Compare lawn mowers in New Zealand at Canstar Blue. Masport, LawnMaster, Ozito and Ryobi were compared on Overall Satisfaction, Ease of Use, Maintenance/Servicing, Quality of Grass Cut, Reliability and Performance and Value for Money.
See our Ratings Methodology.
For keeping their lawns in tiptop condition, Kiwi gardeners rate Masport’s mowers No.1 for customer satisfaction.
Our review compares lawn mower brands on customer satisfaction, so you can discover what other Kiwis think about our compared lawn mower brands before you make your next purchase. Think of it like asking hundreds of your closest friends and family members which lawn mower brands deliver the best quality and value for money!
Canstar Blue surveyed 416 Kiwis who had purchased a new electric or fuel lawn mower in the past three years, and asked them for their feedback on their choice of lawn mower.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their lawn mower from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning lawn mower is the one that receives the highest Overall Satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall Satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The lawn mower brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Find more information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.
MasportComing out on top for the third year in a row is Masport, the clear winner of Canstar Blue’s 2023 award for Most Satisfied Customers | Lawn Mowers.
Yet again, the home-grown brand is the only mower in our survey to earn an overall 5-Star Satisfaction Rating from its customers. Across the board, Masport earns a tally of four 5-Star ratings, plus two great 4-Star ratings, for Value for Money and Maintenance and Servicing.
The Masport brand was founded here in 1910. Its mowers are built on over 100 years of manufacturing experience, and are designed and engineered in New Zealand to deal with the toughest Kiwi conditions and the thickest lawns.
Masport offers mowers for all needs, whether you’ve a quarter acre or just a berm, a lifestyle block or a new build. Masport’s range of mowers includes:
Petrol lawn mowers have long been the standard, and Masport makes many great models.
For a regular lawn, Masport’s 8/0 Series is a great place to start. These mowers were first introduced in the ’70s and have withstood the test of time.
The 8/0 series features long-life, rust-free aluminium chassis used in conjunction with renowned engine brands, such as Briggs & Stratton & Kohler.
For larger lawns, Masport’s Contractor series delivers tough, reliable and highly durable mowers.
Whether you’re switching for environmental reasons, or to enjoy the clean practicality of battery power, Masport’s range of electric mowers delivers all the power and none of the noise of petrol models.
The Power Flex range of electric mowers uses the same handles, disc systems, wheels, catchers and cutting decks used to equip Masport’s petrol models, so you don’t have to worry about compromising on quality.
For added versatility, Masport’s Energy Flex series features interchangeable batteries, so you can run your Masport mower, leaf-blower, chainsaw and more, all from the same power supply.
Masport offers high-specification cylinder mowers that deliver precision cutting performance at an affordable price. The perfect machines for maintaining the bowling green in your backyard!
Whatever the size of your small holding or lifestyle block, Masport has a ride-on mower to suit your needs.
Models offer the option of a rear catcher or a side discharge, while Masport’s specialty models can tackle everything from high grass, brush, blackberry, gorse, thistles, and overgrown and out-of-control vegetation.
There’s even a 4WD option!
So if you’re in the market for a new mower, cut straight to the best, a Masport – the winner of Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers | Lawn Mowers Award 2023.
OzitoAlongside its great 4-Star Overall Satisfaction rating, Ozito scores highly across the board, with 5-Star ratings in three categories.
Notably, Ozito is the only lawn mower brand in this year’s ratings to earn 5-Star ratings for Value for Money, in addition to its other top ratings, for Ease of Use and Maintenance and Servicing.
Ozito’s selection of cordless, electric and cylinder lawn mowers can be found for sale at Bunnings Warehouse stores. Ozito’s range includes:
No one wants to navigate a pesky power cable when trying to mow the lawn. One wrong move and you’re stuck with a dead mower and a half-finished lawn.
Ozito’s Power-X-Change family includes the PXC 18V Brushless Mower, which features:
The PXC 18V mower is recommended for lawn areas up to 150m².
Ozito’s premier electric lawn mower is the 1500W electric lawn mower. It features:
A slightly smaller 1200W model is also available.
