Shearing, as we know, dates back to mid-19th century England, when a budding inventor named Edwin (whose other inventive achievements included the adjustable wrench) saw the need for a trickier, less laborious way to mow the lawn, that At that time it was limited to the heavy and bulky scythe. His solution was essentially a push for the rotating blade array, the predecessor to the modern lawn mower. It was clearly a winning idea, because the principle has remained the same to this day, but with obvious flourishes, such as the power of an electric or gasoline engine, or the latest robot control. The biggest departure from Budding’s original cylindrical blade design has to be the rotating blade mechanism, of course, and choosing between one or the other is the first decision you make when deciding which clipper is the best for you.
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Should I buy electricity or gasoline?
One question you’ll probably want answered before you dive too deep into the hundreds of lawn mowers on the market is “should I buy a gas or electric mower?” Once you’ve made an informed decision about this, you can better focus your attention and simply choose from the gas or electric mowers available, rather than looking at everything and probably feeling overwhelmed.
So, knowing that this is an important question to answer, what should be taken into account? Well, it really boils down to five key areas
- The size of your lawn
- your physical strength
- How often are you willing to mow your lawn
- Cost
- Maintenance
electric mowers
The general rule with the cortadoras de césped eléctricas es que solo son realmente adecuadas para céspedes de menos de 300-400 pies cuadrados, sobre todo porque tendrá difficulties para encontrar un cable lo suficientemente largo como para estirarse mucho más (a menos que funcione con batería , sure). , but also because its capacity will make it difficult to mow a full week of late spring grass in one sitting, meaning you’ll have to cover a large area twice a week. A gas mower, on the other hand, will make quick work of just about anything you throw at it.
Electric lawnmowers are often lighter than their gas-powered counterparts, making them much more suitable for people with disabilities or the elderly. The other added bonus in this respect is that electric lawn mowers don’t have a cord starter like most gas mowers, which in itself can be quite a strenuous activity before the major event even begins. .
advantage:
- Lightweight: usually less than 10 kg for most small models. Battery-powered lawn mowers tend to weigh a pound or five more. Its lightness offers the obvious advantage of being easy to use without tiring the operator and also facilitates its storage. For example, if you want to lift it on a shelf in your garage
- Low maintenance. There is no need to refuel an electric motor, no oil changes and no worries of engine damage due to neglect or poor maintenance.
- Cheap. Many of the more popular electric lawnmowers sell for under £100, while petrol mowers start around that price and only get more expensive.
the inconvenients
- The limited cutting width makes cutting large areas very difficult. Power cord limitation also means that larger areas are generally not feasible
- A smaller size means the grass catcher is usually small, around 30 litres. It also makes mowing large lawns slower, as you have to stop to empty the grass clippings.
- Longer, thicker grass tends to stall the motor as its limited power struggles with grass clogging
petrol mowers
Gas-powered lawn mowers are still more expensive than electric lawn mowers, but they’re also heavier and noisier, which can be a consideration if you have pets or sensitive neighbors. Another more pressing consideration when choosing between gas and electric is how far you’re willing to go to maintain your mower. With an electric lawnmower your technical knowledge and skills don’t have to go much further than lubricating all the moving parts, whereas a petrol lawnmower can be a little more complicated, with filter changes, oil changes and possibly replacement of the spark plug. None of this is rocket science, of course, but if you know you have no interest in doing such tasks, be prepared to pay someone else to do it, or if you can, just stick with it. do you have an electric lawnmower.
advantage:
- Powerful and able to easily cut any size lawn
- Large cutting width, typically 40cm or more, capable of cutting grass quickly and efficiently
- Large grass box, usually 40 or 50 litres. Fewer stops and starts are needed during a cutting session
the inconvenients
- Heavy: usually 25 kg or more. Not a problem if the mower is “self-propelled”, but may be difficult for some to push.
- Maintenance required. Items such as filters, spark plugs and oil should be replaced or checked annually and old fuel should be drained at the end of the season. Be careful not to lay the mower on its side when cleaning, otherwise you risk flooding the engine cylinder with oil, which could cause immediate starting problems.
- Expensive – As mentioned above, gas mowers are usually at least twice as expensive as electric lawn mowers.
Petrol or electric mower?
So if we were to draw a conclusion here, or try to answer the question “which is better”, it would simply be that there is no “best” option, just a better option that meets your needs. and specific requirements. A gas mower is great for its power and cordless versatility, but it’s next to useless in a small town yard where you’re only likely to annoy your neighbors and local wildlife. Likewise, an electric lawnmower is clean, quiet and lightweight, but you can forget about using one to tackle a large garden and you don’t really like mowing lawns.
reel mowers
Cylinder mowers use a series of blades which, as the name suggests, are arranged in a cylinder shape, usually with the mower wheels on either side. As the blades rotate, they form a scissor action against a stationary plate. The grass is then hauled back into a catcher, if required, and some models have rollers if grass lines are desired.
As mentioned above, the reel mower offers the older of the two cutting mechanism designs, but unless you have a real reason or preference for them over rotary mowers, our advice is to give them a large place. While it’s true that reel mowers can deliver superior results if properly maintained and sharpened, a properly sharpened rotary mower blade will perform almost as well, with the added benefit of being much easier to maintain. . . That said, one of the benefits of some of the best lawn mowers is the option of a removable cassette that can be replaced with other tools such as a scarifier or rake. This offers the advantage of multiple tools in one, which can pay off as long as you’re willing to put in the time and effort for frequent spool knife adjustment and maintenance.
rotary mowers
Rotary mowers are by far the most common mowers on the market today, whether gas, electric, mounted or ride-on, the rotary blade is the proven cutting method for all of these mowers. Much simpler than the reel mower, the rotary mechanism is simply a rotating blade that points at the grass and “cuts” instead of “scissors”. Much of our focus on this site is to assess the features of some of the best rotary mowers on the market today.
Other important safety and performance features:
All modern lawnmowers are required to have a ‘deadman’s grip’, which is a handle that must be grasped when the operator is using the lawnmower, as releasing it will turn off the engine or motor. This is an important safety feature that prevents misuse or injury to the user. Some more expensive gas mowers have a clutch, which means the motor can be disengaged from the blade instead of shutting down completely. This avoids having to pull the engine starter rope several times during a cutting session.
There are almost countless other options available when it comes to choosing a lawnmower, and some factors will be more appealing than others depending on the size of your garden, whether you want stripes on your lawn, your strength, etc. . Check out some of our lawn mower reviews and articles for more tips and advice, and check out our reviews section at the top of this page.
Other gardening power tools and much more!
Remember, we don’t just make lawn mowers! On this site, we have rich experience in various garden tools and garden related topics, check the categories at the top of the page for more information.
We’ve got reviews and tips for choosing the best lawn mowers, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws and more. After all, if the lawn is the center of your garden, the trees, hedges and flower beds form the framework. Each is important and deserves proper attention and care. In addition to the tools of the trade, we also have lots of useful information on our blog to help you get the most out of your garden. Here in the UK we seem to only get a few decent months of good garden weather each year, so it’s important to make the most of it!
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