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Strimmer or mower for long grass: which goes first?

Updated: October 2026

If you are choosing a strimmer or mower for long grass, decide what the ground should look like when you finish. A strimmer reduces height around obstacles and on rough ground, but it leaves loose, uneven cuttings. A mower makes the level final cut and usually collects, yet it can clog or stall if the growth is beyond its deck clearance. The products in the [tall grass mower comparison](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/tall-grass-mower) are all on the mower side of that choice. For an overgrown but recoverable lawn, the usual sequence is strim, rake and then mow. For moderate regrowth, the mower may go first at its highest setting.

If you are choosing a strimmer or mower for long grass, decide what the ground should look like when you finish. A strimmer reduces height around obstacles and on rough ground, but it leaves loose, uneven cuttings.

Our top picks

swift swift EB122C

Best overall

swift swift EB122C
8.6/10about £134.99
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Einhell Einhell GC-EM 1600/37

Rank 2

Einhell Einhell GC-EM 1600/37
8.7/10about £114.99
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BLACK+DECKER BLACK+DECKER BEMWH551-GB

Preis-Tipp

BLACK+DECKER BLACK+DECKER BEMWH551-GB
8.0/10about £49.99
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On this page
  1. 1.What each tool leaves behind
  2. 2.Decide which tool goes first
  3. 3.Nylon line, metal blades and heads to refuse
  4. 4.Slopes, paid work, and when both are wrong

What each tool leaves behind

A rotary mower cuts inside a guarded deck at a set height, and a box can collect. The blade follows the deck, so the finish should be level. A strimmer cuts with nylon line around trees and fences, and the finish depends on your hand, so one patch is easy to scalp. Cuttings stay on the surface and need raking. A brushcutter may take thicker line or a one-piece metal blade and still does not collect. The FORTE bundle's 350 W, 25 cm trimmer is a light edger. Reports of smoke, a broken handle and a lost wheel make that bundle hard to recommend.

Decide which tool goes first

Use the mower first when the dense grass fits under the highest setting and the motor keeps its speed. The Einhell reaches 60 mm and has reports of a high first-season cut. The Flymo, at 31 mm, is a weaker mower-first choice. Strim first when grass bends over the deck, hides the route or stands far above the maximum. Cut in sections, check for animals and debris, rake, let the remainder dry if you need to, then mow high. The mower makes the level finish. It should not swallow an unraked first cut. Around six inches is a UK warning point, not a universal limit. Fine dry growth may reduce more easily than a shorter wet tangle. Brambles and saplings need proper clearing equipment. The staged mower method is in how to cut long grass. Deck height and power are in the mower for long grass buying guide.
swift swift EB122C

Testsieger

swift swift EB122C
8.6/10about £134.99
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Nylon line, metal blades and heads to refuse

Nylon line is the normal option for grass, edges and lighter weeds. Use the diameter the manual specifies. A brushcutter may take a single-piece metal blade only when that blade, guard and harness are listed for the exact machine. It can kick after hitting a solid object. Do not fit one to an edging strimmer unless the manual allows that attachment. Refuse multi-piece chain or flail heads. ISO 11806-1:2022 excludes multi-piece metallic flail attachments from the brushcutter standard's scope. Pieces can detach at speed. An adaptor that fits a shaft does not approve the head. Isolate the power before you fit or clear a head, and keep people and pets outside the exclusion distance. Check for hedgehogs and nests first.

Slopes, paid work, and when both are wrong

A hover moves more freely than a wheeled rotary on a gentle slope, and it still has limited deck clearance. The BLACK+DECKER hover reaches 40 mm and owners say it can be hard to push. The Flymo reaches 31 mm. Neither replaces a strimmer on a bank that is too steep for safe mower travel. If you cannot keep a safe footing, use someone with equipment suited to the site. For paid work, HSE action values are 2.5 m/s² A(8) for hand-arm vibration and 80 dB(A) for daily or weekly noise exposure. The limits are 5 m/s² A(8) and 87 dB(A). Those are exposure values, not specs for these mowers. An open meadow can sit beyond both tools. Timing and hay removal are in cutting a wildflower meadow. Mow alone for manageable regrowth, strim then mow when the first height exceeds the deck, and move to a brushcutter or scythe when the vegetation demands it.

Common questions

Should I buy a strimmer instead of a mower?
Buy a strimmer alone if the recurring job is edging, clearing around obstacles or managing rough margins, and you do not need a level lawn finish. For an ordinary lawn, a mower remains the finishing tool. Many overgrown gardens need both stages rather than one tool replacing the other.
Which tool should go first on long grass?
Use the mower first at its highest setting when the grass fits beneath the deck and the motor runs freely. Strim first when the growth is far above the top setting, tangled or blocking the route. Rake after strimming, then mow high to create an even finish.
Will a strimmer collect the clippings?
No. A strimmer cuts and scatters material, so you normally need to rake it. Leaving a heavy layer can smother the grass and clog the mower used afterwards. Some lawn mowers collect. Mulching suits short, dry clippings better than the first reduction of long growth.
Do I need a metal blade?
Nylon line is suitable for grass and lighter weeds. Dense mature vegetation may require a brushcutter with a manufacturer-approved single-piece blade, the correct guard and a harness. Do not fit a blade to a light strimmer unless its manual explicitly permits that exact attachment.
Are chain-flail brushcutter heads safe?
Do not use multi-piece chain or flail heads. They fall outside the relevant brushcutter standard's attachment scope and can shed metal parts at high speed. Choose only cutting heads and blades approved by the manufacturer for your exact model, even if an aftermarket adaptor physically fits.
When do I need a sickle-bar mower instead?
Consider a sickle-bar or scythe for open meadow, dense seasonal growth and a broad area with few obstacles. It lays long stems down rather than trying to mulch or scatter them. For a small one-off job, hiring a contractor may cost less than buying and storing specialist machinery.

Related pages

How steep a lawn mower can cut

Tall grass mower

Best mower for long grass: five conditional UK picks

Mower for long grass UK: which machine class to buy

How to cut long grass without stalling the UK mower

Cutting a wildflower meadow in the UK: timing and tools

Sources

Sources checked for this comparison; last retrieved on 17 October 2026.

  1. RHS, wildflower meadow maintenance (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  2. RHS, lawn mowing (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  3. RSPB, Wildlife and Countryside Act (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  4. Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  5. Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  6. Which?, how to buy a lawn mower (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  7. RHS, hedgehog-friendly gardening (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  8. Homebuilding, how to cut long grass (retrieved 17 October 2026)