Keep your options open with four in one mowing: our ten of the best

The mowing season is now in full swing and many homeowners will be faced with a number of problems when keeping the grass in order and leaving it looking its best.
For not only the formal lawns need to be trimmed regularly but the rougher areas around the edge also need our attention and a mower with several options for dealing with the clippings can be really helpful.
So here we present our ten top 4 in 1 mowers which are ideal for people with larger areas to keep at their best.
These mowers have four ways of dealing with the clippings, either collecting in a grass box or mulching them or returning to the lawn. They can also be discharged to the side, useful for longer and larger areas of grass or simply discharge at the back.

The first is the Einhell BG-PM 46SHW 4-in-1 High-wheel Self-propelled Petrol Lawn Mower, a mower from a leading German engineering company aimed at homeowners with a variety of different sorts of grassy areas to maintain.
It has a 46 cm cutting width and a 139 cc Einhell engine easy to start and low on emissions. There are six cutting heights adjusted by a single lever and large wheels to make it easy to use.
The four cuttings options, discharged to the back or the side or mulched and returned to the lawn or collected in the grass box, give it absolute versatility.
Out front there is a lawn comb which smooths the lawn before it is trimmed leading to a better, more even cut.
There is a two year guarantee and free next working day delivery. It costs £279, a substantial reduction on the maker’s recommended price and has a two year maker’s guarantee and free next working day delivery.
Now here’s another one from German engineering company, this time it’s Al-Ko.
The Al-Ko 46BRA Power-Driven 4-in-1 Petrol Lawn Mower has the company’s own 140 cc engine which is mean on fuel and vibration levels and quiet in running.
The four cutting methods are height adjustable from 30 up to 75cm through seven settings and the collection methods mean it can tackle all sorts of lawns.
It has a strong steel deck – the deck is guaranteed for five years – and the 65 litre grass box has an indicator to show when it is full.
Large wheels make for easy turning and more comfortable use.
This mower costs £289, has a two year manufacturer’s warranty and is delivered free the next working day.
Now here’s another from Einhell and one of our best seller as it offers, outstanding value for money.
The Einhell BG-PM 51SHW 4-in-1 Hi-wheel Self-Propelled Petrol Lawn Mower has a powerful 166 cc engine with a cutting width of 51 cm making it suitable for larger lawns.
The engine automatically decompresses meaning it is easy to start and you can fire it up from the standing position.
The four ways of dealing with the clippings mean it can be used on the rougher, hidden corners of the garden as well as the manicured lawn.
And don’t forget you can mulch the cuttings obviating the need for a grass box and leaving a useful fertilizer on the lawn.
Heights are adjusted with a single lever and he handles fold down for easy storage in the garden shed and are adjustable to suit the user.
It costs £369.95 compared with the maker’s recommended price of £519.95.
There is a two year manufacturer’s warranty and free next working day delivery.
Now for something different and revolutionary.
The Greenworks G-MAX 45Li-40V Lithium-Ion 4-in-1 Cordless Lawnmower (25297) gives mowing performance equivalent to petrol machines much more quietly with no emissions and at less cost – no rushing to the garage to fill up the petrol can on a regular basis.
This mower has a solid steel deck and has the four ways of dealing with clippings so important for owners with larger gardens.
The machine has a 40 Volt battery which will run the mower for 60 minutes continuously and can be re-charged in two hours.
Cutting heights can be adjusted between a very short 20 and 70 mm and it leaves the lawn with the traditional striped finish.
The handles fold down for easy storage and the mower weighs only a little over 23 kg.
This mower costs just £349, and that’s £150 less than the maker’s recommended price. There is a four year manufacturer’s guarantee and free next working day delivery. The battery and charger are included in the price.
There is a range of other Greenworks garden equipment available at very special prices when you buy this mower including a leaf blower, hedge trimmer, chainsaw and long reach hedge trimmer.
Now one from a favourite British brand.
The Mountfield HW511-PD 4-in-1 Self-Propelled Lawn Mower has a 160 cc engine and a 51 cm cutting width making it suitable for bigger gardens.
There are five cutting heights from 25 to 90 mm and it has a special plate to stop the lawn being scalped in uneven areas.
