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Our rigorous lab tests have uncovered big differences in quality across lawn mowers available on the market. In our expert buying guide, we explain which features to look out for and share our Best Buy recommendations.
Despite the cool, damp start to 2024, grass is growing strongly and needs cutting once a week. However, if we get heavy rain don't mow while the lawn is wet.
Whether you’re tackling a postage-stamp-sized lawn or an acre of grass, we’ll help you choose the best model for you. In the past, we’ve found Don’t Buy mowers costing over £600 and Best Buys available for less than £150. We've also seen that sometimes, older lawn mowers will outperform newly launched ones, so new doesn't always mean improved.
Read on to find out which lawn mowers impressed us in our tests, along with all the advice you need to help you decide which one is right for your garden.
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All of the lawn mowers in the tables below have been put through our rigorous field testing, so you can be sure they’re the best of the bunch for cutting grass while also being easy to use.
Join Which? to get access to all our Best Buys and lawn mower reviews. We’ve tested lawn mowers from brands including Bosch, Flymo and Mountfield, but only the very best make a Best Buy.
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Last updated: May 2024
Alternatively, see all our Best Buy lawn mowers by going to our lawn mower reviews.
Unlike many other reviewers, we buy every lawn mower that we test. In other words, you can be sure our in-depth, expert reviews are honest and impartial.
For every lawn mower we test, we pay attention to the features that are important for your garden. We take a look at how well the mower will cut your grass and whether or not it leaves grass clippings behind.
We also measure lawn mowers on ease of use, which means checking their weight, how easy they are to assemble and disassemble, plus how convenient the controls are.
Find out more about the lengths we go to in our test lab by visiting how we test lawn mowers.
Corded electric mowers are a good choice for a family lawn and typically cost between £120 and £150. These mowers are often the cheapest option and many will do a good job of cutting grass.
Corded electric lawn mowers will cut for as long as you need them to with no need to charge or buy fuel.
Cons of corded electric lawn mowers:
Head over to our guide on the best electric lawn mowers.
Hover mowers are corded machines that glide over the grass on a cushion of air, but many don't pick up the clippings so you'll have to rake them up.
A basic hover lawn mower will cost you around £75. For a larger machine with a collection box that can tackle damp or long grass, expect to pay around £150.
Cons of hover lawn mowers:
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Sign up nowThere are now cordless electric mowers that are as powerful as petrol models, typically costing between £350 and £500. Unlike corded electric lawn mowers, they’re not limited by a cable, so you can cut anywhere you want.
The battery running time will limit how long you can mow for. Some cordless mowers have a cutting time of more than 30 minutes, while others will run out of charge within 20 minutes.
The battery often makes these lawn mowers heavier than corded electric mowers, but they’re usually lighter than petrol mowers.
If you do buy a cordless mower, make sure to buy one with a replaceable battery. Our survey data has shown that the most common fault with cordless mowers is their batteries dying, and you don't want to have to buy a whole new mower if that happens. It's also worth considering buying a spare battery when you first purchase your mower so that you're set for the future, as we've seen manufacturers discontinue compatible batteries for certain models. It's often cheaper to buy a battery when you buy your mower rather than later on.
Cons of cordless lawn mowers:
Head over to our guide on the best cordless lawn mowers.
Petrol lawn mowers are powerful enough to tackle large lawns and suitable for bumpy or sloping ground.
You can get a good one between £350 and £550, but note that you'll need to have them serviced annually. Prices vary, but you can expect to pay around £75-£90 for a full service.
These lawn mowers tend to be heavy machines, weighing more than 30kg. To reduce the amount of effort involved, look for a self-propelled model as these have an extra drive which will push the mower along.
It's generally recommended that the ethanol content in the unleaded fuel used for lawn mowers isn't higher than 10%, as ethanol attracts water which can cause corrosion if fuel is left in the mower for long periods. E10 fuel is fine to use, but super unleaded with an ethanol content of 5% is better and what we'd recommend.
It's good practice to empty the fuel tank as much as possible – and completely if your mower won't be used over winter. Petrol is better stored in a bespoke container rather than in the machine.
Cons of petrol lawn mowers:
It's worth keeping in mind that due to recent market shifts, we're seeing fewer launches of petrol-powered gardening tools, as manufacturers appear to be focusing their attention on cordless tools. These offer a better alternative for the environment and our health, as they’re quieter and produce zero emissions, while still being flexible and powerful enough to rival petrol tools.
Head over to our guide on the best petrol lawn mowers.
Ride-on mowers are powered by petrol and allow you to attach accessories such as trailers, broadening their range of use.
These hefty mowers can tackle large lawns with ease, but be prepared to spend anything from £1,200 to more than £5,000. You'll also need to get your ride-on lawn mower serviced annually.
Cons of ride-on lawn mowers:
For more details, see our in-depth guide on how to buy the best ride-on mower.
Robot mowers are generally quite expensive - though we have found a few Great Value models you can pick up for less than £400 - but they do make mowing hassle free. Once installed, these cordless electric models will mow your lawn with little input from you, cutting regularly and mulching clippings back into the lawn so there are no clippings to deal with. We suggest you use your robot mower during daylight to reduce the risk to wildlife.
Some models are capable of cutting lawns that are 5,500sq m and more, making them a great alternative to a ride-on or petrol lawn mower.
