Whether you’re moving or simply replacing an old lawnmower, you may have thought about how to cut your lawn now that spring is around the corner.
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In this case, if you’re like most people in the UK and have a fairly small lawn, you should definitely consider a push mower (I’m their biggest fan!)
These offer a completely different experience from a gas mower, but I can tell you without hesitation that they are preferable to me — unless you’re mowing a football field of course, that would just be silly. Here are some of the advantages of push mowers, and a few things you might want to know before making the switch.
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1. Push mowers are more economical
So not only are push mowers cheaper to buy, generally speaking, but they are also cheaper to run.
And I’m talking about significant savings, gas mowers could cost you up to £300, but a traditional reel mower, and a good quality one at that, can be had for less than £100.
The price of gas is the other thing on everyone’s lips, but actually, with a reel mower, you’ll save that cost — and save time filling it up!
Push mowers are also cheaper to maintain, they have a simple mechanism that only requires a bit of sharpening, but there’s not much that can really go wrong.
2. Reel mowers are environmentally friendly
Gas mowers are known for their fumes that infect your lungs with that pernicious vapor.
Gasoline lawnmower engines can actually be worse than car engines in terms of pollutants, and not only is this bad for your health, but also potentially for your garden. Air quality will suffer, and when you inevitably spill fuel while filling up the mower for another run, it can cause groundwater contamination and is extremely dangerous if you have pond animals in your garden.
3. Reel mowers require less maintenance
Not only do you not need to fill up, but there’s no need to change the oil, spark plugs, or anything that could go wrong with a complex gas mower.
Reel mowers only need occasional sharpening of the blades, or replacement if they are really worn out. They also fit very easily into a shed.
4. Manual mowers are quiet
When you’re mowing with a push mower, you can hear the birds singing, you can hear your neighbors chatting (if you really want to), and you can enjoy the peace and quiet instead of the roar of an engine — a much more pleasant experience.
Things to keep in mind
Push mowers are not suitable for every situation, in fact. Before making the switch, there are a few things you should be aware of.
- You can’t let the grass get too overgrown, otherwise it will become really difficult to cut.
- There is a range of different reel mowers, and they don’t all meet the same standards. The Fiskars StaySharp is a solid choice for most.
- You need to keep the blades super sharp – otherwise you’re just making more work for yourself.
If you’ve really been convinced, why not check out my guide to the best manual mower.
Read more at lejardineur.net