Width: 4-inch
Mounting Hole: Circular, 1-inch
Compatibility: It fits major brands AYP, Craftsman, Poulan, Husqvarna, and MTD.
Pros
  • Better than G3 mulching blade
  • The cutting edge is made with carbide material means no more dullness of the blade
  • Produce smaller and fine mulch
  • Long-lasting material
  • No need to bag the grass after using this blade
  • Shiny and sharpest lawn mower blade
Cons
  • A bit heavy blade
  • Not a universal type; check compatibility before buying
Summary

To conclude, these mulching blades are better than the G3 series that most experts wrongly suggest as they don’t know about these upgraded versions of blades. These blades are shiner, sharper, durable, upgrader, and above all, the best mulcher.


Oregon 598-631 Mulching Blade, Gator G5, 21″

This blade is another great choice that comes after the G5 mulching blade mentioned above and is one of the sharpest lawn mower blades.

The main thing that differentiates this blade from the G5, as mentioned above, is its central bow-tie hole, which indicates that these blades are made after keeping the compatibility factor in mind.

These blades are also comparatively lighter than above. And it doesn’t consume too much power from the engine.

It bears the same features as other Gator G5 mulching blades: durability, thickness, mulchness, and great sharpness.

These blades completely follow the working mechanism that a mulching blade should follow.

The cutting angle of its flaps is very aggressive, which you can observe.

Oregon 598-631 Mulching Blade, Gator G5, 21"

Additionally, these blades are so thick that they can mow hard things on their way, and if you hit it with some stone, they won’t break.

However, it’s a good practice, so look if a stone or rigid object lies on the ground.

Note to mention; these are wider blades which sync with the curvy design to suck up grass and mulch it into fine pieces.

The one downside is that it works close to the ground, which will scalp your lawn and cut the grass to a much smaller height. Cutting the grass to the low ground height will kill it.

To solve this problem, it’s always a good practice to change mower settings too high, so they cut the grass at the desired length.

Please note that the settings I am talking about are required only for certain kinds of grass that must be kept tall. If you don’t know your mower’s settings are right or not, you can mow your lawn a bit and see the result to adjust settings.

Product Requirements
Manufacturer: Gator by Oregon, USA
Mounting Hole: Bow-tie 
Length: 21-inch
Width: 4-inch
Compatibility: I would say these are universal Oregon mulching blades for Cub Cadet as it fits many. Looking at the mounting hole, you can choose it for your mower if the spindle is compatible with it. A mower spindle is called where you mount the blade.
Pros
  • Wider and curvy designed to suck grass fast
  • Universal blade for Cub Cadet
  • Comparatively, a light Gator blade
  • It doesn’t bend when it hits the hard objects
  • Shiny, sharp, durable, and heavy-duty blade
Cons
  • The mower needs height adjustments after installing this blade to work on certain kinds of grasses
Summary

Lastly, if you want a single mulching blade instead of buying a set of two, 21 inch Oregon 598-631 is the right choice. Compared with other Gator blades, it is lightweight. So, you can choose it for your mower, especially for Cub Cadet. Check in the manual for the blade replacement number to find compatibility and make your final decision.


Maxpower 331528B Mulching Blade for 21 Inch Cut

Maxpower 331528B Mulching Blade for 21 Inch Cut

Maxpower 33158B mulching blade is one of the best mulching blades for walk behind mowers. As it is very easy to install and comes with a perfect mounting hole that holds tight on the mower’s shaft.

It doesn’t have any serrated teeth, but it has a curve in its body at an angle of 45 degrees. Which means it will lift the grass and cut it perfectly.

It’s painted well which means it doesn’t dull over time without rusting.

Installing on your mower this blade offers perfect balance and passes the wobble test. Wobble test means it doesn’t shake or produce unusual sound after fitting.

It is so perfect to fit that you won’t need to look at your mower’s shaft like if your previous blade has a point-star hole or bow tie.

Having a close match with the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) blades, it has persistent sharpness that lasts many seasons.

It’s not a heavy-duty blade which means you shouldn’t be mowing it thick or hard surface. Hitting on some hard object, it will definitely bend.

Product Requirements
Manufacturer: Maxpower, USA
Mounting Hole: Bow-tie 
Length: 21-inch
Width: 2-1/4-inch
Compatibility: It fits many 21” cut MTD, Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt, and Craftsman mowers. You can check the compatibility in the product description.
Pros
  • Sharp
  • Rust-proof
  • Close to OEM blade
  • Best for walk behind mowers
  • Easy installations and fits well
Cons
  • Not heavy-duty blade
Summary

To conclude, it will fit any kind of spindle either it is bow-tie or pointed-star type. If you are using a push mower at home and want some usual but quality mulching, this blade will give you that.


Maxpower 331737B Mulching Blade for 21 Inch Cut

Maxpower 331737B Mulching Blade for 21 Inch Cut

It’s an upgraded version of Maxpower 331528B as mentioned above but both blades hold their own place in the market which totally depends on user rating.

