The best petrol lawn mowers

The Sprint 460P is a lightweight machine with a small mower deck and grass catcher, making this one of the most manoeuvrable mowers on this list.

It’s fully adjustable, too. Choose your cutting height, with six cut positions — between 28 and 92 mm — that can be set with a single point lever. The handle bar has three height positions. The handle also folds back easily, allowing you to save precious space when it comes time to store the mower away.

This popular lawn mower uses a Briggs & Stratton 450E Series petrol engine, which delivers plenty of power. That reliable engine combines with the durable steel mower deck, ensuring the mower will work hard for years to come.

It doesn't technically mulch (you can splash out on the higher spec version for that) but it does have a two-in-one cutting system that either collects clippings or discharges them back onto the lawn.

The Einhell GC-PM 46/5 S petrol lawn mower packs plenty of power and is well suited to larger gardens. It can handle lawns of up to 1,400 square metres, which covers plenty of ground — quite literally.

You can dictate the power with an optional rear wheel drive, which gives the mower an overall power boost for cutting through tall, overgrown grass or navigating rough terrain.

You can cut to multiple lengths, with nine cutting height adjustment options, ranging from 25 mm to 80 mm. A folding ergonomic handle makes it more comfortable to push around the garden and easy to store away. 

It comes with large grass catching basket, which has a fill level indicator and two handles for easy emptying. The sturdy plastic housing means the overall action is lightweight and manoeuvrable.

Hyundai is one of the biggest names in lawn mowing, and the HYM430SP petrol mower is one of its most popular models. It's a simple-to-use self-propelled lawn mower with a large cutting width. 

It's powered by a reliable Hyundai 2.6kW 139cc OHV 4 stroke low-emission, low-maintenance, and economical petrol engine. The recoil start engine gets things moving easily thanks to the contactless ignition system.

Made for small-medium sized gardens, it has a steel deck, a folding handle, and five different cutting heights controlled by a single lever. That's fewer size options than competing mowers, but this also has a mulching plug, which gives it the edge for maintaining healthy lawns.

The mulching plug cuts your grass into much finer clippings and disperses them back onto the lawn. If you aren't mulching, you can alternatively use its quick release grass collector, which saves you time and effort when emptying.

The Cobra M41C petrol lawn mower is powered by a Cobra DG350 Series engine, which will give you the power you need — though it's built around a lightweight polymer deck for a manoeuvrable action. With its push action, you can dictate the pace and cut the grass at your leisure.

You get the choice of seven cutting heights, which relative to the smaller, lightweight build makes this a class leader. And the large fabric clippings collector (larger than more expensive mowers, in fact) means that you can cut for longer between emptying. You’ll get other features too, such as a quick-folding handle for easy, space-saving storage.

It performs above the relatively low price point, but you’ll find it’s best suited for medium sized gardens. All purchases also come with a two-year warranty. It shouldn't be an issue, but you can relax in the garden knowing that you're covered in case you have any technical issues.

If you have a smaller garden but still prefer the feel and power of a petrol mower, look no further than the Webb WER410HP. It's designed specifically for smaller gardens, which means it's compact and highly manoeuvrable. It also has a smaller, more direct cutting width of 41 cm.

It's powered by Webb's DV0130 132cc four-stroke engine, which utilises the OHV technology and gives you a quiet, vibration-free operation — not to mention lower fuel-costs and reduced exhaust-emissions. You also get the choice of seven preset cutting heights, which you select using a single lever.

And if keeping things tidy and effort-free is your bag, this comes with a mesh bag for catching your grass clippings, though you can also choose to discharge clippings straight onto the lawn. The bag is only 45 litres, which isn't surprising as the mower is generally smaller in most of its dimensions, so you'll have to empty it a bit more regularly than other options on this list.