'I'm 77 and swapped my Flymo for this lightweight £60 lawn mower - I have no regrets'

Anyone who spent spring and summer struggling with an unweildy mower could take a leaf out of my 77-year-old mum's book. She is an avid gardener who takes pride in keeping her 60ft lawn neat with regular trims, and recently upgraded her machine. She said: "My trusty Flymo made its final journey to the council skip after years of loyal service, and this time I wanted something lighter and more manageable. It had to be a reasonable price and no gizmos, just do the job."

After a spot of research and consulting with some nice shop assistants at the local Machine Mart, my mum chose the Hyundai 1300W electric lawn mower, which is currently on sale at Amazon and Hyundai for £59.99, down from a high of £80.

There is still time to get use out a new machine this year. As Jonathan Davis of Lawnsmith explains, gardeners shouldn't pack away their mowers just yet. "Grass still grows above 10 degrees," he said. "A light mow every few weeks in autumn can keep your lawn healthy and prevent disease or pest problems."

Compact and corded, this mower is designed for small to medium gardens (up to around 150m²), and it suits her space perfectly. Her garden is a mix of level lawn with a few uneven patches around shrubs and flowerbeds, so manoeuvrability was key. A petrol mower would've been too heavy and unnecessary; this lightweight model, at just 8.8kg, strikes the right balance.

It has other features that trump her previous machine: "I particularly like that the power lead is a very generous 11 meters, longer than that on my old Flymo, which I needed an extension cable to use. The grass box has a useful handle and a flap that closes when the box is full. My old one was a hover model so didn't collect the cuttings," she said.

"I like that this has a safety button to push, then a lever to engage before releasing to begin mowing, rather than just an on/off switch. It's reassuring when my young granddaughter is around."

The mower's three adjustable cutting heights (20mm, 40mm, 60mm) make it easy to adapt to changing conditions. She used the middle setting for a "provisional trim" after a few weeks of rain and plans to go over it again soon. "It gives a tidy finish without scalping the grass. I'm not fussy - I like it to look natural but neat."

She added: "It's small and manageable, easy to carry into the shed, and the handle folds down neatly. For anyone with a small garden or who struggles with heavier mowers, it's ideal. If you've got a big, bumpy lawn though, you might want something beefier."

For my mum, the Hyundai has been a perfect late-season purchase - simple, sturdy, and the right fit for her garden. "It's a small trusty machine at a good price and easy for me to manage," she said. "And the blue even matches my hydrangeas - so that's a bonus."

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