Robot lawn mowers usually start at around £600 and can go well into the thousands. Pricier robots will usually have more advanced features, like smartphone compatibility, weather monitoring and mapping.
Cons of robot lawn mowers:
Read our guide on the best robot lawn mowers and find out if automated mowing is for you. Alternatively, view and compare our robot lawn mower reviews.
The price you pay for a new lawn mower ultimately depends on what type it is. Some of the cheapest we've seen come from Lidl and Aldi. At the other end of the scale are models costing closer over £1,000, including the Hayter Harrier 41.
Often, if you spend more on a lawn mower, you're paying for certain features rather than guaranteed better performance. These can include wider cutting widths, self-propelled functions and longer battery life.
Our expert tests prove you don't need to spend big to get your hands on a Best Buy lawn mower. In fact, we've uncovered several Best Buy models under £250. Price is very rarely an indication of how 'good' your lawn mower actually is. There's no way of definitely knowing how well it will cut your grass until you put it to the test in your garden.
If you're trying to stick to a budget, don't feel like you need to fork out money you don't have to land yourself a reliable model.
Find out which retailers are rated highly by Which? members with our expert guide on the best and worst shops.
Traditionally, lawn mowers were designed with a simple goal: cut the grass and collect the clippings. However, some modern mowers now come with an added functionality known as mulching. This feature allows it to cut grass clippings into fine pieces, then disperse them back on to your lawn.
This removes the physically demanding need to empty your grass collector, as well as a place to dispose of them. These mulched clippings quickly decompose, serving as a natural fertiliser, enriching the soil, and promoting healthier grass growth.
For those with large lawns or hilly terrain, a self-propelled lawn mower is a blessing. Unlike traditional push mowers, self-propelled models use power from the engine to drive the wheels, reducing the amount of effort needed to push the mower. They come with different drive types: front-wheel, rear-wheel and all-wheel drive.
Generally speaking, front-wheel drive is best for large, flat lawns filled with obstacles you need to steer around regularly. Rear-wheel drive mowers are better for undulating terrain and will help you with traction when climbing slopes. All-wheel drive is relatively rare, but gives you the best of both worlds.
Most self-propelled mowers have variable speed settings, so you can adjust the pace of the mower to match your walking speed or the specific conditions of your lawn.
At the start of the year and during dry weather, it’s a good idea to leave grass longer so it doesn’t get stressed. In summer, you’ll want to cut it shorter so it stays looking neat for longer.
Most lawn mowers let you adjust the height of the cut between a set range of heights. Make sure that the mower can cut the heights you require and check how easy it is to change the height. Some can be changed by simply moving a lever, while others require you to change the height of each individual wheel, or to add or remove spacers under the cutting blade.
Cutting width is the size of the lawn mower blade. The larger the blade, the more grass it will cut on each pass. It's important to choose a mower with the right cutting width for the size of your lawn.
Too large a cutting width on a small lawn and you'll struggle to manoeuvre it in tight corners, while too small a cutting width on a large lawn, and you'll find it takes much longer to cut all the grass.
This is mainly an issue for petrol lawn mowers, as electric mowers are easy to start. Some petrol mowers start by giving a sharp tug to a pull cord. This can require a fair bit of strength and isn’t easy for everyone.
For simpler starting, look for models we recommend; these usually have a push button or key start.
Some lawn mowers have a fixed-length handle, while others let you adjust it between a range of heights. Check that the mower height will be comfortable for you, especially if you’re taller or shorter than average. Some mowers can be hung up or stored vertically to reduce the amount of space they occupy.
Some mowers are easier than others to get close up to lawn edges and around obstacles. Features such as grass combs can help them achieve this. Being able to get close to edges reduces the amount of time you’ll spend afterwards trimming missed grass with a grass trimmer or shears.
Discover our best grass trimmers and lawn edging shears
Buying and replacing your gardening appliances less often will reduce the impact on the environment of producing new lawn mowers and disposing of old ones.
However, part of a lawn mower's environmental impact also comes from using it. When replacing a faulty model, buying one that is efficient is a great way of reducing that impact, and saving you money along the way.
That's why we've started recommending Eco Buy lawn mowers. These are models that perform well in our grass cutting tests while also being efficient and long-lasting. We also take into account how easy they are to maintain - if it's less of a hassle to service it semi-regularly then you're more likely to do it, and do it well; prolonging its life. We look at noise, too. A particularly raucous mower contributes to noise pollution, which, as well as irritating your neighbours, may disturb local wildlife and lead to habitats shrinking.
Petrol mowers, which are much louder and produce polluting emissions, aren't eligible to become Eco Buys. Thankfully, some of the newer cordless models on the market can offer range and power comparable to what you'd find in a petrol model.
To find out more on how we choose Eco Buys, head to our how we test lawn mowers page. To see the models that we've selected so far, read our lawn mower reviews and filter for Eco Buys.
Unlike many other reviewers, we buy every lawn mower that we test. In other words, you can be sure our in-depth, expert reviews are honest and impartial.
For every lawn mower we test, we pay attention to the features that are important for your garden. We take a look at how well the mower will cut your grass and whether or not it leaves grass clippings behind.
We also measure lawn mowers on ease of use, which means checking their weight, how easy they are to assemble and disassemble, plus how convenient the controls are.
Find out more about the lengths we go to in our test lab by visiting how we test lawn mowers.