Got a patch of grass on your allotment that needs mowing? Here, we’ve reviewed the most popular lawn mowers that are suitable for allotments in the UK this year.
- Brand: Bosch
Price: £
Power source: Manual
Cutting width: 38cm
Cut height range: 15-43mm
Weight: 6.9 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 25 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 54 x 49 x 38cm
Power: N/A
- Brand: Flymo
Price: ££
Power source: Battery
Cutting width: 34cm
Cutting height: 25-65mm
Weight: 11.2 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 35 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 47.5 x 39 x 95cm
Power: 40-V battery (2x 20V)
- Brand: Hyundai
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Price: ££
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Power source: Petrol
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Cutting width: 42cm
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Cut height range: 25-75mm
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Weight: 31 kilograms
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Grass box capacity: 45 litres
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Dimensions (DxWxH): 103cm x 50cm x 135cm
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Power: 139cc engine
- Brand: Einhell
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Price: £
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Power source: Battery
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Cutting width: 30cm
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Cutting height: 30-70mm
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Weight: 9.3 kilograms
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Grass box capacity: 25 litres
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Dimensions (DxWxH): 61 x 39 x 37cm
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Power: 36-V battery (2x 18V)
- Brand: Gardena
Price: ££
Power source: Electric cordless (battery-powered)
Cutting width: 22cm
Cut height range: 30-50mm
Weight: 6.2 kilograms
Grass box capacity: N/A
Dimensions (DxWxH): 38 x35 x 12.5cm
Power: 18 V battery (not included)
Table of Contents
Best Lawn Mowers For Allotments UK: July 2024
- Best Manual: Bosch AHM 38 G Manual Garden Lawn Mower
- Best Cordless Electric: Flymo EasiStore 340R Li Cordless Rotary Lawn Mower
- Best Petrol: Hyundai 17″/42cm 139cc Electric-Start Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower
- Best Budget: Einhell Power X-Change 18/30 Cordless Lawnmower
- Best For Tiny Spaces: Gardena Battery Lawnmower HandyMower
📊 Comparison Chart of Lawn Mowers For Allotments
Scroll right on mobile to see the whole table chart
| Product | Brand | Price | Power Source | Cutting Width | Cut Height Range | Weight | Grass Box Capacity | Dimensions (DxWxH) | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bosch AHM 38 G Manual Garden Lawn Mower | Bosch | £ | Manual | 38cm | 15-43mm | 6.9kg | 25 litres | 54x49x38cm | N/A |
| Flymo EasiStore 340R Li Cordless Rotary Lawn Mower | Flymo | ££ | Battery | 34cm | 25-65mm | 11.2kg | 35 litres | 47.5x39x95cm | 40-V battery (2x 20V) |
| Hyundai 17"/42cm 139cc Electric-Start Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower | Hyundai | ££ | Petrol | 42cm | 25-75mm | 31kg | 45 litres | 103x50x135cm | 139cc engine |
| Einhell Power X-Change 18/30 Cordless Lawnmower | Einhell | £ | Battery | 30cm | 30-70mm | 9.3kg | 25 litres | 61x39x37cm | 36-V battery (2x 18V) |
| Gardena Battery Lawnmower HandyMower | Gardena | ££ | Electric cordless | 22cm | 30-50mm | 6.2kg | N/A | 38x35x12.5cm | 18 V battery (not included) |
| Product | Brand | Price | Power Source | Cutting Width | Cut Height Range | Weight | Grass Box Capacity | Dimensions (DxWxH) | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bosch AHM 38 G Manual Garden Lawn Mower | Bosch | £ | Manual | 38cm | 15-43mm | 6.9kg | 25 litres | 54x49x38cm | N/A |
| Flymo EasiStore 340R Li Cordless Rotary Lawn Mower | Flymo | ££ | Battery | 34cm | 25-65mm | 11.2kg | 35 litres | 47.5x39x95cm | 40-V battery (2x 20V) |
| Hyundai 17"/42cm 139cc Electric-Start Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower | Hyundai | ££ | Petrol | 42cm | 25-75mm | 31kg | 45 litres | 103x50x135cm | 139cc engine |
| Einhell Power X-Change 18/30 Cordless Lawnmower | Einhell | £ | Battery | 30cm | 30-70mm | 9.3kg | 25 litres | 61x39x37cm | 36-V battery (2x 18V) |
| Gardena Battery Lawnmower HandyMower | Gardena | ££ | Electric cordless | 22cm | 30-50mm | 6.2kg | N/A | 38x35x12.5cm | 18 V battery (not included) |
⭐ Reviews – Best Mowers For Allotments of 2024
If you only have a small space to mow, the most affordable, convenient, and lowest-hassle mower to buy is the Bosch AHM 38 G Manual Garden Lawn Mower.
