What can we do without our good old lawnmower to keep our yard looking good and the turf looking lush? A lawnmower is a perfect tool in the arsenal of any landowner because it does gardening and maintains the lawn less strenuously.
The two main kinds of lawn owners-the low-wheel lawnmower and the high-wheel lawnmowers differ in their design and usability. While the former is maneuverable and great for mowing short grasses, the latter is very efficient in cutting longer grasses. The better option depends on an individual’s needs and budget.
Categories Of Lawnmowers
Different types of lawnmowers are available online and in stores these days, and it can be overwhelming to decide which to get for mowing your lawn. Different categories of lawnmowers can meet different mowing needs and personal preferences:
1. Lawnmowers You Can Ride On
This lawnmower category is usually called Ride-On Mowers because the units are designed to be ridden by the person operating the Mower. If you have a large lawn and would be okay with exerting so much energy to trim it, then this lawnmower is for you.
Merits
1. It works so fast that it can get a big lawn trimmed in no time.
2. They are more efficient.
3. They are best for mowing a large lawn.
4. It does not involve the exertion of manual strength.
5. It makes for a pleasant mowing experience.
Demerits
1. They are a little pricey.
2. They are not suitable for small lawn
3. They could be more easily storable.
There are different types of Ride-on lawnmowers, and they are:
Lawn Tractor
This very popular ride-on lawnmower is excellent for a large lawn. In fact, with deck widths typically ranging between 42 and 54 inches, you can get the lawn trimmed in no time. Their major drawback is their limited maneuverability, especially with obstacles or tight corners or angles.
Zero Turn Mower
This innovative ride-on lawnmower is controlled by lap bars in the front seat. It operates the dual hydrostatic transmissions at the rear wheels and helps them maneuver obstacles and landscaped edges. One of their selling points is the unit’s steering ability, which makes them more efficient.
Rear Engine Riding Mower
If you have a moderately sized lawn and still want a ride-on lawnmower, you go for this. The engine of this lawnmower is underneath the driving seat, and a hand lever controls the unit.
2. Lawnmower You Walk With
These are the type of lawnmowers that the user walks along behind. These very versatile machines are best used on small lawns and are effective in trimming loans about half an acre in size.
Merits
1. Compared to ride-on lawnmowers, they are relatively inexpensive.
2. They can easily maneuver obstacles and tight angles.
3. Some of them are self-propelling and less stressful to use.
Demerits
1. They could be more efficient when trimming a large lawn.
2. Son units give uneven cuts, which might not leave the lawn looking neat.
Here are some types of walk mowers:
Cylinder Mower
These lawnmowers are also called reel mowers. They are designed to have vertically rotating cylindrical blades at the front of the Mower, which slice against a fixed blade. The grasses are trapped between the blades and then sliced off like scissors. Cylinder mowers are best used on flats with soft and short grasses because they do poorly on rough surfaces with long coarse grasses.
Rotary Mower
This popular walk mower has a single blade that cuts grass as it rotates horizontally at high speed. Even though its cut is less precise than a cylinder mower, it is still suitable for trimming small to medium size lawns.
Push Mower
The name of this Mower gives it away as a mower requiring manual force to trim the lawn. This famous lawnmower has a motor that turns the blade while the wheel is caused to move by the user. They are lightweight, maneuverable, and involve physical exertion for those who feel up to it.
Self Propelled Mower
It is an easy-to-use machine where the user guides the Mower in trimming the lawn instead of being pushed. This machine is very efficient and gives consistently even cuts. These mowers are more technically and mechanically advanced than push mowers, requiring more maintenance. Its main selling point is that it does not require human labor to trim grasses.
Hover Mower
These ate the type of Mower in which the cutting blade of the machine hover a few inches above the ground, sitting on a cushion of air as it cuts the grass. This relatively inexpensive lawnmower can quickly move in all directions because of its high maneuverability, and it can be used easily on obstacles like trees and other structures.
Categorization Of Lawnmowers Based On Its Power Type
Lawnmowers can also be classified based on the source of power. The primary considerations that determine how a lawnmower is powered include personal preference and your strength and lawn size
Here are different ways in which lawnmowers are powered:
Manually-Powered Mower
These are lawnmowers with engines that only operate the blade but do not move the unit, meaning the user must manually push the unit. These are some of the most Eco-friendly lawnmowers because they do not cause noise pollution and are also very affordable. These lawnmowers require a lot of manual strength, so it’s the best for a small lawn.
Electric Powered Mower
These are lawnmowers with cords connected to an electricity source that powers them. They are fast becoming the lawnmower of choice for owners of small and medium-sized lawns. They are lightweight and easy to handle and store. Because electric lawnmowers are tethered to a power source, they cannot be used in the yard area the cord cannot get to except with an added cord. Secondly, it can be inconvenient working with a cord trailing behind you.
