Types of Lawn Mowers: Complete Lawn Mower Buying Guide

Lawn mowers are one of the advanced tools that can help you to maintain your lawn and keep it beautiful. However, choosing a lawnmower that suits your requirements tend to be a difficult task. You may spend tons of hours online trying to figure out which one meets your needs. But at the end of the day, you get confused by little and misinterpreted information while searching for to be armed with pivotal things to consider.

Whether you offer lawn mowing services or do it on your own, you must know which type of lawnmower to buy to obtain excellent results. Well, this article is here to help you. I’ve detailed everything about lawnmowers. And you will be able to decide according to your budget. After going through this long article and info, you will be able to clarify which type of lawn mower you need to buy.

Walk or Riding Mower?

Firstly, you should choose between the two main types of lawn mowers that are the walk mowers and the riding mowers. Loosely putting it, there are circumstances where you would be content with buying a walk mower. However, lawn areas considerably larger would require you to get a riding lawn mower, which would be faster. I will shed more light on what we mean exactly by these two terms Walk and Riding mowers in this section.

The Walk Mower

As the names suggest, the former requires you to walk the mower holding a handle and directing it to any direction you would like it to go. This is the cheaper, more common type on the market. It comes in many variations for you to choose. The walk mower can either require you to push it, or it can push itself, meaning it would be self-propelling. These also break down to front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive, respectively.

The walk mower is advisable when you have a small lawn, which you can easily cover by walking. It is also ideal for the active age groups, which can withstand the exercise that comes with using the walk mower. Examples of walk mowers include the reel mower and the rotary mower, which are mainly manual. There are also electric and self-propelling lawnmowers as additions in the mix of variety at your disposal.

The Riding Mower

The other major type of lawn mowers is the riding mowers. When using these lawn mowers, you must ride behind a wheel of sorts for maneuvering the mower in the direction you want. Also known as ride mowers, these machines are a bit more expensive than their counterpart, the walking mower is. However, it brings a host of advantages such as faster speeds, therefore, more efficiency when it comes to larger pieces of a lawn.

When your lawn is large, and it would take forever for your hardworking walk mower to chop through the lawn, the riding mower comes in handy. It makes light work of the lawn disregarding the size of the lawn. It is also friendly to all people of different ages and abilities.

This type of lawn mower as it comes in three broad categories, namely the lawn tractor, rear-engine riding mower, and the zero-turn mower. Most of these riding mowers run on gasoline, and they need regular maintenance and refills of oil and fuel. They also require more money in terms of purchasing and maintenance. Most are big and might need more storage space.

Things to consider selecting the Right Lawn Mower

This section is to help you when selecting the perfect or right lawnmower for yourself. You should note that there are several things for consideration beforehand. These will help you know if the machine you are purchasing is the right one for you. I will categorize them, and further explain them to you.

The lawn mower engine is the first thing to consider when you are choosing your machine for your garden. The types of lawnmower engines most popular comprise Two-Cylinder engines, Four-cylinder engines, and electrical engines.

Two-Cylinder Engines

These engines generally are ideal for getting a clean trim on your lawn if its size is considerably small. They make use of a combination of oil and fuel. An accurate ratio of these two components is crucial for excellent lubrication during the combustion of the engine. Most Rotary mowers use either the two-stroke or the four-stroke combustion engines. Two-stroke compresses the fuel during its upward stroke, while spark plug ignition occurs and releasing exhaust during the downwards stroke.

Four-Cylinder Engines

Four-cylinder engines have considerably higher horsepower than their counterparts do the two cylinders. They are mostly ideal for commercial use and use on large-sized lawns. Most riding lawn mowers use four-cylinder engines due to their high horsepower that ranges between 13hp to 30. They are much more robust, costlier, and even more substantial than the two-cylinder engines. The size and heaviness of this engine type should be an area of consideration as it limits the lawn mower’s maneuvering ability.

They have much longer combustion, which is also efficient. Usually, four-cylinder engines take up to four strokes when operating: intake, combustion, compression, and exhaust. They require gasoline for fuel and oil for lubrication. These components are separately stored in different designated tanks. Fewer ethanol requirements for four-cylinder engines results in them being ecofriendly. There is also less oil changing required. They are relatively more reliable despite being more costly economically in terms of initial price and maintenance.

Electric Engines

The third type and recently popular type of lawnmower engine is the electric engine. This means they are powered by electricity instead of gasoline, unlike some other brands previously discussed. They have their benefits and disadvantages, and we are going to address them, so you know if it is the fit for you. Generally, less rough grass and foliage are ideal for this type of lawnmower. The electric lawn mowers come either corded or cordless, making use of batteries for power.

