Are Gator blades better than mulching blades?

Lawnmowers are an essential part of any household to help you maintain your lawn by giving it a clean and precise cut. There are different types of lawnmowers and each has different features. Most mowers are designed to use a specific blade that fits in the specific holes and measurements for a particular mower.

However, most mowers are compatible with several blade-type options that offer a variety of mulching and lift options. So, are gator blades better than mulching blades? Yes, they are better and although gator blades are similar to mulching blades, they’re specially designed with uniquely angled teeth that continually push the grass towards the sharp cutting edge to cut the grass into smaller pieces over and over again. This gives you a clean even cut mulching result and their high lift also makes them a great choice for bagging. To get the best results, you can install a mulching kit to the blade to help evenly distribute the fine pieces of grass on the ground.

Mowing blades	Purpose
Lift blades	Low lift-low suction power is perfect for mowing sandy soil and side discharge. Medium lift-more suction power than low lift and ideal for cutting thicker grass and weeds. High lift-have the highest suction power perfect for bagging and cutting long, compact grass.
Cylinder blades	Have 3-7 screw-like blades used in a reel mower. Their precise scissor-like action cuts grass to very low heights without scalping.
Standard blades	Straight blades are used in horizontal rotary mowers. The curved edges are great for bagging and side discharge.
Mulch blades	All-purpose blades with curved surfaces for lifting, mowing, and mulching.
Gator blades	3-in-1 blades with low, medium, and high lift plus a mulching feature. Have serrated edges for all-round cutting.

What are gator blades?

Gator blades are similar to mulching blades but they have been modified with unique angles on their teeth for more effective suction on the grass which pulls the grass upwards so the grass is cut into smaller pieces as you continue to mow your lawn. These blades are easy to spot because of their serrated section at the edge of each blade and they make high lift mulching possible because of their more than one design. They combine high, low, and medium lifts and a mulching feature into their cutting grass technique. They perform well in sandy soil while giving you a great mulch.

Benefits of using gator blades

• They’re easy to install and clean and are much thicker than standard blades. You can also use them with a wide range of mowers and they’re less noisy.
• They have a progressive geometry design on the cutting edges that helps to increase airflow that allows for more effective bagging and side discharge. The cutting edges also stay sharper for longer reducing the times you need to sharpen and replace the blades.
• The blades have a unique shape that will mulch grass very well and cut through thick grass without clogging the deck.
• The raised teeth on the blades push the grass up while other blades push the grass down. This gives you a clean, even cut and also helps to improve bagging and faster decomposition.

What are mulch blades?

If you want to replenish the soil with your lawn grass clippings instead of discarding them, a mulching blade is the best option. These are multi-purpose blades that have more distinct and curvier edges that create less suction, but it’s enough to straighten the grass and trim it. The curved inner and outer surfaces of the blades push the trimmed grass to the deck to cut it into smaller pieces and the inner curves allow the grass to fall to the ground. However, these blades have low suction power that isn’t ideal for cutting tall, dense grass because it will end up clogging the deck. The blades are good for bagging, mulching, and side discharge of even tall grasses.

A mulching blade is an all-in-one kind of blade that performs 3 functions that include:

• Lifting where it pulls the grass up and cuts it.
• Mowing the grass clippings that are pushed inside the deck and cut into small fine pieces.
• Mulching with the help of the inner curves that draw in air that pushes the clipping onto the ground.

Benefits of using mulching blades

• Mulching blades come together with a mulching kit that includes hardware for installation and a plug that closes the discharge opening so the grass can be cut into much smaller pieces.
• These blades are versatile since they can mulch, bag, and side discharge the grass clippings onto your lawn.
• The shape of the blades keeps the grass clippings in the deck so they’re cut into finer pieces with the longer curved surfaces providing an extra cutting surface so you cut more grass in less time.
• These blades provide a better way of dealing with grass clippings because the clippings decompose quicker and release valuable nutrients to the soil and growing grass and disappears.

Conclusion

To always have a well-manicured neat looking lawn, you’ll need to mow the grass frequently. Since grass grows quickly, you’ll need a lawnmower with the right type of blades to give you that precise cut. The high lift of the gator blades gives you a clean, even cut compared to mulching blades that push the grass down. The high lift also makes gator blades a better option for bagging reducing the clippings significantly.

FAQ

Can I use mulching blades without the mulching kit?

Yes, you can install a mulching blade in almost any mower that will fit properly and securely under the deck. However, not all mowers with a mulching blade will do a good job because of the deck design or a low suction engine.

Why does my mulching mower leave clumps of grass?

This can only mean 2 things, either you’re mowing the grass when it’s wet or you’re mowing the grass when it’s too tall. You should mow your lawn frequently so that the grass doesn’t become too tall and you should only cut 1/3 of the grass blades in one cut.