There is nothing more profoundly sad than having the wrong type of lawn mower on a sunny weekend. Conversely, it is also true that having the right type of lawn mower can give you the pleasure of cutting down your lawn.
I know many people need a lawn mower but are just not sure about the lawn mower features that they need. Oh well, do not fret because you just might be in luck. I have you covered on that front. Using the guide below will enhance your awareness of choosing the right lawn mower and eventually change your lawn mowing activity into a pleasurable experience for the near future.
Do You Need a Walk-behind or Riding Lawn Mower?
Your initial step to buying the right type of lawn mower is to choose between two preferable lawn mower types. These two types include the walk-behind and riding mower. In case you need to mow more than a quarter acre lawn size, it will be preferable to choose a riding lawn mower just so that you can get your lawn mowing done quicker.
First, you need to estimate the lawn surface size you intend to mow. To do this, you would need to count your steps as you walk off big rectangles. Thereafter, you will need to sum the total of the areas you have walked. It is also advisable not to get extremely precise. Notably, the stride of an average male person is approximately 30 inches, whereas the stride of a woman is approximately 26 inches. However, you could also measure the length of your stride to get accurate measurements.
One acre measures approximately 43,560 square feet. This would place the size of a quarter (1/4) acre at about 10,890 square feet. A lawn that exceeds the size of a quarter acre size estimate will likely compel you to purchase a riding mower. Indeed, not many people would prefer to cut down a quarter acre lawn surface using a 22-inch walk mower. However, everyone has to begin somewhere. This is why you must think realistically about the type of lawn mower you want and how much time you will spend on a busy sunny day (weekend) cutting down your lawn.
Individuals with lawn surfaces measuring approximately a quarter (1/4) to about two (2) acres will most likely find a riding mower most useful and comfortable to work with. Some of the best riding mowers that would make mowing such bigger lawn surface areas include but are not limited to, residential-duty zero-turn mowers, light-duty lawn tractors, and rear-engine riding mowers. However, you might also need a commercial-duty zero-turn mower if you have lawns spanning 2 acres and above.
Selecting the Right Features of Your Lawn Mower
A couple of factors – your comfort and budget – are the two factors that will determine the type of lawn mower you will buy after determining whether you like to walk or ride as you mow your lawn. You will most likely get the job done quicker when you spend more on a lawn mower. It is also likely that expensive mowers are also intuitive, versatile, and durable. The converse is true.
It does not matter whether you have only a simple and small yard. However, you need to be thoughtful when choosing the features of your lawn mower if you have a bigger and more complex lawn surface to mow.
Walk-behind Lawn Mowers
Let us start with walk mowers, which happen to be one of the handiest machines you can ever find.
Walk mowers are akin to cars since both have wide-ranging options that increase complexity and cost. It is advisable to scan the hangtag of the product you will want to buy. It is also more prudent to ask the sales staff whether you will find the features of a walk mower that you intend to buy useful.
Driving Lawn Mowers
A self-propelled mower is a lot more convenient when you intend to mow uphill. Pushing a fully loaded mow uphill can be challenging, especially on a sunny weekend day. On the other hand, a self-propelled machine could just be what you need for that backbreaking task of pushing a mow uphill. You can pick from different types of self-propelled lawn mows, including rear-wheel drives, front-wheel drives, and all-wheel drives.
Rear-wheel drives are necessary mowing machines for people who tend to mow ‘side-hill’ and uphill. This is because the front tires of a rear-wheel mowing machine will never lose traction once you push the handle down as you move uphill.
Front-wheel drives are preferable to people who mow on level grounds. These machines are also handy when mowing grounds that teem with myriad obstacles. They allow users to push down on the handle, which in turn minimizes traction on the front wheel while also pivoting it out of and into corners.
All-wheel drives are useful for people who cut across steep uphill, side-hill, and downhill, as well as washboard surfaces. These machines are especially handy for people who mow on rough ground.
Common Features of Lawn Mowers
Mowers have numerous features. Here, I will discuss a few features that you shall find on the specs list of an average mower.
Deck Levers
Deck levers are available in four, two, or one groupings. The time-tested and standard design is the four levers. Comparatively, two levers provide the best compromise machine parts between four and one levers. They have extra linkage compared to the four-lever mowers. It is also convenient to cut grass to the right height. However, the most convenient of the three is the one-lever lawn mower. It also has more linkage that increases the weight of the machine. As such, it requires continuous lubrication for efficient functioning.
Ground Speed Control
Ground speed control is especially essential with a mow’s handle. The mower goes faster when you press forward harder on the drive control found on the handle of the machine. The control could also be a metal rod (bail) or a distinct lever. To activate the drive system of fixed-speed mowers or increase ground speed in other mowers, you need to squeeze the lever.
Transmissions
Self-propelled mowers also have many transmission types. Hydrostatic is the smoothest in terms of operations and the most costly. It facilitates the movement of the hydraulic fluid through an impeller designed to rotate an output shaft. This shaft regulates the ground speed of the lawn mower.
Rear or front drive walk lawn mowers are designed with a belt and pulley arrangement to channel power to a rear or front axle’s gearbox from the engine’s output shaft. This design has myriad variations and is easier to repair and maintain.