ROLL ON THE SLICK STRIPES

Atco Liner 16S, Li from £599

There is nothing like a striped lawn to add a touch of class to a garden. Indeed, in my pre-parenthood days, I once cut my lawn twice, the second cut at right angles to the first, to create the sort of cross-hatch finish seen at Lord’s cricket ground.

It worked well but, as my wife was not slow to point out, could be properly appreciated only from the vantage point of the attic window.

The Atco Liner promises to deliver that traditional striped finish by modern means. Self-propelled (meaning you don’t have to push), it runs on a rechargeable battery, with the stripes delivered by a weighted rear roller.

It makes the machine heavier than other cordless mowers, but I found that sturdiness reassuring. It has a deceptively large grass-box but it is quite a small mower — it cuts strips 18in (46cm) wide, so it might be better suited to croquet lawns and grass tennis courts rather than cricket grounds. RATING: 8/10