Gas-Powered Mower
This type of lawnmower has engines that are powdered by petrol. They are usually more powerful than their electric counterpart and are faster in trimming grasses. They are usually easy to steer and maneuver around obstacles. However, they are heavier and larger than electric lawnmowers. They require a lot in terms of maintenance, and they are noisier than others.
Battery-Powered Mower
A battery runs battery-powered, as the name implies. The lithium-ion battery, which is lightweight and long-lasting, is usually used. They are just like electric lawnmowers but without the inconvenience the cord brings. However, they are slightly more expensive and heavier than electric lawnmowers. The fact that the battery needs to be recharged is a significant drawback of battery-powered lawnmowers.
Categorization Of Lawnmowers Based On Their Drive Types
Many factors largely determine the performance of your lawnmower, and one of them is the drive type. There are three main drive types of lawnmowers which are:
Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is High wheel lawnmower.
Front-wheel drive (FWD), which is Low wheel lawnmowers
All-wheel drive (AWD)
Rear Wheel Drive
These are lawnmowers that move forward by the motion of the back wheels. They are excellent for mowing large lawns or wide-open spaces and in places with rough terrain. They are challenging to maneuver, especially in small areas or places with awkward angles.
Front-Wheel Drive
These mowers are moved forward by the front wheels, which pull the Mower along with their turning motion. These lawnmowers are easy to steer and maneuver even around lawns with obstacles or irregular shapes.
All Wheel Drive
These lawnmowers combine the features and advantages of the rear and front-wheel lawnmowers in the sense that all four wheels of the unit are connected to their source of power and are all propelled equally, moving together in unison. It is not as maneuverable as the front-wheel lawnmower, but its speed and power make up for this demerit.
High Wheel Vs. Low Wheel Lawn Mower – What’s Better?
We examine their pros and cons to understand and decide which high- and low– wheel drives are better for you.
Pros Of A High Wheel Lawnmower
Here are some of the unique selling points or value that is associated with high-wheel lawnmowers:
1. It can quickly now rough ground: if the lawn is not even, or if they have holes, ruts, and divots, you don’t have to worry about the wheel dipping down with the change in the gradient. A low-wheel lawnmower can cause your Mower’s blade to get too close to the ground’s surface, damaging the unit and even scalping the lawn. It is not the case with high-wheel lawnmowers because the distance between the wheel and the surface will prevent this.
2. You Can Easily Now On A Slope: a high-wheel lawnmower is better for mowing a slopy lawn than a front-rear lawnmower. Because of the large rear wheels, the ground will be covered with the same effort, making inclines a little easier on your body.
3. They can quickly cut long grasses: a low wheel cannot easily trim your lawn to the ideal height if you have an overgrown lawn. Hence it would be best to have a high-wheel lawnmower since the high rear wheels keep the blade higher off the ground.
4. The drag of the bag is not an issue: with a high-wheel lawnmower, the bag’s weight, when it is complete, does not drag down the back of the Mower, and this is because of the extra height of the large wheels, which eliminates this problem.
The Cons Of High Wheel Mowers
These are some of the drawbacks of a high-wheel lawnmower:
1. They are challenging to maneuver: high-wheel lawnmowers are tougher to turn in tight corners. Some lawnmowers have high wheels but have been redesigned to make them easier to maneuver, but by and large, they are more challenging to turn in small spaces.
2. They are more pricey: the advantages of a high-wheel drive come with a price, and this is to be expected because they are usually heavier and more potent than low-wheel lawnmowers. The price, however, is well worth it.
The Pros of Low Wheel Lawnmowers
1. The low-wheel lawnmowers are efficient yet inexpensive and are suitable for buyers on a budget. Their prices compare with push lawnmowers, but they offer more value than this manually exhausting unit.
2. Low-wheel lawnmowers are easy to steer and turn, even in tight corners. This maneuverability means the user can quickly pivot the Mower without any interference from the propulsion. So for those with small yards with awkward angles, you have a lawnmower to do the job.
Cons Of A Low-Wheel Lawnmower
1. Front-wheel drive mowers work well on flat, smaller yards. But, when it comes to the hilly lawn or slopy areas, they tend to struggle because the drive wheels are in the front, and hence they lose traction any time the user leans on the Mower’s handle as most people do.
2. Most low-wheel lawnmowers are not ideal for mowing long grasses since they might give an uneven cut.
The Verdict.
The truth is that a low-wheel Lawnmower is designed for small lawns that are flat or even for large lawns that are sloppy. So the size and terrain of your lawn will determine which is best for you.
Conclusion
There are many different types of lawnmowers and different ways of classifying them. Based on the wheel size of the lawnmower, they can be categorized into low-wheel lawnmowers, which are very maneuverable and suitable for mowing a small lawn.
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The other type is the high-wheel lawnmower which works well on hilly terrain and large lawn. None of these units is better; it depends on your lawn size and topography. You may also want to check out Who Makes Ryobi String Trimmers.
Thanks for taking the time to read our article, and we hope you find it helpful. Would you mind leaving a comment below if you have any suggestions?
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