One of the significant disadvantages of the electric engine is that it does not have as much horsepower as compared to the previous two types. This limits it mostly too soft grass types and colder climates. They also disappoint because either for a corded mower, it needs a very high power connected to cable, or the power source should be nearer to the lawn.

For cordless ones, when the battery dies, you have to wait until it recharges for it to be used again, which might be problematic for you if you are using it on a large-sized lawn, which might end up draining the battery before finishing. However, they are more environmentally friendly than the other two. They are also cheaper overall because they need fewer oil changes and gas tune-ups. They are also much quieter than gas engines.

Before you buy a mower for your lawn, the size and terrain of the landscape where it will be in use is essential to take into consideration.

Yard Size:

By knowing the size of the yard or area, you can determine the types of mower, which will have efficiency, and effectiveness in terms of time spent on mowing. You can use any measuring instrument to get the measurements. Small to medium lawns have sizes below half an acre, while large lawns are over half an acre.

For small to medium lawns, walk mowers are most appropriate, as the acreage will rarely exhaust you. These walk mowers include the push manual reel mowers and the self-propelled ones. The self-propelled include rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive options. Robotic mowers are also a viable option despite their obvious costliness. Electric mowers with cable are also ideal for small lawns, requiring less walk around the cable.

The ideal mower types are driving mowers such as the lawn tractor and the zero turn mower for large lawns. These allow you to ride the mower while using a steering wheel and levers for control. Riding mowers have more speeds and horsepower than walking mowers, therefore enabling you to cover more distance and take less time.

Terrain:

The terrain of the lawn is another consideration. Among the distinctions of walking mowers, the front-wheel-drive is ideal if your ground is flatter, even with more obstacles on it. This is because of the loss of traction of front wheels when holding down the handle. The rear-wheel-drive and the all-wheel-drive are more suitable and needed for uphill and sidehill terrains, whereas the all-wheel is capable of handling almost any terrain. Universally self-propelled is more advisable as it reduces your input.

For large-sized lawns, the zero-turn mowers are more ideal for bumpy or terrains where there are more obstacles as they have faster-turning capabilities. You should not. However, that ride on mowers poses dangers on too steep slopes; therefore, that should be a consideration.

Deck Levers

Deck levers usually work in groups of one, two, and four on a lawnmower. Conveniently one deck lever is ideal. However, the linkages that come with it include additional weight and frequent lubrication for it to work well.

Two levers have the reputation of being a good compromise between the one lever and the four-deck levers. They have a reasonable advantage over the one lever as they have lesser linkage. The linkage is more than that of the four-deck levers, but the easiness to get the mower’s height is an advantage over the four-deck levered mowers. However, the four levers are the time-tested standard design for most lawn mowers, and they have very low linkage.

Speed Control

When it comes to controlling the handles of the walking mowers is the one responsible for that. The casual relationship between control and the grip is directly proportionate. The amount of force that you will apply when pressing the mower forward determines the speed in which it goes.

Levers also help control walking mowers’ speed by squeezing it, causing an increase in the mower’s ground speed. Some have fixed speeds, which get activation by the squeeze on the levers.

Transmission

Almost all self-propelled mowers come with three different types of transmissions. These include hydrostatic transmissions, which in truth is the most reliable and smoothest when it comes to operation despite its high price or expensiveness. Hydraulic fluid drives past impellers spinning an output shaft. This is how hydraulic transmissions control ground speed.

Some front and rear drive walk mowers make use of a kind of belt-and-pulley arrangement for directing power from engine output shaft to the gearbox on an axle or a wheel gear. This design comes in different forms. It usually works very well with easier maintenance and repair requirements. It is also less costly.

Ride mowers make use of either the lever-operated gear transmissions or CVT, which is short for Continuously Variable transmission. CVT is another name for pedal hydrostatic transmission. Shift-on-the-go levers operate the CVT in some ride mowers. Disc drive transmission is another form of transmission used by some rear engine riding mowers. 

Wheels (include front caster wheels)

Most mowers contain wheels for maneuvering. They are different, however, concerning each other kind of mower. Walk mowers usually have bigger rear wheels to allow easy navigation of rough grounds.

Front caster wheels are another feature that comes with some lawnmowers. They help mostly in pivoting the mower in a landscape that requires it. They are, however, not ideal for bumpy grounds or when you are mowing side hill.

Uniform wheels are also available, and some tests prove they are easier to maneuver than those with larger rear wheels are so it is up to you to choose which one you want.

