Trying to decide between the huge number of petrol lawn mowers available today? Our team of expert reviewers has researched and compared the best-selling petrol mowers on the market.
Here, we’ve shared our top recommended petrol mowers based on performance features, longevity, and value for money.
- Brand: Hyundai
Price: ££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 43cm
Cut height range: 25-75mm
Weight: 28 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 45 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 53.2cm x 19.3cm x 41.3cm
Engine power: 139cc
- Brand: Mountfield
Price: ££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 39cm
Cut height range: 25-70mm
Weight: 19 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 40 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 78.5cm x 47cm x 106.5cm
Engine power: 123cc
- Brand: Murray
Price: £££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 51cm
Cut height range: 25-70mm
Weight: 29 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 75 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 96cm x 38cm x 101cm
Engine power: 140cc
- Brand: Cobra
Price: £££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 46cm
Cut height range: 17-75mm
Weight: 32 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 55 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): Not specified
Engine power: 140cc
- Brand: Sprint
Price: ££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 41cm
Cut height range: 25-75mm
Weight: 32 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 60 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 89.9cm x 54.1cm x 43.4cm
Engine power: 125cc
- Brand: P1PE
Price: ££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 51cm
Cut height range: 25-75mm
Weight: 36 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 60 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 40.6cm x 22.8cm x 66.1cm
Engine power: 173cc
- Brand: Yard Force
Price: £
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 40cm
Cut height range: 25-75mm
Weight: 19.2 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 45 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 75cm x 50cm x 41cm
Engine power: 125cc
- Brand: Hyundai
Price: £££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 51cm
Cut height range: 17-65mm
Weight: 47.4 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 75 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 36.4cm x 21.7cm x 62.2cm
Engine power: 196cc
Table of Contents
Best Petrol Lawn Mowers July 2024
Best Overall Self-Propelled: Hyundai 17″/43cm 139cc Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower
Best For Small- Medium Lawns: Mountfield HP41 Petrol Lawnmower
Best For Large Lawns: Murray EQ2-500X self-propelled 4-in-1 petrol lawnmower
Best For Lawn Stripes: Cobra RM46SPB 46cm (18in) Petrol Lawnmower with Rear Roller
Best For Mulching: Sprint 2691794 420SP Self-propelled Petrol Lawn Mower
Best Electric Start: P1PE P5100SPE P1 Hyundai Powered 20″ 51cm Petrol Lawnmower
Best Budget: Yard Force 40 cm Hand Push Petrol Lawnmower
Best Premium: Hyundai 20″/51cm 196cc Electric-start Self-propelled Petrol Lawnmower
Comparison Chart of Petrol Lawn Mowers
Scroll right on mobile to see the whole table chart
| Model | Brand | Price | Power Source | Cutting Width | Cut Height Range | Weight | Grass Box Capacity | Dimensions (DxWxH) | Engine Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai 17"/43cm 139cc Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower | Hyundai | ££ | Petrol | 43cm | 25-75mm | 28kg | 45 litres | 53.2cm x 19.3cm x 41.3cm | 139cc |
| Mountfield HP41 Petrol Lawnmower | Mountfield | ££ | Petrol | 39cm | 25-70mm | 19kg | 40 litres | 78.5cm x 47cm x 106.5cm | 123cc |
| Murray EQ2-500X Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower | Murray | £££ | Petrol | 51cm | 25-70mm | 29kg | 75 litres | 96cm x 38cm x 101cm | 140cc |
| Cobra RM46SPB 46cm Petrol Lawnmower with Rear Roller | Cobra | £££ | Petrol | 46cm | 17-75mm | 32kg | 55 litres | Not specified | 140cc |
| Sprint 2691794 420SP Self-propelled Petrol Lawn Mower | Sprint | ££ | Petrol | 41cm | 25-75mm | 32kg | 60 litres | 89.9cm x 54.1cm x 43.4cm | 125cc |
| P1PE P5100SPE P1 Hyundai Powered Petrol Lawnmower | P1PE | ££ | Petrol | 51cm | 25-75mm | 36kg | 60 litres | 40.6cm x 22.8cm x 66.1cm | 173cc |
| Yard Force 40 cm Hand Push Petrol Lawnmower | Yard Force | £ | Petrol | 40cm | 25-75mm | 19.2kg | 45 litres | 75cm x 50cm x 41cm | 125cc |
| Hyundai Electric-start Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower | Hyundai | £££ | Petrol | 51cm | 17-65mm | 47.4kg | 75 litres | 36.4cm x 21.7cm x 62.2cm | 196cc |
| Model | Brand | Price | Power Source | Cutting Width | Cut Height Range | Weight | Grass Box Capacity | Dimensions (DxWxH) | Engine Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai 17"/43cm 139cc Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower | Hyundai | ££ | Petrol | 43cm | 25-75mm | 28kg | 45 litres | 53.2cm x 19.3cm x 41.3cm | 139cc |
| Mountfield HP41 Petrol Lawnmower | Mountfield | ££ | Petrol | 39cm | 25-70mm | 19kg | 40 litres | 78.5cm x 47cm x 106.5cm | 123cc |
| Murray EQ2-500X Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower | Murray | £££ | Petrol | 51cm | 25-70mm | 29kg | 75 litres | 96cm x 38cm x 101cm | 140cc |
| Cobra RM46SPB 46cm Petrol Lawnmower with Rear Roller | Cobra | £££ | Petrol | 46cm | 17-75mm | 32kg | 55 litres | Not specified | 140cc |
| Sprint 2691794 420SP Self-propelled Petrol Lawn Mower | Sprint | ££ | Petrol | 41cm | 25-75mm | 32kg | 60 litres | 89.9cm x 54.1cm x 43.4cm | 125cc |
| P1PE P5100SPE P1 Hyundai Powered Petrol Lawnmower | P1PE | ££ | Petrol | 51cm | 25-75mm | 36kg | 60 litres | 40.6cm x 22.8cm x 66.1cm | 173cc |
| Yard Force 40 cm Hand Push Petrol Lawnmower | Yard Force | £ | Petrol | 40cm | 25-75mm | 19.2kg | 45 litres | 75cm x 50cm x 41cm | 125cc |
| Hyundai Electric-start Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower | Hyundai | £££ | Petrol | 51cm | 17-65mm | 47.4kg | 75 litres | 36.4cm x 21.7cm x 62.2cm | 196cc |
⭐ Reviews – Best Petrol Lawn Mowers of 2024
Based on our research, the best overall and best self-propelled petrol lawn mower is the Hyundai 17″/43cm 139cc Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower. This mower offers more features than any other petrol mower within an affordable price range.