This mower is lightweight, easy to stash in the boot of your car or a small allotment shed, and super simple to operate. It doesn’t use a battery or petrol, so you can simply position the mower on your grass and start mowing. We recommend this Bosch model above all other manual mowers for allotment use because it’s the best-value mower available, with a wide 38cm cutting width and a roomy 25-litre grass box, all for under £65 (at the time of reviewing).
Quick Specs Table:
Brand: Bosch
Price: £
Power source: Manual
Cutting width: 38cm
Cut height range: 15-43mm
Weight: 6.9 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 25 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 54 x 49 x 38cm
Power: N/A
Best For:
Anyone who wants a lightweight, hassle-free lawn mower that doesn’t need any advanced setup and can be used to quickly mow smaller allotments.
What Customers Think:
The Bosch AHM has plenty of positive reviews on Amazon, with an average 4.1 star-rating from more than 3,000 reviews. We found reviewers who said they bought the mower for use on an allotment and all agreed that it worked well for this purpose, especially when used to mow paths between raised beds.
Pros:
We think this Bosch manual mower is ideal for mowing smaller grassy areas on allotments. The mower is lightweight at just under 7 kilograms, so it’s easy to carry to and from your car or an allotment shed, but it covers a decent amount of ground with its 38cm cutting width, helping you to mow quickly and with fewer laps.
If you need a mower you can take in your car boot, the Bosch AHM is suitable. You can remove the handle (just unscrew a couple of bolts) to reduce its footprint, and it’s smaller than even the most compact battery-powered mower because it doesn’t contain a motor. The mower’s slim design and lack of a bulky motor also makes it suitable for storing in a small shed.
Another obvious benefit of this Bosch mower is that you don’t have to worry about electricity because the mower is person-powered. Plus, you don’t need to remember to change the petrol or charge a battery before you get started.
The 25-litre grass box capacity means you can mow with fewer interruptions. Or, remove the grass box and leave the grass to mulch (make sure you mow frequently, as short grass decomposes faster).
Cons:
The Bosch AHM 38 G is designed for use on flat ground. If you try to use it on a bumpy allotment, you’ll end up with an uneven cut.
Pushing a person-powered mower like this Bosch model is harder than pushing a battery or petrol-powered mower because you have to drive the blades as well as driving the mower forward. You may struggle with this mower if you leave the grass to grow too long between cuts.
In our opinion, the best cordless lawn mower for a small-to-medium-sized allotment is the Flymo EasiStore 340R Li Cordless Rotary Lawn Mower.
This battery-powered lawn mower is more powerful and easier to push than the Bosch manual mower, with a 20-volt battery that tackles even longer and thicker grass with ease, and a 34cm cutting width that’s narrow enough to mow tight spots but covers enough ground to get the job done quickly.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Flymo
Price: ££
Power source: Battery
Cutting width: 34cm
Cutting height: 25-65mm
Weight: 11.2 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 35 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 47.5 x 39 x 95cm
Power: 40-V battery (2x 20V)
Best For:
Folks who want a powerful battery-operated lawn mower for an allotment, which offers a superior performance and easier use than a manual mower, without the hassle of a petrol mower.
What Customers Think:
Customers have plenty of positive things to say about the Flymo EasiStore mower, with over 4,000 reviewers giving an average 4.2-star rating on Amazon (at the time of writing). Customers praised the mower for its high quality of cut, good maneuverability, and easy assembly. Some users had a few minor issues with adjusting the handle and folding it for storage.
