It seems like department stores barely have their holiday decorations down before they prepare customers for spring and summer. While you're still wearing a coat and mittens, you can walk into almost any hardware, home improvement, or appliance store and find a dazzling array of shiny new lawn mowers. Shop carefully--few appliances have the ability to make your life as miserable as the wrong lawn mower, but the right product can save you time and effort, or give you a sense of ecological pride stronger than all the recycling you can muster.
Reel Mowers
While you may think of reels mower as antique store oddities, they have some key advantages that have kept them from falling by the wayside completely. Reel mowers don't chop grass; they shear it. The result is a clean look that no rotary mower can compete with, which is why golf courses only use reel mowers. Unfortunately, affordable reel mowers only come in manual and electric versions, so they are only practical for a small lawn. They also cut grass short enough that you'll need to mow more often, and require their blades to be sharpened occasionally at a lawn mower repair shop. But if your lawn is small, you love the look and feel of soft, lovely grass, and you want to have a minimal impact on the Earth, a reel mower is a good option for you.
Electric Mowers
Electric lawn mower technology has come a long way. Gone are the days of worrying about running over your lawn mower's power cord--modern battery operated models run for over an hour. Purchasers of electric mowers have the choice between reel and rotary grass cutting, and reduce the environmental impact of mowing the lawn. Yards cut with electric lawn mowers need to be mowed more often, though, and should be relatively flat and small (less than 5,000 to 10,000 square feet).
Rotary Mowers
Gasoline-powered rotary lawn mowers are the most commonly available lawn mowers, and have more features and options than other types of mowers. They cut grass using one or more long blades spinning underneath a housing that acts as a vacuum, pulling grass toward the blades. The most basic rotary mowers are walk-behind types that need to be pushed across the yard. Walk-behind mowers are less expensive and easier to repair than high-end rotary mowers, and are an excellent choice for flat, even lawns less than 10,000 square feet.
If you will use your lawn mower for a lawn that is larger than a third of an acre, hilly, or uneven, you should consider a self-propelled lawn mower. People who lack the necessary strength to push a lawn mower should also consider this type, because it pushes itself across the yard. Be sure to look for adjustable speed controls, because a mower that drags you across the yard won't be any fun. Large rear wheels are also available, to make navigating rough terrain easier, and push-button starters eliminate stubborn pull cords. Another nice feature is a blade-brake clutch, which allows you to stop and pick up a stick or baseball without having to restart the mower.
Consider what you want your lawn mower to do with the grass once it's cut. Lawn mowers come with four choices: rear bagging, side bagging, mulching, or side discharge. Most people agree that rear-bagging mowers are easier to maneuver than side bagging, although they cost a little more. Mulching mowers chop grass into fine pieces that fertilize your lawn as they decompose, which is nice. Side-discharge mowers spit grass into lines on the yard, but are useful for cutting high grass. Many lawn mowers are convertible, giving consumers the option to switch between rear bagging, mulching, and side discharging.
Riding Lawn Mowers
If your lawn is larger than a half acre, a riding lawn mower or lawn tractor is probably your best bet, presuming you have someplace to store it. Think carefully about what you'll use your riding lawn mower for. If you want to till a garden or plow your driveway, choose a high-end lawn tractor that accepts attachments for the jobs you want to perform. Test out the clutch pedal, because some are difficult to depress. Perhaps a hydrostatic-drive mower, which doesn't have a clutch, will be worth the extra $200 to $500. Finally, purchase a good warranty with your riding lawn mower. They don't always last as long as other appliances.
As you make your final decisions between reel, electric, rotary, or riding lawn mowers, remember to consider first the size of your lawn. Think too about the obstacles you need to mow around, and the slope and evenness of the terrain. If you are environmentally conscious, remember that gasoline lawn mowers have high emissions. Finally, be honest about your motivation on a Saturday afternoon. The extra money for a machine that fits the lawn and the mower will be money well spent if, after finishing the lawn, you still have enough energy for a game of catch with the kids.
