Lightest cordless lawn mower. Best cordless lawn mower in 2021: electric mowers for all lawn sizes

How Much Does a Lawn Mower Weigh?

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I’ve owned several lawnmowers over the years-lightweight models that are a joy to push around and bulky, heavy machines that required a fair bit of muscle power to get the job done.

Mowing a lawn is already a strenuous, time-consuming task, and the last thing you want is a machine that you can barely lug around. So the big question is how much does a lawnmower weigh?

Just like cars, lawnmowers are equipped with several different components such as a blade, engine, and a full fuel tank. How much a lawnmower weighs depends on the type of lawnmower, where riding lawnmowers weigh more than battery-operated machines and gasoline-powered machines.

Does the Weight of a Lawn Mower Matter?

The short answer is yes, the weight of a push lawn mower does matter for several reasons. Lightweight lawnmowers such as a few models from the Cub Cadet and John Deere hangar are easy to use and maneuver through your yard and around gardens.

Here are 3 noteworthy reasons why you should consider the weight of a lawnmower before making a purchase.

Transporting Your Mower

If you’re moving to a new house or cutting grass at a different location, getting a heavy riding mower in the back of your truck can be a daunting task.

Further, heavier riding mowers are generally bulkier than lightweight models, so you may have to pay an extra cost to rent a sizable van or pickup truck if you don’t have one.

Storing Your Mower

If you have a dedicated space in your garage or shed to store your mower in its standard upright position, then you can wheel the mower into the area. But if you’re going to store your lawnmower vertically, you will have to put in a little elbow grease to get it into the right position and place.

Stability and Manoeuvrability

A lawnmower from the featherweight category including models that come with an electric motor or high-powered motors is easier to maneuver and is more stable when mowing uneven, hilly, or slopy terrain.

While you should always aim to buy one of the many well-built, heavy-duty mowers to give you the control and power you need during the mowing season, the product weight shouldn’t impede your ability to turn and navigate obstacles easily especially when mowing around garden terrain.

How Much Does a Lawnmower Weigh?

The question of how much does a lawnmower weigh can be tricky to answer, given that there are several different types of mowers to choose from such as battery-operated mowers, self-propelled models, and zero-turn mowers.

How Much Does an Electric Mower Weigh?

Most, if not all, electric lawnmowers are lighter than their gasoline or battery-powered counterparts. This means they’re easier to whip around tight corners and maneuver through your yard.

What makes electric models lighter than gas lawnmowers is the lack of fuel tanks and other moving parts. However, just because electric lawnmowers are lighter compared to other types of lawnmowers, doesn’t mean these mowing yard machines are right for you.

I’d recommend buying an electric lawnmower if you’re cutting small to fairly medium yards or yards that are no more than half an acre owing to shorter run times.

Electric mowers use a cord that plugs into an electrical outlet, which you have to haul around, and can be a hindrance in your work.

Greenworks Electric Mower – Best Lightweight Electric Lawnmower

• Greenworks, 10 Amp 16-Inch 2 in 1, Rear Bag or Mulch Electric Lawn Mower, Converts Easily from Rear Bag to Mulch, Model 25142.Deck material: Hardened Plastic
• 10 Amp electric motor delivers enough power to cut through touch grass. Assembled product weight: 48.0 Pounds
• Durable 16-Inch cutting deck gets the job done quicker and more efficiently

Affiliate links and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-07-21

The GreenWorks electric mower tips the scales at just 37 lbs, yet comes with an impressive set of features. It offers both bagging and mulching capabilities and is fitted with a 10 amp robust motor, which lets you cut tough grass without any hiccups.

Furthermore, the Greenworks electric mower allows you to choose from 5 adjustable heights and arrives with 7-inch wheels at the rear and 6-inch wheels at the front.

It’s a great option for a small normal yard and is easy to carry with its onsite handle. Another impressive feature of the Greenworks lightweight electric lawnmower is its durable 16-inch poly deck size., which allows you to cut more grass with each pass. For the best lightweight electric lawnmower under 150, the Greenworks mower is truly hard to beat.

Go check out my GreenWorks Electric mower review for more details

How Much Does a Gas Lawnmower Weigh?

Gas lawnmowers have a capacity of a gallon of gasoline or more, and this weight of fuel adds makes them heavier than electric as well as battery-powered machines. In terms of numbers, a gas lawn mower can weigh anywhere between 80 and 90 pounds but offers more power and some models even come with a large 20-inch deck.

If you have a medium to large size yard, gas mowers are a great lawn care option, but they’re noisier than electric models, which is something to remember if you decide to cut grass in the wee hours of the morning.

Yard Machines Gas Mower – Best Lightweight Push Lawnmower

For a barebones gas mower, the Yard Machines machine is an ideal choice for small to medium size yards. It’s equipped with a powerful 132cc reliable gas engine and features a wide 20-inch size deck.

Adding to this, the Yard Machines gas mower weighs just 47 lbs, making it one of the lightest gas lawnmowers in this segment.

