If you are looking for a lawn mower for stripes that can create the attractive effect on your beloved lawn, you've come to the right place. Lawn stripes are considered a gardening technique that is commonly used on sports fields and public lawns, but you can create them in your garden too. Despite looking pretty tricky to achieve, the stripes are made by bending the blades of grass in different directions, creating a contrast effect with your lawn mower. And, don't they look smart?
Achieving the perfect lawn stripes requires proper mowing techniques and the right equipment. It is essential to have a lawn mower with a rear roller or a striping kit and to follow a consistent mowing pattern to get the best results. Additionally, regular lawn maintenance, including watering, using fertiliser, and lawn care, will help keep the grass healthy and vibrant, enhancing the overall appearance of the stripes.
Best lawn mower for stripes at a glance:
• Best overall: Flymo Chevron 32VC Electric Wheeled Lawnmower - View now on Amazon UK
• Best lightweight lawn mower for stripes: Flymo Easistore 340R 34cm Corded Rotary Lawnmower - View now on Homebase
• Best cordless lawn mower for stripes: LawnMaster MX 24V 34cm Cordless Lawnmower - View now on Amazon UK
We've scoured the internet for the best lawn mowers that will create picture-perfect stripes in your lawn. After all, helping to keep your outdoor space in tip-top condition is an important job, no matter the season. If your hedges need cutting back, consider our hedge trimmers buyers guide. Your garden, your way. From electric and cordless lawn mowers to lawn mowers that are suited to larger lawns. We've got everything covered. For answers to your cutting-edge questions, scroll down to our lawn mower for stripes FAQs. You're welcome.
Best lawn mower for stripes 2024
Best overall
Flymo/AmazonThe Flymo Chevron 32VC Electric Wheeled Lawnmower is more than capable of creating clean and clear stripes on your lawn thanks to the single rear roller. This has a 32cm cutting width and, weighing in at under nine kilograms, offers lightweight manoeuvrability.
This has a relatively small 29-litre grass box that collects the clippings but there's a handy indicator to let you know when the box needs emptying. It is a great lawn mower overall that comes highly recommended by reviewers as the perfect option for small and medium gardens.
Pros
- Lightweight at less than nine kilograms overall
- Great for smaller lawns thanks to its 32cm cutting width
- Assembly instructions are described as easy to follow
Cons
- Grass box can be fiddly to put together
| Dimensions: | H99 x W36.5 x D125cm |
| Weight: | 8.34kg |
| Cutting heights: | 5 (20-60mm) |
Best lightweight lawn mower for stripes
Flymowww.homebase.co.uk
Easy-to-push lawn mowers are what you need for helping to create stripes in your lawn and the Flymo Easistore is lightweight and compact enough to help you easily move up and down your lawn and carry out the turns required to mow in a different direction.
This budget-friendly lawn mower is equipped with a large, easy-to-empty 35-litre grass box with full bag indicator, has a close-to-edge cutting deck for a neat finish, central height adjusts, that rear roller to create a striped effect, and comfortable dual lever handles for easy manoeuvring and operation.
Pros
- Slick and effective with dual lever handles
- Small and easy to store thanks to its vertical storage capability
Cons
- Fiddly emptying the collection box
| Dimensions: | H95, W38, D120cm |
| Weight: | 11kg |
| Cutting heights: | 5 ranging from 2cm-6cm |
Best cordless lawn mower for stripes
LawnMaster/AmazonThis LawnMaster MX 24V Cordless Lawnmower comes complete with two reliable 24V 4.0Ah lithium-ion batteries and a one-hour fast charger - meaning you'll never run out of charge halfway through your lawn trim and can enjoy the freedom of not having to worry about the cords. The batteries use less power in easier cutting conditions to offer you more cutting time.
This comes with a rear roller, so you can create those stripes with ease. Reviewers praise this mower's sharp carbon steel blade and are impressed at how close this can cut to the edges of lawns, making for a neat and precise finish. As far as storage goes, the handles fold over the body of the mower and the grass collector folds flat for storing on top of the mower.
Pros
- Battery power is adjusted according to the grass conditions
- Cordless design so you don't need to worry about cables
- Supplied complete with two batteries
Cons
- Not recommended for large lawns due to battery life
| Dimensions: | 38D x 23W x 97H cm |
| Weight: | 11.4kg |
| Cutting heights: | 6 |
Best budget lawn mower for stripes
Bosch/AmazonIf you're after a lawn mower that will help you create stripes on your lawn but won't cost the earth while doing it, Bosch's popular Rotak 32 R 1200W Rotary Lawn Mower is lightweight, compact and has that crucial built-in rear roller for creating stripes. This currently enjoys a 4.3-star rating on Amazon with other 12,000 reviews.
This offers you three different cutting height settings; 20mm, 40mm, and 60mm. The slimline design and innovative grass comb enable close-to-edge mowing along walls, fences, and flower beds. This mower's 31-litre grass collection box should be roomy enough to cut smaller gardens without pause.
