A good mulching petrol lawnmower is equipped with a specially designed blade, plug and deck that finely chops grass clippings and disperses them back into the lawn as natural fertiliser, along with a powerful engine and adjustable height settings to ensure efficient mulching across various grass conditions.
My Favourite Petrol Mulching Lawnmowers Tested and Reviewed
- Best Overall/Engine – The Murray EQ2-500X Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower boasts a high-performance Briggs & Stratton engine and a mulching capability that finely shreds clippings, promoting a healthier lawn.
- Best for Smaller Lawns – The Hyundai 17″/43cm 139cc Self-propelled Petrol Lawnmower is ideal for smaller lawns, offering mulching functions that nourish the grass while its compact size enhances manoeuvrability.
- Best for Medium Lawns – The Cobra MX484SPCE 48cm (19in) Petrol Lawnmower excels in medium-sized gardens, with a mulching system that ensures nutrient-rich clippings are returned to the soil, fostering a lush lawn.
- Best for Larger Lawns – For extensive green spaces, the Murray EQ2-700X Self-Propelled Petrol Lawn Mower provides a broad 56cm cutting width and efficient mulching, reducing the need for frequent emptying and enhancing lawn health over large areas.
Guide To Buying The Best Petrol Mulching Lawn Mower
Petrol lawn mowers are the most powerful and efficient type of mulching mower on the market. While they are slightly more expensive and often heavier than other types of mower, they will last for many years and should be seen as an investment.
One of the greatest things about petrol mowers is that many of them come with the option of mulching. Mulching is a way of delivering the grass clippings back to the lawn as a way of providing a natural fertiliser.
There are hundreds of petrol mulching mowers out there and there are many things to think about when choosing the right one for your garden. It can feel a little overwhelming when you are confronted with so many choices, so I have put together this list of the best petrol mulching lawn mowers along with an in-depth buyers guide that will give you all the information you need to know to make an informed decision.
In a Hurry?
Before we jump into the reviews, I understand that some of you could be pushed for time. If you don’t have time to read my in-depth petrol lawn mower reviews, I have listed my top selections below for your convenience.
Last update on 2024-10-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
5 Best Petrol Mulching Lawn Mowers
Select your requirements by ticking the applicable checkboxes below; so I can help you pick the perfect mulching petrol lawn mower for a small and medium lawn.
What Is Mulching And Why Is It So Important?
Your petrol mulching mower will use the blades to not only cut the grass, but also chop the clippings up into very small pieces. Once these pieces of grass have circulated around the mower deck enough times, and are small enough, they will fall back down onto the ground and will deliver essential nutrients; most notable nitrogen, back to the lawn.
There are many benefits to mulching but one of the most notable is simply the fact that this process can help to maintain a healthy, lush lawn without needing to use chemical fertilisers. Of course, this is much better for your grass but will also save you money. If you are concerned about the environment and want to make sure that you recycle as much waste as possible, using your grass clippings in this way is a must.
Furthermore, grass is actually made up from more than 80% water; you have likely seen what happens to grass when it gets too dry; it can be devastating. However, through the process of mulching, you are able to give moisture back to the grass. This is important all year round but even more so in the hot summer months, when it doesn’t rain as much as usual.
However, you should be sure to mulch the lawn when it is dry to achieve best results. Mulching when the grass is wet can mean that the mower struggles and will potentially become clogged. A lot of people make the mistake of watering their lawn before they mulch when in truth, you should be doing this afterwards.
But the benefits don’t end there. Mulching is also great for lawns that have been susceptible to weed growth in the past. This natural method of fertilising will encourage healthy grass growth and will massively contribute to the prevention of weeds. You will also notice that there is far less moss on the lawn and that problems such as lawn disease are significantly reduced.
Mowing with a traditional cut and collect mower is handy in the right circumstances, but it can also make the process a lot longer. This is because you are continually having to stop and empty the grass collection box. When you use a mulching mower, you don’t have this issue and therefore, cutting the grass takes nowhere near as long. Now you can sit on the deck with a cold beer and admire your beautiful, green lawn!
Things To Consider When Buying A Petrol Mulching Lawn Mower
I am definitely in favour of petrol mulching lawn mowers, but that doesn’t mean that all of them are going to be suited to your needs. What might work well for my garden could be a disaster for yours and since you will be parting with a significant amount of cash when you buy one of these mean machines, you will want to make sure that it is a healthy investment.
