Whether you’re mulching, composting or eliminating thatch build-up, by the time you’ve read this post you’ll know everything you need to know about gathering up all the cut grass your lawn can deliver.
Bagging is counterintuitive. You might think that with their extra horsepower and big cutting decks, the best tool for bagging would be a zero-turn or ride-on mower, but you’d be wrong.
Zero-turns and ride-ons are not as manoeuvrable, they don’t fit in tight spaces, their grass bags don’t fit snugly, and, because they don’t have the suction power of push and self-propelled mowers, they leave behind clumps of grass and leaf debris.
The faster the blade spins, the cleaner the cut. With that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of highly-rated mowers with powerful motors. Later we’ll discuss what you can do to easily customise them and create the kind of bagging behemoth that consumes and devours everything in its path.
TOP mowers with grass box
The Best Lawn Mowers for Bagging
- Bosch AdvancedRotak 750 Electric Rotary Lawn Mower
- Hyundai HYM3800E Corded Electric Rotary Lawn Mower
- Greenworks 40V GD40LM46SPK4 Cordless Lawnmower
- Hyundai HYM430SPER Electric-Start Self-Propelled 4-stroke Petrol Lawn Mower
- Bosch Rotak 34R Electric Lawn Mower
- Makita 36V DLM462Z Cordless Lawn Mower
- Murray IQ18WM37 36V Cordless Lawn Mower
- Husqvarna Flymo EasiGlide 300V Plus Electric Hover Lawn Mower
Bosch AdvancedRotak 750 Electric Rotary Lawn Mower
Key Features:
- Power Source: Mains electricity
- Power Capacity: 1700W
- Grass Capacity: 50-litre box
- Cutting Width: 44cm
- RPM: 4800
- Weight: 16kg
1700 watts is like having a cyclone on a leash. The Bosch mower’s cutting blade spins at 4800 revolutions per minute. That’s 80 times a second. Plus, it has a 50-litre capacity grass box, very nearly the largest there is.
The power cord supplied is good for small and, up to a point, medium-sized lawns. If you want to go bigger, you’re going to need an extension. Just make sure it’s rated for large household appliances like ovens and washing machines.
Pros:
- A height-adjustable guide bar
- 7 cutting heights
- Proprietary ProSilence technology reduces engine noise by 75%
- A proprietary LeafCollect cutting blade traps and shreds big leaves
- Light enough to hang on the wall
Cons:
- No grab handle at the point of balance makes it hard to carry
- A long, properly-rated extension cord is not included
Hyundai HYM3800E Corded Electric Rotary Lawn Mower
Key Features:
- Power Source: Mains electricity
- Power Capacity: 1600W / 230V
- Grass Capacity: 40-litre box
- Cutting Width: 38cm
- RPM: 3700
- Weight: 13.8kg
This mower combines utility with styling features. A rear roller and low-cut settings produce that striped look so beloved by English homeowners while a grass comb trims the lawn all the way up to the edges of paths, walkways and garden walls.
Half the weight of a petrol mower, this Hyundai still reaches a respectable 3700 RPM, so you can bag all the cuttings you need while applying the finishing touches to your lawn.
Pros:
- 5 cutting heights
- Rear roller
- Mulching option
- No oil, air filters or spark plugs to deal with
- A quick-release mechanism that empties the grass box without spillage
Cons:
- The grass box could be bigger
- Not suited to large lawns
Greenworks 40V GD40LM46SPK4 Cordless Lawn Mower
Key Features:
- Power Source: Battery
- Power Capacity: 2 40V 2Ah lithium-ion batteries
- Grass Capacity: 50-litre box
- Cutting Width: 41cm
- RPM: 3900
- Weight: 20.8kg
When estimating the degree of coverage a cordless mower offers, remember that a lot depends on the condition of the lawn. Long, thick grass takes more battery power to cut than short grass.
Its two 2Ah batteries can cover an advertised area of 250m², roughly equivalent to a bit more than one tennis court, but many users have reported that the battery performance far exceeded their expectations. Upgrade to 6Ah batteries and it can cover 750m².
Pros:
- Mulching option
- High-speed motor
- Quiet with no exhaust emissions
- Batteries are exchangeable with other 40V Greenworks tools
Cons:
- This mower covers all the bases. I can’t in all honesty report any deficits. Even the user reviews are unanimously enthusiastic, something rarer than hen’s teeth
Hyundai HYM430SPER Electric-Start Self-Propelled 4-Stroke Petrol Lawn Mower
Key Features:
- Power Source: Petrol Engine
- Power Capacity: 2.6kW (3.7hp) 139cc Hyundai OHV 4-stroke engine
- Grass Capacity: 45-litre box
- Cutting Width: 43cm
- RPM: 2800
- Weight: 41kg
Another mower that combines utility and styling, this one features a split rear roller, making it that much easier to get your lawn looking like the cover of Genesis’s Nursery Crimes album.
Although it’s heavier than most of its counterparts, the extra weight is offset by the fact that this is a self-propelled mower you can set the pace of, so you’re not going to be running after it which is the case with some mowers.
Pros:
- Electric starter with recoil
- Big grass box
- Wide cutting width
- Split rear roller
Cons:
- Twice the weight of other mowers
- Relatively low RPM but still fairly high enough to get a nice, clean cut
- This is one 4-stroke engine that does require a fuel-oil mix
Bosch Rotak 34R Electric Lawn Mower
Key Features:
- Power Source: Mains electricity
- Power Capacity: 1300W Powerdrive
- Grass Capacity: 40 litres
- Cutting Width: 34cm
- RPM: 4800
- Weight: 11.1kg
This mower doesn’t have the broadest cutting width and the grass box could be bigger but it more than makes up for these deficits in other ways.
