The Mountfield HP41 Hand Propelled lawnmower is a great and simple petrol mower for medium sized lawns up to around 250m2. Although there is no power on the wheels, meaning you need to push it yourself, it is light to manoeuvre (for a lawnmower) and there are no electric wires to get in the way. The motor also has plenty of power even for slightly longer grass.
Pros
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Lightweight
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Rustproof polypropylene chassis
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Easy starting
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Simple instructions
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39cm smooth cutting width
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Powerful motor
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95dB
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No electric cables to manage
Cons
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Handle does not fold so needs larger storage area
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If you are fortunate enough to have a lawn then you may also need to cut it, but whether you enjoy the task or see it as a chore can often depend on the tools.
SPECIFICATIONS
· Stiga ST120, 123cc Petrol engine
· Manually propelled
· 40 litre Grass collector
· 2900 rpm
· 39cm cutting width
· Lightweight Polypropylene cutting deck and Chassis
For a number of years now I have used electric lawn mowers to maintain my lawn and garden design and they have been both the hover types and the traditional wheel type.
The electric ones tended to be less expensive and you simply got used to the fact that you need to keep moving the cable out of the way. Using electric lawnmowers for so long meant that I had almost forgotten what it was like to have anything else.
Then the Mountfield HP41 petrol lawnmower arrived.
Find out how it performed then check out more options in our buying guide to the best petrol lawn mowers.
(Image credit: Future/David Hilton)
First Impressions
The Mountfield HP41 was fairly easy to get out of the box and the different parts initially seemed fairly straightforward. Reading the instructions I realised that the assembly was different from some of the pictures.
I chose to ignore the other photos and only follow the assembly diagram. That made it a lot simpler. Assembling the handle was really easy but as the handle is bolted in the middle it would have been useful if the handle could fold for storage.
The grass collector needs to be assembled in a very specific order if you want everything to click together properly. It's not difficult though. On first inspection of the assembled lawnmower it felt light to use and the polypropylene cutting deck means that it will not rust.
Getting The Mountfield HP41 Ready For Action
Filling up the oil and petrol was really easy but you will need a funnel to avoid spillage. Mountfield supply an additive for the fuel that helps prevent it getting stale. Any petrol that sits in the lawnmower for more than a month runs the risk of getting stale and may then contain deposits that could clog the carburettor.
It is important to never tip the mower on its side and only ever tip it back if required. There are notices to this effect all over the mower so it should be easy enough to remember.
Many years ago when I used a petrol lawnmower more often, I remember it having a choke lever to help it start. It also had a speed control to speed it up once it was running smoothly and very often there was also a cut out switch and blade engage clutch. All these things were temperamental and led to the lawn mowing experience become a chore that you tried very hard to avoid.
So when it came to the point when I needed to start the Mountfield HP41 there was no choke or speed control to be seen at all and I sceptically wondered if it would ever get going as it was a fairly cold day.
As it turns out, all you do to start the machine is squeeze a spring loaded lever handle, called the Operator Presence Control (OPC), at the top of the main handle and then pull the Starter cord firmly.
The mower started first pull. It ran slightly unevenly for about 5 to 10 seconds, as would be expected on a cold engine, before reaching a smooth running momentum and I proceeded to mow the lawn.
(Image credit: Future/David Hilton)
Is The Mountfield HP41 Hand Propelled Petrol Lawnmower Easy to Use?
The Mountfield HP41 is a hand propelled model but at around 19kg the mower is also quite light for a petrol unit. The whole family had a go and were very pleasantly impressed.
The cut is incredibly smooth and there is plenty of torque in the engine for thicker grass patches and tufts of weeds.
Adjusting the cut height was also very easy. There are five different cutting heights and you do need to adjust all the wheels individually. The cut from this lawnmower is a lot smoother and more even than any of the electric models I have owned.
At 95dB the engine noise was tolerable and the Stiga ST120 123cc petrol engine has a 39cm cutting width which is absolutely ideally suited to small to medium sized lawns up to a maximum of around 250m2.
Our lawn is only slightly inclined so for more challenging slopes more effort will be required, or possibly go for a self-propelled model. The engine cut out lever is great in case you do let go of the machine and it will then instantly shut down the motor.
How Easy is it to Store The Mountfield HP41 Hand Propelled Petrol Lawnmower?
I was slightly disappointed that the handle did not fold, meaning you'll need a larger area to store the mower. I did not want to store it outside and for a small mower it takes up a lot of room in the shed.
About This Review and Our Reviewer
David is a renewables and ventilation installer, with over 35 years experience, and is a long-standing contributor to Homebuilding and Renovating magazine. He is also passionate about testing new tools and has reviewed several products such as drills and saws to assess their suitability for the toolboxes of self builders and renovators.
David put the Mountfield HP41 through its paces multiple times on cold days before writing this review.
We are not given any compensation by Mountfield for our reviews, but may be allowed to keep the product, meaning we can test it over a greater length of time, and update this review if required.
David is a renewables and ventilation installer, with over 35 years experience, and is a long-standing contributor to Homebuilding and Renovating magazine. He is a member of the Gas Safe Register, has a Masters degree in Sustainable Architecture, and is an authority in sustainable building and energy efficiency, with extensive knowledge in building fabrics, heat recovery ventilation, renewables, and also conventional heating systems. He is also a speaker at the Homebuilding & Renovating Show.
Passionate about healthy, efficient homes, he is director of Heat and Energy Ltd. He works with architects, builders, self builders and renovators, and designs and project manages the installation of ventilation and heating systems to achieve the most energy efficient and cost effective outcome for every home.
