5 Best Mulching Blades for Leaves 2024

Each season wraps up, especially when plants are shedding their leaves nearby the lawn you come across the problem of raking them or getting rid of the piles of leaves that kill your grass. Fallen leaves prevent the sunlight and natural air to reach the grass if they are residing on the topsoil of your lawn. Side by side they hurt the aesthetic value of your lawn.

Sooner or later, you will look for a final solution to remove those leaves out of your lawn. From my personal experience, the best thing is to mulch those leaves which means you will break them into small pieces so there would be no need to pick the leaves up, create piles and bag them out of your lawn.

The best plan would be to find some best mulching blades for leaves so you can clean up your lawn and let the grass breathe. Mulching blades will basically cut the leaves into small pieces so they can just decompose and dissolve into the topsoil fertilizing it and beneficiating the grass of your lawn.

Checklist for Buying Best Mulching Blade for Leaves

What to Check	Details
Model Number	The model number of your mower also matters as it will help you find the exact match. Try to find your model number in the product description of the mulching blade.
Hole Design	Hole design matters as it affects fitment directly. First look at the spindle assembly of your mower and then find the blade that has a hole design made to fit on the spindle.
Dimensions	Dimensions of mulching blades are length, width, and thickness. From my personal experience, a little longer, wider and thicker blade is better than old ones.
Longevity	The longevity of mulching blades depends upon the material with which they are built. Try to choose a high-grade steel metal for your mower.
Curviness	Curvinesss means a mulching blade must have curved flaps on the corners, and be designed to create greater suction power.
Number of Blades	Each mower require different sets of the blade, so make a proactive decision of “how many mulching blades you need?”
OEM number	OEM (original equipment manufacturer) number is the replacement number of a part. The mulching blade OEM number is a specific number assigned to the blade that is exactly as written on the original mower blade.

Details of Best Leaf Mulching Blades

Maxpower mulching mower blades are awesome when it comes to using your mower at variable settings to mulch both grass and leaves especially in the case of Husqvarna mowers.

Notably, the curvy wings of these blades are what convert the leaves into dust. The mulched pieces of leaves are much smaller which decompose easily into the grass and add nutrients to the lawn.

The robust design of these blades cuts the grass in such a way that it hits the cutting edge, again and again, this way it is converted into small pieces.

The body of these blades is made to suck up grass firmly just like a barber is giving a haircut. It holds the blades tightly in the upright position and then cuts them into pieces in a repetitive circular motion.

Markedly, the compatibility of these blades with the shaft of the mower is also great, especially for 42-inch deck-size mowers. It has a five-star hole that makes it easy for the blade to mount on many mowers.

Additionally, the cutting edge is made of high-quality metal that is sharp and long-lasting. You won’t need to sharpen them right after the purchase.

Most importantly, the installation and sturdiness of these blades are great. They are easy to install and sturdy enough to counter any stress during mowing.

One noticeable thing to mention here is that they aren’t high lift or bagging types which means you can skip them if you don’t want to mulch. Because you can either do mulching or bagging at one time using any lawnmower.

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The best thing I observed about this Oregon G5 mulcher blade is the cutting edge which is made of fused tungsten carbide material. Additionally, it is extended than normal on the body of the blade.

An extended cutting edge means the overall blade will have more cutting area than it does normally.

It helps the mower to come in contact with leaves or grass more frequently which results in much smaller pieces of leaves coming out of your mower.

Another thing about this Oregon G5 mulcher blade is its sharpness.

Please note that a mower’s blade doesn’t have to be razor-sharp. These mulcher blades are sharp enough to cut any shoots coming on their way.

Uniquely, the perfect width and length make it better to mulch leaves in just two passe using your MTD or Cub Cadet.

If you are mowing on hard soil or some thick plant shoots these blades won’t bend. Instead, they will serve the purpose due to the high-quality metal they are built with.

The metal is thick which makes these blades a bit heavy. You may observe a little more noise from the engine but that’s what a true Gator sounds like right!

Instead of five, these blades are six stars which makes them the perfect fit for many mowers.

Try to use a mulch plug if your mower substrate (spindle) allows it, it will make the fitment easy.

Mowing on in a thicker grass field these blades works equally as they do on mulching leaves.

Lastly, I would say these blades are by far durable material in the market yet keeping their performance output more than 80%.

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Another blade on this list for mulching leaves is 598-631 G5 Gator blades.

Again, I would mention here this blade has an extended cutting edge that is made from fused tungsten material.

But this blade has a bow-tie hole which is made for easy fitment on many mowers.

Unlike other blades, the design of this blade is also different in the way that it has broader curvy metal flaps.

Together with great mulching performance, this blade also improves your wash port because this blade mulch leaves to much smaller pieces, so you don’t have any clumps attaching to the mower deck or chute.

