15 Best lawnmowers to keep your garden healthy this summer, tried and tested

I’ve tested plenty of mowers over the years - (The Independent)

There might be a robot uprising in British gardens as robot mowers become more and more popular, but most mowing is still done with a traditional machine. Unlike a robot, a good old-fashioned lawnmower lets you get hands-on for a precise cut, and they’re also much less expensive.

There are simple mowers for neatening small lawns and huge petrol mowers for tackling multiple acres at once. There are handy cordless options and budget hover mowers if money is tight, and you also need to consider things like self-propulsion, grass height adjustment, and mulching plugs.

But if you don’t know what you’re looking for, it can be hard to find a good mower. The garden equipment industry is riddled with jargon and over-macho sales pitches about mowers that can do it all. If you aren’t careful, you can spend hundreds on a new mower that won’t work for your grass.

That’s why I’ve tested dozens of mowers on several different lawns. After reviewing these machines throughout the mowing season, I can confidently say that these are the best lawnmowers for all types of gardens.

How I tested

I considered ergonomics and manoeuvrability during testing (The Independent/Jon Axworthy)

I’ve tested a range of lawnmowers on all shapes and sizes of lawn. After weeks of walking up and down in straight lines, these are the machines that made the cut. During testing, I had strict criteria:

• The cut: The most important test of all, I made sure these mowers gave a clean, level cut. I wanted grass of uniform length, with no tufts of long grass or patches where the mower had cut too closely. I looked for mowers that could cut right to the edge of a lawn. I want mowers with decent cutting widths that could clear a lawn as quickly as possible
• Manoeuvrability: Mowers can be heavy, so I want nimble machines that could navigate around awkward garden features like trees and paths. I also looked for self-propulsion to save you the effort of pushing your mower over the grass.
• Ergonomics: Hunching over a mower can be uncomfortable, and the handles can be tricky to hold as you mow. I wanted mowers that were comfortable to use and prevented back strain.
• Storage: Mowers are huge, so I wanted models that could fold up into a shed, greenhouse or garage.
• Extra features: Keen gardeners want a precise mow, so I looked for mowers with mulching plugs, rollers, and other bonus features which can take a lawn from basic to brilliant.

Why you can trust IndyBest reviews

Jon Axworthy has been a feature writer since 1996 and has been contributing reviews to IndyBest since 2017. He specialises in the outdoors and has tried and tested myriad products, from grass strimmers to cordless drills and much more, offering his honest opinions to help you find the best tools for the job at hand.

The best lawnmowers for 2025 are:

• Best overall – Worx WG743E.1 lawnmower: £249.99, Diy.com
• Best budget buy – Bosch rotak 34R lawnmower: £136, Amazon.co.uk
• Best with a roller – LawnMaster 48V cordless lawnmower, £269.99, Amazon.co.uk
• Best for a large lawn – Hyundai HYM 480 SPER, £504.99, Amazon.co.uk
• Best cordless – Kärcher LMO 18-36 lawnmower: £289, Amazon.co.uk

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Worx WG743E.1 lawnmower

Rating: 4.5/5

Best: Lawn mower overall

Weight: 13.9kg

Cutting width: 40cm

Grass bag volume: 45l

Cutting heights: 20mm to 80mm

Why we love it

• Good ergonomics
• Seven cutting heights
• Cut-to-edge function

This mower has good ergonomics and well-sized, easy-rolling wheels that give good traction even when going uphill. Seven cutting heights give you the ability to handle the first mow of the spring, when the grass is at its tallest, and keep it maintained through summer and autumn.

It features Worx’s cut-to-edge function, which I absolutely love. The deck design and off-centred blade get as close to your garden’s borders as possible, leaving you with less trimming and maintenance to do afterwards. More tech also adjusts the blade speed according to the length of the grass, which extends the life of the double batteries on board, which are already enough to be able to keep a medium-sized garden in check on just one charge.

A large cutting blade also keeps cutting time to a minimum, but considering the deck is 43cm, the mower doesn’t feel cumbersome, while the chassis is tough enough to withstand any collisions with tree trunks, hard borders and other permanent obstacles. I was left with an impressive professional finish in no time at all, and the mower stores upright, so it doesn’t take over your storage space.

