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The Best Petrol Lawn Mowers

Need some help finding the best petrol lawn mower? In this guide, you’ll get my top recommendations – all of which I’ve personally tested. As a professional landscape gardener, with 22 years experience cutting lawns, I know what makes a good mower! My top pick is the Hyundai 196cc Petrol Lawn Mower. Read on to find out why it gets my seal of approval…
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Best petrol lawn mower for large gardens - Hyundai 196cc Self Propelled Petrol Lawnmower[ SAVE 21% ]
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Best petrol lawn mower for the money - Mountfield SP41 Petrol Mower[ SAVE 15% ]
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Best petrol lawn mower under £200 - Webb Classic WER410SP Self Propelled Petrol Mower[ CHECK PRICE ]
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Another budget option - Cobra M41C Petrol Lawn Mower[ CHECK PRICE ]
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Good for medium gardens - Murray EQ200 Petrol Lawn Mower[ CHECK PRICE ]
Petrol Lawn Mower Reviews
1. Hyundai 196cc Self Propelled Petrol Lawnmower[ SAVE 21% ]
Best petrol lawn mower for large gardens
- Copes well when cutting different types of grass because of the power and adjustable cutting heights
- Self-propulsion feature is optional which makes it easier to mow around small obstacles and tight corners
- Can be used to mulch dead leaves as well as grass which can be collected and used as compost
- Comes with engine oil included so you only need to provide the fuel yourself
- The grass box doesn't miss any grass when collecting
- Has a nice wide cutting width of 51cm
- There's no back roller so it won't create a clear striped lawn effect
- Only one self-propelled speed so the options for self propulsion are 'off' or 'on'
- May be heavy to manoeuvre for those with less upper body strength when the self-propel isn't activated
- Lawn Size
- Large
- Engine
- 196cc
- Cutting Width
- 51cm
- Height Range
- 25-75mm
- Collection Bag
- 70 L
- Weight
- 38.7kg
- Drive System
- Self Propelled Model
- Noise
- 98dB
- Assembly Ease
- 5
- Design
- 5
- Power
- 5
- Performance
- 5
- Manoeuvrability
- 4
- Features
- 5
- Safety
- 5
- Value for Money
- 5
Although primarily known for their reliable and well-designed cars, Hyundai has also been making a name for itself in the gardening world. The brand produces a wide range of garden machinery, and their petrol mowers are revered for being the cream of the crop.
Among the many models on offer, there’s the Hyundai Self Propelled Petrol Mower – a fantastic mower with an abundance of features.
After testing it out, I really only have good things to say about it, but I’m keen to share my experience in a bit more detail:
The unboxing and assembly process for the Hyundai lawn mower was fast and simple – it literally only took minutes to get this Hyundai mower ready to go. This is largely due to the fact that it’s such a well-designed machine – everything seems to work harmoniously together.
Its powerful self propelled petrol 196 cc engine handles everything that Hyundai claims it will, plus more. Whether you use it to collect your cut grass cuttings or to mulch your lawn, the top-of-the-line features deliver great mowing results. It’s also wider (51cm cutting width) and faster than many of the other petrol mowers out there, and the self propulsion makes things easier, so it could really save you time.
If you have a large lawn, or if you’re a professional who cuts multiple gardens with different types of grass, the Hyundai is one of the best petrol lawn mowers to buy. It’s a high-quality machine that won’t let you down.
It genuinely surprises me that I don’t have a single negative comment about how this lawn mower works, but it truly runs like a dream.
After just one use I was convinced by the power and versatility of this machine, and now that I’ve used it several times it has become one of the petrol mowers that I rely on the most as a professional landscaper.
The wide 51 cm cutting width, and decent range of cutting heights (from 25 – 75 mm), means it quickly copes with large areas and different grasses.
Overall, if you’re looking to strike the right balance between performance, ease of use and cost, the Hyundai 4-Stroke Petrol Lawn Mower should be top of your shopping list.
