A lawn mower cuts grass to an even height using either a rotating blade powered by petrol, battery or a cord, or a manual reel driven purely by the wheels turning. Comparing the best lawn mowers australia sells means weighing power source against lawn size, since the right mower for a small courtyard is the wrong one for a quarter-acre block or a rural paddock.
Mowers split broadly into five types. Push and self-propelled petrol mowers run on a small engine and suit larger lawns where unlimited runtime matters more than noise or fuel. Corded electric mowers trade a power cord for no engine maintenance and no charging wait. Cordless battery mowers remove the cord entirely at the cost of a limited runtime per charge. Ride-on mowers replace walking behind the deck with a seated, steered machine for acreage-scale blocks. Manual reel mowers use no motor at all, relying on wheel-driven blades for small, frequently mowed lawns.
A standard suburban lawn of around 500 square metres, or roughly 5,400 square feet, is comfortably handled by a mower with a 34 to 40 centimetre cutting deck; anything larger than that starts to favour a wider deck, a self-propelled drive or a ride-on machine. Beyond deck width, the criteria that matter are power source, cutting height range, grass collection versus mulching, and how the mower folds or stores between uses.
This guide compares petrol, corded, cordless, ride-on and manual reel mowers against those criteria, and pairs well with our guide to the best garden sheds australia for anyone setting up a place to store a mower along with the rest of their outdoor equipment.
Quick Picks
Giantz Cordless 40V Lawn Mower
A 40V cordless deck with quick-swap batteries and tool-free height adjustment for a standard suburban lawn.
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Manual Reel Push Lawn Mower
A motor-free reel mower for small, regularly mowed lawns that skips fuel, batteries and charging altogether.
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Costway 12-Amp Corded Electric Lawn Mower
A 12-amp corded motor with five height settings and unlimited runtime for lawns within reach of a power point.
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| Product | Link | Type | Best For | Key Spec |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giantz Cordless 40V Lawn Mower | Check price | Cordless battery | Small to medium lawns | 34cm cutting width, 40V battery |
| Manual Reel Push Lawn Mower | Check price | Manual reel | Small lawns, no power needed | No motor, adjustable cutting height |
| Costway 12-Amp Corded Electric Lawn Mower | Check price | Corded electric | Corded reliability | 12-amp motor, 5-position height adjust |
| Costway Electric Lawn Mower | Check price | Corded electric | Budget corded option | 5-position height adjust |
| Bosch UniversalRotak 37-555 Corded Lawn Mower | Check price | Corded electric | Compact suburban lawns | 37cm cutting width |
| Bosch 18V Cordless Lawn Mower | Check price | Cordless battery | Bosch battery ecosystem owners | 18V, 4.0Ah battery included |
| Baumr-AG 740SX Self-Propelled Petrol Lawn Mower | Check price | Self-propelled petrol | Larger or sloped lawns | 18-inch deck, self-propelled drive |
| Baumr-AG 24-Inch Ride-On Lawn Mower | Check price | Ride-on | Large blocks and acreage | 224cc engine, 24-inch deck |
| Flymo H400 Hand Push Lawn Mower | Check price | Push electric | Lightweight everyday mowing | Hand-push, compact |
| Stanley FatMax V20 Brushless Mower Kit | Check price | Cordless battery | Premium brushless cordless | 2x18V, 51cm deck, 4.0Ah included |
1. Giantz Cordless 40V Lawn Mower – Best Cordless Push Mower
This mower runs on a 40V battery rather than a cord or a petrol tank, with a 34 centimetre cutting deck sized for a suburban front or back lawn rather than a paddock. The deck folds flat for storage in a shed or garage without needing a full-size bay.
A single charge covers a typical quarter-acre block in one pass, and the battery swaps out in seconds if a second lawn needs mowing the same day. Cutting height adjusts across several settings without tools, and clippings collect in a rear catcher rather than being left on the lawn.
The trade-off against a petrol mower is runtime on a very large block, where a spare battery becomes worth carrying. For anything up to a standard suburban lawn, going cordless removes the smell, the pull-start and the two-stroke fuel mixing that come with a petrol mower.
