Top 10 best lawn mowers for home use

Spring 2025 is closer than you think. The end of the year is approaching and mowing the lawn is probably the last thing on your mind.
Before you know it, it’s March and your lawn needs some work so you can enjoy it to the fullest in summer.
Once you’ve prepared your garden for summer in the first quarter of the year, the mowing months begin and you may find yourself mowing the grass every week.
It’s important to use the right lawn mower. For example, a petrol mower for larger lawns, an electric mower for most home lawns or a robot mower for maximum convenience. And of course a ride-on mower for really big lawns (or the lazier gardeners among us :).
Once you know what type of lawn mower you need, you can start looking specifically for the best and most suitable one. Given the number of sellers and especially the range of models, you’ll find an overview below of the 10 best lawn mowers of 2021. It makes it much easier to quickly make a good choice and get real value for your money.

There are different types of lawn mowers on the market, each with its own unique features and use. These are some of the most popular:

1. Manual lawn mowers: These are the simplest and cheapest lawn mowers. They’re powered by your own muscle power and are suitable for small to medium-sized lawns.

2. Electric lawn mowers: These mowers are powered by an electric motor. They’re easier to use than manual mowers and suitable for medium to large lawns.

3. Petrol lawn mowers: These mowers are powered by a petrol engine. They’re usually more powerful than electric mowers and suitable for large lawns.

4. Robot mowers: These are automatic lawn mowers that mow the grass on their own. It’s an advanced type of mower that’s usually used for larger lawns.

5. Ride-on lawn mowers: These are lawn mowers you can sit on and drive, and they’re ideal for larger lawns.

It depends on the size of your lawn, the layout of your garden and your personal preferences. A manual mower is suitable for small lawns, an electric mower is ideal for medium-sized lawns and a petrol mower is best for large lawns. If you have a large lawn and don’t want to spend a lot of time mowing, you might want to consider buying a robot mower.

The best ride-on mowers right now

If your garden or lawn is so large that mowing with a petrol mower takes far too much time, then a ride-on mower might be just what you need. But how do you know which ride-on mower is best for your situation? And which model offers the best value for money? We’ve listed the best ride-on mowers of the moment for you.

1. WOLF-Garten S 96.130T ride-on mower 

This ride-on mower from Wolf Garten is suitable for lawns up to around 2000m2. Of course you can also use it on larger lawns, but a wider cutting width might be a bit more practical then. This ride-on mower doesn’t have a collection bag and therefore throws the grass back onto the lawn. It does have a mulching function, so the grass is shredded and acts as fertiliser for the lawn.

Some features of the Wolf Garten S96.130T ride-on mower:

• Side discharge
• Pivoting front axle
• Floating cutting deck
• Mulching function
• Lawn-protecting tyres
• Wheels (f/r): 15'' × 6''/20'' × 8''
• Step-through frame for easy getting on and off
• Headlights
• 3-in-1: collect, discharge and mulch with mulch plug (mulch plug optional)
• Integrated deflector

2. WOLF-Garten S 92.130 T ride-on mower

This ride-on mower from Wolf Garten has a slightly smaller cutting width than the mower above, but it does have a 240-litre collection bag. The Wolf-Garten S 92.130 T is suitable for lawns up to 2000m2. Of course you can also use it on larger lawns. 

Easy and comfortable driving thanks to the transmatic drive with hand-operated speed control. In addition, this ride-on mower is equipped with headlights, a floating cutting deck, lawn-protecting tyres and a step-through frame for easy mounting and dismounting. It also has a mulching function. This ride-on mower is quickly ready for use.

3. MTD OPTIMA Minirider 76 RDE

The MTD OPTIMA Minirider 76 RDE has an attractive design and is very versatile: it can discharge or mulch. It’s ideal for fragmented gardens and easy to operate. You can comfortably mow your lawn while sitting down; even gardens with lots of curves are no problem. Thanks to its compact size it’s very manoeuvrable and, after use, can easily be stored away.