Clutch

A blade brake clutch is usually a feature of walk mowers. This allows for shortstops during mowing, removing obstacles without stopping the engine. This means you can let go of the handle too.

“Just Check and Add”

This feature comes in some gas engines, which require oil during combustion. The “Just Check and Add” feature requires adding oil here and there as a replacement for the vaporized fuel during combustion.

Wash-out Port Fittings

Washout fittings are advantageous to you because they enable you to connect a hose for washing grass accumulations from below the deck. This reduces corrosion of your lawn mower, therefore; it is good to make sure you get your machine with this feature.

Steering wheel

This feature is almost in every riding mower. And this is how you maneuver the mower while seated on top of the deck. The steering wheel makes the mower to be driven just like cars.

Storage

The folding capability of a mower is another feature you should take note of when buying yours. Models with folding handles are most convenient as it reduces storage space for the mower.

Electric engine lawnmowers allow vertical storage as there is no risk of either fuel or oil leakages. Some models of gas engines are capable of vertical storage, too, so you should consider this while purchasing your lawnmower.

Electric Start

This feature means you can start your gas engine mover without yanking a pull cord but rather through the simple pressing of a button. This is a standard feature for all-electric mowers.

Interchangeable battery

Getting a lawnmower to interchange the battery with other power tools such as chainsaws and leaf blowers is a big plus. Therefore, when you select your electric mower getting one with this type of battery would be convenient for your garden overall.

Discharge Location

This refers to the place where the clipping of the cut grass exit the mower. You can either bag your clippings or let them fall off for mulching, which has its benefits. And the discharge location can be either rear discharge, side discharge, or a combination of both.

Rear discharge promotes bagging of the clippings. Side discharge allows for the disposing of grass clipping via the mower’s sides and is ideal for mulching. Continently a mower that supports both of these at the same time gives you more flexibility as sometimes you might want to bag instead of mulch or vice versa.

Height Adjustment

Most of the existing lawnmowers are capable of height adjustment; therefore, it is a standard feature. This is more beneficial to the lawn’s health overall. When you adjust your height to meet the grass’s needs, it results in cleaner cuts to the green.

Functions:

Two Function:

A two-function mower is one, which bags the grass clippings as well as mulching them. The side Discharge function is the one, which results in mulching. Mulching is good for nutrition purposes. The bagging function promotes a clean grass environment and is ideal for tall grasses.

Three Function:

When a mower is three functions, it can mulch, bag, and side discharges. It helps to mow the grass that has less turf and on areas where there are tall weeds.

Warranties

A warranty is essential, and you should always inquire about one every time you make a purchase. This also applies to your loan mower; just like any power tool, it should carry a warrant. This safeguards you from buying a product that will fall apart on you before realizing your investment value. Even if you are buying a used lawn mower, make sure you get a clear understanding of how long and what is covered by the warranty.

Accessories

Like any other machinery, a lawnmower will start to feel the wear and tear of being used over time. This is when you should start replacing some parts to keep on getting the service of your tool. You should always be wise enough to get prior information about the availability and cost of maintaining your lawnmower after purchase.

Electricity engine lawn mowers usually require less maintenance; however, the battery and or batteries will need replacement. Other parts will need a replacement for gasoline lawnmowers as time goes on, especially the riding mowers. Therefore, these have many features; it is merely a numbers game to deduce that the accessories will be required over time and might be costly too.

Factor to Consider Selecting The Lawnmower:

1. Grass Box

One of the most important factors or rather features to consider, as a homeowner when buying your new lawnmower is the grass box. When you are mowing your lawn, you are cutting off grass clippings from the lawn. These grass clippings will make your lawn look untidy and devoid of neatness if left on top of the grass.

A lawnmower with the capability and feature of collecting the clippings is convenient for you as a homeowner. This serves you the time and labor to use a rake later for remove the clippings. Therefore, it is advisable to consider that before buying and to select a mower with a grass box size reasonable enough to reduce the times you have to go and empty it.

2. Cutting Width

First off, we need to be familiar with what we mean when we say cut width or cutting width. This refers to the size in terms of how wide a stripe is cut to buy the lawn mower. The primary importance of knowing the cutting width of your lawnmower is because it helps you determine the amount of time that you will spend on your lawn. The larger the cutting width, the faster your lawn will be mowed.

Therefore, considering the size of your lawn, choose the lawnmower with a cutting width that will be efficient for you. If your lawn size is small, then a cutting width of 300mm is sufficient. For medium-sized lawns, a range of 300mm to 400mm is advisable. Large lawns will then obviously need a loan mower with a cutting width over 400mm.

