Best lawn mowers 2024 - tried and tested models for a neat-looking lawn this spring

Are you looking to invest in one of the best lawn mowers to tame your lawn this spring/summer? For some, buying a new lawnmower is an exciting buy. The smell of freshly cut grass, the light exercise and delight at the pristine green afterwards, might make mowing a gardening task you relish. 

For others, having battled with poor mowers in the past could mean you see this job as more of a hassle than a hobby. Whether you are the latter or the former, we want to help you find a product that means mowing the lawn is always enjoyable.

If you are due an upgrade, there are loads of mower options out there. Maybe moving the cable is your gripe and you want to embrace the latest battery tech with a cordless lawn mower? If budget is holding you back, you'll want to know what the most powerful and effective mower you can get for your money is.

Whatever your need, we have laid out some great choices below. Anything that didn't make the cut (sorry) has been left off our shortlist so you know you can find a new mower that makes a necessary job one you actually look forward to.

Read on to see the best choices, and then for a really tidy garden, check out the best strimmers.

If you're wondering when to cut your lawn after winter, experts say this is the prime time to get your lawn mower out. 

If you're looking for a new model, keep reading to find out which lawnmowers we rated as worthy as we looked out for cutting ability, ease of use and value for money. 

Best lawn mowers - The quick list

Best lawn mowers 2024 - tried and tested by the IH team 

Best lawn mower overall

This isn’t just a mains-powered lawnmower that looks like a stealth fighter plane. It sounds stealthy, too. Thanks to new ProSilence tech, as Bosch calls it, this 1,700-watt mower is 75 per cent quieter than previous models at a meagre 89 dB.

This isn’t just subtle when it comes to noise though. Even changing the height has been made a simple pleasure with a one-touch system that takes you between 20 and 80mm across seven steps.

The ErgoSlide control system is a welcome wonder that makes finding the right height and angle simple. There are a few triggers to activate the lawnmower so you can change hand positions as you need. The collection grass bag holds a hefty 50 litres and there is also a LeafCollect system.

This makes collecting leaves - even in large amounts - a simple process. The 10-metre cable is long but most people will still need an extension cord for true freedom of movement. But with a super-smooth action working around the garden is a really easy task making this perfect for larger and smaller gardens alike.

Best cordless lawn mower

Greenworks' G24X2LM36 Cordless Lawn Mower is the brand's mid-range model, offering a powerful 48v battery (which uses two 24v batteries so you can stay on Greenworks battery system), a 36cm cutting diameter and a clean cut to grass. 

Designed for small to medium-sized gardens, we were impressed by the tidy and even result it left after a single cut and liked how easy it was to have a battery-powered mower and did not miss trailing a cable around behind us. 

This lawn mower also needed little assembly to get it up and running, with the machine's body arriving complete, with only the handle to lock into place. These handlebars can be folded down to store easily, however, the overall size of the mower means it requires a good amount of space to store it which is worth considering if storage space is an issue for you. 

Plus, there are a few build issues we think are important to flag before you click the buy button. One such issue we query is the material quality and durability of these. For example, we can't see the foam on the handlebars lasting well over a long period of use. With that in mind, we can think of other mowers with better build quality that are much easier to store.

Our Greenworks G24X2LM36 Cordless Lawn Mower has the full details.

Best lawn mower for small lawns

Ideal for small lawns, Stihl's RME 235 Electric Lawnmower has a lightweight build and nifty handling.  If you're not keen on lifting heavy equipment and have limited shed space available, you may have found your ideal lawn mower in the RME 235.

Featuring high-quality components, its small footprint means it can reach tight spaces and is easily manoeuvrable around potted plants and paving stones. At 13 kg, it's extremely light compared to its counterparts, which is very helpful for those with mobility issues.

However, did its advantages in weight and size outweigh its performance? We tested it on both damp and dry grass and it was clear that it was a lot more effective in dry conditions but it was capable of doing a satisfactory job either way. The grass was left smartly cut and the cuttings were mostly collected successfully in the grass box. 

The one downside is that the RME 235 is a corded electric lawn mower so you have a power cable to deal with while you mow. However, the 10-metre power cable is long enough to get around a small garden but you may need an extension block to get right to the edges. 

Our Stihl RME 235 Electric Lawnmower review has the full details.

