Best lawn mowers in 2025 – I'm a gardens editor, and these are the tried-and-tested models that get my stamp of approval

If you aspire to achieve the perfect lawn, you'll need one of the best lawn mowers on-side.

Many of the most important lawn care tips out there involve mowing at some stage, and that's why a trusty mower is so crucial for a well-kept garden. If you're due an upgrade, you might be wondering which way to go: should you go for a cordless or a corded mower? Electric or petrol?

To help you decide, I've tried and tested the very best lawn mowers on the market with the help of a team of reviewers, covering all bases, from heavy-duty petrol units to cordless electric models. I've reviewed each mower's performance, ease of use, design and reliability to ensure only the top models cut with their help to find the best.

Once you've chosen your lawn mower, you can expand your garden tool kit further with one of the best cordless strimmers. But first, these are the lawn mowers I rate highest on the market right now...

Quick list

Best lawn mowers – tried and tested by the IH team

Best lawn mower overall

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Husqvarna's Aspire lawn mower is perfectly designed for those looking for a reliable cordless mower that can easily tackle even overgrown grass on small to medium lawns.

Our reviewer thought it was super easy to set up and quick and light enough to make light work of your lawn. It has excellent cutting quality, and its mulching option is super handy. And if you're worried about what time is acceptable to mow your lawn, worry no more as the Aspire is quiet enough not to disturb the neighbours.

Not only that but the Husqvarna Aspire LC34-P4A battery-powered lawn mower is also a great choice for anyone with storage issues. The mower's telescopic, fold-down handles, collapsible cutting collector and sturdy hook means it can be stored vertically, freeing up valuable floor space in your shed or garage.

Its 25-minute run time is ideal for small to medium gardens, and it features a genius automatic power boost when tackling long grass. Plus, our reviewer loved the fact that the battery can also be used on a host of other Husqvarna tools, as well as Flymo, Bosch and Gardena.

Our Husqvarna Aspire LC34 P4A lawn mower review has the full details.

Best cordless lawn mower

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I was really impressed with the Gtech Cordless Lawnmower CLM50 when I tested it a few months ago. It made cutting a small lawn a breeze.

The design is sleek, and what I really loved was the easy-to-use cutting height toggle on the front of the mower. It's so easy to adjust the cutting height, and with six different options to choose from, it's suitable for a wide range of mowing needs.

I managed to mow my small lawn in no time at all, and it was really easy to navigate across the grass. The battery lasted more than enough time, and it included a handy power level light on the front. The collection box was easy to attach and detach and bigger than other cordless mowers we've tested in the past, providing plenty of room for grass clippings.

The only downside is that it's slightly pricier than other cordless models when it isn't on sale. It's also a little heavier to lift when moving it into storage, which could be difficult for users with limited mobility.

That said, the performance, design and overall user experience made the Gtech Cordless Lawnmower CLM50 well worth the price tag.

Our Gtech Cordless Lawnmower CLM50 review has the full details.

Best lawn mower for small lawns

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The Stihl RMA 239 Cordless Lawn Mower is a stellar choice for those with small to medium-sized gardens seeking efficiency without the hassle of cords. Its 37cm cutting width and six adjustable height settings, ranging from 20mm to 70mm, allow for a tailored mowing experience.

The 40-litre grass collection box is both spacious and easy to empty, ensuring a seamless mowing session. During our testing, the mower delivered an impressive performance, providing a clean and precise cut. The battery life is commendable, with its ample runtime to cover the intended lawn size without frequent recharges.

One of the standout features is its user-friendly design. The folding mono-handlebar not only enhances maneuverability but also makes storage a breeze, especially for those with limited space. While assembly might require an extra pair of hands due to its design, once set up, the mower is straightforward to operate. Its lightweight build further adds to the ease of use, allowing for effortless navigation around garden obstacles.

The one downside is assembling it can be a bit of a faff, often requiring two people to manage the fiddly bits. Additionally, it doesn’t come with a built-in cleaning tool for the cutting deck, which would have been a handy addition for maintenance.

