Lawn Mowers — Review and comparison in 2021

The right lawn mower turns lawn maintenance into a pleasant and relaxing routine, especially for those who are passionate about engines and garden equipment. The result obtained and the quality of the experience depend on the way you choose this type of device. The ProGarden T400i is, for example, a powerful engine version, designed for large terrain and less generous budgets. It offers three steps of height, cutting width of 40 cm and collection capacity of 40 liters, but leaving aside the self-propulsion. For those who prefer a model whose movement is supported by the engine, we recommend the Husqvarna LC 140S as an alternative.

Comparative table

Model that works with a thermal engine, offering above average power and increased autonomy on the ground, characteristics that recommend it for mowing the lawn sown on large areas. Includes roomy collection bag and blades with adjustable section height, which allow adaptation to space maintenance preferences, as well as the stage of grass development.

It is a self-propelled version, which means that you will have to use physical force to ensure the car is advancing on the ground.

Technical option available at an affordable price, designed for the efficient maintenance of the lawn planted on medium and large surfaces.

Gasoline version, self-propelled, powerful 2.4HP engine and 50 liter collection bag, suitable for those who want to easily take care of land areas over 350sqm. The design includes a foldable handle, which allows easy storage in the garage or tool shed, without taking up unnecessary space.

Premium features make this product available at a slightly higher price than other comparable power options.

It is a version suitable for the maintenance of green spaces of medium and large size, up to 1000sqm, with heat engine and adjustable cutting height.

Option with power supply, plug-in, light weight, foldable structure, easy to use and maintain, without special requirements for cleaning internal components. It includes five cutting height adjustment steps, managed simultaneously on all four wheels, and offers a sectioning width of 37cm, for increased efficiency on the ground.

The collection bag has small dimensions, the capacity of only 35 liters materializing in the need to empty it and clean more often than in the case of other models.

Lawn mower with electric motor, available at an affordable price, suitable for the maintenance of medium-sized gardens.

Reviews about the best lawn mowers

Do you think with pleasure how relaxing it will be to mow the lawn in the cool morning air, but you are still not decided which lawn mower to choose? We offer you some models appreciated in the online environment, among which you can find the perfect option for you.

Gasoline mower

ProGarden T400i

If what you are interested in is a lawn mower, on gasoline, which will give you enough strength and autonomy for a generous garden, we propose the T400i model, from ProGarden. It works with a 3.5HP engine and a speed of 3000rpm, efficient on surfaces of 800–1000sqm, or even higher.

However, it is not a self-propelled version, so carefully weigh the necessary pushing effort on your part, in relation to the price of the product and the terrain you will have to use. The machine includes a collection bag of 40 liters (medium capacity), and allows the adjustment of the cutting height on three steps, at 20, 40 and 60 mm of soil, sufficient variants for the maintenance of the grass during the summer.

The blades offer you a cutting width of 40 cm, which will help you to efficiently cover medium and large areas of terrain, and the four robust wheels ensure good stability on slightly more uneven ground.

Husqvarna lawn mower

Husqvarna LC 140S

If you prefer the comfort offered by a self-propelled model, the Husqvarna LC 140S lawn mower offers you, with a 2.5HP motor and a working speed of 2600rpm, suitable for medium-sized gardens, with surfaces from 350sqm to 1000sqm. It works with a cutting width of 40cm, and starting is easy, from the starter.

It offers you the possibility to adjust the cutting height between 25 and 75 mm, on 10 individual steps, thus offering more adaptability than other versions, for those who want to control the appearance of the lawn as precisely as possible.

It is also worth noting the collection capacity of the bag, of 50 liters, above the average of the category, and the foldable structure that allows the handle to be bent, so that this lawn mower, on gasoline, with self-propelled, takes up little space in the garage. Also, the handle can be adjusted in two height steps, to suit the user as well as possible.

Electric lawn mower

Steinhaus PRO-ELM14

Do you have a slightly smaller garden and don’t want to invest too much in a too powerful maintenance device? We recommend you to opt for an electric lawn mower, such as Steinhaus PRO-ELM14. It provides a 1400W motor, the equivalent of almost 2HP, a level that recommends it for surfaces from 350 to 700–800sqm.