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2. Mountfield SP41 Petrol Mower[ SAVE 15% ]
Best petrol lawn mower for the money
- Lightweight enough to be manageable on inclines
- A good option for mowing small gardens as the lightweight, small body is easy to manoeuvre
- Powerful enough for mowing longer grass
- Can be pushed quickly and still produces an even cut when doing so
- At 95dB it is the least noisy petrol lawnmower we tested
- Struggles to cut through damp grass
- The assembly process is not as straight forward as with other mowers because the instructions are confusing, but there are videos online that can help
- Oil doesn't come included so both oil and fuel need to be purchased separately
- Lawn Size
- Small
- Engine
- 123cc
- Cutting Width
- 39cm
- Height Range
- 25-70mm
- Collection Bag
- 40 L
- Weight
- 19kg
- Drive System
- Push
- Noise
- 95dB
- Assembly Ease
- 4
- Design
- 4
- Power
- 5
- Performance
- 4.5
- Manoeuvrability
- 5
- Features
- 4
- Safety
- 5
- Value for Money
- 5
A popular UK garden equipment brand, Mountfield produces lawn mowers for both domestic and professional use. Their SP41 Petrol Mower is one of their domestic offerings – it’s a mid-range, hand-propelled, petrol mower designed for small to medium gardens.
Assembly was a little time-consuming but I got there in the end! There weren’t any major design flaws, but there were a few ways in which Mountfield could have made the design of this machine better, without much extra cost involved on their part.

Like I say, nothing major, but the instructions could have been clearer, the handles were a bit tough to put together, and the place to put the oil is quite difficult to access. So these were my initial gripes.
However, upon turning on the machine, I saw this lawn mower in a different way once I started mowing…
It’s powerful but extremely lightweight – to the point where you can easily run while using it and it’ll cut as cleanly as though you were walking slowly. That in itself tells you a lot about engine power.
Its ability when mowing through longer grass also impressed me. However, it did fail when it came to damp grass. Granted, you’re not really meant to cut wet grass anyway, but most of the other mowers that I tested still could.
Manoeuvring this machine was extremely easy, thanks to the fact that it’s so lightweight and its decent cutting width.
However, it’s rather ‘light’ when it comes to features as well (in that there aren’t many). It doesn’t really do anything other than mow and collect grass cuttings. Again, if this is all you need, then it’s a good machine as paying more for extra features would be a waste anyway.
It’s one of the best petrol lawn mowers if you’re looking for a simple and lightweight hand-propelled model to mow a small to medium garden.
It’s not good for cutting wet grass, but it’ll handle both long and short grass with ease, as well as tackling inclines and rough ground. It may seem a little basic in terms of design and features, but it’s sturdy, powerful, and reliable.
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3. Webb Classic WER410SP Self Propelled Petrol Mower
Best petrol lawn mower under £200
- Good for all size lawns as offers a good compromise between size and weight/manoeuvrability
- Self-propulsion can be deactivated to make it easier to get into smaller areas or around obstacles
- Ball bearings in the wheels help them move easily even when the self-propulsion isn't on
- Can dramatically reduce mowing time, cutting lawns in 1/3 of the time of standard lawn mowers
- The wheels stick out which means that it is more like 44 cm wide even though the cutting width is 41 cm
- Due to the design of the collection box, you may spill some clippings as you disconnect it from the mower
- A funnel is required to fill up the oil tank as it is in a position that is difficult to reach
- Hot starts can be difficult and require several pulls, although cold starts are very reliable
- Lawn Size
- Small to Medium
- Engine
- 132cc
- Cutting Width
- 41cm
- Height Range
- 25-75mm
- Collection Bag
- 45 L
- Weight
- 28kg
- Drive System
- Self Propelled Model
- Noise
- 96dB
- Assembly Ease
- 4
- Design
- 4
- Power
- 5
- Performance
- 5
- Manoeuvrability
- 5
- Features
- 4
- Safety
- 5
- Value for Money
- 5
If you’re looking for a self propelled lawn mower from a respected British brand, ‘Webb’ is well worth considering. Famous for their classic yet modern designs, along with their dedication to quality and value, their WER410SP Self Propelled Mower is a popular choice among home gardeners in the UK.
As soon as I opened the box, I could tell that the Webb WER410SP was going to impress. It’s beautifully designed, not only in terms of aesthetics but also functionality.
It copes well with heavy, long-term mowing, always leaving behind clean and evenly-cut strips, even on rough ground with more grass. It’s happy to cut wet grass too, which is always a bonus! My only gripe would be that it sometimes chokes and struggles when the 45 L bag is only half full.
In terms of features, it doesn’t disappoint. It offers seven cutting heights between 25 – 75 mm, a 41 cm cutting width, and a faster-than-average self-propulsion speed – you’ll get the job done in half the time.
While Webb states that the WER410SP is the best petrol lawn mowers for small to medium gardens, I would say that they’re underestimating its power and capabilities.