Pros
- No cord or petrol to manage
- Battery swaps quickly for a second lawn
- Folds flat for storage
Cons
- Runtime is limited on very large blocks
- Battery and charger add to the upfront cost
Key specs: 34cm cutting width, 40V battery, foldable deck, rear catcher
CHECK CURRENT PRICE2. Manual Reel Push Lawn Mower – Best for Small Lawns
A manual reel mower has no motor, no battery and no cord: a set of spiral blades spins as the wheels turn, sheared against a fixed bottom blade. That makes it the quietest mower in this list by a wide margin, and the lightest to push.
Cutting height adjusts by moving the rear roller, though the range is narrower than a powered mower offers, and the reel struggles with grass left to grow tall between mows. It suits a lawn mowed weekly rather than one left for a fortnight.
This is the right choice for a small courtyard lawn or a strip of grass too small to justify charging a battery or running a cord, and for anyone who wants to avoid fuel, noise and running costs altogether. A larger, uneven or frequently overgrown lawn will fight back against the reel action.
Pros
- Silent operation
- No fuel, battery or charging
- Lightweight and simple to maintain
Cons
- Struggles with long or overgrown grass
- Narrower height adjustment range than powered mowers
Key specs: Manual reel cutting action, no motor, adjustable cutting height via rear roller
CHECK CURRENT PRICE3. Costway 12-Amp Corded Electric Lawn Mower – Best Corded Electric
A 12-amp motor draws power through a standard extension cord, removing both the weight of a battery and the maintenance of a petrol engine. Five height settings adjust the cutting deck without tools.
Being corded means unlimited runtime as long as the cord reaches, which suits a lawn close to a power point more than one at the far end of a large block. The deck includes a grass collection bag, and the motor starts on a simple safety-lever trigger.
The cord itself is the main limitation: mowing means managing the lead around trees, garden beds and the mower own path, which a cordless or petrol mower avoids entirely. For a small to mid-size lawn within reach of a power point, that trade-off is a minor one against never needing to charge or refuel.
Pros
- Unlimited runtime while plugged in
- No battery to charge or fuel to buy
- Five-position height adjustment
Cons
- Cord limits range and gets in the way
- Needs a nearby power point
Key specs: 12-amp motor, 5-position height adjustment, grass collection bag
CHECK CURRENT PRICE4. Costway Electric Lawn Mower – Best Budget Electric
This is a simpler, lower-cost sibling to the 12-amp model above, corded rather than battery-powered and built around the same five-position height adjustment. The deck and collection bag are slightly smaller.
Power output sits a step below the 12-amp version, which shows on thicker or longer grass rather than a well-maintained lawn mowed weekly. For a lawn cut on a regular schedule, the lower-powered motor keeps pace without issue.
Anyone who mows often enough that the grass never gets ahead of them gets the same corded convenience as the model above for less outlay; a lawn mowed irregularly or left to grow long between cuts is better matched to the higher-powered 12-amp unit.
Pros
- Lower cost than the 12-amp corded model
- Five-position height adjustment
- Unlimited corded runtime
Cons
- Less power for thick or overgrown grass
- Cord limits range
Key specs: Corded electric motor, 5-position height adjustment, grass collection bag
CHECK CURRENT PRICE5. Bosch UniversalRotak 37-555 Corded Lawn Mower – Best Compact Corded Mower
Bosch corded mower uses a 37 centimetre deck, one of the narrower cutting widths in this list, aimed at smaller and more tightly shaped lawns rather than wide open ones. The body is noticeably lighter than the ride-on and self-propelled units further down this list.
A telescopic handle adjusts to the user height, and the grass box shows a fill level through a window rather than requiring a guess. Corded power means no charge time between mowing sessions.
The narrower deck means more passes on a large lawn compared with a 40 centimetre or wider mower, so this suits a smaller block or a lawn with garden beds and tight corners over a wide, open paddock-style yard.
Pros
- Lightweight and easy to manoeuvre
- Fill-level window on the grass box
- Telescopic handle adjustment
Cons
- Narrower deck means more passes on large lawns
- Corded range limits reach
Key specs: 37cm cutting width, corded electric motor, telescopic handle
CHECK ON AMAZON6. Bosch 18V Cordless Lawn Mower – Best Battery-Powered Upgrade
This cordless mower runs on an 18V battery platform shared across a wider range of garden tools, so an existing owner of that battery system can skip buying a dedicated charger. A 4.0Ah battery is included.
