Walk Behind Lawn Mowers - Lawn Mower Reviews and Ratings -
Walk behind lawn mowers come in many forms. They include everything from self propelled lawn mowers through to humble push reel mowers. They can be powered by gas, electricity or sweat with costs ranging from less than a hundred dollars to thousands. So with all these options how does one confidently choose the best lawn mower?
When it comes to deciding on a walk behind mower the size of your lawn is a factor that can't be ignored, however it's not the only consideration. Believe it or not a modern light weight push reel mower such as a Scotts Classic or a Fiskars Momentum is more often than not a better solution than a $600 gas powered self propelled mower. They can glide through a four to five inch growth without much effort. Furthermore the scissor action of a reel lawn mower is less damaging to a lawn than the blunt force trauma inflicted by a rotary mower. And then there are the environmental considerations.
Self propelled walk behind lawn mowers are most appropriately used on yards that are under an acre. Any bigger and the case for a ride on lawn mower becomes too compelling.
Gas Powered Rotary Lawn Mowers
With one notable exception most self propelled lawn mowers are gas powered rotaries. Popular brands include: Lawn Boy, Husqvarna, Toro, Snapper and Ariens lawn mowers. Over recent years the manufacturers of lawn mower motors: Briggs and Stratton, Honda, Kawasaki and Kohler have developed technology to address the difficulties that most of us have experienced in attempting to start them.
Despite these refinements gas powered mowers are heading for extinction. Come Spring the mower repair shops are inundated with work. They are flat out fixing pull starts, draining stale fuel, replacing filters, spark plugs and flat batteries. There is then the damage caused by ethanol that has corroded internals and gunked-up carburetors.
Battery powered lawn mowers are the answer to most of the problems that conventional gas guzzlers are associated with. They are reliable, clean, quiet and start easily. Some local municipalities such as the City of Fort Collins are also offering a financial incentive to local residents if they make the switch to an electric or push lawn mowers.
Black and Decker cordless lawn mowers are no longer a novelty. They are available as either push or self propelled mowers and have the power to tackle yards up to one third of an acre on a single charge. Their environmental credentials are first class. Other than charging and blade sharpening there is nothing to maintain and hence running costs are nominal.
For these reasons cordless mowers are outselling all other types of walk behind lawn mower.
The modern light weight push mower is also a growing threat to the survival of gas powered walk behind lawn mowers. They are cheap, reliable, quiet and a pleasure to use. As well as being environmentally friendly they also present an opportunity for some light exercise. Unlike their predecessors they are genuinely easy to push. In fact many people find push lawn mowers enable them to get the job done faster than would be possible with gas propelled alternatives.
The top selling push lawn mowers are made by the American Lawn Mower Company and Fiskars.
Summary
Walk behind lawn mowers are almost as numerous as motor vehicles. They are seldom maintained with careful attention and are often a cause of great frustration. In recent years consumers have begun to buy electric or human powered alternatives and the trend is accelerating. We have no doubt that within a years the sound of a gas powered mower on a Saturday morning will become a distant memory. We can hardly wait.