Buy now £249.99, Diy.com

Bosch rotak 34R lawnmower

Rating: 3/5

Best: Budget lawn mower

Weight: 11.1kg

Cutting width: 34cm

Grass bag volume: 40l

Cutting heights: 20mm to 70mm

Why we love it

• Cuts well for the price

Take note

• Could need an extension lead

If you need to tackle a straight-edged garden close to the house, the 10m cable of this electric mower should enable you to reach the farthest corners.

From the unique ergonomic handle to the grass combs that capture those tufts of grass along fences and walls and direct them towards the 34cm blade, the mower retains the standout features of the rotak range at a fraction of the cost. The 34R cuts well through all five settings and, because it’s electric, the mower is lightweight and very easy to push around. If you aren’t a garden obsessive and just want something to keep a small lawn tidy, this is all you need.

Buy now £136.00, Amazon.co.uk

LawnMaster 48V cordless lawnmower

Rating: 4.5/5

Best: Lawn mower with a roller

Weight: 24.2kg

Cutting width: 41cm

Grass collection volume: 42l

Cutting heights: 22-72mm

Why we love it

• Good battery life
• Package includes two one-hour fast chargers

I found this mower swiftly dealt with the long grass of my first cut, but it truly shone with repeated use. It has a rear roller, which flattens the grass as it mows and leaves distinctive stripes. It will have even a small lawn with a sleek, professional cut that’s more like Wembley or Wimbledon than a back garden.

Meanwhile, a side comb does a good job of directing more grass towards the spinning blade, so you can mow close to the edges of your lawn. The on-board system adjusts the motor speed to the condition of the grass being cut, drawing more power from the batteries when dealing with thick grass and slowing down the motor speed when performing top-up trims where the blade encounters less resistance.

This gets the most out of the two 24V batteries, and gives you good runtime for larger lawns, and you can keep an eye on the charge level with an easy-read indicator on the handle. There are six cutting heights available, selected via a lever on top of the cutting deck.

The handle has two positions, and I found it made for easy wheeling around the lawn. Once the job’s done, the collapsible handle folds neatly around the machine, and it can be stowed upright. This is a brilliant mower, and only misses out on the top spot because it’s usually more expensive than the Worx WG743E.1. If you want a professional cut with a roller, this is the mower for you.

Buy now £279.99, Cleva-uk.com

Hyundai HYM 480 SPER lawnmower

Rating: 4.5/5

Best: Lawn mower for large lawns

Weight: 46kg

Cutting width: 48cm

Grass bag volume: 70l

Cutting heights: 25mm to 75mm

Why we love it

• Rear roller for professional striping
• Capacious 70l grass box
• Self-propelled for ease of use

If you’re blessed with a large lawn, this is your best option. It has a huge 48cm cutting width and self-propulsion, so it’s less effort to push it around a big garden. It performed superbly thanks to its five adjustable cutting heights and a rear roller that leaves behind an attractive, centre-court-style striping that’s bound to impress the neighbours.

The Hyundai has a very reliable electric start that avoids the tug of war that can happen with a starting cable. The self-propulsion is smooth, making it easy to find the right pace, and it also makes up for the hefty 46kg weight of the machine. There are even a couple of cup holders, if you need some light refreshment while you work. Add to this a cavernous grass box, and you have a machine that will take all the effort out of keeping on top of a large lawn.

The only issues with this mower are the usual disadvantages of a petrol mower. It’s expensive, storing petrol can be a faff, and maintaining small engine parts can be time-consuming. It’s loud and throws off fairly noxious exhaust. That said, if you have a large lawn, there’s nothing better.

Buy now £504.99, Amazon.co.uk

Kaercher LMO 18-36 lawnmower

Rating: 4/5

Best: Cordless lawn mower

Weight: 13.3kg

Cutting width: 36cm

Grass bag volume: 45l

Cutting heights: 30mm to 70mm

Why we love it

• 25 minutes of mowing time
• Chassis design gets close to walls and fences

If you want to cut the cord and go with a battery model, this is a good entry-level option. It’s a good choice for a small to medium plot, with 25 minutes of mowing on a fully charged battery. The 36cm cutting width can be set to work at four different heights and can be adjusted to mow and mulch, or simply mow into the 45l collection bag.

