The best electric lawn mower under £500 will make lawn care on those perfect summer days even easier. Better still, achieving a perfectly striped lawn can cost less than half that amount, as we'll discover. Whether you're sipping a chilled Pimms and relaxing in your garden, watching the kids play football, or teeing up on the golf course – all of these pleasures involve turf. While you may not have grass tennis court goals, taking time and care over your lawn is a labour of love. The best lawn mowers are a cut above because they allow you to grasscycle with ease. And if you don't know what that means, let Modern Gardens enlighten you.
First of all, don't sit on the fence about switching to an electric lawn mower. The cost, energy and faff-saving benefits are clear. By opting for an electric lawn mower, you're choosing emission-free mowing and none of the starting problems and maintenance that come with petrol lawn mowers. That is, of course, if you have a small or medium size garden. By choosing a corded electric mower, you're limited to how far the power cable can stretch. Even with an outdoor extension cable, it can still be difficult to reach all of a grassed area. Large gardens are best maintained with a petrol or ride-on lawnmower.
Best electric lawn mower under £500 at a glance:
• Best overall corded electric lawnmower under £500: Bosch Rotak 34R Electric Lawnmower – View on Amazon UK
• Best budget electric lawn mower: Webb Classic WEER3 Electric Rotary Lawnmower – View on Amazon UK
• Best lightweight electric lawn mower under £500: Flymo Chevron 32VC Electric Wheeled Lawnmower – View on Robert Dyas
Cordless lawn mowers remove the constraints of a power cable, and they're superb for intricate lawns. However, be aware of the limited battery life and have a spare charged battery to hand if you're in the middle of a big job. Happily, both corded electric and cordless lawn mowers retail between £100 and £500 which is considerably less than their petrol, ride on and robot counterparts.
With an electric lawn mower, you have a convenient grass-cutting solution. It's ideal if you need the mower to take some of the strain whilst still giving you the pleasure of mowing a lawn. Look for lawn mowers that have a plastic (polypropylene) cutting deck, soft grip handles and an easy-to-adjust cutting height level as this will ensure the lawn mower is lightweight and comfortable to use. Scroll to the FAQs for more guidance on outdoor extension cables and grasscycling using a mulching mower.
Best electric lawn mower under £500
Best overall corded electric lawn mower under £500
This compact Bosch Rotak 34R Electric Lawnmower is an ideal electric lawn mower for small and medium-sized gardens and will ensure that your grass is perfectly trimmed, right to the edge, every time. This Amazon Choice product is lightweight at just 11.1kg. The 34cm cutting width is perfect for small to medium-sized lawns, but you also can adjust the cutting height from 2cm up to 7cm for more scope. It is comfortable and easy to push. Also, the grass box can hold 40 litres of clippings, so you can get the job done in one go. The Powerdrive motor ensures precision cutting performance, even in difficult situations, such as in long grass, making it easy to manoeuvre around objects and your garden.
Customer review: "I absolutely love this mower. I have used it for almost a month now and I am amazed with all its features. The power chord is quite long and the power is too good. I have used other mowers for my garden but the levelling with this mower is just amazing. Full value for money."
Pros
- It is comfortable
- Easy to manoeuvre
- 40-litre collection bag
Cons
- Corded, so can be harder for larger gardens
Best budget electric lawn mower
The Webb Classic WEER33 Electric Rotary Lawnmower has excellent features and will ensure a superb finish on your lawn while being easy to manage. It's an Amazon Choice product that's straightforward to assemble and fold up for storage. The foam handle is comfortable and can be adjusted to a range of heights. This relatively quiet lawnmower can cut grass right up to the edge of walls and fences. At just 8.8kg this model is easy to manoeuvre. It has a 1,300W motor with 1,600W and 1,800W models also available at a slightly higher price.
Customer review: "What a fantastic lawnmower I am really pleased with it and worth every penny, no wonder it was voted best little lawnmower."
Pros
- Comfortable handles
- Adjustable
- Lightweight
Cons
- Some found the lawn mower struggled with damp grass
Best lightweight electric lawn mower under £500
www.robertdyas.co.uk
The Flymo Chevron 32VC Electric Wheeled Lawn Mower is ideal for smaller lawns and first-time electric lawn mower buyers. For a grass cutter that weighs just 8kg, it packs in an impressive 1,200W motor for efficient grass cutting. It compacts as it collects, meaning you’ll spend less time emptying the grass box. The rear roller adds a stylish striped effect to the lawn as well as providing stability. Switch with ease between the five cutting heights thanks to the central height adjuster lever. And when you’re done, the mower is simple to pack away thanks to the lightweight build, convenient carry handle and handy cable storage system.
