The best cordless lawn mowers have come a long way in recent years. We now say that, for most people, the best lawn mower is a cordless one. If your garden is more test match sized, you can always move up to petrol or ride-on.
There are often big differences between mowers that seem similarly specified on paper. Some are more adjustable than others. Some are made better. Some are more powerful. Some have better batteries. And some are easier to push and manoeuvre on a hit summer day. Kärcher's range of cordless mowers scores highly on all of those points, and the Kärcher LMO 18-33 is our T3 Awards 2020 pick of the bunch.
• Buy Kärcher LMO 18-33 from Kärcher
Karcher is of course best known for its lurid yellow pressure washers, and that colour scheme is used here too. You’re not going to lose it, that’s for sure. Build quality is excellent, the handlebar system is considerably more sturdy than rivals’ and the battery indicator gives you an actual countdown instead of just a couple of coloured LEDs. With a 33cm cutting deck and a 35-litre grass catcher it’s ideal for small to medium sized lawns.
It's easy to store as well as the handlebar can either be folded over or removed entirely. For those with bigger lawns and more space, there's also a larger, 36cm model available.
The battery is all important in a cordless mower and the big, 18v 5ah one here is excellent. Not only does it give you a good 40 minutes or so of happy mowing, it also has its edges coated in a protective, textured rubber. It even boasts a useful LCD screen showing how much charge is left.
Finally, a mulching plug is included, so you can feed all those nitrogen-packed cuttings back into your lawn.
As we concluded in our review, "If you’re looking for a lightweight and efficient lawn surfer that performs exceedingly well, then consider putting this one at the top of your list. It’s a right little cracker."
• T3 Awards 2020 – all the announcements so far.
Even before you’ve loading the machine for the first time though it's pretty easy to see that the AEG 9000 SERIES L9FEC966R is a class act. While most models are humdrum white metal boxes, this one manages to pack in some style. The top panel with a suite of controls and a cool red digital display oozes appeal. The silver-hued door adds an extra flourish.
All well and good, but it’s the washing capabilities that make you want to keep using it. There’s a decent 9kg drum with a maximum spin speed of 1,600rpm, so it’s got size and power aplenty. Then there is the range of programmes on offer, which cover all of your everyday needs, with some handy extras such as the sublime delicates setting that we find acts real nice to prized woollen cardies.
Meanwhile, the steam-based programme is perfect, say, for your favourite shirt that you can be bothered to iron. In fact, despite its power-packed specification it’s the subtlety of this washing machine that really appeals. The drum sports a unique filtering system that somehow manages to let detergents and softeners work their magic that little bit better. Fellow users consistently reckon they’re getting better laundry back as a result.
As you’d expect for an appliance of this calibre, the AEG 9000 SERIES L9FEC966R washing machine comes with an impressive A+++ energy efficiency rating. So it’ll keep on cleaning while saving you some cash over a period of long-term ownership too. With its brushless inverter motor you also get super-silent operation and minimal vibration.
