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How to use a Gardena cylinder mower

Updated: October 2026

The mower is in the hall, or it is about to be, and the first mistake is a low cut on the first pass. This is how to use a Gardena cylinder mower once you own one of the four hand reels: dry grass, the high end of the height range, both sides the same, and a stop when the blade meets soil. Which listing to buy is the [Gardena lawn mower comparison](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/gardena-lawn-mower). Peter F. is passing on Gardena’s 2016 instruction and the RHS mowing pages, as read on 22 October 2026. This is not a coached lesson on your lawn. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

The mower is in the hall, or it is about to be, and the first mistake is a low cut on the first pass.

Our top picks

Gardena Gardena Classic 330

Best overall

Gardena Gardena Classic 330
8.8/10about £124.29
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Gardena Gardena Comfort 330

Best value

Gardena Gardena Comfort 330
8.8/10about £101.95
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Gardena Gardena Plus 400

Alternative

Gardena Gardena Plus 400
7.0/10about £139.00
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Before you push
  2. 2.Set 12–42 mm on the mower you actually have
  3. 3.How the pass should go
  4. 4.Handle, fold, and shed
  5. 5.When you stop

Before you push

Gardena’s instruction for articles 4018, 4022 and 4027 is for private lawns, and it tells you to pick up stones before the reel does. The RHS says do not mow wet grass and do not mow in frost. One UK review of the Classic 330 says grass gets stuck when a reel meets damp growth. The RHS also says new grass should reach at least 5 cm. Five centimetres is 50 mm, and the coherent top of these reels is 42 mm, so that first cut does not fit this cylinder.

Set 12–42 mm on the mower you actually have

The 2016 manual covers articles 4018, 4022 and 4027. In this set that is the Classic 400 (04018-88) and the Classic 330 (04027-20). Lay the mower so it cannot fall. Pull both height mechanisms to the same mark: 12 mm, 22 mm, 32 mm or 42 mm. If the sides do not match, the reel will scalp a stripe. Do not use the older screw-and-roller steps from the 300 and 380 on a 4027 or a 11750. The Plus 400 (11765-20) uses an orange pin for the same four levels on Gardena’s UK page. The amazon row that prints 0.04 mm is not a setting. The Comfort 330 (11750-20) follows the sheet in its carton. Long grass belongs on the cylinder or rotary page.
Gardena Gardena Classic 330

Testsieger

Gardena Gardena Classic 330
8.8/10about £124.29
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How the pass should go

After a gap, Gardena’s 2016 instruction says you mow at 42 mm in one direction, then crossways, before you think about 12 mm. If the grass is about 60 mm, a drop to 12 mm removes far more than a third of the leaf. A front strip that is smaller than the title area is the small lawn case, not a reason to start at the bottom mark.

Handle, fold, and shed

UK reviews describe fitting the handle, even where an assembly field says no. On the Comfort 330 the job is two bolts and about five to eight minutes, and one reviewer wanted a second person because the seating was awkward. On the Classic 330 the bullets say the frame folds. UK reviews say the orange plastic knob can strip its thread, and one fold joint broke within a week and was taped. Fold it for the shed when the joint is sound. Do not keep forcing a knob whose thread has already gone. Store it dry. If the blade is striking soil, stop mowing.

When you stop

Stop if you are under 16, which is the manual’s line, and stop if the reel is hitting soil or scalping because the two sides do not match. A hand cylinder you cannot set without the blade striking the ground is a point to get help, not a cue to grind the reel from a video. A blunt blade on a mains Gardena PowerMax belongs with Gardena service. That is not a sharpening guide for the Classic 400, whose listing does not answer the UK question about how to sharpen.

Common questions

What height should I use for the first cut?
On an established lawn, after a gap, Gardena’s 2016 instruction for articles 4018 and 4027 says to mow at 42 mm in one direction, then crossways. The RHS one-third rule is why you do not drop to 12 mm on the first pass. If the grass is about 60 mm, a 42 mm cut is the honest start. Only move towards 12 mm once the grass is already short.
How do I set both sides the same?
On the Classic 400 (4018) and the Classic 330 (4027), lay the mower so it cannot fall and pull both height mechanisms to the same mark. The marks are 12 mm, 22 mm, 32 mm and 42 mm. The Plus 400 UK page describes an orange pin for the same four levels. The Comfort 330 follows the sheet in its carton, not the older screw method.
Can I cut wet grass?
The RHS says not to mow wet grass or frosty grass. A Comfort bullet mentions wheel tread for traction on wet grass. That line does not override the RHS advice. One UK review of the Classic 330 says grass gets stuck, which is the result people report when a reel meets damp growth.
What if the grass is longer than about 12 cm?
Gardena’s 2016 instruction says grass longer than about 12 cm is outside a clean cut on articles 4018, 4022 and 4027. UK reviews of the Classic 330 say the cylinder clogs when the lawn is not short and flat. Do not keep forcing the reel through a month of growth. That length is a reason to stop, not a lower setting.
How often should I mow in a UK spring?
The manual says weekly when growth allows. The RHS says weekly or fortnightly from March to October, and less often in a drought, when the lawn is better left longer. An ordinary summer height on the RHS page is about 2.5 cm, which sits between the 22 mm and 32 mm marks.

Related pages

Gardena cylinder mower buying guide

Gardena lawn mower

Best Gardena lawn mower from these 4.4 review lines

Cylinder mower vs rotary for your UK lawns in 2026

Gardena mower for a small front lawn, 33 cm or 40 cm

Sources

Public UK sources listed below, plus the amazon.co.uk listings in this comparison, gathered on 22 October 2026.

  1. Gardena UK: cylinder lawn mowers (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. Gardena UK: rotary lawn mowers (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. RHS: how to mow a lawn (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. Environmental Protection Act 1990, section 79 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. Noise Emission Regulations 2001, Schedule 3 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. GOV.UK: Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 9 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. GOV.UK: accepting returns and giving refunds (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  9. amazon.co.uk listings for the four ASINs in this comparison (retrieved 22 October 2026)