The Great Debate: Petrol vs Electric Lawnmowers

The argument goes on and on regarding which is better; petrol mowers or electric mowers? We are going to try and help you decide which is better for you once and for all with a comprehensive look at each one including their benefits and negatives, as well as providing our own opinion as to which one is better. We will also provide an example regarding each type in each category to help you compare also.

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First off, we will start with petrol lawnmowers. To the large proportion of the population, the petrol lawnmower is considered a ‘proper’ lawnmower and is one of the most popular around today. With their being an extensive range of different models available on the market, more of which will be discussed later, there is a machine that is suitable for nearly every type of homeowner and lawn around. The different types of petrol lawnmowers are as follows;

Cylinder Mowers

This one is quite a unique type of petrol lawnmower as it will always deliver exceptional outcomes and requires a lot less effort and time than other lawnmowers available on the market. If the appearance of your lawn is the most deciding factor and you are looking for a high quality final cut, then a cylinder lawnmower, such as the ‘Masport Olympic 400’ is the only lawnmower you need to consider buying.

Hover Mowers

If you are looking for a lawnmower that is going to be super easy to use, then look no further that the hover lawnmower. This type of petrol lawnmower has been specifically designed so that it is as easy as possible for you to take care for your lawn. Not only are they easy to use and manoeuvre, but they are arguably the easiest more to store away. We would recommend looking at the ‘Cobra AirMow 51 Petrol’ if you were thinking of purchasing a hover machine.

Mulching

Mulching lawnmowers are perfectly suited for lawns that haven’t had the sufficient TLC that they require on a consistent basis. They work by spreading the mulched grass clippings back onto your lawn, which helps your grass grow much healthier over time. Furthermore, it returns nutrients back into the lawn, which helps trap moisture and therefore keep your soil from overheating, especially in the summer time. Our recommendations for this model would be the ‘Toro 20960 55cm AWD Self-Propelled Recycler’ and the ‘Hayter R53S E/S Self-Propelled Petrol Recycler’.

Push Mowers

If you have a small to medium sized garden/lawn and are looking for something to get the job done well, then the push lawnmower models (4-wheel or roller) would be a more than suitable choice. They offer good value in terms of having a range of different features, which makes the job of mowing a much more comfortable and convenient process for the user. The ‘John Deere R43’, ‘Hayter Osprey 46 Push 4-Wheel’ and ‘Hayter Spirit 41 Push Petrol Rear Roller’ would be the models that we would recommend you look at.

Self-Propelled

Self-propelled models are the ideal choice for uneven landscapes and can come as a 4-wheel or roller machine. If your lawn has slopes or banks, then we’re sure this model would make your life a little easier. These lawnmowers have been built to automatically move forward. Therefore, all you’re required to do is to keep it heading in the right direction to minimise the stress and time of your mowing task in hand. A couple of machines we would recommend looking at would be the ‘Webb Classic R41SP 4-Wheel’, ‘Cobra MX564SPB 56cm Cut 4 Speed’, ‘Mountfield SP555RV Premium Rear Roller’ and ‘Hayter Harrier 41 Autodrive VS Rear Roller’.

Now moving onto electric lawnmowers. If you have small patches of lawn that you like to keep neat and tidy, then it might be best that you consider an electric lawn mower as a worthwhile purchase. Most electric lawnmowers are relatively lightweight and create less air and noise pollution than petrol lawnmowers. Also, electric lawnmowers come with the option for grass collection and mulching, further enhancing the feasibility and usability of this type of machine. They are available on the market with the following cutting styles;

Cylinder

The electric cylinder lawnmower will ensure your lawn has a professional looking final cut thanks largely to its front-positioned set of adjustable cutting blades. Some models can even be used with additional lawn care attachments, such as an aerator or scarifier cassette or lawn grooming brush. These positives do not polish over the fact that they are an eco-friendlier and quieter machine to use, when compared to petrol lawnmowers. The ‘Allett Sandringham 14E’ would be one of our best cylinder lawnmowers to recommend.

Hover

Electric hover lawnmowers are more suited to homeowners that have smaller, flat areas of grass. Key information about the range include the fact that they are easy to store and lightweight (easy to manoeuvre). Perhaps the most intriguing and unique feature is the ‘vision windows’. This will allow you to see exactly how full the grass box is getting so there is no guesswork required. Flymo are the most popular brand in this category and their ‘UltraGlide’ is the one we would most recommend.

Rotary

Electric rotary lawnmowers come in all shapes and sizes, ranging for hand to self-propelled and 4-wheel to rear roller, thereby catering for all gardeners out there. A rotary cutting blade fits underneath the lawnmower itself and cuts the grass as you walk behind the machine when in use. We would recommend either the ‘Mountfield Princess 38’ or the ‘Cobra MX46SPE Self-Propelled 46cm Cut’ as ones to consider.

Conclusion

So, now that we have given you a detailed explanation on each type of lawnmower, our opinion may also be of interest to you when consider the final model to purchase. In our view, they both have their benefits, while also having drawbacks. Petrol lawnmowers are likely to guarantee a more quality final cut in some instances compared to electric lawnmowers, but on the other hand, electric models don’t create as much pollution. Truth be told, there are too many variable factors which determines which one is best and so as has been discussed in each case, lawn specifics are most likely going to decide for you and that is what we would recommend you put at the forefront of you mind before anything.

From Liam Davey