Some of the unique features of this mower that we love are the self-propelled function to help you get the job done faster with minimal effort, the 5 cutting heights for a precisely tailored cut, and the built-in mulching plug for folks who want to fertilize their lawns with every mow. Plus, your purchase is protected by Hyundai’s 3-year warranty – one of the best you’ll find for a petrol lawn mower in this price range.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Hyundai
Price: ££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 43cm
Cut height range: 25-75mm
Weight: 28 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 45 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 53.2cm x 19.3cm x 41.3cm
Engine power: 139cc
Best For:
Anyone who wants to invest in the best-value, high-performing petrol lawn mower that gives you more features for the price than any of its competitors.
What Customers Think:
The Hyundai 17″/43cm 139cc Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower has over 700 customer ratings awarding the mower an average score of 4.4 out of 5 stars, and is currently the most popular and best-reviewed petrol mower on Amazon. Customers called this mower a “dream machine” and a “great bit of kit” and praised it for its sturdy design, simple setup, and high-quality cut. Some customers complained about the unclear assembly instructions.
Pros:
We think one of this mower’s biggest benefits is price. You get so many premium features thrown in for less than £250, so it makes sense to choose this mower over one of its similarly-priced but more run-of-the-mill competitors.
Setting up and starting a petrol mower can be tricky, but the Hyundai 17″/43cm 139cc Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower is refreshingly easy to assemble and operate. Even if the user manual is lacking, setup is pretty self-explanatory, and the easy start feature means you don’t have to tire yourself out cranking a cord.
You’ll get plenty of power from the 139cc engine and cover enough ground with the 43cm cutting width to make quick and easy work of mowing a medium-sized lawn of any terrain type (including thick and wet grass) – and the self-propulsion means you can work quickly without any physical pushing effort.
It’s great to see three cutting options from this mower: collection in the grass box, rear discharge, and a dedicated mulching function.
Cons:
The user manual needs improving for clarity.
The handle can’t be made high enough for tall people. Anyone over 6 feet tall will probably find the handle too low.
We’ve found that the Mountfield HP41 Petrol Lawnmower is the best lawn mower for small-to-medium lawns. This compact, nifty mower is ideal for folks who want a much quicker, more powerful alternative to the conventional electric mower to whip around their smaller lawn in a matter of minutes.
The 39cm cutting width covers enough ground with every lap but is also narrower than the typical petrol mower cutting deck, so it’s better suited to navigating lawns with obstacles or tight gaps, or turning in smaller spaces. The 123cc is plenty powerful enough to make easy work of cutting lawns up to 250m², and the roomy 40-litre grass collector should limit your trips to the compost heap.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Mountfield
Price: ££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 39cm
Cut height range: 25-70mm
Weight: 19 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 40 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 78.5cm x 47cm x 106.5cm
Engine power: 123cc
Best For:
People looking for a faster and more powerful alternative to an electric mower that’s particularly convenient for mowing small-to-medium lawns with banks, slopes, or long grass.
What Customers Think:
The Mountfield HP41 is another mower that’s popular with customers on Amazon, boasting a 4.6-out-of-5 star rating from nearly 500 reviews. Customers praised the mower for its ease of assembly and start-up (it starts with one pull), its smooth operation with minimal visible emissions, and its lighter, slimmer design than the typical petrol mower. A few customers weren’t sure about the durability of some of the plastic parts.
Pros:
You don’t need a bulky, heavy, or excessively large petrol mower for cutting a smaller lawn, as proven by this Mountfield machine. Thanks to its lightweight polypropylene chassis, it weighs just 19 kilograms – that’s nearly 9 kilograms lighter than our top-pick Hyundai model – and has a narrower cutting deck and smaller footprint that simplifies manoeuvrability and storage in a smaller space.
There’s no compromise on power, though – the 123cc engine still provides enough drive to quickly and effectively cut your grass, so you can get the job done much faster than you would with an electric lawn mower.
The 5-position cut height range (25-70mm) means you can closely tailor the mowing height, and the grooved wheels give you plenty of traction on hills or bumpy lawns.
Cons:
The smaller cutting width and grass box mean this mower will take too long to cut a large garden. Upgrade to a bigger mower if your lawn is bigger than 250m².