The Yard Machines mower comes with 7-inch front and rear wheels and is backed by a 1-year manufacturer warranty.

How Much Does a Cordless Mower Weigh?

Cordless push mowers are also lighter than traditional gas mowers and weigh approximately 40 lbs to 100 lbs.

The batteries of these cordless push lawn mowers are fairly light and are tucked away neatly in the machine, so they don’t add to the lawn mower weight.

A cordless lawnmower doesn’t come with an oversized deck and larger wheels, making it easy to maneuver around small to medium size lawns.

Worx Cordless Mower – Best Cordless Lightweight Mower

• [TORQUE ON DEMAND] Patented Intellicut technology adds power when the grass gets thicker, then allows you to dial it back down to conserve battery
• [7 CUTTING HEIGHTS] The single-lever adjustment lets you pick the right height to accommodate different seasons and different preferences
• [SAME BATTERY, EXPANDABLE POWER] Worx Power Share is compatible with all Worx 20v and 40v tools, outdoor power and lifestyle products

Affiliate links and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-07-21

The Worx cordless mower weighs less than 40 lbs and comes with everything you need to start mowing and maintain a nice garden and lawn including a battery and charger.

It features patented Intellicut technology, and a single-level height adjustment lever, which allows you to choose from 6 different cutting heights.

The Worx cordless lawnmower offers a cut-to-edge design, which makes it easy to achieve crisp near fences and garden terrain.

It comes with both a low battery indicator and a full bag indicator, so there’s no guesswork when it comes to charging or emptying the bag of the machine.

To top things off, the Worx cordless lawn mower is fitted with a collapsible handle for easy storage and can mow up to 1/8 acres per charge.

For another great option, check out my GreenWorks Cordless mower review

What is the Weight of a Riding Lawnmower?

The weight of a riding lawnmower is similar to that of a tractor or heavier lawnmower type, and for several reasons. Compared to smaller electric and gas mowers, a riding lawn mower weighs more compared to a regular push lawn mower owing to its much larger wheels, which add considerably to the overall weight of the machine.

However, just like lawn tractors, riding lawn mowers such as the John Deere riding mower are powerful machines and can help you get the task of cutting grass done in no time.

In terms of numbers, an average lawn mower weighs (riding lawn mower) between 300 lbs to 600 lbs such as some John Deere models, which is the same as some heavy-duty lawn tractor models.

As per their size and features, this is the correct weight for a riding lawn mower, because all you have to do is get in the seat and maneuver the machine through your yard.

Riding lawn mowers and zero-turn mowers don’t offer the same portability as smaller household mowers, but if you’re looking for top-notch performance, they are truly hard to beat.

What is the Weight of a Zero Turn Mower?

With bigger mowers like riding lawn mowers and zero turn mowers, wheel weights and a large capacity gas tank add up to the equation, but there are other components too such as larger cutting decks that add more weight.

A top-of-the-line zero-turn mower typically weighs between 700 lbs to 1500 lbs, but again you don’t have to haul them across your lawn.

If interested in a zero-turn mower, check out my review of the EGO Z6 zero-turn mower.

Final Thoughts

When on the shopping trail for the best lawnmower, lawn mower’s weight is only an important factor to consider if you’re going to be transporting the mower, if storage is an issue or if you suffer from certain ailments that prevent you from pushing a fairly average weight mower forward in your yard.

When it comes to lawn mower weights, a gas-powered mower is heavier due to its fuel tank and multiple components than electric and battery-powered mowers, but on the flipside offers better performance than the two types. Reel mowers are the lightest types of push mowers but feature a barebones design with little or no features.

Riding lawn mowers and zero-turn mowers are much more expensive than electric, gas and cordless mowers, but if you have the money to splurge and have a sprawling yard, you really can’t go wrong with your investment.

If you’re shopping for a new mower, you might wanna check out the guides below to help you in your decision:

Hi, Alex Kuritz here. Growing up I remember that my family had one of the best lawns in the neighborhood. Richly green and lush. I did a lot as I grew up in terms of caring and tending for not only my family’s lawn but also my neighbors. I can say I have years of experience, and I am here to share it with you.

Best cordless lawn mower in 2021: electric mowers for all lawn sizes

Save hours, and your back, with an electric mower. as your grass is looking rather shabby right now.

The STIHL RMA 235 has narrower mow width than most, but this makes it easy to steer around irregular-shaped gardens.

With a sound power level of just 89db, the STIHL RMA 235 cordless lawn mower was one of the quietest mowers in our round up. It’s a slim design with a cutting width of 33cm, which makes it easy to steer around tight corners and narrow paths. It’s aimed at smaller gardens, but its AK20 36V lithium-ion battery will cut around 200m² of lawn, which makes it an ample choice for medium sized lawns too.

With eight different grip positions, the Bosch Rotak 37-36 Li Ergo is designed to be easy to operate with your left, right or both hands. At 13.2kg, it’s one of the lighter models in our test and is good at turning corners and gliding over uneven surfaces. It can cut a range of grass lengths from 20mm through to 70mm. It has recently been superseded by the Bosch Rotak 430 LI Cordless. so you may find it hard to buy at the moment. If this is the case, then the 430 is a more than competent lawnmower with many of the same features as the one we tested.