Yes, its size, weight, and cutting width wouldn’t usually be enough for a large lawn, but its speed more than makes up for this. It could even be used to mow professionally – something that I’m now doing with it, cutting the lawns for some of my clients.
I would recommend this machine to anyone looking for something lightweight, powerful, and reliable – even if you have a larger garden.
It’s one of the best petrol lawn mowers on the market, if you’re looking for a good all-rounder. It’s not too expensive either, considering its high-end finish, so you feel like you’re getting a good deal too.
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4. Cobra M41C Petrol Lawn Mower
Another budget option
- Very little assembly required, arrives almost ready to go
- Powerful enough to cut through damp grass
- More height settings included than the majority of petrol mowers at this price
- Motor oil comes included so you only need to supply the fuel
- Low price whilst still offering sufficient quality
- Struggles mowing over uneven surfaces and bumpy lawns
- Too small to be worthwhile in large gardens
- Lawn Size
- Small to Medium
- Engine
- 98.5cc
- Cutting Width
- 41cm
- Height Range
- 25-75mm
- Collection Bag
- 50 L
- Weight
- 19.6kg
- Drive System
- Push
- Noise
- Not listed
- Assembly Ease
- 5
- Design
- 4
- Power
- 4
- Performance
- 4
- Manoeuvrability
- 4
- Features
- 4
- Safety
- 5
- Value for Money
- 4
A relatively new garden machinery brand, Cobra prides itself on offering innovation, quality, and value for money. This is definitely true of their M41C Hand-Propelled Petrol Lawn Mower – it’s the lowest-priced of all of the lawn mowers on this page, yet offers features that some higher-end models lack.
After opening the box and seeing that the Cobra M41C was almost already fully assembled, I had high hopes – after all, there can’t be many people that actually enjoy assembling lawn mowers, so the minimal assembly was thoughtful on Cobra’s part! Its design is also bright and eye catching – something else that appealed to me.
My opinion of this lawn mower kept improving after I first started to use it, especially after seeing it mowing through grass littered with pine cones. I was also impressed with how it seamlessly cut through damp grass too.
This cutting power is its main selling point, given that these jobs would cause some mowers to struggle. The 41 cm cutting width and 10 different height settings (between 25 – 75 mm) make it adaptable for most garden sizes and grass types.
However, its inability to go over even small bumps in the ground is a let down. This makes it harder to use in uneven gardens, and really it needs a totally level area to work well.
The overall conclusion with the Cobra M41C is that it’s a a very good petrol lawn mower. If your garden is bumpy in any way, then there are perhaps better mowing options for you. However, if you have a flat and even lawn, whether it’s small, medium, or even on the small side of large, this mower will get the job done just as well as more expensive machines.
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5. Murray EQ200 Petrol Lawn Mower
Good for medium gardens
- Mows all types of grass whether it's short, long, thick or wet
- Good value for the price paid and machine received
- Sufficiently lightweight to make it easy to carry in and out of storage
- The handles are height adjustable so it is comfortable for people of different heights
- Struggles to give such an even cut on bumpy, uneven ground
- May take a lot of effort to cut gardens with a lot of inclines as there's no self propulsion
- The rear-discharge function gets blocked easily so it's best to use the mower with the grass collection box attached
- Lawn Size
- Small to Medium
- Engine
- 125cc
- Cutting Width
- 41cm
- Height Range
- 28-92mm
- Collection Bag
- 60 L
- Weight
- 22.2kg
- Drive System
- Push
- Noise
- Not listed
- Assembly Ease
- 4
- Design
- 5
- Power
- 5
- Performance
- 4
- Manoeuvrability
- 4
- Features
- 3
- Safety
- 5
- Value for Money
- 4
Manufactured in the USA, Murray lawn mowers are known for being hardy and durable. The EQ200 Petrol Lawn Mower is the brand’s budget option, but it’s still the second most expensive petrol lawn mower that I tested.
As soon as I opened the box and started to assemble the Murray EQ200, I could tell that this would be a strong and capable machine. Assembly took a little longer than other mowers, but it wasn’t complicated in any way and no tools were required. It just needed a patient, methodical approach.
The lawn mower’s thoughtful design was appreciated, particularly in terms of the handles (they are wide, foldable, and height adjustable) and the large size of the grass collector bag. When I turned the machine on it continued to impress.
