The best lawn mower: Electric, manual and petrol

This robust model from Einhell is a powerful electric mower designed for large lawns, offering a wide 47 cm cutting width and six cutting height positions (30-65 mm) for efficient mowing. It features a 75 L grass collection box and comes with 2 x 18 V batteries for extended operation.

However, its limited ground clearance may cause some difficulties on bumpy lawns, and the protruding wheels may need additional edge trimming. Although if it is electric you are on the hunt for - this is a great pick.

Customer review: "It’s a great piece of engineering. You get four batteries that rapidly charge in the two double-charge units. Easy to unpack and build. Mower is a little heavier than I expected. This won't be a problem as it is self-propelled. Batteries charged up in about 70 mins (from flat)."

This compact Bosch Rotak 34 R Corded Rotary Lawnmower cuts right to the edge and the Powerdrive motor ensures reliable cutting performance, even in difficult situations, such as in long grass. It is very lightweight, only 11.1 kg, making it easy to manoeuvre around objects and your garden. The 34cm cutting width is perfect for small to medium-sized lawns, but you also can adjust the cutting height from 2cm up to 7cm for more scope. It is comfortable and easy to manoeuvre and push around, and the grass box can hold 40 litres of clippings so you can get the job done in one go.

Customer review: "We love this lawn mower. Easy to use and it even gets the edges of the grass next to the wooden border planks, which the old one never did. No need to use a strimmer for those anymore."

This Flymo mower utilises a powerful 40V battery to tackle your lawn with ease. Further, a 34cm cutting width and a cutting height range of 2.5-6cm mean it'll cut well, neat and tidy. Though the grass box is a little small compared to others, it is cordless and powerful. Equipped with dual lever handles, you're ensured flexibility and manoeuvrability.

Customer review: "I nearly went for the slightly more expensive one but decided on this one in the end. So glad I did, it stores really well and has saved me a massive amount of space in the shed. really easy to use and the cut on the garden was great. If you have limited space to store a mower, this is the one you want. Even if you have the space, its still really good."

This 48V cordless 36cm lawn mower from Greenworks is the perfect tool to keep your lawn trim in good shape. With a 2-in-1 Mulcher/Collector, your grass will surely be dealt with. Though the cutting width isn't as much as other models, it has five variable cutting heights and a completely cord-free operation. Plus, it runs off two 24V batteries for a decent run time - so it's great for larger lawns. Complete with folding handles, this lawnmower is a great choice.

Customer review: "This is a lovely little mower perfect for my small garden cuts with differing heights. The batteries are easy to put in and give plenty of time to get the job done. The delivery was very efficient and excellent service."

Making light work of cutting the lawn, the Kärcher LMO 18-36 is a battery-powered lawn mower with a wide cutting path and a large - 45L - grass catcher box. If collecting the grass isn't what you're after, don't worry. This handy machine can distribute grass evenly to fertilise your lawn, chemical-free. Plus, it has a height-adjustable handle which makes things easier. Not only that,t but this cordless machine can be adjusted to four different heights and a 36cm cutting width for an accurate and clean cut. For added safety, a special key stops this machine from being used unintentionally, and its folding design makes it easy to store for another time. To sum up, this is safe and handy.

Customer review: "I bought this after looking for a cordless mower. I was swayed by the Kärcher brand, having been pleased with previous products. The battery offer was also a nice attraction. The mower was easy to assemble. It is light and very easy to manoeuvre. My lawn area is about 185 sq m. I have been able to cut it three times on one charge of the battery. This was on the first use and the manual suggests battery life improves, so I am very happy with the performance. The cut was very good. Overall, I am very pleased with the purchase."

The Murray EQ700X self-propelled lawn mower is packed with features (not gimmicks) that help to make your grass cutting as easy and accurate as possible. It has 4-in-1 functionality including bagging, rear and side discharge, and mulching, and the ReadyStart feature saves you from priming and choking the engine manually before you start it. The self-propel allows a maximum mowing speed of 3.6kmph, meaning you can get a big job done faster than with most other mowers.

