Self-Propelled Vs Push Lawn Mowers: Which Is Right For Your And Your Lawn

An essential part of maintaining your lawn is mowing it regularly. Frequently mowing your lawn even results in healthier grass in many cases. Of course, for a chore this important that has to be done often, it's essential to use the right tool. While riding mowers are great for mowing large open areas, for smaller tighter spaces it's best to consider either a self-propelled walk behind mower or reel style push mower.

While all mowers that aren't riding mowers are sometimes referred to as push mowers, some mowers are propelled only by the power of their user pushing them, while others are self-propelled, with the operator only gently guiding the mower while walking behind it. Regardless of the type of lawn mower you opt for, it's important to always keep safety in mind when operating a lawn mower. This includes wearing closed toe shoes that protect your feet and picking up sticks, rocks, and other debris before you begin mowing. Additionally, it's best for your lawn, your mower, and your personal safety, to wait until your grass is dry before you mow it.

While it can be a bit more work to mow your lawn using a push mower, it also comes with some significant advantages. Not only are these mowers generally less expensive than gas or electric mowers, but they are also better for the environment. Another major advantage these push mowers have is how quiet they are. Unlike gas mowers, and to some extent even electric mowers, which will wake the whole neighborhood if you mow too early or late in the day, reel-style push mowers have no motors and create little noise pollution, making them ideal to use any time, with no ear plugs or apologies to neighbors required.

Another, less obvious advantage of push mowers, is the reel design they use for cutting grass. This differs from the rotary design that is commonly used in most self-propelled mowers. While both styles are fine to use on lawns, reel mowers often provide a cleaner cut and are also generally less dangerous — while they struggle to go over rocks and sticks, they are also unlikely to fling them into the air where they can become harmful projectiles.

Unsurprisingly, operating self-propelled lawn mowers are not as labor intensive, which can be either an advantage or disadvantage, depending on if you want the extra exercise. For those with health or mobility issues or those who have larger lawns, being able to walk behind a self-propelled mower instead of physically pushing it can be a major plus that makes lawn care more manageable. Another significant upside to self-propelled lawn mowers is that they can generally mow over leaves and some can even be used to mulch grass or leaf clippings.

As self-propelled mowers can be either gas or battery powered, you have a variety of options to choose from, while most push-style reel mowers are fundamentally the same construction. This wider selection allows you to pick the mower that makes the most sense for you, whether it be an electric mower with a cord, a battery powered mower, or a gas mower.