There are many makes and models of petrol lawnmower for sale; all with different specs - some suitable for large gardens and some only suitable for small gardens. Which one should you choose? The main factors that will come into consideration for choosing a petrol lawnmower is the size of your garden and the finish you require. Below is a guide that assists in choosing the correct garden lawnmower for your requirements.
Lawn Size
Lawn size is probably the single most important factor you need to take into account when buying a petrol lawnmower. The size of your lawn will affect your choice of power, cutting width and whether you choose a push or self propelled petrol mower.
Cutting Width
The cutting width is the width of the blade or the width of one mowed stripe. Cutting widths vary from 40cm – 55com. Below is a rough guide to what cutting widths are suitable for what size lawn. If you do have a small lawn don’t be fooled in to thinking the larger the cutting width the better – often a larger cutting width can be more difficult to manoeuvre in a smaller garden.
| Lawn Size | Mowing Width |
| Less than 1/2 a tennis court | 40cm - 45cm (16" - 18") |
| Up to 2 tennis courts | 50cm - 55cm (20" - 22") |
| 2 - 4 tennis courts | 52cm or bigger plus an increase in power (21" plus) |
| More than 4 tennis courts | Consider a ride on mower or lawn tractor |
Engine Size/Power
A petrol lawnmowers power is usually given in horsepower (BHP). The higher the number the more power the engine has. Petrol lawnmowers usually range from 2-7 horsepower. Once a cutting width is decided upon, choosing what size engine is relatively simple because the engine size / power generally go up with the cutting width. If you do choose a more powerful engine this will make mowing the grass quicker and easier.
