The Essential Quick-Guide To Lawn Mower Types

30 May 2017Lawn Mowers

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Purchasing a lawn mower is a major decision, one you want to get right the first time. But it’s hard to pick through the wide selection available and decide exactly what you do and don’t need.

Several factors go into determining what type of lawnmower you buy. Lawn size is a big one and you’ll also need to take into consideration what kind of terrain you need to maneuver and how much work you want to put into mowing. To help you start narrowing down your options, here’s a quick overview of the major lawn mower styles available.

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Electric Mowers

Pros: low-maintenance and zero-emission

Cons: only works for very small lawns

You can get corded electric mowers or battery-powered models like the RMA series from Stihl. They’re very quiet and low-maintenance because of not having a gasoline engine. If you have a small, in-town yard, they’re a good choice.

Gasoline Push Mowers

Pros: economical choice for small, flat lawns

Cons: can be tiring to use, especially in hilly lawns

If you want a workout while mowing, gasoline-powered push mowers could be a good choice. They’re typically less expensive than the self-propelled models, but if your lawn is on the larger side or has hills you’ll want to consider a self-propelled model instead.

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Self-Propelled Walk-Behind

Pros: take the effort out of pushing a walk-behind mower

Cons: best for lawns under 1/2 to 1 acre in size

Self-propelled walk-behind mowers do most of the work for you, even on hills. All you need to do is walk and steer. They also have the advantage of being more maneuverable than larger mowers, including riding mowers. If you have a small yard or one with lots of obstacles to mow around, they’re typically the best choice.

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Mid-Size Walk-Behind

Pros: larger cutting deck than other walk-behind mowers

Cons: you still have to walk

You can’t ride on these mowers, but they mow quickly and cover more ground in each pass than smaller walk-behinds. They can handle all terrain, but might not be good for large yards unless you want a vigorous workout.

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Lawn Tractors

Pros: good for large lawns, can handle hills, multipurpose use

Cons: less maneuverable than zero-turn mowers

Lawns tractors are the all-purpose riding mower. They’ll cut large lawns much more quickly than a walk-behind mower and can handle different terrain with ease. You can also get attachments for many lawn tractors and use them to mount a snowplow blade or pull a work cart.

 

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Zero-Turn

Pros: fastest lawn cutting available, highly maneuverable

Cons: not good for hilly lawns or steep slopes

If you have a large flat lawn, you can’t beat zero-turn riding mowers for speed. Once you get used to the two-handle steering mechanism, you’ll be able to mow quickly and maneuver with ease around obstacles in the lawn. They’re not the best choice for hilly or sloped lawns, though.

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