We've added Eco Buys - our eco-friendly appliance recommendation - to our lawn mower and barbecue reviews.
This will help you to know which models are worth considering if you're trying to reduce your carbon footprint, both from cutting energy use and emissions, and from buying more reliable products that need replacing less often. Better weather may be a while away but our Eco Buys will get you set for spring.
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Eco Buy barbecues
We know that barbecues aren't naturally the most environmentally friendly way to cook your food. But when you next find yourself looking for a new barbecue for those dreamy summer days, choosing a Which? Eco Buy will be the most sustainable option.
Eco Buy barbecues burn off fewer pollutants than others, and include features to keep them in good condition for longer, reducing the amount that ends up in landfill each year.
We’ve rounded up a couple of our Eco Buy barbecues to help you shop more sustainably.
Weber Pulse 1000, £458
You won’t be making many compromises with the electric Weber Pulse 1000. It’s compact enough to fit neatly in a small space and it’s easy to move around. You'll be able to get cooking within 10 minutes of turning it on, too.
It’s a worthy Eco Buy made out of good-quality materials, and it’s easy to clean thanks to lots of removable parts and its grease-management system.
Find out if you can rely on this barbecue to produce that quintessential smoky barbecue flavour in our full Weber Pulse 1000 review.
Cadac Safari Chef 2, £115
The Cadac Safari Chef 2 gas barbecue impresses on a lot of fronts. It’s portable, made out of reliable materials, and a breeze to assemble. Cleaning is easy because the grill and drop bowl are removable, so you can wash them in the sink.
It’s quite small, however, so it might not suit large households or parties.
This one is cheaper than a lot of other barbecues. Our expert chefs reveal how well it will cook your barbecue favourites in the Cadac Safari Chef 2 review.
Find all our Eco Buy barbecues in our barbecue reviews by filtering for Eco Buys.
Eco Buy lawn mowers
If you want to make the most sustainable choice when next buying a lawn mower, an Eco Buy is for you. These are models that have not only done well in our standard grass cutting tests, but that also have a lower impact on the environment over their lifetimes than other lawn mowers.
Getting an energy efficient and reliable lawn mower isn't just better for the environment, it's better for your budget, too. We only give the Eco Buy label to mowers that can stand the test of time and shouldn’t need replacing for many years. You don’t need to worry about sacrificing power for environmental friendliness, either - some cordless mowers now offer just as much range and muscle as bulkier petrol models.
Here’s a quick look at two of our Eco Buy lawn mowers.
Stihl RMA 339C, £365
The bright orange colour of the Stihl RMA 339C makes it look a bit like a child’s toy. But with its lengthy run times and selection of six cutting heights, it seems that Stihl did not come to play around, promising a cordless mower that will give you high-quality cutting results.
The strong battery life and its low energy usage make it a worthy Eco Buy.
Read our full review of the RMA 339C to find out how well it cuts the grass.
Bosch Advanced Rotak 750, £277
This corded mower is easy to use, and its large 45cm cutting width makes it an appealing choice for anyone with a large lawn who would prefer an electric mower with a mains cable.
It’s easy to use, and its great energy efficiency earns it a resounding Eco Buy recommendation.
Read the full Advanced Rotak 750 review to see how it managed in our vigorous testing programme.
Head to our lawn mower reviews and filter for Eco Buys to see which other models made the cut.
What makes an Eco Buy barbecue or lawn mower?
Starting with the fuel source, all our Eco Buy barbecues use gas and electricity because they don’t directly burn off as much carbon as charcoal. But the fuel type isn’t the only criterion for a more sustainable barbecue. Our Eco Buys also need to heat up quickly to avoid wasting energy, and cook your food to a certain standard.
There’s no point getting an efficient barbecue that you’ll have to throw away after just a couple of uses because it’s made out of shoddy materials. Eco Buys are built to last and they’re easy to clean. They're also portable enough that you can keep them indoors, especially during the winter, to help stop them deteriorating as quickly in bad weather.
Lawn mowers follow the same philosophy: only cordless and electric mowers are eligible to become Eco Buys, because of the polluting emissions inherent to petrol-powered machines. We then look at how energy efficient they are and how long their battery life is (for cordless models only). We also make sure we’re satisfied that their noise levels aren’t so high that they’d cause major disturbance to local wildlife and disrupt ecosystems.
Maintenance and reliability play a part, too. Our Eco Buy mowers are well constructed and easy to maintain, and don’t include models from manufacturers whose products scored badly for longevity in our annual lawn mower owners survey.
To find out more, head to our pages on how we test barbecues and how we test lawnmowers.
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