How to choose your first lawn mower

August 26, 2025

Buying your first lawn mower is one of those jobs that feels bigger than it is, because there's a whole wall of them and everybody has an opinion, so I'd start with two simple questions, which are how much lawn you've got and what sort of grass is growing in it.

Start with the size of the lawn

A small courtyard lawn doesn't need much mower at all, and something light that's easy to lift into the shed will make the job a lot more pleasant. A big back yard on a quarter acre block is a different story, because you'll be pushing it for a good while, so a wider cut means fewer laps and a self propelled model takes the hard work off your arms. If you're on a few acres, that's ride on territory and a different conversation altogether.

Then think about the grass

Thick, vigorous grass like kikuyu takes a lot more cutting than a fine lawn, especially once it gets away from you in a warm, wet spring. A mower that's light on power can bog down in it, so if you've got a kikuyu lawn, that's worth telling whoever is helping you choose.

Cordless or petrol

Battery mowers have come a long way. They're quiet and there's no fuel or oil to store, which suits a small to medium lawn really well. The catch is run time, because once the battery is flat you're waiting for a charge, so on a big block you'll want a spare battery. Petrol mowers will run as long as there's fuel in the tank and they've got the grunt for thick grass and big areas, and in return they need a bit more looking after.

Catch or mulch

A catcher collects the clippings, which leaves a tidy finish and gives you something for the compost heap. Mulching chops the clippings up fine and drops them back onto the lawn, where they break down and feed it. Plenty of mowers will do either, and a lot of people catch in spring when the grass is growing fast and mulch through the rest of the year.

The height adjuster matters more than you'd think

Look for a mower where the cutting height is easy to change, because mowing too low is one of the commonest ways to stress a lawn, and you'll want to lift the height through summer. A single lever that sets all four wheels at once is a lot easier to live with than adjusting each wheel separately.

Keeping it cutting

A blunt blade tears the grass rather than cutting it, and the torn tips go brown, so sharpen or replace the blades regularly. On a petrol mower, a new spark plug each season and a clean air filter fix a surprising number of hard starting mowers. Whatever you buy, scrape the dried grass out from under the deck now and then with the mower switched off, and pull the spark plug lead or take the battery out before you put your hands anywhere near the blade.

Shop related products

Jak Max Victa Swing back blades CA09393S. Replacement swing back blades for a Victa mower.
Jak Max Masport Swing back blades 529594. Replacement swing back blades for a Masport mower.
Champion Spark Plug RC12YCMP. One of the mower spark plugs, so check the plug in your mower matches before you buy.
Neutrog Blade Runner Lawn Fertiliser 15KG. A lawn food for keeping the grass you're mowing in good shape.

Did you know we also keep a Katana cordless lawn mower in the shop, and it isn't on the website, so give us a ring on (08) 8536 4333 to check what's on the shelf. Bring your old blade or spark plug in with you as well, because matching the part in your hand is a lot easier than guessing the model number.

The rest of the mower parts and outdoor gear is in our outdoor power equipment range, and the lawn food and seed is in the garden centre.