Maintaining a lawn doesn’t have to be difficult. The vast variety of push lawnmowers available mean that you can care for everything from a small patch of grass to a larger garden with ease.
But what is a push lawnmower, and what features should you be on the lookout for to make sure you find the best model for you? Here at Hughie Willett Machinery, our team will take you through all this and more in our handy guide to buying a push lawn mower.
What is a push lawnmower?
But first, what do we mean when we talk about push mowers?
A push lawn mower is a type of walk-behind model, and may also be called a pedestrian mower. Basically, this type of mower requires you to stand behind it and actively push or guide the frame to move across your lawn.
Push mower blades are typically powered by a petrol or electric engine, which can also be designed to assist in driving and moving the mower over your lawn. This type of push mower is classified as self-propelling, and only requires you to guide it across your lawn.
Parts of a push lawnmower
Before you commit to a push mower purchase, it’s worth taking some time to understand what the different parts are. To help you learn what you can expect from your push mower, we’ve included a labelled diagram below. This isn’t an exhaustive list of each part, but is a fantastic example of what you can expect from a top-quality walk-behind mower.
Note – this diagram shows the Husqvarna LC141i Battery Lawnmower. Other models may have different parts, especially if they’re petrol powered.
But why have we highlighted these areas?
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Safety handle: safety handles are an essential design feature for mechanical tools, like push mowers. This ensures that the engine cannot be accidentally engaged, reducing the likelihood of injuries to yourself or others around you.
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Folding handle: ergonomic handles are ideal for push lawn mowers, as they make the tool more comfortable to use over an extended period of time. Foldable handles also make it easier to store your tool by reducing the space they take up.
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Battery compartment: as this is an electric push mower, the battery compartment is vital to the design. In this instance, the cover protects the battery and connections from damage.
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Grass collection box: mowing is only part of the job, as the cut grass needs somewhere to go. A grass collection box makes clean up and waste disposal easier, and allows you to focus on completing one job at a time.
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Cutting height handle: being able to easily change the height of your mower deck allows you to control how you want your lawn to look. Having this handle on the outside of your mower provides easy access, and protects your hands from the blades beneath your mower.
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Front handle: this Husqvarna push lawn mower has a front and back handle on the body to make transporting and storing your mower a lot easier.
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Wheels: obviously, push mower wheels are vital. You should look out for sturdy, durable wheels that are less likely to get stuck or damaged by debris in your garden.
Buying a push lawnmower
So, what are the key considerations to buying a new push lawnmower? In this section, we’ll take you through several of the aspects that will help you decide which push mower is right for your needs.
Intended use
The first thing you need to consider is are you looking for a push mower for professional or domestic use? Groundskeepers, landscapers, and other gardening professionals need a tool that can withstand heavy use over long durations, which tends to lean in favour of a petrol push lawnmower.
Alternatively, for domestic lawns, a corded or battery push mower could be the perfect solution to help you manage your garden.
Top tip – for larger lawns and estates, professionals may wish to consider a ride-on mower to save you time and energy.
Another aspect of intended use is how frequently you’re planning on mowing, and what type of lawn you want to achieve? For example, a close-cropped ornamental lawn requires more frequent passes with a push lawnmower to keep the grass at the right height.
On the other hand, if you’re planning for a more hardy, high-traffic lawn, (especially if you have pets or children), you don’t want to mow too frequently as this may weaken the durability of your grass.
Area size
For similar reasons to above, you need to consider which type of mower will suit the size of your lawn. For example, battery or corded push lawnmowers are ideal for smaller home gardens, and will save money in the long run, whereas larger gardens need a push mower with more power.
Area size will also dictate whether you would prefer a self-propelled or push mower. Self-propelled mowers take less energy to move, which is ideal for prolonged use across a larger surface area.
Mower size
As a brief note, you’ll also need to consider the size of your push mower. If you have a small yard or garden, a large lawnmower could prove inefficient and can be fairly expensive to run. Whereas with a bigger area, a small mower will mean it could take you a lot longer to complete the job, costing you in time, energy, and efficiency.
Power
Power type will always have a big impact on what type of tool is best for you to use. With push mowers, the power type will control the blades, and may play a part in propelling the frame to assist you. There are three types of power sources for push mowers, which we’ll explore in more detail below.
Petrol push lawn mowers
Petrol walk-behind mowers are fantastic for larger areas because the engines are more powerful, which can save you time. They also don’t require you to stop to recharge because you can simply refill the fuel tank, which means they’re ideal for more remote areas where you’ll be working away from an electrical source – like on smaller gardens within an estate complex.
However, petrol engines are naturally heavier and more complicated to start, which can make them harder for domestic users to manage properly. They’re also louder than other push mowers, which means they’re not always feasible to use in suburban or well-populated areas.
Corded push lawn mowers
For simple domestic use, you may wish to consider buying a corded push mower. These are light, durable, and connected to the mains supply by an electrical cord. This connection means that the power will always be consistent and stable, and you don’t have to worry about having to stop mid-charge.
But, this power advantage does come with a drawback – and ironically, that’s the cord. You’ll need to make sure it’s long enough for you to comfortably cover the entire area, and keep an eye on where it is at all times to prevent accidentally damaging or severing it. If you’re not used to it, this can make a corded push mower harder to use until you get the knack.
Battery push lawn mowers
Combining the best of both worlds, battery (or cordless) push lawn mowers are a fantastic option for domestic or light professional use. They’re lightweight and quiet, which is ideal for beginners to use in their home garden.
They’re also portable, which means professionals can use them in remote settings. However, they are less powerful than petrol mowers, and you can be restricted by the battery life.
Top tip – make sure to always have a spare battery, or choose a cordless mower from the same range as any other battery powered tools to create a circular power system.