The expert’s view

Author Bio

Emily Peck is a consumer journalist with over 20 years’ experience reviewing everything from bee hives to biscuits. She has written for a range of publications including Wired UK and Ideal Home.

The shortlist: best cordless lawn mower

Erbauer ELM18-Li

This 36V lawn mower features a cutting width of 46cm on its 22.9kg body. It has a grass cutting bin that can hold up to 50 litres and features settings for cutting heights from 25mm to 75mm.

Husqvarna LC 141i

The body of this self-propelled lawn mower has a wide cutting width of 41cm and a lever that adjusts cutting heights from 25mm to 75mm. It takes Husqvarna BLi-batteries, which can be used with other Husqvarna products in its range such as a grass trimmer, chainsaw and hedge trimmer. The battery and charger is sold as an add on, although the website has an option where they are sold as a kit.

Flymo Mighti-Mo 300 Li

This 40V model has an orange and grey body and is a lightweight 10kg, with a cutting width of a slim 30cm. It has five settings to cut grass between 25mm to 65mm in height and comes with a hard 30 litre grass collecting box.

Einhell GE-CM 18/30

This mower’s battery takes up to two hours to fully charge and under manufacturer advise ‘can mow a garden of 150m2, as long as the grass is cut fairly regularly’. It comes with three cutting height adjustments ranging from 30 to 70mm, a cutting width of 30cm and weighs 9.71kg.

Spear Jackson 40V S4042X2CR

This model comes with two batteries as standard, so you can use one while you charge the other, with each battery running an average of 55minutes on a 60-minute charge. It features a 42cm cutting width and six cutting heights ranging from 22mm to 72mm.

Bosch Rotak 37-36 Li Ergo

With six cutting height settings ranging between 20mm and 70mm and a cutting width of 37cm, the Bosch Rotak 37-36 Li Ergo is aimed at medium sized lawns. Its battery life runs for an average of 90 minutes on a 140-minute charge. Its Ergoflex handlebar system gives you eight different grip positions, which means you can operate the mower with your left, right or both hands.

Swift 40V Wide

With a 40 litre cuttings box capacity, and a 37cm cutting width, this mower has a handy full box indicator and a full width switch lever. It has a front grass comb aimed at ensuring that no blade of grass can escape while you mow.

STIHL RMA 235 Compact

A flexible design, the cutting height of this mower can be centrally adjusted between 25mm and 65mm, while the handlebars set at two different heights. It weighs just 14kg and has a grass catcher box that has the capacity to hold up to 30 litres of cuttings. Note: the above link if for the mower body only. You’ll also need the battery.

Gtech Cordless Lawnmower 2.0

With a 42cm cutting width and a cutting height adjustment range of 30mm to 80mm, this 48V mower has a 50-litre grass bin capacity. The machine can run for an average of 40 minutes on a 1 hour charge and it features an indicator flap that lets you know when its full.

Hyundai HYM120LI510

Hyundai’s blue polypropylene deck with steel handles comes with a very large 65-litre collection bin to complement its large 51cm cutting width and 10 step setting range from 30 to 90mm. It’s a self-propelled mower that weighs 27.4kg and comes with collect, non-collect and mulch grass options.

How we selected the best cordless lawn mowers to test

We decided to test cordless battery-powered lawn mowers as we love the flexibility they give you in large and small gardens alike. Many of the latest models offer power and performance as impressive as petrol or cabled lawn mowers. And unlike petrol alternatives, you don’t need to worry about emissions.

The lack of petrol can make cordless lawn mowers lighter too, and easier to steer around your lawn. And, the part we appreciate most, you do not have to deal with the power cables of a plugged-in mower.

Google “cordless lawn mowers” and you’re spoilt for choice. STIHL, Husqvarna, Hyundai and others sell models that promise to be intuitive, powerful and versatile. A further search on Amazon flags up brands such as Bosch and Flymo. When we looked further afield in DIY stores such as Wickes and BQ we found less-obvious brands with their own distinct plus points.

We have chosen a selection across the board, 10 popular lawn mowers to suit a range of budgets – from the basic sub-£100 Einhell model from Wickes, to the £510 self-propelling Husqvarna LC 141i with rear wheel drive.

How to buy a cordless mower

To find out what we should be looking for when buying a cordless lawn mower we consulted the experts.

“When I choose a lawn mower I look for a machine that is easy to use and adjust, a good quality cut with, ideally, a mulching option and something that is manoeuvrable and light enough that you don’t need to be a bodybuilder to operate,” says celebrity garden designer and Gardener’s Question Time panellist Matthew Wilson.

I find mowing regularly. twice a week in summer. on a higher setting is much better than scalping the lawn once a week. In dry conditions I switch from collecting the clippings to mulching them back into the lawn to help improve the moisture levels.

Read on to find out how we tested the best cordless lawn mowers.