Compared to the earlier G5 mention, this blade is good at high lift which means you can also use them for bagging leaves or grass.

The corner of these blades where the serrated teeth are located are broader that keeping the grass into play. These corners help anything coming towards them in a rotational motion so the cutting edge can do their work.

More to mention about the metal fins of these blades that must be towards the deck. After installation, you will clearly observe less noise, smooth engine running, and the magic of the fins that suck up grass like a vacuum.

Noticeably, these blades are wider, thicker, and longer which is the heredity trait that these blades get from Gator blades.

Being nice and sharp material, these blades really chop up leaves into dust on your lawn.

From expert opinions and people reviews, this blade fits many mowers so you can call it a universal one.

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It’s another up-gradation for your mower which is an aggressive mulcher and high lifter.

Being a perfect 21 Gator blade that fits easily on compatible mowers, it not only mulches grass but also works leaves very effectively.

Unlike other mulching blades that I have mentioned above, this one is different in terms of building material, weight and design.

The weight of this G3 Gator blade is comparatively less than the G5 Gator blade which makes it easy to rotate metal under the deck of the mower.

Moreover, the design of this blade is flat it has a flat body where the edges are lifted up high to mulch or discharge the right way.

Coupled with sharp cutting edge and serrated teethes this mulcher blade is good for superior chopping and more even grass cutting.

It gives great aesthetic value to your lawn.

This blade has passed the quality of 26 standards and meets all criteria to be a good and durable metal.

These blades are made for Ariens (AYP) mowers.

If you are using them on your Ariens you can really count on these blades as you won’t need to pass over the same area twice after using this blade.

If you are looking to try this blade don’t forget to check the OEM number that is 521981601 and its computability with your model number.

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Really close to the ideal length of 18 inches, this lawn mower leaf mulcher is best for 50-inch deck mowers.

These are basically the set of three blades that replaces OEM #’s 742-04053, 742-04053A, 942-04053-X, 942-04053A, 942-04053B, 942-04053C.

Please note your OEM number from the above mention as it only fits with these models which confirms that it is more specific rather than a universal fit.

Just like Gator blades, the cutting edge is also extended on them which helps them to cut more precisely and uniformly.

Not to mention, these blades are a bit heavy and thicker than stock blades which makes them more durable and long-lasting for many seasons.

Importantly, the mulching results of these blades I observed on leaves were awesome.

Mulching with these blades, I was able to clear my lawn in no time. Here is the picture

These blades convert grass, weeds, or leaves into much finer pieces which makes them the best eco-friendly partner to your lawn.

if you observe closely these blades cut the grass at the same level which means uniform and more even grass is the one you will be looking at after using these blades.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do mulching blades work on leaves?

Yes, mulching blades work efficiently on the leaves. You can mow on leaves after installing mulching blades on your mower and chop leaves into small pieces (mulch) easily.

What height should a mower be when mulching leaves?

A mower height of 3 inches is best to mow on leaves laying on the grass.

Can you use mulching blades with a bagger for leaves?

Yes, you can use mulching blades with a bagger for leaves but note that it won’t push the leaves pieces towards the bag with the same power as the regular blades do because mulching blades are made to cut leaves or grass into small pieces and spread them into the topsoil of lawn.

How do you mulch leaves on a riding mower?

Mulching on the riding mower is easier if you install the right mulching blade on it. There are different mulching blades for riding mowers you can explore on mulchpedia.

How do you mulch leaves with a zero turn mower?

To mulch leaves with a zero turn mower, you will need to replace the mower blade with the mulching blade. The mulching blade will work more efficiently than the regular blades and produce finer mulch from the leaves.

Does mulching leaves cause thatch?

No, mulching leaves do not add to the thatch material into the soil rather they are more beneficial. Because decomposing leaves will provide nutrients to the soil and make grass healthy.

Do you need mulching blades to mulch?

Yes, all mowers need mulching blades installation to produce mulch. If a mower has a regular blade rather than a mulching blade it won’t be able to produce mulch.

Do mulched leaves make good fertilizer?

Yes, mulch leaves are a good fertilizer source as they are basically part of plants and organic in nature. Laying on grass and after decomposition, mulched leaves are a good source of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium which are by far the essential elements for grass.

Is it better to rake or mulch leaves?

Mulching leaves is better than raking because after mulching you don’t need to pick up piles of leaves as you do when you rake. Additionally, when you mulch the leaves you are actually adding nutrients to your soil and making your grass healthy which is far better than raking.

Should you mow over leaves?

Mowing over leaves is only best if your mower has mulching blades installed. Because the mulching blade is the one that will reduce leaves to small pieces and benefit your lawn.

Can you mulch over leaves?

Yes, mulching over leaves is the best idea. All you need is a mulching blade installed on your mower and start making it green

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