7 Best Push Lawn Mowers for 2024 | Australian Buying Guide

What to Consider When Buying a Push Lawn Mower

Your Lawn Size

These mowers are best-suited to smaller gardens with 300 square meters of grass or less. They work well on established lawns that are fairly level and smooth, and you’ll need to put in a bit more effort and sweat on sloped or bumpy lawns or buy a self-propelled lawn mower. 

Fuel Type/Green Gardening

There are manual, electric corded, cordless and petrol push mowers on the market, each with their pros and cons. Manual mowers require no fuel at all but you’ll work up a bit of a sweat, while electric models are more eco-friendly and quiet to run, and they need very little maintenance.

Range and run time is limited on electric models, while petrol mowers are unlimited. They also tend to offer more power, but are noisy and require regular maintenance.

Engine Noise

Electric and manual push mowers are the quietest option, while petrol engines are much noisier. Some smaller petrol engines have been designed for quieter operation, so make that a priority if you want the power of petrol with less noise.

Cutting Width 

A wide cutting width is a great option for larger lawns, as it means you make fewer passes to mow your grass. However, it can be a problem if you have a lot of tighter spaces or obstacles. These mowers are also heavier as a result, which can make pushing it along a bit more challenging.

Generally speaking, a 46cm cutting width is recommended for lawns under 1,000 square meters in size, 55cm cutting widths for lawns between 1,000 and 2,500 square meters, and 66cm cutting widths for lawns bigger than 2,500 square meters.

Cutting Height 

The cutting height should be adjustable to a number of different levels so that you can easily accommodate different grass species, mowing techniques, and climates. A good cutting height will range between 25-75mm and offer at least 6 cutting heights.

Mulching Capability

Mulching is a great way to feed your lawn and avoid the hassle of dumping or composting grass clippings. The mulching function cuts the grass clippings into fine slivers that fall down into the lawn as you mow, keeping your lawn looking neat while fertilising your lawn.

Start Type

If you don’t like the traditional pull start cord, look for mowers with an electric start button for convenience.  

1. Bosch ARM 37 Lawn Mower

This corded electric push lawn mower comes from one of the world’s leading gardening equipment brands. With a smaller but practical 37cm cutting width, this mower is easy to manoeuvre in smaller gardens or around obstacles.

It’s electric, so it’s quiet to operate and eco-friendly. You can adjust the high-grade steel cutting deck to 5 settings between 20-70mm, and the handles are ergonomically designed to make the job more comfortable.

The cord is a good length and the 40 litre catchment is durably made, though it will need emptying every 25-35 square metres of lawn.

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2. PowerBlade V450 139cc 4-Stroke Petrol Lawn Mower

This 4-stroke petrol push mower is powered by a 139cc engine, allowing you to cut effortlessly through tough grass growth. It has a 41cm cutting deck made of high-quality steel that’s built to last, and the seven stage lever adjustment allows you to cut between 25-75mm with ease. 

The 45 litre grass catcher is a good size for smaller lawns, and the oversized wheels help you push the mower easily over bumpy lawns.

3. Masport BWM ST181 18inch Lawn Mower

If you love to buy locally, this 4-stroke petrol push mower from across the way in New Zealand is a great option. It has a powerful Briggs & Stratton 140cc engine supplying plenty of torque to cut through tough grass growth.

You can adjust the cutting height between 11-82cm, and the upturned handles make working the mower up and down your lawn more comfortable.

The QuickCut 2-blade system helps get the lawn mown quickly, and the handles fold down for easy storage.

4. Baumr-AG 720SX 139cc 4-Stroke Petrol Lawn Mower

Locally made here in Australia, this brand has become a firm favourite on the market for good reason. Ideal for city gardens and established lawns, this push mower offers plenty of cutting power from its 139cc air-cooled 4-stroke petrol engine.

The tough steel cutting deck offers a practical 41cm cutting width, and cutting height is adjustable to 7 settings from 25-75cm. It’s lightweight for a petrol mower at 21kgs, and the 45 litre catchment is a good size for smaller lawns.

5. WORX WG779 40V Power Share 4.0 Ah Lawn Mower

This battery-powered push lawn mower is eco-friendly, easy to use, and maintenance-free. The 2x20V batteries (compatible with other WORX equipment) offer plenty of cutting power, and the Intellicut system automatically applies more torque when you encounter heavier growth, and helps to save battery power.

Cutting heights are limited to 3 levels between 20-70mm, and the padded handle helps keep you comfortable while you work.

It’s agile and easy to push even if you have tight corners to mow, and the battery power indicator gives you a clear idea of how much run time you have. One really great feature is that this mower offers mulching as well as bagging!

6. Swift 40V Brushless Cordless Lawnmower

If you want to go electric on a budget, this eco-friendly option offers plenty of power at a great price point. It uses one 40V lithium-ion battery, so you can mow as you go, with no worries about electrical cords or moving out of range of an outlet.

It cuts about 250 square meters of lawn per charge, and the 32cm steel cutting deck can be adjusted to 5 mowing heights from 20-60mm.

It’s easy to use and well-suited to small city gardens with well-established lawns. It’s a great entry-level mower and all-rounder.

7. Bosch Manual Garden Lawn Mower

This manual push mower is ideal for anyone who wants a quick and easy way of cutting a small lawn. The cylinder cut system has 5, high-quality curved blades made from hardened steel, revolving to give you 38cm of cutting width.

It’s adjustable between 15-43cm and even comes with a small 25 litre catchment box. It’s lightweight

The close cut technology this lawn mower uses allows you to edge your lawn more easily for a much neater finish on flower beds, pathways and driveways.

 It’s lightweight, which makes it easier and less fatiguing to push, collapses into a fairly compact design for easy storage, and the grass catchment is a great size too! 

Push Lawn Mower Frequently Asked Questions

Should I Buy a Push Lawn Mower?

Push lawn mowers rely on you to push them forwards and pull them back as you work, so it’s important that you are strong enough to handle that weight and don’t have back problems.

They are designed to be lightweight and agile, however, so you don’t need to be particularly fit to work one of these machines. Because of this physical element, they’re best-suited to smaller gardens with lawns of 500 square meters or less.

Are Push Lawn Mowers Any Good?

Without a doubt! Push lawn mowers only supply power to the cutting performance of the mower, which means that they are lighter and more affordable than other mowers.

In addition to being budget-friendly, they are designed to be powerful too, cutting your lawn quickly and neatly as you work. The cutting deck quality is as good as other types of mowers, and good brands are built to last.

How Hard is it to Use a Push Mower?

It’s not difficult at all, and as long as you are steady on your feet and don’t have back or joint problems, they are surprisingly easy to use. Of course, this also depends on the terrain of your garden.

If you have a very sloped or bumpy lawn, it’s going to take more effort to mow, so don’t forget that consideration when you are buying a mower.

Can a Push Mower Cut Long Grass?

Push mowers can handle longer and thicker grass easily, although it may mean using a little more physical effort. Ideally, you should never use a mower of any type on very long grass, as it can clog the blades and damage the grass.

Instead, use a whipper snipper first. A good rule of thumb is that if your grass is taller than the highest setting, to start by only cutting one-third of the length of the grass off first (either with the mower if it’s only a little higher or with a whippersnapper if it’s considerably taller) and then mow again in a few days.

This will prevent the grass from dying off or getting burned by the sunshine.