How we tested the cordless lawn mowers

To get your grass looking flower-show ready, it’s recommended you water it no more than twice a week. Longer watering once a week is better than for short times, five times a week, says Paul Hicks, product manager at STIHL.

When it’s really hot, you should allow your grass to grow up to 5cm to make it more resistant to heat, with 3-5.5cm long an acceptable length to avoid scalping the lawn. For best results you should only take a third of the grass length off with each cut as cutting more can damage it.

With this in mind, one of the top priorities in our test was to find a cordless lawn mower that would give us the flexibility to trim just enough off the grass to leave it looking lush for longer. And with the help of self-confessed lawn mower enthusiast and dad-of-two Paul Hutchinson, we got to grips with the latest mowers in a suburban 5 x 9 metre Surrey garden. For each mower, we assessed it on the following criteria:

ERGONOMICS AND DESIGN: As we got the mowers out of the box and set about piecing them together, we noted how user-friendly each was to set up. We took into consideration how fuss-free the handles were to attach to the main body, and how simply the grass catcher compartment fitted. We noted how easy it was to start the machine and manually change the cutting height.

We looked at how comfortable the mowers were to hold and push – self-propelled or hand propelled? And how easy is it to start?

We tested how easy each lawn mower was to steer and noted if it felt heavy and clunky, or smooth and light. How well did it cut the grass, including over the more uneven terrain? How well did it mow when the grass was very dry or a little dewy? And, finally, how noisy did it get?

Battery powered mowers are generally quieter than petrol ones, but some are quieter than others.

We commented on the material the mower is made from. Did it feel luxurious and well put-together or a little cheap? We also considered whether it had height-adjustable handles to suit both tall and shorter users.

We noted how powerful the machine felt and whether it had useful features such as a “grassbox full” indicator to tell you when to change the grass catcher compartment. In our test all the models have safety keys, which is particularly important if you have kids.

BATTERY LIFE: We wanted to know how long the battery would last on average after a single charge. We decided to include a range of mowers in our test run, from 18V to 120V, which indicate cutting power.

Some manufacturers don’t like to give a set figure as to how long the battery lasts as battery life can depend on the grass length you are cutting and how fast or slow you are going, but we tried to pin point manufacturers for a figure where possible.

We took note of any eco modes that save on battery life and whether you can fit two batteries at the same time to mow for longer. We also wanted to know if the battery the machine came with could be used in other tools in that particular manufacturer’s collection. Mowers with indicator lights to tell you how much charge is left earn brownie points too.

CUTTING WIDTH, HEIGHT AND GRASS CONTAINER SIZE: For each model we considered how wide the cutting width was. We noted how many cutting height settings you get on each lawn mower and monitored how easily interchangeable these cutting settings were using the lever.

We also looked at grass cutting box capacities and whether we get a mulching feature – one that shreds the grass cuttings and distributes it directly onto the lawn to help fertilise it.

VALUE FOR MONEY: For each mower we considered the price in comparison to what came in the box and whether we thought it represents good value for money.

We asked how much flexibility the model gave you in terms of cuttings settings available and whether the machine had any stand-out features worth paying extra for.

Cordless lawn mowers reviewed: The results

Every cordless mower tested has highs and lows. You need to find the one with features you’ll find useful. We found the STIHL RMA 235 Compact and Flymo Mighti-Mo 300 the easiest to assemble – both the handlebars and grass bins are very simple to attach. In comparison, the Swift 40V Wide’s handlebars were a little tricky to put together and tighten. We fiddled about for ages.

It took us a while to work out how to assemble the Erbauer ELM18-Li too. The metal has to somehow be stretched to fit over the locking pins. It’s worth considering if you’ll need to disassemble regularly to save space.

The Gtech Cordless Lawnmower 2.0’s handlebar cable is a little fiddly to screw on, but once we had it attached all was quickly forgiven.

The majority of the machines in our test took a little exploring before we had mastered the art of starting them quickly – generally speaking a push of the button and clutch of the handle bar starts the mowers. All the lawn mowers in our test also come with safety keys.

We found the Ergoflex handlebar system of the Bosch Rotak 37-36 Li Ergo particularly comfortable. And it offers you eight different grip positions, but we were disappointed with the flimsy feel of the cheaper Einhell GE-CM 18/30 Li.

We found the models with completely hard grass bins such as the STIHL or Bosch models easier to fit onto the main body of the mowers than those with a hard top and fabric lining. The Hyundai HYM120LI510 and Husqvarna LC 141i use this style of bin.

The Hyundai holds the greatest volume of cuttings thanks to its huge 65L capacity bin. But bear in mind this makes the mower heavier to push as you go. Not that we’re lazy or anything, but we didn’t want to push around a full grass box heavier than a 30 litre capacity, such as those offered by the STIHL RMA 235 and Flymo Mighti-Mo 300.

There’s less variation in handle height adjustment. Most only offer around 25cm of customisation, which you have to manually unscrew and fix to change. If you’re petite you may want to pick a lighter mower such as the Flymo or the Bosch models. But if you’re well built you could take on a heavier designs like the Hyundai HYM120LI510 or Husqvarna LC 141i.