3. Cutting Height

When we talk about a lawn mower’s cutting height, we are merely referring to how high the grass is before being cut. Conveniently, recent lawn mower manufactures are making their machines with adjustable cutting height. This will only require you to move the blades up and down to get your preferred height.

Most homeowners appreciate this because it gives you the power to determine the height at which you want to leave your grass. It is also convenient during the autumn season or dry spells as you can leave your lawn longer. The ranges for cutting height is usually from 20mm up to 60mm; therefore, it is up to you which height you prefer.

4. Mowing Edges

We have discussed previously concerning models capable of maneuvering with ease. Cutting up to the lawn’s edges is one of the capabilities that you should look out for when selecting the right lawnmower.

In general, most cylinder blades or the version that uses rear rollers are ideal at this. Mowers with grass collection combs are also suitable for mowing the edges. All mowers with insert wheels are also great when it comes to mowing the edges. Therefore, you should look up these things before purchase.

5. Rear Roller

For football fans, it is a nice feature to have a lawn with stripes. You can also achieve this even in your front yard or anywhere else. This is why you need to get yourself a lawnmower with a rear roller. The duration of the stripes created, depends mostly on the heaviness of the roller and the lawnmower in general. Another additional advantage of rear rollers is that you can mow up to the edge of your lawn.

Types of Lawn Mowers

As we have seen earlier, lawnmowers come in different types and models. Therefore, in this section, you will have a better insight into the different kinds of lawn mowers available at your disposal so that you can take your pick. The different types include walk mowers, riding mowers, just to mention a few. Below is an in-depth look at all these different variations.

Walk mowers are those that require you to walk either behind or in front of them. The handle is used for speed control and maneuvering the walk mowers during mowing. These come in different models too, therefore; we will explore the common ones.

 (i)Reel Mower:

The simplest type of a walk mower is the reel mower, otherwise known as the silent walk behind reel mower. It features a cutting reel with blades and a bed knife. When you push the mower forward, the blade starts to spin vertically. They cut the grasses as a result of the motion, which causes the blades to lift grass between them and the knife.

This type of walk mower is manual, very eco-friendly because it does not use harmful fuels or oils. Reel mowers operate without an engine, and if you decide to get this walk mower, you get the reward of a quiet tool. The easiness to maintain is also another alluring factor about the reel mower on the addition of it being the cheapest. They are efficient on smaller lawns, which are not steep or hilly.

Common Features:

These features are common in top brands such as the Great States 5-Blade Reel Mower, The Scotts Outdoor Power Tools Reel Lawn Mower, Fiskars Staysharp Max Reel Mower, American Lawn Mower Co. Push Real Mower, Greenworks Reel Lawn Mowers, Sun Joe Manual Reel Mower, and the Earthwise Push Reel Lawn Mower Brands.

Blade cutting height

Most Reel mowers are equipped with an adjustable cutting height of about one to three inches. This minimizes individual harm to the grass, as neat cuts are a result of this. By adjusting the height proportionally, you grass health is maintained in the long run. Greenworks Reel lawnmowers have up to nine adjustable positions

Number of Blades

These come in varying numbers, and the number of blades affects how the machine performs. This is because as the blades, turn they make a revolution, and the more the revolutions made, the cleaner the cuts of the mower. The recommended number of blades is a range between four blades and seven blades. Brands such as the Great states and Scott’s outdoor power tools offer 5-blade reel mowers, which are very efficient.

Blade durability

Due to the blades’ aggressiveness in a reel mower, it is essential to take note of the materials used in manufacturing them. They are prone to loss of sharpness, and alloy steel is the recommended material for a reel mower blade.

Grass Spray

A frontal grass spray helps keep your feet from getting the grass cuttings from the mower. Therefore, when buying a reel mower, the grass spray feature is essential.

Weight of the mower

The weight of a reel mower is essential when buying your machine. Since all reel mowers are manual and require you to push them, it is advisable to choose lightweight ones. Heavy reel machines, however, are more favorable.

Functions:

Most reel mowers discharge the grass clippings after you cut them down. This results in the mulching of the clippings.

(ii)Rotary Mower:

Another relatively more uncomplicated type of lawnmower is the rotary lawnmower. They operate using a single blade. This blade rotates below the mower like a fan facing downwards. Rotary lawnmowers get much praise due to their versatility and capability to handle any type of grass.

Therefore, if you are still new to lawns and lawnmowers, a rotary lawn mower is a safe bet for you. Conveniently, rotary lawn mowers have variation in power source, as some are gas-powered while others are electric and battery-powered.

