Looking for a mower that can handle long grass without getting clogged or burning out? Here, we’ve shared our reviews of the best lawn mowers for cutting long grass, based on their power, cut quality, durability, and, of course, value for money.
Brand: Hyundai
Price: ££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 43cm
Cutting height: 25-75mm
Weight: 28 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 45 litres
Engine power: 139cc
Brand: Sprint
Price: ££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 46cm
Cutting height: 28-92mm
Weight: 25 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 60 litres
Engine power: 125cc
Brand: LawnMaster
Price: ££
Power source: Corded electric
Cutting width: 40cm
Cutting height: 20-70mm
Weight: 15 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 42 litres
Power: 1,800W
Brand: Einhell
Price: £££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 53cm
Cutting height: 25-70mm
Weight: 40.2 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 80 litres
Engine power: Not specified
Brand: Sprint
Price: ££
Power source: Battery (cordless)
Cutting width: 37cm
Cutting height: 25-75mm
Weight: 12.5 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 80 litres
Power: 1x 5Ah battery
Table of Contents
Best Lawn Mowers For Cutting Long Grass 2024
Best Overall: Hyundai 17″/43cm 139cc Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower
Best Push Petrol: Sprint 460P Push Petrol Lawn Mower
Best Electric Corded: LawnMaster 1800W Electric Lawn Mower
Best Large Grass Bag Capacity: Einhell GE-PM 53/2 S HW-E Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower
Best Cordless: Sprint 18V Lithium-Ion 37cm Cordless Lawn Mower
📊 Comparison Chart of Lawn Mowers For Cutting Long Grass
Scroll right on mobile to see the whole table chart
| Product | Brand | Price | Power Source | Cutting Width | Cutting Height | Weight | Grass Box Capacity | Engine Power/Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai 17"/43cm 139cc Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower | Hyundai | ££ | Petrol | 43cm | 25-75mm | 28kg | 45 litres | 139cc |
| Sprint 460P Push Petrol Lawn Mower | Sprint | ££ | Petrol | 46cm | 28-92mm | 25kg | 60 litres | 125cc |
| LawnMaster 1800W Electric Lawn Mower | LawnMaster | ££ | Corded Electric | 40cm | 20-70mm | 15kg | 42 litres | 1,800W |
| Einhell GE-PM 53/2 S HW-E Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower | Einhell | £££ | Petrol | 53cm | 25-70mm | 40.2kg | 80 litres | Not specified |
| Sprint 18V Lithium-Ion 37cm Cordless Lawn Mower | Sprint | ££ | Battery (Cordless) | 37cm | 25-75mm | 12.5kg | 80 litres | 1x 5Ah battery |
⭐ Reviews – Best Mowers For Mowing Long Grass of 2024
In our opinion, the best overall lawn mower for long grass is the Hyundai 17″/43cm 139cc Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower.
We had the best experience using this mower when cutting long grass because it has a powerful 139cc petrol engine, so it makes easy work of longer, overgrown grass without clogging or stalling, and it’s self-propelled, so you don’t have to use any more force to push the mower over tough spots.
Plus, If you want to avoid stopping your mower to empty the grass box every few minutes, and would prefer to rake up the grass clippings afterwards, this Hyundai model offers rear discharge, so you can skip the grass box altogether.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Hyundai
Price: ££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 43cm
Cutting height: 25-75mm
Weight: 28 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 45 litres
Engine power: 139cc
Best For:
People with large or medium lawns looking for the very best, most capable petrol lawn mower for cutting long or thick grass with ease.
What Customers Think:
The Hyundai Petrol Lawnmower has a 4.4-star rating on Amazon (at the time of this review) from more than 880 reviews. We looked specifically for reviews that commented on the mower’s ability to cut long grass, and customers were generally pleased in this respect. One customer said the mower “cuts well and manages long grass with ease”, and another said that the mower is powerful enough to cope with “quite long grass”.
What We Liked:
Petrol is superior to all other mower power types (electric, battery, and so on), so even a small petrol engine should be able to handle long grass with ease. The Hyundai Petrol Lawnmower is particularly powerful, with a 139cc engine (bigger than the average 123-125cc engine for a smaller mower), and it cut our long grass more quickly and efficiently than any other mower we’ve tested.