We found the relatively petite STIHL RMA 235 cordless lawn mower very comfortable to push around the lawn, and it weighs just 14kg. The Spear Jackson and Bosch models impressed when used over rougher terrains with longer weeds too.

If you have a particularly large lawn however, you’ll probably prefer the ‘we mean business’ feel and robust wheels of a sturdier self-propelled lawn mower such the Husqvarna, which weighs a whopping 23kg, or the Hyundai, which weighs 27.4kg. We found ourselves struggling to lift the latter of these to store after use, however, which is worth bearing in mind if your elbow grease reserves only last so long.

Thanks to the good old traditional English summer’s mix of rain and sunshine, the grass was somewhat overgrown when we tested these lawn mowers. The design that offered the best selection of cutting height settings was the Hyundai HYM120LI510, which ranges from 30-90mm in 10 increments.

This was closely followed by the Husqvarna LC 141i, which ranges from 25mm to 75mm, also in 10 steps.

However, we found the STIHL RMA 235 Compact’s five settings between 25mm to 65mm ample. The majority of designs in our test have cutting height adjustable levers well positioned to the side of the main body. But manufacturers miss a trick by not incorporating these into the handles themselves. We found all the levers in our test a little clunky to operate and they all felt a little on the budget side. particularly the Bosch Rotak 37-36 Li Ergo design.

However, the Bosch has the best battery life. It lasts for 90 minutes on a single 140-minute charge. Thanks to its double battery pack, the Spear Jackson is not a bad shout either, although if we’re being honest we’re not sure we’d want to be mowing for longer than half an hour on a Sunday morning!

The best cordless lawn mower reviewed:

Bosch Rotak 37-36 Li Ergo cordless lawn mower (superseded by the Bosch Rotak 430 LI Cordless)

UPDATED: you may find it difficult to find the Bosch Rotak 37-36 Li Ergo on sale now, as it has been discontinued by Bosch. However, the Bosch Rotak 430 LI Cordless is the latest by Bosch and has many of the same characteristics as the mower we reviewed.

Versatility is what we like most about the Bosch Rotak 37-36 Li Ergo. It’s a good value hand-propelled lawn mower that gives you all the necessary tools for the job including a mulching function.

While at 36V the mower doesn’t have the highest battery power in our test, we felt it gave a satisfyingly powerful mow and its battery can run up to decent 90 minutes on a 140 minute charge. If you’re already a Bosch tool user, you can use its 36V/4.0Ah lithium-ion battery with other Bosch tools from the garden range.

It has a larger than average cutting width size of 37cm, which makes it good for medium sized gardens. You have choice of six different height cut positions, and its grass combs help mow the lawn evenly.

Meanwhile, the rear roller helps give your lawn that regal, striped appearance — we noticed this most with a longer grass-cutting setting. We also found it very effective when mowing right up to the edges. it mounted the flowerbed edge smoothly.

It was one of the simplest models to put together in our test too. The QuickClick handle system makes assembling its Ergoflex handlebar a tool-free job. The mulitple red push buttons make it easy to start, and are a good fit for left and right-handed users. We had a go at mowing one-handed and the body was evenly distributed enough so we felt like we had control.

The mower features a Powerdrive LI motor system, which claims to make it reliable in use under difficult conditions and its hardened steel blades with ‘innovative airflow technology’ that claims to improve debris collection.

In use, we were impressed that the design didn’t cut out when we used on overgrown and damper areas. While it may not have the highest voltage in our test, we found it to be one of the most robust mowers, and good for use on rougher patches of grass.

The Bosch Rotak 37-36 Li Ergo also has a large grass box with a capacity of up to 40 litres, which is great if you have a large lawn and don’t want to have to faff around stopping to empty the cuttings. On the downside however, it did make it a little heavy after a while. The machine started to feel a little clunky, with the grass box bumping a little as we pushed, so you may want to empty it before you reach its full capacity.

Best Electric Lawn Mower 2023 – Battery-Powered Mower Reviews

As the mowing season comes up on the horizon, it’s time to offer our recommendations for the best electric lawn mowers in 2023. Whether your top priorities are for large lawns, small lawns, high value, or something in between, our experts have weighed in on these best battery-powered lawn mower models.

The good news—there are a lot of quality battery-powered lawn mowers to choose from this year!

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Ask in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев below and we’ll let you know what our choice would be!

Considering gas models, too? Check out those in our best lawn mower recommendations!

Best Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower Overall

Commercial Pick: Milwaukee M18 Fuel 21-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

Boasting a monstrous 10 ft-lbs of torque (more than a 200cc gas engine!), Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel self-propelled lawn mower is the strongest battery-powered walk-behind we’ve tested so far. Using a pair of 12.0Ah batteries, it can run up to an hour in light conditions and we ran it for more than 40 minutes when taking off 4 – 6 inches of growth. If there’s a downside, it’s that the drive thumb bar introduces some thumb fatigue, but we were able to adjust our grip to deal with it.

