How To Choose Between A Cylinder And Rotary Lawn Mower

If you're looking for a new lawn mower, you probably want something that's going to get the job done quickly and require the least amount of maintenance. If you're like most people, you'll also want to prioritize affordability and durability. Choosing the wrong mower is one of the most common mistakes homeowners make. That's why it's always a good idea to look at as many options as you can find on the market.

Your first decision is a simple one: Should you purchase a cylinder or a rotary mower? You're probably most familiar with the rotary mower, and if you visit any Lowe's or Home Depot, that's the mower design that's most commonly sold. This is also the most common type of mower that you see people operating in their yards. It has four wheels and a blade that rotates horizontally, chopping the grass as it turns, and it's usually the more affordable mower.

Cylinder mowers are more precise. They have a fixed blade and a rotating cylinder that mow grass to a precise finish. They are commonly used on the greens of golf courses to cut grass to a very low length without damaging the "leaves," which are the blades of the grass. Cylinder mowers often don't even have wheels, just a roller on the front that keeps the mower moving across the lawn. Like the rotary mower, they're powered by gas engines. While these mowers are most commonly used by professional landscapers, there's no reason why a regular homeowner can't use them to perfect their backyard.

Each mower has its benefits and drawbacks, but ultimately, one option will better suit your lawn care needs. But fortunately, it doesn't take a landscaping expert to determine which type of lawn mower will better your their purposes.

Cylinder mowers beat rotary motors in several areas. Since they typically don't have wheels, you can get the blade much closer to the edges of your lawn. The roller on the front of the mower also forms very pronounced stripes in your grass. So, if you want your grass to have a distinct pattern, this is the mower you should look for. The blades are also quite sharp, and they finely slice the grass, which is much better for your lawn. The blades of grass will recover from the damage much more quickly and stay greener.

While cylinder mowers are faster than rotary mowers, you have to cut your lawn much more frequently if you own one. Most lawn care experts recommend that you cut your grass every three to five days if you're using a cylinder mower. If you let the lawn get too high with this type of mower, it simply won't be able to cut through the bunches of grass.

It's also very important to keep the blades on your cylinder mower sharpened, otherwise you could ruin your lawn. Since the cylinder blades cut the grass an inch or two off the ground, it's very easy for gravel to damage them. As far as engines are concerned, there's no discernible difference between the two mower types.

Rotary mowers are generally more affordable than cylinder mowers, ranging from a few hundred dollars well into the thousands, while almost all gas-powered cylinder mowers sell for over a thousand dollars. The price of a cylinder mower typically depends on the strength of the blade and the quality of the engine. The same can be said for rotary mowers. If you're wondering which mower type lasts longer, there's no clear answer. Lawn mowers are like used cars in the sense that you get what you pay for.

While rotary mowers aren't as fast as cylinder mowers, they can easily cut grass that is a couple weeks old. If you prefer not to spend your summers laboring away in your yard, this is the best option. Wait for the grass to get high, then cut it down and don't worry about it for another week at least. These mowers don't create nice stripes across your lawn, but there's no need to make a big fuss about the aesthetics when you have more time to barbecue. The cut for a rotary mower also isn't as close to the ground, but your blades won't hit as many rocks.

Aside from the cut not being as close to the ground, professional landscapers don't use rotary mowers on the greens of golf courses for one other major reason — the health of the grass. Instead of cleanly cutting each piece of grass, rotary blades hack away at the lawn like machetes, leaving frayed ends that take longer to repair. That's why if you use a rotary mower, your grass might be just a shade browner. If this is all too much to deal with, there are several clever alternatives to grass for a no-mow garden.