The classy thing about this blade is its universality as it fits many brands.

It is the perfect mulcher for your push mower that mulches great, is easy to install, and comes with perfect cutting edge.

Not to mention, this blade needs a bit of sharpening. Anyhow, it would take you a few minutes to sharp it with any hand sharpener like Acuusharp, GardenSharp sharpener.

Another thing about this blade is its perfect balance which you can check by mount it on some sharp object from the middle.

This balance doesn’t change during delivery as it is protected with heat shrink plastic case which many manufacturers won’t do.

Product Requirements
Manufacturer: Maxpower, USA
Mounting Hole: Circular, 5/8 inch 
Length: 21-inch
Width: 2-1/4-inch
Compatibility: It fits many 21” cut Poulan, Husqvarna, and Craftsman mowers. You can check the compatibility in the product description.
Pros
  • Mostly compatible with many 21 inch mowers
  • Close to OEM blade
  • Best for walk behind mowers
  • Easy installations and fits well
  • Perfect balance
Cons
  • Needs sharpening before installation
Summary

Lastly, I would say, to get the best out of it install them the right way. Made in the USA, this blade is manufactured to fit many mowers and comes at a much reasonable price. So, if you have hit your mower with something hard, bending your blade, then give this blade a try for relpacement.


Maxpower 331387XB, 21-inch Commercial Mulching Blade

Maxpower 331387XB, 21-inch Commercial Mulching Blade

Maxpower 331387XB is the giant cutter for thick grass. Whether moving at an angle or low, it will always give you an even and satisfying cut on your lawn.

Focusing on its performance:

No more clumping, fine mulch, and easy fitment what you need then?

It has thick paint on the edge, which will be worn out easily, so when you install them, don’t remove paint manually if you aren’t an expert.

Regarding cut quality, it has good airflow; your deck must be in good shape and closed. I mean, that’s where they will create the vacuum and do mulching.

When installing these blades, it’s better to adjust their balance on the mower shaft correctly, or you will run into unwanted mower vibrations and noise.

It will work smoothly, consuming less RPMs once it is perfectly balanced and tight on the shaft.

Product Requirements
Manufacturer: Maxpower, USA
Mounting Hole: Circular, 7/16″
Length: 21 inch
Width: 2-1/4-inch
Compatibility: It replaces OEM #: 108-0954-03, 116-4500, 1164500S, 1350413S.
Pros
  • Works on thick grass like Bermuda
  • Long-lasting and heavy-duty blade
  • Lessen the mower clumping
  • Easy fitment
Cons
  • Nothing to mention
Summary

As shown above, these blades fit easily and replace major OEM numbers. So, if your main goal is to mow thick grass and follow happy mulching, it would be the right choice.


MTD Genuine Parts 942-0741A, 21-Inch Mulching Blade

MTD Genuine Parts 942-0741A, 21-Inch Mulching Blade

Last but not least istheMTD Genuine Parts 942-0741A, 21-Inch Mulching Blade.

The MTD manufacturer is the leader in the design and manufacturing of outdoor lawn equipment. Having said that, let’s get into the performance of this mulching blade.

It has the perfect weight, width, and length, making it the best fit for your push or self-propelled mower.

The best thing to mention here is its perfect replacement as it matches the dimension of your original lawnmower blade. 

It already comes in sharp; you don’t need to sharp it right after purchase.

Make sure to install it the right way. The way to install it is to keep the cutting edge towards the ground.

It has the same dimensions as that of the original blade, it is very easy to install a mulching blade.

Additionally, the blade is not dull; that’s the main feature any landscaper wants, right?

It is painted well yet gives great cut which makes it a perfect high-grade material for your lawnmower.

Product Requirements
Manufacturer: MTD, USA
Mounting Hole: Bow-tie
Length: 21-inch
Width: 2-1/4-inch
Compatibility: It replaces many 21″ cut blades that bear the replacement number 942-0741A. You can verify this number in your mower manual.
Pros
  • It has a thick coating of paint that prevents it from rusting
  • Perfect dimensions to fit 21 inch mowers
  • Just like your original mower blade, a good replacer
  • High grade and sharp material
Cons
  • Not long-lasting
Summary

Generally speaking, if you’re looking for an exact replacements blade and you want a new blade to be a mulching blade, try this one as it is dimensionally precise as your standard mower blade.

Checklist To Buy The Best 21 Inch Mulching Blade

Important Factors to Keep In Mind Before Buying
Always match the OEM number of your old blade with the new blade you are buying.
Check the length, weight, and thickness of the blade for right compatibly.
Look at your deck size and spindle assembly to match the blade right for you.
Note the manufacturer is trustworthy and has a good record regarding blade performance.
Check the blade has a curve on the wings, this thing matter for fine cutting.

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Jack

After doing my master’s in agriculture, I went on with this field for more than 15 years because I love working in green. I have experienced using modern machinery and techniques that can help farmers and landscapers to achieve something great. My goal will be to deliver you the best reviews and information to make the right decision.

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