Lawnmower: the complete guide
Lawnmower: the complete guide
The Guides to choosing Emmeti Store They are a compendium of useful information and advice for its customers and for all those who are about to buy a power tool, a hand tool or a pneumatic tool, a garden tool or a head of clothing accident prevention.
This guide fits into this dimension, written thanks to the precious feedback from our customers and the continuous search for a better service that we give to our customers every day. The complete guide on lawnmowers is divided into various sections, each of which is dedicated to a specific topic: the discussion on lawnmowers will open with the presentation of this garden tool and its technical characteristics: we will discuss the latter in more depth with the idea of focusing on the one not to be missed during the choice and purchase; we will analyze the models on the market by dividing them into three large subcategories depending on their power supply, be it electric, combustion or battery; we will talk about power, a parameter strictly linked to the type of power supply and the performance that a lawnmower can achieve; the guide will ask for the discussion on mulching, a new type of cut with release that is really depopulating nowadays, and some advice to deepen the choice of the lawnmower that is right for you.
The Lawnmower: A Step-by-Step Guide
The lawnmower is a fundamental gardening tool in the care of greenery. There are many models of lawnmowers on the market and it is often not easy to understand which ones stand out from the crowd, in terms of performance and manufacturing quality. There are essentially 3 different types of lawnmowers distinguished from each other by the type of power supply that moves them: battery-powered lawnmowers, electric lawnmowers and lawnmowers with a petrol engine. Each of these models has its advantages and disadvantages: we will try to analyze them in detail later. Then there is another type of lawnmower, the result of technological innovation, which is the automated or robotic model, which however we will not discuss in this guide.
A separate section will be dedicated to the introduction of another type of machine for cutting greenery: the tractor.
For now, it will suffice to say that whatever the energy source, it is responsible for both setting the lawnmower in motion and turning its blades, which are the most characteristic component of this garden tool.
Among the brands that stand out on the market today for innovation and product guarantee you will find the Japanese company Makita, and the American, German-adopted Skil.
From now on it should be clear that if you want to obtain a perfect and professional job, that is to say a perfect mowing of the green, you will have to rely on a quality tool; this is valid for both lawnmowers and all other tools. gardening cutting such as for example the brush cutters and trimmers, the hedge trimmers, the chainsaws and electric saws and the pruning shears.
Here is the solution to get the job done perfectly and with the least amount of effort possible: always rely on the specific tool for that job.
A separate section will be dedicated to the introduction of another type of machine for cutting greenery: the tractor.
For now, it will suffice to say that whatever the energy source, it is responsible for both setting the lawnmower in motion and turning its blades, which are the most characteristic component of this garden tool.
Among the brands that stand out on the market today for innovation and product guarantee you will find the Japanese company Makita, and the American, German-adopted Skil.
From now on it should be clear that if you want to obtain a perfect and professional job, that is to say a perfect mowing of the green, you will have to rely on a quality tool; this is valid for both lawnmowers and all other tools. gardening cutting such as for example the brush cutters and trimmers, the hedge trimmers, the chainsaws and electric saws and the pruning shears.
Here is the solution to get the job done perfectly and with the least amount of effort possible: always rely on the specific tool for that job.
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Makita EY2650H25H Telescopic Pruner
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Makita EH5000W Petrol Hedge Trimmer
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The lawnmower: features to consider
What do you need to know to make the right choice? This question hides many pitfalls: it is true that the lawnmower is a relatively well-known tool and used by everyone at home, but there are still many questions that come to us about the characteristics of a lawnmower that are still unknown or little understood and the meaning of some very important parameters. Above all, pFor this reason we decided to write this guide to buying a lawnmower, to clarify what a self-propelled lawnmower means and what the differences are between this model and the push lawnmower, whether a mixture-powered lawnmower or an electric one is better, the relationship between the green surface and the tool to choose. All these considerations, which may seem like nitpicking, make the difference between a perfect and safe job and an approximate and expensive job.
Let's analyze, section by section, the various characteristics of a lawnmower.
Let's analyze, section by section, the various characteristics of a lawnmower.
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Skil Electric Lawnmower 1170
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Makita DLM380Z 36v Lawnmower without batteries
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The lawnmower: battery-powered, electric or petrol-powered
Let's start by talking about the difference in power supply in the different lawnmower models. There are 4 types of lawnmowers on the market, each powered by a different technology: we find the lawnmower with petrol engine, the electric powered lawnmower domestic, the battery powered lawnmower and finally the robotic lawnmower. As mentioned, we will not deal with this last model here, leaving it to a specific guide.
