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A lawn mower is a lawn care tool used for beatifying the lawn. This little machine is used to cut the lawn grass. It makes our life less complicated by cleaning the unwanted and long grass.

This is done by the cutting blades or a rotating cylinder. What started as human operated machine for cutting the grass, pushed manually, now comes in different shapes, sizes and varieties.

The smaller lawn mowers are used to maintain a small lawn, and the bigger lawn mowers are normally used for larger lawn renovation tasks. Some of the advanced mowers are designed to run incredibly fast and to effectively and precisely trim the lawn in very little time.

There are many types of lawn mowers available in the market – from the mighty gas powered mowers to the handy cordless electric models. It is tough to choose a model right for your needs – and that’s where lawn mower reviews would come in handy to you.

 

Types of Lawn Mowers

 

Push Reel Lawn Mower

These are the most basic type of lawn mowers. They operate by hand pushing the lawn mower manually. Such mowers are extremely light weight since they don’t comes with any motor.

They are easy to use and require minimal maintenance. They only require blade sharpening and lubrication from time to time. These are usually high quality machines that can take a beating and last a long time.

Push reel mowers are not good for thick and tall grass. Also, since they use manual power to cut grass, they are only suitable for small lawns.

Some popular push reel lawn mowers are:

• Fiskars 6201 18-Inch StaySharp Max Push Reel Lawn Mower
• Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower

 

Gas Powered Lawn Mower

Gas powered lawn mowers generate more power than any other type of mower. These can easily clear large lawns, are fast and can clear thicker or longer grass as well.

Gas powered lawn mowers use ordinary gas (gasoline used fr cars). If it has a 2 stroke engine, the gas could be filled with mixed oil. You would not need to mix oil with gas if you own a mower with a 4 stroke engine. Most gas mowers these days come with 4 stroke engines due to strict emission norms by the government.

Since the gas powered lawn mowers have a gas motors, they require frequent gas refilling. They also generate a lot of noise and huge amounts of smoke. You have to invest more in their maintenance too since you have to change their air and oil filters frequently.

Some popular gas powered lawn mowers are:

• Husqvarna 7021P 21-Inch 160cc Honda GCV160 Gas Powered 3-N-1 Push Lawn Mower With High Rear Wheels (CARB Compliant)
• Lawn Boy 10604 20-Inch 149cc 6-1/2 GT OHV Kohler Gas Powered Self Propelled Lawn Mower

 

Electric Lawn Mower

Electric lawn mowers are very environment friendly – they generate zero emission and do not pollute the environment. They come with a long cord or they can be powered by a rechargeable battery (discussed in more detail below).

Corded electric lawn mowers are widely used, and are much cheaper than the battery powered mowers.They also require very little maintenance.

Electric lawn mowers are better for small to medium sized lawns. Such mower can’t clean bigger sized lawns – these are ideal if you have less than 1 acre of lawn. They have a limited length of cord – few mowers come with more than 100 feet long wire, so are limited to mowing a lawn that is less than 100 feet from a power outlet.

Some popular electric lawn mowers with cord are:

• Greenworks 25022 20-Inch 12 Amp Electric Bag/Mulch/Side Discharge Lawn Mower
• Black & Decker MM875 Lawn Hog 19-Inch 12 amp Electric Mulching Mower with Rear Bag

 

Cordless Lawn Mower

These are a type of electric lawn mower. Rechargeable battery powered lawn mowers are also known as cordless lawn mowers.

These have rechargeable batteries installed, and do not require long wires or cords for their operation. They operate very silently, start with a single push button and are easy to operate.

They are heavier than corded electric lawn mowers, and are not suitable for wet grass. Cordless lawn mowers also require frequent charging, and are not suitable for large lawns.

Some popular cordless / battery operated electric lawn mowers with cord are:

• WORX WG783 Lil’ Mo 14-Inch 24-Volt Cordless 3-In-1 Lawn Mower with Removable Battery
• Black & Decker CM1936 19-Inch 36-Volt Cordless Electric Lawn Mower With Removable Battery

 

How to Select a Lawn Mower – What You Need to Keep in Mind

So, what to look for in a lawn mower? What factors should you consider while buying a lawn mower? Here is your checklist.

Size Matters: You should buy your new lawn mower primarily according to your lawn size. Select an electric lawn mower for a small lawn. You can go for a gas powered model if you have a large lawn.

Source of Power: You need to decide whether you want a gas powered mower or an electrically operated one. Their pros and cons are listed in detail in the section below.

Mulching Mechanism: Most modern lawn mowers come with mulching mechanism – this is a great feature if you want to improve the fertility of your lawn by returning the mulched grass to the surface of the lawn. If this appeals to you, please buy a mower that has a mulching facility.

Material of the Handle: A handle made from metal is known for better handling, and lasts longer than a plastic handle.

Compact Storage: If you are looking to store the mower in a small space, you should look for a mower that at least has a folding handle. This is great for easy storage.

Other Features: You should also consider the warranty period, portability, bag size and the safety features in the mower.

 

Selecting a Lawn Mower – Gas Powered Versus Electric Lawn Mowers

The gas powered lawn mower vs electric or cordless lawn mower debate has been going on since the time electric mowers came into the market. So here are the advantages and disadvantages of each.

 

Gas Powered Lawn Mowers – Advantages

There is one thing that no one can deny – gas powered lawn mowers are powerful. They come with raw power that no other lawn mower can beat.

Gas powered models can clear large lawns – they have no cords attached with them, or no battery that can be drained, so you can use them on as large a lawn as you want. You are only limited by the capacity of its fuel tank – and if you have spare fuel, even that is not a real constraint!

 

Gas Powered Lawn Mowers – Disadvantages

Please do keep in mind that although gas powered models and very powerful, they generate a lot of pollution. You would have to bear with the smoke coming out of its exhaust, and you need to live with the thought that you are polluting the environment.

Thanks to their gas engines, gas powered mowers also loud and produce excessive noise.

They also need routine maintenance from time to time – for example, you need to change their oil and air filters.

 

Electric Lawn Mowers – Advantages

Electric lawn mowers are environment friendly – they don’t generate any pollution.

Electric mowers also have a very quiet operation. They also need very little maintenance.

 

Electric Lawn Mowers – Disadvantages

The main disadvantage of electric lawn mowers is their small range – they are limited to a small area. If its a mower with a cord, you are limited to the length of the cord, and if it is a battery powered, cordless model, you are limited by the capacity of the battery. The bottom line is that you can’t buy an electric lawn mower if you have a large lawn to clear.

Electric lawn mowers are not as powerful as their gas powered counterparts.

 

Tips for Lawn Mower Maintenance – How to Make Your Mowers Last Longer

• You should clean the spark plug regularly for trouble free mowing experience. Dirty spark plug would not let your mower start easily.
• The blades are most important part of the whole mower system. You should sharpen it after every year of use. Sharp blades would cut the grasses beautifully. Some newer blades would not require frequent maintenance, though.
• Gas powered mower have an air filter – you should clean it properly so you get better running mileage. Lawn mower deals with so much debris and dirt while mowing the grass that the air filter routinely clogs up.
• You should fill fresh gas from the gas station – older, stored gases may affect the engine performance.

 

Mowing Mechanisms

There are two types internal mechanisms based on which modern lawn mowers operate.

• Rotary Lawn Mowers: These have a swiveling blade that is driven by a motor force (either electric or gas powered). They come in different shapes and sizes with various cutting widths.
• Cylinder Lawn Mowers: These use a cutting cylinder that mows the grass when turning. Cylinder lawn mowers are usually push-type hand-driven machines.

 

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