Cutting performance sits in line with other cordless mowers in this list, trading some runtime against a petrol mower for the convenience of no fuel and instant starting. The deck folds for upright storage.
The real advantage here is battery compatibility rather than raw mowing power: someone who already owns compatible 18V garden tools gets a mower that shares batteries and chargers with the rest of that collection, while someone starting from nothing pays for a battery platform they may not otherwise need.
Pros
- Shares batteries with a wider 18V tool range
- Instant start, no pull cord
- Folds for storage
Cons
- Runtime depends on lawn size and grass thickness
- Battery platform is a sunk cost if not already owned
Key specs: 18V battery included, 4.0Ah capacity, foldable deck
CHECK ON AMAZON7. Baumr-AG 740SX Self-Propelled Petrol Lawn Mower – Best Self-Propelled
An 18-inch deck and a self-propelled drive mean the engine pulls the mower forward rather than relying on the user to push it, cutting fatigue on a longer mowing session. The engine is petrol rather than battery or corded electric.
Self-propulsion matters most on a larger or sloped lawn, where pushing a heavy deck uphill repeatedly is the part of mowing people dread. Petrol power also means no runtime limit tied to a battery charge.
Petrol brings the usual trade-offs against the electric and cordless mowers in this list: fuel to buy and store, an engine to service, and exhaust noise and fumes that a battery mower avoids. For a larger lawn where those costs are worth it for the self-propelled drive, it is the right tool; for a small suburban block, it is more mower than the job needs.
Pros
- Self-propelled drive reduces pushing effort
- No battery runtime limit
- Suited to larger or sloped lawns
Cons
- Requires petrol and engine maintenance
- Louder and produces exhaust fumes
Key specs: 18-inch deck, self-propelled drive, petrol engine
CHECK ON AMAZON8. Baumr-AG 24-Inch Ride-On Lawn Mower – Best for Large Blocks
At 24 inches and 224cc, this is a genuine step up in scale from every other mower in this list: a seated ride-on with its own steering rather than a walk-behind deck. It suits acreage or a large block rather than a standard suburban lawn.
A wider deck covers far more ground per pass than any walk-behind mower here, which matters more as lawn size grows; the same width is unnecessary and awkward on a small or narrow yard. The petrol engine gives it the runtime to cover a large area in one sitting.
This is the mower for a rural block or a large rear paddock where walking behind a push mower would take hours, not for a standard quarter-acre suburban lawn where its size becomes a liability around garden beds and fences.
Pros
- Covers large areas far faster than a walk-behind mower
- Seated, less physically demanding on big blocks
- Wide 24-inch deck
Cons
- Too large and expensive for a standard suburban lawn
- Needs storage space and petrol maintenance
Key specs: 224cc engine, 24-inch deck, ride-on seated design
CHECK ON AMAZON9. Flymo H400 Hand Push Lawn Mower – Best Lightweight Push Mower
Flymo hand-push mower keeps things simple: no battery, no cord and no petrol, just a lightweight deck pushed by hand across the lawn. It is one of the lightest powered-blade options in this list to manoeuvre.
Being unpowered by motor assist, effort scales with grass length and thickness more than with any of the electric or petrol mowers here, similar in that respect to the manual reel mower earlier in this list, though this one uses a rotary blade rather than a reel.
This suits a small, regularly mowed lawn where the absence of motor assistance is not a real handicap, and where storage space or a preference for low running costs matters more than mowing speed.
Pros
- Lightweight and easy to store
- No battery, cord or fuel
- Low running cost
Cons
- Effort increases with grass length and thickness
- Slower than a powered mower on a larger lawn
Key specs: Hand-push rotary deck, no motor, compact storage
CHECK ON AMAZON10. Stanley FatMax V20 Brushless Mower Kit – Best Brushless Cordless
This kit pairs two 18V batteries for a combined 36V system with a brushless motor, the most advanced drivetrain in this list, and a wider 51 centimetre deck than any other cordless mower here. A 4.0Ah battery is included in the kit.