The mower also has a tough build designed to handle professional use while offering the convenience of single-point height adjustments and vertical storage. While there are larger options now available (such as Greenworks’ 82V 30-inch), Milwaukee’s price tag is much easier on your budget.

Price: 1099.00 with two 12.0Ah batteries and a dual-port Rapid charger

Residential Pick: EGO 56V Select Cut XP Self-Propelled Lawn Mower With Speed IQ

The EGO Select Cut mower became an instant favorite of ours with its stacked-blade system and solid performance level to go with its excellent cut quality. EGO stepped it up with the release of the Select Cut XP, taking everything we already loved and stepping up the torque to 8.3 ft-lbs. Now, it’s taking the next evolution by adding Speed IQ.

Speed IQ is a drive system that automatically adjusts with the pace you’re walking. Unlike Toro’s Personal Pace system, this doesn’t use springs and a sensor in the handle arms. In fact, there’s no physical movement we were able to detect at all. Yet EGO’s sensor perfectly adjusted in our tests. Is it magic? No, but there’s some crazy-good engineering in play.

Price: 599.00 bare, 999.00 with a 12.0Ah battery and a Turbo charger

Best Self-Propelled Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower

As self-propelled models, our recommendations from Milwaukee and EGO top the charts in this category, too. Here are two more outstanding options for you.

Commercial Pick: Greenworks Commercial 30-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

At Equip Expo 2022 (formerly GIE), we got our hands on the Greenworks Commercial 30-inch lawn mower. As the first in the 30-inch class for the commercial market, it’s an eye-opener for Pros who have been skeptical of battery power.

As we saw from the 25-inch version, the mower uses two side-by-side blades to achieve its cutting width. Thanks to brushless technology, it cuts with 16,000 fpm blade tip speed, making for clean cuts and efficient bagging/mulching and exceeding the power of a 200cc gas engine.

It’s Smart, too, taking advantage of 4G coverage to provide GPS tracking. On the “why didn’t they do that sooner?” list, it has a reverse function for its independent hub wheel motors.

Price: 1999.00 bare tool, 2999.00 with three 8.0Ah batteries and dual port charger.

Ryobi 40V HP Brushless CrossCut AWD Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

Ryobi crushed it with the development of the 40V HP Brushless CrossCut self-propelled lawn mower, making huge strides over its previous generation of mowers. Matching up very well against EGO’s Select Cut XP, it’s a stacked blade design that offers excellent power and cut quality. Where it has a clear advantage over its competitors is on the side discharge. This mower distributes clippings far better than other battery-powered lawn mowers we’ve tested.

With the upgrade to an all-wheel-drive system, the design team made it selectable so you can run AWD when you need it and just the rear wheels when you don’t. Plus, Ryobi builds this mower in the US using global materials.

Price: 849.00 with two 6.0Ah batteries and a Rapid charger

Toro 60V Stripe Dual-Blade Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

Toro is introducing what is probably the most compelling battery-powered lawn mower for 2023. Using its 60V battery platform for power (there are also gas models), it’s making the jump to a stacked two-blade system similar to EGO’s Select Cut and Ryobi’s CrossCut models. What Toro is doing differently is adding a built-in striping feature, leaving your lawn not with just a clean cut, but also a professional finish.

Price: 629.00 bare, 729.00 with 7.5Ah battery and charger

Best Electric Ride-On Lawn Mower

Commercial Pick: Greenworks Commercial OptimusZ Zero-Turn Lawn Mower

At Equip Expo 2023, it was clear that Pros have more battery-powered ride-on lawn mowers than ever, and more are coming. Greenworks revealed its second generation as it moves from the LithiumZ mowers to the OptimusZ line and embraces a whole-system approach.

With several ride-on and stand-on ZT options up to 60 inches, there’s a wide range for professional crews to build from with the runtime to back up a full day of mowing. Greenworks also unveiled a trailer to support a 100% battery-powered crew, including up to three ride-on/stand-on mowers. Taking it another step further, the team is also working on a version of the OptimusZ that can run with an operator or fully autonomous. We got to see a working prototype at Equip Expo.

Residential Picks

If you’re looking for a residential battery-powered riding mower, there are several really good choices. Of those, two rise above the rest this year.

EGO E-Steer Residential Zero-Turn Lawn Mower

While some will argue EGO’s 54-inch zero-turn is the better option because of its wider deck, the EGO E-Steer is turning heads this year. It has a zero turning radius but uses a steering wheel rather than lap bars for turning. If the traditional lap bar steering system has been keeping you from going to a zero-turn model, it’s a big win.

Even if you’re comfortable with lap bars, there’s still a reason to consider the E-Steer system. EGO shifted the control panel from the side of the mower to the center of the wheel. Now they’re conveniently in front of you where it’s easier to keep an eye on your battery status and make quick adjustments.

Price: 5999.00 with four 12.0Ah batteries and onboard charger (scheduled for May 2023 launch)

Ryobi 80V iDrive Zero-Turn Lawn Mower

Ryobi is also joining the alternative control group this year. These 80V zero-turn lawn mowers feature the iDrive system that uses joystick control. Whether you want to think of it as playing a video game or flying a grass-maintaining fighter jet, it doesn’t take long to get used to.