The results were good for the price bracket, and the chassis design meant I could mow close to the edge, next to walls and fences. Very lightweight to push around, it also has a sturdy carry handle on top to help with lifting and moving, with the handles folding down for space-saving convenience. The box also includes a 5AH battery and a fast charger.

Buy now £289.00, Amazon.co.uk

Husqvarna Aspire LC34 P4A lawnmower

Rating: 4/5

Best: Lawn mower for storage

Weight: 11.8kg

Cutting width: 34cm

Grass bag volume: 30l

Cutting heights: 20mm to 60mm

Why we love it

• Compact and easy to store
• Can be stowed vertically on a wall

Lawnmowers are among the bulkiest pieces of landscaping kit, but this walk-behind from Husqvarna’s aspire range is ideal for those with minimal storage space. For a compact mower, it has a good cutting width, and the blades worked well to leave a clean, sharp cut. When you’re happy with the results, you can store the mower vertically on a wall, thanks to the hook hanger, which is one of the standout features of all the machines in the aspire range.

There’s also excellent operating and lifting ergonomics and, combined with its light weight, the Aspire can be effortlessly manoeuvred into the tightest spots as well as carried to and from its working area.

Buy now £289.00, Redbanduk.co.uk

Ego LM1702E-SP lawnmower

Rating: 4/5

Best: Lawnmower for mulching

Weight: 26kg

Cutting width: 42cm

Grass bag volume: 55l

Cutting heights: 20mm to 80mm

Why we love it

• Tackles long grass well
• Long-lasting battery
• Variable speed fingertip dial

Take note

• Expensive

This self-propelled mower has a good 42cm cutting width, and I had no issues with scalping or tufts. It’s also great at handling long grass. You get total control over the machine via an innovative variable speed fingertip dial, so you can speed up when mowing larger expanses of lawn or slow down when manoeuvring around trees or other obstacles, so it never feels like the lawnmower is getting away from you.

There is a choice of seven cutting heights, and the large grass box was easy to empty thanks to some well-placed handles. If you’d rather detach the grass box, there is also a mulching option. There’s good ergonomics throughout the machine, too, with an easy handle height adjustment, and it was one of the easiest machines to operate on test, thanks to the robust but lightweight polypropylene deck.

The Ego Power+ battery and chargers are superior performers and give you plenty of power for medium-sized garden cutting on a super-fast charge. The drawback is that it’s pretty expensive for a lawnmower.

Buy now £559.00, Egopowerplus.co.uk

EGO LM2236E-SP

Rating: 4/5

Best: Lawnmower for hilly gardens

Weight: 31kg

Cutting width: 55cm

Grass bag volume: 85l

Cutting heights: 25-105mm

Why we love it

• Good battery life
• Great performance
• Small storage footprint

Take note

• Expensive

This is a beast of a mower, so it’s a good job it’s self-propelled, moving smoothly along according to the drive speed you set via a twisting throttle on the handlebar. This made for easy mowing on the flat, but it performed well as I headed for sloped sections, taking itself up a steep incline with no slippage at all.

It’s one of the roughest and toughest machines on test, with a polycarbonate cutting deck that can take the hits. A lot of the performance is down to the excellent EGO battery platform, which will enable you to tame a sizeable lawn on a single charge, thanks, in part, to the machine’s huge 55cm deck. I couldn’t fault the quality of the finish, particularly because you can mulch or collect grass, or select a combination of the two, which gave the best result.

I wasn’t entirely sure why the machine comes with two powerful LED headlights until I realised that they help you cut under the shade of trees.

Finally, even though it’s a big machine, it has one of the smallest storage footprints on test, as it utilises a collapsible grass collection bag, a quick release handle that can be reduced to the size of the deck, and it can be stored upright. However, like the other Ego model above, it’s very expensive. It’s a great option for big, hilly gardens, but it will cost you.

