What is a Roller Lawn Mower? Definition, Benefits, Features & FAQs

A rear roller lawn mower is a type of mower that features a heavy, cylindrical-shaped weight on the rear axle. 

What Does a Rear Roller Do on a Lawn Mower?

The design of a rear roller lawn mower is intended to squash down all of the grass, topsoil and vegetation on a lawn. By flattening the area after the front-facing blades cut the grass, you can create the stripe effect that you might see in many finely-manicured gardens.

So, roller mowers are only necessary if you want to create the striped pattern, but they do have a few other features and advantages, disadvantages or notes to point out. We sell many different types of lawnmowers at excellent rates, so we are well-placed to explain more about rear rollers.

Feel free to browse our fantastic shop and buy online or get in touch with us if you have any questions. See below for some pros and cons of rear roller mowers, and other important details:

What Are the Benefits and Drawbacks of a Rear Roller Lawn Mower?

People sometimes refer to a rear roller lawnmower as a ‘rotary mower’, ‘roller mower’ or a ‘rear roller’ for short, but they all essentially achieve the same thing – stripes on a lawn created by the heavy cylindrical shape of the roller.

Aside from this admittedly pleasant visual effect, other benefits of a roller lawn mower include the following:

1. Close grass mowing: Clean cuts, perhaps the best benefit of a rear roller is that it can reach quite far down to the surface of the grass, which means you can keep the lawn very tightly trimmed.
2. Easy mowing for simple lawns: Rear rollers are great for medium-length grass, so the average garden lawn will be very manageable with a rear roller mower as they are ideal for people with regular but not too frequent lawn care needs.
3. Even surfaces: The heft of the roller is very good for creating a flatter and more even lawn. As the roller is quite a dense piece of equipment, it can make a big difference to any press in any especially stubborn divots, stalky weeds and unappealing worm casts.
4. Box or no box: Flexibility is another perk, you can use a collection box for grass clippings or go without with a rear roller mower, depending on the length of your grass. Shirt grass clippings do not look unsightly and can also help to fertilise the lawn.
5. Fine control: If you are a lawn aesthete, the control of a rear roller will give you a lot of precision. Thanks to the rear roller design, cutting edges is easier and you can get right up to the edge of a flower bed, lawn perimeter and other borders of the grass.

There are a few disadvantages to using a roller lawn mower that you should be aware of too. Some of the downsides of investing in a rear roller lawnmower include the following:

1. High weight: You cannot get away from the reality that lawn rollers are quite heavy. They can be very hard to move without a self-propelled mower design, which can be a difficult thing to manage for older adults and people living with disabilities.
2. Grass length limits: Rear rollers are not very useful for particularly long grass, this is because the roller can struggle to move over dense patches and stubborn weeds. If your garden is especially ‘wild’ you might need additional tools to keep it in check.
3. Can only mow straight: Rear rollers mean that mowing in a straight line is essential! If you are unable to do this, such as if you have a circular lawn area, then rear rollers are not a good choice. However, you can opt to create a square or rectangle ‘patch’.
4. Care needs: Extra maintenance, which is part of the trouble with having any piece of garden machinery but can be extra annoying when dealing with a rear roller that is cumbersome. Rollers are difficult and sometimes expensive to replace.
5. More expensive: Unfortunately, the average rear roller mower is more expensive than other types. The roller itself is often manufactured from heavy steel materials, which gives you a brilliantly flat lawn but also costs quite a lot, and takes time, to produce.

Rear rollers have their limitations and benefits, but you can get almost any type of lawn mower with a rear roller, including cordless electric, walk-behind, ride-on and petrol varieties. Most of the best designs have labour-saving and efficiency features to compensate for their drawbacks.

What Are the Best Alternatives to Rear Roller Mowers?

Mowers of all varieties ultimately achieve the same goal as a rear roller, without the stripes, which is good news for those with longer grass, weight restrictions or budget limitation. There are several other types of lawn mowers that you can choose from instead, such as the following:

• Mulching mowers, these are a lawnmower design that will spread the clippings as you mow and are suitable for very large lawns, either at the back or off to the side
• Field and brush mowers, these are a much larger type of garden machinery and it suitable for cutting longer, denser grass but usually only come in heavy-duty designs
• Hover mowers, with a hover mower there are no problems due to the heavy roller, they are ultra-lightweight and use a cushion of air for tricky-to-reach areas
• Robotic mowers, which takes all of the effort out of mowing but does not make the stripes, has to rely on batteries and can cost a lot more than a conventional mower

If you do not want to use a rear roller but would like the striped effect, simply buying a lawn roller by itself can give you the right look. Of course, you will need to do a bit of extra work by running the roller over the surface of the lawn after cutting, but if you have a different mower already then this can be a very good compromise.

The Cobra LR40 20″ Garden Roller is an extremely effective and cost-effective roller product that we have available within our range.

Rear Roller Lawnmowers Explained

We hope that you appreciate the subtleties of this popular lawnmower design and the features of a rear roller lawn mower. Many people enjoy the striped effect created by the rear roller, which makes it a classic choice for British homes and lawns in commercial or public spaces too.
If you are looking for competitive pricing, hassle-free aftercare and servicing as well as the best products on the market, we are a smart option for all kinds of garden machinery, accessories and more. Browse our lawnmowers and buy online or get in touch if you have any questions.