5 Best Lawn Mowers for Stripes of 2024

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The Best Lawn Mowers for Stripes

best lawn mower for stripes uk
  1. Best overall - Flymo Chevron 32VC Electric Wheeled Lawnmower

  2. Best cordless option - LawnMaster 34cm Cordless Lawnmower

  3. Best design - Hyundai 1600w 230v Corded Electric Rotary Lawnmower

  4. Best budget option - Flymo EasiMow 340R Electric Rotary Lawn Mower

  5. Best for small & medium lawns - Mountfield M13 Princess Electric 4 Wheel Rear Roller Lawnmower

Lawn Mowers for Stripes Reviews

Editors Choice
  • Leaves smart stripes in the grass thanks to the rear roller
  • Easily gets over lumps and bumps in your lawn
  • Lightweight and manoeuvrable at just 8.7 kg
  • 10 m cable is long enough for most small to medium size gardens
  • Roller helps stability so can cut closer to the edges of the lawn

  • Grass box is awkward to put together as the clips need to be precisely lined up
  • When the grass box is full, it can weigh down the back of the mower
  • Too small for larger gardens
Rear Roller
Yes
Lawn Size
Small to Medium
Engine
1200W
Cutting Width
32cm
Height Range
20-60mm
Collection Bag
29L
Weight
8.7kg
Overall Score 4.8
Design
5
Power
4
Performance
5
Manoeuvrability
5
Features
4.5
Safety
5
Value for Money
5

Capable of creating clear, clean stripes on the lawn, the Flymo Chevron 32VC Electric Wheeled Lawn Mower has many features that make it worth considering. Not only is it good for creating an aesthetic finish, it’s also a great mower overall – particularly for small/medium gardens.

The Flymo Chevron lawn mower has a 1200 W motor that gives it enough power to tackle domestic lawn grass. Thanks to its 32 cm cutting width, this mower offers excellent manoeuvrability around trees and garden furniture and is a great choice for gardens with lots of obstacles or narrow pathways. There’s also a 29 L grass box that collects the clippings. Although this is reasonably small, it does help keep the mower’s weight down.

Equipped with a single rear roller, this mower leaves smart stripes on the lawn. Given its width, these are relatively narrow lawn stripes which will give a great visual effect, but make this mower fairly unsuitable for larger gardens. The rear roller, combined with the light 8.7 kg weight of this mower, make it stable and easy to balance over edges, something that reduces scalping on the sides of the lawn.

The casing is made predominantly from plastic, although the blade is metal, which is a factor that stops this mower from being too heavy.

Given that this mower is mains-powered, there’s a power cable to consider – at 10 m long it’s a reasonable size but some spaces may require an extension. There are also five cutting heights, ranging from 20 – 60 mm. 60 mm is regarded as a good length for maintaining grass in order to have visible stripes.

On top of this mower’s excellent specifications, one of the best things about it is how easy it is to use. The dual-lever handles allow you to operate the mower with either hand, and the handles can be adjusted to accommodate different use heights. There’s just one simple lever to change the cutting height, and a useful carry handle that allows you to simply pick up the mower and carry it back into storage. Also, there is a clear vision window on the grass box that means you can see when it needs emptying.

There aren’t many downsides to this mower, although due to its power and size it’s unsuitable for larger gardens. The grass box is a little fiddly to put together, but the rest of the assembly is straightforward.

All things considered, I recommend this model as the best lawn mower for stripes overall. It’s an ideal choice for most standard gardens and will create that coveted striped pattern.

