Buy lawn mowers cheaply: consumer tips
Manual mowers are available with and without wheel drive. Without it, the mower must be pushed by muscle power. It is particularly suitable for small to medium areas in flat or slightly sloped locations. With wheel drive, there is no need to push, and larger and more steeply sloped areas can also be mowed. Advantages include low noise development, independence from power sockets, and good environmental compatibility.
Petrol mowers are relatively loud and heavy, but they offer great freedom of movement and are suitable for larger areas. In use, petrol mowers are more expensive than electric mowers. Electric mowers with cables are limited in their range due to the power supply and are somewhat more complicated to handle than petrol mowers. However, they produce less noise and generate no exhaust fumes. Battery or cordless lawn mowers can only be used for small lawns due to limited battery capacity. However, they run particularly quietly and in some cases are fully automatic. Hover mowers essentially float above the ground, making them easy to handle, versatile, and particularly suitable for steep slopes and inclines. Lawn trimmers and brush cutters are especially used in narrow and very tight working areas, along sidewalk edges, at fences, between newly planted shrubs, and on smaller meadow areas. Additionally, brush cutters can be used to cut high meadows or wildflower areas short.
What should be considered when buying a lawn mower?
The choice of device mainly depends on the size, shape, and location of the lawn area. However, an important criterion is ease of use. The adjustment of the cutting height should be easy to perform, the handle height should be adjustable, and all parts that occasionally require maintenance should be easily accessible. The blades must also be easy to remove for replacement or sharpening. Of course, every lawn mower must have a grass collection bag. For petrol 4-stroke engines, the engine oil level must also be checked regularly and changed once a year. For electric mowers, attention should be paid to clearly visible cables with a secure cable holder on the mower, an RCD (Residual Current Device), a so-called dead man's switch (automatic stop of the drive and cutting tool after releasing the mower), and a blade brake.
What about the impact on the environment and surroundings?
An important point is the noise pollution caused by the lawn mower. This can harm one's own health as well as the relationship with neighbours. The noise emissions are indicated in decibels for each mower, allowing for comparison. The energy consumption is, of course, best with manual mowers. The specifications for engine power are given in watts or kilowatts (kW) for motor-driven devices. A more powerful device can also mow a higher grass density. Thus, the sensible choice of engine power depends on mowing habits. The emission of pollutants should also be considered when purchasing a mower. Non-motorised and electric mowers have no local emissions at all. For petrol mowers, the design of the engine is crucial. In particular, the installation of a catalytic converter can bring about a significant reduction.
