For smaller domestic gardens, an electric lawnmower is usually quite suitable.
- Cutting widths most commonly fall in the range 32cm (13”) to 42cm (16”)
- The power cord is normally 10m to 15m in length so you may well need to use a suitable extension cable
- The mowers are reasonably light to move around but you do need to be careful not to mow the cable!
- They are hand propelled, which means you have to push them.
- Four wheel mowers produce a better finish than hover mowers
- The grass collector sizes increase with the width of the mower
See our range of electric mowers here
Also suitable for smaller domestic gardens are hand propelled cordless (battery powered) mowers.
- Cutting widths in the lightweight cordless mowers fall in the range 30cm (12”) to 42cm (16”)
- You don’t need to worry about cutting the power cord
- Choose the battery based upon the length of time you need the mower to run
- Choose from standard or fast chargers
- These mowers are light and maneouvrable and in many cases look similar to the electric models they have been designed to supercede
See our range of cordless mowers here
For smaller gardens with slopes to negotiate and medium sized gardens you may wish to choose between petrol mowers and self propelled cordless mowers.
- For petrol mowers, cutting widths start from 39cm (15”) and rise to 55cm (22”)
- For cutting widths between 39cm (15”) and 46cm (18”) you have the option of hand propelled mowers you need to push or self propelled mowers, which will drive up slopes
- A wider cutting width means you cut more grass in each sweep so you get the job done more quickly
- Wider mowers are fitted with larger grass collectors which means you have to empty them less frequently
- Wider mowers are heavier so you need to consider whether you will need to lift them to negotiate steps
- You also need to consider ease of access from front to rear garden. Would a wide mower pass through the gate?
- If you do need to lift the mower then a machine with a lighter polypropylene deck may be more suitable
- Most lawnmowers from 41cm (16”) upwards tend to come with a mulch plug accessory, allowing you to feed your lawn by leaving the nutrient rich clippings on the lawn rather than collecting them in the grass bag
- If you never want to collect the grass at all then you may wish to choose a dedicated mulching lawnmower which is designed to produce finer clippings
- Self propelled cordless mowers are available. They tend to weigh as much as a petrol mower and need more battery power to drive the wheels as well as turning the cutting blade
- They are more expensive than petrol mowers but in the long run are cheaper to run in view of the lower maintenance costs and electricity being cheaper than petrol
Before looking at machinery you need to consider whether you want a rotary mower, a rear roller mower or a cylinder mower.
- Rotary mowers are most common and are suitable for all types of lawn, especially those where you plan to mulch. They tend to cut down to 25cm (1”) on most models and are suitable where the ground is bumpy – see our range of four wheel rotary mowers here
- Rear roller mowers have two wheels on the front and a full width rear roller on the rear. They produce attractive stripes and enable you to cut the grass shorter, down to 13mm (0.5”) whilst still using a rotary blade – see our range of rear roller mowers here
- Cylinder mowers have 6-10 cutting blades in a cylinder and produce a very fine cut and a fantastic striped finish (they come in electric, battery and petrol versions too) – see our range of cylinder mowers here
For larger domestic gardens where a ride on mower is not considered necessary you may wish to consider the widest of the petrol mowers. These start at 53cm (21”) with plenty of models to choose from rising to 55cm (22”) but with the option of our widest walk behind mower at 76cm (30”).
See our full range of petrol mowers, including the widest machines here