When choosing a lawnmower, sometimes it’s hard to tell the wood from the trees – or at least the lawn from the grass. Not only are there a variety of brands to choose from, you’ll also need to decide whether to go for a cylinder or rotary drum model, an electric mower or a petrol driven design. The exact mower you choose will depend on your circumstances and the kind of jobs that you need it to tackle, and this buyer’s guide should help to make the decision easier.
In a world without lawnmowers, gardening would be very different. Maintaining a pristine lawn would certainly be a lot harder, unless you were willing to keep a herd of goats or sheep in your back garden. That’s why almost every home in the UK has at least one lawnmower (and many of us have one or two rusting away in the shed).
The modern lawnmower was born in 1830 when an engineer from Gloucestershire called Edwin Budding decided that the old-fashioned scythe was too slow. Initially, mowers were rotary drums with blades attached, which were pushed by hand. In the later 19th century, motors started to be added, as mowers became a common sight in estates and parks across the country. By the 1920s, the motor mower had been invented – and gardeners could now sit behind their mower as they directed it around the lawn.
Nowadays, gardeners can still choose manually powered mowers if they prefer, but gasoline and electric models have become the most common kind in general use. Lawnmowers have become more sophisticated as well – with “smart” mowers featuring programmable routines and wireless connections.
One of the most important things to decide when buying a lawnmower is whether you want the blade to be rotary or cylinder-based.
In rotary models, the motor spins a blade at high velocity, usually underneath a protective casing. This is the classic Flymo look, with a hidden blade and formidable cutting power.
Generally more powerful than cylinder mowers, rotary models also usually weigh slightly more. So they may not be the perfect fit for older gardeners who struggle to push and lift heavy weights. Remember that lawnmowers feature a fast-spinning cutting blade – so safety is an important consideration, and gardeners need to feel in control of the device at all times.
If you regularly need to cut down thorns and nettles in thick clumps of vegetation, or you are faced with a large expanse of thick grass, a powerful rotary mower might be your best option. If you do opt for a rotary design, you will then have to decide whether to go for a wheeled model or a hover mower. Hover mowers are designed to lift slightly off the ground when in use, making them easy to use – but when you aren’t using them they can be slightly more cumbersome to move around.
Cylinder lawnmowers are quite different to rotary models. This kind of mower harks back to the very earliest models and their longevity is a sign of how effective they can be. Basically, cylinder mowers feature a cylinder-shaped drum with a fixed blades attached to the casing. As the cylinder rotates, blades of grass are jammed up against the blade, which slices through them.
Expert gardeners often prefer cylinder mowers because they offer a greater degree of precision. With a good cylinder mower, you can specify exactly how long you need your grass to be, and you can achieve a uniform finish easily. They also tend to be quieter (particularly if they don’t have a motor), lighter and cheaper to run.
This is another crucial question, and there is no right answer – it all depends upon your budget and needs.
Petrol mowers are generally more durable and larger. They are the kind of lawnmower that landed estates use to achieve a uniform, meticulous finish for their large expanses of lawn, and sports teams tend to use them for the same purpose. If you have a large lawn or are maintaining a sports pitch, a petrol mower makes sense. The same applies if you expect to deal with thick vegetation on a regular basis.
However, because petrol mowers are usually bigger and heavier, they can present problems for movement and storage. If you aren’t confident in manoeuvring heavy equipment, they may not be ideal. Then again, it is possible to buy petrol lawnmowers that can be operated while seated, and self-propelling models are also available. It all depends on what you are comfortable with.
Electric lawnmowers are the type that most ordinary gardeners will be familiar with. They are designed to plug straight into a mains socket, and are immediately ready for use when the plug is inserted. Generally lighter than petrol mowers, electric varieties are rarely the most powerful available. They are perfect for normal lawns with few complications, where a nearby socket is available.
Because they rely on mains electricity, electric mowers will require an extension cord to operate them. This can be a difficult, and at times dangerous process, which is why many gardeners go for battery powered electric devices. Then again, battery powered mowers can run out of power at a crucial point, so make sure that your chosen model has a long charge limit, and remember to charge it up the day before mowing.
Whenever you mow the lawn or dive into a thicket of nettles, the green waste produced has to go somewhere. These days, relatively few mowers simply leave a trail of cut grass – which can aggravate hay fever and be put to better use in a compost heap. If you see the words “side discharge mower” in your lawnmower ad, this means that the mower ejects the green waste as it moves along.
Most gardeners try to avoid large clumps of grass strewn across their lawn. After all, the aim of mowing is to make your lawn look more orderly and attractive, not covered in green waste. Thankfully, many mowers come with a clippings container attached. This container clips onto the bag of the mower, filling up as you go. The key consideration here is size. Larger lawns will require bigger containers, unless you are happy to empty the bag in the middle of the job.
A slightly different approach is to choose a mulching lawnmower. These models process your lawn clippings as you work, turning it into a fine mulch that is deposited back onto the lawn. If you are interested in having a pure, unblemished lawn, this won’t be for you, but if you are concerned about the health of the grass, it makes sense. The mulch can also be raked up and used elsewhere in the garden if required, a win-win situation.
Once you get into the details, lawnmowers can come in infinite varieties. For example, another thing to think about is how large the blades are on your chosen mower, and what type are required.
The most common type of blades are deck blades. Shaped a little like a straightened out boomerang, deck blades are fitted to the bottom of rotary mowers. It’s a good idea to have a few spares on hand at all times, as they can be damaged by stray rocks.
Another type is curved mulching blades. These blades pull up the grass of the lawn, cut it, and then push it up again into another chamber where they are cut up into a fine mulch.
