Our verdict
The bottom line
For buyers who mulch religiously and never bag clippings. If you accept that a mulch-only mower needs a regular cutting schedule, this is dramatically faster than collect-and-empty. For most British lawns the bag is more useful than the mulch convenience.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Mulching-only design — no bag emptying
- Self-propelled at sub-£400
- Stiga engine reliability
- 46cm cut covers efficiently
Cons
- No collection — useless on first cut
- No rear roller
- Mulching needs short dry grass to work well
Full specs
| Type | Petrol |
|---|---|
| Cut width | 46 cm |
| Engine / Power | Stiga ST120 OHV 123cc |
| Weight | 29 kg |
| Deck | Steel |
| Self-propelled | Yes |
| Rear roller | No |
| Mulching | Yes |
| Cutting heights | 6 positions |
| Bag capacity | — |
| Suited to lawn | Medium |
| Noise level | 95 dB |
Buying second-hand
Used-market tip
£120–220 used. Specialist mowers have a smaller buyer pool — bargains appear. Stiga engine same checks as any Mountfield. Mulch deck builds up grass — flip and clean before judging cut quality.
Where to look: Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree are usually 20–30% cheaper than eBay UK for petrol mowers because most sellers want local pickup. eBay tends to win on cordless and electric (lighter, easier to ship). Always insist on a starting demonstration before paying.