The petrol lawnmower does not impose any limitations, being able to count on a high power and a great freedom of movement. It is a valid solution, but even in this case there are aspects that deserve careful evaluation. A small-sized machine with a power of about 3.5 - 4 HP is probably the one that allows you to slalom between flower beds and bushes while being able to mow lawns of 1000 - 1200 m2 without effort and therefore ensure both good flexibility in movements and good performance in continuous cutting.
When the surface to be mowed increases, it is advisable to think about proportionally greater powers. If the surface of the garden exceeds 2500 square meters, to tackle the cutting of the grass, it is advisable to start thinking about a tractor.
The petrol lawnmower does not impose any limitations, being able to count on a high power and a great freedom of movement. It is a valid solution, but even in this case there are aspects that deserve careful evaluation. A small-sized machine with a power of about 3.5 - 4 HP is probably the one that allows you to slalom between flower beds and bushes while being able to mow lawns of 1000 - 1200 m2 without effort and therefore ensure both good flexibility in movements and good performance in continuous cutting.
When the surface to be mowed increases, it is advisable to think about proportionally greater powers. If the surface of the garden exceeds 2500 square meters, to tackle the cutting of the grass, it is advisable to start thinking about a tractor.
THE electric powered lawnmowers domestic are characterized by a modest weight, an economic cost, a low noise and environmental impact and practically no maintenance.
This type of lawnmower has a power that can reach 1500 - 1700 W, enough to operate blades longer than 40 cm. The limit is therefore not the cutting width but the length of the power cable. They are suitable for small lawns and located in the immediate vicinity of the house but a lot also depends on the shape of the plot of land which, for the same surface area, can present very different situations. It is one thing to intervene on a square surface of 20x20 meters (400 m2), it is another to operate on a strip of land of about 40x10 m (always 400 m2) perhaps with plants to walk around.
An unpleasant aspect of electric lawnmowers is the size of the grass collection bag. This container, connected via an interlocking system, must be emptied frequently, thus slowing down the cutting operations.
In the end, the battery powered lawnmower They are the most ecological in the wide range of lawnmowers offered on the market. They are also quiet, ideal for soft carpets of small to medium size. Among the features that distinguish them are the adjustable cutting height, wheels mounted on ball bearings, ergonomic inclination of the handle in different positions, safety key to avoid accidental starting and much more that makes battery-powered lawnmowers very popular gardening tools. Their lightness makes them really versatile and comfortable to use, obviously the dependence on a charger means that these lawnmowers are not suitable for intensive work and on large surfaces. They therefore remain an excellent compromise for those who have a small to medium green surface, perhaps with many details such as flowerbeds or trees, who take great care of the ecological and noisy aspect of the tool.
This type of lawnmower has a power that can reach 1500 - 1700 W, enough to operate blades longer than 40 cm. The limit is therefore not the cutting width but the length of the power cable. They are suitable for small lawns and located in the immediate vicinity of the house but a lot also depends on the shape of the plot of land which, for the same surface area, can present very different situations. It is one thing to intervene on a square surface of 20x20 meters (400 m2), it is another to operate on a strip of land of about 40x10 m (always 400 m2) perhaps with plants to walk around.
An unpleasant aspect of electric lawnmowers is the size of the grass collection bag. This container, connected via an interlocking system, must be emptied frequently, thus slowing down the cutting operations.
In the end, the battery powered lawnmower They are the most ecological in the wide range of lawnmowers offered on the market. They are also quiet, ideal for soft carpets of small to medium size. Among the features that distinguish them are the adjustable cutting height, wheels mounted on ball bearings, ergonomic inclination of the handle in different positions, safety key to avoid accidental starting and much more that makes battery-powered lawnmowers very popular gardening tools. Their lightness makes them really versatile and comfortable to use, obviously the dependence on a charger means that these lawnmowers are not suitable for intensive work and on large surfaces. They therefore remain an excellent compromise for those who have a small to medium green surface, perhaps with many details such as flowerbeds or trees, who take great care of the ecological and noisy aspect of the tool.
