| Maybe spring's here and it's time for a new mower, | | | | inexpensive and easily-portable hover mowers - |
| your old machine has broken down suddenly or | | | | perfect for small or medium-sized gardens with |
| you've moved to a larger property. Whatever the | | | | uneven surfaces and banks. The downside is a |
| reason for considering different lawn mower types, | | | | noticeably less-refined finish than with other machines. |
| the process of how to buy a lawn mower starts | | | | Different power sources |
| with careful assessment of factors such as these: | | | | Within each of these lawn mower types, there are |
| - Size of lawn - often the lead factor in a buying | | | | different power sources. The main ones are petrol, |
| guide | | | | electrical and human-power. Nowadays, many buyers |
| - Type of lawn finish you want | | | | opt for the ease-of-use of petrol or electrical |
| - Convenience - the best lawn mowers make | | | | mowers. Here are some of the things to consider |
| mowing easy | | | | when deciding which lawn mower power source to |
| - Preferred power source - petrol, electricity or | | | | opt for? |
| human power | | | | Petrol mowers: |
| - Budget - 50 to several hundred pounds... | | | | - The power to handle larger areas and longer grass |
| Different lawn mower types | | | | - Less prone to overheating when worked hard |
| Every guide recognises three main types of smaller | | | | - No power cables to worry about |
| lawnmowers: | | | | - A wide range of sizes and specifications for |
| - Cylinder mowers | | | | different applications |
| - Rotary mowers | | | | - Self-propelled versions make light work of mowing |
| - Hover mowers | | | | - Suitable for damp grass in wet weather |
| Cylinder mowers feature vertically rotating blades | | | | - Tend to be more expensive for a given |
| that can cut extremely close for that classic | | | | specification - and need more maintenance |
| 'manicured lawn' look. While they're perfect for very | | | | Electric mowers: |
| even lawns, they're not so good for more irregular | | | | - Ideally suited for small to medium-sized gardens |
| grass areas. Rotary mowers, on the other hand, | | | | - Very light and manoeuvrable |
| have horizontally-orientated blades: the finish isn't | | | | - Cleaner and simpler to maintain than petrol mowers |
| quite so good, but the mowers are more tolerant of | | | | - Not suitable for use in damp or wet conditions |
| lawns with rough patches, slopes and - dare we say | | | | - Perfect when you don't wish to spend hours on |
| it - weeds and moss. | | | | lawn maintenance. |
| When choosing a lawnmower, don't forget | | | | - Watch out for that trailing cable! |