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A lawn that is beautifully manicured is a joy to behold and, with the right mower, it can be a breeze to maintain. Today, there’s a vast range of lawn mower brands and models on offer and, with new mowing technology and improved designs, many have become quieter, more ergonomic and more efficient garden tools to have in your arsenal. Whether you have a large yard, sloping block or tiny patch of grass, here’s a round-up of options to help find a machine to suit you.
The classic push mower can be ideal for small lawns and, without the need to charge batteries or top up petrol, it is always ready to go. They’re also quiet to use, easy to manoeuvre, budget friendly and compact to store in your garage or garden shed. When comparing manual lawn mower models, look for robust components, a catcher option and a lightweight design. For a consistent, level cut of your turf, consider a model with self-sharpening blades, like the Victa 16" razor cut push mower.
Perennially popular, petrol mowers offer considerable power and a longer cut time. A key consideration is whether to opt for a push or self-propelled machine. Push mowers are a great choice for smaller flat lawns, while self-propelled models are faster moving and more suited to larger yards with hills or obstacles. With a quality steel deck and a powerful four-stroke engine, you can expect this type of lawn mower to provide years of grass-cutting service. Look for mulching, bagging or discharging versatility and an automatic choke feature, which will make starting the mower easier.
Lightweight and simple to start with the flick of a switch, electric mowers are easy to manoeuvre around garden corners and push up grassy inclines. Being electric-powered, they require minimal maintenance and don’t produce emissions. But they do need to be plugged into a power outlet, which limits their range, making electric lawn mowers best suited to small yards.
Fantastic for downsizers and anyone with a small- to medium-sized lawn, robotic mowers have risen in popularity as an effective set-and-forget option to keep grass neatly trimmed year-round, says horticulturist Adam Woodhams at Victa. As with robotic vacuum cleaners, after initial programming, they work within mapped zones and return to a charging dock. Some robotic mower models also have theft prevention technology.
“The Victa ‘RM100’ has onboard sensors that navigate around fixed obstacles and random ones, like a chair left in the middle of the lawn, and is safe around kids and pets,” explains Adam. “If lifted or flipped over, it will automatically stop and the rain sensor means it automatically returns to its charging station if it becomes too wet.” Various robotic lawn mower models can capably handle moderate slopes and lawns up to 600sqm.
The range of battery powered and cordless lawn mowers has grown and so has their performance, according to Ozito’s Grant Bertram. “Battery power and technology innovations now deliver the power of petrol within our brushless 36V (2 x 18V) mowers, so you can power through large lawns up to 500sqm on a single charge,” he says. “The Ah or amp hours are like the fuel of the tank. The bigger the Ah number of the battery, the more lawn you can mow before you need to recharge.”
For homes with small back or front yards, Grant recommends an 18V lawn mower or cylinder mower. For larger areas, he suggests a 36V (2 x 18V) cordless model with a brushless motor: “This will deliver the power of petrol without the hassle and need for mixing fuels – and it’s virtually maintenance free.”
Available as both battery- and petrol-powered models, ride-on lawn mowers are the go-to for medium to large properties with upwards of 800-1000sqm of lawn. “As a general guide, the bigger the lawn the wider the cut you want, as you mow more grass with each pass,” explains Adam. “The two main types are a cart or tractor style that use a typical steering wheel and pedal arrangement, and ‘zero turn’ or ‘zero radius’ machines that use levers to control steering.
Tractor types are easy to control and can tow and include catcher kits. However, due to the turn radius, they can leave areas of uncut grass behind, requiring backtracking. Zero turn can cover large areas in less time and offer great manoeuvrability, but can only be used on flat grass areas.
For a lusher lawn, leave the grass to grow a little longer. This allows it to photosynthesise more efficiently, growing stronger foliage and roots. Long grass blades also shade the soil and roots from sun and heat, reducing moisture loss from your turf.
And, to up your sustainability, mulch mow to add a blanket of insulating mulch every time you mow. “Mulch mowing is more sustainable as it returns ultra-fine clippings to the lawn as you mow,” explains Adam. “It also speeds up the job as there’s no stopping to empty the catcher.”
Now it’s time to learn how to mow like a pro with our expert grass-cutting advice.
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When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.