For its first-generation iDrive models, you have three deck sizes to choose from: 30, 42, or 54 inches. They primarily use a suitcase-style 80V battery that can also be supplemented by 40V batteries to extend your runtime. With performance levels reaching up to that of a 42 HP gas engine, cutting power isn’t a problem.

Price: 5999.00 – 7999.00 ready to mow

Best Cordless Push Lawn Mower

EGO Select Cut Push Lawn Mower

EGO’s Select Cut mowers were the first to introduce a stacked two-blade system to battery-powered lawn mowers. By cutting high first and then following with a lower cut, you get a cleaner finish with finer clippings. EGO packs that performance and a host of convenient design features into an easy-rolling push mower for those of you who don’t want or need a self-propelled model.

Price: 379.00 bare, 649.00 kit with 7.5Ah battery and Rapid charger

Best Cordless Mower for Small Lawns

Skil PWRCore 20 18-Inch Lawn Mower

The joy of a small lawn is that it doesn’t take long to cut and you can go with a smaller mower that takes up less space. A 17 or 18-inch deck is great for that kind of lawn. The good news is, you don’t have to sacrifice all the features of larger mowers to get.

Our top pick is Skil’s PWRCore 20 18-inch lawn mower. It has the benefits of a brushless motor, folds up for vertical storage, and its 20V batteries are compatible with Skil’s entire line of PWRCore 20 lawn and power tools.

Price: 299.00 with two 4.0Ah batteries and a dual-port charger.

Best Electric Lawn Mower for Large Lawns

Ryobi 80V 30-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

We knew it would take something special to displace Greenworks 60V 25-inch mower as our top choice for large lawns. It’s taken a couple of years, but Ryobi has an 80V 30-inch self-propelled model that’s taking over.

Is This The Best Electric Mower For Your Yard? – Ryobi 40V Cordless Lawn Mower Review

Like the iDrive ride-on mowers, the 30-inch walk-behind uses an 80V suitcase-style battery for power. The brushless motors turn two sets of stacked twin blades, making for a total of four. By going that route, Ryobi keeps the overall blade mass down while achieving the large cutting width, performance, and runtime it needs to make sure you get the job done well.

This one is slated for launch later in the Spring. Check Home Depot for availability.

Best Budget Cordless Lawn Mower

Skil PWRCore 40 20-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

Here’s the challenge: find a brushless self-propelled lawn mower with a battery and charger for under 400. When it comes to the brands we trust, there aren’t many options.

Skil offers a lot of value with its 20-inch self-propelled lawn mower. Running on the stronger PWRCore 40 line, this brushless mower has excellent all-around performance and cut quality characteristics compared to others in the same price range. If you’re trying to make the switch to battery power on a budget, Skil offers the best value self-propelled lawn mower available.

Price: 399 with 5.0Ah battery and charger

Best Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower: Options From Brands We Trust

Best Echo Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower

Echo phased out its 58V battery lineup in favor of a completely new 56V eForce line (sorry, the old batteries are not compatible with the new tools) and that includes a new mower, the self-propelled DLM-2100SP. It’s a solid design that presses all the right buttons and makes for a well-rounded machine. It doesn’t challenge the power levels of the top performers, but it doesn’t have their price tags, either.

Price: 449.00 bare, 549.00 with a 5.0Ah battery and charger

Best Greenworks Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower

Greenworks has a couple of excellent CrossoverZ battery-powered ride-on lawn mowers to choose from. They use the same 60V batteries that power its other mowers and lawn care equipment (there are 80V versions, too). The design is a very easy transition if you’re switching from a gas mower and you can choose between a zero-turn or lawn tractor design.

Best HART Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower

HART stepped up with its SUpercharge 40V brushless self-propelled mower, demonstrating that the brand can make a mower capable of cutting 3/4-acre lawns. The performance level is in the 160cc gas engine class thanks to two active battery ports and the two 6.0Ah batteries included in the kit. Compared to the mowers we’ve used from HART before, this is by far the most capable for those of you holding out for a mid-range gas replacement.

Price: 598.00 with two 6.0Ah batteries and a Rapid charger

Best Husqvarna Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower

Husqvarna launched a 20-inch commercial-grade 3-in-1 battery-powered self-propelled lawn mower with an aluminum deck and front bar to protect the battery/motor housing. The W520i notably is compatible with a battery backpack. It doesn’t fit as cleanly as Makita’s ConnectX since you still need to run an adapter into the battery slots, but it does take the weight off of your back and keep you from being tethered. It also has a higher-than-normal cutting range that tops out at 4.5 inches.

Take a look at Husqvarna’s Lawn Xpert mower—a Lowe’s exclusive for 2023!