Features:

Cutter deck housing

This feature is for housing the blade of a rotary mower. It also accommodates the drive system of the lawnmower. Its shape allows for the forceful ejection of grass from the lawnmower.

Blade mounting and drive system

Usually, the blade is mounted directly to the engine’s crankshaft. However, a hydraulic motor or a belt pulley system can propel it; therefore, you have to consider which feature you prefer more on your rotary mower machine.

Wheels

A rotary mower, in general, makes use of four wheels. These are two front wheels and the two rear wheels. However, some have a roller in the rear, which is sometimes considered an advantage as it can create stripes.

Mower blade

The mower blade rotates horizontally below the deck. The blade has edges curved upwards that generates a continuous flow of air when it is rotating. This, therefore, creates a sucking and tearing effect on the grass.

Motor

This is also the engine of the mower. It can be either a gas engine or an electric both cordless and corded.

Functions:

Most rotary mowers are traditionally equipped with a one-function capability to discard the grass clipping after the blade cuts them. Some, however, are come with bagging fittings for the collection of the clippings.

iii) Self-Propelled Mower

The self-propelled lawn mower is popular lawn mower, if you are familiar with sell propelled lawn mower, you must know about greenworks lawn mower. Greenworks is a popular lawn mower brand. They are popular among homeowners who would prefer not to exert too much effort when treating their lawn to an excellent cut. The beauty of these lawn mowers is that recently some models are coming with adjustable, varying speeds.

This makes it easier to use because instead of you putting in too much effort when you hit a rougher part of your lawn, you can just adjust the speed and enjoy mowing as you go. Self-propelled mowers can either use gasoline and oil specific to the engine’s cylinder type or use electricity. They are ideal for more extensive lawns of sizes above half an acre.

Features:

Collection Bags

This feature is convenient in a self-propelled mower. Due to its easiness to use, the mower usually cuts a lot of grass. Therefore, instead of using a rake later to collect the clipping, then the collection bags in most of these mowers allow the collection of grass clippings. Most self-propelled mowers have bags of over 50l carrying capacity.

Automatic choke

This feature is becoming standard in most of the self-propelled mowers. This allows one to start the mower without the need for operating a manual throttle. If you are new to mowing, then getting a mower with an automatic choke, the system is the best advice.

Handle lever

This feature protects you from being hurt while you are mowing. If an accident causes you to fall, the safety feature on almost all self-propelled lawn mowers requires them to stop. As you release the lawnmower bar, the engine is then stopped automatically to prevent the blades from spinning and cutting you accidentally.

Power- reverse

When you are operating your lawnmower on an uneven platform, you might sometimes need to maneuver around some obstacles. The power reverse feature enables you to easily reverse your mower in situations like this as the wheels are given more power for reversing easily.

Blade brake

This feature allows you to release the handle of your lawnmower without the engine stopping. This is convenient when mowing in a garden with many obstacles, as you would not need to turn the mower on and off repeatedly.

Functions

Most self-propelling lawnmowers are equipped with two-function capability. This means that they are capable of bagging while also side discharging the grass clipping. Mulching is also possible on some machines, making them tree function and even four functions incorporating rear discharging of grass clippings.

iv)Push Mower

Push mowers are another well-known type of lawn mower. Push mowers come in variations of gas push mowers and electric push mowers. Gas push mowers are generally small and use cylinders. They require you to push them with your power for maneuvering. These are ideal for small lawn sizes. They have relatively low emissions of noise and gasses. Most of them start with a pull start; however, some are now equipped with an electric starter.

Electric Push Mowers are improving capabilities and are becoming more popular. Manufacturers of these mowers are trying to make them compete with their gas counterparts. They can either be cordless or corded mowers. When you decide to buy an electric push mower, cordless, you should pay more attention to the battery types and voltages.

Battery types vary in factors such as charge time; therefore, you should ask about that when buying your lawnmower. The voltage of the battery determines the power output. For corded ones, things such as the operating area are important as large areas require more cable for power.

Features:

Blade brake clutch

When you are buying your push mower, it is essential to check if it has the blade brake clutch. This system helps improve efficiency because it removes the process of repeatedly starting the lawnmower after realizing the handle. You can empty your collection bag and come bag to use the lawnmower even without turning it on with this feature. It stops the mowing blades so you will not get hurt if you have released it accidentally, but the engine keeps running.

Voltage

When it comes to voltage, it mostly concerns the corded and cordless electric engines. This is when the voltage or amperage of the mower is on display. The higher the measurements in terms of voltage also means that there is more power.

