The Garden Mower

about the mower

Your garden mower may be powered by electricity, gasoline or man-power. The old-fashioned push-style mower is still available for someone that wants to get a workout while they are maintaining their lawn. There are advantages and disadvantages of each style and various factors to consider before you buy.

The push mower has been around for many years and you might think the small size would be ideal for a small yard. The problem is that a large area is needed to get the blades spinning fast enough to make a clean cut therefore a great deal of trimming is required even for a very small lawn. Gasoline and electric garden mowers are available with or without assisted power, the assisted power varieties make mowing easier. They are particularly helpful for mowing hills, you still get some exercise walking along behind them, but you won’t wear yourself out.

Assisted power varieties are heavier, because of the extra motor which is typically located on the front of the machine. They can become stuck in holes and the tires will spin on soft ground and their weight makes them hard to lift out of that situation. Electric motors are definitely the lightest and they run cleaner. There is no gasoline or petrol to buy and they are often less expensive. However electric is not usually the right choice for large lawns, you would need heavy-duty extension cords or access to several different outlets in order to cut the whole lawn. Petrol or gasoline powered is the most popular choice, a riding mower is always equipped with an engine and the majority use unleaded fuel.

The lifespan of any mower depends on how often it is used, the size of the lawn it is used to cut and how well it is maintained. Commercial-type garden mowers last longer, because they are designed to be used by professional landscapers. 

The commercial type costs a great deal more as you might expect, the quality of the cut is better, but the average homeowner would not notice the difference.

A small inexpensive gasoline-powered or electric version will not last very long for someone with a large lawn. As with most things in life, you pay more for quality a more expensive brand could actually save you money in the long run. 

Maintenance is not difficult, but it is important and often overlooked. Grass clippings should be cleaned from around the motor after each use and fuel should be drained at the end of the season. The oil should also be changed at the beginning of each season.