Best small lawn mower 2023: intrepid sward fighters for diminutive lawns

Jan 24, 2024

These are the best small lawn mowers for smaller urban-style gardens. Portable, light and compact grass cutters, with budget and premium options considered.

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The best small lawn mowers are ideal for inner-city and urban gardens that don’t have a huge amount of lawn space.

Lawn size is a key consideration when looking for a lawn mower and while we have a sterling selection of battery-powered models in our guide to the Best Cordless Lawn Mowers, many of them might be too large for your lawn.

With this mind, we have this handy feature to the best small-bodied lawn mowers that are the perfect size for cutting city lawns. After all, a smaller, lighter lawnmower with a narrower cutting deck will be much easy to manoeuvre up and down a small lawn than a machine that’s several inches wider and therefore a lot heavier and more ungainly.

You won’t find any of the Best Petrol Lawnmowers here because they’re too big and noisy for an urban environment. Nor will you find any of the Best Robot Mowers because having a robot cut the grass of a small urban patch could be considered overkill when the job can be completed using a standard lawnmower in about 10 minutes.

What you will find is a dandy collection of mostly cordless lawnmowers – plus an electric corded model – that are the perfect size for anyone with a small lawn, be it a quarter of the size of a tennis court or a lot smaller.

These little lawnmeisters will be able to quickly and easily tidy up your lawn and not take up too much storage space either.

Why you can trust T3 Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

In my opinion, this little yellow garden pal from Kärcher meets all the criteria required of a small modern cordless mower.

The big 18v 5ah battery is a major asset because it features a useful LCD screen that displays the remaining battery juice as a percentage and as a countdown in minutes when charging. When tested, I got about 40 minutes of use out of it (four cutting sessions), though it did take about two hours to fully charge. I should add that the battery needs to be pushed in firmly till you hear a click. You may even need to give it a good old shove to engage. Bear this mind, because some users have returned their units thinking they weren't working.

Although the handlebar system adopts the standard budget-priced wing-nut system for tightening, it’s a much more sturdy set up than others on the market and it’s also height adjustable to some degree, and foldable. The four-level cutting height lever, meanwhile, is of the cheaper variety, but it works perfectly well.

The Kärcher’s 33cm cutting deck, 35-litre grass catcher and decent cutting height range make the mower suitable for any small lawn. What’s more it also comes with a mulching plug for those who want to feed nitrogen-rich cuttings back into the lawn.

If you’re looking for a lightweight and efficient lawn surfer that performs exceedingly well, then consider putting this one at the top of your list. I continue to use the Kärcher on a regular basis: it never bogs down even in longer grass and it cuts right to the edge. It also leaves a nicely manicured finish in its wake.

To see how our number one choice of wireless lawnmower stacks up against some quality opposition, be sure to check out T3's Kärcher LMO 18-33 vs Flymo EasiStore 300R Li comparison feature.

To get even more detail on this wireless lawn mower be sure to read T3's full Kärcher LMO 18-33 Cordless Lawn Mower review.

German horticultural supplier Gardena is perhaps best known for its excellent range of garden sprinklers, garden hoses, watering systems, manual garden tools and robot mowers. However, the company has also launched a pair of cracking small-bodied cordless lawnmowers – the PowerMax 32 we review below and this diminutive 22cm model designed for really small inner-city lawns of up to 50 square metres.

Like the similar Gtech SLM50 below, the HandyMower uses a mono bar. However, where the Gtech’s handle grip is like that on a stick vacuum cleaner and quite tiring to use for long periods, this one comes with Gardena’s signature circular handle for ergonomic comfort. Like some of the company’s manual garden tools, you can grip this handle from any angle and because the handle is so wide, it’s super comfy in the hand. What’s more, if you attach a large hook to the shed wall you can hang this little fella up against it because the main body simply swings downwards out of the way. This articulation means that the mower will also reach deep under benches and other garden furniture where other mowers simply can’t venture.

