It is also about identifying how the mower works, its defining features, and how it supports the maintenance of a healthy, well-kept lawn.
Hover mowers and robot mowers are both innovative solutions in the lawn care and maintenance market – but have one very key difference. Keep reading to find out more, and to work out which is the best solution for your outside space or maintenance business.
What is the difference between a hover mower and a robot mower?
The main difference which separates hover mowers from robot mowers is that a hover mower is operated by hand. This means that you will need to assign the task of mowing the lawn to a member of the team or set aside a Saturday afternoon for lawn maintenance on a regular basis.
Conversely, a robot mower works via automated programming which can be managed through an app, meaning that you don’t need a member of the team or family to operate the mower. Of course, this offers the huge benefit of saving time and resources, making this higher-priced solution a convenient one for smaller teams looking to manage vast outside spaces.
But let’s stick with hovermowers for the moment and consider both the benefits of them and how they work.
The benefits of a hover mower
Before we dive into the benefits, here’s a quick outline of how hover mowers work. In short, a hover mower looks like a conventional lawn mower which you would expect to push around your garden or outside space. The difference lies in the underside of the mower, which creates a buffer of air that elevates the blades just slightly above the ground on a cloud of air. Much like a hovercraft, this means that the mower skims the ground, with the blades cutting the top layer of the lawn as it moves.
In terms of the benefits, one of the main reasons why people opt for a hover mower instead of a conventional push mower is that the cloud of air that the blade sits upon serves to protect the ground. Rather than pushing a wheeled mower back and forth across your lawn, causing some damage to the ground as you move, the hover mower creates a buffer between the blades and the ground which minimises any potential damage. This in turn allows the ground to remain in good condition.
Another benefit of a hover mower is that it is easy to use, with the hover motion minimising the friction between the blades and the ground surface. This creates a sweeping motion which allows for a clean cut, especially when using the mower on longer grass.
Key features to look for in a high-quality hover mower
If you’re considering a hover mower for your maintenance business or to help with managing your own lawn, make sure to spend time researching how portable and easy-to-use the mower is. One of the challenges that hover mowers can create is a lack of consistency in your lawn mowing, owing to the need to create that sweeping cut manually. The movement of the blade back and forth above the ground means that while the ground is protected, it is difficult to achieve a perfectly precise cut across the entire expanse of lawn.
Having said that, hover mowers offer excellent value for their price tag and are a good alternative for those who want to keep their lawn maintained and healthy, while also protecting the integrity of the ground.
For more information on hover mowers, robot mowers, and other outdoor maintenance tools, don’t hesitate to get in touch with GroundTech. Our team can advise and provide insight into what you need to consider and which features to focus on when choosing the right tool for you.