Petrol Lawnmowers
A petrol lawnmower offers the ideal combination of power and versatility for the vast majority of lawns in the UK. Unlike electric lawn mowers, there is no power cord to contend with so they are perfect for mowing larger areas quickly and safely.
Petrol lawn mowers are also of a higher build quality than their electric counterparts, being designed to withstand more prolonged use and provide a longer overall working life. For cutting longer grass and weeds, a petrol lawnmower will be able to cope far better than an electric mower.
For maximum efficiency, consider a self propelled petrol lawn mower. ‘Self propelled’ means that the mower engine delivers power to the rear wheels or roller, saving you the effort of constant pushing. This is a huge benefit for larger lawns and sloping gardens.
The two types of petrol lawnmower.
Petrol lawnmowers fall into two main categories depending on how the machines cut.
- Rotary
- Cylinder
Petrol powered cylinder mowers. These mowers utilise two types of blade and cut the grass in a scissor action. A petrol powered cylinder mower is a good choice for larger formal lawns where a high quality finish is required; however, only consider a cylinder lawnmower if your lawn is free from bumps and dips.
Petrol powered rotary lawn mowers cut using a flat steel blade bolted to the underside of the mower. The blade is housed by a plastic or metal casing called the deck. The blade spins in a rotary fashion and cuts/tears through the grass stems. Rotary lawnmowers are by far the most popular type of petrol powered mower in the UK.
Both the rotary and cylinder varieties are available as either manual push or self propelled machines.
When to choose a petrol powered lawnmower over an electric mower.
- You have a large lawn that would be difficult to cut using an electric mower. This may be because your garden contains many obstacles which would make mowing with an electric mower difficult due to the power cord.
- For cutting areas of longer grass.
- You prefer a mower that is built to last.
- You just don’t want to be worrying about cutting through the power cord.
Do petrol lawn mowers require more maintenance than electric mowers?
A petrol lawnmower will need regular servicing in addition to cleaning and blade sharpening. The servicing will consist of oil changing, spark plug replacement and filter replacement. These are tasks that can be carried out yourself without too much trouble. Depending on whether you buy a self propelled lawnmower, other servicing requirements may be necessary.
An electric lawnmower requires cleaning, occasional blade sharpening and general lubrication. That's it.
What’s the best lawnmower for steep slopes and banks?
The best mowers for cutting grass on steep banks are either 2-stroke engined mowers, or the specially designed 4 stroke petrol Flymo which can operate on an incline of 45 degrees. Most mowers will suffer from engine lubrication problems if used at an angle for any length of time. 2 stroke petrol engines do not suffer from this problem because the engine oil is mixed with the fuel.
Are petrol lawnmowers expensive to run?
An average sized lawn will cost around £20-£30 per season in petrol to maintain.
Servicing costs are minimal if you carry out the work yourself. Lawnmower engine oil is only a few pounds per litre and filters are relatively cheap to buy.
Are petrol powered lawn mowers suitable for everybody?
A petrol mower is suitable for the vast majority of gardeners. Elderly gardeners may prefer a self propelled model. For the particularly frail or weak gardener, an electric lawn mower may be the best choice.
What are some of the popular makes of petrol lawn mowers?
There are over 15 different manufacturers of petrol lawn mowers available in the UK. Some of the better known brands include.
AL-KO
Honda
Hayter
Lawn King
Masport
Lawnflite
Ibea
Mountfield
Toro
MTD
Oleo-Mac
Victa
Atco
Qualcast
Allen
Flymo
The best place to buy your new petrol lawnmower is online. All the major suppliers have online stores and with the high level of competition, you should find a good deal.
When purchasing any expensive machinery, it makes sense to buy from established reputable companies. Unfortunately, there are many ‘bedroom operations’ on the internet who undercut every other supplier by a few pounds and soon disappear or go out of business - leaving you with no backup.
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