The rotary lawn mower uses rotating blades underneath the mower, which cuts the grass and discharges it into a grass bag behind. The cutting action is achieved by the speed of the blade, which results in a swift chopping action that is suitable for medium and high lengths of grass.
Most types of rotary lawn mowers use the classic walk-behind design, which makes them useful for both domestic and commercial use. Examples from within our range include the following:
We offer many types of rotary lawn mowers for sale with excellent prices, fast delivery and great servicing plans, so we appreciate the nuances of this lawn mower design. The following is a brief guide on how rotary lawn mowers work, their types and how they compare to other designs.
How Does a Rotary Lawn Mower Work?
Rotary lawn mowers work by propelling a horizontally-positioned blade across the grass, which provides the cutting mechanism. As the blade chops through the grass, it flies around so there is a deck to direct the blades of grass as they rapidly fly into the collection bag. Above the deck lies a motor, which can have several different power sources depending on the type that you buy.
Most rotary lawn mowers move using four wheels, but some will use front and rear rollers (or a combination of wheels and rollers) and there are several hover rotary lawn mowers too, which work by creating a cushion of air to help float the mower across the surface of the grass. However, the way they work remains the same, cutting the grass via a rotating blade.
What Types of Rotary Lawn Mowers Are There?
There are a few categories of rotary mowers, but the basic principle is that spinning blades will cut the grass. First of all, there are cordless, electric-mains and petrol-powered varieties for you to choose from, which each have their benefits.
While cordless rotary lawn mowers are an eco-friendly design with impressive freedom of movement their battery life can be a drawback. Similarly, electric mains-powered mowers have stronger motors and will never run out of juice but your range of movement is limited.
Each type will have a mode of propulsion too, notably either self-propelled or pushed. You might also have a type of rotary lawn mower with a particular starting mechanism, such as a pull cord or an electric start button. Other types may also discharge or mulch grass instead of collecting it.
Are There Any Alternatives to Rotary Lawn Mowers?
There are a few alternatives to using rotary lawn mowers, which may make it easier to cut grass in certain situations:
- Hover mowers, ultra-lightweight mowers that are useful for hard-to-reach areas – such as a covered roof – can be much easier to use
- Ride-on mowers, which a person sits on – so it takes all of the effort out of moving the mower and can make it a lot easier to cover even very large areas
- Cylinder mowers, which use a cylindrical blade system to cut the grass and have a similar looking cut to rotary lawn mowers
Using rotary lawn mowers is a good idea for domestic use and has commercial applications too, but intricate or heavy-duty garden work may be better achieved by using a different type.
Hover Lawn Mowers vs Rotary Lawn Mowers
Hover lawn mowers might be appealing if you have issues with pushing or lifting a mower. A few pros and cons of hover lawn mowers vs rotary lawn mowers include the following:
- Hover mowers are so light that they cannot make stripes on a lawn, which are made by the wheels or rollers on a rotary lawn mower
- Hover lawn mowers are good for fine manicuring around awkward edges, such as flower beds, whereas rotary lawn mowers are much more difficult to manoeuvre
- Rotary mowers are much harder to move, even with self-propelled designs, up any kind of garden slopes or hills
The weight is the biggest benefit to hover mowers. They require similar levels of maintenance to rotary mowers, as many use rotary blades already. Hover mowers are great for precise cutting.
Cylinder Lawn Mowers vs Rotary Lawn Mowers
A cylinder lawn mower uses a set of cylindrical blades, similar to those seen in a manual reel mower. Some of the pros and cons of cylinder vs rotary mowers include the following:
- There are more blades in a cylinder mower, which may help cutting speeds and fineness but also increase the need and frequency for sharpening the blades
- A cylinder mower cuts in a slicing motion, a scissor-like cut, as opposed to a rotary mower that chops across the grass almost like a scythe
- Manual cylinder lawn mowers require no engine, so they are very economical and can save on power costs
Cylinder lawn mowers are unable to be used as a leaf shredder, so a rotary mower may be better to handle different situations in the home. Cylinder mowers are more of a specialist item to use.
How to Buy a Cost-Effective Rotary Mower
You can get fantastic prices for rotary lawn mowers and many other types of garden machinery or equipment by selecting a reputable supplier. Look for signs of quality such as plenty of stock from well-known brands, fast delivery times and trade partnerships with top manufacturers.
Our hassle-free aftercare and servicing options make us an excellent choice when you need reliable rotary lawnmower designs. Browse our rotary mowers and buy online today and please feel free to get in touch with us if you have any product questions.
