Best self-propelled petrol mowers
Self-propulsion does the walking for you — the mower drives its own wheels, so you steer rather than push. It's the feature that makes a petrol mower comfortable on bigger lawns and slopes. These are the self-propelled petrol models in our catalogue, ranked by cutting width (a wider deck clears more in each pass).
How we rank: self-propelled petrol mowers with a sourced cutting width, ranked by cut width (widest first). These are transparent sorts on sourced specs — we don't publish editorial scores until they're defensibly sourced. Blanks mean "not specified", never a guess.
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Mountfield SP53
verified 51 cm cut · 166 cc · 60 L box · £399
- medium-to-large lawns (manufacturer rates ~1,800 m²)
- self-propelled drive without electric-start complexity
- steel-deck durability on a mid budget
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Hyundai HYM510SPE
verified 51 cm cut · 196 cc · 70 L box · £400
- push-button electric start on a budget
- a wide 51 cm cut for larger lawns
- 4-in-1 cutting (collect, mulch, rear & side discharge)
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Hayter Harrier 48 VS
verified 48 cm cut · 163 cc · 70 L box · £1,175
- a striped, formal finish from the split rear roller
- variable-speed self-propelled control on smaller premium lawns (~500 m²)
- buyers prioritising deck quality and a long residential warranty
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Cobra MX484SPCE
verified 48 cm cut · 173 cc · 65 L box · £400
- budget electric-start self-propelled mowing
- variable 4-speed drive control
- 3-in-1 cutting (collect, mulch, side discharge) on mid-size lawns
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Honda IZY HRG 466 SK
verified 46 cm cut · 145 cc · 50 L box · £730
- a lightweight Honda-engined self-propelled mower (31 kg dry)
- reliable, easy auto-choke starting on medium gardens (~1,200 m²)
- owners who value the Honda GCVx engine and simple single-speed drive
FAQ
Is self-propelled worth it over a push mower?
On a flat lawn under roughly 400 m² a push mower is fine and lighter to handle. Once the lawn gets larger, hillier or the grass is dense, self-propulsion saves real effort — you guide the machine instead of shoving it.
Does a wider deck always mow faster?
It covers more ground per pass, but it's heavier and less nimble around borders and obstacles. Match the deck to the openness of your lawn, not just its size.