So, here are my top tips for making sure that your petrol mulching mower does exactly what you expect it to.
Dedicated Mulching Or Multi-Functional Petrol Mower
However, if you like diversity in your garden tools, you might be better off with a multi-functional petrol mower that comes with a mulching plug. Quite often, these allow you to mow the lawn in up to one of four ways. Mulching is one method, there is also the option to use the grass collection bag and then you might also have the choice or either rear or side discharge.
Some petrol mowers may not be supplied with a mulching plug but it can be purchased as an optional extra. Also some petrol mowers now have the ability to switch between cut & collect and mulching without having to insert a mulching plug. They have a lever of the top of the deck that allows you to quickly switch between these two cutting methods. This can be seen on the Honda HRX537HY.
But it is important to keep in mind that while these multi-functional petrol mulching mowers are more versatile, the mulching method tends to be less effective than the dedicated mower. Having said that, mulching is not for everyone and not for every season of the year, so having the flexibility to adapt your petrol mower to the changing conditions will ensure successful all year-round lawn maintenance.
You will also want to consider whether or not you go for a petrol mower that is self-propelled or push only. The majority of petrol mowers with mulching ability are self-propelled, making the whole mulching process much easier and adding again to the mower’s versatility.
Cutting Width
As with all lawn mowers, you need to make sure that the cutting width is appropriate for your garden. If you have a much larger garden, you might need to use a petrol mower with a cutting width of around 50cm. Gardens that are on the smaller side, may benefit from a petrol mower with a much smaller cutting diameter that could be as little as 35cm.
Cutting Height
Therefore, it is vital that you look for a petrol mower with an adjustable cutting height. Some petrol mulching lawn mowers will come with as little as 3 height adjustments, where others will have up to very generous 10 cutting heights.
Another point worth noting is that some petrol mowers will require you to adjust the height of every single wheel independently, where others have a single lever that will adjust all 4 wheels at the same time. Personally I prefer the single lever as adjusting the wheels independently is time-consuming and never had the need for varying the height of individual wheels.
Not only this, but you should make sure that the cutting height is easy to adjust which will save your time and energy during the mow.
Blades
Mulching will cause your blades to dull much more rapidly than other mowing methods and this means that you will need to sharpen them much more frequently than usual. The reason for this is that your mower will act like your kitchen blender cutting the grass multiple times while spinning the clippings around in the deck of the mower.
Petrol lawn mowers are robust by design but one of the first considerations you should make is whether you feel that the blades are strong enough to undergo regular sharpening. In most cases, petrol mowers will come with a durable steel blade that can withstand regular mulching and this is great news for those who are looking to mulch.
Replacement blades are relatively cheap and simple to replace if you do not fancy sharpening them. Sharpening the blade is easy and can be carried out by any competent DIYer with basic tools. It is also a good idea to check the availability and price of replacement blades, for any petrol mower you are considering purchasing.
Conclusion
While there are other types of power sources for these mulching mowers, petrol tends to be the most powerful and effective on the market.
You must look out for certain things when buying a petrol mulching mower, one of the most important is whether you choose a dedicated mulching mower or one that comes with a mulching plug and can be used in other ways. Once you have chosen your petrol mulching mower, you will soon start to see the benefits that this mowing method can bring, including a more lush, green and healthy lawn.
Best Petrol Mulching Lawn Mower FAQs
Is A Petrol Mulching Lawn Mower Worth It?
If you are looking for a way to keep your lawn green and healthy then a mulching lawn mower can go a long way in helping you with this. They will redistribute the clippings around the lawn providing it with essential nutrients. What’s more, a mulching lawn mower is a great choice for people who may not be able to dispose of the grass clippings, for whatever reason. Since they’re spread back out over the lawn, you won’t need to worry about finding somewhere to dispose of them.
Why Does My Mulching Lawn Mower Leave Behind Clumps Of Grass?
There are two main reasons that your petrol mulching lawn mower might be leaving clumps of grass behind. The first is that you are mowing the grass while it is wet. It’s true that a petrol mower will handle wet or damp grass better than an electric one, but it won’t stop it clumping whilst mulching. Secondly, it could be that you are allowing the grass to grow too much in between cutting it. When you do this, the blades are unable to mulch it down into fine particles, instead leaving clumps. It is recommended to never cut more than a third of the grass in any one mowing session.