So what’s it like as a lawn mower? If you have an especially small urban lawn you’ll absolutely love it because a) it cuts grass surprisingly well, b) it’s ridiculously light and c) it’s a doddle to push around. In fact the action of using it is just like vacuuming a carpet.

Thankfully, this model also provides three cutting heights (30mm to 50mm) that are accessed via a lever on the side and not by having to faff around with axle springs like you do with the Gtech and Flymo reviewed below.

You don’t get a grass collector with this model because it’s so small it doesn’t need one. Instead, the grass cuttings are fed back into the lawn like a classic mulching mower. True, your first cut of the season may produce more cuttings than normal and some of them will inevitable stick to the base of the cutting deck. But the bods at Gardena have already thought of that and give you a clip-on scraper tool.

The HandyMower is available with or without a 2Ah battery and the batteries it uses are of the Bosch Power for All variety so if you already have this type of battery you can simply hot swap it with this mower. You should get a reasonable 20 minutes of cutting time on a full charge.

Although this mower isn’t cheap, it is extremely convenient, easy of use and a doddle to store. The perfect mower, in other words, for anyone with a small patch of lawn to tender.

Worx produces a wide range of excellent garden and power tools in a striking design livery that is unmistakably manly and undeniably cool. Take this mean-looking 30cm cordless offering, for instance. The WG730E uses a 20v Li-ion battery system to power the mower’s reliable brushless motor through most lengths of grass with little fuss. It’s a perfect package for any urban lawn and it’s cheap to buy, too (just £209 including battery and charger).

The Worx WG730E’s handlebar is comfortable to use even though it only has one power lever on the right and not on both sides like the similar sized Gardena above. Also, the cutting height can only be adjusted by inverting the mower and snapping the axel into one of three positions. Not a great solution, it must be said, but understandable given the low asking price. On the plus side, this mower is light enough to easily carry up some steps and it comes with a huge carrying handle, too.

If you’re looking for a keenly priced small-bodied cordless mower with impressive performance, give this one a go.

The LawnMaster delivers a lot of bang for the buck, including two 2.0Ah batteries which takes its combined running time to a whopping 120 minutes of cordless cutting power.

Its 34cm cutting width is perfectly sufficient for lawns that are a little larger than the city norm while its six different cutting heights – from 20 to 70mm – means you have plenty of options for different types of grasses and lengths.

The LawnMaster ships with a 32L collapsible grass box which is a little smaller than some of the competition and, uniquely, a rear roller to deliver a smart striped finish. It’s also equipped with folding handles for easy storage. The LawnMaster’s 24V brushless motor will last for years and it’s very quiet, too.

This mower is exceptional value given that it comes with two 4.0Ah batteries and a fast charger. It cuts grass remarkably well, is easy to manoeuvre and it’s light enough to carry, too.

This mower is so tiny it comes in a box small enough to accommodate a pair of Wellington boots. And when you get it out of the box it looks like the best eighth-scale radio controlled car your kids will never get a chance to play with.

The really clever thing about this single-handed 25cm cordless mower is that it’s available in two different options. If you already own Gtech’s GT50 Grass Trimmer or HT50 Hedge Trimmer you can just buy the mower body (£89.99) and use it with the shaft and battery of the trimmer or hedge trimmer, or purchase the whole package, battery and all for £179.99.

Like the Gardena HandyMower above, it doesn’t come with a grass collector (the cuttings are fed back to the lawn) and you will need to spring both axles into a lower position for a shorter cut – which is nowhere near as short as most large mowers are capable of (40mm instead of around 30mm). Also, some elderly users may find the action of mowing with a vacuum cleaner-style handle a little tiring.

But on the plus side, it's light enough (just 3.5kgs) to easily carry up some garden steps, its handle is suitable for all heights of user and it’s really easy to store. The battery, meanwhile, is capable of running for up to 30 minutes at a time.

If you have a stamp-sized garden and are looking for a mower that cuts a neat path with little fuss, give this little Gtech SLM50 a whirl.