Our Stihl RMA 239 Cordless Lawnmower review has the full details.

Best lightweight lawn mower

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While it may not be suitable for rough terrain or large lawns, the Gardena Handymower is ideal for those with limited storage space and a small to medium-sized garden. Gardena says it makes mowing as easy as vacuuming your home and we're here for that.

Battery-powered, it's a great alternative to a hefty electric or gas-powered lawn mower. It's important to note though, that you have to buy the battery separately, making it a little pricier than first thought. However, as part of the Power For All Alliance, the universal battery you get will work across various garden appliances and brands.

With three cutting heights to choose from, we found it coped well with longer-growth grass, even when it was slightly wet, producing a great clean cut. And featuring a single mulching blade, it's super easy to clean with no grass clipping bag or box to clean out as the clippings are small enough to fall back into the grass.

Our Gardena Handymower review has the full details.

Best value for money mower

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Greenworks' G24X2LM36 Cordless Lawn Mower is the brand's mid-range model, offering a powerful 48v battery (which uses two 24v batteries so you can stay on Greenworks battery system), a 36cm cutting diameter and a clean cut to grass.

Designed for small to medium-sized gardens, our reviewer was impressed by the tidy and even result it left after a single cut and liked how easy it was to have a battery-powered mower and did not miss trailing a cable around behind us.

This lawn mower also needed little assembly to get it up and running, with the machine's body arriving complete, with only the handle to lock into place. These handlebars can be folded down to store easily, however, the overall size of the mower means it requires a good amount of space to store it which is worth considering if storage space is an issue for you.

Plus, there are a few build issues we think are important to flag before you click the buy button. One such issue we query is the material quality and durability of these. For example, we can't see the foam on the handlebars lasting well over a long period of use. With that in mind, we can think of other mowers with better build quality that are much easier to store.

Our Greenworks G24X2LM36 Cordless Lawn Mower has the full details.

Best petrol lawn mower

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The latest large-based self-propelled petrol lawn mower from Hyundai takes all the years of experience and quality of previous models and makes it even better. And it replaces the previous Ideal Home Approved HYM510SPE.

Equipped with a powerful 196cc engine, it offers six adjustable cutting heights and four grass disposal options, including mulching and various discharge methods. During testing on two distinct lawns, the mower demonstrated impressive cutting performance, even in damp conditions.

Our reviewer Joanne Lewsley remarked that assembly was straightforward, making it accessible for users familiar with petrol mowers. However, its substantial size and weight make it less suitable for smaller gardens or those with multiple levels, as maneuvering can be a bit of a challenge.

The mower’s large footprint means you'll also need ample storage space. However, overall, for gardeners with large lawns seeking a powerful and efficient mowing solution, the Hyundai HYM510SP packs a punch.

Our Hyundai HYM510SP Petrol Lawn Mower has the full details.

Best budget lawn mower

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The Flymo Easiglide 300v Electric Hover lawnmower is a game-changer for those with small to medium-sized gardens. As the name suggests this friendly-looking orange garden buddy has a 30cm cut area.

Its powerful 1700W motor effortlessly tackles overgrown, damp grass, delivering a pretty decent cut. The lightweight hover design ensures great manoeuvrability, allowing you to navigate around tight corners and obstacles easily.

Assembly is straightforward, and the handles provide comfort for both left- and right-handed users. Additionally, the mower’s compact design, featuring folding handles and vertical storage capability, makes it a perfect fit for those with limited storage space.

However, it’s worth noting a few drawbacks. The mower tends to eject grass clippings during operation, necessitating a thorough cleanup post-mowing. The cutting height adjustment, ranging from 10mm to 30mm, can be a bit fiddly and may not suit those desiring a higher grass length.

It's also a corded model, albeit with a 10m cable, which limits its mobility and requires proximity to a power source, compared to the other cordless alternatives in this list. Despite these minor issues, the Flymo Easiglide 300v offers excellent value for money, making it an ideal choice for first-time lawnmower owners seeking an affordable and efficient solution for their garden maintenance needs.