Buy now £1199.00, Egopowerplus.co.uk

Flymo hover vac 250

Rating: 3.5/5

Best: Hover lawnmower

Weight: 6.9kg

Cutting width: 25cm

Grass bag volume: 15l

Cutting heights: 1cm to 3cm

Why we love it

• Easy mowing

Take note

• Only three cutting heights

Mains-powered with a 10m power cable, this was one of the best hover mowers I tested, because the hover function was instant and it maintained the cushion of air throughout cutting, without any drop-offs in performance.

Well designed, with the grass box sitting underneath the motor housing, the machine is very compact, adding to its suitability for smaller areas of lawn.

I never had a problem changing the cutting height, although this isn’t automatic, and you have to use spacers to alter the blade height, which some users might find a bit of a hassle. However, the blade cut cleanly, the grass collection was efficient, and the overall ergonomics were good. The machine can also fold flat, and, because it’s lightweight, it can be hung on the wall of a storage space. If you want an inexpensive hover mower, this is the one.

Buy now £75.00, Amazon.co.uk

Yard Force lawn mower

Rating: 3/5

Best: Petrol lawn mower

Weight: 21.8kg

Cutting width: 40cm

Grass bag volume: 45l

Cutting heights: 25mm to 75mm

Why we love it

• Relatively quiet
• Sturdy
• Great value

Take note

• Not for smaller-sized lawns

Petrol mowers are usually expensive, but this machine is incredible value. There’s no trade-off in performance, either; it still offers the excellent performance you would expect from a petrol lawnmower. Easy to start and surprisingly quiet for a petrol machine, you can choose between five cutting levels, so you’ll be totally in control of reducing the grass length to a healthy height. The 40cm blade means you can work efficiently, too.

Fuel efficiency was very good, and the plastic deck is high quality and robust. The five cutting heights are set via a single lever, which was easy to operate, leaving my lawn looking precise and well cared for. The only issue is that it’s smaller than other petrol mowers, and there are all the usual drawbacks of petrol.

Buy now £199.99, Amazon.co.uk

Stihl RMA 443

Rating: 3.5/5

Best: Lawn mower for medium-sized lawns

Weight: 21kg

Cutting width: 41cm

Grass box volume: 55l

Cutting heights: 25-75mm

Why we love it

• Excellent finish
• Quiet operation

Take note

• Static grass box

This is a cordless machine with good ergonomics, a height-adjustable handle, wheels large enough in diameter that they will roll easily around a flat lawn, and a nicely designed deck that cuts to edges and around trees and shrubs.

If you bump the mower during garden duties, the polymer housing will soak up any impact. Stihl’s centrally placed cutting height adjuster is one of the easiest to operate, and I never had to wrestle with it to make an adjustment. The mower also left behind a very sharp cut, with excellent grass collection (very little was left behind).

This is all backed up with Stihl’s proven AK system battery platform. I’ve always found it long-lasting and reliable, making this a very good option if you have a big lawn to tackle. When the job’s done, a well-positioned carry handle makes the mower easy to move by hand, if necessary, and the handlebar folds over the entire cutting deck to reduce the amount of storage space necessary.

Buy now £454.99, Sam-turner.co.uk

Stiga combi 340e kit

Rating: 3.5/5

Best: Compact lawn mower

Weight: 14kg

Cutting width: 38cm

Grass bag volume: 50l

Cutting heights: 25-75mm

Why we love it

• Great value

Take note

• A bit noisy for early weekend morning cuts

This hand-propelled unit is very easy to push around, thanks to two large, easy-rolling back wheels and plenty of adjustability in the handle, so you can achieve a comfortable position, according to your height.

One of the stand-out features of this mower is the design of the cutting deck. The snubbed nose added to the overall manoeuvrability of the machine, making it easy to cut a tricky garden with awkward trees close to a fence. The cutting height adjuster was a little stiff to begin with, but after a few cuts, the mechanism loosened up, and I had no trouble adjusting between the six heights on offer.