The brightly-coloured Gardena PowerMax is equipped with a 32cm cutting deck, a 30-litre all-plastic grass collector and a mulching plug so it’s a perfect fit for diminutive lawns with a comfortable mowing area of up to 180 square metres. Its brushless motor, meanwhile, is quiet, exceedingly reliable and powerful enough for all but the longest of grasses.

While the moderately foldable handle-bar assembly is quite basic in design, the actual hand grip area is remarkably comfortable and features a power grip on both sides for both right and left-handed use.

The PowerMax has at least one great innovation that sets it apart from other mowers in this category – a very cool cutting height adjuster. Where most models use a lever to raise or lower the deck, this one comes with a QuickFit knob that is a joy to use. Simply push down on the button, turn the dial to your preferred cutting height and the whole chassis will spring up or down through ten levels from a lower-than average 20mm to 60mm.

The PowerMax uses two 18v batteries that share compatibility with cordless products from Bosch. These batteries must be used in tandem or the mower simply won’t work. The not so great thing, however, is that it only comes with one battery charger so you will need to charge both in succession which is a bit of a hassle. I managed to eke out about 35 minutes of cutting time on a full charge.

The Gardena PowerMax feels very light on the front end when pushing it but it doesn’t seem to affect its performance which is as good as anything else on this page.

This lightweight mower from Stihl is a cracking choice for small urban lawns. Aside from cutting the grass remarkably well – and right to edge – what really stands out is the way its brushless motor operates.

Instead of running at full tilt all the time, this mower features a permanent Eco mode that adjusts the speed of the blade depending on the length of grass. Hence, when tackling long stuff, it ramps up to full speed and when it senses little resistance against the blades it backs off to a gentle hum. A system like this not only saves a lot of battery energy – we’re on our fourth cut and the battery’s only half way empty – but it also helps keep noise to a minimum. And believe me, this little fella is so hushed you could probably mow the lawn on a Sunday at 6am and the neighbours would never know.

The Stihl is equipped with a small 33cm plastic cutting deck and a smaller-than-average 30-litre grass collector that can be unfolded to make emptying a veritable cinch. Its easily adjustable cutting height range of 25-65mm isn’t the best in the pack but it’s perfectly ample for the majority of UK grasses.

Stihl’s reliability record is second to none – it is, after all, the brand of choice among professional gardeners and landscapers – so chances are this titchy garden devil will last a heap of summers.

This T3 Award-winning cordless model is equipped with a 34cm cutting deck, a decent-sized fabric grass collector (35 litres), five cutting heights (25mm to 75mm) accessed via a simple height adjustment lever and a collapsible handlebar system that incorporates quick-release clips instead of awkward screw threads.

Despite being equipped with a brushed motor rather than a more durable brushless one, this little mower really impresses with its cutting efficiency. You should feasibly expect about 30 minutes of use on a single one-hour charge of its 2.5Ah battery – enough charge to cover up to three separate sessions on a small 70 square metre lawn. For added convenience, it has a battery power indicator just below the start button on the handlebar.

At a shade over £200 with battery and charger, this model is one of the cheapest here though it is pretty heavy for its size. Nevertheless, because it’s British, spares will be easy to obtain so that’s a bonus.

Check out our Cobra MX3440 vs Einhell GE-CM 18/33 Li comparison feature for more details.

At 9.9kgs, the Bosch CityMower 18 is one of the lightest lawn mowers around and that’s a boon when it comes to pushing it and carrying it back to the shed. It also comes with Bosch’s famously comfy Ergoflex handlebar system that is ideal for both righties and lefties.

The CityMower’s height adjustable 32cm cutting deck and 31-litre grass collector are of optimum size for a small urban lawn and, because the chassis is fitted with extended grass combs, it really does cut right to edge of the lawn.

This model comes with a powerful 4.0Ah battery that provides about 25 minutes of cutting time. However, if you already own a set of Bosch power tools that use the 18v system, opt for the ‘solo’ model and use one of your own batteries instead. Bosch has a great reputation in this field so you can’t really go wrong with this model, especially if you’re looking for a smaller-than-average cutting deck.