It is a plug-in version, which means that your freedom of movement will be conditioned by access to a power source, so it is a suitable model for working near the house. It has a foldable structure, for easy storage, and a 5-step cutting height adjustment system, intuitive and easy to use.

The bag can be a little small, with the 35 liters that define its collection capacity, if you plan to work consistently, covering the whole field in the same day. The cutting width is 37 cm, medium level, suitable to work efficiently the whole yard, but at the same time allowing it to slip through trees and shrubs.

Bosch lawn mower

Bosch ARM 32/3200

This time we offer you a compact and efficient version, designed especially for the care of small and medium-sized lawns, in front of the house, and less for households with large areas of land with vegetation. It weighs only 6.8 kg and has a structure with a foldable handle, which allows you to easily transport it in the space you want to maintain.

The electric motor generates 1200W, with mains supply, and the collection bag provides you with a capacity of 31 liters, suitable for the category of surfaces for which the car is intended. The design of this Bosch lawn mower model includes elements that allow easy slipping along shrubs, trees, alleys and fences, and the ergonomically shaped handle gives you very good steering precision.

You can adjust the cutting height on three levels (20, 40 and 60 cm), enough to take care of the lawn properly. To avoid damaging the knives, we recommend that you remove the hard bodies (stones, pieces of metal, etc.) present in the grass before starting to cut.

Makita lawn mower

Makita PLM4628N

Among the obvious advantages offered by this Makita lawn mower are the spacious 60 liter collection bag, the additional discharge option, as well as the 2.7HP thermal engine. All these features tell you that it is a model that can easily cope with medium and large gardens. It behaves optimally on surfaces up to 600sqm, but you can use it without care and on land up to 1000sqm.

In terms of comfort and ease of use, we can tell you that it includes a handle with adjustable height and ergonomic design. The blades are made of stainless steel and can be adjusted on 7 steps of height, between 30 and 75 mm, depending on the season and the stage in which the lawn is.

It works with a rotation speed of 2600rpm, so you will move quite quickly through the vegetation, and the cutting width is a generous one, 46cm, which means that you will have to make fewer turns to cover the entire surface. But be careful how you sneak through tight areas or obstacles.

Viking lawn mower

Viking MB 248.4

Also from the category of options with power over 2.5HP, but with a slightly more affordable price, we also offer you this model of Viking lawn mower. The lower cost can be explained by the absence of self-propulsion, but, otherwise, it offers everything you need to easily and efficiently maintain gardens up to 1000sqm.

The collecting basket is a roomy one, of 55 liters, so that it does not have to be emptied too often, and the cutting width is 46 cm, in order to be able to cover large surfaces in a short time. It is a version with petrol supply, with 4-stroke engine, which means that you will benefit from increased autonomy during work.

If you want to adjust the cutting height as precisely as possible, we can tell you that this lawn mower offers you 7 steps that cover the range 25 to 75mm, so you can choose precisely the desired level for the first section after sowing and for pruning. summer maintenance.

Manual lawn mower

Bosch AHM 30

A manual lawn mower offers you very good autonomy and total independence from any type of fuel or power supply. One such model is the Bosch AHM 30, with two wheels and a cylindrical shaft on the bearings, which does not require much maintenance.

It is one of the best lawn mowers for small gardens, offering a very good sectioning accuracy, with a width of 30cm that allows you to easily approach areas more difficult to access.

You can easily adjust the cutting height, freely, without predetermined levels, in the range of 1.2–4cm, which can be an advantage if you like to have as much control over the process, or a weak point, if you do not know exactly what you have to do. It weighs only 6.4kg, which means you can easily transport it, and the compact design does not take up much space in the garage.

Lawn mower with battery

Ruris Rxi 3000

We recommend this model of lawn mower, with battery, if you do not want to take care of gasoline or power cord from the socket, but you are not yet ready for a manual version. Ruris Rxi 3000 uses a power of 36V that supports a rotation speed of 4200rpm, which means that you will move easily and quickly on small areas of grass.