At just over 11kg, the Rotak 34R is the lightest mower in its class. It has a carry handle at the point of balance so getting it out and putting it away again is a breeze.
Despite its small, compact size, the Powerdrive motor delivers a very respectable 1300W and 4800 RPM, equivalent to the best of its high-power counterparts.
Pros:
- At 11.1kg, it’s exceptionally lightweight and manoeuvrable
- A powerful motor with high RPMs
- Compact for easy storage
- A rear roller for the striped finish
- Inset front heels and grass combs for precision edge-trimming
Cons:
- A comparatively narrow cutting width
- The height of the guide bar can be fidgety and frustrating to adjust
Makita DLM462Z 36V Cordless Self-propelled Lawn Mower
Key Features:
- Power Source: Electricity
- Power Capacity: 36V
- Grass Capacity: 60-litre box
- Cutting Width: 46cm
- RPM: 3600
- Weight: 39kg
It’s as if the engineers at Makita were told to go forth and create a cordless lawn mower in every way equal to its petrol counterpart. What they came up with is the Tyson Fury of bagging mowers: a self-propelled garden tool with four battery ports, a brushless motor, a steel deck, a massive 46cm cutting width and a 60-litre grass box.
This mower changes from self-propelled to a walk-behind with the flick of a switch. You also have the option of maintaining a constant cutting speed or engaging the automatic throttle, in which case the engine slows down when there’s nothing to cut.
At the same time, it enjoys all the benefits of battery technology: no exhaust fumes, quiet operation, low maintenance and none of the drawbacks of a petrol engine.
Pros:
- 4 battery ports
- A brushless motor
- 10 cutting heights
- A steel deck
- Variable speed control
Cons:
- Getting its 36kg in and out of storage might be a problem if you have a bad back
- Batteries are not included
Murray IQ18WM37 36V Cordless Lawn Mower
Key Features:
- Power Source: Batteries
- Power Capacity: 2 36V 2.5Ah lithium-ion
- Grass Capacity: 40-litre bag
- Cutting Width: 37cm
- RPM: 3700
- Weight: 14kg
This mower qualifies as a bagger by combining a 3700 RPM motor, a 37cm cutting width and a dual-blade cutting system with a bantamweight of 14kg. The lighter the mower, the faster you mow and the sooner you finish.
Reasonably priced, it comes with two batteries and a dual charger.
Pros:
- Compact for easy storage
- Lightweight
- Dual-blade system
Cons:
- The height of the guide bar is adjustable but not its length
- The grass box has a bad habit of detaching itself, causing some users to resort to tying it on with an elastic cord
Husqvarna Flymo EasiGlide 300V Plus Electric Hover Mower
Key Features:
- Power Source: Batteries
- Power Capacity: 36V 2.5Ah
- Grass Capacity: 20-litre bag
- Cutting Width: 30cm
- RPM: 4300
- Weight: 8.2kg
Hover mowers aren’t ideal for bagging but it can be done and a good place to start is the Flymo EasiGlide from Husqvarna. Despite its diminutive size, this little mower reaches 4300 RPM, so it’s capable of cutting long, thick grass, even when it’s wet (something I don’t recommend, by the way. It can damage your lawn).
Flymo is Husqvarna’s flagship brand so after-sales service is excellent and you’ll never have to worry about the availability of parts and batteries.
Pros:
- Featherweight
- Very easy to handle
- Includes a Flymo Contour 500E trimmer and edger
- 4 cutting heights
Cons:
- A small grass bag
- A relatively narrow cutting width
How to Buy the Best Mower for Bagging
Mowers with the highest RPM score on two fronts: they provide the cleanest cut and the cut grass is finer, doubling the capacity of your grass bag. Finer cuts also decay more quickly and more easily, making better fertiliser.
There are four different types of mower blades on the market: straight, dual, mulching and high-lift. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t own one of each and swap them out yourself.
Straight is the ‘common-or-garden’ variety, while the dual-blade system is better at long, thick grass. The mulching blade sprays grass in every direction – pretty much the opposite of bagging – while the high-lift blade creates a vortex that sucks everything up into the bag, which is exactly what we’re looking for.
To create your bagging hybrid, choose a mower with a high RPM, fit it with a high-lift blade and then finish it off with a 60-litre grass bag.
If you decide on a cordless mower, consider investing in an extra charger and a couple of high-capacity batteries. They’re not cheap but they’re small and compact and they take two seconds to swap out. That way you’ll never have to worry about running out of juice before the job’s done, no matter how big an area you have to cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better at bagging, a ride-on mower or a push mower?
Ride-on mowers are better at almost everything else but push mowers are better at bagging.
Is there one blade that’s good at everything?
The straight blade is considered general-purpose but can struggle with long, thick grass that a dual-blade would have no problem with. Specialist blades like the mulching blade and the high-lift are not general-purpose.
Conclusion
Bagging and composting should be high on the list of every gardener’s priorities. While grass cuttings are not the best fertiliser for a lawn that has been neglected and run to seed, they’re perfect for maintaining a lawn that’s already pristine. They’re completely natural, eco-friendly and cost next to nothing. It’s recycling in its purest form and all it takes is a little effort.
Please remember to always check your lawn for hedgehogs and other wildlife before you start mowing. Small creatures are essential to a healthy ecology. For more information, visit Hedgehog Aware.
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Charl is a full-time writer with a range of passions and expertise in lawn mowers and other garden power tools. After many years in the corporate rat race, he decided to follow these passions. When not writing, Charl can be found in his garden, tending to or propagating plants, keeping the lawn near perfect, and enjoying the outdoors with his dogs. He is also fascinated by emerging technology and tries to squeeze in a round of golf as often as possible.