The assembly instructions for this mower are also lacking and could do with a refresh.
In our opinion, the Murray EQ2-500X Self-Propelled 4-in-1 Petrol Lawnmower is the best petrol lawn mower for large lawns.
This self-propelled petrol mower has all the features you need for quickly and efficiently cutting a larger space, including a powerful 140cc engine, an extra-wide 51cm cutting deck, and a high-capacity 75-litre grass box. Plus, it has six cut heights and four cutting functions – grass collection, mulching, side discharge, and rear discharge – so you can tailor the cut to your exact preferences.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Murray
Price: £££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 51cm
Cut height range: 25-70mm
Weight: 29 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 75 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 96cm x 38cm x 101cm
Engine power: 140cc
Best For:
Folks with a large lawn who want a powerful, reliable petrol mower that they can use to quickly mow their grass with minimal effort and no time-wasting.
What Customers Think:
Customers have awarded the Murray EQ2-500X a 4.3-star Amazon rating from more than 600 reviews, commenting that the mower is “really well made”, collects grass well, and is easy to assemble following the instructions. A couple of customers said that they wanted a lower cut height than the lowest 25mm option.
Pros:
The Murray EQ2-500X Self-Propelled 4-in-1 Petrol Lawnmower has been thoughtfully designed for providing the most convenient solution for mowing larger lawns. The 140cc engine is powerful and self-propelled, saving you time and energy, the 51cm cutting deck covers more ground with every lap, and the 75-litre grass box limits your empties.
Despite its large size, this mower is pretty light and manoeuvrable, weighing just 29 kilograms, and has a foldable handle for saving space in your shed.
It’s great to see multiple cutting heights and functions. The grass collection function is particularly efficient and does a good job of catching all the grass clippings as you mow. Switching between the six cut heights is easy – you don’t have to take the mower apart thanks to the single centralized lever above the rear wheel.
Cons:
Price is the obvious setback. While this Murray mower is a great value for its size and power, it’s not cheap, costing more than £400 upfront.
Starting this mower is more difficult than most of the other mowers on this list. It needs two or three pulls before the engine kicks in.
Lawn striping elevates the look of your freshly-mown lawn, and we recommend the Cobra RM46SPB 46cm (18in) Petrol Lawnmower as our top-pick petrol lawn mower with a rear roller.
This self-propelled mower comes with a sturdy built-in rear roller that spans across the full width of the mower deck, giving clearly-defined lawn stripes after a single mow. It also cuts down to 17mm – that’s shorter than any other mower on this list – so it’s ideal for people who like the manicured look of a closely-cropped lawn.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Cobra
Price: £££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 46cm
Cut height range: 17-75mm
Weight: 32 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 55 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): Not specified
Engine power: 140cc
Best For:
Folks with medium-to-large lawns who want to combine the power and speed of a popular petrol mower with the aesthetic appeal of a beautifully striped lawn.
What Customers Think:
The Cobra RM46SPB Petrol Lawnmower is yet to gain traction with customers on Amazon, but its early reviews are promising – it has an impressive 4.8-star average rating. Customers agreed that the mower is sturdy, easy to assemble and use, and capable of mowing defined, wide stripes in larger gardens. We couldn’t find any negative comments at this time.
Pros:
A few petrol lawn mowers have rear rollers, but we think the Cobra RM46SPB’s is one of the sturdiest and creates the boldest stripes with the least amount of effort. The roller has an added function, too – it gives you the ability to mow right up to your lawn edges by supporting the mower when you’re mowing along borders.
The cut height range is another big benefit of this Cobra mower. You can cut as short as 17mm if you prefer a super-low finish, or adjust the deck height to 75mm if you have overgrown grass and need to cut your lawn in stages.
The powerful 140cc self-propelled engine means you can cut lawns as big as 600m² quickly with no manual push power, and the spacious large-capacity collector means you don’t have to stop every two minutes to empty the grass clippings.
Cons:
Not everyone can afford to spend £400+ on a lawn mower, especially one with a relatively low cutting width – even for the unique perks of low mowing and a rear roller.
The roller adds additional bulk and weight to this mower. It weighs 32 kilograms – that’s 4 kilograms heavier than the biggest Murray mower for large lawns.
Mulching helps you to achieve a greener, healthy-looking lawn and saves the hassle of emptying a grass box. The Sprint 2691794 420SP Self-propelled Petrol Lawn Mower has the best mulching function of all the petrol lawn mowers we’ve reviewed.
This versatile lawn mower has a two-in-one cutting system that lets you switch between collection (in a 60-litre grass bag) and rear discharge, which chops the grass up small and sends it out the back of the mower. The mower is self-propelled, so it covers large spaces quicker, and the 41cm cutting width makes fast work of mowing medium lawns.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Sprint
Price: ££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 41cm
Cut height range: 25-75mm
Weight: 32 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 60 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 89.9cm x 54.1cm x 43.4cm
Engine power: 125cc
Best For:
Anyone looking for the best petrol lawn mower with a capable mulching function to support grass health and eliminate the task of emptying a grass box.
What Customers Think:
More than 500 customers have awarded the Sprint 2691794 420SP an average star rating of 4.4. Reviewers were pleased with the mower’s useful mulching function, easy-use cut height adjuster, quick-start engine, and convenient self-propelled drive. Some customers complained that the user manual was unhelpful.