Best quiet lawn mower

This isn’t just a mains-powered lawnmower that looks like a stealth fighter plane. It sounds stealthy, too. Thanks to new ProSilence tech, as Bosch calls it, this 1,700-watt mower is 75 per cent quieter than previous models at a meagre 89 dB.

This isn’t just subtle when it comes to noise though. Even changing the height has been made a simple pleasure with a one-touch system that takes you between 20 and 80mm across seven steps.

The ErgoSlide control system is a welcome wonder that makes finding the right height and angle simple. There are a few triggers to activate the lawnmower so you can change hand positions as you need. The collection grass bag holds a hefty 50 litres and there is also a LeafCollect system.

This makes collecting leaves - even in large amounts - a simple process. The 10-metre cable is long but most people will still need an extension cord for true freedom of movement. But with a super-smooth action working around the garden is a really easy task making this perfect for larger and smaller gardens alike.

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Best self-propelled lawn mower

The Worx WG749E cordless self-propelled lawn mower is a great choice for those seeking efficiency and ease in lawn maintenance. Our reviewer Amy Lockwood found that its self-propelled feature significantly reduces the effort required, especially on sloped terrains, making it ideal for small to medium-sized lawns up to 500m².

The mower boasts a 46cm cutting blade, powered by two 4.0Ah batteries, ensuring a clean and precise cut. Assembly is straightforward, with adjustable handle heights and a simple mechanism to set the cutting height between 20mm and 80mm. The 55L grass collection bag is lightweight and easy to detach and reattach, though it lacks an indicator to signal when it’s full.

Storage is a breeze, thanks to its foldable handle, allowing the mower to be stored vertically, saving valuable space in your shed or garage. However, the battery compartment lid could benefit from a hinged design for easier access, and the battery charge indicator is not easily visible during use, which could be improved for better user experience.

Despite these minor drawbacks, the Worx WG749E offers excellent value for its price point, delivering strong performance and practical design features that make lawn care less of a chore.

How we test lawn mowers

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At Ideal Home, we believe that in order to give our verdict on the best lawn mowers and in order to rank them, we need to have tested them ourselves. That's why you'll find star ratings on the mowers in this list, which have been decided on after extensively testing them in our own space. Every lawn mower in this list has been reviewed by a member of my team, so you know that you can trust it to give you a detailed look at each model.

Our expert testing process means you can trust that every mower in our roundup has been put through its paces, tackling real-life gardens to assess cutting efficiency, maneuverability, and battery life where applicable. We’ve also considered noise levels, storage convenience, and value for money to help you find the perfect fit for your outdoor space.

Where we can, we've also sought to keep hold of these lawn mowers for long-term testing, so that we can feedback on just how they deliver after years of use. Below you can find out more about exactly who has tested the lawn mowers in this round-up.

Joanne Lewsley

I regularly test home and garden products for UK and US websites, including Ideal Home, Top Ten Reviews, and Live Science, evaluating the quality of home and garden gadgets by putting them through their paces in a natural home environment.

I tested the Gardena Handymower on a small lawn measuring 12.5 square metres (134 square feet) in wet and dry conditions.

Steve Bradley

Steve has written (or co-written) over 40 practical gardening books, and along with his wife Val (also a qualified horticulturist) was commissioned to update some of the world’s best-selling gardening books, The Expert series, originally written by Dr David Hessayon.

Steve and Val have worked for the Sun newspaper since 2002, writing the Gardening page with the late Peter Seabrook and answering hundreds of readers’ letters every year. Over the years, Steve has also written for most of the popular UK gardening magazines. He has a vast knowledge of gardening and enjoys sharing it with listeners on BBC local radio.

How to choose the best lawn mower

We all love the smell of a freshly cut lawn, but first, you'll need the right mower for the job.

Here are the factors you'll need to consider.