Lifting blades resemble mulching blades with their curved surface and provide a more precise cut.
Cylinder blades are specific to cylinder mowers. You can’t generally buy them at garden centres, as they are built into that kind of lawnmower. When they are damaged, the whole device needs to be replaced.
Some mowers can use multiple types of blade. For example, a top of the range Flymo could use curved mulching blades, lifting blades or deck blades – so check in your documentation to find out which blades are supported.
Power is a major factor in lawnmowing – just as it is with cooking or driving. If you have a small, uncomplicated grass lawn, you won’t need a souped up beast of a mower. If you have tangles of weeds to contend with or a huge area to cut, more power will be essential.
If you have an electric mower, check the power in wattage. If you use a petrol based mower, the power is measured in CCs – so be sure to compare models to see if your mower measures up.
Another consideration is cable length. Nobody wants to buy a mower and return home to find that it doesn’t reach the end of the garden, so measure how far you need it to reach and buy the right mower for the task in hand.
Battery life matters as well. Again, no gardener wants to leave a job half done because the battery ran out. Different electric mowers have different battery lives – but manufacturers won’t always be upfront about these, so check reviews and ratings to be sure.
Manoeuvring the mower is a vital consideration. However powerful your mower, if you can’t move it around nimbly, it won’t do the job, and it can pose a safety risk. Look for mowers with solid, adjustable handles that are strong and easy to hold. These handles should also be adaptable to be stored in shed racks, or hung from walls, making the mower easy to store. If you are particularly worried about being able to handle your mower, a hover mower is an excellent idea. However, these devices work best in smaller, flatter gardens.
If you are a truly serious gardener and you have a taste for gadgets, a robotic lawnmower could be your dream gardening tool. Major brands like Flymo and Bosch have developed cordless mowers that are designed to operate autonomously.
Flymo and Bosch robotic lawnmowers can be programmed to deal with lawn areas up to 400 square metres in size, cutting grass to a specific range of heights. As such, they are potentially a great way to save yourself time and effort, as you can read the newspaper while your mower deals with an overgrown lawn.
There are even more advanced robotic designs like the Robolawn that are capable of mowing lawns as large as 3,000 square metres, which could suit sports facilities, while up-market general models have been produced by Husqvarna which feature an iPhone app to remotely control the mower’s operation.
Gardeners who like the sound of a robot mowing their lawn should be aware that of all the options discussed in this guide, robotic lawnmowers are easily the most expensive, although for some people, their convenience and the enjoyment of using them could outweigh the cost.
You can extend the life of your mower by taking good care of its chassis and parts, particularly the cutting blades which do most of the work. One obvious piece of advice is to remove the blade and place it somewhere secure, away from children, and dry – so that it doesn’t rust.
After using the mower, try not to leave it covered in mud, dust and grass cuttings. This can contribute to corrosion, and can be very hard to remove at a later date, so give it a wipe with a dry cloth after every use.
If you use an electric mower, remove the battery after use and find a cool dry place to store it. Poorly stored batteries can become much less effective, leading to lower charge durations, so take good care of them.
If you use a corded lawnmower, it’s a good idea to take some time to check the length of the cord for any damage. If the cord becomes frayed or broken, it can present a serious electrocution risk, so try to avoid this at all costs. It’s also a good idea to install some hooks in your shed to spool the cord around neatly, so that it is ready to use whenever you need it.
Petrol lawnmowers shouldn’t be stored with fuel in their tanks – so be sure to empty them before putting them away. Alternatively, you can add fuel stabiliser to the tank to prevent degradation and keep the fuel ready for use.
Finally, store the mower itself in a cool, dry location. Sheds are ideal, but avoid any heating elements. A good move is to install a rack on the ceiling or walls of the shed so that the mower can slide out easily. This makes it nice and accessible, and also saves space.
Spare blades, bags and batteries are a good idea for any lawnmower owner as you can never tell when an accident might occur. All lawns tend to contain debris and stones, which can tear a bag or dent a blade – so keep a few in reserve. Fuel is another standby if you have a petrol powered model.
Some forms of mower also have specific attachments to enhance their functionality. For example, drive-on lawnmowers can have trailers attached to them, which is useful if you are taking garden tools to remote areas of a park or estate. Manure spreaders, sweepers, rakes, weedkiller sprayers, lawn rollers and aerators can also be added, which is why ride-on mowers are so useful for land management professionals.
There are also accessories aimed at ordinary gardeners. Flymo offer a hand-held mini leaf blower/garden vacuum which can gather up detritus left by your mower. Trimmers are another essential for many gardeners, allowing them to tidy up corners and edges. You might also want to buy some protective gloves and goggles. Small stones and grit are often thrown up by mowers, so eye protection is a good idea.
If you need an electric lawnmower, there are deals from leading brands like Black & Decker, Greenworks, Neuton and Ryobi. You’ll find petrol lawnmowers from the most reliable brands, including Mountfield, MTX and Flymo as well as manually powered cylinder lawnmowers from big names like Allett, Webb and Brill.
Deals on lawnmowers can be found at a lot of the UK’s top retailers, and you’ll find savings at firms like Argos, Asda, Amazon, John Lewis, Homebase, Lawnmowers UK, Wickes, B&Q and Wilkinsons.
Savings can be expected at all times of year, but look out for even larger reductions around autumn as the gardening season falls away, as well as Black Friday and the New Year.
Whatever kind of lawnmower you require, the best way to find big discounts on the world’s leading brands is by checking out the lawnmower pages at hotukdeals.
