There are a few things to consider when choosing the right lawnmower for your garden. Once you have decided on your budget and perhaps even the manufacturer, then we would advise you look at your garden size and landscape before purchasing a petrol lawnmower.
Unless you find mowing grass therapeutic, we would expect you to want to mow your lawn in as quick a time as possible. Gardens come in all shapes and sizes and it’s obvious that the larger the plot the longer it’s going to take to mow, but each type of lawnmower will have features to reduce mowing times dependent on the cutting conditions.
Petrol push lawnmowers are suitable for small, flat gardens where minimal user effort is required, whereas if your garden is uneven or hilly a self-propelled or variable speed mower will drive the mower forward taking the strain away from the operator and reducing the time spent mowing.
We recommend
Hayter Spirit 41 Push Petrol Rear Roller Lawn mower£313.50
Toro 29732 Steel Deck Self-Propelled Recycler Lawnmower£385
Another thing to consider when choosing a lawnmower is the grass cuttings. A mower with a grass collector saves you picking up a mountain of cuttings and is a practical choice for formal lawns, you do however need to take regular breaks from mowing to dispose of the cut grass.
We recommend
Cobra M41C 41cm Push Petrol Lawn mower £129.95
Oleo-Mac G53VK All Road Plus 4 Self-Propelled Petrol Lawn Mower£449
A mulching lawnmower will cut the grass up to 40% faster than a grass collecting mower, the grass is blown back onto the lawn to decompose, this natural fertiliser promotes healthy grass roots and locks in moisture. Mulching isn’t suitable for formal lawns or areas where there is heavy foot traffic.
We recommend
Stiga Multiclip 47 SQB Self Propelled Mulching Mower £349
John Deere JS63V Self Propelled Mulching Lawn mower £665
Certain types of mowers are designed to maintain up to a specific size of garden, and the general rule is if you have a mostly flat and symmetrical lawn, then the majority of mowers are suitable. You will also have the best conditions to produce the traditional striped effect using a roller or cylinder mower.
A cylinder mower will give a superior cut to an ornamental lawn, they produce the most distinctive stripe and are undoubtedly the choice for the garden traditionalist. Downsides are they can be expensive to maintain with the blades needing to be sharpened and balanced regularly. They also require the ground to be flat and the grass height low to cut effectively.
We recommend
Cobra HM381 Hand Push Cylinder Lawnmower £49.99
Allett Classic 17L Self Propelled Petrol Cylinder Mower£844
A roller mower will produce an effective striped lawn and the rotary blade will be more forgiving if the grass is longer and the ground uneven, they are certainly more affordable than a quality cylinder mower.
We recommend
Mountfield S421R PD Self Propelled Rear Roller Lawnmower £389
Hayter Harrier 41 Autodrive VS ES Rear Roller Lawnmower £653
For gardens with banks a hover mower will comfortably glide from side to side and contend with slopes much better than a rotary mower. They do not tend to be the best choice for a bumpy lawn as they do not cut close enough to the ground.
We recommend
Cobra AirMow 51 Petrol Hover Mower £289.99
Flymo XL500 Plus Petrol Hover Mower £430
Petrol rotary mowers are a practical choice for gardens over 100m2. Additional features such as variable speed and 4-wheel drive make mowing as effortless as possible. A blade break clutch (BBC) is a practical feature if your garden contains paths and gravel areas. The BBC stops the blades from turning without the need to cut the engine, allowing you to keep the mower running whilst transporting it or emptying the grass box.
We recommend
Mountfield SP53 Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower £299
Weibang Virtue 53 SSD BBC 3IN1 3 Speed Petrol Lawnmower£849
It may be obvious to say that if your garden is a quarter of an acre then it will be quicker and much less effort using a ride on tractor, but if your garden has lots of trees or obstacles then a riding mower may not be able to mow close enough or have enough room to manoeuvre. A powerful variable-speed petrol mower would be more effective at trimming edges and awkward angles.
Mowing a large garden with a walk behind mower can take hours out of your week, especially in the growing season, so making the step up to a ride on mower can certainly save you time and effort. Compact ride on mowers or lawn riders can usual fit through a standard garden gate making them an ideal choice for properties with limited access. Properties with more substantial grounds will be suitable for ride on mowers and lawn tractors. Grass collecting versions will quickly maintain a formal lawn and leave a neat and tidy finish. Many have a lever to empty the grass box so there’s no need to dismount the mower. Hydrostatic transmission drives just like an automatic car and cruise control will allow you to mow with minimal effort.
We recommend
AL-KO Solo R7-62.5 Compact Ride on Mower £1449
Stiga Garden Combi 1066 HQ Compact Lawn Rider £1699
For paddocks and meadows, a rear or side discharge lawn tractor will cover a lot of area quickly. The grass cuttings are ejected behind or along side the tractor and left to wilt back naturally.
We recommend
Mountfield 1543H-SD Side Discharge Lawn Tractor £1,949
ToroTimeCutter ZS4200T 107cm Zero Turn Twin£3,295
Most riding lawnmowers and grass tractors have optional extras such as mulching kits and tow bars. Towable additions such as a trailer, dethatcher, aerator or sweeper give the tractors all-year-round versatility.
We recommend
AGRI-FAB Utility Trailer £179
Tondu TST40 40 inch Towed Tine Dethatcher£100
If you have a garden that gets water-logged then you will risk the riding mower churning up the turf and seriously damaging the grass. It would be advisable to check the ground conditions before mowing after heavy rainfall.
Mowers online have a vast choice of petrol lawn mowers, ride on’s and lawn tractors. All petrol machines come with a free bottle of oil, Cobra and Hayter machines are supplied with a free starter kit and all ride on machines are built up and ready to mow.