Which lawn mower brand to buy in 2024

We survey owners of lawn mowers from the likes of Cobra, Flymo, Gtech, Honda and John Deere to find the reliable brands that customers are happiest with
Jonny MartinResearcher & writer
A few lawn mowers hanging on a shop wall

Power issues are the most common faults across all lawn mower types, with cordless mower batteries failing to charge, electric mowers suffering electrical failures and petrol-mower engines failing to turn over.

Knowing which brands develop the most faults and how quickly is vital when buying a new lawn mower. That’s why each year we ask thousands of Which? members to tell us whether they're happy, or have experienced problems, with their lawn mowers in our unique customer satisfaction survey.

In our latest analysis, we've looked at the performance of the biggest manufacturers – including Cobra, Flymo, Gtech, Honda, John Deere – and have calculated a customer score for each, so you know which brands to choose and which to avoid.


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Best vs worst lawn mower brands

As part of our latest lawn mower brand survey, we've crunched the numbers to calculate customer satisfaction scores for 19 different lawn mower brands.

Our data is based on a survey conducted in January 2022. We gathered feedback from 5,387 lawn mower owners and recorded the percentage of mowers that remained fault-free after seven years. Brands with insufficient sample sizes were not included and the results below from corded, cordless and petrol hedge trimmers are combined.


Best Worst
Average score in our lawn mower tests78%56%
Customer satisfaction score90%68%

Average scores correct as of January 2023.

As you can see, there's a big difference in both average test score and customer satisfaction when we compare the best and worst brands.

By consulting our expert lawn mower reviews before you buy, you can be sure that you're investing in a mower that's easy to use and effective at cutting different grass lengths. The best models also stand the test of time, so you won't be dealing with expensive repairs and spare parts.

Read our guide on how to buy the best lawn mower to help you find the perfect model for all your grass cutting needs.

Cordless, electric and petrol lawn mowers

Join Which? to get access to the table below, plus all our Best Buys and lawn mower reviews. We’ve tested lawn mowers from brands including Bosch, Flymo and Mountfield, but only the very best make a Best Buy.

Brand (cordless, electric or petrol)Customer satisfaction scorePercentage fault-free after seven years
90%89%
86%88%
86%97%
84%94%
84%98%
82%96%
80%N/A

Fault-free percentage based on products purchased between 2015 and 2021

Common lawn mower problems

Although each type of lawn mower is very different in terms of the mechanics that make them run, the most common issues owners of all types of lawn mowers face relate to power outages.

These can be caused by Li-ion batteries in cordless mowers struggling to retain a charge, or by key elements of the engines in electric and petrol mowers rusting or wearing away over time. Moist or cold storage environments can often exacerbate or accelerate these problems.

Cordless lawn mower faults

  1. 15% – battery failed to charge. Correct storage can help extend the life of your battery. Remove it from the mower after use and store it in a dry place at a moderate temperature.
  2. 11% – battery would not hold charge. Lithium-ion batteries always lose their ability to hold charge eventually. That's why you should always buy a mower with a replaceable battery.
  3. 10% – electrical failure. Key functioning elements may be rusted or worn away. If you aren't confident you can spot what's wrong, it's best to get your mower serviced.

Other than proper storage, the best way to extend the life of your battery is to charge it up a few times in the off season, so that it doesn't ever deplete all the way to 0% charge. If it does, you may find that when you come to use it again in Spring it fails to hold any charge at all.

Electric lawn mower faults

  1. 20% – electrical failure. The fuse or wiring inside your mower may be damaged – make sure you switch off and unplug your mower before inspecting it.
  2. 17%  – motor failed. If your electric lawn mower won't turn on at all, consider taking it to a local garden equipment professional. 
  3. 14% – blades broke. Replacement blades are widely available to buy for most mowers, and over time they'll eventually need replacing anyway as they will become blunt and rusted.

Petrol lawn mower faults

  1. 17% – engine would not turn over. The spark plug might be disconnected, or the air filter in the engine could be dirty or clogged. A routine servicing every two years for your mower should avoid most engine problems.
  2. 11% – motor failed. If your petrol lawn mower is suffering with a broken motor, consider taking it to a local garden equipment professional.
  3. 8% – starter rope jammed or broke. Make sure the brake lever, sometimes called the 'dead man's handle', is held down while you pull the cord, otherwise it can prevent the starter rope from being pulled freely.

See our Don't Buy lawn mowers to take note of the models you should make sure to avoid.


How we calculate the best and worst brands

Which? has a wealth of information on the UK’s favourite garden product brands. Every two years, we ask Which? members to tell us about the garden products they own – from how likely they would be to recommend a brand, to how reliable the products are once you get them home.

Our reliability surveys, combined with our extensive lab tests, mean we can recommend the best lawn mower you should buy.

This data is crucial for our testing, too. If a brand falls far below the category average, we take away the manufacturer’s Best Buy recommendations and won’t recommend any of its products unless a marked improvement in reliability is shown.

Ready to find the perfect lawn mower for you? Head over to our lawn mower reviews