When it comes to buying a lawn mower, there are a lot of different factors you need to consider. There is no one-fits-all when it comes to lawn mowers as different gardeners have their own preferences and needs.
Some people only have small gardens, while others have a lot of grass they need to cut in as quickly as possible. Some people are restricted by budget and others want all the flashy features that a lawn mower can have.
If you need help choosing your first or your next lawn mower, then check out the information below. Use it as a checklist and by the end of this guide, you should have a clear idea of what you need in a lawn mower.
Choose Your Type Of Lawn Mower
First, you need to choose between the two types of lawn mower – rotary or cylinder. Here are how each type works:
Rotary lawn mowers feature a blade which rotates horizontally in a circle and are great for cutting all types of grass. Cylinder lawn mowers feature multiple blades which rotate against a fixed blade. Each type has its own pros and cons.
Rotary lawn mowers are more common and are very easy to use. They’re low maintenance and still work on lawns which are uneven, tend to have a lot of debris, and they are available for some very fair prices. However, rotary lawn mowers are also aggressive cutters which can leave behind an untidy lawn that will need further TLC.
Cylinder lawn mowers, however, offer a much higher quality cut. They leave behind a tidy lawn with a lower cut but the cylinder lawn also has its own problems. They are prone to maintenance issues, are more costly than the rotary lawn mower, and are unsuitable for sloped and bump lawns.
As a result, rotary lawn mowers are more common because of their ease of use, versatility, and affordability.
Choose Your Lawn Mower Size
Next, you need to find a suitable lawn mower size for your needs.
The rule most gardeners follow is the larger your lawn, the larger your lawn mower should be. This is so you can cut a larger area of grass in one go, have larger grass collectors so you can continue mowing for longer, and have a larger battery to mow more on a longer charge.
However, factors like storage space can limit just how large your lawn mower needs to be. Larger lawn mowers are also more difficult to push around obstacles and objects in your garden’s design, so this is also an important factor to keep in mind.
The recommended mower size to lawn size ratio differs according to various manufacturers. Here is a handy one that most gardeners follow so you can use it to work out how large your lawn mower should be for your garden size:
- For 300 m², use a 42cm cut lawn mower.
- For 600 m², use a 49cm cut lawn mower.
- For 1000 m², use a 56 cm cut lawn mower.
Choose A Power Source
When it comes to your lawn mower’s power source, you have four options: petrol, corded electric, cordless electric, and hand power.
Hand-powered lawn mowers rely entirely on your strength to push and power them through to cut your grass. They’re one of the most durable types of lawn mowers but are difficult to use if you are not particularly strong or active. As a result, they’re the least popular type of power for lawn mowers.
Petrol-powered lawn mowers have very powerful engines and are suitable for all kinds of lawns. They don’t have a power cord that poses a safety hazard, so you can use your lawn mower with no restrictions. However, they are also heavier and louder than other types of lawn mowers.
Electric-powered lawn mowers come in two classes: corded and cordless. Both are quieter than petrol-powered lawn mowers and require less maintenance, but they too have their own drawbacks.
Corded lawn mowers are more affordable but very restrictive as you have a long power cord trailing behind you as you mow. This can not only be frustrating, but dangerous if you accidentally run your mower over it!
Cordless lawn mowers are not restricted to your garden’s electric mains but you need to choose a lawn mower with a suitable battery that offers sufficient charge to mow your entire lawn in one go. Otherwise, you will have to keep stopping and starting, waiting for your mower’s battery to recharge.
Choose Your Cuttings Option
There are three different methods you can choose from when it comes to your grass clippings and cuttings. You can either collect them in a grass collector, discharge them back onto the grass, or mulch the clippings.
Using a grass collector is the most common method chosen by gardeners. It collects all the cuttings into a container which you can empty and dispose of later. Basically, not only will your lawn mower cut the grass, but it will hoover it up too.
The discharge method will leave behind your clippings and cuttings to sit on the grass. This will make your lawn look very messy so it’s not a popular choice – but at least you won’t have to keep stopping to empty your grass collector during big jobs.
The mulching method is a ‘best of both worlds’ scenario where your lawn mower disperses the clippings so you don’t have to stop to empty any grass collectors, but it doesn’t leave your lawn looking like a mess.
Instead, the clippings are shredded so they are very small and can quickly decompose to act as fertiliser for your lawn to give it a health boost.
The only drawback here is that these tiny clippings are easy to track when your lawn is wet – but in the spring or summer, this shouldn’t be much of a problem.
Choose Your Bonus Features
Now you have your basic features picked out, it’s time to think about bonus features. These are features that can help improve your mowing experience but aren’t essential, so take a look and see if there are any that really jump out at you.
Self-Propelled Lawn Mowers
A lot of lawn mowers require the user to push the mower in the right direction but for elderly gardeners or those with mobility issues, this can make mowing your lawn a really tough chore to do.
Self-propelled lawn mowers help take that strain away so you can mow your lawn more comfortably. However, they are more expensive than push lawn mowers.
Electric Start
Most traditional petrol-powered lawn mowers are fired up using a rope. This means you have to pull on the rope with enough force to start up the engine – which can be a near-impossible task for some people.
There are petrol-powered lawn mowers which use electric start so you can power up your lawn mower with either a key or a button. It’s a much easier way to start your lawn mower and is essential for some.
Warranty
Warranties are great for lawn mowers because if anything goes wrong, you are covered and you don’t have to fork out so much more money to solve the problem. Lawn mowers are expensive enough on their own!
Different manufacturers will offer different kinds of warranties. Some will fully cover your lawn mower, others only certain parts. You will want to try and find a warranty that covers as much of your lawn mower as possible. If not, look for ones that cover the more expensive components like the engine or transmission.
Warranties can also range in time from just a few months after the purchase to up to five years – so the longer the warranty, the better.
Set A Budget
By now, you should know what you are looking for in your lawn mower in terms of design and functionality – all you need to do now is set yourself a budget.
Everybody has their limits when it comes to the cost of a lawn mower. The more you spend, the higher quality your lawn mower is likely to be, but you should never spend more than you can afford.
You can easily find budget lawn mowers for under £100 but there are also fancier options priced between £200 to £400. Think about how much you are willing to spend on a lawn mower, set your cap, and this will prevent you from going overboard.
Final Thoughts
By using this guide, you will have created a criteria for your lawn mower.
You will know what type of mower you want, how it should be powered, what it does with the clippings, what bonus features it should offer you, and how much your budget is set.
This will help you choose the right lawn mower for you. Keep it in mind while you are researching, and you will be able to make a list of all the lawn mowers that meet your needs before you make your final purchase. Good luck!
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