The 11 best lawn mowers for 2024, including petrol, cordless and electric models
- 10kg weight
- 33cm cutting width
- 25-90mm cutting height
- 30l collector
- Cordless
- 3-year warranty
Unsurprisingly, given the modest 33cm cutting deck and 10kg weight, this Ryobi is billed as being most suitable for small gardens, specifically between 150-249m2 in area, depending on which capacity battery you opt for.
The mower is sold without one, but I received a £99.99 4.0Ah battery/charger package for testing purposes. I managed just 18 minutes running time with that, but Ryobi’s ONE+ 18V range includes beefier versions including a 9.0Ah battery for £159.99. The brand’s other cordless tools, such as the R18IDBL impact driver, use the same system, so there’s clear money-saving potential.
I’ll be blunt: while it’s true that this mower is endowed with a very efficient brushless motor, the reality is that, regardless of the capacity of the battery you buy, the relatively small cutting deck means it will still take an age to mow a larger area. You’ll also need to empty its tiny 30l grass box every few minutes.
Which leads me onto my biggest niggle: the box’s design. While cuttings were efficiently packed inside it, it was far too easily accidentally knocked off while mowing and cuttings had an annoying habit of dropping out when the box was being removed.
On a positive note, though, while the juice holds out, this Ryobi actually puts in a plucky performance. Its motor spins at a constant 4,200rpm and, while a touch noisy at 94dB, it allows the mower to tackle tall, rough grass as high as 25cm. OK, it needs a good few passes, with the top-mounted, cutting height adjuster set at its highest level, but credit where it’s due, that’s impressive.
Tasked with a more typical small lawn, the Ryobi properly gets into its groove. It bobs around a bit, but the lightweight construction, combined with a narrow body and close-set wheels, means that it’s a cinch to cut really close to the edge of fences, intricate flowerbeds and so on, which is often a challenge for larger machines.
It’s also largely unfazed by damp grass and, once you’re done mowing, the collapsible handle is simple to fold, making this compact machine one of the easiest to store that I’ve come across.
There’s an argument to be made that for those on a tight budget, with a really tiny garden, a good, corded mower like the Hawksmoor might actually represent a better buy. If you place a higher value on the freedom of movement that a cordless mower brings, though, then the Ryobi makes a compelling case for itself.
Also in this range:
In addition to the 33cm model we tested, Ryobi’s 18V One+ cordless brushless range includes 37cm, 40cm and 46cm models, all under £400 (not including batteries). There are high-powered HP versions of the top two and a 36-volt Max Power version of the 40cm mower. Ryobi also make a light, wand-style mower for very small gardens, called the 3-in-1.