Pros:
We think you’ll love the Flymo EasiStore if you want to use a powerful mower to quickly cut your allotment but you don’t want the petrol top-ups, oil changes, and other inconvenient maintenance tasks of a petrol mower. There are two batteries, so you can swap one battery for the other if one runs out while you’re mowing.
The 34cm cutting width is a good size for mowing a small-to-medium space with fewer laps, while also being narrow and manouverable enough to mow in tighter spots, like grassy paths between raised beds.
Other useful features for cutting an allotment are the 35-litre grassbox (so you can mow for longer without interruptions) the 25mm-65mm cutting height (allowing you to easily mow shorter and longer grass), and the close-edge cutting (so you can get right up to flower beds and soil plots without having to strim separately).
If portability and easy storage are important to you, you’ll appreciate that the Flymo EasiStore is lightweight at just over 11 kilograms, and the easy-fold handles make the mower (as the name suggests) easy to store.
Cons:
The charging time for the batteries is long (around 180 minutes)
The battery adds some extra weight and bulk to this mower, so it’s not the lightest mower you’ll find for an allotment.
If you have a large allotment to mow and you need a powerful mower that can cut grass of any height or thickness, you can’t go wrong with the Hyundai 17″/42cm 139cc Electric-Start Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower.
This lawn mower has a powerful 139cc engine that makes easy work of long and wet grass, and a wide 42cm cutting width that covers more ground per lap, so you can cut a large grassy area in your allotment in less time. Plus, the electric start means you can simply press a button to start the mower, and the self-propelled drive eliminates the need to physically push the mower – just hold the handles and steer.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Hyundai
Price: ££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 42cm
Cut height range: 25-75mm
Weight: 31 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 45 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 103cm x 50cm x 135cm
Engine power: 139cc
Best For:
Anyone looking for the most powerful mower for cutting a large allotment, which has several features that make it easier to start and use compared to a traditional petrol mower.
What Customers Think:
The Hyundai 17″/42cm 139cc Electric-Start Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower is a hit with customers on Amazon, with a 4.4-star rating from more than 350 reviews. Customers said that the mower cuts grass easily and tackles long grass well, does a great job of mulching, and is easy to assemble and use.
Pros:
If you have a large grassy space on your allotment or you’re tasked with mowing all the grassy paths around an entire shared allotment space, the Hyundai 17″/42cm 139cc Electric-Start Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower is ideal for this purpose. Its powerful 139cc engine and wide 43cm cutting width means you can mow faster and with fewer passes.
Dealing with an overgrown allotment plot? This Hyundai mower is no match for long, overgrown grass. The cut height goes all the way up to 75mm, so you can gradually cut down longer grass if needed.
There are a few unique features of this mower that make it easier to use than traditional petrol mowers. It has a push-button electric start, so you don’t have the hassle of a pull cord, and you can use the self-propelled function to mow at a good pace without physical pushing effort.
If you want to mow without making trips to the allotment compost heap, you can use the mower’s built-in mulching function, which disperses tiny grass clippings onto the ground, where they’ll decompose quickly.
Cons:
Although it’s easy to use because of its self-propulsion, this Hyundai mower is heavy and bulky at 31 kilograms, so it’s not the best mower for bringing to and from an allotment in a car boot.
The mower is more expensive than others on this list, so there’s more to lose in the event of a theft.
You probably don’t want to keep an expensive lawn mower stored in your allotment shed, and the Einhell Power X-Change 18/30 Cordless Lawnmower is the best budget-friendly battery-powered mower available today.
This affordable lawn mower is about £100 cheaper than similar cordless models, but it still has all the features you need to quickly mow an allotment, including a 30cm cutting width, a 25-litre grass box, 3 adjustable cutting heights (from 30-70mm), and a brushless motor, which uses power more efficiently and adjusts to suit the terrain you’re mowing, extending the battery lifespan.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Einhell
Price: £
Power source: Battery
Cutting width: 30cm
Cutting height: 30-70mm
Weight: 9.3 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 25 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 61 x 39 x 37cm
Power: 36-V battery (2x 18V)
Best For:
Folks who need to mow an allotment space up to 150 m² and want a cheap but powerful cordless mower that they feel safer storing in an onsite shed.
