The best lawn mowers for every garden size and budget to create a beautifully manicured lawn at home
If you need a new lawn mower and are baffled by the choice available, we’ve rounded up all the best models on the market to find out which model and type of mower might be best for you and your lawn
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If you need a new lawn mower and are baffled by the choice available, we’ve rounded up all the best models on the market to find out which model and type of mower might be best for you and your lawn.
Choosing the best gardening tools is tricky, and the choice of mower is bewildering if you’re not sure what you’re looking at and what difference all the different types of blades and cutting methods might make to your lawn. It usually comes down to two things: the size of the lawn you have to cut, and the type of finish you’re after.
Then there are other things to consider, such as how the lawn mower will be powered – battery for example, or petrol – and practical considerations including your budget, the size and weight of mower you’ll be able to handle, and the space you have to store it.
The different types of lawn mowers
The first question to ask yourself is, ’What kind of lawn do you want?’ If the answer is ‘Nothing less than level, striped perfection will do’, you’re going to need a cylinder mower.
If you’re happy with a normal lawn rather than bowling green perfection, then your choice depends on its size. For small and medium lawns, an electric rotary mower will do the job brilliantly and give a good finish. If you have a small lawn and you just want to keep it cut, are not too fussed about the quality of the finish or have tricky slopes, a hover mower might be better for you. And if your answer to the question “How often do you want to mow it?” is “NEVER!” then consider a robotic mower that, aside from some initial setting up, does all the work for you.
For really large lawns, you may need a petrol rotary mower, or possibly even a ride-on mower if the space requires it. Being cable-free, petrol mowers allow you a greater range and are ideal for manoeuvring around large objects such as trees.
The best cylinder mowers
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Cylinder mowers cut the grass like scissors, so they are the mower to choose if you want a really fine, short cut and a bowling green-like finish. Choose a cylinder mower with a roller, and you’ll also be able to create stripes. They are really only suitable for smaller, level lawns that are already in good condition, as they’ll struggle with anything bumpy or any tufty, rough grass. They can be hand-pushed (excellent exercise for your core muscles!), or powered.
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The Cobra Fortis 14L self-propelled petrol cylinder lawn mower is built for gardeners seeking a professional-quality finish. Its six-blade cutting cylinder delivers a clean, precise cut that encourages healthier grass and creates attractive lawn stripes, while the self-propelled drive makes mowing easier. Ideal for well-maintained, flat lawns, it combines robust construction with excellent cutting performance for those who value a perfectly manicured lawn.
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The Masport Olympic 660 petrol cylinder lawn mower is a premium machine designed for large lawns where a flawless, striped finish is the priority. Its 26-inch six-blade cutting cylinder, self-propelled drive, and heavy-duty rear roller produce a clean, professional cut with minimal effort, while the low cutting height makes it perfect for fine turf.
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The AL-KO Premium 38.1 HM push hand-propelled cylinder mower is a fantastic choice for small, well-kept lawns. It’s 38cm five-blade cylinder delivers a clean, scissor-like cut for a healthier, neater finish, while the lightweight design and smooth-running wheels make it easy to manoeuvre.
The best cordless lawn mowers
Cordless mowers are often preferable to traditional petrol alternatives due to their ease of manoeuvrability, lightweight designs, and low maintenance, making them the best lawn mowers for many gardeners.
If you’ve ever worried about chopping through an electric cable, battery-powered lawn mowers will come as a relief – you can mow with abandon without having to make sure the cable isn’t in danger of being sliced, but battery-powered models are more expensive. Battery and electric-powered mowers are also the greenest choice for anyone trying to garden more sustainably.
Designed for medium-sized lawns, the model boasts a rear roller to achieve perfect stripes in your lawn and is self-propelled.
A cordless lawn mower with seven cutting heights, this model has an adjustable handle height and a large 50L grass bag.
A self-propelled mower, the Acto Liner has a 46cm/18” cutting width and a large 55 litre grass collector.
The best rotary mowers
Rotary mowers are ideal for most functional, family lawns. They can usually cope with longer, rougher grass and take a few bumps and hollows in their stride. They have a spinning blade underneath that cuts the grass as it whizzes around, and most have a grass collecting bag or box that the clippings are flung into. They are by far the most popular choice and give a great finish, albeit not as short a cut as a cylinder mower, plus there are plenty of excellent makes and models available.
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The Webb WER460SP 18"/46cm self-propelled rotary petrol lawn mower is a capable all-rounder for medium to large gardens. Its 141cc four-stroke engine, self-propelled drive, and 46cm cutting width make mowing faster and less tiring, while seven cutting heights and 4-in-1 functionality let you collect, mulch, or discharge clippings to suit conditions.
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The Flymo Speedi-Mo 360VC electric rotary lawn mower is a lightweight, easy-to-use option for small to medium-sized gardens. Its 1500W motor and 36cm cutting width provide efficient mowing, while the central height adjustment and spacious grass collector make it simple to achieve a neat finish with fewer interruptions.
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The Mountfield SP185 139cc petrol rotary lawn mower is a dependable choice for medium-sized gardens, combining a 46cm cutting width with self-propelled drive for quicker, less strenuous mowing. Its robust steel deck, six-position height adjustment, and mulching capability provide the flexibility to tackle a variety of lawn conditions.
