An updated version of one of our favourite lawn mowers, the Stihl RMA 248.3 is a triumph of design and power, and great for small to medium sized gardens.

This model has Stihl’s proprietary mono handlebar, which connects to just one side of the lawn mower. As well as well making it easier to fold for storage, the mono handlebar makes it easy to remove the  grass catcher box.

Not that you have to use this box, as the Stihl RMA 248.3 can mulch or side discharge.

There’s a good choice of cutting heights, between 20mm and 100mm, so you can have everything from a bowling lawn to a thicker meadow.

With space for up to two AK 20 batteries, this lawn mower can keep going.

We found it extremely powerful, easily mowing through large new growth on our lawn with ease.

If you want a brilliant cut, and simple operation, this is the lawn mower to buy.

If you’ve got a small garden and don’t have much storage space then the Stihl RMA 235 is a great option as it’s designed for smaller lawns (up to 300m2) and has the power and performance of larger Stihl lawn mowers.

Despite its tough-feeling and robust body, the RMA 235 is lightweight at just 14kg. It also has a more traditional design with a handle attached on both sides for easy navigation.

Thanks to the foldable handle and removable grass-catcher box, storing the RMA 235 is simple even in smaller sheds and spaces, and there’s a carry handle on top to make moving the lawnmower around easier.

Naturally as a cordless model, the RMA 235 runs on Stihl’s AK batteries which conveniently power many of the company’s other tools. If you already own other Stihl products, such as the FSA 57 Grass Trimmer or BGA 57 leaf blower then you won’t need to splurge on extra batteries.

Even so, if this is your first Stihl purchase then you don’t need to worry as there are numerous bundles available with accompanying batteries and chargers to best suit your needs.

Stihl states that the best batteries for the RMA 235 are either the AK 20 and the AK 30, with the former better suited for smaller gardens under 200m2 and the latter designed for gardens under 300m2. However, there are other options for larger batteries if you find this necessary.

Offering a 33cm cutting width and fitted with a single blade, the RMA 235 has five marked cutting height options that range from 25mm to 65mm. We tested all height options across a variety of grass lengths and found the single blade was able to cut neatly with no clumps left behind.

Unlike other lawn mowers, the RMA 235 doesn’t have a mulching option and instead cuttings are collected and compacted into the large 30-litre catcher.

Known for its well-priced and feature-packed products, LawnMaster has done it again with the LawnMaster 48V 41cm.

This particular model has a wide 41cm cutting width, and its powered by dual 25V batteries for its powerful 48V motor.

Two fast-chargers are provided with the kit version, which means you can get going again after just one hour. With a 25-minute run-time, the mower should be good for up to 450m² of lawn.

This mower is feature packed, and has a choice to discharge clippings into the large, fold-down 42-litre grass catcher, or dropped back down to the lawn for mulching.

There’s even an integrated roller for getting perfect stripes if you like that kind of thing.

Six cutting heights are available, at

There are three power modes to choose from, plus an Auto one, which adjusts power on the fly. We found that Auto was good for everything, bar an area overgrown with brambles.

Although large, the LawnMaster 48V 41cm is quite easy to push around. Its handle feels a little cheap, but the power switch is easy to grasp.

The Stihl RMA 448 TC is a self-propelled cordless lawnmower with a 46cm-wide cut designed for larger lawns. Its dual battery slots allow you to carrying around a spare, giving you enough power to cut even the largest areas of grass without having to traipse back to the garage.

Robust and well built, the Stihl RMA 448 TC has a single arm for pushing it. We thought that this would make the lawnmower uneven to push, but we’re happy to say that we were wrong. Driven by an independent motor, the Stihl RMA 448 TC moves comfortably, with the handle just used for steering.

There’s a generously sized bin on the rear, which fills up with compacted grass to the point where it’s really heavy to empty. There’s an optional mulching kit available, too. With excellent cutting performance, the Stihl RMA 448 TC is the best choice for large gardens.

Our one minor complaint is that the bundled battery charger takes the wrong side of four hours to charge – faster chargers are available if you want to recycle batteries more frequently.

An incredibly small lawn mower, the Gtech Small Cordless Lawn Mower SLM50 is built for those of us with tiny gardens who don’t want to pave over them.

Using the same handle as the Gtech GT50 Grass Edge Trimmer, you can save money if you want both by buying this lawn mower as body only.

Operated more like a vacuum cleaner, with a single stick handle, the SLM50 is incredibly easy to push around.

Surprisingly, it has an option for two cutting heights: 40mm and 50mm.

Overall operation is a little basic, with no grass collection (it’s best to mow often), and a simple motor that’s suitable for standard growth only, and you don’t get as neat a cut as with a more powerful model.

Battery life is good enough for simple jobs, which should mean that the slow charger isn’t so much of an issue.

One of the company’s smaller mowers, the Husqvarna Aspire LC34-P4A uses the Power For All Alliance 18V batteries.

Compatible with tools from other manufacturers, such as Bosch, the multi-platform batteries let you buy tools from a growing number of manufacturers. That’s a great way to save money and open up choice. It would be nice if the batteries had a charge level indicator on them, though.

A 34cm cutting width makes the Husqvarna Aspire LC34-P4A more suitable for smaller gardens, where you want a quality cut and a reliable mower.

Built with Husqvarna’s usual care and attention, this lawn mower can fold down and can be stored flat, standing up, or you can even hang it up.

Four cutting heights (30 to 65mm) are available via the joystick on the side; these are just labelled one to four, which is a bit confusing.

Cutting performance is excellent, with the Husqvarna Aspire LC34-P4A able to cut through thicker growth with ease.

Neat, compact and able to fold down, this is a great choice for a smaller garden.

Well priced and tiny, the Yard Force LM C37B 40V Cordless Lawn Mower packs in some high-end features.

It is a bit fiddly to get started, as the handle needs to be clamped into place before you can get mowing. Overall, build quality is fine, but not quite as good as with premium brands, such as Husqvarna and Stihl.

This model runs on two 20V batteries, powering the 40V battery. A neat double-battery charger is provided in the box.

Its cutting width of 37cm is fine for smaller gardens, and there are adjustable cutting heights between 25mm and 75mm.

Clippings can be collected in the 40 litre grass catcher, but a mulching plug provides additional options. It’s nice to see a roller, too: perfect for getting a striped finish to your lawn.