Pros:
Numerous customers praised this self-propelled lawn mower for its mulching capabilities. It’s not advertised as a mulching mower, but it cuts grass small enough that it essentially mulches when used with the rear discharge function. Depositing the grass cuttings on your lawn as you mow means you don’t have to keep stopping and starting to empty the grass box, and mulching has some proven lawn health benefits – it reduces thatch and improves soil content.
You’re not limited to mulching only, either – if you do want to collect grass, you can use the included 60-litre grass box, which has a quality build and is a good size for mowing a medium lawn without overly-frequent trips to the garden waste bin.
The self-propel function means you can mow faster with less physical exertion, and the 41cm cutting width is a good size for mowing smaller lawns. The six cutting heights let you tailor your cut to your initial grass height and your lawn preferences.
Cons:
The self-propelled drive doesn’t have a variable speed option.
The control bar to engage the self-propulsion is at a distance from the handle, which may prove problematic for people with small hands.
Electric start petrol lawn mowers eliminate the hassle of cord-pulling to start mowing, and the P1PE P5100SPE P1 Hyundai Powered 20″ 51cm Petrol Lawnmower is our top recommended mower in this category.
This petrol mower has a simple key-turn start, so you can power it up in a matter of seconds with no sweat. It uses a Hyundai 196cc 4-stroke petrol engine, guaranteeing that power and durability are on your side even when using the mower on larger gardens, and there are four cutting options for convenience: collect, side discharge, rear discharge, and mulch.
Quick Specs:
Brand: P1PE
Price: ££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 51cm
Cut height range: 25-75mm
Weight: 36 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 60 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 40.6cm x 22.8cm x 66.1cm
Engine power: 173cc
Best For:
People with larger lawns looking for the best petrol lawnmower that’s quicker and easier to start than traditional models with the pull-cord start.
What Customers Think:
Customers have awarded the P1PE P5100SPE P1 a respectable 4.2 stars out of 5, mentioning that the mower “starts really easily”, cuts grass quickly, and offers the convenience of multiple different cut functions. Some customers said that the mower’s heavy design made it more difficult to turn and mow edges.
Pros:
The push-button start is a super convenient feature of this P1PE lawn mower, eliminating the hassle and frustration of cranking a cord. Simply twist the key in the ignition and the mower’s built-in 12-volt battery will supply the power to kick the engine into action (the same as with a car engine).
Aside from its easy start, this lawn mower is also quick and simple to assemble out of the box, and it features self-propulsion that allows you to mow efficiently without the physical strain of pushing a heavy machine. It’s a good choice for older gardeners and folks with mobility restrictions for that reason.
The seven cutting positions let you adjust the cut height from 25 to 75 millimetres with a simple central height adjuster, and the 51cm cutting width and 60-litre grass box make this mower ideal for using to quickly mow a large-sized lawn.
Cons:
The P1PE P5100SPE P1 is a heavy machine and it’s physically challenging to use this mower for edge cutting (when balancing the mower on two wheels).
The battery for the electric start function isn’t self-charging, so you will need to remember to charge it after every 3-4 uses or after the mower has been in storage for a while.
We think the Yard Force 40 cm Hand Push Petrol Lawnmower is the best petrol lawn mower for small budgets, proving that you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy a powerful, capable mower with all the desirable features for domestic and professional use.
This fuel-efficient mower uses a Briggs & Stratton engine – and if you know anything about Briggs & Stratton engines, you’ll know they have consistent and reliable starts. It’s on the smaller side, with a 40cm cutting width and a lightweight 19.2-kilogram design that makes it ideal for speedy mowing of small-to-medium-sized gardens up to 400m².
Quick Specs:
Brand: Yard Force
Price: £
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 40cm
Cut height range: 25-75mm
Weight: 19.2 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 45 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 75cm x 50cm x 41cm
Engine power: 125cc
Best For:
Folks with smaller budgets and medium-sized gardens who want to enjoy the perks of a powerful petrol lawn mower, including faster and easier mowing, and are looking to spend less money upfront but don’t want to compromise on quality.
What Customers Think:
Customers are generally impressed with the Yard Force mower’s performance, rating it 4.5 stars on average and commenting that it’s easy to set up and run, lightweight, and powerful for its affordable upfront cost. A few customers mentioned that the handle is quite low, which could be an issue for taller folks.
Pros:
The Yard Force 40 cm Hand Push Petrol Lawnmower is the best-value affordable petrol lawn mower we’ve come across. You get a big, powerful mower for the price you pay, with a few features that some of the higher-end models lack, like a central height adjustment and ergonomic handles.
This mower is ideally sized for quickly cutting smaller lawns, with a 40cm cutting width that covers plenty of ground while still being manoeuvrable. The 45-litre grass bag has a slightly more basic design compared to those on more expensive mowers, but it still does an efficient job of collecting clippings.
You can feel confident that this Yard Force model is a quality machine, even at a lower upfront cost, thanks to its Briggs & Stratton 300 Series Engine. Briggs & Stratton is a reputable manufacturer of lawn mower engines, renowned for its high-quality designs that focus on durability.
Cons:
Because of the lower upfront cost, you’re missing some of the features of the more expensive models, like electric start, multiple cutting functions, and a rear roller.
The 45-litre grass box is fairly small for a petrol mower, so you’ll have to stop and start the mower more frequently to empty it.
