A lawn mower is specialized gardening equipment used exclusively to cut grass in peoples’ domestic/residential properties.
Most lawn mowers are made up of a series of rotating blades which are either manually or mechanically operated, and which when rolled over grass, cuts the grass evenly over the area where it is used.
In broad terms, lawn mowers may be classified by their mode of operation, that is to say, by how they work.
Some are hand-operated and therefore require to be pushed around by the operator to be able to mow the grass. These rely on the action of the rotation of the wheels on the mower to turn the blades that then cut the grass
Others have the blade rotation caused by a small motor engine and are only “navigated” by the operator by pushing it in one direction or the other or driven around, wherein the latter instance, the operator essentially rides on a compact vehicular lawn mower.
As noted above, in a broad categorization of lawn mowers, one may classify a group uniquely identified as being push lawn mowers which are essentially hand-operated and require the user to stand behind it and push it in the direction they require to cut the grass towards.
Starting with those push mowers that are not motorized, also called reel mowers, these are mostly light in weight as they comprise just the wheels, blades and steer rack. These are ideal for small yards and spaces where the mowing required is not extensive.
Those discerning individuals who prefer to mow their lawns in relative quiet also prefer these kinds of mowers. They are cheap to buy. As a bonus, they are cheap to maintain as they have no expensive replaceable parts.
The second category of push mowers are those that have an engine – various types and sizes - mounted on them, which rotates the blades and by this action, cuts the grass. These types of mowers still require to be pushed for direction as the motor only operates the grass cutting blades ad des not propel the motion of the mower They are generally heavier than the non-engine type from lugging the extra weight of the engine.
These mowers are popular with people with relatively large yards and who do not mind the physical exertion of pushing the relatively heavy equipment around their yards or indeed the rather loud revs of the engines as they undertake their mowing duties.
These types of lawn mowers require fuel to run, which is an added cost and are also challenging to maintain as they may require specialized servicing, which raises the costs of use.
Push lawn mowers can also be powered by electricity. Corded mowers connect directly to an electric outlet through an extension cord. Cordless mowers run on rechargeable batteries. They are both light and easy to push around the yard.
A prospective buyer trying to ascertain whether a push mower is the right fit for them and whether they will get the best value from their purchase needs to first do a needs analysis to then be able to pick the right fit and in the list of matters to consider are;
Where the size is relatively large, it would be prudent to go for a motorized push mower, as where the area has a steep gradient too to ensure that the job is completed without undue physical strain to the individual.
Choose a large walk- mower engine for tough jobs like tall and wet lawns, bagging, mulching and weeds.
The repetitive character of lawn mowing can be quite time-consuming on the whole, and when selecting the appropriate mower to buy, one must acknowledge that the task is considerably slower when a non-motorized mower is selected.
A non-motorized mower is almost a uniquely one-off cost and maintenance costs will be minimal if at all. On the other hand, the motorized ones have a constant fuel cost for operations and depending on the size and complexity of the engine and type of blades, a motorized one can be costly to maintain in the long run.
Some push mowers are only moved by a person’s physical effort. Others have a drive system where the front and rear wheels are turned. The best push mowers offer front-drive which allows the user to push down on the mower’s handle and lift the front wheels to swivel the mower. For sloping lawns, rear-drive push mowers are a better bet because they won’t lose traction when mowing uphill.
Mulching push lawn mowers cut the grass into small particles that can be used to nourish the soil and foster a healthy lawn. Push mowers with collection bags allow for all the cuttings to be in one place and can be emptied conveniently. Side-discharge function is where the grass debris is ejected out of the side and left to slowly decay into the lawn. For versatility, a good push lower has all three functions.
