Best Hearing Protection for Mowing the Lawn (UK)

Lawn mowers usually produce noise of around 90 dB, but they can easily be as loud as 100 dB, meaning you should really protect your ears if you mow a lawn frequently or for long periods of time.

If you mow a large lawn as part of your job, you should be using personal protective equipment (PPE) including ear defenders or ear plugs.

You can get a decent pair of ear defenders for around £10, which is definitely worth it to protect your hearing. We’ve reviewed a some of the best ear defenders for mowing the lawn below.

When it comes to hearing protection, you should look for something with an SNR (Single Number Rating) of about 23 or above. An SNR of 23 corresponds to a 23 decibel reduction in volume.

Here are some recommended ear defenders for mowing the lawn.

Fnova 34dB Highest NRR Safety Ear Muffs

Protection rating: NRR 34 dB

These ear muffs/ear defenders have an NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) of 34 decibels which is applicable when the environmental noise is up to 110 dB, so they should provide a good level of protection for mowing the lawn.

These ear defenders come in a no-nonsense black and red design. They’re quite cheap (see price on Amazon), but are very well made. The ear pads have several layers including an ABS plastic shell, thick acoustic foam and comfy imitation leather.

It’s hard to find any faults with these ear defenders. They do a great job at protecting your ears whether you’re using a lawn mower, leaf blower or other loud piece of garden equipment.

Silverline 633816 Folding Ear Defenders

Protection rating: SNR 30 dB

These ear defenders are a bit cheaper (at the time of writing) than the Fnova ones reviewed above, making them some of the cheapest ear muffs on the market. For the price they do a pretty good job at reducing noise, but they’re not especially comfortable.

If you wear these ear defenders for a long time your ears will probably get quite hot, especially in the summer. In the winter they double as ear warmers!

If price is your main concern and you’re not going to be wearing them all day long, these ear defenders are a good buy. Find them on Amazon here.

 

Peltor Optime 1 Headband Ear Defenders

Protection rating: NRR 27 dB

These ear defenders are designed for use in environments where the noise level is between 87 and 98 dB, which is about the volume of a lawn mower. They have a functional, industrial-looking design with yellow ear muffs and a black headband which can be adjusted to fit.

Depending on the size of your head, these ear defenders might feel quite tight, but if you have a smaller head they will be comfy. They’re made by industrial hearing protection brand Peltor, who have a reputation for quality.

FSL Decimate Safety Earmuffs

Protection rating: NRR 34 dB

These ear defenders have a high NRR rating of 34 dB, meaning they will provide a good level of protection against the harmful noise of a lawn mower. They’re easy to fold and store in your shed or garage next to your lawn mower so you won’t forget to use them.

The cups can be slid along the headband until you get the right fit, so no matter what size head you have, these ear defenders should feel comfy. The headband and cups are also padded with a soft material so you can wear them for hours without getting sore ears.

These ear defenders are durable and water resistant, making them great for gardeners. Check out their reviews on Amazon.

If you’d prefer to use ear plugs rather than ear defenders, check out the ear plugs with the highest SNR ratings.