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Runner Up

2. LawnMaster 34cm Cordless Lawnmower

Best cordless option

best lawn mowers for stripes LawnMaster 34cm Cordless Lawnmower
  • Roller produces smart, visible stripes
  • Two batteries included and each lasts approx. 30 minutes
  • Child safety lock means mower can’t be accidentally started
  • Lights on battery indicate how much charge is left
  • Fast charger included, charges one battery in one hour

  • Grass collector has ventilation holes at the bottom so some grass clippings fall out whilst you mow
  • Grass box is fiddly to attach to the mower
  • Plastic casing on mower is relatively thin
Rear Roller
Yes
Lawn Size
Small to Medium
Engine
24V 4.0Ah battery
Cutting Width
34cm
Height Range
20-70 mm
Collection Bag
32L
Weight
11.4kg
Overall Score 4.5
Design
4
Power
4
Performance
4
Manoeuvrability
5
Features
4.5
Safety
5
Value for Money
5

If you’re looking for a battery-powered mower that creates stripes, the LawnMaster 34cm Cordless Lawn Mower is my top recommendation. This mower is lightweight, easy to use and a great option for small-to-medium lawns. The rear roller produces clear stripes, and it has several other valuable features including a mulching plug and a second battery.

Fitted with a durable carbon steel blade, this lawn mower has seven cutting heights to choose from, ranging from 20 – 70 mm. The cutting heights are easy to adjust using a single lever, and offer a good variety for cutting grass and creating lawn stripes.

In terms of comfort, the handles are also adjustable to accommodate different height gardeners. Plus, it’s easy to use and manoeuvre, as it only weighs 11.4 kg.

With a 34 cm cutting width, this lawn mower is best suited to small/medium lawns. Although the manufacturers state that it’s suitable for gardens up to 300 m², you could use it across slightly larger areas – you’ll just need to do more passes. The 32 L grass bag is spacious enough, but there’s also a mulch plug included if you prefer to do away with grass collection altogether.

There are a few minor issues relating to the grass collection box. First of all, it’s difficult to attach to the mower and slows down assembly time. Second, there are ventilation holes in the bottom which results in some grass clippings spilling back onto the lawn. Of course, if you’re going to be using the mulching plug, this won’t be a problem.

As mentioned, one of the things that sets this mower apart from other cordless models is the inclusion of 2 X 24 V rechargeable batteries. Each 4.0 Ah battery runs for approximately 30 minutes, but this will vary depending on the grass. This is because the mower features ‘intelligent battery management’ which adjusts the power according to the grass conditions. As a result, the mower uses more power in longer grass and conserves battery life during lighter cutting.

Designed for easy storage, the grass collection box folds flat and the mower itself can be stored upright in smaller spaces. The compact and lightweight build ensures it’s easy to carry from storage to lawn.

It’s worth noting that it has quite a ‘plasticky’ construction. Although this does not seem to affect performance, it’s obviously noticeable if you’re used to heavier, metal machines.

Overall, this is one of the best mowers for stripes if you want a cordless, battery-powered model. It’s a great choice for small-to-medium gardens and isn’t restricted by any power cables. Plus, the inclusion of two batteries makes it great value for money; spare batteries are very desirable, but normally pretty pricey!

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Also Good
  • Powerful enough to cut through long, overgrown grass
  • Foam-padded handles are comfortable to grip
  • Assembly is very easy and takes just 10 minutes
  • Cable guide on handles should help prevent gardeners from mowing over the cable
  • Can be stored vertically to significantly reduce required storage space

  • Construction is predominantly plastic
  • Collection box occasionally blocks if grass clippings build up at the entrance
Rear Roller
Yes
Lawn Size
Medium
Engine
1600W
Cutting Width
38cm
Height Range
20-70 mm
Collection Bag
40L
Weight
12.5kg
Overall Score 4.7
Design
5
Power
4.5
Performance
4.5
Manoeuvrability
5
Features
4.5
Safety
5
Value for Money
4.5

Hyundai is a brand renowned for their powerful machines, and the Hyundai HYM3800E Corded Electric Rotary Lawnmower certainly lives up to this reputation. It’s a good size for medium lawns with a 38 cm cutting width and it comes equipped with that all-important rear roller.

The 38 cm cutting width makes it easy to turn the lawn ower and fit through garden gates and passageways, but it’ll also cover ground quickly and efficiently in medium gardens. There are five adjustable cutting heights, ranging from 20 – 70 mm, as well as a 40 L grass bag. A mulching plug comes included, so you also have the option to mulch or collect lawn clippings.

