Bosch Push Mower €74.99
There are cheaper push mowers on the market than this one, but we figured if a manual option was to have any chance of competing against more powerful rivals, it would have to be pretty top end. And this is a certainly at the top of the manual pile. It has five curved blades made from hardened steel, with an ergonomic handle and a cutting mechanism that makes cleaning easy. It makes light work of grass – once it has not been let run wild – and will give you a workout while you work in the garden. It will never run out of power – or at least it won’t run out of power until you do – and if oiled properly it will most likely last forever. It also makes a pleasing sound as it cuts. The downsides are, however, obvious, and if you have a large space or an overgrown mess out the back, it will not be much use.
Verdict: Old school but great
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Star rating: * * * * *
Flymo Venturer €129.99 There are many people who swear by electric lawnmowers and while we can (sort of) see the appeal – they are easier to power up and easier on the ear and never run out of juice – we reckon there are serious limitations, with the main one being the cable. At 10 metres it will be long enough for many gardens but not for all. There is also the danger that you will run the mower over the cable, and the sound of the machine suddenly dying when that happens is never pleasant. And we would have some concerns over its ability to tackle really tough jobs, although the 1,000-watt motor is pretty powerful. The 29-litre grass box is plenty big too.
Verdict: Will delight some
Star rating: * * *
G-Mach Petrol Push Lawnmower €149.99 When it comes to lawnmowers, we are not convinced that cheaper is best. This is very cheap, for sure, but we'd have to wonder if it represents good value for money, and it may not last as long as some of the more high-end options on the market. It comes with a 139cc, four-stroke, Chinese-made engine and has eight cutting heights and a grass box that can accommodate 40 litres – which is plenty big for our needs. The blades have a cutting width of 16 inches and it will also make light work of most of the jobs that are asked of it.
Verdict: Cheap, but may let you down
Star rating: * *
Pro-Lawn Lawnmower €499.99 If we were asked for just one word to describe this mower, we'd go with "bigger". It has a 153cc engine and a 60 -litre grass box and a blade span of 21 inches, all of which means it will get harder jobs done faster. We love the fact that it propels itself, which takes virtually all the hassle out of cutting the grass. We don't know much about lawn mower engines, but we do know that Briggs & Stratton is widely regarded as being the best, and that is what you will find powering this. It is expensive but also very well made, and if you can afford it we reckon it will give you many years of happy mowing.
Verdict : The Rolls Royce option
Star rating: * * * *
