If you’re looking to achieve the finest cut possible on formal lawn-areas, but want a machine tough enough to handle rough grass as well, then you should take a look at this high-performance mulching machine from America's premier garden-tractor manufacturer, Simplicity. It's equipped with a full-width striping-roller that will leave you with the perfect striped finish on your lawn; while an impressively wide 117cm cutting deck (with side-discharge for longer grass) facilitates the rapid coverage of substantial grounds. It employs a seriously powerful 22hp Briggs & Stratton V-Twin engine that offers rock-solid dependability in the face of heavy-duty use; and it benefits from a smooth foot-pedal controlled hydro drive, which has a five-stage cruise-control for enhanced driver-comfort.

If you prefer to collect grass-clippings rather than dispersing them on the lawn, the Cub Cadet XT3 QR106E could be the garden-tractor you're looking for. The 106cm `Direct Collect` deck will power clippings into the extra-roomy 360-litre grass-catcher, which is operated with a push-button power-lift system. If mulching is something you may want to do at certain times of the year, an optional mulch-plug is available. A large-displacement 726cc Kawasaki twin-cylinder engine gives the tractor its drive via a hydrostatic transmission; while a cruise-control option will guarantee even results. Should you run into any tight corners a `cut-in-reverse` function will prove useful.

A impressively well-built pro-grade chainsaw for heavy-duty domestic use, the Oleo-Mac GS-440 Petrol Chainsaw with its 42.9cc engine and 40.5cm bar is ready for anything… even making firewood in sub-zero temperatures, thanks to its built-in ‘Ice Device’ function. Boasting an extremely durable design by Italy's top brand, it has a dependable starter-system, with an electronically controlled digital coil and variable ignition for trouble-free starts under the harshest conditions. An automatic/adjustable oil-pump confers longevity and flexibility-of-use; while lateral chain-tensioning means you don’t have contact the chain when making those essential adjustments. The engine is fuel-efficient clean-running; and every control is simple and straightforward.

If you want a simple and traditional mowing experience, nothing is better than a hand-propelled cylinder mower. Ideal for a small lawn, this new and improved machine from top German brand WOLF-Garten has a surprising amount of features for such a compact and easy to use unit. Five carbon-steel blades make up the compact 30cm-wide cutting-cylinder; a rear roller produces a classic striped effect; and a 15-litre grass-collector is included. The cutter-deck is height-adjustable between 10 and 40mm for flexibility-of-use. Weighs just 10kg.

Coming equipped with a mulch-plug; rear- and side-discharge deflectors; and a fabric grassbag (70-litres); the steel-decked Oleo-Mac G53-TK has a mowing-mode to suit whatever weather-conditions and grass-types you might encounter. It has a substantial 51cm cut and a power-drive to the rear wheels, so will make light work of the larger lawn; and it's fitted with ergonomically advanced control handles that work to ensure low levels of operator-fatigue during time-consuming mowing jobs. This model is one of the most powerful walk-behind-mowers available and yet thanks to clever Italian engineering it retains a reasonably lightweight touch and feel for a mower of this size.

If your lawn measures around 3000m2 or less and has lots of closely-spaced obstacles and/or tight corners, then the compact 66cm Mountfield 827H is worth serious consideration. It boasts numerous high-specification features, including a foot-pedal controlled hydrostatic drive for superior manoeuvrability; a premium-grade STIGA engine (224cc) with an effort-saving electric key start; and a high-capacity 150-litre grass-collector, which can be dumped from the driving position. A mulch-kit can be purchased separately.

With its Transmatic Shift-on-the-Go drive; 96cm working-width; and very high-volume grass-catcher; the Lawnflite 380 XT-S should be seriously considered by anyone wanting to mow an expansive lawn as quickly as possible. It offers side-discharge as standard (with bagging and mulching optional), so will cope easily with very long grass; and it has an amazingly tight turning-radius for such a substantial machine, meaning those awkward end-of-pass turns will prove hassle-free. Power comes from an ultra-reliable MTD engine with a capacious 3.8-litre fuel-tank for reduced down-time.

This entry-level front-cut ride-on from Stiga makes it easy to access those hard-to-reach areas and is an affordable option for the smaller lawn (up to one-acre). Its precise rear-wheel steering and infinitely-variable hydrostatic drive make it possible to manoeuvre intuitively around trees, furniture and other obstacles; while its 85cm out-front Multiclip deck and unimpeded sight-line ensure you’ll be able to follow fence-lines and complex borders with supreme accuracy. Strong and durable, the Stiga Park 120 is constructed around a rigid chassis that brings a lengthy 10-year warranty. Power is delivered by a beefy 414cc four-stroke engine from Stiga themselves.

With its long 62cm dual-reciprocating blades and wide 30mm tooth-pitch, this high-specification model from Japanese hedgetrimmer-specialists Tanaka will make short work of large hedges containing thick, well established branches. It’s fitted with a 24cc low-emission Tanaka two-stroke engine, which features S-Start for low-effort recoil-type starting; and it’s equipped with a 180˚ twistable rear-handle for comfortable operation from any angle. The Tanaka TCH-24EBP (62) weighs only 4.5kg.

Maintain super-neat lawn edges the fast and efficient way with this easy-handling petrol lawn-edger from Masport. It offers ten wide-ranging height-of-cut positions, so it can be set-up to suit any given application; and it comes powered by a premium-grade engine (127cc) from Briggs & Stratton, so superior reliability and easy starting are assured. The Masport Lawn Edger is fitted with a 24cm blade and features a safety-enhancing operator-presence control.

From famous British brand Wilkinson Sword, this Razor Cut Pro bypass-pruner is ideal for more delicate applications and combines stay-sharp Japanese-steel blades with an impressively durable anodised aluminium body.