The Lawn Mower Site

Most lawn mowers belonging to the walk behind category are either rotary lawn mowers or reel lawn mowers. The difference is in the blade arrangement and cutting styles. Rotary lawn mowers are the general standard in most American households today and in this article you will learn some useful information about them. These machines are noted for their versatility and inexpensive price range.

You have to first consider the various factors which will affect your selection of a lawn mower like size of lawn; type of lawn (level, sloped); mowing frequency; lawn condition in terms of collection of leaves, twigs, etc.; noise levels and pollution factors.

Once you have a clear idea of what your requirements in terms of a good lawn mower are you are ready to proceed to the next step which is to evaluate the features of walk behind rotary lawn mowers. These mowers are available as push or self propelled mowers and you can also get combinations of these features as well.

Choose the type of power you want for your lawn mower whether gas powered or electric. The gas powered engines are faster and more powerful but you should want to mess around with gasoline. The electric models need a power outlet nearby and do not have much of a range – normally 100 feet from the power source. Moreover, due to the power cord the maneuverability of the machine is limited and there is danger in running over the cord.

Push mowers are a very good option for people who are fitness and health conscious. You power the machine with some muscle to get your dose of exercise and mow the lawn at the same time. These machines are great for yards that are less than half acre in size.

Self propelled lawn mowers are a better option for people who don’t really want the exercise and just want to get the mowing done. These machines are also good for people who have health problems and should not strain themselves or stay in the sun too long as they help to reduce mowing time and fatigue.

Rotary mowers come with high rear wheels and are very well suited for yards with lots of obstacles like flower beds, swings, pond and other stuff that need maneuvering around.  This feature is available in both push and self propelled models. Rear wheel drive self propelled models are good for rough, hilly terrain.

Engines are either overhead cam design engines which provide cooler, more efficient and cleaner operation with longer valve life and fuel efficiency, and the side value engine which is the more tradition design that provides reliable power.

Today’s electric mowers come in very impressive designs, light in weight and compact in size.  The propulsion of the mower is the push type and you can comfortably mow a medium sized lawn. Some of the features that are included in these models are the ready start and reduced pull force. Engines are being constantly upgraded to provide smooth operation, no flooding and a quieter performance.

Electric mowers are considered to be more environmentally friendly. Buy a machine with a powerful engine and the ability to bag and mulch and you are pretty much set. Most of these machines have large cutting decks that can easily be adjusted to the preferred grass height. For comfortable handling you can choose the specially designed comfort grip handles which should be adjustable to give you the most comfortable and best posture for you.

Depending on the type of lawn you have you will need a machine that is powerful enough to cut and mulch deep grass. Being environmentally friendly means lower noise levels and emission levels. You don’t have to stop to fill gas, breathe exhaust fumes or mess about with spark plugs and filters.

The new machines come with easy to handle bagging options for collection and disposal of cuttings and fitting and removal of the bag.

You can choose the discharge features you want depending on the type of lawn you have.  Lawns that have many obstacles like flowerbeds, children’s play items, swimming pool, fish pond, fountain or even trees and shrubs, you need to choose a rotary mower with a bagging or mulching capability.  This will prevent the clippings from falling into your pool or other water areas.

Consider your yard, the seasons and your personal requirements to help you decide whether a three in one lawn mower is a good choice. This type of mower will help you to mulch, bag and discharge giving extra flexibility.

The mulching feature cuts the grass into fine pieces to help you fertilize your lawn naturally. This will give you healthy grass that appears like a thick carpet and you will not need to bag the clippings.

Rear bagging helps collect the clippings giving the lawn a very immaculate appearance. This type of feature is very good for cleaning up along fences, trees, flowerbeds and other obstacles on your lawn. It is also good for collecting fallen leaves.

The side discharge feature disperses the clippings back onto your lawn and is suitable if you have a clear lawn with none or very few obstacles. It is also good for dealing with wet grass though it is advisable not to mow the lawn when the grass is wet for safety reasons.

You will find that different manufacturers and lawn care specialists advise different heights for grass cutting. Whether they are right or not, you should not remove more than one third of the grass length at any given time. Height adjustments are generally made on the wheels. Single lever adjusters are very easy to use; one lever controls the adjustment of all 4 wheels.

There are many walk behind rotary lawn mower options available to the consumer. In order to make the most informed decision when buying your mower you need to be aware of the different types of mowers and their features to be able to find the one that best matches your requirements.