In a nutshell

Awarded a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy this mower is very light and smooth to manoeuvre around the lawn. It has a comprehensive ten cutting heights with each easily adjusted by the twist ofaa dial and it’s great for gardeners who lack strength or dexterity. The simplicity of this mower is a highlight. It comes with a two year warranty and is great value for money.

What we tested

  • Ease of Handling
    A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.
  • Cutting Performance
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Setting up / Storage
    A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.
  • Value for money
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
Overall Rating
A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Pros

  • Light and easy to manoeuvre
  • Cuts to the edge
  • Height of cut simplest to change
  • Orange cable easy to see

Cons

  • Grass box tricky to assemble
Advertisement

Buy other Gardena electric corded mowers on Amazon

What are the main features of the Gardena PowerMax 1200/32 electric lawn mower?

With a cutting width of 32cm and a 1200w motor this rotary mower is ideal for use on smaller lawns. It has a double drive lever and the handle folds in half over the body of the mower for easier storage. There is cable storage provided on the handle but no cable relief clip and the orange cable is 10m long. It has a choice of 10 cutting heights, ranging from 20-60mm, which are adjusted by the twist of a dial on the deck of the mower and grass combs, so it cuts to the edge. The plastic grass box has a collection capacity of 30l and a full indicator so you know when it's ready to empty.

What’s the Gardena PowerMax 1200/32 electric lawn mower like to use?

Only a little assembly is required before you can use this mower. The handle needs to be attached to the mower and the grass box has to be put together, although despite simple-to-follow instructions this is a bit fiddly and there’s a definite knack to it - the front needs attaching with a twist before the rest is snapped together.
Otherwise this is a very simply designed and easy to use mower. The double drive lever gives you the choice of mowing with both hands or just one and it feels light and smooth to push and manoeuvre around the lawn and beds and borders. The height of cut is the easiest to change in our test- there’s a whopping ten to choose from and each is adjusted with a simple twist of the dial. The orange cable is easy to spot when mowing.

Is the Gardena PowerMax 1200/32 electric lawn mower easy to store?

Orange pegs on the handle provide helpful storage space for the cable and keep it tidied out of the way when not in use. The handle can be unscrewed and folds in half so it takes up less room in storage, but the rigid grass box does not compact down and so takes up more space than a foldable, fabric bag would.

Is the Gardena PowerMax 1200/32 electric lawn mower good value for money?

With a number of useful features, including the easy to switch height of cut dial this mower is particularly good for gardeners who lack strength or dexterity. It cuts well, comes with a warranty of two years and at just under £100 is great value for money.

Budget mowers - Buyer's Guide video

Advertisement

For more reviews, read our round-up of the best electric lawn mowers.

Product Specifications

Product
BrandGardena
NameGardena PowerMax 1200/32 electric corded lawn mower
ModelPowerMax 1200/32
Price£99.99
Lawn mower typeElectric - corded
Features
Powered byElectric - corded
Power1,200W
Cutting height20-60mm
Number of cutting height settings10
Cutting width32cm
Blade typeRotary
Collection capacity30l
RollerNo
PropelledNo
MulchingNo
Noise94dB
Weight8.3kg
Warranty2YEAR
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement