Pick a Lawnmower That Makes the Cut

When it comes to gardening, there is no task more equally loved and hated than mowing the lawn. In this article, let`s take a look at the lawnmower, how it came to be, and what options are the best for your needs.

Firstly, ask yourself, do I want to walk or ride? While most lawns can accommodate a walking mower with ease, it might be a good idea to opt for a riding mower for anything larger than a quarter acre (approximately 1012 square metre) and bigger.

Think of a walk mower in much the same way you would a car, considering that it contains an engine and four wheels. There are two main options here, a self-propelled mower or a mower you have to push, i.e. A rear-drive or front-drive lawnmower. Rear-drive mowers are best for unlevel ground with lots of sidehills or uphill, while front-drive mowers will make your life much easier on level ground.

Walk mowers are available in a range of styles, such as:

• Petrol-powered mowers
• Cordless or battery-powered electric mowers
• Corded electric mowers
• Reel mowers

PETROL LAWNMOWERS

Petrol mowers typically tend to have a lot more power when cutting but tend to be higher on maintenance due to the internal engine. Other benefits include:

• They are more manoeuvrable than electric models.
• They cut through tougher grass with greater ease.
• They tend to be more durable than most electric mowers.

Petrol mowers: the cons

• They tend to be heavier than electric mowers.
• Petrol mowers require regular engine maintenance to keep them in tip-top shape.
• Pull-start cords can make it difficult for some people to turn them on.
• They are loud and emit smelly carbon monoxide fumes.

ELECTRIC LAWNMOWERS

Electric mowers mostly have a cord that lags behind, making operation a little trickier. It all depends on the size, shape and nature of your lawn, and the amount of effort you are willing to exert while maintaining it.

Electric mowers: the pros

• Require less maintenance than petrol models.
• Lower noise levels
• Don’t emit fumes

Electric mowers: the cons

• Cord curtails some mobility, but they tend to be lighter than petrol models which help to compensate.
• More expensive than petrol lawnmowers.
• Perform less well cutting tough or thick grasses.
• Danger of electrical shock.

PUSH REEL MOWERS

If you have a very small lawn area, such as a small townhouse garden, and you don’t mind burning some extra kilojoules, then an old-fashioned manual push reel mower will do the job perfectly well. Push reel mowers have some surprising benefits:

• It`s better for your lawn`s health. Rotary mowers cut the grass by tearing and chopping, whereas reel mowers cut the grass by snipping - much like a pair of scissors would.
• It’s the cheapest purchase option.
• Manual power also means you save money on energy costs and don’t emit pollution.
• An added benefit is that it is quiet, so you won’t disturb the neighbours!

Mowers can deal with the grass clippings in several ways, and each mower has its own way of doing this. A two-function mower has a bag attached to it, so the blades mulch the grass (cut it into fine pieces) and then shoot it directly into the bag. Three-function mowers do this and then also discharges to the side. This comes in handy for utility mowing, when cutting tall weeds and non-turf grasses, or cutting a wild lawn that needs to be trimmed in stages. Some homeowners also leave the grass clippings on the lawn to disintegrate and act as fertilizer for the lawn.

There are a host of additional options on a mower that can determine the strength of its push or pull, and the level of its cut.

The deck lever comes in groupings of one, two or four. It is tempting to opt for a mower that has more options for the blade height to cut at, but the extra options come with a lot of linkage chains that add to the weight of the machine. A good compromise would be to opt for a two-level deck lever.

The speed control can either be integrated into the handle, where you press down harder to go faster, or it can be a separate lever.

When it comes to self-propelled motors, there are three types of transmissions. A hydrostatic transmission is the most expensive option but runs the smoothest. It can also be the easiest to service and maintain.

Petrol engine sizes range from 140cc – 190cc, and a larger engine is less likely to stall in tall or stubborn grass, or on uphill. More expensive engines provide increased durability, make less noise and also save on fuel consumption in the long run.

Some high-end walk mower models come with a blade-brake clutch feature. It allows you to release the operator control handle without the engine stopping completely. This way, you can pause your mowing to move obstructions out of the way, without having to restart the engine. Some newer features in mowers also include innovative space-saving vertical storage design.

GET ON THE GO WITH YOUR NEXT MOW

With all the available options in mowers, it ultimately comes down to what you want to get out your lawn trimming experience. Luckily, BUCO can assist you with expert advice on what type of mower will best suit your needs, so if you’re still not sure which model will make the best cut for you, visit us in-store and we’ll sort you out.

Just another way in which BUCO strives to be a cut above the rest.