Cutting longer, denser grass takes more physical effort because of the extra resistance of the terrain, but we simply switched on the Hyundai mower’s self-propulsion feature and coasted through the mowing process. Self-propulsion means the mower drives itself forward, so you don’t have to use more effort when mowing long or thick grass.
The cut height can be adjusted up to 75mm, so you have plenty of leeway if you need to start high and cut gradually lower. We also love this mower’s steel deck, which can withstand the extra burden of mowing in tough conditions, and the rear discharge, which means you can ditch the (admittedly small) 45-litre grass box and discharge the grass straight onto your lawn to be raked up after.
What We Didn’t Like:
We found the assembly instructions quite difficult to follow – the diagrams didn’t always seem to match the mower model we had. We ended up watching online videos instead.
The mower handle is lower than the handles of most lawn mowers we’ve tested, so if you’re 6 foot or taller, the mower will probably be too small to use comfortably.
If you want the power benefits of a petrol mower but your lawn isn’t big enough to warrant a very wide cutting width or self-propulsion, we think the Sprint 460P Push Petrol Lawn Mower is the best option for you.
This 46cm petrol push mower has a powerful Briggs & Stratton 450E Series 125cc engine and 6 adjustable cut heights up to a massive 92mm, making it ideal for mowing long grass in medium-to-large lawns.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Sprint
Price: ££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 46cm
Cutting height: 28-92mm
Weight: 25 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 60 litres
Engine power: 125cc
Best For:
People with small-to-medium gardens who want a mower with a powerful petrol engine that can easily cut tall grass but don’t want the extra expense and weight of self-propulsion.
What Customers Think:
More than 572 customers have awarded the Sprint Petrol Mower 4.4 stars out of 5 on Amazon. Again, focusing only on reviews about the mower’s performance when cutting longer grass, and feedback was positive. One reviewer said that the mower had no problems getting through their lawn’s “quite long” grass, and another said that the mower had done some “great long grass cuts”.
What We Liked:
Hands down, the biggest benefit of the Sprint Petrol Mower for us was that its highest setting for cut height is 92mm. Most mowers have a maximum cut height of 70-75mm, which isn’t high enough to deal with very tall grass. If you want a mower that you can routinely use to mow an overgrown lawn, this Sprint mower is your best bet.
Again, we were pleased with the extra power that came from the 125cc petrol engine compared to the electric mowers we tested. At no point did we feel that the mower was struggling or straining to cut the long, thick grass on our lawn.
We also appreciated the rear discharge option. We personally collected grass in the 60-litre collection bag, but we know some people will prefer to keep the mower running from start to finish and deal with the grass clippings after – especially since longer grass clogs up the grass bag faster.
What We Didn’t Like:
Since we were pushing this mower ourselves, it felt heavier and more difficult to manoeuvre than the self-propelled petrol mowers we used.
The lowest cut height setting is higher than most other mowers we’ve reviewed, so it’s not ideal for cutting long grass very short.
For anyone who’s looking for a corded electric lawn mower that’s powerful enough to handle long grass without stalling or clogging the blades, we recommend the LawnMaster 1800W Electric Lawn Mower.
This mower is one of the most powerful lawn mowers we’ve reviewed, with a 1,800-watt motor (the average corded electric mower has a motor power of 1,400-1,600-watts at most).
Plus, it has a 40cm cutting width, so you can quickly work your way through a larger lawn with fewer laps, and the 6 cut heights up to 70mm mean you have plenty of choice if you need to start on a higher cut.
Quick Specs:
Brand: LawnMaster
Price: ££
Power source: Corded electric
Cutting width: 40cm
Cutting height: 20-70mm
Weight: 15 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 42 litres
Power: 1,800W
Best For:
People with small-to-medium lawns who prefer corded electric mowers due to their lower maintenance and ease of use but still want a powerful solution for cutting long or rough terrain.
What Customers Think:
The LawnMaster Electric Lawn Mower has a 4.0-star rating out of 150+ customer reviews. One customer said that the mower “doesn’t struggle cutting long grass” and another said that the mower “cuts the lawn well even when long and wet”.
What We Liked:
For an electric model, the LawnMaster Electric Lawn Mower is about as powerful as it gets. We felt that its 1,800-watt motor gave it much more drive and power for cutting longer grass compared to the lower-power electric mowers, which often struggle and stall when cutting overgrown turf.
We definitely appreciated the easier setup and lack of maintenance that came with this electric model. There was no petrol or oil to top up, and we could simply plug it in and start it up – no messing around with a pull cord.
