Lawn Mower Styles

What are all the different styles of mowers?

Reel mowers

As lawn mower styles go, reel mowers were the first of the mechanized mowers to replace the scythe. Still sold today, reel mowers are seen most commonly being pushed as their wheels power them. They cut grass in a scissor type method and are still considered to be the best method for cutting grass to a nice, uniform surface. In fact, they continue to be used by golf courses, where large multi-rowed mowers are pulled behind tractors.

Rotary mowers

This is the kind of lawn mower style most of us have in our garage. Introduced in the nineteen forties, these mowers use a spinning blade to snap of the tops of the grass. There are two primary advantages to a rotary mower. First, the drive motor is very easily attached to the blade. Second, the blade configuration is much easier to assemble in a modern plant.

Riding mowers

The main advantage of these mowers is that they can facilitate the use of much larger blades than would be practical in a normal push mower. New models even offer "zero radius" turning so that these larger mowers can be used to cut in much tighter places.

Hover mowers

These mowers started to show up on the scene sometime in the mid-eighties. They use turbines that are located above a rotary blade in order to create a cushion of air. These mowers are very light and can mow in any direction. They are typically used on difficult surfaces like hedges and steep inclines.

Robotic mowers

Robotic mowers have been around for a little while but it hasn't been until recently that they have been dependable. A host of manufacturers build models that can cut up to half an acre effectively and can continue to cut seven days a week around the clock.

Professional mowers

This is less a type of mower than a build quality. These mowers can be more expensive than retail models initially, but depending on how often you use a mower and how much acreage you cut, a professional mower could be worth it.

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