How to Choose the Right Lawnmower for Your Garden

When buying a lawn mower the first thing to consider is who will use it the most, if it is generally the men who will use it then a number of models can be considered, but if it is the house wife or a female then the choice should be limited to machines that are easily handled. If employed labor is used then it is important to buy the toughest machine available.

A machine that is impressive is the hover mower, which floats on a cushion of air. It is easy to handle even a child could use it. The hover mower is a rotary, but because of its design has no grass box. The designers say this is a good thing as the cut grass is pulverized and left on the lawn to form mulch. In some cases it is a good thing but it does not improve the appearance of the lawn.

Standard rotary mowers, those with the wheels, are the most popular type of mower. There are several reasons for this, some are quite inexpensive and do a good job of cutting. They are quite easy to handle and have a broad cut usually with a width of 20 inches.

There are two types of power unit for the rotary mower - petrol driven engine and an electric motor. There are then two types of engine, a two stroke and a four stroke. If your lawn has quite a degree of slope then you should always choose a two stroke. The engine of the four stroke may be damaged on steep slopes as a result of oil draining away from the bearings, the two stroke has oil added to the petrol. Though the two stroke is usually noisier than the four stroke.

An electric motor is quiet and efficient and has many safety features built in to prevent electrocution in the event of the cable being cut if it is wired. The alternative electrical system is with a battery, but this will need charging after every mowing.

Some rotaries are available with grass boxes that have been improved in design over the years, but there are still some that are inefficient when long, damp grass is cut. The upper part of the machine where it throws out the cut grass can become blocked making the grass box more of a liability than an asset.

Weight may be another problem. The best and most expensive mowers tend to be heavy. Another aspect to consider is the type of grass that you have in your garden.

Many lawns have coarse grasses, in which case the rotary mower is preferable. A cylinder mower often fails to pick up this type of grass with the result that the rear roller flattens it and the lawn just does not give the appearance of being freshly mowed.

If the grass is finer then a cylinder mower is suitable as it gives a professional finish to the lawn.

Another question is that of size, for really small lawn there is nothing wrong with 12 inch and 14 inch. It is light and maneuverable and is ideal when there is a lot of stopping and starting or awkward corners. For larger lawns a powered mower is preferable, anything larger than 16 inches should be fine. If the lawn is even larger then a ride on mower may be suitable although these may be expensive.

Do not be rushed into buying a mower. Look around, seek information and test it before taking it home.