If you’re able to stretch your budget to the very best petrol lawn mower, with all the most desirable features and the most capable grass cutting performance, we highly recommend the Hyundai 20″/51cm 196cc Electric-start Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower.
This mower is the meatier, jazzed-up version of the Hyundai 17″/43cm 139cc mower, with a wider cutting width, the most powerful engine, and a host of extra features to add convenience and speed to your lawn mowing duties. We particularly love the 360-degree swivelling front wheels – a unique feature that allows the mower to be turned on its own footprint, making it manoeuvrable even in tight spots.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Hyundai
Price: £££
Power source: Petrol
Cutting width: 51cm
Cut height range: 17-65mm
Weight: 47.4 kilograms
Grass box capacity: 75 litres
Dimensions (DxWxH): 36.4cm x 21.7cm x 62.2cm
Engine power: 196cc
Best For:
Anyone with a medium-to-large lawn who has the money to spend on the very best premium petrol lawn mower that comes with all the features you could possibly need in a mower – and more.
What Customers Think:
The Hyundai 190cc Electric Start Petrol Mower has a 4.4-star rating, with reviewers highlighting some of their favourite features of this machine, including the huge cutting deck and grass box, the additional manoeuvrability of the 365-swivel front wheels, and the garden hose attachment to clean the mower after every use. A few reviewers mentioned the bulk and heavy weight of the design as a negative aspect.
Pros:
Hyundai has pulled out all the stops when it comes to the features of its 190cc Electric Start Petrol Mower. The 365-degree swivelling wheels are a big perk, meaning you can spin the mower on its axis without the usual back-and-forth manoeuvring that’s common with conventional mower wheels with restricted turning ability.
Despite its larger size (the 51cm cutting width covers plenty of ground and is ideal for larger gardens), roomy 75-litre grass box, and heavier 47.4-kilogram build, this Hyundai mower is still low-effort to use thanks to its self-propulsion, which takes all the physical strain out of pushing the machine. Simply point the mower in the right direction and follow its lead.
A few other features worthy of a mention are the push-button electric start that wastes no time or energy to power up the engine, and the super-low minimum cut height of 17mm, so you can achieve a manicured, close cut if that’s your preference. And – a feature that makes us smile the most – you get two cup or can holders built into the handle, so you can stay refreshed as you mow.
Cons:
We think this mower is an exceptional value for money considering what you get, but it’s still expensive at around £600.
Even though its features make it easy to use while it’s in operation, the heavy weight of this mower makes it more difficult to transfer in and out of storage, and it certainly isn’t a portable model.
Our Lawn
Before we get started with our buyer’s guide, we’ve shared a bit about our own situation and our methodology. Below are a couple of pictures of our lawn. It’s pretty small but has adequate turning space, so it’s possible to use a petrol mower in the space. That said, large petrol mowers with wide cutting widths are impractical for our lawn size. While a petrol mower certainly isn’t essential for our setup, it can make the job faster.
Methodology: How We Selected The Mowers In This Guide
Here’s the process we used to source, review, and shortlist the best petrol lawn mowers featured in this guide.
Step 1: Researching All The Products Available
We began by searching for petrol lawn mowers on Google. At this stage, we just wanted to see all of the options available to us, so we made a list of all the mowers we found and their important features (engine power, cutting width, etc.).
Step 2: Reading Customer Reviews
Next, we went through our list of petrol mowers and read customer reviews wherever we could find them. We knew we’d be more comfortable reviewing mowers that were sold on sites like Amazon, where customers are most likely to review a product and there’s a much lower chance of bias or immoral brand behaviour (such as deleting unfavourable reviews). When reading customer reviews, we looked for evidence of performance, ease of use, cut quality (before and after lawn photos were useful here), and longevity.
Step 3: Conversations With Manufacturers
Step 3 of our process involved gathering the data we already had, seeing what was missing, and contacting manufacturers to fill the gaps. We only review lawn mowers when we have all the data we need for our comparisons. Contacting manufacturers gave us the chance to obtain information not easily found online and also test the quality of the brand’s customer service.
Step 4: Testing A Selection Of Lawn Mowers
Finally, we tested a number of petrol lawn mowers ourselves. We used the following factors when ranking all the lawn mowers in this guide:
- Engine power & capabilities: 25%
- Ease of use: 20%
- Price: 15%
- Quality of cut: 15%
- Weight & manoeuvrability: 15%
- Assembly & maintenance: 10%
✅ Best Petrol Mower Buyer’s Guide
Read on to learn the basics of a petrol mower’s design and performance – or skip to the next step to learn how to choose the best petrol lawn mower.
🧐 What Is A Petrol Lawn Mower?
A petrol lawn mower is a type of lawn mower that’s powered by a petrol engine.
Petrol mowers are still a popular choice for large gardens because they’re more powerful and capable of faster mowing compared to electric and battery-powered machines.
🤷♂️ Why Choose A Petrol Lawn Mower?
There are a few reasons why a petrol mower might be the best choice for you instead of an electric, battery, or manual mower.
Petrol lawn mowers produce the most power, so they’re the best choice for quickly cutting a large lawn (anything bigger than 200 square metres).
A petrol mower is powerful enough to easily cut a variety of terrains and turf types, including gardens with slipes and hills, wet grass, and thick, long grass.
Petrol lawn mowers are cord-free and heavy-duty, so you can mow as far from a power socket as you like, and the best petrol mowers have sturdy designs that are built to last for up to a decade – perhaps even longer with the right care.