Large wheels make it easier to use in tight spaces and fold down handlebars make storage simple.
This one costs £359 compared with the maker’s recommended price of £399.
Delivery is free the next working day and there is a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
Across the pond now for a machine from a leading American manufacturer.
The McCulloch M53-160DW High-Wheel Power-Driven Lawn Mower (Honda Engine) has the four ways of dealing with clippings and has at its heart a Honda GCV 160 engine which is very fuel efficient and low on emissions.
The cutting width is 53 cm making it suitable for larger gardens and it has five cutting heights from 25 to 82 mm.
The wheels are ball bearing mounted for a longer life and smoother working and it has an extra-large 71 litre grass box for when you are collecting the clippings.
It costs £399, a full £100 off the maker’s recommended price. Plus there is a one year guarantee from McCulloch and free next working day delivery.
From the USA to Italy and a mower exclusive to Mowdirect from a leading European manufacturer.
The Oleo-Mac G53-TBX AllRoad EXA-4 Self-Propelled Lawn Mower has a 190 cc Briggs & Stratton 650 Series engine which has been designed to be very easy to start and an aluminium cylinder to prolong its life.
There are six cutting heights from 28 to 75 mm which are easily altered depending on the surface and a cutting width of 51 cm again a perfect machine for a larger area of different sorts of grass.
Larger wheels make driving it simple even over longer, wet grass and a 70 litre grass box means more mowing and less emptying.
Another handy feature is a front bumper to save the mower from inevitable knocks and scrapes.
This mower costs £419 – the maker’s recommended price is £569. It has a three year manufacturer’s warranty and free next working day delivery.
And here’s a British machine, from an all-time favourite manufacturer.
The Hayter R53S Power-Driven Recycling Lawn Mower VS ES (Sens-A-Speed Transmission) (Code: 448) has the four way of disposing of cuttings and cutting heights from 25 to a much longer 114 mm, useful for the areas you want to leave growing longer but still trimmed.
The cutting width is 53 cm and the power is provided by a 190 cc Briggs & Stratton engine, enough to give plenty of oomph.
A great feature of this mower is that it will mow at the speed you decide, so no more hanging on as the machine takes off after going round the end of the row!
There is also electric ignition to make for easier starting.
A deadman’s handle is a useful safety feature and a good sized grass box.
It costs £535 as opposed to the manufacturer’s recommended price of £629. There is a three year manufacturer’s warranty and free next working day delivery.
And as an added incentive if you buy this machine there is currently a 10 litre steel jerry can absolutely free.
The Toro 20899 Aluminium Deck Super Bagger Lawn Mower (High Lift Blade) has a 53 cm cutting width and is from a leading maker in the USA.
It is a Honda GCV 160 engine and the mower has been designed to move at the speed at which you decide to walk so you can go faster on the straights and slower around the trickier bits.
The mower has a high-lift blade which gives powerful air flow to enhance grass collection and mulching.
This design means that clippings are kept in the deck longer so that the fast-revolving cutting blade can mulch them down to a much finer finish before depositing them back on the lawn.
This better airflow and a wider exit chute gives better collection than many models, particularly useful in damp conditions.
Toro’s recommended price is £699 but we have it for sale for £599. There is a two year guarantee from the makers and free next working day delivery.
And the final one in our ten top machines is the Stiga Turbo Excel 55SQ-H BBC Self-Propelled Lawnmower, a machine aimed at really large lawns.
A Honda GCV190 engine provides great power and uses little fuel and has some really useful features, like the blade-brake clutch which lets you stop the blades without turning off the engine, useful for when crossing paths.
This one has a 75 litre grass box with cutting heights down to 22 cm and up to 95 mm and has an indicator to show when it’s full. The cutting width is 53 cm.
This is a real heavy duty mower with a cast aluminium deck for durability and made to withstand the rigours of use over a wide areas for year after year.
It costs £749, and that’s £50 less than the maker’s recommended price. The maker’s guarantee is for two years and delivery is free the next working day.
Mowdirect is Europe’s largest on-line garden machinery superstore, so keep an eye on our site for more great offers on garden equipment.
And remember there are literally hundreds of mowers for sale from the simplest little hand propelled ones up to the largest ride-ons for larger estates.