The maximum 70mm cut height should be suitable for most situations, and if you want to go the extra mile with your mowing duties, you’ll be pleased to see that this mower has a weighty rear roller that leaves noticeable stripes (most electric models struggle to do this because their rollers are too flimsy and lightweight).
What We Didn’t Like:
We wish the 10-metre cord was longer considering the fact that the mower has a 1,800-watt engine and is intended for larger lawns.
We noticed that there was a flaw in the mower’s design that allowed grass to exit from a gap between the mower and grass box. This wasn’t a dealbreaker for us, but it’s something to consider before you buy this mower.
Based on our testing, the Einhell GE-PM 53/2 S HW-E Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower is the best solution for people who want a mower with the largest grass collector to minimize the frequency of emptying – something that will become more of a chore when you’re cutting up longer grass and filling up the grass bag faster.
It’s petrol-powered and self-propelled, too, making it naturally a good fit for cutting long grass on medium-to-large lawns.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Einhell
Price: £££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 53cm
Cutting height: 25-70mm
Weight: 40.2 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 80 litres
Engine power: Not specified
Best For:
Anyone who plans to collect their cut grass as they mow and wants a mower with a larger grass box capacity that they won’t have to empty quite so often when mowing longer grass.
What Customers Think:
Customers were generally pleased with the Einhell Petrol Lawnmower overall, rating it 4.3 stars out of 5. This was the only mower we reviewed that didn’t have specific comments about cutting tall grass, but customers did comment that the mower was powerful and robust, and mowed satisfactorily – positive words if you plan to mow longer or thicker grass.
What We Liked:
The 80-litre grass box was our favourite feature of this mower. It’s almost double the average grass box size, so it holds more grass clippings and doesn’t need emptying as often – ideal when you’re mowing longer grass that takes up more space.
The self-propulsion and petrol-powered engine both got ticks of approval from us. The mower ripped through our lawn with ease, and we can’t see it ever struggling to mow long, thick, or even wet grass.
The 53cm cutting width makes this mower ideal for larger lawns because you’re covering more ground with every pass, enabling you to get the job done faster.
What We Didn’t Like:
The mower is out of stock more than it’s in! We wish it was more consistently available because the grass box size is unbeatable.
We found the self-propulsion speed a bit slow.
If you’re set on a cordless mower but you often let your grass get overgrown, you need a mower with powerful batteries that won’t drain quickly when you’re mowing longer grass.
We found that the best battery-powered mower that fits this description is the Sprint 18V Lithium-Ion 37cm Cordless Lawn Mower, which is powered by a 5Ah battery that supplies more amps per hour, which essentially means it can provide more energy before it needs to be charged – ideal for tougher grass cutting situations.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Sprint
Price: ££
Power source: Battery (cordless)
Cutting width: 37cm
Cutting height: 25-75mm
Weight: 12.5 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 80 litres
Power: 1x 5Ah battery
Best For:
Anyone who wants the convenience of a cordless mower but needs a model that’s powerful enough to cut long or dense grass without killing the battery.
What Customers Think:
More than 320 customers have awarded the Sprint Cordless Lawn Mower 4.3 stars out of 5. On cutting long grass, one customer said that the mower “coped very well” when their grass had been long, and another said that the mower “breezed through” the long grass on their lawn. A few customers did warn that the battery doesn’t last as long if you let your grass get too overgrown, which is to be expected.
What We Liked:
We’ve used some cordless battery-powered mowers that simply can’t compete with corded models and struggle to cut grass even at a normal height, but the Sprint Cordless Lawn Mower doesn’t have this issue. Its 5Ah 18-volt battery provides enough power to drive the blades even when mowing thicker grass, and the battery doesn’t immediately drain when you’re mowing overgrown areas.
The maximum 75mm mowing height means you can start cutting higher if you have particularly tall grass, then do a second mow on a lower level afterwards.
We enjoyed the convenience of using this cordless mower. It’s nice not to think about mowing around a cord or topping up the fuel – all you have to do is charge the battery between uses (and we all know how to do that).
What We Didn’t Like:
While the Sprint Cordless Lawn Mower is one of the mower powerful battery-powered mowers we’ve tested, we did find that the mower battery gets drained faster when cutting long, thick grass, so this is something to be aware of.