Compared to an electric mower, a petrol mower is faster and more capable of mowing thick or rough grass, and can cover a larger expanse in a fraction of the time.
✅❌ Pros & Cons Of Petrol Mowers
There are plenty of positive aspects of a petrol mower, but this mower type has its setbacks, too. Let’s look at the pros and cons of using a petrol lawn mower compared to any other type of mower.
✅ Petrol Mower Pros:
🏁 Fast Cutting Time
Petrol mowers have powerful engines and wide cutting decks, so they cover more ground at a faster pace than electric or battery mowers. If you want to get your mowing chores finished as quickly as possible, a petrol lawn mower is the best solution.
🟩 Ideal For Large Gardens
Because of their powerful, speedy performance, and the fact that they’re cord-free, petrol lawn mowers are ideal for large gardens over 200m². Many petrol mowers are self-propelled mowers, too, which takes the physical pushing effort out of cutting a large lawn.
🔨 Sturdier & More Durable
While lower-cost electric mowers have a plasticy, cheaper feel, the best petrol lawn mowers have sturdy, solid designs that are designed to withstand the strain of years of use, and won’t crumble from a few knocks and bangs. A well-built petrol lawn mower should provide an exceptional cutting performance for years of use.
📡 Feature-Heavy Mowers
Petrol mowers have more features than any other mower type. Many of the best petrol lawn mowers have features that simplify and enhance the mowing experience, such as electric start (so you don’t have to waste effort pulling a cord), self-propelled drive for effortless mowing, and rear rollers for lawn stripes.
❌ Petrol Mower Cons:
🎧 Noisy
Petrol lawn mowers have powerful engines, so it’s no surprise that they’re louder than their electric competitors. A petrol mower runs at around 95 decibels – about 20 decibels louder than an electric or battery mower. Anything louder than 85 decibels may damage your hearing – not to mention disturb your neighbours.
🟢 Inconvenient For Small Lawns
Petrol mowers are large and clunky, so they’re not the most convenient solution for mowing small lawns with lots of tight spots and obstacles. If your lawn is smaller than 200 metres squared, we recommend choosing a smaller, lighter, more manouverable mower.
🏋🏻♂️ More Maintenance-Heavy
A petrol mower isn’t the type of machine that you can simply take out of storage and start using immediately. The mower needs fuel top-ups, oil changes, and other maintenance to keep the engine working properly. Plus, starting a petrol mower can be more difficult if the mower has a pull cord rope.
🧾 13 Factors To Consider When Buying The Best Petrol Mower
The petrol mower market is saturated with options, and it’s not always easy to separate the best petrol lawn mowers from the mowers that aren’t worth your money.
It’s great to have lots of choice, but you’ll likely become overwhelmed quickly if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Here, we’ve shared 13 of the most important things to consider when looking for a good petrol lawn mower for your home.
💰 Your Budget
The average cost of a petrol mower is £160-£450.
Petrol mowers are more expensive than electric or manual mowers because of their more complex designs and powerful engines, which offer the convenience of a quicker and better-quality cut. But you can still find a budget petrol lawn mower if you know where to look.
The lower-price petrol lawn mowers are smaller models with narrower cutting widths, less powerful motors, and a more basic range of features.
Generally, the more expensive a petrol lawn mower, the more features it has, and the bigger and more powerful its engine.
We recommend establishing a budget before you start shopping for a mower, so you can narrow down your search to mowers that you can afford and avoid wasting time looking at products out of your price range.
Stay away from deals that seem too good to be true – they probably are! A high-quality, solidly built lawn mower costs a minimum of £150. If you find a mower for cheaper, read the customer reviews carefully and check the manufacturer’s reputation before you spend your money.
🟩🟢 Your Lawn Size & Mower Cutting Width
Another important consideration for a petrol lawn mower is cutting width – you’ll need to choose the right-size mower for your lawn size.
Cutting width is the width of the mower’s cutting deck. Most petrol mowers have a cutting width of 40-52cm, so they’re best for medium-to-large gardens.
The bigger the mower’s cutting width, the better suited it is to larger gardens.
We recommend the following mower cutting widths for the following lawn sizes:
40-42 cm – 200-500 m²
42-50 cm – 500-650 m²
50-52 cm+ – 650-800m²+
These are just our recommendations, and there’s some overlap between each size increment. For example, if you wanted a mower that covered more ground and would cut your grass the fastest, you could choose a model with a 46cm cutting deck even if your lawn was on the smaller end of medium at 300 m².
Keep in mind that a mower’s cutting deck size affects its overall size, weight, and bulkiness. The larger the mower, the heavier it is, and the more difficult it is to manoeuvre.
So, if your garden has a few tight spots and obstacles, or there isn’t a lot of space to turn a big, bulky mower around on the edge of your lawn, you’ll be better off choosing a petrol lawn mower with a narrower cutting deck that’s better suited to smaller lawns.
Size and price also go hand-in-hand. Generally, the cost of a mower increases with the mower’s size. So, if your budget is tight, you might have to compromise with a smaller mower. Luckily, petrol lawn mowers are a lot quicker and more powerful than other mower types, so you should be able to cut your lawn efficiently regardless of the cutting deck width.
Learn more about sizing your mower in our guide to choosing the right size lawn mower for your lawn size.
🏋🏼 Your Physical Abilities
Petrol mowers are heavier and more of a workout to use than other mower types, so your physical abilities may affect your buying decision when choosing a petrol lawn mower for your garden.
