How to Choose and Buy a Lawn Mower: Petrol, Electric or Cordless
First the lawn, then the mower
The type of mower depends on the size of the lawn and on whether there is a power socket nearby. For a small lawn by the house, a corded electric mower is fine: light, quiet, no petrol. If the cable gets in the way, take a cordless one, a popular option now. For a large lawn or uneven ground, people usually look for a petrol mower, ideally self-propelled.
Robotic mowers are worth considering on flat, well-kept lawns: they need a boundary wire and some setting up. Manual cylinder mowers give a neat cut on small plots, but can't handle tall grass.
What to write in your request
So that sellers don't have to guess, give the main points straight away:
- power type — petrol, electric, cordless, manual or robot;
- size of the lawn — in square metres, and whether there are slopes, trees, flower beds;
- features — self-propelled drive, mulching, side discharge, grass bag capacity, cutting height adjustment;
- cutting width — for example 46 cm;
- power or battery — for cordless ones, give the voltage and capacity, and whether the battery and charger are included;
- brand and model, if you have already chosen;
- new or second-hand;
- city and budget, if you want to name one.
Example: “I am looking for a new self-propelled petrol lawn mower for a 600 sq m lawn, cutting width 46 cm or more, with mulching and a grass bag. Sydney, delivery or pickup. Budget up to $430.”
What to look at in offers
Cutting width and lawn size go together: the bigger the lawn, the wider the deck you should take, because you make fewer passes. For petrol models, ask about the engine and the manufacturer's service; for cordless ones, ask whether the battery fits other tools of the same range, because two batteries often save the day on a large lawn.
Compare identical models by what is in the box: is there a grass bag, a mulching plug, a charger, oil? Separately, find out about the warranty and service in your city, and whether parts are available: blades, belts, filters.
How BlaBlaPrice helps
You write one request on the main page, and garden machinery sellers reply in a chat with the model, price, terms and delivery. They can see where their offer ranks and know that better terms have a better chance. BlaBlaPrice puts the best-value offer first, with seller reviews next to it. Your phone number is hidden, so nobody will call you with ads. Read how it works on the “How it works” page.
Common mistakes
People buy the most powerful model “just in case” and overpay, though the lawn is small. They don't check the grass height: standard mowers don't like a very overgrown lawn. They buy a cordless one without a spare battery for a large lawn. They forget about storage: with a petrol mower, drain the fuel when you put it away for a long time.
A mower usually needs other things too: see garden tools and irrigation systems and hoses, and for the lawn itself, fertilisers.
