Makita vs Stihl:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Stihl had more branded searches than Makita among lawn mower brands in New Zealand. Stihl had about 10,800 branded searches, while Makita had 1,300. Stihl made up 24.4% of all lawn mower brand searches we track, and Makita accounted for 2.9%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about lawn mower brands, Makita appeared in four of the five answers and Stihl in three. Stihl was mentioned before Makita in three out of five answers.
Who do people search for more?
Stihl, about 8 searches for every 1 for Makita
Who does AI mention more?
Makita, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, Stihl in 3
Who does AI recommend more?
Stihl, named ahead of Makita in 3 of 5 answers
Follow Makita vs Stihl and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Top lawn mower brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Makita was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Stihl was mentioned in three out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. Stihl was listed before Makita in three out of five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Honda Power Equipment1st- Stihl2nd
Masport3rd
Victa4th- Makita5th
Ryobi6th
Rover7th
Husqvarna8th
Cub Cadet9th
Greenworks–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Makita4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Stihl3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Masport3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Victa3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Honda Power Equipment3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Husqvarna2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Ryobi1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Cub Cadet1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Rover1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Greenworks0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about lawn mower brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which lawn mower brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best lawn mower brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best lawn mower brand in New Zealand for a medium backyard?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ride on mower nz”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“cordless lawn mower”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.
Is Makita or Stihl more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Makita and Stihl by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all ten lawn mower brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Stihl, Makita. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Ryobi | Stihl | Husqvarna | Masport | Makita | Victa | Honda Power Equipment | Cub Cadet | Greenworks | Rover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 29.3% | 24.4% | 25.7% | 9.9% | 3.3% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2% | 0.65% | 0.61% |
| Nov 2025 | 35.4% | 23.5% | 21.7% | 8.9% | 3.4% | 2.1% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 0.69% | 0.55% |
| Dec 2025 | 37.4% | 24.8% | 20.8% | 7.7% | 2.6% | 2% | 1.8% | 1.7% | 0.53% | 0.63% |
| Jan 2026 | 33.7% | 26.2% | 22.1% | 8.8% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 0.56% | 0.65% |
| Feb 2026 | 29.5% | 27.8% | 23.6% | 9% | 2.3% | 2% | 2.4% | 1.9% | 0.88% | 0.68% |
| Mar 2026 | 32.8% | 25.5% | 24.7% | 8.7% | 2.4% | 1.6% | 1.9% | 1.3% | 0.61% | 0.54% |
| Apr 2026 | 31% | 26.1% | 24.8% | 9.8% | 2.4% | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.3% | 0.62% | 0.6% |
| May 2026 | 27.4% | 31.2% | 25.9% | 8.5% | 1.8% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 1.3% | 0.43% | 0.51% |
| Jun 2026 | 29.1% | 29.9% | 24.2% | 9.5% | 2.1% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 0.49% | 0.4% |
| Jul 2026 | 29.3% | 30.8% | 25% | 8.4% | 1.7% | 1.2% | 1.6% | 1.2% | 0.41% | 0.36% |
| Aug 2026 | 31.8% | 28.2% | 22.6% | 9.1% | 2.3% | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 0.56% | 0.43% |
| Sep 2026 | 36.1% | 24.4% | 20.8% | 9.2% | 2.9% | 2.2% | 1.9% | 1.3% | 0.73% | 0.5% |
How has the Makita and Stihl comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Stihl was ahead of Makita in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Makita’s share of searches among lawn mower brands in New Zealand moved from 3.3% to 2.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.6K to 1.3K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Stihl’s share of searches among lawn mower brands in New Zealand held steady at 24.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 11.9K to 10.8K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand lawn mower brands in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Makita gained share of searches among lawn mower brands in New Zealand, from 2.3% to 2.9%.
In September 2026, Stihl lost share of searches among lawn mower brands in New Zealand, from 28.2% to 24.4%.
How are branded searches counted?
8 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Makita’s and Stihl’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among lawn mower brands
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.