With summer in full swing, your lawn mower may be feeling the heat of a tough workload. You wouldn’t be alone in worrying about whether the mower will fire up one more time to trim grass that’s growing quickly in the mix of heat and moisture.
If you’re tempted to put yours into the shop for a service, don’t linger. You may find that there’s a queue of folks with a similar challenge.
Sometimes, it’s best to admit your mower has seen better days. So, if it’s time to upgrade, here are some tips for finding a quality lawnmower.
- Size of the task: Your choice should be heavily swayed by the size of the lawn and the frequency with which you want to cut it.
- Comfort factor: Your physical ability should also influence your choice. For those who don’t like the idea of a walk mower, there are riding mowers available to minimise your physical exertion. They’re also excellent for lawns on steep slopes.
- Start me up: If the traditional string-pull method is unappealing, you can dig deeper into your pocket for models with hydrostatic transmissions. The new range of rechargeable, battery-operated mowers is another push-button solution.
- Cutting width: The standard mower has a 22-inch cut width. If you need something bigger, go for 28-inch or 32-inch models.
- Grass disposal: You should decide how you want to deal with the clippings. Options include the bag-catcher, mulcher (clippings are cut twice and spread over the lawn) and side dischargers, which are normally used for larger areas.
- Small lawns: A battery-operated mower may be perfect. They’ve come a long way in the past few years, and they’re light and easy to operate. If you’re seeking a cardio workout, push mowers are still on the shelves, but they’re not everyone’s idea of fun. An electric mower powered from the wall may suit you, too.
- Scale-up: Larger lawns need some horsepower. A battery mower may be suitable, but don’t short-change yourself on the battery size. Large batteries last longer and provide more power. Petrol mowers are still a favourite, though. Those with plastic chassis are increasingly popular because they’re light and don’t rust.
- Mowing technique: With larger lawns, cut in an anti-clockwise, circular path to avoid cutting over the top of clippings, which stresses the mower engine and uses more fuel.
- Maintenance question: Gas-powered mowers require a lot of attention. It’s amazing how often you find 20 minutes to mow and discover you’re out of gas. You need to check the oil and keep the spark plug clean if you want it to start easily.