The Husqvarna TC 238T dominates UK forums at £3,799 for its bombproof hydrostatic drive and 97cm deck that handles an acre in under an hour. The Stiga Tornado 3108 HW saves £1,200 versus the Husqvarna TC 242T per PistonHeads users. Avoid the Mountfield R28M: "biggest mistake I ever made, a big pile of junk" per MoneySavingExpert. Check cutting width before buying.
| Model | Price | Verdict | What Forum Users Say | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Husqvarna TC 238T FORUM FAVOURITE |
£3,799 | Best all-rounder for 1–2 acres | "I purchased a Husqvarna five years ago and the only mistake I made was that I didn't buy it 10 years ago." — forum user, MoneySavingExpert | View on Amazon |
| Stiga Tornado 3108 HW BEST VALUE |
£2,599 | Honda engine, up to 2.5 acres | "Cracking bit of kit — the mulcher deck blew cut grass back into the lawn so no need to keep emptying the grass." — member, Singletrack World | View on Amazon |
| Husqvarna TC 242T PREMIUM PICK |
£4,499 | 108cm deck, twin-cylinder power | "The extra power of twin-cylinder will be very handy if your ground isn't flat." — member, Overclockers UK Forum | View on Amazon |
| Mountfield 1538H-SD BUDGET OPTION |
£2,199 | Entry-level, side discharge only | "Fine for straightforward flat lawns, but don't expect Husqvarna quality for the price." — member, PistonHeads | View on Amazon |
| Mountfield R28M AVOID |
Chronic starting & belt failures | "The biggest mistake I ever made — a big pile of junk. Touted as a British brand but the quality just isn't there." — GardenNovice82, MoneySavingExpert | Not recommended |
The single most consistent message across PistonHeads, MoneySavingExpert, Overclockers UK, Singletrack World, Cycling UK Forum, Arbtalk, and DIYnot is that hydrostatic transmission is non-negotiable for gardens with any slope. Users who bought manual-shift mowers to save money consistently report regretting it within a season. Gear-change mechanisms wear quickly on undulating ground and the clutch-and-shift process on slopes is genuinely hazardous. Every thread that goes beyond a dozen replies converges on the same point: pay extra for a hydrostatic drive and you will not regret it.
Cutting width is the second area of agreement. For a garden above half an acre, UK forum users consistently recommend a minimum 97cm deck. The Husqvarna TC 238T's 97cm Air Induction deck appears in more recommendation threads than any other single specification. PistonHeads members with an acre of lawn report the 97cm deck reduces mowing time to under an hour; those who bought 76cm or 84cm machines report spending 90 minutes to two hours on the same area. For gardens above 1.5 acres, threads on Overclockers UK and PistonHeads both point toward 108cm decks such as those on the Stiga Tornado 3108 HW or the Husqvarna TC 242T.
The third consistent theme is brand support and parts availability. Users who buy from established dealers — Husqvarna, Stiga, John Deere — report that belts, blades, and service parts are available next-day from multiple suppliers. Users who bought budget or superstore-own-label machines describe waiting weeks for parts, with one Cycling UK Forum member reporting their machine sitting idle for six weeks mid-summer because a replacement belt was unavailable. Several PistonHeads threads specifically recommend buying from a local dealer rather than online, so that warranty work is handled on-site rather than requiring the machine to be couriered.
"I purchased a Husqvarna five years ago and the only mistake I made was that I didn't buy it 10 years ago. It just does exactly what you ask of it, every single time."
— forum user, MoneySavingExpert
"Husqvarna has excellent spares back-up. That matters more than you think when your belt goes mid-June and you've got two acres to cut."
— GardenTractorFan, Overclockers UK Forum
"Cracking bit of kit. The mulcher deck blew cut grass back into the lawn so no requirement to keep emptying the grass box. If I have a lawn in the future worthy of a ride-on, I'd get another Stiga without hesitation."
— forum member, Singletrack World
"The 2 main brands that get consistently good reviews on here are Husqvarna and Stiga. Both tend to have decent dealer support and parts are available. With anything else, you're taking a chance."
— member, PistonHeads Homes, Gardens and DIY
"The biggest mistake I ever made — it's a big pile of junk. Touted as a British brand but the quality just isn't there. I gave up on it and bought a second-hand Countax, which does what I ask, rain or shine."
— GardenNovice82, MoneySavingExpert Forum
"My R28M won't start again. Third time this season. Belt went last autumn, now it's the seat switch again. The dealer is 40 minutes away and they always have a 3-week wait. Never again."