Engine displacement

When you hear about engine displacement, it is about the cylinder’s size in a gasoline engine. All manufacturers of lawnmowers use cubic centimeters (cc) to measure a lawn mower’s engine size. Engines with higher engine displacements usually have more power; therefore are advisable in cases where power is a priority.

Wheels

Wheels will be a common feature of any type of lawnmower. However, for push mowers, they have more significance because their size and capabilities determine the lawn mower’s maneuverability. Larger rear wheels and front caster wheels make it more comfortable while larger from wheels make it harder.

Wash Port

This feature is more popular as it reduces the burden of frequently cleaning the deck’s underside each time you finish mowing. The awash port allows you to connect a garden horse, thereby simplifying the cleaning process. This is very beneficial in the end as a clean machine is more durable and lasts longer.

Functions

Most push mowers allow the two in one function of cutting the grass clippings and side discarding them. They also allow bagging of the grass, thereby reducing the need for racking after mowing. Some models can mulch too; therefore, push mowers to range from two in one function to four in one function.

v)Hover Mower

Talk of gravity defiance, and then you are referring to these lawnmowers. Loosely speaking, they ride on a cushion of air as they float because of an impeller pushing the air downwards. They outperform their counterparts when it comes to maneuvering because they can quickly turn from side to side and forward and backward.

There is no position awkward for this type of lawnmower. They are generally light in weight and ideal for small lawns. The hover lawn mowers typically use electric power, either corded or cordless. Hover mowers are effective on steep surfaces or wet grounds.

Features:

Height Adjustment

Almost every hover mower is endowed with the height adjustment feature. This allows you to determine the cutting height you want your lawnmower to operate on.

Grass Collection Bag

No one likes a mess; therefore, the hover mower’s ability to carry grass clippings collection bag is a desirable feature. However, since the mower should always be light and floating, the collection bag should be small to maintain the mower’s effectiveness.

Cutting width

Since the hover mower needs to be light, the cutting with is a severe note to consider. The hover lawn mowers blades are not too wide even though the width varies from model to model.

Voltage

I have mentioned above that any this type of mower mainly uses either power sources or batteries. Therefore as a homeowner, you should be careful in selecting the hover mower with a more durable battery even if adding a few extra costs.

Lightweight

It has to float on air; therefore, most of the hover mower’s parts are made of plastic material. This is also a disadvantage because plastic is not durable and can easily wear and tear. Handling this mower is easy because you can carry it from the garage to your lawn quite easily.

Functions

The hover mower does not have too many functions. It is limited due to the unusual nature of the operation. It mostly cuts the grass and discharges it or most commonly bag it.

Riding Mowers Description:

i) Lawn Tractor:

The lawn tractor mainly uses gas power to function. Their superiority is indisputable when it comes to cutting speed. The lawn tractor can cut much faster than most walk mowers, making them the right choice to mow large-sized lawns. This type of mower is ideal for considerably larger than half an acre lawn. The lawn tractors can be used in several types. It is also be used with dump carts in various ways.

Features:

Engine size

The lawn tractors’ engine sizes are one thing to note because it correlates to how much power they can generate. The range for the engines of lawn tractors is between 18 horsepower up to 25 horsepower. Some come with single cylinders, while others have V twin engines and electronic fuel injection.

Transmission

Most lawn tractors use the hydraulic system of transmission. Some, however, use the lever-operated gear transmission system, which is considerably less costly. The hydraulic transmission or rather the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is more expensive than their counterparts are.

Deck width

If you are very concerned about how much a lawn tractor can cut, worry not, the lawn tractors’ deck width ranges up 54 inches. This means they can cover an ample space of lawn quickly.

Steering wheel

For control and maneuvering, the steering wheel on the lawn tractors is very similar to most other vehicles. This makes the lawn tractor feel more familiar to you when using it; therefore, it takes fewer times to be accustomed to it.

Attachment Capability

This feature is usually found at the rear of the lawn tractor. Its primary purpose is for you to hook on other attachable tools such as a rack onto the tractor while you are also mowing grass at the same time. This also allows bagging for clippings collection even though bagging kits for the tractor mowers are quite expensive.

Functions

The lawn tractor is multiple functional. This means it is capable of doing many things. These include the grass collection bagging system for collecting grass clippings while mowing. It can also allow for mulching, meaning that the clipping is further cut into smaller mulch grass clippings, which are beneficial to the lawn. Tin addition, a lawn tractor is capable of side discharging the grass clippings during cutting.

