What Is the Difference in a Finishing Mower & a Rotary Cutter?

Basic Design

• The obvious difference between the two mowers, at least at first glance, is that a rotary cutter (sometimes called a “reel cutter”) features a push handle like those found on traditional gas-powered engine mowers. Conversely, finishing mowers are flat to the ground and feature no such push handles. The difference in design also changes the direction the cutting blades move: rotary cutters, as their name suggests, rotate in a forward “barrel roll” formation while the blades on finishing mowers spin parallel to the ground in a clockwise direction.

Power

• Due to the inclusion of the handle, rotary mowers are meant to be pushed using old fashioned muscle since they also have no onboard engine and no means of self-propulsion. Conversely, although they too have no actual motorized capability, finishing mowers are meant to be towed behind lawn tractors or small pickups. The two mower types do utilize the same basic idea, though: as the wheels turn and the mower is set in motion, an axle spins the blades on each mower, thus cutting the grass to the preset length.

General Uses

• Both machines are meant to cut grass, but overall their applications differ. Finishing mowers don’t work well with particularly tall grass; however, once a larger mower has cut the lawn down to a manageable size, finishers are used to even the lawn. This is often seen on golf courses, sports fields featuring actual turf and the manicured lawns of certain businesses. While rotary cutters also aren’t the best mower for use with lawns with taller grasses, they are often used by homeowners or lawn care specialists for home lawn care rather than commercial care.

Work Space

• That said, finishing mowers cover much more space and can cut more area in less time than rotary cutters. Often times several finishers may be working on a large area, such as a football field, whereas smaller and more easily maneuverable rotary cutters can take care of grass in hard-to-reach areas or irregularly shaped areas that a finisher can’t get adequately get into.