How Long Should A Mulching Petrol Lawn Mower Last?
Petrol lawn mowers are generally much more robust and durable than other types of mower. However, they will only last as long as you take good care of them. If you perform regular maintenance of your petrol mulching lawn mower then you might expect it to serve you for more than ten years. That said, if you aren’t willing to look after your mower, store it incorrectly, don’t replace parts or keep oil topped up etc then it might struggle to make it through even just a couple of mowing seasons.
What Should I Look For In A Petrol Mulching Lawn Mower?
If you’re after a mower that will mulch, then it goes without saying that the first thing to look for is that the mower has this ability. After this, you’ll want to look at the power of the petrol lawn mower. Many people opt for this type of mower because of its superior power and what you choose will need to be in line with the size of your garden and the density and thickness of the grass. You will also need to look at other features such as the size of the cutting deck and whether or not the lawn mower is self-propelled. I have a more in-depth guide on selecting a petrol mower found in my blog.
Do Petrol Mulching Mowers Need Oil?
If you’re purchasing a petrol mulching lawn mower then you will need to make sure that you regularly check and top up the oil. Depending on whether you have a two or four stroke engine, this will either be mixed with the fuel or added in its own compartment. It’s important to make sure your lawn mower has oil as this is used to lubricate the moving parts of the engine. Failure to do this means that the parts won’t move smoothly and will wear out more quickly.
How Do Mulching Petrol Lawn Mowers Work?
A mulching lawn mower is designed to return the clipping back to the lawn so that they can provide nutrients to help maintain the health of the grass. However, it isn’t merely a case of the mower dropping the clippings directly back onto the ground. Instead, these lawn mowers create an airstream which sends the grass back to the blades repeatedly. This chops them up into much finer pieces before they are returned to the lawn.
Should You Mulch Every Time You Mow?
It won’t cause any problems if you use the mulching function every time you mow the lawn. However, you will notice that most petrol mulching mowers come with other mowing functions which you may want or need to use from time to time depending on the season or condition of the lawn. I wouldn’t suggest mulching your lawn if you are giving it a big cut as this could cause the grass to clump. In this case, you might choose to use one of the other mowing functions such as cut and collect or side discharge.
Does Mulching Grass Make It Grow Faster?
Because mulching provides your lawn with much needed nutrients and moisture, this will improve its overall health. That includes making it grow much thicker, denser and greener than it otherwise would.
When Should I Change My Lawn Mower Oil?
As part of your overall petrol mulching lawn mower maintenance, you will need to perform oil changes. It’s a good idea to check the mower after each use to ensure that the oil level hasn’t dropped significantly. If it has, then you should top it up. However, you will also need to perform a full oil change at the end of every mowing season or for every 50 hours of mowing; whichever happens first. There is an exception to this rule and that is when using a brand new engine. In this case, you will want to change the oil after just five hours of mowing.
Why Do Petrol Lawn Mowers Smoke?
You may notice your petrol mulching lawn mower kicking out thick black smoke. This is more often than not caused by a dirty or clogged air filter. Your mower has a carburettor which is designed to regulate the ratio of air and fuel. When this part doesn’t receive enough airflow, it won’t function properly, and the ratio of air and fuel will be incorrect. This is what causes smoking but can be easily fixed by cleaning or replacing your air filter.
Does Mulching Grass Spread Weeds?
There is a myth that tells us that mulching your lawn will contribute to thatch, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Provided that you do not cut more than one third of the height of the grass at each mow, there should be no problems with weeds or thatch. Mulching promotes good lawn health so should out-compete with the weeds and moss.
Can A Petrol Lawn Mower Overheat?
Petrol lawn mowers should not overheat when they are functioning properly which can be achieved with regular maintenance. However, if there is not enough oil in the engine and the parts rub against each other, causing friction, this can lead to overheating. Not only will this affect the performance of the mower, but it will also prematurely damage the parts. Air filters should also be changed as part of your ongoing maintenance.
Do Grass Clippings Grow Grass?
If you mulch your lawn, you might think that new growth will come from the clippings, but this isn’t the case. The only way that these clippings would grow new grass is if there were seeds mixed in with them.
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.
