Lawn Mower buying Guide
The range of lawn mowers available today is greater than ever before, The task of finding the right machine can be quite daunting, this guide has been put together to help the buyer find the right sized and appropriate machine for there garden. Read this guide through, and have a look at the machinery reviews and see which machine suits your particular needs.
Cylinder Mowers
Cylinder mowers offer that perfect finish to your lawn, they use a very precision cutting action, which used on the right lawn, can leave it looking perfectly manicured. Most are roller driven, leaving a striped finish, however the smaller electric machines are generally push. These machines are best used by the enthusiastic gardener who takes a pride in there lawn, and who wants that perfect finish every time. The down side of these machines is there precision cutting action can easily be damaged by obstacles such as stones or mole hills, if your lawn is slightly rough or is likely to have objects laying on it, the better option is probably a rotary mower, which we will talk about next. Walk behind cylinder mower widths vary from 12 inches to approximately 42 inch widths, and for larger areas, there are the sit on gang mowers. Cylinder mowers are available in electric, petrol and diesel.
Rotary Mowers
Rotary mowers are very versatile machines, they are generally able to cope better with longer grass and wetter grass than a cylinder mower, and they are more versatile when mowing around obstacles and cutting rougher areas. The roller driven machines leave a striped finish, which even used on a poor lawn can leave the lawn looking reasonable, and create a good effect to the eye. Wheel driven rotary's are also available; these are also very versatile machines, although they don't leave a striped finish. Most rotary mowers come with a grass collection box, which is also ideal for collecting leaves in the autumn. Mulching mowers are also available, some machines having the option to collect or mulch, used regularly, mulching mowers can save a lot of time, as there are no grass clippings to dispose of, used regularly these machines can help to keep the colour in your lawn in dry summers. Rotary mowers are available in electric, petrol and diesel.
Hover Mowers
These machines are best for small to medium sized gardens. A hover mower is a rotary mower that floats on a cushion of air, very useful for cutting under overgrown shrubs, and ideal for cutting banks. Hover mower sizes vary from 10 inches to 24 inches; they are available in electric and petrol versions.
Ride on mowers
Ideal for larger areas, they can take the hard work out of mowing, if you have a large area to cut, just beware if your lawn has obstacles to cut around, as some ride-ons are not particularly maneuverable, in some cases if you have objects, such as trees and shrubs, to cut around a good quality walk behind will do the job quicker, and without leaving any wheel markings. Many ride on mowers have hydrostatic transmission, which gives the operator variable speed in forward and reverse without having to change gear or use a clutch, this makes the machine much more efficient than an old fashioned gearbox. Although these machines are more expensive, the benefits gained in efficiency and operator fatigue, far outweigh the extra cost. Some ride-ons can have various attachments, worth looking into before you buy. Machines are available in petrol and diesel; it is worth looking at diesel machines, if you have a lot of cutting to do.
Zero turn Mowers
ZERO TURN machines provide much higher levels of maneuverability due to the way they turn 360 degrees on the spot. This agility gives the user much greater control when working in confined areas, around trees and shrubs or other obstacles such as street furniture. Increased performance and greater mowing speed in turn delivers increased productivity, enabling professionals to get more out of a mowing day and meet all important targets.
ZERO TURN ride-ons are by the nature of their design more compact than out-front rotaries, and with their shorter frame operators can fit more machines onto a single trailer. Now a greater number or range of machines can be taken to any location. This gives the users more cutting power or greater choice when selecting a specific machine for a specific purpose. Either way it makes life easier for the user and saves time and cost.
Battery Mowers
These mowers have the benefit of being quiet and having no electricity cable to drag around, ideal for the smaller garden.
Strimmers / Brushcutters
Strimmers are very useful for finishing a lawn, they are ideal for trimming around trees and shrubs (with care), and for getting in those awkward areas, they are available in electric and petrol.
Brushcutters can be an efficient way of clearing overgrown areas, especially when fitted with heavy duty nylon chord or a metal blade. Generally these machines have cow horn handles and a harness or there are the back pack type, which then have a flexible drive shaft.
Things to take into consideration when buying your mower
Electric, Petrol or diesel- Weigh up the pros and cons, electrics are fine for very small areas, and remember the electric cable can be a nuisance when trees and shrubs are in the way. When looking at buying a petrol mower, it’s well worth looking at the diesel option, taking in the price of fuel today.
Cutting width
Buy the largest cutting width that you can, the wider the cut the quicker the job will be done, unless you have lots of narrow paths etc. Buy a machine that you can manage, some of the larger machines can be heavy if you have lots of turns to make.
Grass Collection
If you want your lawn to look tidy, choose a mower with a collection option, generally mowers with rear collection boxes are better for going around obstacles etc, also ideal for leaf collection in the autumn.
Stripes
If you like stripes on your lawn then choose a mower with a rear roller. As the mower cuts the grass, the roller travels over it and flattens the grass in one direction, which gives the classic stripy effect. The roller also gives you the ability to cut over the edge of the lawn.
Lawn Mower Buying Guide
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