Customer review: "This is great for a small/medium sized garden. The height adjustment handle is really easy to figure out. All in all a great mower for the money."
Pros
- Lightweight
- Cable storage
- Powerful for the size
Cons
- Grass box can be tricky to put together
Best lawn mower for larger lawns
www.machinemart.co.uk
The robust Einhell Power X-Change 36/47 Cordless Lawnmower is a powerful electric lawn mower designed for large lawns, with a wide 47cm cutting width and six cutting height positions (30–65 mm) for efficient mowing. It has a 75L grass collection box and comes with two 18V batteries for extended operation. Do note its limited ground clearance may cause some difficulties on bumpy lawns, and the protruding wheels may need additional edge trimming.
Customer review: "This is my first electric cordless lawn mower and I’m very impressed. The battery capacity is excellent. We have a reasonable sized lawn area and after mowing I have plenty of life left in two of the batteries with the other two still in reserve. The only criticism is as others have mentioned, it is very low and does get stuck on uneven areas. But this is a minor issue as you can easily move on. All in all I’m very happy as the self propelling feature makes light work of my lawn, has a large grass collection basket and although a large mower is very manoeuvrable."
Pros
- Wide 47cm cutting width for efficiency
- 75 L grass collection box
- Includes 2 x 18V batteries
Cons
- Wheels stick out, so additional edge trimming may be needed
Best for extra-long power cable
www.mowdirect.co.uk
If you don't want to invest in an outdoor extension cable, the WOLF-Garten Select S3800E Electric Lawnmower could be your best option. This model has a 20-metre power cable, which should be ample for a small garden. In addition, this model has a robust spec with a 1,400-watt motor, three cutting heights and a plastic cutting deck, so it's lighter to push. The cutting width is 38cm which is ideal for a small lawn. Aesthetically, it's a bold yellow and red model that can't help but make us think of Iron Man!
Customer review: "Assembly instructions are simple, relevant and complete. No frills like fancy cable management or "grass box full" indicators. Decent build quality; at least the plastic won't rust. The 20m cable is twice as long as many competitors' cables and reduces the need for an extension lead. Cut-height adjustment is simple, if fiddly (individual wheels), but functional. Cuts well and close to the edge of the deck. Decent amount of "oomph" in the motor, so it didn't struggle when I attacked a 2ft-high overgrown bit. Overall, very pleased; if it lasts more than the two year warranty period, it will be better Value for money than the £400 petrol mower it replaced."
Pros
- Good value for money
- Effective on tough grass
- Lightweight
Cons
- A customer review comments on difficulty with the folding handle
Best for lower noise emission
www.mowdirect.co.uk
The Stiga Combi 340 C Electric Lawnmower has a powerful 1,600-watt motor and boasts six cutting positions and a massive 60-litre grass collector bag capacity. Swedish brand Stiga have designed this top-quality lawn mower with the user experience in mind. It's low noise and has a polypropylene cutting deck so it's incredibly lightweight to push. Also, there is a handy window in the grass collector box, so you can check if it's full at a glance. The different size front and rear wheels with a grooved treads offer easier manoeuvrability over bumpy lawns.
Pros
- High spec and powerful for the price
- Light and easier to push
- Quieter for residential areas
Cons
- No customer review
Best for rust-proof cutting deck
www.mowdirect.co.uk
With its 1,300-watt motor, this is a lightweight yet powerful compact lawn mower. The Oleo-Mac K-40P Hand-Propelled Electric Lawnmower has several features that we like. First, the cutting deck is made from ABS plastic that is strong, corrosion-proof and much lighter than its metal equivalent. As a result, this lawn mower is several kilos lighter than other models of similar power. If you need an electric lawn mower that's easy to push, this is a great option.
