Looking for the best electric mulching lawnmower to enhance your lawn care routine? Mulching is an eco-friendly way to nourish your lawn, and selecting the right mulching electric lawn mower is key. The market offers a plethora of options, but finding a high-performing corded mulching lawn mower that meets all your needs is crucial.
Through rigorous testing, I’ve honed in on the finest electric mulching mowers out there. My expertise is at your disposal, guiding you to the ideal mower that will efficiently mulch and recycle your grass clippings back into your lawn.
If you’re keen to learn more about the benefits of mulching and what to look for in a top-notch mulching electric lawn mower, check out my detailed guide, “The Benefits of Mulching Lawn Mowers – Complete Guide.” for all the insights you need to make an informed decision.
My Recommendation at a Glance:
Below I have listed my top electric mulching mowers, divided into the most popular feature categories. If you are limited on time, you can use this at a glance.
Last update on 2024-09-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Electric Mulching Mower Rankings 2024
Select your requirements by ticking the applicable boxes below to ensure that you choose a mulching mower that meets your exact requirements.
Best Electric Mulching Lawnmower for Leaves
When autumn leaves begin to fall, a reliable electric mulching mower becomes an indispensable tool for keeping your lawn tidy and healthy. While all mowers capable of mulching grass cuttings can also tackle leaves, some models stand out from the crowd. Here are the 5 best electric mulching mowers for leaves that I recommend:
- LawnMaster 1800W Electric Lawn Mower with 40cm: This powerful mower is not only efficient at cutting grass but also excels at mulching leaves. Its robust 1600W motor and 37cm cutting width make quick work of any lawn, and its mulching capabilities ensure that leaves are finely shredded and dispersed back into your lawn, providing essential nutrients.
- Cobra MX46SPE: The Cobra MX46SPE is designed to handle both grass and leaves with ease. Its mulching function is top-notch, allowing it to finely chop leaves for a nutrient-rich lawn without the hassle of raking and bagging.
- Mountfield Princess 34 Electric Mower: Compact and nimble, the Mountfield Princess 34 is an excellent choice for mulching leaves in smaller gardens. It’s easy to maneuver and its integrated mulching blade ensures that leaves are finely cut and returned to the lawn as organic fertilizer.
- Bosch UniversalRotak 550: Known for its reliability, the Bosch UniversalRotak 550 offers exceptional mulching capabilities. Its LeafCollect blade is specifically designed to deal with lawn cuttings and leaves, making it a versatile choice for year-round lawn maintenance.
- Hyundai HYM3300E: With its impressive mulching performance, the Hyundai HYM3300E stands out as a great option for leaf mulching. Lightweight and easy to handle, it can turn a carpet of fallen leaves into a fine mulch that will decompose and feed your lawn.
Each of these mowers provides the dual function of keeping your grass trimmed and repurposing leaf litter as mulch, ensuring your lawn remains not only clean but also enriched. Whether you’re dealing with the first fall of leaves or a full autumn blanket, these electric mulching mowers are up to the task.
Are Electric Mulching Mowers Any Good?
There is a general misconception that you require a petrol mulching mower to mulch the lawn effectively. This could not be further from the truth, as an electric mulching mower will do the job of mulching your grass perfectly well, providing you follow a regular lawn maintenance schedule. I have been personally using the Mountfield electric mower on my own lawn, and regularly use the mulching feature to achieve a healthy, green and thicker lawn.
A good electric mulching mower will have enough power to cut the grass cuttings multiple times into fine pieces. For this reason the more powerful the motor, the better job it will do of mulching, just like your kitchen blender. So whilst it is true that electric mowers are good for mulching, my advice would be to opt for a motor of at least 1600w in power.
So the answer to this question is a most resounding yes, as long as you only mulch when it is appropriate to do so (see below), and your electric mower has the power to ensure an effective mulch is achieved.
So How Exactly Does A Mulching Mower Work?
There are two types of mulching mower. A Dedicated mulching mower and one that has 1 or more other cutting options. Your typical electric mulching mower will normally have the ability to cut & collect the cuttings, but some models also have the ability to side and rear discharge. The best way to think about a mulching mower is to compare it to a blender in your kitchen.
