When it comes to lawn maintenance there is no better equipment for the job than a self-propelled petrol lawnmower. The most powerful type of mower available, it’s got more cutting power than any other machine, with the combustion engine inside providing unrivalled cutting power.
Mowing becomes much easier, regardless of lawn condition. For instance, thick and overgrown lawns can be difficult to mow with an electric lawn mower yet petrol models have no such issue, with the robust engine giving the blade all the power it needs to remove even the toughest growth.
However, this power traditionally came at an expense – the mowers are typically much heavier than their electric or cordless counterparts. This is where the self-propelled function comes into play, which is a drive system that pushes the mower for you, making it simple to operate despite its heavier weight.
This not only makes them easier to use but also better equipped for irregularly shaped lawns. For example, self-propulsion makes mowing on sloped and hilly lawns effortless, ensuring easy and efficient maintenance no matter the shape or condition of your lawn!
Furthermore, because they are powered by petrol, they don’t need to plug into a power source. This means no power cord to worry about, so the mower is easy to manoeuvre, even in awkwardly shaped gardens, while you don’t need to worry about mowing over a cable.
As you can see, there are many great reasons to invest in the best self propelled petrol lawn mower without breaking the bank!
Self Propelled Mower Reviews
- 125cc 4-stroke engine
- 41cm cutting width
- 6 cutting heights (28mm to 92mm)
- Recoil starter
- Two cutting modes
- 60L grass bag
The Murray EQ300 is a robust lawn mower equipped with a Briggs & Stratton 300E series engine, providing it with ample power for mowing lawns. A 125cc 4-stroke engine is on the smaller side for a petrol mower, although this doesn’t mean it lacks for power!
In fact, the 41cm cutting width is suitable for most medium lawns, so even while it’s not the largest or most powerful petrol engine, the larger cutting blade ensures you aren’t spending too long cutting the grass.
There are six cutting heights, with the blade adjustable from 28mm to 92mm, so it should have enough range for most lawn lengths. There are two levers let at each side of the cutting deck allow to you easily adjust the blade position.
It’s good to have this range of cutting heights, as you can lawn consistently throughout the different seasons, such as keeping the blade high during the summer months when you only want to remove a short amount to avoid scalping.
Two cutting functions are included, with a standard collection mode and a rear discharge, with the clippings being gathered into a spacious 60L grass collector, so you shouldn’t need to stop and empty it.
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P1PE Hyundai Engine P5100SPE 173cc Self Propelled Petrol Lawn mower
- 173cc 4 Stroke Hyundai Petrol Engine
- 50cm Cutting Width
- Seven Cutting Heights (25mm to 85mm)
- Four Cutting Modes
- Electric Starter
- 60L Grass Bag
The P1PE is an excellent petrol lawnmower from renowned auto manufacturer Hyundai. Given the pedigree, if their vehicle’s petrol engines, it’s no surprise that Hyundai has produced the same quality standards in this mower engine, which is one of the biggest and most powerful on the market.
A monstrous 173cc, 4-stroke engine provides unrivalled cutting power, so whether your garden lawn is massive or tends to get long and overgrown, this model is more than capable of handling it with ease.
This big engine makes mowing fast and efficient no matter the condition of the lawn. As a self-propelled mower, you don’t need to worry about this engine making the device to hard to move, with the drive system doing all the work for you.
At 50cm, the cutting width is also on the larger side, meaning you will get the lawn in no time at all, even if it is massive. When combined with a powerful engine, there’s no lawn too large or too rough for the P1PE.
It’s not all power though, as the mower comes with an incredible seven cutting heights, allowing you to get the perfect finish no matter how long or short the growth is. Simply pull the lever at the side of the cutting deck to adjust the height!
You also get four cutting modes, including cut and collect, cut and drop, side discharge, and mulching, so it’s a very well-rounded machine suitable for all your lawn maintenance needs.
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Einhell GC-PM 46 S Self Propelled Petrol Lawnmower
- 139cc 4-stroke engine
- 46cm cutting width
- 9 cutting heights (20mm to 80mm)
- Recoil starter
- 50L grass collector
The Einhell GC-PM 46 S is a great model for mid-size gardens, offering one of the most impressive ranges of cutting heights on the market.
Powered by a 139cc, 4stroke engine, it has plenty of cutting power and can handle most lawn conditions, although it’s generally recommended for medium-sized lawns. You could mow on larger lawns; it just might take longer with the 46cm cutting width, so bear this in mind.
An eye-catching feature on this mower is the ability to swap to nine different blade heights. Most models only have around half of this number, so being able to make such small adjustments to the blade height is a big bonus for those looking to maintain the perfect lawn.
While it technically uses a recoil starter, the cord is fitted to the handle so you don’t need to jerk on it too hard, making it much easier to power up compared to most other recoil starters. The handle is also ergonomically designed, helping to avoid aches and fatigue from poor posturing and handling.
The mower also comes with disenable rear-wheel drive, which basically improves handling and fuel efficiency, so it’s a welcome addition to the GC-PM 46 S.
Yard Force 46cm Self Propelled Petrol Lawnmower
- 125cc 4- stroke engine
- 46cm cutting width
- 7 cutting heights (25 to 75mm)
- Mulching function
- 55L grass collector
This mid-size mower from Yard Force is another great choice for medium sized gardens. It comes equipped with an impressive engine, which is a 125cc Briggs & Stratton 450E series model that has plenty of power for your mowing needs.
Granted, the 46cm cutting width and somewhat smaller sized engine (at least compared to some of the larger petrol lawn mowers) make it less suitable for large lawns, but it’s still a very reliable mower that will make short work of medium lawns.
