When it comes to choosing a grass cutter equipment for a home lawn garden, the walk-behind mower is an obvious choice. Here too you are left spoilt for choices. Apart from so many brands and models to choose from, there is quite a bit of thought about the type of mower to look for.
There are mainly two types of walk-behind mowers: push mower and self-propelled mower.
What is the difference between these two types of lawnmowers? How to pick the right one for your garden?
If these are some of the questions bothering your mind, you are not all alone. Herein is an in-depth guide to help you to get right with the mower purchase decision.
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Which One is the Right Mower for Your Garden?
Push Mower
In general, the push mower is manual equipment that takes some effort on part of the user to move the machine across the yard for cutting the grass. The most common types of push mowers include:
Reel Mower:
The reel mowers have a set of blades in a horizontal cylinder pattern attached to the spinning wheels. As you push the equipment, it performs a noise-free grass cutting action almost similar to the scissors chopping mechanism.
They are usually low-cost grass cutters, require little or no maintenance, and perform sharp cutting action to give high-quality grass in your yard. Reel mowers are the perfect choice for homes with small garden space.
Note: If you own a large yard or have an uneven landscape with bumps and slopes, the reel mower may not be the ideal choice.
Motorized or Gas-Powered/Electric Push Mower:
The motorized push mowers have the same rotary blade mechanism as found in self-propelled mowers differing in the source of power used for running the motor. They mainly run on gas or electricity.
When it comes to choosing between the push mower and the motorized mowers, there are two factors to consider: price and the effort required to move the machine.
There is no denying the fact that the reel mowers are much affordable but run on friction. Hence, the user needs to exert a lot of force to push it throughout the lawn.
Self-propelled Mower
The self-propelled mowers use the transmission for rotating the wheels. Once you start, it will rotate and move on its own. There is no need to push the mower. You just need to squeeze the safety bar, walk along, and keep steering it allowing the rest of the job on the motor.
It uses the technology in cars using either front or rear-wheel drive. Depending on your requirement, you can adjust the speed settings for once in these mowers so that they won’t run away causing inconveniences or accidents.
There are two types of self-propelled mowers designed to save your time and effort when cutting the unwanted grass in the yard.
Front-Wheel Drive Mower:
As the name suggests, these mowers are engineered to create propulsion by the front wheels.
Since they do not have a much-complicated mechanism, they are easy to maintain following some DIY maintenance. The seamless technology in these mowers poses lesser problems even after long-term use.
These mowers are easy to move along the lawn ornaments, with a 180-degree maneuvering feature.
Rear-Wheel Drive Mower:
This type of mower has a complex mechanism hence more expensive. They required periodical maintenance at a cost.
These mowers are great choices for mowing on the hilly surfaces as you can easily turn the machine or even move it uphill with little effort.
What to Consider When Buying a Mower?
Different walk-behind mowers are designed for specific cutting requirements. Not all yards are of the same size or have the same landscape characteristics. Hence, there are several factors to consider to ensure you choose the perfect one suited for your needs.
Your Fitness Matters
A push mower can be very difficult to push along the entire lawn. It requires a lot of strength and time for the user to complete the task. If you are not willing to leverage so much of effort, it is wise to opt for a motorized mower.
The self-propelled mower is a boon in this regard taking little effort and lesser time to mow the yard. It is also very easy to move and maneuver on uneven land or steep hills with motorized cutters.
Price
The cost is a factor for every buyer when it comes to lawn care. If you are on a budget, own a small backyard, the reel mower is an incredible choice.
It is a low-cost manual device with a simple mechanism. Therefore, it requires little maintenance that you can do following some basic precautions.
Size of the Lawn
If you own a garden bigger than 1/4th acres, it can be difficult to mow using a reel mower. In this case, you may consider the front-wheel-drive self-propelled mower. These mowers are easy to maneuver and move through the entire ground within a short span.
If your yard is larger than ¾ acres, it is recommended to choose a riding mower.
Yard Landscape
No two yards are the same when it comes to comparing the physical features. Some lawns are flat but have some hard and uneven rocky surfaces. Some yards have sloping land that requires mowers designed for hills. You need a rear-wheel for hills as the front-wheel technology is not suitable for maneuvering over the steep hills.
If you have a beautiful garden with flower beds scattered over the ground, the front-drive self-propelled mower is the most preferred option. You can turn it easier to save the plants coming in the way when running the cutter.
Sharing is Caring
A lot of users share their mowers with their neighbors. This is a good choice as you can split the budget too. In that case, the weight of the mower is an issue during transportation. The reel mowers are lightweight and easy to carry in your vehicle, or even to your neighbor as you can walk it through.
Never consider transporting the self-propelled mowers as they are heavyweight equipment and can encounter damage during the process.
Which is the Best Mower for Your Yard?
Despite considering the above factors, it may still seem difficult to make a choice. Herein are some recommendations from the gardening experts:
- Reel Mower: small flat yards
- Gas/Electric Push Mowers: small uneven land
- Self-Propelled (Rear-Wheel Drive): small, medium, or large hilly landscape
- Self-Propelled (Front-Wheel Drive): small, medium, or large flat lawns
I hope you have found the necessary information in this article. Compare all these decisive factors so that you get the specific one suited for your ground caring needs.