The soft grip handles are a nice touch, but the foam started to show wear during our few months of use, and we wonder whether they might eventually split.
Our Lawn
Before we share more about the buying process and how we shortlisted the mowers in this guide, Our lawn is only slightly bigger than the average UK lawn size, here are a few images of our lawn, so you can see what we’re used to mowing at home. Our lawn is slightly bigger than the average UK lawn size, and honestly, a self-propelled petrol mower is too large for our situation. That said, we put this factor to the side and tested a variety of mowers to produce this guide because we know that different mowers are best for different circumstances when mowing longer grass.
Methodology: How We Selected The Mowers In This Guide
Wondering how we selected and reviewed the best lawn mowers for long grass in this guide? Here’s everything you should know about our process.
Step 1: Researching All The Products Available
First, we wanted to find out which lawn mowers were currently available for mowing long grass. We made a list of all the best features of a lawn mower for this purpose (which we’ve shared in the next section of this guide) and set out to find all the mowers sold online that had at least one of these features. We then added their mowers and their key features to a list before moving on to step 2.
Step 2: Reading Customer Reviews
Next, we were keen to know what customers thought about the mowers we’d found before we considered reviewing them ourselves. We looked on marketplaces like Amazon to find hundreds of non-biased customer reviews, focusing specifically on feedback on the mower’s ability to cut longer or denser grass.
Step 3: Conversations With Manufacturers
Step 3 involved contacting manufacturers to gather further information about some of the mowers that we couldn’t find online. This gave us the data we needed to shortlist the mowers we’d found, and we were also able to assess the quality of customer support we experienced.
Step 4: Testing A Selection Of Lawn Mowers
Finally, we tested and reviewed the mowers we’d shortlisted to see whether they lived up to our performance expectations.
When ranking the mowers in this guide, we used the following metrics:
Performance power: 20%
Cut quality: 20%
Price: 20%
Ease of use: 15%
Sturdiness of build: 15%
Assembly & maintenance: 10%
📡 4 Best Features Of A Mower For Cutting Long Grass
Let’s take a look at the most desirable features to look for in the best lawn mowers for cutting long grass.
🏎 High-Power Engine/Motor
First, look for a lawn mower with a high-power engine or motor (depending on the power source). A high-power engine or motor is ideal for cutting long grass because it provides the force and energy to tackle the added resistance of tall or thick grass.
As we know, long grass can be challenging to cut because of its height and density, and a powerful engine ensures that the cutting blades maintain a consistent speed and torque even when they’re encountering this resistance, providing a cleaner cut without stalling or getting clogged.
📏 High Max. Cutting Height
Also look for a mower that has a higher maximum cutting height – at least 75mm, ideally more. This is advantageous for cutting long grass because it means you can customize the mower’s settings to match the height of the grass you’re dealing with.
When you’re tackling long grass, you can’t cut off too much at once, as this can cause stress to the grass and may lead to an uneven cut. Our top advice is to raise the mower’s cut height to maximum and trim the top portion of the long grass without overly stressing it, gradually bringing it down to a manageable height over multiple mowing sessions.
📦 Large Grass Box Capacity
If you prefer to collect your grass as you mow, a large grass box is ideal when mowing overgrown or tall grass. Why? Because the mower will need to collect a larger volume of clippings, and a spacious grass box can do just that.
The bigger the grass box, the less often you’ll have to empty it, so you can complete your mowing task more efficiently. We recommend looking for a mower with a grass box capacity of at least 55-60 litres.
♻️ Side/Rear Discharge
Finally, if you’d rather mow flat-out without any interruptions, go for a mower with multiple grass collection options, including side or rear discharge.
By discharging the grass onto your lawn as you mow, you won’t have to keep stopping to empty the grass collector. Instead, you can mow your entire lawn first, then take the time to rake up your grass cuttings afterwards.
🧾 5 Considerations To Make When Choosing The Best Lawn Mower For Cutting Long Grass
Now you know the best features of a lawn mower for cutting longer grass, here are a few other considerations you should make when comparing different mowers:
🦾 Power Type
First, consider your preferred power type for your mower.
When it comes to long grass-cutting capabilities, petrol mowers are best. But these are also more difficult to maintain, and they’re generally heavier and bulkier, too, so they’re not the best solution for everyone.
Corded electric and cordless mowers are good options for some people. Make sure to go for a more powerful upgrade if you choose one of these mower types – i.e. higher-wattage mowers or mowers with larger, more powerful batteries that won’t be hindered by long grass.
