And grass is a good thing. Naturalists say it prevents soil erosion, generates oxygen and acts as a natural air conditioner. For homeowners with a postage stamp-size lawn, the new, lightweight manual push mowers might be the right choice. Made of alloys and weighing under 25 pounds, they are quiet and non-polluting.
Purists claim push mowers give grass a quicker, clean cut with less trauma to the turf.
Also, they don't throw debris, and when you stop pushing them, their blades stop. Maintenance, however, can be a problem because the retailers who sell push mowers usually do not offer sharpening services. If you've ever left a battery-powered tool plugged into its charger for too long, you know the result usually is a damaged battery. But this spring Toro introduced an electric start system to its Personal Pace mowers. It turns itself off.