Performance-wise, this lawn mower has a powerful 1600 W motor and can even tackle long, overgrown grass. The roller leaves noticeable stripes on the lawn as well. It has a 10 m cable which might need an extension in some gardens but is still a pretty reasonable length.

A particularly neat point about this mower’s design is that it can be stored vertically, saving on space in the shed. When stored, it only measures 71 cm high by 35.5 cm deep – including the handlebars which fold down over the mower’s body.

Although heavier than some of the electric lawn mowers on this list, at 12.5 kg, this mower is still very manageable to push and carry. The construction is predominantly plastic, but it still seems capable of tackling tougher conditions (as mentioned above).

Overall, this is a powerful mower for medium gardens and is one of the best lawn mowers for stripes in terms of design. The way it compacts down is extremely useful for saving on storage space, plus it offers a good balance between size, power and weight.

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  • A good, affordable option for small and flat lawns
  • Fairly lightweight at just under 11 kg
  • Handle is easy to adjust to accommodate different height users
  • 10 m cable should be long enough for most small gardens
  • Cuts right to the edge of lawns so less need to go over with a strimmer

  • Not particularly powerful so struggles on wet grass and slopes
  • Cable storage cannot be used whilst the mower is folded
  • Grass box occasionally gets blocked
Rear Roller
Yes
Lawn Size
Small
Engine
1400W
Cutting Width
34cm
Height Range
20-60mm
Collection Bag
35L
Weight
10.8kg
Overall Score 4.3
Design
4
Power
3.5
Performance
4
Manoeuvrability
5
Features
3.5
Safety
5
Value for Money
5

If you’re after a budget lawn mower that can still produce premium-looking stripes, the Flymo EasiMow 340R Electric Rotary Lawn Mower is my top recommendation. Designed for small, flat lawns, this mower is exceptionally easy to use and has an effective rear roller.

This lawn mower has a 34 cm cutting width and is powered by a 1400 W motor. There are five cutting heights in total, ranging from 20 – 60 mm. Also, the 10 m cable gives enough freedom to move around small lawns.

One of the best things about this mower is that it cuts right to the edges of your lawn as the narrow-set wheels don’t stick out unnecessarily. As a result, it achieves a close cut against obstacles like fences which can help cut down on the amount of strimming required post-mowing.

Unlike even some of the more expensive mowers featured here, the Easimow 340R has a grass box made entirely from hard plastic (no mesh sides). This is something that can help with assembly as well as emptying the box.

This lawn mower is equipped with dual-lever handles that offer comfortable operation for both left and right handed users. It weighs 10.8 kg which is a reasonable weight for a small electric mower.

Whilst this mower is very compact, it cannot be stored vertically. Nevertheless, the handles fold down to reduce storage space. When the handles are folded, there is no obvious place to store the cable, which does make it a little more difficult to store completely tidily.

All things considered, this is one of the best mowers for stripes if you’re working to a budget. Although it might not offer all of the versatility of more expensive models, and is best used on flat ground and lawns that aren’t overgrown, it’s still a good choice for creating stripes as part of a regular cutting schedule.

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  • Assembly is easy and can be done in just 15 minutes
  • Can cope with both dry and damp grass
  • 15 m power cable is longer than those offered by most corded mowers
  • Mulching function is very effective and helps improve the health of your lawn
  • Vision window lets you see when the grass collector needs emptying

  • Grass box is difficult to assemble as the sides need to be held together to put the lid on
  • Slightly heavier than other electric lawn mowers on the market at over 14 kg
  • Difficult to push through particularly long grass
Rear Roller
Yes
Lawn Size
Small to Medium
Engine
1400W
Cutting Width
34cm
Height Range
25-75mm
Collection Bag
35L
Weight
14.2kg
Overall Score 4.5
Design
4.5
Power
4
Performance
4
Manoeuvrability
4.5
Features
4.5
Safety
5
Value for Money
5

From a company who certainly know what they’re doing when it comes to mowers, Mountfield’s Princess 34 Electric Lawn Mower is a great choice for small lawns and medium gardens.