Granted, it was quite loud, so the noise may disturb your neighbours. But it coped well with every type of grass that I threw at it. Whether it was short, long, thick or wet grass, the six cutting heights combined with the powerful engine meant that it could mow them all without any problems.
The only stumbling point (literally) was on bumpy and uneven ground – it didn’t manage such an even cut over lumpy terrain.
Flat lawns are definitely where this machine really shines.
Inclines could be an issue too, simply because this mower isn’t self-propelled. That said, it’s light enough to push uphill for short periods of time.
The Murray EQ200 keeps its promises with the features that it offers, except when it comes to the rear-discharge function (which is pretty much useless). It gets blocked easily and doesn’t work as well as you might expect from an otherwise well-designed machine.
If this is important to you, then you’d be better off looking for a lawn mower that prioritises this feature. However, if you’re happy to always use the grass collector bag, then this mower performs well in other respects.
It’s most appropriate for small-to-medium lawns, but this is purely because it’s hand-propelled. If you’re after a high-quality machine that offers good cutting performance, this is a great option to consider.
In fact, I’d even say that because of its power, cutting width, and bag size it could easily handle larger lawns too (as long as you didn’t mind pushing it).
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Product Testers
Finding the best petrol lawn mower requires a thorough and systematic approach to testing. We chose a range of top models and tested them on several crucial aspects, including:
- Assembly and Setup: Most petrol mowers are fairly straightforward to assemble, only requiring a few minutes to set up. Models that were unnecessarily difficult to assemble were marked down. We factored the clarity of instructions and whether the manufacturer offers video tutorials into this evaluation.
- Engine Performance and Power: We evaluated each mower’s engine performance, considering factors such as engine type, engine displacement, and horsepower. Models with less powerful engines were marked down, but only if the engine size and power inhibited its ability to perform well in small, medium or large gardens. As well as testing the mowers on different garden sizes, we also tried them out in varied terrains, including flat lawns and sloped surfaces, to gauge their ability to handle challenging cutting conditions.
- Cutting Performance: We assessed each petrol lawn mower’s cutting width, speed and precision of their cutting. Models that performed best on a variety of terrains, grass lengths, and moisture levels were rated highest, as these offered better versatility. Models with the optimal cutting width (41 cm or above) and a range of cutting heights (ideally from 25 mm to 50 mm) were given the best ratings.
- Manoeuvrability and Handling: To identify the best petrol lawn mowers for manoeuvrability, we tested each model’s handling around obstacles like flower beds, trees, fences, tight corners, and various garden layouts. We considered factors like the mower’s height, the width of the wheels, and its weight. Models that weighed 30 kg or more were rated down as these are too heavy for the average gardener.
- Grass Collection and Extra Features: We inspected the grass collection capabilities of each mower, assessing the size and design of the grass box, as well as the ease of removal. Models were marked down on poor design that caused grass spillage or difficulties when detaching the grass box. We also evaluated extra features that enhanced the mowing experience, such as mulching capabilities, adjustable height settings and safety features.
- Build Quality and Robustness: We assessed the build quality and materials used in the construction of each model to gauge their longevity and resistance to wear and tear. We also looked at the durability of key components, such as the cutting blades and the mower deck.
- Value for Money: Finally, we considered each mower’s value for money based on the features they offer, efficiency, performance, and price. Those that were cheaper yet didn’t compromise on quality were rated the best in terms of value for money.
Compare Product Features
Use the dropdown to sort the table by the feature you want to see.
Hyundai 196cc Self Propelled Petrol Lawnmower
- 4.9
- Large
- 196cc
- 51cm
- 25-75mm
- 70 L
- 38.7kg
- Self Propelled Model
- 98dB
Mountfield SP41 Petrol Mower
- 4.6
- Small
- 123cc
- 39cm
- 25-70mm
- 40 L
- 19kg
- Push
- 95dB
Webb Classic WER410SP Self Propelled Petrol Mower
- 4.6
- Small to Medium
- 132cc
- 41cm
- 25-75mm
- 45 L
- 28kg
- Self Propelled Model
- 96dB
Cobra M41C Petrol Lawn Mower
- 4.3
- Small to Medium
- 98.5cc
- 41cm
- 25-75mm
- 50 L
- 19.6kg
- Push
- Not listed
Murray EQ200 Petrol Lawn Mower
- 4.3
- Small to Medium
- 125cc
- 41cm
- 28-92mm
- 60 L
- 22.2kg
- Push
- Not listed




















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