The cutting width is 34 cm, ideal for gardens limited in size, in which it is important to be able to sneak efficiently past alleys, trees and shrubs or layers of flowers. The car is equipped with a 30 liter collection basket, large enough for the types of terrain for which the device is designed, and provides 6 steps in height.

So you can choose between a height of 25 to 75 cm, depending on your own preferences and the characteristics of the lawn. The machine is provided with four wheels that ensure the running on the ground, the advance being ensured by pushing, and only the sectioning of the vegetation wires with the help of the motor.

Stihl lawn mower

Stihl RM 248

If you prefer a plastic collection basket, easier to maintain than textile alternatives, we offer you as an option this lawn mower from Stihl, model RM 248. It is a suitable version for you if you are going to mow the grass on a average surface, up to 1000sqm, being provided with a basket of 55 liters and a blade with a cutting width of 46 cm. So it gives you good forward speed and a few breaks to empty the basket.

The housing is made of durable steel, preferably plastic alternatives, especially if your garden also includes trees or shrubs that can scratch it. The four wheels have a flat profile, without deep ridges, for more stability and easier maintenance.

The cutting height can in this case be adjusted in the range of 25–75mm, the most popular among machines designed for medium and large surfaces, which offers sufficient adaptability for more demanding users.

Grunman lawn mower

Grunman 7047666

Do you want to easily maintain a large lawn, with an area of more than 1000sqm and are you looking for a high-performance machine at a reasonable price? You may find the features you are looking for in this Grunman lawn mower model, with a 3.5HP engine and a cutting width of 45cm.

It is a self-propelled technical variant, so all you have to do is steer the car so that it perfectly covers the entire surface of the lawn. It allows the adjustment of the cutting height, between 2 and 7 cm, and the textile collector bag, included in the delivery package, offers you a capacity of 50 liters, suitable for medium and large land.

The case is made of durable steel, and the handle is ergonomically shaped and includes controls that are easy to access during handling. It generates a noise level of approximately 95dB, average in this category of products, which is why it is good to wear headphones during use, to avoid hearing impairment.

Buying guide

Unlike the mower, a cheap and good lawn mower will help you take care of larger areas of greenery on relatively straight terrain, without having to carry the weight of the device in the back. They are therefore devices with rolling on the ground, with 2 or 4 wheels, which require, as the case may be, only the guidance on the ground or also the pushing, with or without motor, different speeds of rotation of the knives and useful accessories.

The role of this guide is to help you find the best lawn mower for your garden, taking into account power, working width, adaptability to the type of surface and other relevant criteria.

Manual or automatic : If you want to buy a lawn mower, at a good price, it is good to know that the simplest model you can opt for is the manual one. These devices are usually equipped with 2 wheels, and the propulsion system and knives are all set in motion manually, by the pushing force generated by the user.

They have the best autonomy, because they depend only on your physical endurance, but they are preferred to take care of small areas of land, because their use is tiring. A manual lawn mower is ideal for those who want to spend as little as possible for garden care, being available at affordable prices and running without fuel.

Automatic models include a thermal or electric motor that drives the knives. In some cases the propulsion is provided by the user, by pushing the device, in others it is about self-propulsion, also supported by the engine. The former are preferred for smaller areas and the average frequency of use, while self-propelled options are easier to use on large land or for professional purposes.

Electric or gasoline : Regarding the type of engine, you can choose between an electric lawn mower, with battery or power supply, and a version that requires gasoline supply.

In the first case you have the advantage of the compact format and the lower weight, plus less hassle with maintenance. However, the options with connection to the socket limit your freedom of movement quite a lot, being recommended for the lawn planted near the house. On the other hand, you have no time limit, so you can work with the car without worry, as long as you are in the area of the power cord. The battery variants can be used without taking care of the socket, and on isolated terrains, but it offers you a working time of up to 1–2 hours, being therefore recommended for small and medium surfaces.