This cordless model has one of the narrowest cutting decks on this page (30cm) so definitely consider it if you have a small lawn. You shouldn’t have any problems storing it either since it’s not only one of the smallest folding mower we’ve come across but it stores in an upright position with its 30-litre grass collector clipped to the handle bar. Of course, being so small means it is blooming light, too – like 8.8kgs light.

The Flymo EasiStore runs on two 20 volt batteries at a time which gives it a max rating of 40 volts. No I’m not sure either why Flymo didn’t just use one 40v battery instead. Nevertheless, you can charge both batteries at the same time (three hours) using the simple splitter device that comes with the charger. You should get about 30 minutes of mowing time out of the batteries, which is about average for a baby mower.

The EasiStore cuts just fine and pretty close to the edge – it even has a rear roller for creating stripes on the lawn. It’s also quiet enough to not scare the neighbour’s children. However, I’m not impressed with the cutting height system which requires manhandling the front and rear axles and clipping them into a lower or higher position. Other than that rather irritating foible, the Flymo EasiStore 300R Li is still a worthwhile model for postage stamp-size lawns.

Now read our Kärcher LMO 18-33 vs Flymo EasiStore 300R Li comparison feature to see how the Flymo fares against the winning Kärcher.

German brand Einhell enters the swardsmanship market with a great budget-priced model that, while not the prettiest of lookers, does the job and does it well. This is a 33cm mower and, at just 10.9 kgs, it’s light to carry and easy to store.

The Einhell comes with a battery and charger and is one of the cheapest ready-to-run models you can buy. It’s generally well designed and equipped with a brushless motor for unswerving reliability, a simple fold-over handle bar assembly for easy storage, and a three-setting height adjuster that takes the chassis from 25 to 65 mm – enough range for most types of common grasses.

If you’re not bothered by looks and just want a descent small-bodied mower that costs less than £200 complete with battery and charger, then you can’t really go wrong with this one. See how this mower fares against the Cobra MX3440V in our Cobra MX3440 vs Einhell GE-CM 18/33 Li comparison feature.

An electric corded hover mower like this titchy 33cm model is only suitable for smooth lawns with no gnarly lumps and bumps. The Flymo EasiGlide is powered by electricity and comes with a small 33cm cutting deck which is ideal for really small lawns. And because it hovers, you can literally swing it around in an arc when you get to the end of each strip. Its 20-litre grass box is on the small side but it’s easy to disengage.

However, you will need to remove the blade to fit or add plastic spacers if you want to change the cutting height, which incidentally is a really low 10-30mm. This means it’s ideal for a bowling green type lawn. Just make sure the lawn is nice and level or it will scalp some areas down to the top soil. You might also need a suitable 13amp extension lead if you don’t have an outdoor power source.

The first thing you need to decide on is cutting deck size which dictates the width of the cutting blade. For a small lawn this would be between 20cm (about 8.6 inches) – the smallest available size – and 34cm (about 13 inches). After 34cm, mower sizes tend to leap to 41cm (16 inches), so if you think you need to go larger than the models in this list, head straight over to our guides to the Best Cordless Lawn Mowers and Best Petrol Lawn Mowers where you’ll find a wide mix of different sized lawn mowers for every size of garden.

Electrically-powered corded lawn mowers are perfect for city lawns and they are among the cheapest to buy. However, this writer is not a fan of corded models because the cable needs to be constantly lassoed over and around garden obstacles. Also, I’m not that keen on having a 240 volt cable in the vicinity of a fast spinning blade.

If you can afford the extra outlay, you’ll find a cordless model is about ten times easier to use – and much much faster since there’s no cable to get in the way. You also won’t need to reach for an extension cable if you haven’t already got an outdoor power point to hand.

Now that you've got your lawn sorted, it's time to host a garden party. Check out the best barbecues, best portable barbecues, Patio Heaters and best outdoor lighting for all the essentials.