Kinds of Lawn Mowers

The two basic kinds of lawn mowers are reel mowers and rotary mowers. Lawns were usually cut with scythes until an English engineer, Edwin Budding, invented the first reel mower in 1830.

The first reel mowers were heavy and awkward, but still much easier to use than a scythe. Engines and other innovations were gradually added. The rotary lawn mower was invented by Power Specialties of England in 1933.