Looking for different Types of Lawn Mower Blades? Having a gorgeous house with a well-manicured lawn and white picket fences is the ultimate American dream. Who doesn’t want to pull their curtains aside to see a sea of rich, green grass being freshly watered by some sprinklers? Add some decorative elements, a few flower beds, and a BBQ grill, and you have the perfect lawn ever!
However, just designing a gorgeous lawn isn’t enough. You will also need to give it a little time every few days to chop off overgrown grass, remove the weeds and ensure your flower beds don’t die out.
Mowing your lawn is also something you will need to add to your already busy schedule. Starting to sound like too much work, isn’t it? Well, the good news is that there are many ways in which you can speed up the mowing process. After all, you want to be able to enjoy your spare time lounging about your yard, perhaps even with a good book; not spend it all trimming and chopping grass!
You may think you’re stuck with your current lawn mowers’ speed, but we have a secret trick to make it faster without having to spend money buying a new one. Simply upgrade your lawnmower blade; yes, it is that easy!
Having proper knowledge about the best lawn mower blades will help you improve the efficiency of your machine and get the lawn manicuring done faster. Let’s take a detailed look at the different kinds of blades to see which would be right for you.
Best Types of Lawn Mower Blades to Consider Buying
We have discussed the properties of five of the most high-functioning lawn mower blades. This is followed by a comprehensive guide on which features to look out for when buying your new blade. With this knowledge, you will be well-equipped to buy the best lawn mower within your budget.
Low Lift Mower Blades
Our first type of lawnmower blade is meant for sandy soils due to its low suction power. The edges barely have a curve, leaving the grass flat as you mow it down. You may think this is a disadvantage, but this lack of suction ensures the dust doesn’t rise up as you go through the lawn. This can be a life-saver for people with allergies working on sandy soil.
These blades range from 3 to 4 inches in size and require far lesser power from your mower than any other type of blade. They are also more durable than standard blades and won’t disturb the neighbors as you mow since they run silently.
Medium Lift Mower Blades
Medium life blades are the standard blades that people commonly use. They are the ones that rotate horizontally and are often called straight mower blades despite having a curved end.
If your lawnmower is the kind that discharges cut grass sideways, then you’ll probably need a medium-lift mower blade. The cool thing about its design is that the curved ends let a bit of air pass through the machine, creating suction on the land. This suction pulls up the grass so it’s tighter and you can cut it precisely.
This blade works great on wet and dry grass, but it should only be used if your lawn has really thick patches to cut through. This is because medium-lift mower blades don’t really do a good job of removing small clumps of grass, so you’ll probably be left with an uneven, wonky-looking yard.
High Lift Mower Blade
Now that you know about low and medium life mower blades, you’re probably wondering what a high lift mower blade is and if such a thing even exists? It absolutely does, and we’ll tell you all about it!
High lift blades come with vertical angles on their edges, maximizing airflow as you work on your yard. This produces excellent vertical suction to make the grass taut and ready for trimming. The suction also ensures that grass doesn’t accumulate in the chute, so there are no blockages as you work. Moreover, the fast, rotary motion gives you the precision you need for a perfect, well-defined cut.
There is a large variety of sizes available in high lift mower blades. You can pick out anywhere between 1 to 21 inches of blades, based on which is most compatible with your lawnmower.
P.S. These blades aren’t suitable for working on sandy terrains.
Gator Blades
If you’ve been working on fertilizing your yard’s soil for better growth, gator blades are a perfect choice. They are designed to create the maximum suction on the ground with a unique angle of the edges to act as a secondary blade. This way, the grass is cut more precisely, with smaller areas being trimmed repeatedly and tall parts reduced to fine pieces.
This finely cut grass will provide your soil the nutrients it needs for fertilization. This can do wonders for your lawn if you’re trying to grow new flower beds or even a beautiful fruit tree!
Mulching Blades
The main difference between a standard blade and a lawn mulching blade is the shape. The latter has a curved shape with cutting edges along a larger percentage of its surface than regular blades. This has resulted in them also being called 3-in-1 blades.
Mulching blades can be used to bag, discard and mulch grass clippings easier. The curved profile and larger cutting edge allow the blade to cut grass and then bring it to the deck, chopping off even more. Since the grass falls back to your lawn in smaller pieces, you only need to repeat this process twice or thrice a week to maintain your yard.
