Lawn mower types compared: which mower suits your lawn
Reel mower, rotary mower, robotic mower or ride-on: which mower suits you depends less on price than on three questions. How short should your lawn be, how big is the area, and how much time do you want to spend mowing? Here you will find the common mower types compared, with their strengths and limits.
In short
- For a short, dense lawn below about 25 mm, the reel mower is the right tool. It cuts like scissors.
- Rotary mowers are versatile and robust, but only cut evenly from about 25 mm and fray the grass blades.
- Robotic mowers save work, but usually do not mow below 20 to 30 mm.
- Many reel mower owners also have a rotary mower, for example for the time after top-dressing and for leaves in autumn.
Cutting height first, then the mower
The most important question is how short your lawn should be. Every mower type has a range in which it delivers an even cut. Outside that range the result becomes patchy, however good the machine is.
The mower types compared
| Mower type | Cutting principle | Strengths | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual reel mower | scissors: reel against bottom blade | very clean cut, short cutting heights, quiet, no engine | needs regular mowing, not for long grass, leaves, twigs or sand on the lawn |
| Powered reel mower | scissors | like the manual reel mower, also for larger areas | more expensive, heavier, care of reel and bottom blade |
| Corded rotary mower | impact: rotating blade | cheap, light, little maintenance | cable gets in the way, frayed cut, only even from about 25 mm |
| Cordless rotary mower | impact | no cable, quiet, flexible | limited battery life, frayed cut |
| Petrol rotary mower | impact | powerful, also for long grass | loud, exhaust fumes, maintenance |
| Robotic mower | impact with small blades | mows on its own, fine mulch | usually not below 20 to 30 mm, setup required, safety around children and animals |
| Ride-on mower | impact | very large areas in a short time | expensive, loud, unsuitable for small and angular areas |
| Scythe and sickle bar mower | cut with a blade or cutter bar | long grass and meadows, gentle on insects | not for lawns, a scythe takes practice |
Cutting or hitting
The biggest difference lies in the cutting principle. A reel mower guides the grass blade against a fixed bottom blade and cuts it like scissors. A rotary mower hits the blade off with a fast-rotating blade. The cut edge frays, the tips dry out and turn grey to brownish after a few days.
At higher cutting heights this is less noticeable. The shorter the lawn, the clearer the difference. More on this in Reel mower: what it does better than a rotary mower.
Reel mower: for a short, dense lawn
If you want a short, even lawn, there is hardly a way around a reel mower. To work well, however, it needs the right conditions:
- Mow regularly: every two to three days in the main season, so that never more than a third of the leaf length is cut off.
- Level surface: the shorter the cut, the more visible any bumps become.
- Clean surface: sand, twigs, stones and lots of leaves damage the reel and bottom blade.
- Sharp blades: the reel and bottom blade need to be sharpened and adjusted from time to time.
Good to know
A reel mower is not the only tool for the whole season. After top-dressing in spring, and when leaves and twigs lie on the lawn in autumn, it is better to mow with a rotary mower. That keeps the reel sharp. This is why many reel mower owners also have a simple rotary mower.
Rotary mower: the all-rounder
The rotary mower is the most common machine in home gardens. It copes with grass of different heights, leaves and uneven ground. With a grass box it collects clippings and leaves, with a mulching blade it chops up the clippings and leaves them on the lawn. For a utility lawn that does not need to be particularly short, it is a good choice. A sharp blade makes a big difference to the cut.
When mulching makes sense and when the grass box is better is explained in Mulching your lawn.
Robotic mower: little work, but limits
A robotic mower mows a little every day and leaves the fine clippings on the lawn. The result is an even, dense lawn without any effort of your own. Keep in mind:
- Most models do not mow shorter than 20 to 30 mm.
- A boundary wire or satellite navigation has to be set up. Edges and narrow spots often need finishing by hand.
- Children and pets should not be on the lawn unsupervised while the robot is running. Because of hedgehogs and other animals, running it at night is not recommended.
- Because the robot mulches all the time, regular raking out and aerating once a year are worthwhile.
For meadows and very large areas
For wildflower meadows and long grass, a scythe or a sickle bar mower is suitable. They cut the blades instead of smashing them and are gentle on insects. They are not intended for lawns. Very large lawns, for example in parks or on large properties, can be mown quickly with a ride-on mower or lawn tractor. For small and angular gardens it is too big.
Decision guide
| You want ... | Suitable mower |
|---|---|
| a short, dense lawn below about 25 mm | reel mower, powered on large areas |
| a robust utility lawn with little effort | rotary mower or robotic mower |
| not to mow yourself at all | robotic mower |
| to cut a meadow or long grass | scythe or sickle bar mower |
| to mow a very large area quickly | ride-on mower or lawn tractor |
Frequently asked questions
Is a reel mower hard work?
A good manual reel mower runs easily as long as you mow regularly and the grass is not too long. It becomes hard work when too much has to be cut off at once.
Can a reel mower cut long grass?
Only to a limited extent. The reel does not catch long blades well. If the lawn has grown too long, cut it down with a rotary mower first and then lower the cutting height step by step.
How often does a reel mower need sharpening?
That depends on how much and on what kind of surface you mow. When the mower no longer cuts cleanly but leaves individual blades standing or crushes them, it is time for sharpening and adjustment.
Robotic mower or reel mower?
It depends on your goal. The robot saves time but usually does not mow below 20 to 30 mm. For a very short, dense lawn, the reel mower is the right tool.
More about mowing correctly, cutting height and mowing frequency can be found on our page Mowing.
Falkenstein reel mowers
- Falkenstein: manual reel mowers for short cutting heights.
- Falkenstein Pro or Light: the differences at a glance.
- Sharpening and maintenance service: to keep the reel sharp.
