The lawn mower is perhaps the most necessary tool to keep your lawn in good shape. Well, unless you're planning on keeping sheep to do your lawn mowing, you'll certainly need to buy a lawn mower. Lawn mowers come in all shapes, sizes and of course, prices. There are really only two kinds of mowers for lawn mowing, and that is reel and rotary.

Before you go out on your lawn mowing tool buying trip, make sure you know exactly what you need. There is no need to overspend if you don't need it . Save that money for other lawn tools. What you need to ask yourself are these questions to help determine what lawn mower you need.

- Is your lawn small or very large?

- Is your lawn hilly,flat, or steep?

- Is your lawn covered in trees, wide open or, sprinklers, garden,play equipment?

- Do you want a workout when mowing or just wish to get the job done comfortably?

- What is your noise tolerance level?

- Do you want a simple mower or one with the latest gadgets and technology?

The next questions you need to ask on your lawn mowing buying expedition are about the mower itself.

- Does the lawn mower have a blade shut off switch? This is a must have safety feature.

- Can the lawn mowing height be lowered and raised easily?

- Is the lawn mover easy to start?

- Is it easy to push?

- Does it turn easyily?

- Is it too too light or heavy?

- Can it be serviced locally?

- Is the lawn mower bag a hassle to use?

- Is it easy to clean?

- Is it easy to take apart to make minor repairs?

There are several different types of mowers on the market to meet your lawn mowing needs. Each of this type has its advantages and disadvantages.

- The reel mower is a push power that is powered by you. It is ideal for lawns of size 1,000 square feet or less. It is also the least expensive and quietest mower. The number of calories burned while using this mower is 400 calories an hour based on a 150 pound person.

- The electric lawn mower is environment friendly and pollution free. Hoever, you do have to deal with a long cord plugged into the house or recharging batteries.

- The gas powered lawn mower has plenty of power for a reasonable price. This mower is idea for normal lawn mowing needs such as a normal sized lawn with no challenges. The catch is you will have to deal with gas fumes, changing the oil and loud noise.

- The self propelled lawn mower can be gas or, electric. It is ideal for corners, tight spots and hills as the pulleys and gears connect the engine right to the wheels. However, tt is more expensive than a normal gas powered lawn mower.

- The mulching mower traps the cut grass and recuts it into much smaller pieces before dropping them back to the lawn. You won't need much fertilizer or a bag with this mower. Mulchers cost almost twice as much as normal gas mowers and will choke on long grass. So beware.

- The riding lawn mower is perfect for your large lawn mowing needs. You can mow an acre or more in a short time. They require much more maintenance and are much more expensive than a regular gas mower.