After a six-month trial period with a reel mower last year, my son and I have decided to go gas. The reel sounded lovely with its old-fashioned clacking, and being push-powered was great for the environment but there were several drawbacks. Despite having its blades oiled with each use and regularly sharpened, it felt like it took more and more muscle-power to push the mower as the summer progressed. Also, there were several occasions when after a few days of rain the grass grew higher than ideal for the reel mower and it was very difficult to mow. The size of our property is just a shade too big to comfortably manage with an engine-less mower.

Deciding a different mower was needed was the easy part. Deciding which type was more difficult. A ride-on mower wasn’t even considered because of the size of our lawn. But should our next mower be electric? Rechargeable? Have a grass-catcher? Be self-propelled? Have electric start? Be a name brand?

Although electric mowers are quiet, the thought of having to be continually mindful and coil hundreds of feet of extension cord is not appealing. Rechargeable mowers may only be able to do half the job before they run out of juice.

Lawns should be mowed before they reach a height that requires raking afterwards. Short grass clippings actually help to feed the lawn and provide a desirable light thatch. Thus a grass-catcher shouldn’t be necessary.

If your property is relatively small and flat, the self-propelled feature shouldn’t be necessary either, unless you are elderly and find mowing to be physically challenging. Otherwise the workout will do you good!

The electric start is handy, but how long will this convenience last before malfunctioning? If it’s anything like the electric start on all the propane barbecues I’ve used, it fails to function after a few years.

As for buying a more expensive, brand name - there’s a lot to be said for having a dependable product with a lengthy warrant. However, bear in mind the workload you will be subjecting the machine to. If yours is a small property that you intend on mowing once a week, you likely won’t be subjecting the engine to an inordinate amount of stress.

Keep the machine under cover from the elements and service it as per instructions and you should find that most mid-line models will serve the purpose just fine.