Designed for lawns up to 2,000 square metres, the Briggs and Stratton engine is powerful and efficient - packing the power whilst producing less noise. We also love that Briggs and Stratton’s E-Series initiative places reduced exhaust emissions at the heart of all their engines.

Customer review: "Great mower! Had a Mountfield that lasted for years but did not like the feedback on the new ones. Took a chance on the Murray - it is really good. Much lighter to use and yet the grass collecting box is bigger. Well worth the extra money. Works well on all types of grass - and I should know, I have five acres of it! Five-star product. Plus good instructions and easy to assemble (or so my husband told me!)"

This high-quality 4-stroke push lawnmower has a relatively quiet engine so you won't need to worry too much about annoying any neighbours, and has low fuel consumption. It has a padded soft-grip handle that is foldable and collapsing grass collection bag for minimal storage requirements. It is very compact, making manoeuvrability around awkward spaces so easy. It gives your reliability and performance each time thanks to it being an easy start machine, making it a great user-friendly option.

Customer review: "For over 30 years, I've used an electric mower, and my existing one needed replacing. I took a chance and bought this petrol mower, and I'm so glad I did. The joy of being free to move around the lawn not worrying about electric cable and extension leads! Very powerful mower but as noisy as I had anticipated, pretty much the same noise level as my old electric mower. It also takes a third to a half of the time to cut the grass.

"Yesterday, I drove to a friend's house whose grass was knee-high, really a strimmer should have been used before the cut. Anyway, I took my time, and after the first cut on the highest setting and swept the cuttings up, I cut at a lower setting. Amazed it did this, but now I can keep it cut short.

"Assembly was a wee bit tricky in that positioning the screw that holds the push handle to the base of the mower. So far, very happy."

The Cobra Mowbot 800 can cover 800 square metres, and there’s a 1,200 square metre version as well. Technically they are similar apart from the battery, as the 1,200 has a 3.0Ah battery instead of a 2.5Ah pack. That’s a lot of lawn to mow; in British terms the larger model can handle a quarter acre of lawn. You can get a variety of custom finished shells for it too.

Where the Mowbot shines, and indeed most robotic lawnmowers, is on reasonably flat ground. For any lawn that is steep or overly complex, the Mowbot does struggle. In terms of performance, it's a slow plodder that marches to its own, seemingly random method of covering ground. But the Mowbot does a wonderful job of keeping a lawn trimmed to a consistent length.

Our review: "The Cobra Mowbot is a ‘fit and forget’ solution. For users with injuries, it’s absolutely brilliant. However, while effective, it costs almost as much as a small ride-on mower or the very best conventional lawn mower. That being said, if you pay for someone to mow your lawn, the Mowbot could pay for itself in a couple of seasons."

The Webb Classic WEER33 Electric Rotary Lawnmower has excellent features and will ensure a superb finish on your lawn while being easy to manage. It’s straightforward to assemble and folds up for storage. The foam handle is comfortable and can be adjusted to a range of heights. This relatively quiet lawnmower can cut grass right up to the edge of walls and fences. Plus, it is the second most lightweight option on this list, making it easy to manoeuvre.

Customer review: "A good solid mower. I waited a while before reviewing it until I used it several times, and, so far, it's doing a perfect job. One minor nuisance is the cable holder is on the sidebar and keeps sliding halfway down the handle. It would have been better hanging from the horizontal bar at the top of the handle, but I'm sure I'll get used to it. Also, it's straightforward to clean compared to my old mower. No awkward places underneath where grass cuttings get trapped."

The Stihl RT4082 Garden Rider makes short work of lawns up to 4,000 square metres. It features turf tyres to protect the lawn whilst packing a powerful Stihl EVC4000 OHV engine so you can glide around the corners of flower beds with ease. Switch from forward to reverse with a simple gear stick and turn on a dime with a tight turning circle. Hydrostatic transmission makes this model nippy and responsive. A 250-litre “dumper” grass catcher box is operated from the driving seat with a simple curved handle. Additionally, it can be converted into a mulching mower. This robust garden rider is a good medium size ride-on mower option.

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