When you are not mulching, each blade of grass is only cut once and is then collected in the grass collection box. When mulching, the exit chute is blocked using a mulching plug, so that the grass cuttings are continuously spun around the deck being cut multiple times into ever smaller pieces. Once the grass cuttings have been finely cut, they will drop back down into the lawn. This method has several advantages such as not having to collect and dispose of the grass cuttings, as well as the mulched grass acting as a natural fertiliser providing necessary nutrients and moisture to the lawn.
There is also another difference between an electric mower that mulches and one that doesn’t. Again, just like your kitchen blender, the mulching blade is designed in such a way that it will continuously keep the cut grass circulating around inside of the deck, allowing for the grass to be cut multiple times. This is achieved by the ends of the blade being turned upwards to provide additional lift and circulation underneath the mower.
Some manufacturers will include a mulching blade with the mower, but you will have to purchase the mulching plug as an optional extra. On the other hand, some manufacturers like EGO will require you to purchase both the mulching blade and the mulching plug, if required, as an optional extra.
If you do need to purchase an additional mulching plug it will add around £30 to the overall cost of the mulching mower.
How Do I Go About Choosing a Good Mulching Mower?
To make your life easier with your search, I have listed above the best electric mulching mowers that I have tested and reviewed. I believe that they will do the best job of mulching your lawn and ensure that you spend your hard-earned cash on a reliable and effective mulching mower. In addition, your lawn will benefit from all the health advantages mulching provides.
Naturally, you will want to consider the mower’s other features and functions as well as the ability to mulch the grass cuttings. These features include folding handles, larger rear wheels, leaf collect option, rear roller, vertical storage etc. Another consideration will be other cutting options available aside from mulching, these include cut & collect, rear and side discharge.
You will also need to consider the size of the cutting deck and this will normally relate to the size of your lawn and storage you have available. Below I have included a table that will guide you in choosing the best deck size in relation to the size of your lawn.
Lawn Sizes to Lawn Mower Deck Guide
How Do I Easily Measure The Size Of My Lawn?
Below is a video that will show you how you can quickly and easily measure the size of your lawn using Google Earth, from the comfort of your arm chair.
How Do I Achieve the Best Results?
Purchasing your electric mulching mower is just the beginning. In order to mulch the lawn successfully, the conditions of the lawn need to be just right and you need to follow a few simple steps.
- Do not cut too much off the height of the lawn when mulching. It is always a good idea to follow the 1/3 rule to prevent clumping.
- Just like your kitchen blender, the blade needs to be sharp as the blade is cutting many more times compared to the cut and collect option. This can be done by sharpening your blade on a regular basis or purchasing a new blade when it becomes dull and damaged.
- To get the best mulching results you should always mulch the lawn when it is dry. Even damp grass will stick to the sides of the deck, limiting the circulation and cutting ability of the blade.
- If your lawn is covered in weeds, mulching will only make matters worse as the seeds will be spread across the lawn. Firstly, resolve any weed issues before mulching.
- If your lawn is too long, mulching simply will not work. Shorten the lawn first using the cut & collect method, and then, on your next mowing session use the mulching option.
Benefits Of Mulching Your Lawn
- Provides essential nutrients to the soil, promoting healthy grass growth.
- Conserves moisture in the soil, reducing the need for watering.
- Helps to prevent weed growth by blocking sunlight from reaching weed seeds.
- Reduces garden waste and eliminates the need for grass collection and disposal.
- Saves time and money by eliminating the need for fertiliser and reducing watering and recycling costs.
Conclusion
While it is true that mulching mowers can be purchased as electric powered, they can also be purchased as petrol and cordless mulching mowers. Of course, do not forget that robotic mowers are fully designed to continuously mulch the grass cuttings. Having said that, electric mulching mowers are as good as any of the other power types, but the advantage is that an electric mulching mower will cost you significantly less. In addition, electric mowers require much less maintenance compared to their petrol counterparts.
Do You Need Help With Choosing The Perfect Lawn Mower?
If you are still unsure about what is the perfect mower for you and your lawn, why not head over to my best mower selection tool, by clicking the link below. It will select the perfect mower in seconds, based on your specific requirements.
FAQs
What Is Mulching?