What Customers Think:
The Einhell Cordless Lawnmower has more than 5,000 reviews with an average 4.1-star rating on Amazon. Reviewers said that the mower is lightweight and easy to use, and convenient for mowing remote spaces because of its cord-free design.
Pros:
Affordability is the biggest selling point of this Einhell mower. It’s cheap enough to justify for dedicated use on an allotment, while still having all the features you need in a reliable lawn mower.
You can fold down the handle to save space in small sheds and outhouses. Failing that, the mower is slim and lightweight at less than 10 kilograms, so it should fit in your car boot.
The 30cm cutting width is a bit narrower than the other mowers on this list, but this has manoeuvrability advantages on allotments with tighter grassy spaces.
Other features we love include the 3 cutting heights, the durable, dense plastic chassis, and the efficient brushless motor, which provides only enough power that’s needed for the terrain.
Cons:
The mower comes with a single battery (which lasts about 30 minutes per charge), so if you need to cut a larger allotment, you might have to buy another battery.
The design of the grass box makes it difficult to assemble.
We’ve found that the Gardena Battery Lanwmower HandyMower is the best lawn mower for cutting a tiny 50 m² space on an allotment.
This compact mower is ideal for situations when a conventional lawn mower would be unnecessarily large. It has a 22cm cutting width, making it ideal for mowing tight or small allotment paths. Despite being smaller, it still has a number of essential mower features, including three cutting heights (from 30-50mm) and a powerful 18-volt battery.
Note: The mower battery is sold separately – here’s the Amazon link.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Gardena
Price: ££
Power source: Electric cordless (battery-powered)
Cutting width: 22cm
Cut height range: 30-50mm
Weight: 6.2 kilograms
Grass box capacity: N/A
Dimensions (DxWxH): 38 x35 x 12.5cm
Power: 18 V battery (not included)
Best For:
Anyone who doesn’t need a full-sized lawn mower or has tiny grassy areas to cut in their allotment, and anyone who prefers the space-saving convenience and portability of a smaller mower.
What Customers Think:
The Gardena mower isn’t as widely-reviewed as the other mowers on this list, but it still has plenty of positive feedback. Customers praised the mower for being excellent for mowing around awkward edges and having a decent battery life for a smaller space (around 20 minutes). However, a few customers were frustrated at having to buy a separate battery.
Pros:
Mowing small spaces is easy and convenient with this Gardena mower. It has a pivoting handle that you can hold with one or two hands, making the mower easy to turn and manoeuvre in tight spaces.
We’ve seen similar mowers with tiny batteries that overheat and cut out quickly, but the Gardena Battery HandyMower uses a similar battery to those found in a full-size cordless mower, so you don’t have to compromise on power with this smaller model.
You probably don’t want the hassle of emptying clippings when you’re mowing a small space, especially if your allotment only has one compost pile that’s a long walk from your plot. There’s no extra bulk of a grass box and no hassle of emptying clippings.
At just 22 cm wide and weighing 6.2 kilograms, this Gardena mower is portable and ideal for storing in sheds with limited space.
Cons:
The battery for the HandyMower is sold separately. It’d be more convenient to buy the battery with the mower.
You won’t have much success using this mower on very long or thick grass due to its smaller blades and less powerful battery operation.
📝 7 Features Of The Best Lawn Mowers For Allotments
Wondering which features will make lawn mowing easier on allotments? We’ve shared our top recommended features to look out for below.
🏋🏻 Lightweight Build
Whether you plan to take a lawn mower to and from your allotment in your car or you just want something that’s quick and easy to get in and out of your shed, you need a lightweight lawn mower.
Most of the mowers on this list weigh under 11 kilograms, so they’re not a hassle to use on your allotment plot.
♻️ Mulching Option
Using a lawn mower with a grass collection bag or box in an allotment is certainly an option, but your plot might be far away from the community compost heap, and the long walk with your emptied lawn clippings will take up unnecessary time.
