Some people love mowing the lawn, others hate it. Having the right lawnmower will help to make the task easier, no matter what your feelings are on lawn mowing.
Reel Lawnmower
Pros: Cuts your grass like scissors, is better for the grass. Is completely quiet, so you can listen to your iPod while mowing. Doesn’t require gasoline or electric, is much better for the environment. Require very little maintenance. Acts as a mulching mower does. Quite inexpensive to buy and maintain.
Cons: Doesn’t cut tall grass well, so more frequent mowing is required. More trimming is also required, because it doesn’t get as close to edges as other types of mowers. Does not cut weeds well, if you have a weedy lawn. Better for small, flat lawns.
Gasoline Lawnmowers
Pros: Comes in many varieties- mulching, self-propelled, riding, etc. Some types can be bought fairly inexpensively. Some models will bag the clippings so you can add to your compost. Most handle uneven terrain fairly well. Self-propelled and riding varieties great for large lawns.
Cons: Can be very expensive to buy and maintain. Uses gasoline, which is expensive and is harmful to the environment. Loud and smelly. Needs a lot of maintenance. Pull cords are a giant pain sometimes.
Electric Lawnmowers
Pros: Are far quieter than gasoline lawnmowers. Corded models can be bought fairly inexpensively. Produce far fewer emissions than gasoline models. Are inexpensive to operate. No pull cords to have to deal with. Can be used at night without disturbing the neighbors.
Cons: Cordless models are quite expensive. Corded models are better for smaller lawns. Expensive to repair. Expensive to replace batteries in cordless models. Many models do not cut grass very evenly. Generally narrower than gas models, may take more time to mow.
Conclusion: You have to choose the lawnmower that is best for your lawn. I decided to go with a gasoline powered mulching mower for my hilly, weedy lawn. If I ever get a house with a flatter lawn, I’ll probably go with an electric model. If I had a small, flat lawn, I would get a reel mower.