What are the different types of lawnmowers?

The type of lawn mower you need will come down to the size and complexity of your garden. There are a few different power types, too, from petrol to battery-operated.

'The power source of the mower can be a deciding factor, whether you want the quieter performance of a battery mower, the small-scale option of a corded mower, or the trusted petrol power,' explains Ryan Patterson, residential segment manager at Husqvarna UK.

These are the differences between the main types of lawn mowers.

• Petrol lawn mower: This classic offers a lot of power for cutting longer grass as well as wetter lawns, while having a large range and long life. The downside is buying and mixing fuel, noise and vibration.
• Main electric lawn mower: These offer lots of power, like a fuel mower, but without the smell or hassle. You are limited by a cable, which often means the need for an extension lead, external socket and a whole lot of cable moving.
• Battery lawn mower: This offers a truly mobile mower for hassle-free mobility. These can limit you on power and life before needing a charge.
• Robot lawn mower: These battery-powered mowers will do the cutting for you. They are best on large open areas only, don’t get into edges, and spread rather than collect the grass waste.
• Rotary lawn mower: You can also get rotary or push mowers, but for the purpose of this guide, we are focusing on cutting-edge (yes, pun intended, again) tech only.

Other features

• Mulching plug: Some mowers come with a mulching plug, while others include a collection bag which collects the grass clippings and needs to be emptied after every use.
• Collection bag size: If you go for one of the best lawn mowers with a collection bag, you'll need to consider its size. A larger collection bag means fewer stops to empty, but this will also affect the weight of the mower. So, if you’re not going for a self-driving model, you'll need to think about how much physical effort you’re willing to put in.
• Self-propelled or push: A self-propelled lawn mower might be a better choice for medium and larger lawns, especially if you're tackling hills and slopes as well. A mower that you push manually can be a more cost-effective option, though, and brilliant if you're working with a flat garden.
• Blade diameter: The diameter measurement of the lawn mower blades determines the width of the cut. The wider you go, the faster you can mow the lawn. However, if you go too large, it might prevent you from mowing in tighter spaces, such as between trees, and where you can store your mower.

FAQs

How much should I spend on a lawn mower?

If you're wondering how much to spend on a lawn mower, the short answer is that it depends on your needs.

Typically, more expensive models are bigger and more suitable for larger gardens, but you can find affordable models which boast an array of impressive features, too.

However, you might want to splash out a bit more to get a larger blade size that cuts a wider area, meaning fewer laps up and down the garden.

Another consideration is the brand. In reality, you’re often going to get a longer lifetime from an established brand and, especially for petrol mowers, better performance.

Is an electric or petrol lawnmower better?

We asked Husqvarna UK's Ryan for his thoughts.

'Both battery and petrol lawn mowers have their benefits, so it will depend on the needs of the user,' he says. 'While petrol mowers can house powerful engines, which are especially useful for cutting over long periods, developments in battery technology have made this a much closer conversation.'

'Battery power mowers can now cater for small to large lawns, depending on the mower and battery power. They’re also much more sustainable, quieter to operate and more cost-effective in the long run.'

Battery-operated models can be easier to operate, too.

Darren Feasey, product director at Flymo, adds, 'Electric lawn mowers are better for the environment due to lower emissions and are quieter than petrol products. Thanks to technological advancements, both electric and battery-powered mowers feature powerful motors which are just as effective as petrol for mowing garden lawns.'

Which lawnmower is the best for a sloped garden?

If you're working with a sloped garden, it's worth investing in a self-propelled mower.

'A self-propelled mower would be recommended as this can utilise the in-built drive system to help the mower tackle hills, slopes and undulations with ease,' says Ryan from Husqvarna UK.

Flymo's Darren Feasey also recommends robot mowers for a sloped garden. 'Robot mowers can handle slopes of up to 35%, but if your garden has steeper hills, a hover mower may be for you. As they glide on a cushion of air while mowing, they do not carry weight in the front of the mower, making them easier to navigate down slopes.'