What Did The First Lawn Mower Look Like? (And Who Invented It)

By 2027, the U.S. lawn mower market is estimated to hit 9.7 billion, per Arizton. With so many Americans regularly cutting their yards over the summer, it's doubtful many have given any thought to how it all started. The first mechanical lawn mower was an odd-looking contraption, with a small spiraling cylindrical component, large exposed gears, and a barrel-shaped drum. The concept was first patented in 1830 by Edwin Bear Budding of England, who used a fabric cutting machine as a foundation for the first mechanical lawnmower. This wasn't the only notable creation to come out of the U.K., with several Scottish inventions that shaped the modern world as we know it today.

However, the idea of manicured grass had been around well before the lawn mower. The practice of cutting overgrown vegetation was used around medieval castles, as tall grass could conceivably hide attackers, allowing them to get close to the walls without being seen. Scythes and grazing herd animals were used to maintain the grounds not only around castles, but also for activities like golf, which requires neatly trimmed green spaces.

Budding's invention is considered a reel-type mower, with the spinning spiral-bladed part on the front referred to as a "reel". Surprisingly, reel (or cylinder) type lawn equipment is still in use today. 

Before considering its potential for cutting grass, a contraption using a similar cylindrical cutting apparatus was used on certain fabrics. Pile (or nap, as it is sometimes referred to in the U.K.) is the outward protrusions of little bits of yarn, which can create a fuzzy texture. This fabric cutting machine would carefully remove these bits of pile, creating a uniform, smooth surface across the material.

After formulating the idea for his lawn mower, Budding patented it and teamed up with the owner of an iron works to begin producing them. Unfortunately, the talented inventor would pass away just 16 years later, having only been able to produce approximately 1,000 of his mower units, and well before he could see how much impact his creation would have on the future. There are only two of Budding's mowers still in existence, but both are displayed in museums, one in London and the other in West Sussex.

Europeans incorporated kempt grass as a symbol of wealth, but with the rapid growth of U.S. suburbia following World War II, the middle class adopted lawn maintenance. A tidy, green manicured yard around homes became associated with the American dream, and something to aspire toward. Even though neighborhoods were lined with houses spaced a matter of feet from each other, each family had their own patch of land to tend to. 

Lawns have become so intertwined with homes that today, not only could a badly maintained property drop your home's selling price by thousands, but it could be difficult to sell at all. In a RE/MAX social media poll, just over 46 percent of respondents stated that an unkempt exterior was the largest red flag when visiting a home for sale. After all, with weeds and overgrowth in the yard, potential buyers could be wondering, "if it looks this bad on the outside, what issues are lurking inside?" Fortunately, you don't need to spend an arm and a leg for lawn equipment, as there are several Harbor Freight tools for the budget-minded home landscaper.