— Lawnhater2023, MoneySavingExpert Forum
"For anything more than light use on a small, flat garden, avoid the budget Mountfield-type mowers. They are pretty rubbishly made and engineered compared to Husqvarna or John Deere."
— member, Overclockers UK Forum
| Cost Item | Husqvarna TC 238T | Stiga Tornado 3108 HW | Mountfield R28M |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual service (dealer) | £120–£160 | £100–£150 | £80–£120 (when available) |
| Replacement deck belt | £18–£35 | £20–£40 | £15–£30 (intermittently stocked) |
| Blades (set) | £25–£45 | £30–£50 | £20–£35 |
| Fuel (per season, 1 acre) | ~£40–£60 | ~£45–£65 | ~£35–£55 |
| 5-year ownership cost (est.) | £4,600–£5,200 | £3,400–£4,000 | £2,500–£3,500+ (incl. repairs) |
Forum owners consistently report that fuel costs are lower than expected. A typical 1-acre garden takes around 45–60 minutes with a 97cm deck, consuming roughly half a litre of petrol per session. At current UK pump prices, that works out to approximately £30–£50 per season for a fortnightly mow between April and October. One PistonHeads member with 1.5 acres and a Husqvarna TC 238T reports spending under £60 on fuel across a full mowing season.
The hidden costs sit in dealer servicing and unplanned repairs. Stiga agent servicing is noted on PistonHeads as "expensive" — one user quotes £180 for an annual service including oil, filter, and blade sharpening. Husqvarna servicing runs similarly. Budget machines appear cheaper to service on paper, but MoneySavingExpert threads document multiple unscheduled repair visits costing £60–£100 each, plus the dealer availability problem. One user calculated they had spent more on Mountfield R28M repairs over four years than a Husqvarna TC 238T would have cost outright.
Most UK forum users report that a ride-on mower becomes worth the investment at around half an acre (2,000m²). Below that, a self-propelled walk-behind handles the job in a similar time. One Mumsnet user reports mowing just under two acres with a Husqvarna ride-on and notes it halves the time compared to a walk-behind. A Cycling UK Forum member with a 1,500m² lawn switched from a self-propelled Honda to a ride-on after developing a knee problem and considers it the best garden purchase they made.
Yes, consistently and strongly. Every UK forum thread that compares manual-shift and hydrostatic ride-ons concludes in favour of hydrostatic. The cost difference is typically £200–£400 at point of purchase. Manual-shift transmissions require a full clutch-and-stop to change speed range on a slope, which is both awkward and carries a tipping risk. Hydrostatic models use a single foot pedal for speed and direction — one Overclockers UK member describes it as "like driving an automatic car, but sitting on a very comfortable garden throne." Belt-driven manual gearboxes also wear faster under the start-stop demands of mowing around obstacles.
Multiple PistonHeads threads recommend buying from a local authorised dealer rather than a superstore or online retailer. The reasons given: dealers set up the machine properly before handover (checking the deck level, belt tension, and tyre pressures), warranty work is handled locally rather than requiring costly return couriering, and seasonal servicing is available before the mowing season starts. One DIYnot member who bought from a superstore reports waiting three weeks for a warranty repair because no local dealer would take on the job. Online prices may be £100–£200 cheaper but the after-sales risk is real.
Husqvarna and Stiga are the two brands that receive the most consistent positive recommendations across UK forum discussions, including PistonHeads, Overclockers UK, MoneySavingExpert, Singletrack World, Arbtalk, and Cycling UK Forum. John Deere is respected but considered expensive for domestic garden use, with the X350 priced significantly above most domestic budgets. Countax appears in recommendations for larger rural plots. The consensus across all forums is that Honda engines — whether fitted in a Stiga, Honda-branded machine, or a rebadged product — are the most reliable small-engine option available. Avoid any mower that has replaced its original Briggs & Stratton or Honda engine with an unspecified Chinese-sourced unit in recent production runs.
The Husqvarna TC 238T at £3,799 is the clear forum favourite for UK gardens between half an acre and two acres: proven reliability, wide dealer coverage, and a resale value that holds better than any budget alternative. Stiga Tornado 3108 HW at £2,599 is the best-value Honda-engined option for larger plots. Steer clear of the Mountfield R28M — the volume of starting failures, belt problems, and safety switch faults documented across MoneySavingExpert alone makes it impossible to recommend.
