If you only have a small lawn, you have the freedom and choice to opt for a manual push mower. These small-scale mowers are more environmentally friendly than traditional lawn mowers and, as an added bonus, will give you a workout as you propel them around your garden.
There's a lot more to love about push mowers; they don't require any electrical power or fuel, they don't give off smelly emissions, they don't have any constrictive cables, and they are near silent to use, saving your household and neighbours from nuisance noise. In addition, they are generally smaller than traditional lawn mowers, so they will take up less storage space in your garden shed.
Best push mowers at a glance:
While robot mowers are the latest and greatest innovation in the lawn mowing world, there's still a market for a good old-fashioned manual mower, with many brands from Bosch to Webb offering robust push mower options. Take a look at our superb selection of the best currently available in our guide below.
How we chose the best push mowers
All of these push mowers have been hand-selected by our team of Modern Gardens shopping experts. We carefully considered the cutting width, cutting heights, and functionality in our selection of the best. Our team has spent hours investigating and researching all types of push lawn mowers to make it easier for you to find the very best, and we'd never recommend a product we don't believe in.
Where possible, we also test and share the latest and best products you should know about. And with help from Modern Gardens Magazine, Garden News and Garden Answers, we share expert gardening knowledge to help you get the most from your product.
Best push mowers 2025
Best overall push mower
Bosch Bosch's AHM 38 G has an 'Amazon Choice' award for the manual lawn mowers category, currently enjoying a four-star review rating. It's a capable option for cutting efficiently with its five helical blades made from hardened steel.
This mower has a 38cm cutting width and can be easily adjusted, without the need for any tools, to cut from a height of 12 to 40mm. This machine is lightweight at under eight kilograms but still boasts a rear roller that, with a bit of skill, will give your lawn tidy stripes.
Pros
- This offers a rear roller to create a striped lawn effect
- Lightweight, weighing in at 7.5 kilograms
Cons
- Reviewers suggest this can clog cutting long grass
| Cutting width: | 38cm |
| Cutting heights: | 12 to 40mm |
| Collection capacity: | 25 litres |
| Weight: | 7.5 kilograms |
Best compact push mower
Gardena This Gardena option is a tidy and compact choice ideal for anyone with limited outdoor storage space. While it boasts a relatively generous 40cm cutting width, the handle folds down on itself for space-saving storage.
This machine does not include a collection box, so you'll need to purchase one separately. Otherwise, you can just let the cuttings lay on the lawn to work as a natural fertiliser. This mower boasts four cutting heights from 12 to 42mm.
Pros
- Non-contact cutting technology makes this particularly quiet
- The handle folds down for space-saving storage
Cons
- Grass collection box sold separately
| Cutting width: | 40cm |
| Cutting heights: | 12 to 42mm |
| Collection capacity: | Collection box sold separately |
| Weight: | 8.9 kilograms |
Best budget push mower
Einhell A budget-friendly choice for smaller gardens, this affordable Einhell push mower offers a basic lawn trimming solution but has garnered a 4.2-star Amazon review rating from over 3,000 buyers.
This mower has a modest 30cm cutting width, and the five high-grade steel blades can cut to four different heights from 13 to 37mm. You can leave the grass cuttings to return nutrients to your lawn or attach the 16-litre collection box to gather them up.
Pros
- This lightweight mower weighs in at just 6.5 kilograms
- Large wheels to cope with all kinds of grassy terrain
Cons
- Collection box only has a 16-litre capacity
| Cutting width: | 30cm |
| Cutting heights: | 13 to 37mm |
| Collection capacity: | 16 litres |
| Weight: | 6.5 kilograms |
Webb's cylinder-style manual mower offers a generous 46cm cutting width, making for fewer passes across your lawn. The compromise for this larger cut is the mower's weight, which is a hefty 18.5 kilograms.
Another feature of note is the amount of cutting heights - an impressive nine different levels. You can simply move the single lever to quickly raise or lower the blades to adjust the cutting heights from 25 to 75mm. The front-facing collection box has a 22-litre capacity.