The best robotic lawn mowers
It doesn’t seem that long ago that robotic mowers were the outlandish new arrival on the lawn mowing scene, but now almost every mower manufacturer has its own model, and where they used to be seen as the mower choice for ‘non-gardeners’, even keen gardeners have begun to recognise their time and labour-saving benefits. Time saved on mowing the lawn is time that can be spent on the rest of the garden, after all! Also, their ‘little and often’ mowing regime has excellent results, helping grass stay healthy and thick growing.
All the robotic mowers need some initial setting up, normally a perimeter wire that runs around the edge of the lawn and lets the mower know where to stop, turn around, and head off in another direction. This can be a fiddle, but only needs doing once, and afterwards, you can pretty much leave the mower to its own devices. Top-of-the-range models from Husqvarna, for example, can even be programmed to move between front and back gardens if you want them to.
The mower will head to its mains-powered docking station to recharge, and its mowing can be programmed to suit. Many can also be set up so you can control them through apps on your smartphone or devices like Alexa, so you don’t even need to be at home to adjust their mowing. Some models are able to respond to the weather.
Robotic mowers are available for covering different-sized areas of grass, and some of the top-of-the-range ones can now cut lawns up to 6,500 square metres, such as the new Mega Mower from Kress. Check the square footage of your lawn, as models that cover larger areas do get quite a bit more expensive. If you only have a small garden, expect to pay around £500-£600 for a robotic mower that will cope with about 400-500 square metres.
If you’ve been keen to try a robotic lawn mower, now is the time to do so. With £200 off, this Segway Navimow model is designed for all-terrain performance and has excellent reviews for scaling 24-degree slopes — if you have an uneven garden, this is the one!
For better or for worse, AI is everywhere, and robotic lawnmowers are no exception, including this Bosch VisiMow, which uses artificial intelligence to detect grass to ensure every blade is reached. Another nifty USP of this model is that the unit is hose-washable, which makes it seamless to clean.
The Mac Allister robotic mower boasts a mulching feature that feeds the tiny grass clippings back to your lawn, which returns nitrogen and other essential nutrients into the soil, resulting in healthier grass, which is a superb USP.
The best hover mowers
Hover mowers, of which Flymo is probably the best-known brand, are suitable for small lawns, but don’t necessarily produce the smoothest finish. They work by gliding over the lawn on a cushion of air, which makes them very manoeuvrable, but the finish and cutting height can be uneven, and they are not great on damp or long grass. But for a small patch – or perhaps one with slopes that might be awkward with a wheeled mower – they are a cheap, easy option.
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The Flymo EasiGlide 300 Hover Collect lawn mower is a lightweight, highly manoeuvrable choice for small to medium-sized gardens. Its 1700W motor and 30cm cutting width provide efficient performance, while the hover design glides effortlessly over uneven ground and slopes. It has a 20-litre grass collector, compact fold-away storage, and easy handling.
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The LawnMaster 1800W 36cm electric hover mower is a powerful yet lightweight option for medium-sized gardens, particularly where slopes or uneven ground make wheeled mowers less practical. Floating on a cushion of air, it is easy to manoeuvre, while its 36cm cutting width, four cutting heights and collect-or-mulch capability provide flexibility for different lawn conditions.
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The BLACK+DECKER electric hover mower is a lightweight, easy-to-handle solution for small gardens and awkward lawns. Its 1200W motor and 30cm cutting width provide efficient performance, while the hover design glides smoothly over slopes and uneven ground where wheeled mowers can struggle.
What to consider when choosing a lawn mower
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1. Grass collecting boxes & mulching mowers
If you don’t want to have to rake over the entire lawn after you’ve finished to pick up the clippings, a mower that allows you to attach a grass collecting box or bag is essential. Alternatively, mulching mowers chop the clippings into even smaller pieces that can be left on the lawn to break down with no ill effects – this is how robotic mowers work too.
2. Cutting width
The wider the mower’s cutting width, the quicker you’ll get the lawn mown as you’ll need fewer passes, but remember that the wider the mower, the trickier it will be to manoeuvre it around corners. For a small lawn, a cutting width of about 30-35cm is about right.
3. Storage space
Think about the space you have available to store your mower before you buy. Most have folding handles that help them take up less room, but if space is really tight, look to the most compact models. Bear in mind their weight too – some are heavy, and you may not be able to lift them up steps into sheds or garages on your own.
4. How they are powered
If you go for a cabled electric lawnmower, make sure you use an RCD with it to protect yourself from accidental electric shock. Most brand new petrol mowers are easy to start, but bear in mind that recoil starters may not suit everybody – they can be a nightmare if you have a shoulder injury, for example. Battery-powered and electric mowers are the greenest choice and a safer alternative, as you do not need to worry about slicing through a cable.
If you are upgrading your lawn essentials, then a strimmer or grass trimmer is a valuable piece of kit, too. They’re just the job for cutting back weeds and overgrown grass, including areas that are sloping or under furniture and corners that are harder to access with a lawnmower. We put the best strimmers and grass trimmers to the test. This high-performance cordless trimmer from Cobra, available from Amazon, has a 30cm cutting width and a 90° tilting cutter head, making it a great tool for edging lawns quickly.
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