For cutting smaller lawns and allotment paths, the hassle of filling and emptying a grass collector isn’t worth it.
If it’s not convenient to collect clippings in a grass collector, look for a mulching mower, which cuts grass up small and feeds the clippings back onto the lawn, where they quickly decompose. This saves you the hassle of either collecting grass or raking it up after, and it’s good for grass health, so it’ll help your allotment’s green spaces to thrive.
🏡 Storage Solutions
Look for compact mowers if you have little space in your allotment shed and you need something with a small footprint that won’t take up all the room.
Manual mowers are a good option for allotments because they’re much smaller and slimmer than conventionally powered mowers with a grass collection box, so they won’t dominate all the space in storage.
Many of the best mowers for allotments have storage solutions, too. Look for mowers with foldable handles to limit how much space they take up widthways, and mowers that can be hung from a hook on a shed wall, so they don’t take up any floor space at all.
💻 Portability
Portability is another important feature of an allotment lawn mower. You’ll need to get the mower to its destination somehow, so we recommend looking for push mowers that are small enough to fit in the boot of your car.
Many of the best allotment lawn mowers in this guide are small and compact, making them suitable for storing in your car without having to first be disassembled.
Most car boots range from 300-1,000 litres in size. If you have a small boot or you’re buying a slightly larger lawn mower, measure the space in your boot and compare it to the mower’s dimensions before you spend your money.
Plus, an allotment lawn mower needs to suitable for using in a location that doesn’t have access to power. A corded electric mower is unsuitable for most allotments because you won’t have anything to plug it into.
✂️ Edge Cutting
Edge cutting is even more important on an allotment lawn mower than a mower for your garden.
Allotments usually have more complex grassy areas, like walkways that weave around plots, trees and bushes, sheds, and raised flower beds.
Having a mower with an edge cutting function will help you save time because you can mow right up to the edge of obstacles without having to get the strimmer out to finish off the job.
Grass combs are a great edge cutting feature on a lawn mower. They’re wider than the mower’s front wheels, meaning you won’t have a strip of grass left behind when mowing alongside edges like borders and walls.
📐 Adjustable Cutting Height
When life gets busy, your allotment might temporarily take second priority. If you’re guilty of letting your grass grow too long one too many times, you’ll benefit from a lawn mower that has adjustable cutting heights.
Look for mowers with cut heights up to 75-80mm, so if you are tackling long grass, you can cut it down in increments, reducing the stress on your mower and preventing injury to the grass.
💰 Affordability
You probably don’t want to spend a fortune on a lawn mower if you plan to store it in your allotment’s shed. Break-ins are a worst-case scenario, and while you’d like to think that your allotment won’t ever be targeted by criminals, you simply never know.
We recommend spending less money on a mower that you only plan to use on your allotment. After all, your top priority is probably not the quality of the grassy areas, but the quality of the plants growing on your plot. So go for a cheaper model and save any expensive investments for your own back garden.
🧾 6 Things To Consider When Choosing The Best Lawn Mower Allotments
Aside from the best lawn mower features for allotments, also consider the following things when deciding on a mower for your allotment plot.
💳 Your Budget
Your budget is the place to begin. You need to decide on what you can comfortably afford to spend on a new mower, especially if the mower will only be used on your allotment.
The average cost of a lawn mower for allotments is £55-£250.
The most affordable lawn mower is the manual push mower, costing around £55-£75 on average.
Cordless mowers, better for slightly larger lawns or bigger allotment spaces, are a little more expensive, with a starting price of around £150.
Petrol lawn mowers are the costliest mower type, starting at around £225 – but they’re also best for quickly cutting large spaces.
A manual mower is the best choice for you if you want to spend as little money as possible on a lawn mower that will effectively cut your allotment’s grassy spaces.
We’ve discussed lawn mower types in more detail in the next point.
🤷♂️ Mower Type
The type of lawn mower you choose depends on your personal preferences and the amount of grass you need to cut on your allotment.