There are two things to be careful about when using mulching blades;
- The blade should fit the deck well.
- Care should be taken in securing the blade tightly to the lawnmower.
Pro-tip: Craftsman lawn mower blades are well-known for their mulching blades, so do check them out!
Factors to Look for in Different Types of Lawn Mower Blades
Now that you know of the variety of lawn mower blades in the market, you’re probably wondering how to make the right pick. Don’t worry; we’ll take you through that too!
Here are some of the essential factors you should look into before making a purchase. These properties will help you determine which lawnmower blade would be perfect for your specific lawn needs.
Convenience
The first and most important factor to consider is whether the lawnmower blade is convenient to use. In our day and age, with exceedingly busy lives and way too much to do within 24 hours, we need maximum convenience from our tools to get everything done.
The blade you choose will be hanging out with your lawnmower for a very long time. So, be sure to pick one that is convenient and comfortable to use. It should be installed easily and not have any complicated parts to figure out.
Permanence
Buying an expensive lawnmower blade that gives out within a few months will not only be a waste of money but also needlessly time-consuming. You will need to set aside another day to head back to the store and buy a new blade to use. Why deal with all this hassle when you can pick out a sturdy, long-lasting blade in one go?
As you walk past the aisles, looking for the best lawn mower blade, be sure to check for features like longevity and any warranty offered. The longer the warranty, the more likely it that the blade will last you a long time and provide better value for your money.
Customer Reviews
With so much focus being placed on marketing by big and small-scale companies, it seems like every lawnmower blade you look at claims to be the absolute best. How does one find out which actually lives up to all of the promises in its packaging? Through customer reviews, of course!
Customer reviews are the best way to determine how well a lawnmower blade works and how long it’ll last you. Additionally, you can also find out how approachable the brand is regarding returns or warranty claims. They will also discuss any issues that people faced when using the blade to decide whether or not to buy the blade.
Length of Blade
While there is no rule of thumb when it comes to the length of your blade, you should know that longer doesn’t always mean better.
The length will be one of the first properties you check out when purchasing a lawnmower blade so you can make sure it fits within your lawnmower. Blades that range between 16 to 22 inches generally fit all mowers, but do take a look at your machine’s specific requirements too!
Deck Size
The deck size of your blade will directly impact how well it works in mowing your lawn. Therefore, you should always look at the deck size mentioned on the packaging before making a purchase. Most push mowers have blades with a deck size of 16 to 30 inches. But, if you’re interested in a riding mower, you should opt for a higher deck size for better results.
Quality of Manufacture
The quality of the materials used to manufacture the lawnmower blade should be top-notch, or at least as good as possible within your budget range. Regardless of your lawnmower model, your blades should be made of a sturdy metal that cuts smoothly and steadily. Remember, lower-quality metals will surely cut costs but won’t do much for cutting grass.
You should also keep in mind that your lawnmower blades are an investment as they directly affect the life of your mower. Get a strong, stainless steel blade, and don’t settle for anything less!
We aren’t done quite yet! Another important part to remember as you try to optimize your lawn mower’s performance is sharpening the new blades.
Investing in new lawn mower blades is a great idea, but they won’t serve you too well unless you sharpen them every now and then. On average, the mower blades should be sharpened after every 20 to 25 hours of use. If you have trouble keeping up with the time, just try to set a rough estimate of sharpening them twice each season, and you’ll be good to go!
Dull blades will pull at your grass blades and leave ragged edges that weaken the plant and promote fungal growth. This can make your yard unsafe for the kids to play in or the dog to spread out for a lazy afternoon nap. So, be sure to sharpen the blades regularly for faster and stress-free lawn mowing.
Additional Tips Regarding Types of Lawn Mower Blades
Congrats! You are now ready to speed up the dreadful mowing process by picking out the best lawn mower blades to use! This will definitely be a worthy investment as it will save you time and money in the long run.
Be sure to check your blades regularly and sharpen them as soon as they start looking a little dull. You will also need to be diligent in replacing rusted, old blades as they can contaminate the grass with diseases. A good practice is to change your blades once a year for safety measures.
Best of luck in picking out your new lawnmower blades, and do you own a lawn edger? Find all the different types of lawn edgers.
