One of the first decisions you’ll need to make when it comes to your lawn maintenance is whether to go for a petrol lawnmower or electric lawnmower.
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The right lawn mower for your garden will depend on your mowing preference, budget, size of lawn and terrain.
These days, there’s not as much difference between the two as there was previously. Petrol models can be reasonably quiet, lightweight and easy to handle, whilst electric models can be very powerful, capable of tackling steep inclines and tough terrains.
That being said, the right lawn mower for you still requires some thought, so we’ve put together this post to help you make your mind up.
Petrol Powered Lawn Mowers
Petrol lawn mowers are built for power. They are usually large machines, with bigger cutting widths. Petrol lawn mowers are intended for large lawns – around 150sqm and bigger.
Petrol lawn mowers are usually equipped with professional features, such as a mulching plug or rear roller. They should have a range of cutting heights, allowing you to customise the finish of your lawn.
Another benefit of a petrol-powered mower is that there’s no restrictive cables nor battery life to worry about. Corded lawn mowers need to be used carefully to ensure you don’t accidentally mow through the cable, whilst the battery life on a cordless mower can be very limiting. Petrol mowers, on the other hand, can be used for long periods of time – there’s none of the stop and start that you’d have with a cordless machine.
However, there’s a few reasons you may prefer a cordless model. It goes without saying that petrol mowers have a greater environmental impact, and they are also fairly noisy. While quieter models are available, if you like to do your mowing at 7am on a Sunday morning, an electric model is a better choice. Those looking to reduce their carbon footprint may also prefer to invest in an electric mower.
Petrol mowers can also be heavy and quite bulky. Those with a wide cutting deck and large engine can be difficult to manoeuvre in and out of storage. While the self-propelled function will ensure they feel light once switched on, you may need an extra pair of hands to help you get your mower from shed to lawn.
Pros:
- More powerful than electric lawn mowers – can tackle tougher terrain and long, wet grass
- Often equipped with professional features such as a mulching plug or rear roller
- Built for large lawns – over 150sqm+
- Self-propelled mowers will feel lightweight in use
- More durable than electric models
Cons:
- Can be costly to maintain
- Cost of fuel is more than electricity
- Heavier and bulkier than electric models
- Can be very noisy
Cordless Lawn Mowers
Cordless electric lawn mowers are a popular choice for owners of small to medium size lawns. These mowers are usually lightweight, quieter and better for the environment than petrol powered machines.
Many newer models are built with more power, so cordless mowers are still very useful in larger gardens. They may come with the same professional features as petrol models, such as a mulching plug or rear roller.
Cordless lawn mowers also cost less to run than their petrol rivals. The cost of electricity used to charge the battery is far less than the cost of fuel, and they are a lot easier to start. Simply charge the battery, insert it into the battery compartment and press the ‘on’ button. There’s no pull cords to deal with!
As mentioned, cordless mowers are also very manageable. Smaller cordless mowers can weigh as little as 10kg. Compared to petrol mowers which can weigh anything from 20kg to 40kg, a cordless mower is a lot easier to handle.
Perhaps the only real downside of a cordless mower is the run time. Being battery powered, the run time can vary between brands, and it’s often not as long as you might think. Whilst some cordless mowers will have a battery life of around 30 minutes (enough time to mow a medium size lawn), others may last just 10 minutes. If you’ve got a lot of lawn to mow and you don’t want to be stopping part-way through to recharge the battery, a petrol mower could be a better choice.
Pros:
- Easy to start – no pull cords
- Lightweight and easy to manage
- Energy efficient and cost effective
- Usually very quiet
Cons:
- Battery life can be short
- Charge time – can be a few hours
- May not be as powerful as their petrol-powered counterparts
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