Here are the types of lawn mowers that are good for allotments, and when you should use each mower type:
Manual mowers – Ideal for cutting a small, flat lawn. A great option for allotments because they’re lightweight and easy to carry/store. Some allow you to switch between grass collection and mulching.
Battery-powered mowers – More powerful than manual mowers, ideal for small-to-medium spaces. Also a great choice for allotments because they use a rechargeable battery so don’t need an electricity supply.
Petrol-powered lawnmowers – The best solution for cutting large lawns with no chance of running out of battery life. Powerful, quick, and capable of cutting even thick, long grass.
If you just have a small space and you want an affordable, effective lawn mower, a manual mower is best for you.
But if you have a larger cutting area and/or your allotment has uneven ground or often ends up overgrown, the best push mower for you is either a cordless battery mower or a petrol mower (depending on the size of the grassy space on your allotment).
📐 Mower Cutting Width
The optimal mower cutting width for your allotment is another feature that depends on the size of the space that you need to cut.
If you’re cutting a small patch of grass or paths between flower beds, opt for a small-to-medium-sized lawn mower with a 30-36cm cutting width.
But if you have a bigger space with plenty of turning room and you want to cover more ground at once, go for a larger lawn mower with a 36-42cm cutting width.
Unless your allotment has a very large grassy area, we’d avoid lawn mowers that are wider than around 48cm. You’ll find it too difficult to manoeuvre a mower this big and hefty if your plot has lots of obstacles, like trees, raised beds, and tight spots.
🧰 Assembly & Maintenance
Your assembly and maintenance preferences should play a small part in your purchase decision.
If you hate DIY, look for an easy-assemble lawn mower with simple instructions. Check customer feedback to see what other people thought about the assembly process. Reviewers will often complain if the assembly instructions are poor, or they’ll share positive feedback if the mower was quick and easy to assemble.
Maintenance varies from one mower type to the next:
Manual mowers are relatively easy to maintain – you just get the blades sharpened whenever needed (some people never sharpen the blades throughout the mower’s lifespan if quality of cut isn’t important).
Cordless mower models are easy to maintain – just remember to charge the battery before every use, clean the mower after mowing, and sharpen the blade around once or twice per mowing season.
Petrol lawn mowers are slightly more difficult to maintain – as well as sharpening the blade once or twice per year, you also need to top-up/replenish the fuel and oil, check/clean the spark plug, and carry out other servicing jobs to keep the engine working properly.
If you only have a smaller grassy space to cut, go for a low-maintenance mower for the sake of simplicity. You probably don’t want to spend your precious allotment hours tinkering with your mower.
📡 Extra Features
There are a few other features of a lawn mower that might be beneficial for mowing your allotment, depending on your situation.
For instance, if you need to mow a very big space with hills or steep slopes, look for a self-propelled mower. The self-propulsion will drive the mower forward, so you don’t have to over-exert yourself pushing a heavy mower.
Or, if you have dedicated lawn space on your allotment (rather than just grassy paths) and you want it to look its best, you might want a mower with a rear roller for a striped finish.
Electric start is another feature that’s beneficial on a petrol lawn mower for large allotments. You can start the mower with the push of a button of the turn of a key, so you can get going straight away without the hassle of pulling a starter cord.
👷🏻♂️ Customer Feedback & Warranty
Finally, consider customer feedback and the manufacturer’s warranty before you invest in a lawn mower for your allotment.
Customer reviews give you a more realistic idea of what it’s like to use a mower season after season, including the potential setbacks of the mower’s design, features, and performance, which you won’t get from the marketing materials alone.
We also recommend reading professional reviews and comparisons from independent expert reviewers, which highlight all the important details of a mower that you may struggle to find in the manufacturer’s information.
Don’t buy a lawn mower for your allotment unless it has a warranty of at least 1 year. A warranty tells you that the manufacturer will honour your purchase and replace your mower or a mower component if needed as per terms of the contract.
The best lawn mowers have a 2 year warranty that can sometimes be extended to 3 years if you register the mower on the manufacturter’s website.
Important note: this review was last updated in July 2024. We apologise if pricing or availability has since changed for any of the products mentioned above.