The average weight range of a petrol lawn mower is 25-50 kilograms, depending on the mower’s size, build materials, and features.
If you’re over the age of 60, you’re prone to muscle strain, you have mobility limitations, or you’re simply looking for a mower that’s easy to operate, look for a petrol lawn mower within the 25-35 kilogram weight range. This will likely mean compromising on a smaller model with only the basic features.
Or, if you still want to be open to some of the heavier models with wider cutting decks and more impressive features, look specifically for a self-propelled petrol lawn mower.
Mowers with self-propulsion are much less taxing to use because they drive their wheels forward with a built-in motor, so you don’t have to physically push the mower yourself. (Note that you will still have to be capable of getting the mower in and out of storage and performing maintenance.)
🏎 Engine Power
A petrol mower’s engine power is another feature that determines its suitability for different lawn sizes.
Mower engines are sized in cubic centimetres (or cc), and the average size range is 123-193 cc for a petrol push mower. The bigger the engine, the more powerful it is, and the faster and more efficiently you can use the mower to cut your lawn.
If you have a medium-sized garden, a mower with a 123-140 cc engine size will be more than sufficient. For larger lawns, consider a mower with a larger engine that has the capacity to power a larger machine.
🏡 Available Storage Space
If you’re still uncertain whether a petrol lawn mower or another mower type is right for you, your available storage space is another factor to consider.
Petrol lawn mowers are bigger and have larger footprints than electric, battery, or manual mowers. So, if you don’t have much space in your shed or outhouse, even the smaller petrol mowers might be too bulky.
Petrol mowers also can’t be hung from a wall to save floor space because they’re heavy and full of fuel, which is another storage disadvantage compared to other mower types.
Most petrol lawnmowers, however, have a foldable handle, so you can at least reduce the space that the mower takes up in your shed horizontally.
We recommend measuring your available space, then comparing it to the measurements of the mower you’re interested in and checking the product listing for mention of space-saving features, before you spend your money.
📏 Mower Cut Heights
Regardless of how much you spend on a petrol lawn mower, it should have multiple cutting heights to let you tailor cut height to your preferences.
The more cutting heights a mower has, the more closely you can refine the height of your lawn.
The average cut height range for a petrol lawn mower is 25-75mm. Most petrol mowers have between five and seven cutting heights.
Some mowers have a cut height as low as 17mm – ideal if you prefer the look of a closely-cropped lawn.
✂️ Grass Cutting Options
The great thing about the best petrol mowers is that they give you the choice between a range of different cutting options aside from the standard grass collection.
Many of the petrol lawn mowers on this list offer the following grass cutting options:
Mulching – Using a built-in mulching plug to chop the grass into small clippings and distributing them across your lawn as a natural fertilizer
Rear discharge – Dispelling the grass cuttings out of the rear of the machine
Side discharge – Ejecting the grass cuttings out of the side of the machine
Collection – Sucking the grass clippings into a grass collection box or bag, to be emptied frequently during mowing
Even the more basic, affordably-priced petrol lawn mowers have at least two choices for what to do with your grass cuttings (typically collection and rear discharge).
The type and number of cutting options that you look for depends on your preferred mowing habits, what you consider to be the most convenient option, and whether or not you appreciate the flexibility of being able to switch between multiple cut styles.
For instance, if you don’t want the hassle of emptying a grass box or raking grass clippings off your lawn post-mow, opt for a mower with a mulching function, which means you can leave the mulched clippings on your lawn to provide nutrients to the growing grass underneath. Mulching mowers are often slightly more expensive than conventional mowers that just have collect and discharge features.
Or, if you prefer the neat, tidy appearance of a clippings-free mown lawn, find a mower with a grass collector. The bigger the grass collection bag or box, the more grass you’ll be able to collect between empties – but the bigger, heavier, and less manoeuvrable the mower.
A good middle-ground cutting option is rear or side discharge, which eliminates the need to empty the grass box but requires you to rake up the grass after you’ve finished the job. Most petrol lawnmowers have this feature alongside grass collection.
🚴🏻 Push Mower Vs Self Propelled
There are two drive types for a petrol lawn mower: push-powered and self-propelled.
A self-propelled petrol lawn mower has a speed control lever that prompts the mower to move forward. That means you don’t have to push the mower forward – you just have to walk behind it and hold the handles, and steer the mower in the right direction.
The best petrol mowers with a self-propelled function have a variable speed function that lets you adjust the speed of the self-propulsion to suit your walking speed.
A self-propelled mower is around £30-£70 more expensive than a similarly-sized conventional push mower, but it’s a good option for large lawns.
If you have a smaller lawn, you can simply use a push mower, which is around cheaper and requires the usual physical approach to lawn mowing.
🏁 Mower Starting Mechanism
There are two starting mechanisms that you’ll come across for a petrol lawn mower: an electric start (either turn-key or push-button) or a pull-cord start.
A pull-cord starting mechanism is found on conventional petrol lawn mowers. The good news is that many of the new petrol lawn mower models with this mechanism are now much easier to start than the mowers of the past, so you can start the mower with two or three cranks of the cord.
An electric start mower has a built-in rechargeable battery that provides the power to start the mower when you press a button or turn a key, as you would start a car.
This starting mechanism is much quicker and easier, so it’s a better choice for people with mobility issues, older gardeners, or folks who have never used a petrol lawn mower before and want the easiest-to-use solution.