Ozito has one cylinder mower currently on offer: the PXC 18V. It features:
LawnMasterLawnMaster scores well across the board, earning three 4-Star ratings, including for Overall Satisfaction. In each of the three other categories in our awards research, LawnMaster scores a respectable 3-Star rating.
LawnMaster takes pride in offering an extensive range of both battery-operated and petrol-powered lawnmowers, which are based on over 75 years of dedicated research. Here’s what’s currently on offer from LawnMaster:
Built to withstand any challenge, LawnMaster’s petrol mowers offer uncompromising power and reliability, making light work of even the toughest terrain. Choose from primary grade alloy and durable stainless steel construction, and a range of cutting widths.
Looking for a greener way to maintain your lawn? With both 40V and 58V lithium battery models, the LawnMaster lithium mower range is the perfect way to embrace eco-friendly gardening without compromising on power and performance.
Reel lawnmowersLooking to achieve a perfectly manicured lawn? LawnMaster Reel Mowers deliver clean lines and a precise and even cut, allowing you to create the perfect lawn stripes.
Placing fourth on our awards table, Ryobi earns one 5-Star rating, for Ease of Use. Across all other categories it has 3-Star ratings.
Ryobi is one of the world’s largest and most innovative power tool companies. They create affordable garden tools, which includes an extensive lawnmower range. Ryobi’s lawnmower range currently includes:
Battery-powered models have no fuels, fumes or pull-cords to struggle with. They are started by squeezing a trigger and are ideal for small to medium lawns.
A recent development in battery-powered motors is the brushless motor. These innovative motors generate less friction and therefore can deliver more power than standard brushed motors. They can also extend the run-time of batteries and have longer motor lives. In mowers, this means more cutting power over a larger area.
Corded electric mowers never run out of power, but are best used within 25m of an outlet. This limits the mowing area.
Petrol mowers have a bit more power than battery and electric mowers, but require more maintenance. They’re typically best for large lawns.
Tractor-style or zero-turn ride on mowers are perfect for properties with very large areas to mow (up to 2 acres on a single charge). Battery-powered models are pretty much maintenance-free, and have no fuels to pour and store, or spark plugs, belts and pulleys to replace.
Not all brands in the market qualify for our ratings (based on minimum survey sample size), but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth considering. Here are more brands to check out before making a purchase decision.
BoschFounded in the late 1800s in Germany, Bosch originally specialised in precision mechanical and electrical engineering. Today Bosch produces a selection of electric lawn mowers designed for professional and home use.
MakitaMakita is one of the most well-known and well-established names in garden tools, including lawn mowers. The Japanese manufacturer started in the early 1900s and has been selling mowers in New Zealand since the 1960s.
Makita’s frangle includes cordless lawn mowers, with interchangeable batteries that are designed for use across its wide range of power tools, making it quick and easy to swap from one tool to the next.
Makita also has a huge network of dealers and authorised Makita Service Centres throughout the country, providing expert advice and support.
Stihl was founded in 1926 as an early producer of chainsaws. Since then it has become a global leader in garden tools and electric power tools.
Stihl’s extensive range of battery electric mowers offers various sizes and power-levels, ensuring they have the perfect mower for your garden.
Stihl also offers iMOW robotic mowers, which provide fully automatic lawn care tailored to your garden.
This report was written by Canstar Content Producer, Caitlin Bingham. Caitlin is an experienced writer whose passion for creativity led her to study communication and journalism. She began her career freelancing as a content writer, before joining the Canstar team.
Pleased with lawn mower’s performance: 63%
Enjoys mowing the lawn: 47%
Takes pride in their appearance of their lawn: 45%
Regularly maintains and services lawn mower: 36%
Admires other people’s lawns: 35%
Takes measures to maintain their lawn: 29%
Would consider buying a robot lawn mower: 21%
Wish they had spent more on a better mower: 13%
Always buys the same lawn mower brand: 12%
Petrol: 56%
Battery (cordless): 25%
Electric: 19%
Powered walk-behind: 74%
No engine/manual push: 16%
Ride-on: 7%
Robotic: 1%
Canstar Blue surveyed 2505 New Zealand consumers across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from respondents who had purchased a new electric or fuel lawn mower in the last three years. In this case, 416 New Zealanders. Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criterion.
The past winners from Canstar Blue’s Lawn Mower Ratings:
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