The best mulching lawn mowers

When mowing your lawn it’s well worth considering the range of benefits a mulching mower can have on the health of your green space. Instead of simply cutting the grass and disposing of the clippings, a mulching lawn mower produces a finer cut before pushing the loose grass back into the surface of your lawn. Here it will decompose, releasing nitrogen and other nutrients into the soil.

As grass is largely made up of water this means the lawn will require less watering and should grow to be healthier and greener. As well as saving you time, mulching the grass instead of collecting and disposing of the clippings elsewhere is also better for the environment.

What is mulching power?

Mulching works with the help of a purpose-built blade or mower add-on that cuts the grass more finely than a regular lawn mower. If the mower is not powerful enough to effectively chop the grass to a fine mulch and push it into the ground, this can create clumps on the lawn which can cause damage to the plants beneath.

We have picked out six of the best mulching mowers that will save you time and ensure you get the best mulching as you mow.

HRX426 PD EA mulching mower

The best lightweight mulching lawn mower

Suitable for those who want to cut around orchards and trees, this manoeuvrable mower has a lightweight, and compact design, ideal for reaching those less accessible spots in your garden, without compromising on durability thanks to its steel deck.

With a low running noise your neighbours will barely notice as you quickly zip around your garden, mulching in record time. It has a simple mulching design which features a side-discharge for easy flow of grass.

• £599

SP535HW V Mulching Lawn Mower

The best mulching mower for a large lawn

If you have a large garden, this may be the best mower for you. It has 6 preset cutting heights which are easy to adjust with a single lever, and a 53cm cutting width supported by 280mm rear wheels, which means it will take on large sections of longer grass with ease.

With a 70 litre collector it has the option of storing cuttings, discharging from the rear and the sides, or mulching the ground to access those nutrients.

• £639

Buy the SP535HW V Mulching Lawn Mower now from Mountfield

Petrol 46 BR-A Comfort

The best mulching mower for longer grass

With an ergonomically shaped handlebar and wheel drive bar, you’ll be able to push this through grass with ease. Set the custom height adjustment on the rear and front wheels and you’ll be able to cut through short to long grass on flat or uneven land, thanks to the smooth-running wheels which feature double ball bearings. 

To begin mulching you’ll simply need to add the insert, which will then begin to finely chop the cuttings and push them back into the lawn, saving you the hassle of having to dispose of them yourself.

• £335

Buy the Petrol 46 BR-A Comfort now from AL-KO

RS630 Robotic Automatic Mulching Lawn Mower

The best mulching mower for putting your feet up

Recommended for larger domestic lawns up to a maximum size of 3000 sq meters, the RS630 is the world’s first robotic lawnmower and will be able to take care of the cutting and mulching all by itself.

With 1.3 hours of cutting time the mower will even return to its charging station of its own accord, after slicing through the grass. The patented blade is surrounded by a protected skirt, which will prevent any damage to your property and the mower itself as it goes to work on your lawn.

• £2,499

Buy the RS630 Robotic Automatic Mulching Lawn Mower now from Robomow

JS63VC Mulching Lawn Mower

The best mower for manoeuvrability

Fitted with lockable front castor wheels for increased manoeuvrability, this mulching mower will cut through your garden at whichever pace most suits you, with three different speed settings. The mower is crafted with a dedicated mulching bell deck shape and mulching blade, where the grass is cut then cut again before being pressed back into the earth.

Built with durability in mind, it has added protection against rust, and works well when cutting through long, damp grass.

• £1,014

Buy the JS63VC Mulching Lawn Mower now from John Deere

R53S Recycling Mulching Lawn Mower Autodrive VS

The best mower for mulching and collecting

One of the more versatile mulching lawn mowers, this can collect the clippings, mulch, or discharge the waste to the side, depending on your gardening goals. 

It’s a particularly durable mower thanks to its steel deck, but still very easy to move around, due to an in-built feature that matches the mower’s speed to your own walking pace. There’s even a soft-grip handlebar to make the experience as comfortable and easy as possible.

• £739

Buy the R53S Recycling Mulching Lawn Mower Autodrive VS now from GreenStripe

Check out our selection of the best ride-on mowers available