However, electric start mowers are more expensive, and they often require the additional maintenance of charging the battery after 3-4 uses.
Still, if you want to be able to use your mower with as little hassle and physical effort as possible, we recommend looking for a petrol lawn mower with an electric start.
📡 Additional Features & Accessories
There are a few additional features that you might want to consider when browsing the best petrol lawn mowers. These include:
A rear roller – For creating lawn stripes
A mulching plug – For mulching your grass clippings as you mow
Self-propulsion – Drives the mower forward so you don’t have to push it, ideally with variable speed
Electric start – For easy starting with no cord cranking
Grass combs – For better edge cutting
365-degree rotating wheels – For better manoeuvrability
These features aren’t optional, so prepare to pay extra for a mower that has them. The more extra features a mower has, the more expensive it is. For that reason, we recommend thinking long and hard about which features you’ll actually get use out of, and which sound nice on paper but will probably never get utilized in your mowing situation.
If you want a petrol-powered mower that has all the bells and whistles you could ever imagine, we recommend our best premium lawn mower in this guide, the Hyundai 20″/51cm 196cc Electric-start Self-propelled Petrol Lawnmower.
Check out our guide to lawn mower features to learn more about the features that you can find on a domestic lawn mower.
🛠 Assembly & Maintenance Requirements
All petrol mowers come partially pre-assembled, and some mowers come with oil, so you can fill up the machine after unboxing.
Petrol mowers need petrol to operate (if you hadn’t guessed!), which you can buy from your local petrol station. Most petrol lawnmowers have a 1-litre fuel capacity.
You should be able to assemble the mower yourself, even if you’re not a DIY expert. The ease of assembly depends on the quality of the user manual.
Also consider the maintenance requirements of a petrol-powered mower before you start shopping.
Petrol lawn mowers require more maintenance than battery or electric mowers. Some of the maintenance tasks include:
Replacing/topping up the fuel when necessary (petrol that’s older than a few months goes stale and won’t combust as well)
Checking the mower’s spark plug and cleaning/replacing it when necessary
Servicing the mower at the end of the season
Topping up the engine oil
Cleaning the mower deck after every mow
Occasionally sharpening the blades
If you want your mower to last as long as possible, we recommend booking in a professional service for your mower at the end of every cutting season.
Some petrol-powered mowers might require additional maintenance tasks. For instance, if you buy a mower with an electric start function, you’ll probably need to charge the battery after every few uses.
Good maintenance also involves storing the mower in the correct conditions. The storage location should be well-ventilated and not exposed to extreme hot or cold temperatures, humidity, or damp.
👩🔧 Warranty/Guarantee
All the best petrol lawn mowers should come with a warranty or guarantee of some sort.
The average warranty period for a petrol lawn mower is 2-3 years.
Don’t buy a lawn mower if the manufacturer doesn’t provide a warranty for their product. A good warranty protects your purchase, meaning that you’re covered if you receive a faulty product or the product breaks or malfunctions within the warranty period (terms and conditions apply).
Buying a mower without a warranty is a gamble that we wouldn’t personally take – aside from potentially spending your money on a dud product, a lack of a warranty suggests that the manufacturer has very little faith in the quality of their mowers and doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of customer refunds and returns.
🕵️♂️ Manufacturer Reputation & Customer Feedback
Finally, consider the reputation of the manufacturer you plan to buy a petrol lawn mower from, and check customer feedback before you spend your money.
We strongly advise buying from a reputable brand that’s renowned in the garden machinery industry for manufacturing high-quality, durable lawn mowers, so you can enjoy the best value from your purchase. Check out this list of the best lawn mower manufacturers in the UK for our top recommended brands.
Customer feedback is also important to consider because it tells you about the experience that real customers like you have had with a product. That’s why we always recommend buying online – so you can read and compare customer reviews before parting with your cash.
If a mower has more negative reviews than positive, don’t buy it! The best petrol lawn mowers have average ratings of at least 3.8 stars out of 5 on Amazon. Check the context of customer reviews, especially the 2- and 3-star reviews, to find out the reason behind the negative comments.
All mowers have their shortfalls and setbacks, so don’t let one negative review put you off. But if multiple customers are making the same complaint, or reviewers are highlighting an issue that will affect your personal mowing experience, it’s best to continue your shopping elsewhere.
❓ Is A Petrol Mower Right For You?
If you answer “yes” to at least 5 of the following questions, a petrol mower is the right mower for you.
Do I have a medium-to-large lawn?
Do I have a flexible budget and can afford to spend at least £150-£170 on a lawn mower?
Am I looking for a mower that’s powerful and has all the essential lawn mower features, like a grass box and a cut height adjuster?
Am I physically capable of using a larger, heavier mower, or am I happy to spend slightly more upfront on a self-propelled petrol mower that will do the hard work for me?
Am I prepared to commit to the maintenance requirements of a petrol lawn mower, including topping up the petrol, cleaning the spark plug, and cleaning/replacing the air filter?
Am I happy to spend money on fuel and oil throughout the year?
Do I have the storage space for a larger mower?
Would I struggle to cut my outdoor space with a less powerful alternative to a petrol mower (i.e. is my lawn hilly, do I have rough or thick grass, etc.)?
Do I prefer a mower that’s more powerful and faster, albeit noisier and worse for the environment, than an electric model?
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.