| Mow.org |
With all the different lawn mowers available today, making any kind of purchasing decision can be overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. Lawn mowers come in all different shapes and sizes, colors and speeds, but they all have one thing in common; all lawn mowers cut grass. Once you know a little bit about each type, you'll have a clear understanding of which lawn mower best suits your needs.
The reel mower was the first mechanical mower. The original design was a good one, and it hasn't changed much. This type of mower provides the cleanest cut and is least damaging to grass. With a horizontal cutting blade adjusted to the height you want your grass and vertical spinning blades positioned above that, the grass is forced past the cutting blade and cut as if with a pair of scissors. The cut is clean and even. This is the type of mower you want if you take great pride in the look of your lawn.
Though reel mowers are good options for the health and look of your lawn, there are some things to take into consideration with this type. They do not shred leaves, chop through sticks or easily cut through high grass. Sometimes you must make double or triple passes to get each blade of grass cut and mowing with them can become time consuming, so those with larger yards may want to look into rotary mowers.
The rotary mower cuts grass with horizontal blades. The sharp blades are hung from a vertical driveshaft. They cut the grass by spinning at extremely high speeds, essentially whacking it off. This mower gets the job done quickly and doesn't require double passes to ensure each blade of grass is cut.
As with the reel mower, rotary mowers have some things to think about before purchasing. These tear the grass and do not promote extremely healthy lawns. If the blades get filed too thin or uneven they don't cut smooth patterns and may break.
When buying a new mower, either the reel or rotary variety, you'll likely spend between $100-$400 dollars in the lower-end market. These usually last between 7-10 years and use older technology and cheaper materials. You'll find these at discount and home improvement stores. Higher-end models have more bells and whistles and will generally run between $400-$1000 dollars. Independent dealers sell and provide maintenance on these. They tend to last up to 20 years.
With all this information on lawn mowers you should now be able to decide on the type just right for you. Reel or rotary, gas or electric, lawn mowers are essential if you have any plot of grass, big or small.