Best battery lawn mower for small lawns

While it may not be suitable for rough terrain or large lawns, the Gardena Handymower is ideal for those with limited storage space and a small to medium-sized garden. Gardena says it makes mowing as easy as vacuuming your home and we're here for that.

Battery-powered, it's a great alternative to a hefty electric or gas-powered lawn mower. It's important to note though, that you have to buy the battery separately, making it a little pricier than first thought. However, as part of the Power For All Alliance, the universal battery you get will work across various garden appliances and brands.

With three cutting heights to choose from, we found it coped well with longer-growth grass, even when it was slightly wet, producing a great clean cut. And featuring a single mulching blade, it's super easy to clean with no grass clipping bag or box to clean out as the clippings are small enough to fall back into the grass.

Our Gardena Handymower review has the full details.

Best value for money lawn mower

If you are looking to buy a really good cordless mower, but can't afford the bestselling Stihl below, then this is a steal in itself (sorry). The Worx WG779E packs a lot of punch for a decently priced cordless, with more than enough battery to manage a 350sqm garden on one charge. We find ours often surpasses the 30 to 35 minutes listed in the specs and it has a choice of eco mode if you need your charge to go a little further. You can also buy it with just one battery so save money if you don't need as long to cut, or if you already have other Worx battery-powered tools.

It also has everything you expect from a good-quality lawn mower. There is a roller to give your lawn that lovely striped effect, a mulch plug if you want to fertilise your lawn instead of collecting the clippings and a 30-litre grass box. Not the biggest, but it is lightweight and easy to remove if you find it filling up quickly.

Another benefit of this mower is that it does lend itself to smaller storage spaces, without losing too much in terms of cutting width. The 34cm base has edge-to-edge cutting – enough to cover ground in a few rows, but not so big that it will take up loads of room in the shed. The grass box is made from solid plastic and a woven material that compresses for storage. The handle folds right down, which means you can stow this away into a compact little package.

The instructions are the biggest letdown of this model, but its use is mostly intuitive. It requires minimal construction ahead of use, and then you just need to plug in the batteries, unfold the handle and use the two-part safety start to get going. Adjusting the height is simple, all done via a side lever – just be aware that its lowest cutting height is 20cm. This is great for your lawn and wildlife, but not suited to those who want a really close crop.

Best petrol lawn mower

The latest large-based self-propelled petrol lawn mower from Hyundai takes all the years of experience and quality of previous models and makes it even better. It replaces the previous Ideal Home Approved HYM510SPE.

Gone are the pull cable starts that leave you panting for air, in favour of an electric push button start that's backed by a recoil. Once up and running that 3.6kW 4-stroke 196cc engine will purr along efficiently keeping fuel and oil costs low.

This efficiency is at no cost to power though as you get a huge 525mm cutting area, self-propelled rear wheel drive and a sizable 38cm ribbed roller to leave a professional-looking lined finish to your now-striped lawn.  

If that lawn has got out of control, don't worry, this mower has five height settings from as high as a shaggy 75mm right down to a trim 25mm. Thanks to a rear discharge and collection tank, which holds 70 litres, you can keep going without emptying for a good long while.

Then, when finished, the handles fold down for easy storage and there's even a hose attachment for quick and easy cleaning. All that's backed by a three-year warranty making this one of the best petrol mowers you can buy right now.

Best budget lawn mower

Flymo has a new mower leading the charge on the budget-friendly electric lawn maintenance market, the EasiMow 300. As the name suggests this friendly-looking orange garden buddy has a 30cm cut area.

It also sticks to that number theme by offering a 30-litre grass box for collecting. So not massive, but for smaller gardens and for the price it's just nice to have the collection option on a wheeled Flymo mower.

The 1,000W motor should make light work of most grass even if you've let it grow a little longer than usual. The varied cutting heights should help here with between 20 and 60mm levels.

Close-edge cutting is a nice feature that means you can keep edges looking tidy even without the need for a strimmer, in most cases. There's also a roller to enhance that look with a striped finish to your lawn – albeit with some pretty slender lines.

The 10-metre cable is easily stored and the entire unit folds down for easy storage. It's also easy to move about at just 8.5kg in weight, making it ideal for older users or those with an injury who don't want to lift or push about too much weight. A really impressive all-rounder for the price.

