Six of the best hand push mowers in 2023

These pedestrian powered machines are pushed along the lawn and the cylinder blades rotate to trim the grass as you move. They require a little more push power than automatic mowers but the exercise will help keep you fit and they are generally more of a budget option compared to their high-tech counterparts.

If you aren’t sure which type of lawn mower is best for you, take a look at our budget lawn mowers guide for a full break down, or our list of the best lawn mowers, is a round up of the Best Buys of each type. There are also electric lawn mowers, cordless lawn mowers and robotic lawn mowers to consider.

In our guide below, we tested a range of push lawn mowers to provide a detailed round up of the best push mowers available. Each model has been reviewed by experts and includes a clear list of pros and cons so you can make the best choice for you.

For more detailed individual reviews of different models, take a look at our full list of lawn mower reviews.

Six of the best hand push lawn mowers

Browse our selection of manual mowers below.

Gardena Comfort Hand Cylinder 400C

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Buy now from Amazon (£110.27).

While there is more to assemble with the Gardena push mower, our tests found the instructions for putting it together clear to understand. The shaped handle was comfortable to use and folds down simply for easy storage. Our experts were impressed with the four easy to adjust cutting heights displayed on a clearly visible scale. The grass collector has a 49 litre capacity but is sold separately. This mower is guaranteed for two years and we judged this as the best all round hand mower.

Pros:

• Very easy height-of-cut adjuster
• Large grass collector that catches clippings well
• Feels sturdy and well designed
• Cuts well

Cons:

• Heavy
• Grass collector is sold separately

Read the full Gardena push mower review

Cobra HM381

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

Our testers found the Cobra mower easy to put together with clear instructions. It's compact and lightweight making it easy to push and operate and the handle is padded for additional comfort. There are four cutting heights which can be simply adjusted. A 26 litre grass collector is included, as is a two year warranty and we awarded this model Best Buy status, as the best value mower.

Pros:

• Compact and light
• Quiet
• Comfortable
• Easy to adjust the height of cut
• Good value

Cons:

• Some parts feel flimsy

Read the full Cobra HM381 push mower review

Webb WEH18

Our rating: 4.5 out 5

The Webb model has a traditional cylinder mower design with a solid, heavy rear roller. Our experts found the instructions for assembling it clear and that it was quiet to use. There’s a choice of nine cutting heights which are very easily adjusted. The 22 litre grass collector on this model is front-loading and comes included. There's a warranty of two years and we awarded this hand mower Best Buy status, as the best performing mower.

Pros:

• Quiet
• Nine heights of cut
• Wide cut
• Very simple height-of-cut adjustment
• Tackles long grass
• Effective front grass collector

Cons:

• Heavy and not so easy to manoeuvre
• Doesn’t cut grass short (minimum 25mm)

Read the full Webb push mower review

• Buy now from Robert Dyas (£139.99)

Wolf Garten WPCM-F hand push cylinder mower

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Wolf Garten hand mower is lightweight and easy to manoeuvre around the lawn. It has four heights of cut which are easy to adjust and our testers also found the mower simple to assemble from the clear instructions. A small, 15 litre capacity grass collector is included and there's also a reasonably generous warranty of 3 years included. We awarded this model Best Buy status as the best for ease of use.

Pros:

• Light and easy to move
• Good cut
• Front-loading grass collector catches the clippings well
• Low height of cut (from 10mm)

Cons:

• Small grass collector
• Grass collector impedes view

Read the full Wolf Garten push mower review

Husqvarna HiCut 64

Our rating: 4.25

This Husqvarna hand mower requires more assembly than most and tools are required plus, our testers found that the instructions could have been clearer. However, the mower is comfortable to use with handy flexible handle heights and it's a quick and efficient mower. Testers weren’t keen on the height of cut adjuster. The grass collector has a large capacity of 45 litres but it's sold separately and doesn’t collect all the clippings, especially when windy. It comes with a one year warranty but if you register, this is extended to two years.

Pros:

• Comfortable handle and adjustable heights
• Light and easy to manoeuvre
• Good, efficient cut, and tackles longer grass

Cons:

• Height of cut adjustment difficult
• Roller doesn’t touch the ground
• Grass collector sold separately

Einhell GE-HM 38 S-F

Our rating: 4.25 out of 5

Buy now from Amazon (£98.92)

Our expert testers liked that the handle on this manual lawn mower had a choice of two heights and that it was padded for extra comfort while in use. Clear instructions are included and assembling the model is relatively simple. There are four cutting heights to choose from which can be easily swapped using a lever. The grass collector is included and has a 26 litre capacity. It's guaranteed for two years.

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Quiet
• Simple to change height of cut
• Adjustable handle height

Cons:

• Grass collector doesn’t catch all the clippings and they fall out when emptying
• Not as smooth a mow as some