Powered by mains electricity, this hand-propelled lawn mower has a generous 15 m power cable – a relatively rare find in the world of corded mowers! This extra length provides a lot more freedom when working.

With a narrow cutting width of 34 cm, this lawn mower allows you to work around flowerbeds and obstacles with ease. The polypropylene chassis is durable yet relatively lightweight (the lawn mower weighs 14.2 kg overall) and the quality of the cut is very high.

Fitted with a 1400 W motor, this lawn mower works well on both wet and damp grass and cuts with very little effort. It has six cutting heights, ranging from 25 – 75 mm, giving a little more flexibility than models that only feature five. The rear roller also leaves clear stripes on the lawn.

The metal cutting deck can be removed for cleaning and sharpening, and the rest of the machine is made from solid, robust plastic.

The mower is fitted with a 35 L grass collection box with a viewing window that allows you to see when it’s full. Additionally, there is also a mulching plug included to give the option of depositing shredded clippings back onto the lawn.

Although assembly only takes around 15 minutes, the grass box is a little challenging to put together. The sides need to be held together in order to put the lid on. For this reason, you may need an extra pair of hands.

Besides this small drawback, it’s really no surprise that a Mountfield lawn mower has found its way onto this list. Especially if you have a small/medium garden, this is one of the best mowers for stripes. It offers excellent quality along with a good amount of flexibility thanks to the longer cable and good number of cutting heights.

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Clive's Smart Buying Tips

  1. A rear roller is essential when it comes to producing stripes on the lawn, but there are a few additional factors to consider when choosing the best lawn mower.
  2. For most domestic gardens, a battery or mains-powered lawn mower will be suitable. I’ve tailored this list to electric machines because they are easiest to control when creating stripes. For small/medium gardens, a cutting width of between 30 – 40 cm is ideal. Narrower mowers are a better choice if you’ve got to navigate a lot of obstacles like trees and flowerbeds.   
  3. For large gardens you could also consider a petrol mower. A 125 cc motor should be enough for large domestic lawns.
  4. Additionally, you can look for mulching features to shred the clippings and help improve the health of your lawn – this won’t affect the smart striped finish and will avoid using a grass box altogether.
  5. You’ll also want a few cutting heights. For creating good stripes, you need slightly longer grass and therefore higher cutting heights. Look for a maximum cutting height of at least 50 mm

Also, it’s important to note that just because a mower has a rear roller, it doesn’t mean it will create good stripes. This is why we’ve researched several different models! Overall, I’ve gone with the Flymo Chevron 32VC Electric Wheeled Lawnmower as my top pick. This mains-powered mower cuts well, is lightweight (so it won’t damage the lawn), and offers a range of cutting heights from 20 – 60 mm. It has a single rear roller that creates clear, visible stripes.

Compare Product Features

Use the dropdown to sort the table by the feature you want to see.

  • Flymo Chevron 32VC Electric Wheeled Lawnmower
    best lawn mowers for stripes Flymo Chevron 32VC Electric Wheeled Lawnmower
    • 4.8
    • Yes
    • Small to Medium
    • 1200W
    • 32cm
    • 20-60mm
    • 29L
    • 8.7kg
  • LawnMaster 34cm Cordless Lawnmower
    best lawn mowers for stripes LawnMaster 34cm Cordless Lawnmower
    • 4.5
    • Yes
    • Small to Medium
    • 24V 4.0Ah battery
    • 34cm
    • 20-70 mm
    • 32L
    • 11.4kg
  • Hyundai 1600w 230v Corded Electric Rotary Lawnmower
    best lawn mowers for stripes Hyundai 1600w 230v Corded Electric Rotary Lawnmower
    • 4.7
    • Yes
    • Medium
    • 1600W
    • 38cm
    • 20-70 mm
    • 40L
    • 12.5kg
  • Flymo EasiMow 340R Electric Rotary Lawn Mower
    best lawn mowers for stripes Flymo EasiMow 340R Electric Rotary Lawn Mower
    • 4.3
    • Yes
    • Small
    • 1400W
    • 34cm
    • 20-60mm
    • 35L
    • 10.8kg
  • Mountfield M13 Princess Electric 4 Wheel Rear Roller Lawnmower
    best lawn mowers for stripes Mountfield M13 Princess Electric 4 Wheel Rear Roller Lawnmower
    • 4.5
    • Yes
    • Small to Medium
    • 1400W
    • 34cm
    • 25-75mm
    • 35L
    • 14.2kg