Some features of the MTD Optima Minirider ride-on mower:

• Brand MTD
• Model 13A226SD600
• Cutting width 76 cm
• Mulching function Yes
• Drive Petrol
• EAN 4008423859928
• Tank capacity 4900 ml
• Product width 860 mm
• Product weight 145 kg
• Product height 1120 mm
• Product length 1920 mm

4. SMART RF 125 ride-on mower

The Smart RF 125 ride-on mower is ideal for larger lawns. The MTD SMART RF 125 ride-on mower is the perfect choice for you. The MTD SMART RF 125 is practical, robust and reliable, and with a cutting width of 96 cm, this mower is ideal for lawns up to 2500m2. Thanks to its small turning radius of 46 cm, mowing safely and easily around bushes and flower beds is no problem.

Furthermore, this ride-on mower features a step-through frame for easy mounting and dismounting, a cup holder, a mulching function, an adjustable sprung seat, headlights and ergonomically designed controls. The cutting height can easily be set in five positions between 30 mm and 95 mm.

Some features of the Smart RF 125 ride-on mower:

• Brand MTD
• Lawn area 2500 m²
• Cutting width 96 cm
• Mulching function No
• Drive Petrol
• EAN 4008423854831
• Tank capacity 3800 ml
• Product width 1070 mm
• Product weight 150000 g
• Product height 1070 mm
• Product length 1700 mm
• Lawn area 2500 - 3000 m2
• Cutting width 80 to 100 cm

5. Solo by Al-Ko Premium XSOT23-1256HDV2 2-cyl. 724 cc

This is a real powerhouse among ride-on mowers. Effortlessly mow large lawns with this premium Solo ride-on mower. A cutting width of no less than 125 cm ensures highly efficient working. Two cylinders and a powerful 724 cc engine help you get the job done quickly. The height control can be adjusted in no fewer than 7 positions (30-90 mm). High-tech cruise control and the electronic display complete this modern ride-on mower. 

Some features of the Solo by Al-Ko:

• Electromagnetic blade clutch
• Height adjustment in no fewer than 7 positions (30-90 mm)
• With cruise control function
• Blade drive via toothed belt
• Includes electronic display
• 2 cylinders
• 724 cc engine
• Cutting width: 125 cm
• 2 blades
• 2 hydrostatic drives
• Wheels: 16” / 23”
• Collection bag: 310 litres
• Delivery includes: Solo ride-on mower, mulching plug, 310-litre collection bag

Top 10 lawn mowers 

The 10 lawn mowers below — including cordless, battery-powered, electric and robot lawn mowers — are listed in random order and all meet the criteria we set. Among other things, we looked at price-quality ratio, user experiences and independent reviews (online ratings must be at least 4 stars).

1. Makita DLM460PT2

The 2 included 18-volt Makita LXT batteries let you mow your lawn neatly without extension cords (cordless). With a cutting width of 46 centimetres you mow a large part of your lawn in one pass, making this mower suitable for large lawns (up to 1000m2). The mower has 5 cutting height settings that you adjust centrally, so you decide how short you cut the grass. The mulching function ensures that the cut grass is finely shredded and blown back into the lawn.

2. Wolf Garten A 460 A SP HW

This mower gives you all the convenience you could want. This 2800-watt mower has a 140 cc Briggs & Stratton engine and a 0.8-litre fuel tank. The steel housing encloses the blade, which cuts in strips 46 centimetres wide. You do this with little effort, because the mower is self-propelled and slowly moves forward on its own. You can collect the cut grass in the 60-litre collection bag or shred it for natural fertilisation. You also mow beyond the wheels so you cover the edges of the lawn as well.