The power of your lawnmower: a fact not to be overlooked
Let's start from the assumption that it is useless to buy a lawnmower more powerful than what is actually necessary, first of all because consumption would increase disproportionately, secondly a more powerful gardening tool means heavier, less manageable and noisier. For this reason, the first consideration you will have to make is about the extension of the lawn you want to mow. In general, if the surface does not exceed 250 square meters in extension, a lawnmower of 1800 W or 4 HP in the case of a combustion engine may be sufficient. Let's go back a second: the power of an electric motor is expressed in Watts (W) and indicates how much a tool powered in this way is able to deal with heavy work situations; if we are talking about an electric lawnmower, the power in Watts suggests whether or not this tool will be able to cut a tall and thick lawn with a very large surface. The greater the power of the engine, the better the performance of the tool. Important: the engine power is a fundamental parameter, but only in the case of large extensions, let's say medium-large; in fact, if the surface to be cut is a small plot, under 200 square meters, the power becomes less fundamental, in these cases you could even resort to a battery-powered lawnmower, more manageable and less expensive.
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Cutting deck width and blade type
Among the technical data provided with a lawnmower you will always find the width of the cutting deck; this parameter indicates the maximum cutting diameter that can be achieved with a given lawnmower, i.e. the width of a cut with a single pass. Obviously, as the diameter of the blades increases, the time needed to cut the entire lawn decreases, since the entire extension can be covered with fewer passes. However, this feature has a drawback: the greater the cutting width of a lawnmower, the greater the size of the tool and the less possibility of moving easily in the details. For this reason, if your lawn is small and detailed, the advice is to orient yourself towards small and compact models such as battery-powered lawnmowers; if the extension were to increase from would remain detailed, then you could switch to a small electric lawnmower; for an extension of more than 300 square meters, free from details such as flowerbeds and trees, we recommend that you orient yourself towards petrol lawnmower models.
This discussion ties in well with another characteristic that distinguishes the various lawnmower models: the type of blades. When choosing a lawnmower, you must also take into account the fact that there are different types of blades on the market; this could lead to some confusion in the buyer. In fact, there are single-blade lawnmowers and multiple-blade lawnmowers that differ significantly in performance. Naturally, multiple-blade lawnmowers are the most suitable when a professional cut or efficient passes are required. Among the types of multiple blades on the market, the most efficient are triple blades, followed by double blades. The first type is quite expensive but guarantees an excellent result in a single pass, saving you in terms of electricity or fuel consumption. When aiming for a professional cut, the choice of a single blade should be avoided; this type of blade often requires you to go over the cut strip several times, forcing you to do an exhausting finishing job.
This discussion ties in well with another characteristic that distinguishes the various lawnmower models: the type of blades. When choosing a lawnmower, you must also take into account the fact that there are different types of blades on the market; this could lead to some confusion in the buyer. In fact, there are single-blade lawnmowers and multiple-blade lawnmowers that differ significantly in performance. Naturally, multiple-blade lawnmowers are the most suitable when a professional cut or efficient passes are required. Among the types of multiple blades on the market, the most efficient are triple blades, followed by double blades. The first type is quite expensive but guarantees an excellent result in a single pass, saving you in terms of electricity or fuel consumption. When aiming for a professional cut, the choice of a single blade should be avoided; this type of blade often requires you to go over the cut strip several times, forcing you to do an exhausting finishing job.
Self-propelled or push-along: what's the difference?
Before talking about the difference between self-propelled and push lawnmower models, it would be interesting to discuss the size and type of wheels. This topic is not so interesting in relation to electric lawnmowers, given that these are light and equipped with wheels in simple plastic material, but in relation to the heavier models with internal combustion engines. Internal combustion lawnmowers have a heavy engine whose stresses often put the structure of the lawnmower itself to the test. For this reason, these models must have sturdy and solid wheels, with a good size so as to support the internal combustion engine without problems even in the event of stress due for example to depressions, slopes or uneven ground.
Given the structural heaviness of an internal combustion engine, some lawnmower models are equipped with a partial traction system that connects the engine to the wheels of the tool, so as to help the user in pushing the vehicle. This additional help provides a significant advantage, when the slope of the lawn is challenging or when the surface is large.
Often these self-propelled lawnmower models have a traction starter device that can be disengaged on occasion so as to return the lawnmower to simple push operation.
However, lawnmowers have two drawbacks: the first is certainly a higher price compared to traditional push lawnmowers; secondly, the maintenance required is greater and requires constant cleaning of the self-propelled segment from cutting debris so as to avoid the traction device being subjected to excessive strain. For this reason, it is of primary importance to purchase self-propelled lawnmowers only of excellent quality and from manufacturing companies that are well-established on the market and offer a high guarantee such as Bosch, Makita and Skil.