Buy now £319.00, Stiga.com

Cobra M40SPCVX

Rating: 3.5/5

Best: Lawn mower for long grass

Weight: 27.2kg

Cutting width: 40cm

Grass bag volume: 50l

Cutting heights: 25-75mm

Why we love it

• Good grass collection

Take note

• On the heavy side

If your mower isn’t a mulcher (this one isn’t), you need to make sure its grass collection is as efficient as possible. After all, there’s no point having a great-looking lawn if it’s hidden under small piles of grass left behind every time the mower makes a turn. This Cobra model uses its petrol power to good effect, with the rapidly spinning blades creating lots of airflow to powerfully circulate clippings through a spiral-shaped deck, out of the cutting chamber and into the large collection bag.

This makes it a great machine for dense grass, too, as it avoids clogging and gets through overgrown areas without leaving an unsightly mess in its wake. Combine this with the design of the steel deck, and the mower is well suited to cut right up to the edges, without leaving any grass behind. There is also a seven-stage cutting height system that is easy to adjust.

Reliable starting is a must for any petrol mower, and I had no problems with the Cobra (even in the colder, early spring months). While the steel deck and motor add to the weight, the deck design makes it manoeuvrable, even around smaller gardens. The mower does have a folding handle, but you’re still going to need a dedicated space for storage with this one.

Buy now £229.99, Cobragarden.co.uk

Mountfield MTF 84M lawnmower

Rating: 3/5

Best: Ride-on lawn mower

Weight: 159kg

Cutting width: 84cm

Grass bag volume: 200l

Cutting heights: 20mm to 80mm

Why we love it

• Suitable for up to 1.5 acres
• Manoeuvrable on and off grass

Take note

• We’d appreciate a cup holder on hot days

Riding mowers are rare in the UK, but if you have a truly huge lawn, you might want a riding mower like this. If you need something that will cover ground quickly, cut wide and leave behind a professional finish, the Mountfield is one of the best I've tested.

A manoeuvrable machine – both on the way to and on the grass – this is probably going to provide the most fun you can have while mowing the lawn, thanks to some very sensitive steering, good turning and good cutting, even at speed. The huge collection capacity is a must, and the comfy seat also has a safety switch built in, which automatically cuts the engine if the driver leaves the seat while the blades are turning, to ensure safe operation. The only thing that was missing was cup holders.

Buy now £1999.00, Toolstoday.co.uk

GreenWorks GD24LM33K2

Rating: 3/5

Best: Lawn mower for small gardens

Weight: 10.8kg

Cutting width: 33cm

Grass bag volume: 30l

Cutting heights: 25mm to 75mm

Why we love it

• Good value
• Small footprint

Take note

• Shorter battery runtime

I enjoyed working with this redesigned GreenWorks battery-powered lawnmower, which has a 33cm plastic cutting deck, adding to the overall manoeuvrability of the machine, making it ideal for small to medium-sized gardens.

The machine started easily, and the five-position cutting height mechanism was smooth and straightforward to adjust. There’s the option to either cut and collect the grass in the generous fabric grass box, mulch the cuttings or have them discharged from the back of the machine.

It gave a great cut and left the lawn looking neat and healthy. When the job’s done, a collapsible handle reduces the storage footprint. The battery and charger are also included in the price, which adds to the overall value of the mower.

Buy now £161.00, Amazon.co.uk

Which is the best lawnmower?

There’s a lot to consider when you invest in a lawnmower, but the WG743E.1 by Worx gets everything right, enabling you to take a lawn from neglected to nurtured in no time at all. It has a decent cutting width and seven cutting heights. It’s lightweight and manoeuvrable, and has excellent battery life. It comes at a fair price, too, and it has been my favourite mower for years.

However, anyone on a budget should look to the Bosch rotak 34R lawnmower, as it delivers a clean, simple cut for a fraction of the other vacuums on test. The truly lawn-obsessed should opt for the LawnMaster 48V cordless lawnmower, as its roller makes for a perfect stripy lawn.

Want to keep your lawn neat without lifting a finger? Read our review of the best robot lawnmowers