3. McCulloch ROB R600

This is a robot mower with a mobile app that keeps lawns with an area of up to 600 m² neatly trimmed. You connect the mower to your phone via Bluetooth, after which you can easily control it and set mowing schedules. Thanks to an intelligent mowing system, the ROB R600 adjusts its mowing schedule to the growth rate of the grass. This prevents damage to your lawn. If you don’t use the app, you can set everything via the keypad on the mower itself. This way you decide exactly how you want to operate the device. The boundary wire, connectors and all other necessities are included.

4. Gardena PowerMax 37

Set the handle to a comfortable position for you and adjust the cutting height centrally between 20 and 60 millimetres. You also mow a bit beyond the wheels, so you catch the lawn edges as well. While mowing, the grass is collected in the 45-litre collection bag, so you don’t have to rake afterwards. If you mow regularly and want to fertilise your lawn (up to 250m2) in a natural way, use the mulching function. The grass clippings are kept in the cutting deck, shredded very finely and blown back into your lawn.

5. Fiskars StaySharp Max

This is the sports car among manual mowers. Thanks to the 46-centimetre cutting width, the Momentum is also suitable for gardens up to 250 m². The contact-free cutting mechanism ensures a very light, quiet yet effective cutting motion. The grass is discharged forwards, so the cut grass passes the blades several times. This reduces the volume of waste and, when you mow very regularly, allows it to be used as fertiliser. The handle is ergonomically designed so you can keep mowing for longer. Cutting height is very easy to adjust, between 2.5 and 10 centimetres.

6. McCulloch M46-140WR

This is a 1.9-kilowatt petrol lawn mower that leaves little to be desired. It has a 50-litre collection bag and a mulching function so you can either neatly collect the grass or fertilise your lawn with the shredded clippings. In addition, this self-propelled mower has a robust steel deck and extra-large rear wheels of 280 millimetres for durability and manoeuvrability. If you want to reverse, first push it a few centimetres forwards. This will unlock the wheels.

7. Wolf Garten A 3472V

With this Li-Ion battery lawn mower you can mow the entire lawn wirelessly, up to a maximum of 250 m². Cutting height can be centrally adjusted in 6 steps between 25 and 75 millimetres. With a cutting width of 34 centimetres you’ll be finished in no time. All cut grass is neatly collected in the 30-litre bag. When the bag is full, an indicator lets you know. In addition to mowing, you also have the option to mulch the grass. The pulverised clippings are then spread over the lawn as a natural fertiliser. The battery has a charging time of between 60 and 90 minutes.

8. Gardena R38Li

If you’d rather have a robot do the mowing for you, the Gardena R38Li might be the perfect solution. This robot mower trims lawns up to 380 m² right to the edge, while you barely have to lift a finger. Set the mowing programme, use the timer if you want, and it will get to work for you. The collision and distance sensors ensure your robot mower moves smoothly around objects in your garden. When the battery runs low, the mower automatically returns to the base station. There the battery is recharged in 50 minutes, after which the robot resumes the mowing programme. With the theft protection you can be sure that your R38Li only works for you.

9. Black & Decker

For a large garden this mower is a real lifesaver. This 2000-watt electric lawn mower has a cutting width of 48 centimetres and is therefore suitable for large areas. You set the cutting height centrally to one of the 7 positions between 38 and 100 millimetres. All grass is collected in the 50-litre bag, so you don’t need to rake afterwards. The mower also has a mulching function that shreds the grass and fertilises your lawn naturally.

10. Einhell GE-CM 43 Li M Kit

This powerful battery lawn mower is your best friend if you have a somewhat larger lawn to maintain. You don’t just get a set of 18-volt batteries, but also 2 fast chargers. This means you never again have to interrupt mowing before every corner of the garden is neatly trimmed. With a cutting width of 43 centimetres, even large gardens are neatly mowed in no time. You can set the cutting height yourself in 6 different positions, from 25 to 75 millimetres.

Other tips

It’s important to scarify in time if you want a beautiful, healthy lawn you can enjoy all summer and only have to maintain. The rule here is: good preparation is more than half the work!