How to Choose the Right Lawn Equipment

By gardener | Aug 21, 2009

Looking out your window and seeing your lawn in a state of good health is a beautiful way to start the day, but you can only ensure thats going to happen if youre willing to work hard. All types of lawns need regular care and maintenance, and you can do a better job on that if youre using the right lawn equipment.

How to Choose the Right Lawn Equipment

In the old days, people mostly used scythes to cut excessive grass growth from their lawns. You should still use a scythe nowadays but only for the first three cuttings of newly established lawns. Afterwards, using a mower will make the job easier and the results more accurate.

Before choosing which type of lawn mower you need for your lawn, you first have to understand how lawn mowers work in the first place. There are two primary types of lawn mowers: reel and rotating. Reel mowers use blades attached to a reel or cylinder for cutting grass. They are able to cut grass far shorter than rotating mowers, making them ideal for a golf course.

Rotating mowers on the other hand utilize one or two flat blades to cut excessive grass growth. It can achieve finer cuts than reel mowers and they are far easier to maintain than reel mowers because you have fewer blades to worry about. They also work better with longer grass.

Another way of categorizing lawn mowers is their operation. Non-self-propelled mowers are those requiring manual effort while self-propelled mowers lighten the burden on your shoulders.

Obviously, non-self-propelled types are more affordable and probably the most expensive of all would be a manual reel mower. Its highly unlikely that youll spend more than a hundred dollars for this type of lawn mower. A manual reel mower is more suited for owners with environmental concerns and lawns that are smaller.

Electric mowers are another environmentally friendly choice and unlike manual reel rowers, you can use them for bigger sized lawns. Electric mowers can either be reel or rotating. Theyre priced from a little over a hundred dollars up to $600. Models vary depending on battery power and other features. If youre particular about the noise level of lawn mowers, youll definitely love using an electric mower because they can trim your lawn in absolute peace and quiet.

Although a manual reel mower is the cheapest, its the non-propelled rotating mower thats most commonly used. It costs around $100 to $700, and you can get a pull or push-button starter.

Self-propelled mowers are those who dont like to sweat too much when mowing on inclined areas or at great distances. If youre interested in this type of mower, always check the engine specifications to ensure that its powerful enough to conquer whatever terrain or landscape design your lawn has. Check the speed settings as well because youll want something you can easily control but also gets the job done in optimal time. Rotary mowers of this ilk cost at least $200 but no more than $700 while reel mowers can be double such prices. The latter is more often used for mowing golf courses.

Last but certainly not least is the riding lawn mower. Its unsurprisingly expensive it can cost as much as $6,500! but you can mow your lawn in comfort. This can be a practical choice, however, if youve got a big lawn.

Factors to Consider When Buying a Lawn Mower
Now that you know what different lawn mower types represent, its time to make a buying decision. Make sure, however, you consider the following factors first:

Lawn Area How big is your lawn? If its no bigger than your bedroom, then it might not be entirely practical to purchase a riding lawn mower.

Budget How much can you spend for lawn equipment? If you want high end lawn equipment to fit your meager budget, are you willing to buy them secondhand?

Grass and Lawn Type Reel mowers are better suited for lawns that require comparatively shorter grass heights while rotating mowers are better for grass and lawn types benefiting from finer cuts and clippings.

Besides a lawn mower, there are other pieces of lawn equipment you can purchase to have an easier time of maintaining your lawn such as edgers, detachers, leaf blowers, and wood chippers. Visit your local gardening shop and check them out one by one.

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