Length of Grass - You have to keep in mind this aspect, the length of the grass you’re trying to mow, especially if there are areas you let grow long. Firstly, if you like a striped finish to your lawn when you have cut the grass, this won’t do it because it doesn’t have a rear roller, just wheels.

In this review, we will look at all of the features and functions of this self-propelled petrol lawn mower. By the end of this review you will know if this mower is the right option for you and your lawn. You can also refer to my video review below for visual representation and to see this mower in action.

Mark Haley

Over the years many people have asked me how they know if a mower is self-propelled of not. This is a very important question with a simple response. If you see in the title SP, it means that the mower is (self-propelled), this applies to Mountfield range of petrol mowers. The SP414 is a general purpose self propelled lawnmower, with a 39 centimetre cutting width and a Mountfield 100cc engine. A 40 litre grass collector and 5 heights of cut from 25 to 70mm, make this mower ideal for longer grass on small to medium sized lawns. Powered by a Mountfield 100cc 4 stroke engine, the SP414 self propelled lawnmower is ideal for small to medium sized lawns.

Supplied with mulch plug, a large 60-litre-capacity collector and a discharge chute, the Mountfield SP51H is capable of either bagging, recycling or rear-discharging your grass cuttings (the catcher has a dust- and pollen-retaining hard plastic top, and is made from canvas to save storage space). The Mountfield SP53 is a big petrol mower designed for large lawns up to 2,500 metres squared. As the weight of this mower is 34 kg, it is a good decision that this mower is self-propelled – especially when laden with damp grass too. The self-propulsion is a single speed at 3.7km/h – this is what I would call a very comfortable / slow walk speed that will for sure assist you when mowing your grass on a steep hill / incline. See my video above, where I am demonstrating this action by holding the mower easily with one hand only. The grass on the day was damp and as you can see there was some wheel spin, however the mower had no issues gaining traction with some encouragement and ascending the steep incline.

Not only having a part cloth collection bag reduces the weight, it also assists with the air circulation resulting in a more efficient collection of your grass clippings. The disadvantage of a cloth collection bag is that they are more prone to damage – this is particularly so if you are having to mow close to sharp bushes / shrubs. Having said that, replacement collection bags are readily available here in the UK as are all Mountfield parts. An advantage of the hard top on the grass collection box means less dust and debris being projected into the operators face. Complete with a large 60 litre grass collector, plus a mulching plug; meaning you don't always need to collect the grass and can recycle grass clippings into the lawn, saving time plus fertilising the lawn. It benefits from a robust powder coated steel chassis with front scalp plate, reducing scalping of the lawn and improving grass collection. I’ve spent several weeks with the Mountfield SP41 and for medium sized lawns, it’s really quite good. Assembly Powered by the Honda GCV170 Autochoke 167cc engine. Designed to provide an excellent finish on all types of lawn. The Autochoke system on the engine automatically sets the choke to give optimum starting and running in all cutting conditions. Steel chassis with skid plate reduces scalping of the lawn. Features a Dynamic Speed Control (DSC) transmission, a conical clutch that allows for smoother gradual traction. Self-propelled, no need to push, ideal for maintaining lawns with minimum effort. Mulching plug means no need to collect grass as it recycles the clippings into the lawn. Suitable for lawns up to 2500m². For me, the engine started first time however, if it doesn’t press the primer button a few more times and try again.