🟢 Mower Size/Your Lawn Size
Also consider your lawn size, and the right-size mower for your situation.
We recommend mowers with a 30-45cm cutting width for small-to-medium gardens. If your lawn is large, you’ll benefit from a mower with a wider cutting width, which will cover more ground with every pass.
You might think that when it comes to efficient mowing, the bigger, the better. But if you have a small lawn, a narrower mower might actually be better. If the mower’s blade width is too wide for your space, you’ll make the job unnecessarily harder with a bulky, heavy mower that’s difficult to get into narrow spots or turn in limited space.
💰 Your Budget
Make sure to consider your budget when choosing the best lawn mower for mowing long grass.
The average cost of a lawn mower for cutting an overgrown lawn is £170-£350. Remember, you’re looking for a high-powered petrol mower or a corded/cordless mower with a more powerful motor than most models, which means you’ll be paying more than budget prices for your mower of choice.
If you want to keep costs down, go for a push (non-self-propelled) petrol lawn mower or an electric corded mower. Self-propelled petrol mowers and cordless battery-powered mowers tend to be the more expensive options.
🛠 Assembly & Maintenance
How comfortable are you with the DIY mower assembly process? And how much work are you willing to put into maintaining your mower? Ask yourself these questions when choosing the best lawn mower for you.
For instance, if you want an easy assembly process and you don’t want to commit to a high-maintenance model, you’re best avoiding petrol lawn mowers. A mower with an electric cable or a cordless mower will likely be your best bet because they don’t require some of the specific servicing tasks that petrol mowers need.
Regardless of the mower type you choose, be prepared for some unavoidable maintenance tasks, including sharpening the blade and cleaning the mower deck after every use. You may need to sharpen the blades more frequently if you often use your mower to cut long or thick grass.
💬 Customer Feedback
Finally, be sure to see what other customers have to say about a lawn mower before you spend your money. Manufacturers know how to convince you that their products are best for you, but customers give a much more honest overview of what you can expect when using the mower regularly.
Customer feedback also helps you to understand how manufacturers treat their customers. While most people don’t have to contact the manufacturer at all after buying a lawn mower, it’s reassuring to know that the brand’s customer service is helpful and reliable should you need it.
📑 Our Top 5 Tips For Mowing Long Grass
Let’s finish this guide with our top 5 tips for mowing long grass with your lawn mower of choice:
Sharpen The Blade. The sharper the mower’s blade, the more easily it’ll cut through longer, thicker grass. Dull blades will struggle to cut your grass and leave raggedy ends, leaving your lawn more susceptible to diseases. Sharpen your mower’s blade if it feels blunt after you’ve first assembled it, then sharpen once a season to keep it in prime condition for efficiently cutting long grass.
Mow In Stages. The general rule is that you don’t mow more than a third off your grass with every cut. This could stress the grass and increase the risk of clogging, even in a powerful, sturdy mower. Instead, set your mower to a higher cutting height for the first pass, then lower the blade height before mowing your second pass.
Go for a powerful engine. As we mentioned, petrol engines are the most powerful choice for mowers that you plan to use for cutting long grass. Petrol lawn mowers are particularly worth investing in for medium or large lawns because they enable you to cut grass more quickly and efficiently. If you have a smaller lawn and are looking at electric models, look for a higher wattage (1,700-1,800 watts) or a powerful battery (4-5Ah).
Discharge your clippings. Mowing a lawn with long grass means your grass clippings will be bigger, and will clog the grass collector at a faster rate. If you want to mow your lawn from start to finish with no disruptions, we recommend ditching the grass collector and using your mower’s side or rear discharge function (if it has one). Then, rake up the grass and put it in your garden waste bin or on your compost heap after you’ve finished mowing.
Use a grass trimmer for the edges. We always use a grass trimmer around our edges and in particularly overgrown areas before we start mowing. It makes the mowing job easier and prevents us from accidentally hitting edges or running into flower beds because we can’t see past the long grass.
🏁 Final Word
We wrote this guide because, at the time of our research, we couldn’t find any other websites that recommended the best lawn mowers for long grass specifically. Hopefully, you’ve found our top recommendations helpful. At the very least, you can take away the knowledge of the best features of a lawn mower for long grass, and our top tips for mowing overgrown grass in your garden.
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.