Best lawn mower for overgrown grass

Hayter is one of the best brands when it comes to making lawnmowers. This lawnmower is a great choice if you’re going to opt for a classic petrol-powered model. These last for years and years with super blades that stay sharp for longer than most.

Plus, you get a lifetime guarantee against engine crankshaft bending, so you don’t need to worry about hitting a rock. In the case of this new Harrier 41 Push, you get a ribbed rear roller for great lines that give a perfect finish.

Another factor here is the trim side which allows you to cut right up to the edge, in spite of the size of this beast. This might be a little heavy for some which is why a more expensive option is available with self-drive, too. This lawnmower has an impressively powerful motor and pitch variation setting. It also has a cut-and-collect system designed with aerospace tech.

That means that this mower will even cut longer grass so you don’t have to use it too often. It can handle a garden clear out if an area has grown a bit wild. With height settings between 13 and 60mm, there are options for any garden.

How we test lawn mowers

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At Ideal Home, we believe that in order to give our verdict on the best lawn mowers and in order to rank them, we need to have tested them ourselves. That's why you'll find star ratings on the mowers in this list, which we've decided on after extensively testing them in our own space. Every lawn mower in this list has been reviewed by a member of our team, so you know that you can trust us to give you a detailed look at each model.

As well as paying close attention to how they performed at the job of mowing, we also make sure to evaluate practical features like how lightweight each mower is, the standout features of each and which appliances are good value for money. Where we can, we've also sought to keep hold of these lawn mowers for long-term testing, so that we can feedback on just how they deliver after years of use. Below you can find out more about exactly who has tested the lawn mowers in this round-up.

Joanne Lewsley

I regularly test home and garden products for UK and US websites, including Ideal Home, Top Ten Reviews, and Live Science, evaluating the quality of home and garden gadgets by putting them through their paces in a natural home environment. 

I tested the Gardena Handymower on a small lawn measuring 12.5 square metres (134 square feet) in wet and dry conditions. 

Steve Bradley

Steve has written (or co-written) over 40 practical gardening books, and along with his wife Val (also a qualified horticulturist) was commissioned to update some of the world’s best-selling gardening books, The Expert series, originally written by Dr David Hessayon.

Steve and Val have worked for the Sun newspaper since 2002, writing the Gardening page with the late Peter Seabrook and answering hundreds of readers’ letters every year. Over the years, Steve has also written for most of the popular UK gardening magazines. He has a vast knowledge of gardening and enjoys sharing it with listeners on BBC local radio. 

How to choose the best lawn mower

We all love the smell of a freshly cut lawn, but getting to that state can be a varied task. So to make that transition as smooth as possible you need to work out what is the exact job you need your mower to deal with.

The most obvious point to think about is the size of the area that needs to be mowed. Based on that you can work out the best type of mower to suit your needs. Here are the basic variations to consider.

What are the different types of lawnmowers?

'There are various types of lawnmowers and the decision of which is needed will come down to the size and complexity of your garden. There is the option of going for a battery, petrol or corded power lawn mower. The power source of the mower can be a deciding factor, whether you want the quieter performance of a battery mower, the small-scale option of a corded mower or the trusted petrol power,' explains Ryan Patterson, Residential Segment Manager at the global leader in robotic lawn mowers, Husqvarna UK.

'You can also choose between a collection or mulching lawn mower. Many lawn mowers can come with a collection bag enabling tidy results and saving time since you don't need to rake clippings after you've finished mowing. In the autumn, you can choose to use these collection bags for leaves. The mulching method can also be considered, however, if you mow your lawn often and want first-rate results. The finely chopped grass cuttings will quickly decompose and then return to the lawn as fertiliser, making it more drought-resistant as well.'

'If you have a medium-to-large-sized lawn or if it is a little more complex, it is recommended that you buy a self-propelled lawn mower. These come with an in-built drive system that can help tackle slopes and hills more easily and help on longer jobs, reducing strain on the user. A push option relies on the user to manually push the mower, which can be more cost-effective and a great option for cutting a flat space.'

'Robotic lawn mowers are also a great option especially if you are looking to save time for the things you enjoy and don’t want to be manually mowing the lawn.'

