What Are The Pros And Cons Of Mulching Blades? Learn In Detail Below
If you are in confusion whether you should go for regular blades or mulching blades to mow your lawn, this discussion is particularly for you. Below, we are going to hold the spotlight on the pros and cons of mulching blades to let you make an informed decision.
The performance of a lawnmower mostly depends on its blades. Here mulching blades come in handy as 3 in 1 blade to mulch grass clippings into smaller pieces. Apart from making your lawn cleaner, these blades also save time by bagging and discharging grasses at a time.
But there are some disadvantages as well. To learn more in this regard, follow the discussion below.
Table of Contents
Pros And Cons Of Mulching Blades
To maintain the tidiness of your lawn, a lawnmower with mulching blade could be the best option. Especially when you mow the lawn regularly. These blades cut the grass’s edges repeatedly and keep them on the lawn for further use.
The grass clippings are evenly spread on the lawn so that they don’t get wasted. Besides, the whole process is environmentally-friendly.
That being said, mulching blades offer 3 in 1 operation simultaneously- mulching, bagging, and discharging grasses. Apparently, your lawn looks tidier than ever. But in the case of regular blades, the grass clippings would not be neatly cut into tiny pieces. As a result, the overall look of the lawn would not be as neat and healthy as mulching makes.
Moreover, the lawnmower mulching blade blesses you with the benefit of bagging the grass cuttings. In the case of regular blades, it’s tiresome to bag them every few minutes.
However, it doesn’t come with amenities though. There are some drawbacks of using mulching blades as well.
If your lawn is full of overgrown grasses, the regular blades are better because a mulching blade would block the lawnmower. The discharge rate is pretty low due to the curved angle. The grass clippings get discharged fully into the bag as they are lifted upward in terms of regular blades.
Mulching Blade Pros
Now, let’s look at the pros of mulching first-
Smaller Cutting
Mulching blades cut the grasses into way smaller pieces that result in a tidier and neater environment. Also, the grass clippings decompose faster.
Natural Fertilization
As the smaller grass cuttings decompose to make natural fertilizer, therefore, you don’t need to bear the additional cost of fertilizing the lawn. Most of the demands are covered. This process provides extra nourishment for the grasses to grow further and adds more fertility to the soil.
3 In 1 Operation
You don’t need to use separate bags for collecting grass clippings. Lawnmowers with mulching blades are meant to participate in mulching, bagging, and discharging at a time. How convenient, isn’t it?
Less Power Consumption
Unlike the standard blades, they consume less power and save you from paying a lot of electricity bills.
Time-Saving
Mulching blades are a time saver as you don’t need to bag the grass cuttings too often like the regular blades. Besides, the three-in-one functional feature is a true blessing to save a lot of time.
Mulching Blade Cons
Now, check out some drawbacks.
Clogs The Mower
The major drawback of using mulching blades in lawnmowing is that they block the mowing machine pretty often. If you are trying to reshape overgrown grasses, you might fail due to the clogged lawnmower.
Inconvenient With Taller Grasses
As already said, cutting oversized grasses is not its cup of tea. In that case, we suggest going for standard mowing blades. You can only rely on these blades to cut smaller medium grass clippings.
Low Discharge Rate
Mulching blades are not that efficient in grass discharging. In fact, the discharge rate is pretty low due to curved angles, which let not get rid of the cuttings fully into the bag.
A Helpful Tutorial You May Need!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is it better to use a mulching blade or regular?
It depends actually. For mowing taller grasses, regular blades are a better choice. But for medium/small grass clippings, mulching blades do an amazing job.
Are mulching blades worth it for leaves?
Absolutely yes. In fact, they work exceptionally well to destroy the leaves, thanks to their extra sharp teeth. No matter if you have a large number of leaves, they are cut down immediately.
Are mulching blades better than high lift blades?
In some cases, they are. But high lift blades or regular 2-in-1 blades are much better for reshaping taller grasses. Due to the angular design, they create an airflow upward. Resultantly, they prevent clogging the mowing deck by discharging the grass clippings effectively. Mulching blades, on the contrary, aren’t that efficient to discharge the clippings due to their curved design.
Can You Use Mulching Blades Without A Mulching Kit?
Yes, absolutely. You can use the blades with regular lawn mowers without buying the whole mulching kit. Just attach the blades to the mowing deck and you are done. Probably, the most convenient feature of these 3-in-1 blades is that you don’t need the full set to mulch the lawn.
Can You Put A Mulching Blade On Any Mower?
Usually, mulching blades work better with dedicated lawnmowers. But they are also workable with any mower of your choice. A regular lawnmower with standard blades can run with mulching blades too. In that case, you need to replace those regular blades with the mulching ones.
However, make sure the blades match the deck of the mower accurately. Secure the blades tightly. Otherwise, they won’t work properly.
Can I Use Mulching Blades With Side Discharge?
Usually, we use the side discharge process with regular blades. But it is also possible to use it with mulching blades. In fact, it would help discharge the grass faster without creating any clog to the deck of the mower. As a result, your lawn would look healthier than ever.
Conclusion
By the end of the discussion, it is evident that a lawnmower can be used both with regular and mulching blades. Although mulching is a more convenient way to keep your lawn healthier.
However, both the pros and cons of mulching blades are described above. On one side, it is less power-consuming and makes the grass clippings smaller. And on the other side, taller grasses cannot be mowed with it. In fact, mulching blades are only effective to cut smaller grasses.
So, make your choice based on your preferences. If you need to maintain the lawn often, go with the mulching blades to keep the cost low.