(ii) Zero Turn Mower:

You can also refer to them as zero-radius lawn tractors. They use a pair of levers instead of the traditional steering wheel on the tractors. The levers help you control zero turns by turning the mower in turn when you push one lever forward. They have better speeds compared to the tractors; they mostly use gas engines for operating. These are also more similar to the ones used by landscapers. Maneuvering around obstacles is easy because of the zero-turn capability.

Features:

Lever control

Unlike the conventional tractor, which uses the traditional steering wheel for control, the zero-turn mower makes use of lever bars for independent steering. When the lever is pushed forward, a zero degree turn is generated on that wheel; as a result making it very easy to turn and maneuver around obstacles.

Deck width

Most zero turn lawn mowers have a full deck allowing them to plow through large fields faster than the tractor.

Engine size

The engine size is considerably large as it ranges from 452 ccs up to more than 700cc. The horsepower of these machines ranges from 12 up to 25 horsepower.

Functions

Like the tractor, the zero-turn mower is capable of cutting grass, mulching, and discharging and bagging the grass clippings.

iii)Rear Engine Riding Mower:

This type of riding mower is ideal for medium-sized lawns larger than what a walk mower can handle despite not needing a lawn tractor or a zero-turn lawnmower. They usually have the engine located just below the seat at which you, as the operator, sit.

Features:

Wheel

The steering wheel is mainly for maneuvering the lawn mower

Engine size and positioning

Most rear-engine riding mowers’ engine is a single-cylinder, which ranges in size from around 344cc to 380cc. Horsepower is approximately 10 to 11hp. The engine is also located in the rear of the mower.

Functions:

These mowers can typically mow, mulch, bag the grass clippings, or discard them simultaneously.

We have determined that lawnmowers are machinery and like all machinery, they require some form of power in order to function for you. These sources of power include manual power, gas power, electricity, or battery power that gets these machines ticking. We are going to contrast lawnmowers based on their source of power and below is an in-depth look into it.

i)Manual Powered Mower:

Just like the suggestion of its name, a manual power type of lawnmower requires you to put in more effort, thereby making you the power source for the lawnmower. They don’t produce pollution and noise since they only use push power. Reel mowers or push mowers are part of manual powered mowers.

Features:

Handle

The manual-powered mower handle is one that you use for powering, controlling, and maneuvering the lawnmower.

Wheels

The wheels of the manual powered mower are usually two and large-sized. There is a mechanical connection between the wheels and the cutting blades, making the blades cut the grass when the wheels are moving and turning.

Blades

These do the cutting of the grass, and in the case of a reel lawn mower, the blades finely cut the grass like scissors. They respond to the forward movement of the wheels by vertically spinning.

The Reel

It houses the blades that do the cutting. It is usually between the two large wheels. 

Functions:

Most manual powered lawn mowers just do the cutting. Sometimes they are capable of mulching, but their functionality is significantly limited.

ii)Electric Powered Mower:

Electric mowers are becoming more popular as time goes by because they are eco-friendly by some. They are also quieter than gas-powered lawnmower while offering almost similar results. They can be either corded or cordless, where they make use of batteries for power. They are ideal for mowing small lawns.

Features:

Power Cable

The power cable is a common feature of the corded electric mower. It brings power from an electrical power source to the lawnmower. Most electric lawn mower cables range up to 20 to 30 meters but are limited due to the hazards posed by a long power cable.

Folding Capability.

Conveniently, most electric powered mowers are easily foldable for storage, meaning you will require less space. This is helped by the absence of liquid leaks, such as oil and fuel.

Swath width

On average, the swath width of electric mowers ranges from 15 inches to 22 inches. This means when you purchase your mower; the width determines the area it will cover in operation.

Cutting height

Adjustable cutting height is a desirable common feature of most electric powered mowers. They are adjustable from heights from less than an inch up to four inches.

Bag collection.

This feature allows you to connect a bag either at the side or at any electric mower’s rear discharge points. And this gives you more options as to what to do with the grass clippings of your lawn.

Functions

Generally, all-electric powered mowers are capable of mulching, aging, and side or rear discharging of the grass clippings.

iii)Cordless Lawn Mowers

Cordless lawn mowers enjoy the maneuverability of gas lawnmowers. This model usually gets its power from batteries. It’s pretty like using a smartphone without plugging it on the charger.

Features:

Push-button start

Just like in all-electric mowers, cordless mowers have the push-button start feature. This means that starting the mower has no hustle; instead, all you have to do is press a button.