Pros
- Lightweight with a useful carry handle for portability
- Powerdrive motor ensures brilliant cutting performance
Cons
- Not cordless
| Dimensions: | N/A |
| Weight: | 9.3 kg |
| Cutting heights: | <meta charset="utf-8">3 (20-60mm) |
Best for small lawns
Hyundai/AmazonHyundai’s 1600W Electric Lawn Mower is perfectly suited to creating stripes for small to medium lawns as it is equipped with a rear roller and low-cut settings which allows you to achieve your striped lawn finish. It has a 38cm cutting width, larger than most of the more compact mowers we're featuring. Those few extra centimetres might not sound a lot, but you should notice the difference in how quickly you cut your lawn.
This has five different cutting heights so you can achieve the exact finish you want. There's a 10-metre power cable and the lawn mower is also pretty easy to store away thanks to the foldable handle system and collapsing grass collection bag.
Pros
- This is a good size with a 38cm cutting width
- Five different cutting heights from 20mm to 70mm
Cons
- Some reviews said they would like a longer cable
| Dimensions: | 29D x 38W x 59H cm |
| Weight: | 12.5 kg |
| Cutting heights: | 5 |
Best petrol lawn mower for stripes
Cobra/Amazonwww.mowers-online.co.uk
The Cobra RM40C 40cm Push Petrol Lawn Mower with a Rear Roller is a great option for those who prefer using a more traditional petrol lawn mower. The full-width rear roller will help create the traditional striped finish on your lawn. This features a 40cm cutting width so it can easily manage small to medium-sized lawn areas.
This can handle gardens of up to 600 square metres with the generous, heavy-duty, 50-litre grass collection bag taking care of the cuttings. The collection bag is made of fabric for improved airflow which should mean more cuttings are successfully collected. This is heavier than an electric mower at 28 kilograms but its well-balanced design makes it manageable.
Pros
- A varied choice of cutting heights from 17mm
- 40cm cutting width great for medium-sized gardens
Cons
- Not as eco-friendly as electric options
| Power: | 98.5cc |
| Weight: | N/A |
| Cutting heights: | 6 17-75mm |
Best for larger lawns
LawnMasterwww.robertdyas.co.uk
If you're lucky enough to have a large lawn, LawnMaster's 1800W Lawn Mower 40cm cutting width and 10-metre power cable make it perfect for cutting stripes into more extensive lawns. The 1800W electric motor boasts LawnMaster's T-Drive technology that automatically adjusts the torque keep the blade's speeds up in tougher cutting conditions such as with longer or wet grass.
You can also choose between two ways to dispose of grass clippings - either in the 42-litre Redi-bag ready for green waste disposal or using the supplied mulch plug to finely cut the clippings and return them to the lawn to act as a nutrient. This mower has folding handles to collapse down for space-saving storage.
Pros
- Doesn't struggle cutting long grass thanks to the T-Drive technology
- Powerful 1800W electric motor covered by a two-year guarantee
Cons
- Some reviewers want a longer cable
| Dimensions: | 112.3D x 46.1W x 126.5H cm |
| Weight: | 15kg |
| Cutting heights: | 6 |
How we chose the best lawn mower for stripes
All of these lawn mowers have been hand-selected by our team of Modern Gardens shopping experts. We carefully considered size, features and performance in our selection of the best. Our team has spent hours investigating and researching lawn mowers to make it easier for you to find the very best, and we'd never recommend a product we don't believe in.
Where possible, we also test and share the latest and best products you should know about. And with help from Modern Gardens Magazine, Garden News and Garden Answers, we share expert gardening knowledge to help you get the most from your product.
FAQs
Do people have stripes on their lawns?
Yes! Many gardeners still love the 'stripey lawn' effect, especially those with bigger garden spaces that require lawnmowers to suit larger gardens. Often seen on golf courses and sports fields, they enjoy creating stripes in their lawns as a way to showcase their landscaping skills and enhance the overall look of their garden. The stripes are achieved by using a lawn mower equipped with a rear roller or a striping kit.
How do you create stripes on your lawn?
When you mow the grass in one direction, the rear roller or striping kit flattens the grass blades in that direction, creating a darker shade. When you mow in the opposite direction, the grass blades are bent in the opposite direction, reflecting light differently and creating a lighter shade. This contrast between light and dark creates the striped effect.
What is a rear roller on a lawn mower?
A rear roller is a cylinder bar or drum located at the rear of the cutting deck, parallel to the ground. It serves several functions including:
Striping effect: The main purpose of a rear roller is to create a striped pattern on the lawn. When the lawn mower moves forward, the roller gently pressures down on the grass blades as they are cut.
Lawn flattening: The roller also helps to even out the surface of the lawn, helping to flatten any uneven spots.
Improved manoeuvrability: Having a rear roller can also enhance the manoeuvrability of a lawn mower as it provides stability and helps guide the mower along a straight path.
Grass collection: Some lawn mowers with rear rollers come with grass collection bags attached. The roller can help push grass into the collection bag more easily.
It's important to note that rear rollers are typically found on specific types of lawn mowers, such as rotary mowers and cylinder mowers.
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Hannah Mellin is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for Modern Gardens, A Modern Kitchen, Yours and Take A Break. She has been working in the Journalism industry for over a decade and has written for an array of brands including John Lewis, Daily Mirror and Grazia. When she's not writing, researching or testing products, she's renovating her Victorian terrace and chilling in the garden with her sausage dog Waffle.