A brushless motor runs cooler and lasts longer under load than the brushed motors in cheaper cordless mowers, and the wider deck covers more ground per pass, closing some of the gap to a petrol self-propelled mower. Cutting height adjusts across multiple settings.
This suits a mid-to-large suburban lawn where a buyer wants cordless convenience without the narrower deck of a budget battery mower, and is willing to pay a premium for the brushless motor and wider cut over the entry-level cordless option earlier in this list.
Pros
- Brushless motor for durability and efficiency
- Wider 51cm deck than other cordless mowers here
- Battery included in the kit
Cons
- Higher price than entry-level cordless mowers
- Two batteries add weight to the deck
Key specs: 2x18V (36V) brushless motor, 51cm cutting width, 4.0Ah battery included
CHECK ON AMAZONHow to Choose a Lawn Mower
Lawn size is the single biggest factor in choosing a power source. A small courtyard or strip lawn rarely justifies more than a manual reel or a compact corded mower, while a quarter-acre block or larger favours a cordless or petrol mower with enough deck width and runtime to finish in one pass.
Deck width decides how many passes a lawn takes. A 34cm deck suits a smaller or more tightly shaped lawn with garden beds and corners, while anything from 40cm up covers open ground faster on a larger block.
Corded, cordless and petrol each solve a different problem, not the same one with different downsides. Corded removes charging and fuel entirely but limits range to the cord length; cordless removes the cord but limits runtime to the battery; petrol removes both limits at the cost of fuel, noise and engine upkeep.
A self-propelled or ride-on drive earns its keep on slopes and large areas, not flat suburban lawns. Pushing a mower uphill repeatedly is the part of mowing people dislike most, so a self-propelled drive matters far more on a sloped block than a flat one where pushing costs little extra effort.
Grass collection versus mulching changes how much cleanup is left after mowing. A rear catcher collects clippings for disposal or composting, while a mulching mower cuts clippings finely and leaves them on the lawn as a light fertiliser; either is a matter of preference rather than one being objectively better.
Storage space affects which mower is realistic, not just which one performs best on paper. A folding cordless or corded mower fits in a cupboard or narrow shed gap, while a ride-on or self-propelled petrol mower needs a dedicated bay, which is worth checking before buying a mower larger than the available storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size lawn mower do I need for a standard suburban block?
A 34 to 40 centimetre deck handles a typical suburban lawn of around 500 square metres in a reasonable number of passes. A larger block, or one with wide open sections, benefits from a wider deck or a self-propelled drive to cut mowing time.
Is a cordless battery mower powerful enough to replace a petrol mower?
For a standard suburban lawn, yes: modern battery mowers cut comparably to a petrol mower of similar deck size. The difference shows on very large blocks or thick, overgrown grass, where a petrol engine unlimited runtime and higher sustained power still have an edge.
How often should I mow my lawn in Australia?
During the growing season, spring through to early autumn, most Australian lawns need mowing every one to two weeks; growth slows over winter in most regions, stretching that to three to four weeks. Warmer, humid climates such as Queensland can need mowing more often through summer than a cooler southern state.
Should I collect grass clippings or leave them on the lawn?
Leaving clippings via a mulching mower returns nutrients to the soil and reduces green waste, provided the lawn is not left to grow too long between mows. Collecting is better when the grass has grown long, since thick clumps of clippings can smother the lawn underneath rather than breaking down.
How long does a cordless mower battery last per charge?
Most cordless mowers cover 300 to 500 square metres on a single charge, depending on grass length, thickness and battery capacity. A spare battery is worth buying for anyone mowing a larger block or planning to mow more than one lawn in a session.
Do I need a self-propelled mower for a flat suburban lawn?
Generally no: a self-propelled drive earns its cost on slopes or larger blocks where pushing an unpowered deck becomes tiring, but a flat suburban lawn is manageable with a standard push mower. It becomes worth the extra cost mainly as lawn size or slope increases.
Verdict
Most suburban households looking for the best lawn mowers australia sells should start with the Giantz Cordless 40V Lawn Mower for its balance of runtime, quick-swap batteries and tool-free height adjustment. A larger or sloped block is better served by the Baumr-AG 740SX Self-Propelled Petrol Lawn Mower, while a small courtyard lawn mowed weekly can skip power altogether with the Manual Reel Push Lawn Mower.