How to Choose the Best Lawn Mower for Stripes

When it comes to gardens, there are few things that say ‘I know what I’m doing’ more than a perfectly striped lawn.

However, to get those beautiful stripes, you’ll need the right mower – not all of them can achieve this coveted effect.

Choosing the best lawn mower for stripes on your lawn will depend on the size of your garden, the effort you’re willing to put in, and how much money you’re prepared to spend. The information below will help you make a more informed decision.

READ NEXT: The UK’s Best Lawn Mower

How to Create Lawn Stripes

Whilst some mowers can achieve a small amount of ‘striping’ on the lawn just from their weight on the grass whilst mowing, you’ll need a rear roller attachment for clearer, more defined striped.

A rear roller mower is, as the name suggests, a roller that fits on to the back of the mower. Some lawn mowers come with these already attached, or sometimes it’s possible to separately purchase a roller and attach it to the back of your existing mower.

The mower cuts your grass normally, and then the roller is dragged over the cut grass behind the mower. This folds the grass, causing it to reflect the sun in a certain way. Mowing in the opposite direction will fold the grass the opposite way. This creates surfaces that reflect light differently and therefore appear to be two different colours.

Using a rear roller to create stripes doesn’t require you to do anything additional when mowing the lawn. As long as you line up the mower for each pass, to ensure you’re going in a straight line, the stripes should be easy to achieve. You’ll need to lift up the rear roller at the end of a run so that you can turn without making stripes.

Choosing Between an Electric and Petrol Lawn Mower

Petrol lawn mowers are powerful and a good choice for bigger gardens. They can be used to tackle wet grass and longer growth. The downsides are that they are noisy, not the best for the environment and require a fair amount of maintenance. They can be bulky and heavy, often weighing upwards of 30 kg.

For creating stripes, I have recommended cordless electric lawn mowers over petrol lawn mowers because they are easier to control precisely.

Mains-powered corded lawn mowers are low maintenance and tend to be lighter (10 – 15 kg). For standard mowing jobs, modern electric mowers have more than enough power. They just might not make it through a lot of long grass. The only real downside to a mains-powered electric mower is that your movement will be limited due to the cable length. You may have to use an extension cable, which adds an additional hazard as you need to make sure not to cut through it.

Cordless battery powered mowers are lightweight and allow you to move freely around the garden. They are best for small to medium size gardens, as the battery life tends to be under 30 minutes. They are very easy to use and manage.

READ NEXT: The UK’s Best Robot Lawn Mowers

Self-Propelled Mowers vs Manual-Push Mowers

Self-propelled lawn mowers use engine power to achieve forward motion, with the alternative being users pushing the mower manually. If you’ve got a large area to mow, an uneven lawn or a lot of slopes, using a self-propelled mower will make the job a lot easier. You won’t need to support the weight of the mower and push it over these areas.

However, self-propelled lawn mowers require a lot more power, which can make them heavier, larger and more expensive than push mowers. Although the extra weight is fine when the self-propulsion is activated, there are times when you’ll need to move the mower without the engine on. They can be a little trickier to move in and out of storage, or up steps in the garden, especially if you struggle with upper-body strength.

Push mowers are a great budget option. However, they are most suitable for those with flat, even lawns and grass that doesn’t get too long. The mower is pushed by hand, with no help from the motor, which can make them harder work than self-propelled mowers.