Mulching is a form of mowing which involves distributing the grass clippings back to the lawn as opposed to collecting them in a grass box, as is the traditional method. When using an electric mulching lawn mower, you would usually insert a mulching plug that prevents the clippings from exiting out of the back of the mower, where they normally would. Instead, these clippings are circulated around the cutting deck where the blades chop them into very fine pieces before delivering them back to the lawn.
Can You Mulch With An Electric Lawn Mower?
Yes. A lot of electric lawn mowers come with the option to mulch, which is great news if you want to improve the quality and health of your lawn and have versatile options when it comes to how you mow. As well as mulching, you might also have the traditional cut and collect method as well as rear or side discharge.
Why Should I Mulch With My Electric Lawn Mower?
Mulching is good for your grass in that the clippings act as a natural fertiliser. They are packed with nutrients such as nitrogen which are incredibly good for your lawn and will keep it in the best condition as well as helping to maintain its beautiful green colour.
Is A Mulching Lawn Mower Better?
If you want a lawn mower that will aid in keeping your lawn healthy then yes, a mulching lawn mower might be considered better. However, it very much depends on your individual needs. If you use other methods of fertilising your grass then you might not need to invest in a lawn mower that has the option to mulch.
How Big Is An Electric Mulching Lawn Mower?
Electric mulching lawn mowers come in a variety of sizes just like any other type of lawn mower. I would suggest purchasing one whose cutting width is in keeping with the size of your lawn. For example, small lawns may need something no bigger than 34cm, while a large lawn may need a cutting width of over 40cm. Medium sized lawns usually require a mower that is between these two sizes.
Is Mulching Better Than Side Discharge?
Side discharging electric lawn mowers simply deposit the clippings onto the grass from a chute at the side of the mower. They do not chop the clippings up into fine pieces like an electric mulching lawn mower would, so they do not benefit your grass in the same way.
Can You Mulch Wet Grass?
I’d never recommend mowing your grass when it is wet as this can cause it to clump, which just makes life difficult. When it comes to mulching, you’ll find that these clumps mean the clippings aren’t as freely distributed across the lawn resulting in an uneven finish. Moreover, using electrical equipment such as an electric mower in wet conditions can be dangerous and runs the risk of damaging your machine should moisture get into the electrical parts and motor.
When Should You Not Mulch?
It is not recommended to use the mulching function on your electric mower when you are giving the grass a big trim. For example, if you have been away and the grass has been left to grow too long. Moreover, you should never remove more than a third of the length of the grass in any one mowing session. The good news is that almost all electric mulching lawn mowers come with other mowing functions giving you the freedom to change how you cut.
Does Mulching Make Grass Thicker?
One of the main benefits of investing in an electric mulching lawn mower is that your grass will gain a lot of nutrients. These nutrients will cause it to grow much thicker, denser and with a deeper and richer colour.
How Long Does An Electric Mower Last?
If you buy a good quality electric mulching lawn mower and ensure good maintenance, then there is no reason that it won’t serve you for a good amount of time. Generally speaking, an electric lawn mower should last up to five years.
Do Electric Mowers Overheat?
Your electric mulching lawn mower will come with air vents, which will ensure good air flow around the machine to keep it cool. However, if these vents become blocked then you may notice that your mower overheats. In this case, you would need to remove the blockage and ensure good future cleaning of your machine. If the mulching mower is overheating and the vents are not blocked, this could signal problems within the electrical system. You should discontinue use and have the mower looked at by a professional.
Is It Better To Mulch Or Bag Lawn Clippings?
More often than not, it is better to mulch your lawn clippings as it’s healthier for the grass. However, it’s always preferable to bag the clippings if the lawn is very long or if it is covered in organic debris such as leaves and a lot of weeds.
As a seasoned expert in the field of garden power tools, I have dedicated over a decade to working with and reviewing a wide variety of lawn mowers. My extensive experience has allowed me to gain a deep understanding of the benefits and limitations of different types of mowers and garden tools.
Over the years, I have honed my skills in writing informative articles and creating helpful videos for various blogs and publications. This has given me the ability to not only recognise what makes a good lawn mower, but also to help you choose the perfect garden tool for your specific needs and requirements.
With my wealth of knowledge and expertise, I am confident that I can provide you with valuable insights and recommendations when it comes to selecting the right lawn mower for your lawn. So, whether you're looking for a battery cordless, electric, petrol, or robotic mower, you can trust in my expertise to guide you towards the best option for your garden.
