Cobra MX534SPH vs Harrier 56 Pro: which petrol lawn mower is right for you?

Keeping your grass in order can be a huge task, especially if you're lucky enough to have a big garden. There are a few potential solutions but one of the simplest is by grabbing the best petrol lawn mower going and to make the decision even easier, we're directly comparing the Cobra MX534SPH and Harrier 56 Pro.

While a petrol lawn mower might not be the best for the environment – and we should stress that you should choose an electric cordless mower or robot lawn mower unless you absolutely need petrol power – for some people nothing else will do. You simply need the range and power that only a combustion engine can provide.

With that out of the way, today's comparison between the Cobra MX534SPH and Harrier 56 Pro pits one of the best mid-range petrol mowers, in the Cobra, against one of the best high-end mowers, in the Harrier, with prices to match.

In some ways, this makes the decision easier: If you're a groundskeeper, or have an exceptionally large lawn, then the Harrier is the obvious – if quite expensive – choice. If you have a moderately large lawn, we recommend the more modest Cobra.

But there are lots of smaller details to ponder so let's jump into the guide.

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Cobra MX534SPH vs Harrier 56 Pro: features

The Cobra and Harrier petrol mowers are ideal for anyone who has a large space to mow and doesn't want to spend days (or weeks) doing it. But there are some key differences between them, along with some similarities. 

Perhaps the most obvious is engine size: Cobra has a reasonable 167cc Honda engine while Harrier has opted for a gigantic 190cc Briggs & Stratton engine, which sounds phenomenal and offers a huge amount of heft. Both are self-propelled, meaning you just have to point them in the right direction. 

The heft of the Harrier – which comes in at 59kg – works to its advantage as the company has included a rear-roller, meaning you're automatically setup to make some nice stripes, like your local cricket ground (which could also be where you're working if you own one). 

On the back, both the Cobra and Harrier come with grass boxes, measuring 65L and 70L respectively, and have cutting widths in the same region, 52cm and 56cm respectively. 

In terms of cutting height, Cobra has the edge skywards with 25-75mm, compared to 13-60mm on the Harrier, but if you need to go especially low then the 56 Pro is the best option. 

We think the best way to understand these two mowers is that the Cobra will be ideal for the vast majority of people, but those with especially high-end needs should seriously look at the Harrier, especially if you want to lay down some stripes. 

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Cobra MX534SPH vs Harrier 56 Pro: design and use

The design of the Cobra and Harrier petrol mowers is fairly similar and standard: a big petrol engine on the front, collection bag on the back, and wheels at four corners. The Harrier is certainly the most bulky of the two, but at 38kg the Cobra is still pretty hefty. 

In use, both of them performed exceptionally well, easily cutting pretty much any type of grass to a specific length. The self-propulsion on both makes the actual work – besides maintenance and moving them from A to B – pretty easy, all you need to do is steer. 

Perhaps the biggest difference, which could matter to a few of you, comes from the Harrier's ability to lay down stripes, using the aforementioned rear-roller. If you need to cut some grass professionally, or just prefer the look, the choice is made. 

Overall, we were pleased with how both the Cobra and Harrier performed across a range of conditions and the only real differentiation comes from the stripes. 

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Cobra MX534SPH vs Harrier 56 Pro: verdict 

By now, you've likely got a general sense of how this conclusion will play out. For most, the Cobra MX534SPH is more than enough, offering a lot of oomph, precision cutting, a generous 65L collection bag, and more for a pretty reasonable price. 

For those who need the very, very best, the Harrier 56 Pro is the way to go. The enormous engine does the job, it's easy to use and maintain, and can lay down some sweet stripes, turning your lawn into the perfect cricket pitch at will. 

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