Push or self-propelled
As the name suggests, many push mowers need to be propelled by you, whilst the engine manages the momentum of the blade deck. However, as we mentioned above, some push mowers are designed to be self-propelling. In these cases, the engine also provides power to the wheel drive to make it easier for you to mow your lawn.
It’s worth nothing that this does tend to make your walk-behind mower more expensive – so you need to consider whether this is worth it.
For example, a regular push mower is ideal if you have a small, and more importantly flat, lawn. This will require some effort from you to keep the mower moving, but will save you money in the long run – and is a great way to help you keep fit in the summer.
Alternatively, self-propelled mowers are ideal for hilly or uneven terrain and larger gardens because they reduce the amount of energy you need to use them properly. This is especially true if you have a collection bag attachment because this can start to weigh a lot as it fills and make it harder for you to use your push mower efficiently.
Wheel drive
The type of wheel drive your push mower has will change how easily you can use the mower over certain terrain types.
For example, front wheel drive (FWD) is ideal for flat gardens with a lot of obstacles or ornaments that you can’t move – like flower beds, bird baths, and built-in sheds. Front wheel drive gives you more control and is much easier to steer precisely. However, this type will struggle on uneven terrain, as the front wheels can lift and spin. Additionally, FWD push mowers can lose traction when used with a collection bag, as the weight steadily shifts backwards.
Rear or all wheel drive push mowers on the other hand, are excellent on hilly or uneven lawns, or when used with a collection bag. This is because an all wheel drive (AWD), or rear wheel drive (RWD) push mower helps to keep traction on an incline to make sure you can mow your lawn effectively with less effort. With the weight already shifted to the back of the machine, they’re able to hug to the ground and cut your lawn properly. However, they can be heavier, which will affect how well you can use them.
Cutting mechanism
Walk-behind lawn mowers have a variety of cutting methods for you to choose from which have their own strengths and weaknesses depending on intended use.
Rotary push mowers are incredibly popular. These use a rotating blade on the mower deck, which cuts the grass as it spins, and are good over mid length lawns. Plus, it’s very easy to adjust the cutting height. Rotary blades are excellent at mulching grasses, as they come into contact with the same section multiple times to cut the grass into smaller pieces. They’re also more tolerant of minor collisions with rocks or garden debris.
However, dull rotary blades are more likely to rip or tear the grass instead of cutting it, which can damage your lawn. Additionally, if you want a very closely cropped lawn, rotary blades tend to struggle to perform precisely at lower cutting heights.
Hover mowers still use a rotary blade, but also have fans which create a cushion of air. This causes them to float over the ground whilst in use, instead of using wheels, and allows you to ‘sweep’ the mower across your lawn. This motion is ideal for smaller gardens with less room to manoeuvre, on uneven terrain, or over long grass. Unfortunately, hover push mowers typically have a smaller cutting width, and it’s harder to adjust the cutting height.
Lastly, you can get cylinder push mowers. These use a rolling cycle of blades to cut your grass. This mechanism allows you to mow close to the ground efficiently and precisely, which is perfect for high maintenance ornamental lawns and to avoid lawn scalping. This design is not suitable for long grasses however, so you’ll need to mow your lawn more frequently to make the most of it. They also struggle over uneven terrain.
Cutting width
Alongside the cutting mechanism, you should consider the cutting width of your push mower before you buy. A wider cutting width allows you to cover more ground in a shorter amount of time, which will save you time and energy. Narrower push mowers are useful in small gardens where you need to maximise how much room you have to turn.
Attachments and extras
When you’re buying a new walk-behind mower, you’ll want to get the most for your money. That’s why we recommend looking out for any attachments and extras that are compatible with your chosen mower.
For example, we’ve mentioned cutting collection bags before, but these are an incredibly useful attachment to your walk-behind mower. This allows you to easily dispose of your grass waste into a dedicated compost heap or elsewhere. Or, you can choose not to use it to keep a light layer on top of your lawn to reintroduce nutrients into the soil.
Top tip – leaving cuttings on your lawn works best when your mower has a mulching setting. This partially shreds the cut grass into smaller pieces, reducing the chances of a heavy layer affecting grass growth.
You should also be on the lookout for additional features like the following:
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An adjustable cutting height ensures you can achieve your desired lawn style.
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Rear rollers help to compress the grass slightly to give that characteristic stripe down your lawn.
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Adjustable or folding handles make your walk-behind lawnmower more comfortable to use, and easier to store.
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A side discharge sends cuttings to one side, and is less prone to clogging on wet or clumped grass.
Push lawnmower tips
Choosing your push mower is only the first part of the job. You also need to use it properly. To help you get the most from your mower, we’ve included a few of our favourite lawn mower tips here.
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You should always clear the ground of rocks, large debris, and garden furniture where possible. This is safer for you, and helps to protect the longevity of your push mower.
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Wear protective clothing and footwear. This is vital to keep you safe whilst operating your walk-behind mower.
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Avoid mowing when it’s wet, as this can cause blockages and damage your mower.
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Consider blade height, as this will affect the type of lawn you want.
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Don’t strain your push mower at the edges of your lawn. If you have a lot of borders, use a strimmer for more precision.
Searching for the best push lawn mower?
Then you’re in the right place! We have an excellent collection of walk-behind mowers for you to choose between, from industry leading brands like Husqvarna, Stihl, Cobra, Weibang, and more.
At Hughie Willett Machinery, it’s safe to say we know a thing or two about tools. If you’re looking for more specialist advice, or need specific answers, our team of experts is always on hand to help you out. Contact the team online, or call us 0121 308 1262 for a chat.
Buy push lawn mowers at Hughie Willett Machinery today!
For more useful buying guides, advice, and groundcare machinery information, explore the Hughie Willett Machinery blog…
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