A Shopping Guide to Mulching Lawn Mowers
This guide will help you find a grasscycling mower that’s right for you. For up-to-date ratings of mulch-mower performance, consult the most recent June issue of Consumer Reports, available at your local library.
Push Mowers
Not only are push mowers quiet, non-polluting and inexpensive, they do a good job of grasscycling. One disadvantage is that they can’t chop and blow the clippings down into the turf like a power mulching mower. But you can always rake up the areas where clippings might be tracked into the house. Grass clippings make great compost and mulch.
Push mowers are sold in most local hardware stores, as well as big department and discount stores. Quality of construction varies with price, so comparison shop. Test the handle for stiffness, strong attachment to the mower, and comfortable hand grips. Compare the ease of height adjustment, and look for smooth, sharp blade edges. Higher priced mowers often have six blades rather than five, to cut more smoothly.
Yard sales may yield a fine old push mower, which can be reconditioned and sharpened by a mower repair shop. Or check out local hardware stores or mower repair shops. Many of them sell reconditioned mowers at about half the new price. Repair shops can also sharpen blades for you. Remember, sharp blades cut cleaner, easier, and leave your lawn healthier and better looking.
Electric Mulching Mowers
Electric mowers are much quieter than gas models, and there’s no smelly exhaust and no problem disposing of used oil or old fuel. If you can mow weekly in the spring, you’ll probably never need to bag or rake. For small yards, an electric mower with a cord may be the perfect grasscycling machine. For bigger yards, the cordless electric mowers (with rechargeable batteries) may be worth the extra cost. In general, electric mowers are not as powerful as gas mowers, so they usually have slightly shorter blades and will have to be pushed a little slower in overgrown, wet grass. But they’re easy to start, easy on your ears, and good for our air quality too!
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