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Lawn Mowers

Introduction

When summer is approaching the grass starts to grow rapidly on our lawns at home. The added heat and moisture from storms makes summer an ideal growing time for the yard. If you have a lawn you will need a lawn mower of some description. It does not matter that your lawn is only small the grass will still grow, especially at this time of year and will need regular cutting.

The first question that you have to ask yourself is what type of lawn mower do I need? To answer this question you will have to consider these things, the size and type of your yard, how much are you willing to spend on a mower and will you be fit enough to be able to mow the lawn.

Size of Your Yard

If you have a large yard to mow then obviously a hand mower( no motor)will not be of much use. For a larger type of yard you will need a mower with a bit of power to do the job properly. A smaller mower will have to work much harder to do the same job. On the other hand a smaller lawn will allow you to but a smaller mower or perhaps even a hand mower.

Type of Yard

If you want your lawn to look like a bowling green then you will have to mow often with a mower that cuts cleanly and finely. You may want to buy a cylinder mower that rolls the lawn as it mows. If you are not that fanatical about your lawn then a more budget conscious model will be able to satisfy your needs.

Physical Fitness

This is something that should be considered by all of us. If you are not that active you may want to consider a model that is self powered especially if your lawn area is quite large. You can get mowers that do not require you to pull start them, rather they start with a turn of a key. This feature is a good one for older people or people who do not have the strength to pull start a mower. If your yard is very large you may want to consider a ride-on mower to do the job.

Your Budget

We are all looking for ways to save money around the home and the garden is no different. Basically what you are wanting to do is to buy the right type of mower for your lawn. It is pointless buying a hand mower if your have a massive yard to mow. It is false economy and the mower is not designed to mow a big lawn. Similarly it is just as silly to buy a ride on mower if you have a small lawn or even just an average type yard. They are not suited to this kid of work. You should work out what type of mower you will need and then look for the best value that you can find in that field.

Lawn Mower Types

Rotary mowers
Ride-ons
Hand mowers
Hover mowers
Cylinder mowers

Two Stroke
Two stroke mowers are great on hills as they do not have the same kind of problems on hills that Four stroke mowers do. They like to rev higher than a four stroke but this is how they make their power.

Four Stroke
Four stroke mowers make plenty of power and are suitable for mowing a big block of land. They can struggle on hills or yards that have slopes as they have a sump that contains oil and on a hill the oil goes to one side of it and the oil pick up cannot get the oil needed to lubricate the engine and as a result the engine could seize which is an expensive repair.

Durability
There is no real difference between the two types on an average house block. If your yard is half an acre or larger then a four stroke would be the better option as they will handle the job a little better.

Maintenance
Whatever type of mower you finally choose to buy it will be in your best interests to keep it well serviced and maintained. By regularly checking your mower out you will see if there are any glaring problems with it. If you change the oil at least once a year it will help to prolong the life of your not investment.

To keep the mower cutting the lawn nicely you should keep your blades sharp and replace them when needed. If you do not know how to change the blades just get them done when you have your mower serviced.

Before you buy
As with any purchase make sure that you have really thought about what type of mower you really need. Don't buy a mower that is not going to be able to do the job you want it to or is to big for your needs.

When you know what type you want then make sure you shop around for the best possible deal. If you are not going to service the model yourself it may be better to buy from a mower shop rather than a hardware type store.

Lawn Mower Types

Rotary Mowers

This type of lawn mower is the type that we are most used to. They are by far the most popular choice for most people. They are the best general purpose mower for most domestic applications. One of their advantages is that they can handle with almost any type of lawn you put before them wether the lawn is rough or perhaps is uneven.

They may not cut grass as cleanly as a cylinder mower would but they generally do a good job especially if the blades they are cutting with a sharp. If you are looking for that bowling green type finish then this type of mower may not meet your standards.

You can a basic model for about $400 - this will be a no frills type model but will be enough for most lawns.
If you pay about $500 you will get a bigger engine with some better feature like ball bearing wheels and better handlebars
A key start model will cost around $750
For a self-propelled model you will pay around $900

Ride-ons

Most of us will not need a ride-on as the average backyard is just not big enough to justify the need for one. They are more suited to a yard that is about a half to two hectares in size.

There is a wide range of brands on the market that offer various features and engine size. A model with an engine output of 8.5HP would be suitable for a lawn up to half a hectare. If your lawn is larger than that then you should consider a model that has 11.5HP to 13HP as they will not have to work as hard to do the job.

By paying a more you will get a machine that can handle tough conditions as it will have been built with rugged conditions in mind. You will also get better features and a more comfortable ride which is a big consideration.

Expect to pay around $1750 - $3000 for smaller capacity models
Expect to pay around $3000 - $5000 for bigger more powerful models.

Hand Mowers

These are good if you have a small yard to mow. They have a cylindrical blade that cuts the grass neatly and efficiently. They are light and are fairly easy to push especially if you do not have any slopes in your yard. Another good point is that they do not make much noise and have very little that can break on them.

The best way to use one is to mow the lawn quite regularly as they do not like to mow high grass. When the grass gets high it does make the task of pushing through it a bit difficult. To make it easier to mow as well as keeping the blades sharp is to make sure you rake before you mow. This way you will pick up any sticks and stones that can stop or even damage the blades.

You can buy a cheaper model for about $103
A better quality model with a catcher will cost you around $200

Hover Mowers

This type of mower is best suited to smaller lawns or if you have a steep slope they are ideal. They work by gliding over a cushion of air. They can be either electric or petrol powered. If you buy the electric model you should make sure that you buy an extension cord with a built in safety device.

The electric models are nice and quite and both types are nice and light which makes them quite easy to handle and use on steep slopes.

They do not cut the grass very low and you have to carry them to the lawn to start mowing. You can get get trolleys for them now.

Prices will vary but the range will be between $130 to $800
These are priced from $130 for a basic electric model
A better quality electric model will cost about $300

Cylinder Mowers

This style of mower is normally associated with bowling and golfing greens but they are used on the best of lawn as well. They can give you that smooth and professional stripped finish. They can be used on almost any type of lawn so long as the lawn is healthy and not too rough. They are quite expensive to purchase.

You can expect to pay about $1700 for a cylinder mower that will be able to mow your lawn

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