Pros
- Low effort handling
- Ideal for a small urban garden
Cons
- No customer review
Best electric lawn mower under £500 for features
www.robertdyas.co.uk
The Bosch AdvancedRotak 750 Corded Lawnmower is a levelled-up mower with a host of impressive features. Notably, it's sleek design refinements and finishing, that's inspired by the automotive industry, make it easy to compact and store. The New ProSilence delivers a 75 per cent reduction in noise, so you won't disturb the neighbours. A huge 50-litre grass collection bag that's been improved to deliver outstanding collection and compaction. The Ergoflex handle grips are ergonomic to make this lawn mower comfortable when mowing for long periods of time. Also, the Smooth Running Wheels make it easier to push over harder terrain. Finally, the HOC System allows you to change the cutting height of the mower with ease.
Customer review: "I have cut the grass loads over the summer with this mower. It’s powerful enough to deal with a large garden (approximately 700sqm) even when the grass is long – got out of hand a few times. The Pro-Silence feature is a bonus. It’s a solid machine and worth the money."
Pros
- Thoughtfully designed
- High quality
- Excellent performance
Cons
- Power cable is 10 metres, and some may find this a little too short for their garden
FAQs: Best electric lawn mower under £500
I'm buying an extension cable for my electric lawn mower, what should I look for?
The length of the power cable can vary from 10 metres to 20 metres on an electric lawn mower. You can buy an extension cable to extend its reach but do ensure you are buying an outdoor extension cable. This is a weather-resistant cable that's made from heavy-duty materials. Look for an extension cable with a wire thickness that's a 14 gauge minimum. The thicker wire can cope with more power flow – reducing the danger of the electric lawn mower overheating. Always use an extension cable that's designed for outdoor use and can cope with the wattage of your outdoor appliance.
Are grass clippings good for my lawn?
Yes, leaving grass clippings on the lawn returns nutrients and nitrogen to the soil. However, it is important to return the clippings in the right way to avoid smothering living grass.
First, if your lawn is overgrown, don't leave additional clippings behind. The living blades of grass need to receive sunlight, air and water.
The cutting deck needs to be set to a height where it cuts a third off the grass. This ensures the grass clippings are small enough to decompose fast. Better still, opt for a mulching mower that cuts the grass clippings into finer pieces. The clippings will rot faster and provide nutrients for the soil. This also helps to avoid thatch build-up, which is where dead grass clippings accumulate on the lawn.
Do not leave grass clippings on a wet lawn as this creates the potential for fungal diseases to develop.
The RHS advises leaving short grass clippings on your lawn in hot weather as it creates a mulch that retains water. Distribute the thatch when the weather cools down.
Having the right equipment is essential, you want your lawn mower to be powerful enough to cut quickly. Just like cutting a hedge with dull garden shears, a blunt blade can tear the grass, which causes the lawn stress and results in larger clippings. Mow your lawn often to keep the grass clippings small. Choosing a mower with a rear or side discharger will distribute the clippings onto the lawn that you've just mown. This helps to avoid clumps and uneven distribution.
What can I do with my grass clippings?
In a word: grasscycle. Grass clippings are an excellent source of nutrients and nitrogen. Compost them with other organic matter to create an all-natural garden fertiliser.
A mulching mower is the neatest and easiest way to distribute grass clippings back onto your lawn and nourish it.
Bag grass clippings and dispose of as green waste.
If you don't have a mulching mower with a discharger, a rake is a simple way of distributing grass clippings on your lawn.
Top tips for mowing and lawn care:
First, mow your grass when it's dry. So, if there's been a water fight around the paddling pool, it's best to wait a day or two.
Mowing a lawn in the summer needs to be done twice a week to keep the grass between an optimum 2cm-4cm. You can relax a little during the spring and autumn when it will just need mowing once a week. Do not cut the grass any shorter than 2cm. Also, remember that grass is a living thing, so don't remove more than a third of its length in one go. As above, sometimes it's better to remove clippings so the living grass doesn't suffocate.
Grass won't grow much in the winter, so it will only need an occasional light tidy-up.
If you're experiencing heatwave weather and drought conditions, let your grass grow longer, as it will already be stressed by a lack of water.
Make sure your lawn is receiving direct sunlight, as lawns don't fare so well in the shade and are more prone to moss that's caused by damp soil. Although moss looks green, it's not benefitting your turf if you find wide expanses of it in your lawn. The presence of moss is a sign of compacted soil and poor drainage.
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Natalie Knowles is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for Modern Gardens, specialising in garden trends. When she's not flexing her mow-how, Natalie is a successful artist and illustrator.