Maintaining a healthy lawn is important for your home and the environment. With a lot of time and care, you can do it yourself and save money. But how? A common question homeowners ask themselves is whether a manual lawn mower could work for them.
It can, but there are some things to consider before deciding on one. Manual lawn mowers are cheaper than powered ones, but they’re more difficult to use (you have to push them instead of riding them) and don’t work well on hills or uneven terrain.
What is a manual lawn mower?
A manual mower works in a way similar to a lawn mower, only without the engine and gas tank. You need to push it along instead of driving it. The yard may be cut faster because the person using it isn’t distracted by seeing what they need to do at every moment, they won’t be stuck at the top of a hill and they can use all of the attachments without having to use a gas engine.
With a manual lawn mower, there are no moving parts to go out of whack and break. They are very durable and you can get at least 20 years of use from them. With a manual mower, there is no gas or oil to worry about. They require just a mower blade and a mowing bar, and can last up to 20 years. One disadvantage to using a manual lawn mower is that they require more work.
How do manual lawn mowers work?
The two main types of manual lawn mowers are a push mower and a ride-on. A push mower will usually do your mowing for you, while a ride-on works with a foot pedal, meaning you need to walk behind the machine to control it. The push mower would be the preferred option for a larger yard.
However, there are some disadvantages: You’ll have to walk behind it, pushing it along instead of riding. You can’t use a battery-powered lawn mower to cut grass; you’ll need to change the gas. Manual lawn mowers are usually manual push mowers or riding mowers.
All mowers have to have a certain size of lawn to work effectively. Small yards and high-pile grasses (grass that grows about two inches a year) can be handled with a push mower. Larger yards and more frequent cutting is best with a ride-on mower.
Are manual lawn mowers any good
Fisher Stroll Trios 250 2.5 hp Manual Lawn Mower The Fisher Stroll Trios 250 2.5 HP Manual Lawn Mower from Fisher & Paykel has all the tools you need to keep your lawn healthy, and it’s easy to use. It has an optional battery pack for uphill hills, a mulching head and adjustable blade height so you can mow the perfect height each time.
The battery pack can also be charged while you’re mowing. It has a self-contained 20-watt engine that means you can use a 20-amp plug, so you can easily use it outside of the hours set on the battery. It also has a water bottle holder. You can’t see the blade from the handle, so you never know if you’re running over something or not.
What are the benefits of a manual lawn mower?
Cost: A manual mower will cost you around $100 on average.
Cheaper upfront costs: A manual mower usually costs less up front than a powered one.
Allows for greater customization: Manual lawn mowers are easier to customize based on how you want the lawn to look.
Less maintenance: Manual lawn mowers are generally easier to use than most electric mowers, and you don’t have to worry about the lawn getting clogged up.
Don’t waste your time on a push-style mower. This type of mower uses a motor to give you a push. That’s not what you’re looking for if you want to maintain your lawn. You’ll need to learn how to drive an electric mower, but it’s not difficult to learn.
What are the drawbacks of a manual lawn mower?
Power: Whereas manual lawn mowers work on flat ground, most powered lawn mowers are designed to work on hills and inclines. There are manual and electric options, but they usually require you to pay extra and take extra steps to get the best quality and performance from them.
Slow: Instead of working for 30 minutes to an hour, your manual lawn mower might have to go for 40 minutes before it can get a good workout. The electric ones will take much less time to get a good workout and can run for 20 minutes to an hour before the battery needs recharged.
Lack of use: It’s true that manual lawn mowers work just as well as electric and powered mowers when they’re fully used. However, they’re pretty hard to put away when you’re done.
How to use it if you have a small yard
Consider how often you’ll mow your yard to decide whether a manual mower will work. In general, most manual lawn mowers can be used 2-4 times per week. Depending on the size of your yard, you’ll need to mow it at different heights.
For example, a 10-foot x 10-foot yard will need to be mowed a couple of times a week at a height of about 12 inches. In many instances, a manual mower will do the job just fine. For the most part, the only chore a manual lawn mower is better at than a battery-powered mower is holding a tool when its battery is low.
How to use it if you have a larger yard: If you want to use a manual mower in a larger yard, you’ll need to buy the right size mower or pay someone to do it for you.
When is it better to use a powered lawn mower instead of a manual one?
Older manual mowers don’t work well on hills or on uneven surfaces. The spinning blade on a powered mower cuts straight across the grass, cutting straight down, rather than turning. If you have lots of ground to mow or lawns with lots of different types of grass, it may be more cost-effective to buy a powered mower that can handle it.
If you have a lot of manual lawn mower parts (whisks, etc.), you might have to buy several different types for each machine to save money on your mower repair bill. As long as you’re looking to save money, the cheaper option is always a manual mower.
What to look for when buying a manual lawn mower
You’ll find a wide variety of manual lawn mowers, but they all have a few common features: Don’t be scared of them – all manual lawn mowers are completely safe You don’t have to pay to break them – they’re almost always cheap to repair.
They’re easy to maneuver around obstacles – for example, around trees, bushes or tall grass If you already have a powered lawn mower, you can often swap it out for a manual one. If you don’t, you’ll probably need to buy a new one.
What if you already own a manual lawn mower? Even though you may not use your manual lawn mower often, it still has some life left in it. Why not use it for the upcoming season? If you find that you want to try something different this year, then you should consider buying a powered lawn mower instead.
Conclusion
Both gas-powered and electric mowers have their pros and cons, but you’ll need to ask yourself which type of mower fits your needs best. They both have their benefits. What type of mower do you have? Which do you like better?