Best budget corded mower or premium cordless upgrade?

Display

There is no display or screen on either mower, so this category is effectively a tie. What matters instead is the control layout and how easy each machine is to use in practice. The Flymo keeps things very simple: plug in, set the height, and mow. The Makita is also straightforward, but its appeal comes from cordless operation rather than any interface features. Winner: tie.

Performance

On raw cutting ability, the Makita DLM432PT2 is the stronger machine overall. It uses a 36V battery system and is typically better suited to thicker, slightly damp, or more neglected grass because cordless motors tend to deliver smoother torque and less drop-off than a budget corded mower when conditions get tough. That said, the Flymo’s 1500W mains motor is perfectly adequate for regular weekly cuts on small to medium lawns and will happily handle standard UK grass types like perennial ryegrass mixes if the lawn is maintained. For a neat, regularly cut lawn, the Flymo will do the job well; for more demanding conditions and better consistency under load, the Makita wins. Winner: Makita.

Build quality and design

Makita is the clear winner here. The DLM432PT2 is built around a robust cordless platform and feels like a more premium tool, with better long-term durability expectations and a design aimed at frequent use. It is also more versatile in the garden because you are not managing a trailing cable, which reduces the risk of cutting through the lead and makes mowing around trees, borders, and awkward corners easier. The Flymo is lighter on the wallet and usually simpler to live with, but it is a more basic appliance: cord management is part of the experience, and that can be annoying in medium gardens or where there are multiple obstacles. Winner: Makita.

Battery life

This is the biggest deciding factor, and the winner depends on what you value. The Flymo has no battery at all, so in one sense it has unlimited runtime as long as you have mains power and an extension cable. That makes it ideal for uninterrupted mowing sessions, especially if you have a predictable lawn layout and an outdoor socket. However, the Makita’s battery system gives you true cordless freedom, which is a huge practical advantage in real-world UK gardens with long paths, sheds, flowerbeds, and awkward access. The DLM432PT2 kit includes batteries, so you are not forced into an extra purchase just to get started. If you mean runtime without interruption, Flymo wins; if you mean usable freedom and convenience, Makita wins. Overall winner: Makita, because cordless convenience is the whole point of this class of mower.

Price and value for money

The Flymo wins decisively on value. At £115.99, it is £277.01 cheaper than the Makita, and that price gap is enormous in mower terms. For most UK homeowners with a modest lawn, the Flymo delivers the core job at a fraction of the cost: 1500W power, 36cm cutting width, and a 40L grass box are all sensible specs for routine maintenance. The Makita’s £393 price is hard to justify unless you specifically need cordless operation, already own Makita batteries, or want to invest in a wider Makita ecosystem. If you judge by pounds spent per square metre of lawn cut, the Flymo is the better buy by a wide margin. Winner: Flymo.

Game library/features

Neither product has a game library or smart feature set, so this category does not really apply. In mower terms, the equivalent question is feature depth, and here the Makita has the edge because cordless operation, battery compatibility, and a more premium platform count as meaningful real-world features. The Flymo keeps things basic and functional, which is fine, but it does not offer the same ecosystem advantages. Winner: Makita.

Overall user experience

For ease of use on a typical British lawn, the Flymo is the simpler and cheaper experience, but the Makita is the nicer one if you can afford it. The corded Flymo suits smaller gardens, close-to-house lawns, and users who do not mind cable handling in exchange for low running costs and no battery anxiety. The Makita suits people who hate cables, have awkward garden layouts, or already own Makita 18V/36V-compatible kit and want another battery-powered tool in the same family. In wet or cool UK seasons, cordless convenience becomes especially attractive because you can quickly mow whenever the weather window appears, without dragging an extension lead outside. But if your lawn is straightforward and you mow regularly, the Flymo is more than capable and far better value. Overall summary: the Makita is the better mower, but the Flymo is the smarter purchase for most buyers.

Final verdict

Buy the Flymo if you want the best value, the lowest upfront cost, and a simple mower for a small or medium lawn. Buy the Makita if you want cordless convenience, premium build, and a mower that fits into an existing Makita battery ecosystem. For most people comparing these two directly, the Flymo is the definitive value winner, while the Makita is the premium convenience choice.