Pros
- Nine different cutting heights from 25 to 75mm
- Front-facing cuttings box that's easy to see when it's full
Cons
- One of the heavier options at 18.5 kilograms
| Cutting width: | 46cm |
| Cutting heights: | 25 to 75mm |
| Collection capacity: | 22 litres |
| Weight: | 18.5 kilograms |
Best ergonomic push mower
Murray If comfort is important to you during your lawn-cutting efforts, consider this Murray cylinder mower. The specially shaped handle is designed to be easy to manoeuvre, promising convenience and comfort with an ergonomic foam padded handlebar.
This mower has a 40cm cutting width, the option to select four different cutting heights from 13 to 38mm, and is supplied with a lightweight mesh collection bag that has a 20-litre capacity.
Pros
- Boasts an ergonomic comfort grip design
- This has a lightweight aluminium mowing deck
Cons
- Some reviewers suggest the collection box is tricky to remove
| Cutting width: | 40cm |
| Cutting heights: | 13 to 38mm |
| Collection capacity: | 20 litres |
| Weight: | 9.5 kilograms |
Best push mower with a rear roller
Cobra Traditional gardeners will appreciate this mower's rear roller that will allow you to create the classic striped appearance that looks so attractive on well maintained lawns. The rear roller flattens the grass blades as it cuts, so you just need to mow in a strip-based pattern.
This mower is relatively lightweight at 8.5 kilograms, boasts a 38cm cutting width, and can cut from a very trim 13mm to 38mm - best for a first pass on an overgrown lawn. The collection box offers a quick-release function and can catch up to 25 litres of grass cuttings.
Pros
- Boasts a rear roller to create an attractive striped effect
- There's a generous 25-litre capacity collection box
Cons
- You'll need to adjust the pins either side of the blade to change the cutting height
| Cutting width: | 38cm |
| Cutting heights: | 13 to 38mm |
| Collection capacity: | 25 litres |
| Weight: | 8.5 kilograms |
Best push mower for manoeuvrability
WebbThis compact Webb manual mower is a strong choice for small lawns with reviewers praising it for being very manoeuvrable and easy to use with a tight turning circle. Its robust build quality is backed up by Webb's three-year product guarantee.
The 30cm cutting width keeps this mower compact, but the six super-sharp cutting blades ensure a tidy result. Four cutting heights, ranging from 10 to 40mm, are available. The collection box is also on the small side at 17 litres, but it should not need too much emptying if your lawn is small.
Pros
- This mower boasts six super-sharp cutting blades
- Reviewers state this mower is simple to assemble
Cons
- V-shaped handle requires two-handed operation
| Cutting width: | 30cm |
| Cutting heights: | 10 to 40mm |
| Collection capacity: | 17 litres |
| Weight: | 9.1 kilograms |
Push mower FAQs
What size lawn can a push mower cut?
The smaller, the better! A push mower is best for small to medium-sized lawns up to a third of an acre or up to 250 square metres. If that's hard to visualise, lawn mower manufacturer Webb describes this size lawn as up to three-quarters of a tennis court. As push mowers require manual propulsion, they are less hard work on flat lawns.
What is the difference between rotary and cylinder mowers?
Rotary mowers, most often electric lawn mowers, have a single spinning blade for chopping grass. Cylinder mowers have multiple blades mounted on a cylinder that work like scissors for a cleaner cut.
Do I need a push mower with a rear roller?
If you want to create classic stripes on your lawn, then yes. A mower with a rear roller flattens down the grass blades as the mower moves, creating that striped effect if you mow neatly in alternate rows.
What to read next:
Best plant subscription boxes for regular deliveries of plants and blooms
Subscribe to Modern Gardens magazine and get the most out of your outdoor space. Discover everything you need to know to make your outside space look fantastic, quickly and easily, with hundreds of simple ideas, designer tricks, affordable products and expert advice in every issue of Modern Gardens. View our latest subscription offers to save on shop prices.
Amy-Mae Turner is a Commerce Content Writer for Modern Gardens, Yours, Take A Break Pets, and A Modern Kitchen. When she's not pottering in the garden or mucking around in the kitchen, she can be found having doggy cuddles with her two beloved cockapoochis.