Batteries

For cordless electric mowers, they get their power from rechargeable batteries. The number of cells and their voltage varies from one mower to another. However, the more the batteries on the lawnmower, the more mowing time it will get. Most mowers have 20 to 40 volts ranging cells, which might be as many as four batteries per mower.

Adjustable height

The cordless lawn mower is commonly capable of adjusting cut height. Some are even coming with the automation of this feature.

Swath width

The cordless mower rangers’ wide swath cut width from 15 inches up to 24 inches, meaning it can cover small lawns.

Functions:

Cordless lawn mowers are generally multifunctional. They support bagging either on the rear or on the side. They also have a mulching capability as well as a rear and side discharge.

(iv) Gas-Powered Mower

Gas-powered lawn mowers are the most common, and they have many advantages. They do not need to be charged, and they have no limits when it comes to a range of operations. However, they make more noise than electric and cordless mower. Gas-powered mowers use gasoline, mainly petrol, and oil to lubricate the engine.

Features

Engine cylinders

The gas-powered mowers use gas engine cylinders. They use either single cylinders, dual cylinders, or four-cylinder engines for operation.

Transmission

Most gas-powered mowers use the hydrostatic transmission system, which is also the CVT system. However, there are other transmission systems, such as the lever-pulley transmission system and the electric fuel injection transmission system.

Deck Levers

These come various groups, which consist of two, three, or four. The one lever has the most linkage despite it being the most convenient. Two levers compromise between the one lever and the four lever meaning it mildly enjoys both advantages and suffers from each’s disadvantages. The time-tested design, which is standard, uses the four levers.

Wheels sizes

Most gases pored mowers’ common feature is the disparity in wheel sizes, most favoring larger sized rear wheels. This design feature is for making maneuvering the mower easier for you.

(v) Robotic Lawnmowers

As the world is advancing technologically in terms of robotics, it should not come as a shock that you can get yourself a neat portable robotic lawnmower. Robotic lawn mowers are usually very small. They require almost no human effort in operation. Batteries mostly power them. Plastic is the primary material used on robotic mowers.

They have a speed detection system as well as a direction, tilt, and obstacle auto-detection and awareness system. They make use of a low power signal generated by a signal generator and transmitted through a wire. The receiver of the robotic mower gets the signal and acts upon it. It heads back to the station in case of power depletion in the batteries. They are relatively safe as they use smaller blades for rotation.

Lawnmowers can be differentiated using their drive types. This compromises of those that are manual, all-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, and rear-wheel drive.

Manual:

Manual drive lawn mowers require you to put more effort into the overall performance of the machine. The most common types of manual lawn mowers are real and rotary lawnmowers. These require you to push the mower, either using some form of handle or bar.

All-Wheel Drive:

This is less common in the preceding two types. It is also relatively new to the market. They are preferable for washboard surfaces, uphill mowing, downhill mowing, and sidehill mowing, respectively. They also make things very easier for its use as it can function pretty well on rough grounds.

Rear Wheel Drive:

The rear-wheel-drive allows you to push down the handle, but the mower does not lose any front tire traction. And this is ideal for terrains such as uphill or sidehill; therefore, it is more recommendable for such landscapes in comparison to the front-wheel drive.

Front-Wheel Drive:

This type of lawnmower requires you to push down on the mower’s handle. This reduces some traction from the front wheels allowing for pivoting into and out of angles and corners. It is perfect, and I recommend it mostly for flat or level ground, which might have many obstacles; therefore, you can maneuver around the obstacles.

Just like any other machinery, we have to talk about the safety issues of lawnmowers. Lawn mowers are very powerful, therefore; hundreds of injuries resulting from misuse or carelessness of the operators. These injuries include burns, cuts, broken limbs, and dangerous hits from missiles.

It is therefore important to know how to operate your choice of lawnmower properly. You should always wear protective gear such as helmets, gloves, and protective boots. During operation, you should always be aware of your machine and your surroundings to spare yourself the hospital bill. Most lawn operators suffer burns from hot engines when they get in contact without protective gear.

Final Verdict

In conclusion, a lawnmower is a long-term tool; therefore, you should choose wisely when getting yourself a lawnmower. Naturally, you have an ultimate say in the type of lawn mower you want, but I hope the review above has helped you understand more. Therefore, now you can decide the best one considering your climate, lawn, size, budget, and all the other factors we have discussed.

Among the different types of lawn mowers, you can choose to get yourself a walk mower for small lawns or a riding mower for more extensive lawns. Gas-powered, electric, and manual are the other choices you need to consider. I hope you have enlightened on lawnmowers through this review. Feel free to share this guide to your social media accounts.