Many different types of lawn mowers exist, so choosing one kind can feel quite daunting. The kind required can depend on the size and style of your garden, and the power needed from the lawn mower to successfully cut the grass. There are several suitable lawn mowers to choose from, and each fits a different lawn.
Push lawn mowers require muscle power, as they are simply pushed along the surface of the ground to cut grass. Usually, these mowers have the appearance of smaller, more compact machines, and are generally cylinder mowers. Due to their size, they can only handle so much grass, so must be confined to use in little yards. The positives include the machine’s lack of carbon emissions and air pollution, and they also do not produce noise, so the neighbors will remain happy.
Cylinder Mowers
A cylinder lawn mower has cylindrical blades that spin vertically at the front of the machine. Recommended versions of these have three or more blades for the highest possible efficiency. A flat yard would best suit this mower, especially one you would like to keep short and maintained. The cylinder lawn mower gives a garden a well-groomed appearance due to its scissor-like fashion of cutting grass, instead of the brute force that other mowers use to get the job done. To ensure that these mowers are kept in good condition and work to the best of their ability, the owner should periodically adjust the blades attached to the mower and sharpen them. If these tasks are beyond the owner’s capabilities, they may need to speak with an agricultural equipment specialist who can assist.
Rotary Mowers
The rotary mower operates very differently to the cylinder lawn mower. It possesses a single cutting blade which spins like a propeller, and has the ability to cope with various lawn types. The rotary is one of the strongest of its kind, and is typically used on gardens with tougher and more stubborn grasses. They are available in both petrol and electric versions – just as the cylinder lawn mower is. Rotary mowers do have limitations, such as the inability to cut grass very short (can’t cut any shorter than 2.5cm typically), whereas cylinder lawn mowers can cut grass as low as 0.5cm. Altogether, they would be suitable lawn mowers for people who don’t care too much for their lawn’s appearance, and who have very resilient grass.
Power sources:
Electric
Electric lawn mowers are more sustainable, and ultimately all you need for a small to medium-sized garden. They are optimal for this kind of garden because the mowers themselves are typically smaller in size for easier storage, and cheaper because of the decrease in size. The limitations would include having to plug in the cable to a source of electricity, which could become inconvenient and annoying, which is another reason that the yard should be a smaller one.
Most rotary mowers have wheels, however hover lawn mowers do exactly as the name says: they hover above the ground so that the owner can push the machine with ease. They are recommended for lawns that are strangely shaped and smaller in size. The hover mower is usually cheaper than other rotary lawn mowers. The top lawn mowers of this kind include the Qualcast Hover Collect Lawn Mower – known for its cheaper price and lower power usage needed – and the Flymo Ultra Glide – for its larger grass box capacity.
Cordless Battery Powered
If the thought of electrical cords doesn’t take your fancy at all, then cordless lawn mowers are for you. They avoid the hassle that other mowers involve, but the price is generally higher for a cordless lawn mower because of the lithium ion batteries used inside them which are expensive. Some cordless lawn mowers do include a mulching option, and is thought to be highly successful in its mulching capabilities. As well as this, the mower as a whole is very easy to use, so if you are a person who knows almost nothing about lawn mowers, this could be for you. This kind of mower avoids the mess that can be made by gas lawn mowers, such as spilling liquids on your hands and the yard you are mowing.
Petrol powered lawn mowers
Another model of lawn mower that you could consider buying would be a petrol lawn mower. These petrol lawn mowers are necessary for larger expanses of land with tough grasses, and are very capable options due to the power and speed they exert. Of course, as these are quite possibly the best model, they are more expensive than other mowers, and will need to be serviced like normal cars. Because of these reasons, these should only be bought when they are needed. Petrol lawn mowers are also noisy, so your purchase will likely depend on the environment surrounding the garden needing to be mowed (i.e. neighbors).
The cheaper models also require the owner to yank a cord to start the mower’s engine, and so the owner would need to apply brute force to this cord, and be a little strong. Though these mowers are pricier than other models on average, the prices do vary, and cheaper alternatives do exist.
The cheaper petrol lawn mowers would exclude all the “bells and whistles” that other kinds may have. Petrol mowers are also heavier to carry and haul around, so the owner’s strength would be required not just for the purpose of starting the engine. Another drawback to consider is that these are environmentally unfriendly and contribute to the world’s pollution, and since sustainability is such a relevant and modern issue, this would have to be considered as well.
Ultimately, the model of lawn mower that you purchase depends on your priorities as an individual and the kind of environment that you live in. If your yard holds a lot of taller, more stubborn grass, then you should look further into buying a rotary or a petrol lawn mower. If you value sustainability most of all, you should look into a push lawn mower or an electric mower. If precision and appearance matter most to you, the cylinder mower is most definitely your kind of lawn mower. And if you are shopping for an affordably priced piece of machinery, a hover lawn mower would be a suitable lawn mower. Whatever your requirements, there is a lawn mower fitted to your lifestyle that will satisfy you.