A total of seven cutting heights are included, which are adjustable through a central height lever for added convenience, ranging from 25mm to 70mm. This is a good range and suitable for getting the right length any time of year, like when you need to lower the blade to remove all the length from the first cut of the season!
The mower also comes with a mulching plug, allowing you to swap between different cutting modes depending on your needs. Cut and collect with gather clippings into the large 50L grass bag, while the mulching function shreds clippings into a fine consistency before scattering through the back of the mower.
Hyundai HYM460SPE 4-Stroke Petrol Lawnmower Self Propelled
- 139cc, 4-stroke engine
- 46cm cutting width
- 6 cutting heights (25 to 75mm)
- Electric starter and backup recoil starter
- 4 cutting modes
- 70L grass collector with level indicator
This petrol mower from Hyundai is perfect for medium-sized lawns. Featuring a robust 139cc, 4-stroke Hyundai petrol engine, it can easily handle the most overgrown of lawns while the self-propulsion and large wheels make it surprisingly easy to operate.
Starting the mower is quick and easy thanks to an electric starter – just push the button and it will power up the first time of asking. Better still, there is a backup recoil starter just in case there is an issue with the electric starter, which is impressive as most models have one or the other.
An impressive range of cutting heights (25mm to 75mm) can be easily interchanged through central adjustment lever, with the various height settings making it easy to get the perfect cut no matter how long your grass is.
Additionally, there are four cutting modes that you can use including the standard cut and collect, cut and drop, side discharge, and mulching. Mulching is a great way to naturally feed your lawn with nutrients from old clippings, while the other modes are handy for quick gathering, with the 70L grass box ensuring no emptying is required as you mow.
Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Buying Guide
Are you looking for the best self propelled lawn mower but are unsure what you need? There are a number of things to consider when buying a lawnmower, as you want to ensure that you get a device that is best suited to your gardening habits.
You can also read our guide on push petrol mowers and manual lawnmowers.
Here are some things to keep an eye on when buying:
Cutting Height
The cutting height of a mower is an important consideration because it affects the length of grass it can remove. Most mowers come with adjustable cutting heights, giving the option to cut the grass the different heights, so the more height options the more flexibility you have.
While it’s common to use the same cutting height throughout the year, there are times when you might want to adjust it, such as during the first mowing of the year. Also, it’s never recommended to remove too much length at one time as it can damage the lawn, so if your grass gets too long you may need to adjust the cutting height accordingly.
Cutting Width
When choosing the cutting width of a mower you should always consider the size of your garden first, as the width impacts how quickly mowing takes. For instance, on a larger lawn, a wide cutting width means that fewer passes need to be made, saving time and effort mowing.
So, if you have a medium or large-sized lawn then make sure to choose a suitably sized cutting width. These are measured in inches and can range from as little as 18 inches to upwards of 40 inches. For medium and large lawns, look for a cutting width between 30-40+”.
Starter Function
One of the few difficulties associated with petrol lawnmowers is getting them to start. This is because many use a recoil starter, which involves pulling a cord to power up the engine and getting the necessary strength and motion sometimes takes a few tries to get right.
However, many models now come with an electric starter function. This basically means there is a button that you push to start the mower, much like on an electric model, removing most of the hassle of trying to get it started.
Engine Size
There are two main engine sizes available, 2-stroke and 4-stroke, with the latter being the larger and more powerful of the two. This means that 4-stroke engines provide more cutting power but are also much heavier, although this is less of an issue thanks to the self-propulsion function.
Additionally, 4-stroke engines are easier to clean and maintain as they don’t require any oil/petrol mixtures to be used for fuel, which is the case for 2-stroke engines. Not needing to mix fuel is a huge convenience, so unless you want to spend time mixing fuel you will want to go with a 4-stroke engine.
2-stroke engines are typically found on smaller lawnmowers and tools like strimmers, so you may require a 4-stroke engine if your lawn is larger. That said, many people have smaller gardens where a 2-stroke engine should be okay.
Remember, while a larger engine means more cutting power it also means a higher price!
Rear Rollers
This is an extra feature that allows you to create a striped effect on the lawn. It’s not a must-have feature by any means, although many people do love to create a well-maintained lawn with a striped effect, so if you like the sound of this keep an eye out for models with a rear roller.
Think about how long you want to spend mowing the lawn. If you want the job done as quickly as possible, then don’t bother with a rear roller, but if you don’t mind putting in the time and effort to mow a lovely striped effect then rear rollers are a nice feature to have.
Mulching
Lawnmowers equipped with a mulching plug can finely shred the grass clippings into mulch. This is dispersed into the lawn where it eventually breaks down, with nutrients feeding the grass and acting as a natural fertilizer.
It’s a useful function to have on a lawnmower, as you can essentially feed the grass with nutrients without needing to buy fertilizer or apply anything to the lawn. However, the mulching function does usually increase the price of the mower, while not everyone will care too much about feeding their lawn.
Grass Box
If you have a larger lawn then make sure that the mower comes with a suitable sized grass box. The last thing you want is to be constantly stopping the mower to empty the grass clippings, so a decent size grass collector is always recommended.
Storage
Always ensure that you have enough storage space for your lawnmower. Petrol engines are more susceptible to corrosion than electric motors, so it is important to store the lawnmower inside of a shed or garage.
Of course, the lawnmower may be quite big, especially if your lawn is large, so be sure to check the size of the model and make sure you have adequate storage space.
Last update on 2024-10-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
