One shreds its clippings into mulch as you push it along, quiet as a whisper and costing barely 50 to 60 euros or dollars; the other keeps to its own weekly schedule and plugs itself back in unaided. Both belong on a small lawn, under 500 square yards or metres for the hand-pushed model.
One is environmentally sustainable and quiet, the other does all the work in your stead: both of these options are worth looking at for their advantages.
Here is a presentation of lawn mowers for smaller surfaces…
The two options presented here sit at opposite ends of the price range, with the ordinary electric mower in between. Here is how they compare on what actually decides the purchase.
| Mower | Powered by | Starting price | Suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual cylinder mower | The person pushing it | Around 50 to 60 dollars or euros | Gardens under 500 square yards or metres |
| Ordinary electric mower | Mains electricity | Between the two extremes | The middle range between hand and robot |
| Robot lawn mower | Rechargeable battery | Around 800 dollars or euros and more | 75 to 200 square yards or metres an hour |
On a small lawn the decision comes down to whether you enjoy the exercise or would rather not be there at all.
This engine-less lawn mower, also called a cylinder mower, is a serious alternative to electric and gas-powered lawn mowers.
This eco-friendly option is powered by the person pushing it – a great way to stay healthy!
It’s very affordable, usually around 50 to 60 dollars or euros, and is very quiet (if well-oiled): mowing the lawn won’t anymore trigger complaints from neighbors!
Just as for more conventional lawn mowers, it’s possible to adjust blade height up to 4 inches (10 cm). Grass clippings are ejected in front of the device and are shred down to the point of turning into mulch that protects and feeds your lawn. Some designs allow for a collection hamper.
So all in all, many advantages for this age-old option. We English, who are famous for finely manicured gardens, still use it to this day, which is a sign of how worthy it is. Note that use should be considered only for gardens under 500 square yards or meters, or to correct small mistakes here and there on a larger lawn.
If, for you, mowing the lawn ranks more as a chore than as a pleasure, you will definitely want to indulge in the comfort that these automated lawn mowers provide: they do everything on their own! Furnished with a rechargeable battery, it’s possible to set time and week schedules for these robot lawn mowers with a simple touchscreen. Dealing with battery autonomy (recharging the battery when it’s depleted) is fully automatic. You don’t even need to be present to watch over it!
Usually, a single charge will last a robotic lawn mower from 60 to 90 minutes. For the latest Husqvarna design, this is extended by sun collected on the on-board solar panel in good weather. Each robot lawn mower has a different power rating and mowing speed, and the fastest ones will manage up to 200 sq yards or meters an hour while slower ones will have completed around 75. Cables or wires affixed to the ground with small hoops or stakes serve as a perimeter guide for the robot. Whenever obstacles are encountered within this perimeter, it knows how to deal with them, either running around them or backing out of a tight spot.
They’re weather-proof even under strong rains, and these automatic robot lawn mowers regularly sweep over the entire lawn, which makes for a very healthy lawn. Geeks will of course be the first to splurge here, since starting prices for such devices are around 800 dollars (euros) and more!
Laure Hamann
Between those two extremes sits the ordinary electric mower, and the Bosch Rotak mowers illustrate well what that middle range offers.