Heat engine models are the most popular because they offer very good autonomy and higher power than electric ones, being available in models for small and medium surfaces, but also large and very large. However, a gasoline lawnmower requires more care in terms of periodic cleaning of the oil filter and other important components.

Power and surface : When choosing the best lawn mower for your garden it is important to take into account the size of the land you will use. For lawns up to 300–350sqm, you can opt for models of 1–2HP or 0.7–1.4kW.

If the green space has between 350 and 1000sqm, it is good to focus on products with a motor of 2–3HP or 1.5–2.2kW, and for lands that exceed 1000sqm, we recommend a variant with a minimum power of 3.5HP or 2.5kW.

The manual models are suitable for surfaces up to 100sqm, and most of the electrical options are designed for lawn care up to 300–400sqm.

Cutting width and height : Most lawn mowers, at good prices, will give you a cutting width between 30 and 55cm. The wider the width, the better you will be able to do on large areas of plain grass, without obstacles. But if your garden includes shrubs and trees or layers of flowers, a smaller width pattern will help you slip through them more easily.

The cutting height varies from 1.2 to 10cm and can be modified in many of the models on 3 to 7 steps. Why do you need this feature? The first mowing of the lawn, after sowing, is done, for example, longer, at 7–10 cm, while the maintenance mowing, during the summer, is usually done at 5 cm. It is therefore helpful to be able to easily manage the height at which the blades pass.

Functions : Numerous opinions about the best lawn mowers place in the top of the list of options the models that ensure both collection and unloading, as well as shredding. In the first case, you can use the machine to collect the dry grass exposed by the scarifier or cut by its blades. The shredding allows the grass heads to be cut on the surface of the land, in order to fertilize the soil.

The unloading, rear or side, is useful for using the machine on large areas of land, eliminating the need to empty the collection bag, and involves throwing grass cut back or sideways, according to preference.

And if we are still talking about the collection basket, it is good to know that it can have a capacity of 30 to 60 liters, and that for large plots of land, over 500sqm, it is good to look for a lawn mower, at a good price, with volume of at least 50 liters. Textile bags are a little harder to maintain than plastic collection baskets, but they take up less space during storage and are used by most models.

Frequent questions

How does a lawn mower work?

The mower cuts the stems and leaves with the help of blades set in motion by an electric or gasoline motor, or the pushing force printed by the user, in the case of manual versions. The automatic models also include a fan that captures the cut tips and expels them in a collection bag or directly outside, behind the car or on the side.

How to sharpen a knife in a lawn mower?

The lawn mower knife is sharpened with a flex, either at home, if you have such a device, or in a metalworking workshop.

How do I use a lawn mower on uneven ground?

If your land is on a slope, the mower is driven from one side of the slope to the other, and not from the hill to the valley or vice versa. For horizontal spaces with uneven areas, the pruning is done circularly, surrounding the high segments. You can of course also opt for straightening the terrain, if the unevenness is not too big or too much.

How to use a lawn mower

If you have chosen one of the versions of lawn mowers, cheap and good, available in stores and now you are preparing to use it to mow the lawn, we advise you to find out first what steps you need to take for everything to go well.

Prepare the lawn

Despite the expectations of many users, the lawn mower does not simply start in the garden. First you have to prepare the space, raking the dry branches, larger stones, metal objects, plastic or glass, lost among the blades of grass. Otherwise, you will either have to stop periodically to get them out of the way of the car, or you risk damaging the knives or even the engine.

Prepare and start the car

Check the oil level, refuel properly, start the engine on a level surface and raise the blades to the maximum cutting level. Initiate the fuel pump, operate the accelerator lever, lock the ignition lever and pull the starter, first 15–20 cm, then completely, until the engine starts.

Carefully cover the entire surface

Mow the lawn by moving it lengthwise, taking care to overlap the consecutive rows by a few centimeters, so that there are no thin rows of uncut grass. For uniformity you can then move perpendicularly, at a lower section height.

Empty the bag periodically to allow easy capture of cut grass and prevent leaving plant debris behind the machine.