Push mowers are generally smaller, lighter and cheaper than self-propelled models. They’re a good option for smaller gardens, and can be a bit easier to manage than self-propelled mowers, especially because they don’t require you to ‘keep up’ with the set speed.

READ NEXT: The Best Hover Mowers

Garden Size

The size of your garden is important for two reasons – it will dictate the cutting width that you should choose, as well as the size of the mower’s grass-collector bag.

Cutting Width

Larger mowers will have a cutting width of between 40 – 53 cm. These are most appropriate for medium/large gardens because a larger width means less passes are required to cut the whole lawn. However, a large mower can be a hinderance in smaller gardens; the wide width can make the machine hard to manoeuvre and difficult to get into tight corners.

A small lawn mower can be very narrow – down to a cutting width of 30 cm. Even in a medium-size garden, this may be too small because you’ll have to do a lot of passes with the mower. However, it can be useful in small gardens and gardens with narrow pathways.

Cutting widths ranging from 30 – 40 cm should be suitable for small/medium gardens.

The Grass Collector

A grass collector of 30 L is considered relatively small. It may be too small for a medium garden, especially if the grass is quite long – you will find yourself frequently emptying the collection bag.

For medium gardens, a grass collector of 40 L+ should be sufficient. Some larger mowers will have a grass collector of 70 L.

Whilst having a large grass collector sounds ideal, because you won’t have to empty it often, it does have its disadvantages. Primarily, a large, full grass collector can be very heavy. This can make the mower difficult to push. If you have a self-propelled mower, it will use more fuel to push a heavier mower.

Cutting Options: Collect, Discharge or Mulch

Mowers can have different methods of disposing of grass clippings. Having options can help you control the health and appearance of your lawn.

Some mowers have a mulching function. This requires a mulching ‘plug’ to be attached to the lawn mower. This accessory will shred the clippings into tiny pieces before discharging them onto your lawn. This helps keep your lawn healthy and retain moisture.

Other lawn mowers will either discharge or collect the clippings. If you are striping your lawn, you will probably want the clippings to be collected by the mower, so that they don’t ruin the effect.

Lawn Mower for Stripes FAQs

With the right mower, striping your lawn is relatively easy. You’ll need a rear-roller on the mower to create stripes.

Ensure your lawn is in good condition. Remove moss and weeds, then spend some time filling patchy areas.

Before starting to mow, it can be useful to sketch out your garden and plan the stripes you are going to make. Whilst this is fairly intuitive if your lawn is a basic rectangle, it can be a little trickier to work out how to deal with obstacles or awkwardly-shaped lawns.

Mow around the parameter of the lawn first, creating a border.

Then, mow in a straight lines to the border. Pick up the roller as you turn the mower at the end of a run.

Once you have completed your entire garden, assess the stripes. If they need intensifying, go over again with the mowing height the same. Alternatively, simply run the mower over the stripes (switched off) with just the roller.

Going around the parameter border once more, after finishing the stripes, can help create a polished finish.

If your grass is too short, striping your lawn won’t work. The taller the grass, the easier it bends underneath the roller, reflecting more sunlight and producing a more dramatic effect.

When the grass is too short, you’ll struggle to see the stripes.

Set the mower to have a cutting height of at least 50 mm in order to see visible stripes.

This requires a bit more planning and practise, but eventually you will be able to create stripes on your lawn that will even look like they pass cleanly through obstacles.

When you pass around the obstacle with your mower, you will have to go outside of the ‘strip’ for that run. This means you’ll encroach on the next line over (which will be uncut grass at this point).

You’ll then move over to do the next line, and will absorb the path where you had to go around the obstacle into this line.

Whilst using a mower with a roller is one of the easiest ways to create stripes – especially as it saves time if you were going to mow the lawn anyway – you can also use a weighted lawn roller. Weighted rollers work in the same way as a roller on a mower, bending the grass so that it reflects light at different angles and creating visible stripes. If you want wide stripes, you could buy a roller that is much wider than your lawn mower. Lawn rollers can also be used to flatten bumpy ground. However, they are quite heavy and inconvenient to store.

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