Darren Feasey, Product Director at Flymo adds, 'Hover mowers - Invented by Flymo over 50 years ago, hover mowers glide on a cushion of air, making them very agile and easy to manoeuvre. Rotary mowers are great for uniformed mowing and if they feature a rear roller, give you beautiful stripes, effortlessly. Cylinder mowers are also a great option for smaller gardens, working by the user pushing the mower and the rotary blades cutting the grass.' 

'For those who want a beautiful, healthy lawn without lifting a finger, robot lawnmowers are ideal. They take a fine layer of grass from the lawn, putting clippings back into the grass, acting as a natural fertiliser.'

Here we simply explain the differences between the main types of lawn mowers.

• Petrol lawn mower: This classic offers a lot of power for cutting longer grass as well as wetter lawns while having a large range and long life. The downside is buying and mixing fuel, noise and vibration.
• Main electric lawn mower: These offer lots of power like a fuel mower but without the smell or hassle. You are limited by a cable which oftens means the need for an extension lead, external socket and a whole lot of cable moving.
• Battery lawn mower: This offers a truly mobile mower for hassle-free mobility. These can limit you on power and life before needing a charge.
• Robot lawn mower: These battery powered mowers will do the cutting for you. They are best on large open areas only, don’t get into edges and spread rather than collect the grass waste. 
• Rotary lawn mower: You can also get rotary or push mowers but for the purposes of this guide we are focusing on cutting-edge (yes, pun intended, again) tech only.

How much should I spend on a lawn mower?

What size of lawn mower bag do you need?

This is a factor since a larger collection bag means fewer stops with trips to empty it out. Bag size also affects the weight of the mower. So if you’re not going for a self-drive model, this may also be a factor based on how much physical effort you’re willing to put in.

What diameter lawn mower blades do you need?

The diameter measurement of the blades is another factor to consider since that determines the width of the cut. The wider you go the faster you can mow the lawn. However if you go too large it might affect getting in tighter spaces, between trees for example, as well as storage.

FAQs

Why do you need a lawn mower?

If you want to look out at your garden and see a neat and tidy lawn, you’ll need a decent mower. The better the mower the faster the job can be done which means you may do it more often for a better kept garden. Like getting a regular haircut, it pays to keep on top of the lawn.

Regular cuts spell less physical effort, and less grass mess to clear away.

Another reason to get mowing is to clear leaves. Many mowers will chew up leaves and either bag them for you as you go or cut and spread them onto the lawn to work back into the soil. Either way you end up with a tidier lawn without the need to use a leaf blower or do all that rake work.

How often will you use a lawnmower?

The frequency of use is another issue. If you like to cut regularly, the idea of rolling out an extension cord each time might seem painful. Equally refuelling can also be a chore. That said, if your garden is not too large, a full tank of fuel could last you a good few cuts, whereas a battery-powered option may only manage one pass before needing a charge.

Is an electric or petrol lawnmower better?

We asked Ryan Patterson, Residential Segment Manager at Husqvarna UK for his thoughts. 

'Both battery and petrol lawn mowers have their benefits, so it will depend on the needs of the user. While petrol mowers can house powerful engines with reliable petrol power, which is especially useful for cutting over long periods, developments in battery have made this a much closer conversation.'

'Battery power mowers can now cater for small to large lawns depending on the mower and battery power. They’re also much more sustainable, quieter to operate and more cost-effective in the long run. They tend to also be easier to operate as opposed to the traditional pull cord on a petrol walk behind. Some brands also utilise battery systems that can be used across a variety of that same brand's tools, as well as various other garden and power tool brands.'

Darren Feasey, Product Director at Flymo adds, 'Electric lawn mowers are better for the environment due to lower emissions and are quieter than petrol products. Thanks to technological advancements, both electric and battery-powered mowers feature powerful motors which are just as effective as petrol for mowing garden lawns.'

Which lawnmower is the best for a sloped garden?

'A self-propelled mower would be recommended as this can utilise the in-built drive system to help the mower tackle hills, slopes and undulations with ease,' says Ryan Patterson, Residential Segment Manager at Husqvarna UK. 

Flymo's Darren Feasey also recommends robot mowers for a sloped garden. 'Robot mowers can handle slopes of up to 35%, but if your garden has steeper hills, a hover mower may be for you. As they glide on a cushion of air while mowing, they do not carry weight in the front of the mower, making them easier to navigate down slopes.'