Given the structural heaviness of an internal combustion engine, some lawnmower models are equipped with a partial traction system that connects the engine to the wheels of the tool, so as to help the user in pushing the vehicle. This additional help provides a significant advantage, when the slope of the lawn is challenging or when the surface is large.
Often these self-propelled lawnmower models have a traction starter device that can be disengaged on occasion so as to return the lawnmower to simple push operation.
However, lawnmowers have two drawbacks: the first is certainly a higher price compared to traditional push lawnmowers; secondly, the maintenance required is greater and requires constant cleaning of the self-propelled segment from cutting debris so as to avoid the traction device being subjected to excessive strain. For this reason, it is of primary importance to purchase self-propelled lawnmowers only of excellent quality and from manufacturing companies that are well-established on the market and offer a high guarantee such as Bosch, Makita and Skil.
The lawnmower revolution: the "Mulching" function
Mulching refers to the characteristic feature of some petrol lawnmowers, those capable of shredding the cut grass and redistributing it on the ground.
Every time we cut the lawn we deprive the grass of important nutrients; it is in this perspective that mulching becomes important. The nutrients, with mulching, are returned to the soil ffacilitating the biodegradation of the cut material and its reuse as compost. This consideration shows us some absolutely advantageous sides of mulching: first of all, a saving in terms of time spent cutting the grass, avoiding stopping every time to empty the rear bag; secondly, there is a saving in terms of care and maintenance of the greenery, avoiding the use of fertilizers and saving the tax on the disposal of the greenery.
It is true that lawnmowers equipped with a mulching kit are more expensive, justifying their purchase only in the case of very large surfaces. Our advice is to orient yourself towards a mulching model if your lawn is larger than 250 square meters, a consideration that comes from a careful analysis of the cost-benefit ratio.
Every time we cut the lawn we deprive the grass of important nutrients; it is in this perspective that mulching becomes important. The nutrients, with mulching, are returned to the soil ffacilitating the biodegradation of the cut material and its reuse as compost. This consideration shows us some absolutely advantageous sides of mulching: first of all, a saving in terms of time spent cutting the grass, avoiding stopping every time to empty the rear bag; secondly, there is a saving in terms of care and maintenance of the greenery, avoiding the use of fertilizers and saving the tax on the disposal of the greenery.
It is true that lawnmowers equipped with a mulching kit are more expensive, justifying their purchase only in the case of very large surfaces. Our advice is to orient yourself towards a mulching model if your lawn is larger than 250 square meters, a consideration that comes from a careful analysis of the cost-benefit ratio.
Expert advice: choosing and buying the perfect lawnmower
When you are looking to buy a lawnmower, the first thing to look at is the brand. This is why in our online store we sell lawnmowers from the best manufacturers, such as Makita and Skil. This is of primary importance because these manufacturers guarantee their products over time and their name is a guarantee of an excellent quality/price ratio. A second thing to keep in mind, closely linked to the previous issue of the brand, is the care taken with the components. It often happens that some manufacturers pay more attention to the engine and less to the external parts such as covers, producing them in plastic materials of poor resistance. Our expert's advice, considering what has been said in this guide, is therefore to look for a recognized brand that offers excellent guarantees but not to take anything for granted: choose those lawnmowers that show an overall attention to detail, which goes from the engine to the material making up the wheels.
The tractor
The very last consideration concerns a very popular but almost exclusively used gardening tool. tractors are particular types of tools with a high-quality engine, small and easy to handle, characteristics that make them very useful when the size of the land is small or very detailed. Makita tractors, for example, are equipped with a powerful 4-stroke Briggs & Stratton OVH engine, with mechanical transmission with speed variator and easy start-up thanks to the electric starter. The seat is adjustable for better driving comfort. It is set up for mulching and has a convenient water connection for washing the mowing unit.
If the surface to be cut is very large, and using a simple push or self-propelled lawnmower would require excessive effort, we recommend that you choose a tractor that will allow you to obtain professional lawn cuts and with less energy expenditure.
If the surface to be cut is very large, and using a simple push or self-propelled lawnmower would require excessive effort, we recommend that you choose a tractor that will allow you to obtain professional lawn cuts and with less energy expenditure.