Cylinder Or Rotary Lawn Mower: How To Choose The Best One For Your Yard

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Caring for the grass in your yard can take a fair chunk of the time you spend out there. So, tips on getting the most from each mow or advice on choosing the right type of mower can be valuable for both reducing how long it takes and making sure your lawn looks good when you're done. The main difference between a cylinder and rotary lawn mower is how they cut. Rotary mowers are the tool most people will recognize. The majority have a single, rapidly rotating horizontal blade with two cutting edges. By contrast, cylinder mowers have a reel (giving them the alternative name of reel mowers) with five or more curved blades and another flat blade running along the bottom. This creates a scissor action.

The variety of rotary mowers is huge; they can be very affordable, and they can cope with varied conditions. In general, they are also easier to look after. If you have an uneven yard, areas where the grass gets long, or a limited budget, then a rotary lawn mower will almost certainly be the best choice. They are the machine that suits most people most of the time. However, while it's easy to generalize, there could be reasons why a cylinder lawn mower would be better for the way you look after your lawn. To find out why, we need to take a closer look at the pros and cons of each type of machine.

There's a rotary lawn mower to suit you, whether you want a budget-friendly walk-behind for a small suburban patch or a big zero-turn model with twin rotors for a large acreage. Rotary mowers can tackle your yard if it has long or short grass and will happily chop up small twigs and leaves in their path. They are usually very maneuverable, and height adjustment is straightforward, so they are better if your lawn is slightly uneven. Depending on the model, cuttings can be bagged, side-discharged, or mulched.

Another thing that makes a rotary mower the best choice for many is that it is relatively easy to maintain. Corded and cordless models need little beyond an occasional cleaning and sharpening of the blade. Even gas-powered machines usually only need an annual check of the spark plug, oil, and filters. Prices can be very competitive, and if you know the best time of year to buy a lawn mower, there's often a bargain to be found.

There are a few times when rotary lawn mowers may not be the best. It can be hard to tell when the bag is full if you choose that option, resulting in the contents sometimes being spilled. The chopping action of a rotary mower means they don't cut as cleanly as a cylinder mower (more on this in a moment), but as long as the blade is reasonably sharp, the difference is probably not enough for most people to notice or care about.

It may sound strange to say that the one thing a cylinder mower does better than a rotary is cut grass, but that's exactly why some people choose them. The cylinder mower's scissor action and multiple blades trim your lawn exceptionally cleanly and precisely. It's why cylinder mowers remain the best choice for golf courses and sports fields. Most cylinder mowers also have rollers, which make a big difference if you want stripes or any of the popular mowing patterns you can try out in your yard.

There are also a number of downsides. Cylinder mowers are comparatively expensive. They struggle to cut long grass or on uneven surfaces. Sharpening and aligning the blades can be time-consuming. So it's fair to say that cylinder lawn mowers are best for those who are fastidious about their lawn care and prepared to put a little more effort into it.

There is one group of cylinder mowers worth mentioning that has a rather different attraction. Models like American Lawn Mower Company 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower, which costs around $95, will appeal to traditionalists, fitness enthusiasts, and the eco-friendly. It can still cut with that cylinder mower precision, but it has no motor. So it's better for you if you want to get your cardiovascular system pumping or just stroll around enjoying the fresh air and some peace and quiet.