Lawn mower baggers are manufactured in various styles and designs to fit both walk-behind as well as ride-on lawn mowers. Made to collect lawn clippings as they exit the mowing deck, some designs of lawn mower baggers can be automatically emptied. Other types require the operator to empty the clippings by dumping the collection receptacle or by removing a single-use, disposable bag. From nylon mesh to formed plastic or composite materials, lawn mower baggers are available in a wide selection of designs, with some types acting only as a container for single-use, disposable paper bags.
Some of the simplest lawn mower baggers are used on walk-behind mowers. Commonly manufactured of a tight nylon-mesh bag held in position by a small diameter, steel-tube frame, the lawn mower baggers catch lawn clippings while allowing the air and wind from the cutting blade to exit through the mesh bag. Without the mesh vents, the bag would be blown up into a large billowing bag of air and grass clippings. As the blades cut the lawn, the clippings are blown through the mower's discharge chute and into the collection bag. Once full, the bag is removed from the mower by unlatching several snaps and emptied by turning the bag bottom-side up and pouring the clippings out.
Some of the more advanced designs in lawn mower baggers use a hard outer shell that can be used alone or with a disposable inner liner. Commonly made from hard plastic or composite construction, the hard baggers typically use a flexible chute to direct clippings from the mower deck into the collection bag. This type of bagger also employs a vent to allow wind to escape while leaving the clippings behind. While occasionally found on walk-behind mowers, this type of bagger is usually mounted to ride-on mowers.
When used by owners who have a compost pile, the hard lawn mower baggers are typically used without a liner. The clippings are emptied into the compost pile to be used in other areas for fertilizer. For operators without a compost pile, these lawn mower baggers are commonly used with a paper liner or bag that can be removed from the bagger and disposed of with the weekly garbage.
Another style of available lawn mower baggers is a large, pull-behind wagon that is often used with a vacuum system. It draws clippings and leaves through the cutting deck and into a trailer with an on-board, motor-driven vacuum. The trailer can be emptied by dumping the contents at the curb for city collection, into a compost pile or bagging them for garbage pick-up.