How to choose a lawn mower for a summer cottage?

You have no desire to work in the beds in the summer, so the whole summer cottage was simply sown with grass. This is where you come to rest after the hard days of the city. To make your summer lawn look beautiful, it also needs care. It is difficult and time-consuming to manually mow the grass all over the site. In specialized stores, different models of electric and gasoline lawn mowers are sold, which can become your faithful assistants in the country. You need to choose the right mower model for your area.

The history of the invention of the lawn mower

In the small town of Stroud in England, Edwin Beard Bading invented the lawn mower in 1830. As a foreman at a local textile mill and overseeing the fringe trimming equipment, he took the principle of the mechanism as a basis and for the first time a cylindrical lawn mower was born. It was a very heavy cast iron machine, but it became much easier to care for English lawns than mowing large lawns with a regular scythe. Ransom became the owner of the invention patent and began manufacturing small machines for gentlemen and large lawn mowers for large areas. The history of the lawn mower began its development.

Scotsman Alexander Shanks became the successor of inventions and was the first to create a self-propelled model, which was pulled by a horse instead of a man. The unit became wider and lighter thanks to Thomas Green in 1853 after the replacement of heavy cast iron gears with a chain drive. Amary Hill made the lawn mower even lighter and more practical. The next stage in history was the creation of a mechanical lawn mower by Elwood McGuire from America.

Steam and gasoline mowers appeared in the 1890s. In the early 20th century, Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies became the main manufacturer of gas-powered lawn mowers. Europe massively enjoy lawn mowers became only after the Second World War. The main manufacturer is a German company. A rotary brush cutter was born in Australia. In the early 60s, Flymo introduced the world to an air cushion model. Let's take a closer look at all types of lawn mowers.

Types of lawn mowers

There are three types of lawn mowers in production today.

Manual models can be gasoline or electric. The cutting mechanism is attached to the bottom of the bar-holder, and the motor itself is attached to the upper end. There are also special handles on the boom with which the operator controls the unit. The main advantage of hand-held models is the ability to mow in the most difficult places with maximum proximity to trees, bushes, fences. The operator puts the belt over his shoulders and guides the mower to the desired location with his hands. To protect useful plants from accidental cuts, the mowers are equipped with a cover.

Wheeled models are designed for lawn processing on flat and large areas. The operator does not need to carry the mower by hand. Now he just pushes her ahead of him. But this model is not suitable for neat mowing of grass near fences, trees and walls. There are models equipped with the function of mulching the cut grass or a special basket for collecting it.

Raiders are distinguished by their power and the ability to handle huge areas without much effort. This is a mini tractor with a comfortable operator seat. In addition to mowing, the raider mulches the grass or collects it in a box installed at the back of the chair.

Lawn mowers can be petrol or electric, depending on the power source used. A long power cord is required to operate the electric lawn mower on site. Petrol lawn mowers are in great demand due to their excellent flexibility in any location. The gasoline engine is much more powerful and effortlessly mows tall and thick grass.

Criteria for choosing lawn mowers for summer cottages

Three main criteria influence the right choice of the type of lawn mower in the store for your site:

1. The type of grass growing on the site. The power of the purchased device depends on this. You don't need a powerful trimmer to cut soft grass. For mowing high forbs with strong weeds, it is better to purchase a gasoline model with a powerful engine.
2. Terrain relief. An area located on steep slopes with a lot of depressions and bumps is best done with a hand-held lawnmower. The same can be said for mowing in the orchard. Even areas of lawns will be processed quickly and efficiently by raiders and wheeled units.
3. Lawn sizes. Small summer cottages do not require the purchase of powerful mowers. Prefer low power trimmers or hand braids. If the cultivated area is more than 3 acres, a wheeled model will do. To quickly and efficiently cut grass over a large area, you need a powerful trimmer.

Considering the main criteria for choosing the right model of a lawn mower for a summer residence, one should not forget about the technical features of the mowers. If you intend to use cut grass for feeding livestock, you need a machine with a special box for collecting the cut. The use of cut grass as fertilizer for the site involves the purchase of a model with a special drum for chopping plants.

Buy mower models only in specialized stores to get a guarantee of service and replacement of low-quality equipment.

Review of famous models of lawn mowers

Today, many different companies are engaged in the production of lawn mowers, but we will review lawn mowers for giving only a small number of the most popular models.

Lawn mower Bosch Rotak 32

An excellent modern model with innovative guides that allow you to mow as close to the edge as possible. It is a pleasure to work with such a lawn mower. It is lightweight with a powerful motor, comfortable grip, 31 l grass catcher, adjustable cutting height. In one pass, a strip of grass 32 cm wide is mowed. The engine of the Bosch Rotak 32 lawnmower is protected from overloading.

Lawn Mower Makita

Maintaining a well-groomed area near your home is easy and simple with the Makita ELM3311 non-self-propelled electric lawn mower. The mowing width is 33 cm, the minimum mowing height is 20 mm, and the maximum is 55 mm. Polypropylene is used to make the mower body.

Leaving numerous reviews on Makita electric lawn mowers on the forums, consumers note the good throughput of the unit, the capacity of the grass catcher with a full indicator. To ensure the ability to mow grass against walls or curbs, the manufacturer has moved the wheels to the inside of the body.

Husqvarna lawn mowers

The company manufactures from handheld models to versatile raiders. The 128R is equipped with a paddle blade and line reel. The mower is powered by a 2-stroke gasoline engine.

The Husqvarna WC48SE lawn mower attracts attention with its appearance, 48 cm mowing width, three-level grass mowing adjustment, front wheel drive and full technical equipment. The grass to be cut can be mulched and spread over the lawn or collected in a grass catcher.

The Husqvarna LT154 rider runs on gasoline. In one pass, it mows a strip 97 cm wide. The cut grass is dumped to one side. An excellent mini-tractor for processing large areas.Its only drawback is the lack of a grass catcher.

Husqvarna's self-propelled electric lawnmower is popularly called a robot. For its operation, a limit wire is dug in along the perimeter of the site. When the robot is first launched on the site, it carefully examines the entire area and enters the contour into the memory card. The navigation system is activated. Now your assistant independently checks the area every day and mows the grown grass. You just have to enjoy the beauty of the manicured lawns.

Expert advice on choosing lawn mowers for summer cottages

• Before choosing a model, consider how you will use the cut grass. To fertilize the site, you need a mower with mulching function.
• When choosing a grass catcher trimmer, pay attention to its capacity. It is desirable that he collect the slope from the entire site. The grass catcher will protect your lawn from sowing weed seeds.
• All parts of the mower you choose should be made only of durable quality materials. The best in this case are plastic or metal elements.
• If you have spinal problems, skip purchasing a hand-held lawn mower.
• Most models of raiders and wheel mowers have the ability to adjust the cutting height, which is important for terrain with bumps.
• The machine with large wheels will move more easily over the lawn.
• Refuse to buy mowers with a mowing element made of lines or cables. After them, the mowing does not look very attractive. The best option is sharp knives.
• The wider the mowing width, the fewer passes you need to cut the area.

Now you know in which country the lawn mower was invented, the main criteria for choosing the right model for your summer cottage. You can visit a specialty store and buy what you need, and in the spring try new equipment on your site. If you already own a mower, tell us about how you bought it and whether it met your expectations.

Video expert advice on choosing a lawn mower