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The best value lawn mowers and tools to get your garden in shape
Lawn mowers, grass trimmers, hedge trimmers and leaf blowers can be pricey, but our expert picks prove you don't have to break the bank
Manca has been testing baby products, health gadgets and gardening power tools for almost four years, weeding out the weak and recommending the strong
The summer sunshine can supercharge growth in your garden, and before you know it you've got a messy lawn and untidy hedges to deal with.
We've tested hundreds of garden tools from the biggest brands including Bosch, Husqvarna, Ryobi, Stihl and more, pushing them to breaking point to see which you can really rely on year after year.
If you invest in the right garden machinery, you can keep your outdoor space looking nice and neat without breaking the bank.
Keep scrolling or jump to the best lawn mowers, best grass trimmers, best hedge trimmers or best leaf blowers
1. Lawn mowers
Want your lawn to look its best during summer barbecues and gatherings? We have the mowers that get the job done. The RHS advises mowing once a week on average in the summer, dropping to once a fortnight, or longer, during periods of drought.
If you need to replace your old mower but don't want to spend a fortune, we think these are worth considering:
Einhell GE-CM 36/36
- We liked: Lightweight and manoeuvrable
- We didn't like: Grass catcher was awkward to refit
Designed for small to medium-sized lawns, this corded electric lawn mower has a 36cm cutting width.
It weighs just 14.3kg and has adjustable handles with a user-friendly mechanism that allows for quick and easy changes without needing tools. Six settings are available, ranging from 25mm to 75mm.
Read our Einhell GE-CM 36/36 review to find out how this cordless lawn mower fared in our rigorous lab tests or compare prices below:
Webb WEER36 Classic
- We liked: Light and easy to manoeuvre
- We didn't like: Noisy
This is a 36cm small, corded electric lawn mower with 1,600W motor that weighs just 11.5kg. The cutting width of 36cm makes it suitable for small and medium gardens of between 50-150 square metres. The bigger the cutting width, the faster a mower covers the ground, but this can also reduce how manoeuvrable it is.
This model comes with a 10-metre power cable, which may mean you'll need an extension cord if your lawn is longer than that. There are five cutting heights from 20-70mm, which can be set using a single lever.
See how this corded lawn mower compares to similarly priced rivals in our Webb WEER36 Classic review or shop below:
Read our guide on how to buy the best lawn mower to help you find the perfect model for your garden.
2. Grass trimmers
If your garden has areas of dense vegetation or tight fence corners that your lawn mower struggles to get to, a grass trimmer is the ideal tool to complete the task.
Below we've highlighted two models – a lawn edger and an all-purpose trimmer – that will help you get your garden in top shape.
Q Garden QG500ELT
- We like: Fairly quiet
- We don't like: No plant guard
This corded lawn edger weighs 3.1kg, which is about average for a grass trimmer, and it has a telescopic shaft that can extend from 94-117cm, so you can adjust it to suit your height.
It also features a 30cm cutting width and an auto-feed head, so you won't have to pause work to bump or manually pull more line.
To find out how this corded grass trimmer fared in our rigorous lab tests, read our Q Garden QG500ELT review or compare prices below:
Ryobi RY18LT33A-140
- We like: Handy step-to-edge feature
- We don't like: Fixed length
If you're after an affordable all-purpose trimmer, this Ryobi has the option to switch between trimming and edging by pressing a pedal on the head, which is a system unique to Ryobi. It weighs 3.3kg, which is about average for a cordless grass trimmer.
Its battery is part of the Ryobi ONE+ system and is interchangeable with more than 200 cordless tools for home and garden.
For more information on this cordless grass trimmer, including what our experts thought of it, head over to our Ryobi RY18LT33A-140 review or buy now from Ryobi (£149.99).
3. Hedge trimmers
Summer isn't the best time to cut your hedges due to the bird nesting season, which spans from March to August.
However, if you're looking to do some light trimming of new shoots, these hedge trimmers will help you trim off new growth and keep your hedges in top shape. Make sure to check for any birds nesting first.
Titan TTI827HDC
- We like: Good balance
- We don't like: Slower than some
This cordless hedge trimmer weighs 1.5kg, which is fairly light, and is powered by a 2.0Ah Li-Ion battery.
It has a 45cm long blade and a tooth width of 20mm, which means it will cut through branches up to that thickness.
Read our Titan TTI827HDC review to find out whether our experts rate it, or it buy now from Screwfix.
Hyundai HY2188 20V
- We like: Lightweight
- We don't like: Small tooth gap
Hyundai's lightweight hedge trimmer comes with a 20V 2Ah battery that's compatible with all Hyundai tools in the 20V MAX battery system.
It has three indicator lights on the battery to show how much power is left, a large front handle and a rotating rear handle that can be turned 90 degrees to the left or right.
To see how it compares to other cordless hedge trimmers, read our Hyundai HY2188 20V review or browse prices below:
Want to find out more about hedge trimmers before you buy? Read our guide to the best hedge trimmers.
4. Leaf blowers
A leaf blower may not be an essential summer gardening tool, but this versatile helper can be used for much more than gathering leaves into piles. It can be handy to quickly clear grass clippings off paths or driveways, dry off patio furniture after rain or pressure washing, or even save you time and energy when cleaning out garages or sheds.
You can also opt for a leaf blower vacuum, which will suck the debris into a collection bag, saving even more time. Put any leaves into your compost heap or into bin bags and leave for 18 months, after which they'll be ready to use as a soil improver.
Mac Allister MBV18-Li-2 18V 2.0Ah
- We like: Lightweight
- We don't like: Noticeable vibration
This Mac Allister leaf blower comes with a variable-speed trigger and cruise control, so you can adjust the power depending on what type of debris you’re clearing. It weighs 2.2kg, which is on the lighter side.
The removable battery is mounted on the rear end for better balance and takes around an hour to charge.
Find out whether this leaf blower was good enough to snag our Best Buy recommendation in our Mac AllisterMBV18-Li-2 18V 2.0Ah review or shop below:
Worx WG547E
- We like: Two speeds
- We don't like: Noisy
This cordless Worx leaf blower is one of the lighter models we've tested and comes some useful features, including two speed settings.
It's part of the PowerShare battery system, so the 20V battery can be combined and multiply voltage power for any Worx tool (20V, 40V, or 80V) in the same range.
For more information on this leaf blower, including how it fared in our rigorous lab tests, head over to our Worx WG547E review or compare prices below:
Want more options? Find out which leaf blowers score highest in our lab tests with our guide to the best leaf blowers.