Best Kobalt Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower

Kobalt is quietly still making excellent electric lawn mowers and the 80V line is where its performance peaks. The most recent is a 21-inch rear-wheel-drive system with an upgrade to the handle system that makes folding it forward for vertical storage easier. In addition to its excellent cutting power, Kobalt also makes efficient use of its batteries, running up 60 minutes with a 6.0Ah battery. Plus, its high 4 1/8-inch top cutting height is great for tall grass species and reclaiming neglected areas.

Price: 699.00 with a 6.0Ah battery and charger, 749.00 with two 4.0Ah batteries and charger

Best Makita Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower

One of the biggest challenges with any battery-powered electric lawn mower is runtime. Makita put that problem squarely in its crosshairs and developed the ConnectX system. Unlike other designs, the 1200Wh power supply attaches directly to the top of the mower, offering more than 3x the capacity of most cordless mowers and running up to 3 hours continuously.

Similar to the 18V X2 (36V) XML08, the mower tops out at 2800 RPM with a 2300 RPM Quiet Mode and has a true 21-inch steel deck.

Price: 949.00 bare, 1399.00 power supply (2348.00 for both)

Best STIHL Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower

STIHL has been a little more cautious in entering the electric lawn mower market and upgraded the line with a couple of self-propelled models. Of the two available, the STIHL RMA 510 V is your top performer. It features a 21-inch steel deck (20-inch blade) with a tougher build than the 460 series and its 3.9-inch top cutting height is appropriate for taller grass species. The one downside is that this model runs through batteries quickly compared to other self-propelled mowers.

Price: 599.99 bare, 749.99 with AP 300 battery and charger

Best Electric Lawn Mower: What We Look For

Power

Brushless motors make testing power much more challenging because of their ability to sense and adjust to the load the blade is experiencing. To gauge it, we cut an overgrown section of grass to a manageable height and follow it up by seeing how short we can cut an even standard height section of grass.

Best Electric Lawn Mowers 2023 [don’t buy one before watching this]

The more effectively a battery-powered lawn mower can reclaim overgrowth and the shorter it can effectively cut a baseline height, the more working power it has.

Runtime

How much runtime an electric lawn mower has is only part of the equation. The best information is how much area you can cut on a charge. We start with a section of grass cut to a standard height and then see how long we can mow on one battery charge as we cut it down to 3 inches.

Once we know that, we calculate the maximum area you should be able to mow without having to stop and recharge.

Cut Quality

We test three basic areas of cut quality: evenness, bagging efficiency, and mulching efficiency.

Evenness is simple enough—we gauge how even the cut is by looking for blades that stick out and areas that may have been cut shorter than intended.

Bagging efficiency is a matter of seeing how much grass is left behind compared to the amount that is collected in the bag.

Mulching efficiency takes in consideration the size of the clippings the mower drops and whether it creates any clumping or trailing.

Build

We consider the quality of the build based on the materials and how well the mower is put together. We’re looking for solid components that will last well beyond the warranty period, a rigid construction, and protection for the electrical components and batteries.

Hills, Slopes, and Uneven Terrain

Sure, it’s Florida and we don’t have many legit hills. But we do have sloped lakesides and ditches to go along with plenty of uneven ground. We drive or push our mowers to see how well they hold wheel traction mowing uphill, downhill, side-to-side, and bumping along.

Features

In addition to any standout features, here’s a list of the standard items we look for:

• Brushless motor
• Drive type and function
• Deck size
• Deck material
• Height adjustment
• Height range and number of levels
• Handle positions
• Discharge options
• Battery ports

Value

For our team of experts, value is much more than just price. It’s about what you get for what you pay. An expensive model may very well be the best battery mower value if it’s performing far enough ahead of the budget brands to justify it.

Best Electric Lawn Mower Buying Guide

As you’re deciding on the best battery lawn mower for you in 2022, there’s a lot to consider. These electric mowers are a long way away from when we started with battery power.

What’s Your Budget?

While you can get a battery lawn mower for less than 300, plan on spending at least 500 for a quality model and more than 700 for the best electric lawn mowers.

That can cause a bit of a conflict. When you look at what you can get for the same price on a gas mower, you get more power and features from that gas engine. It won’t have the noise, emission, and maintenance benefits, though.

Are Battery Riding Mowers Viable?

There are a few riding mowers available for both professional and homeowner use. Professional crews have options such as Greenworks’ Lithium Z zero turn (they also have a battery-powered UTV).

Homeowners have more choices with well-known brands Ryobi, Cub Cadet, and EGO (along with several others) providing a handful of zero turns and more traditional lawn tractors.

The models we’ve tested work well and do the job they’re designed for. However, there are two key trade-offs you need to keep in mind. One, there’s a big premium on the cost compared to a gas model. Two, at the moment, you need to plan for long charge times.

A third consideration is simply that this class of electric lawn mower is still relatively new. It’s possible to keep a gas model running for 10 years or more and repower it if necessary. With a full electric power plant, we simply don’t know what kind of service life to expect with proper maintenance.

As battery technology continues to move forward, keep your eyes open for the first graphene or silicon lithium batteries. They’re able to take a charge much faster than standard lithium-ion or lead-acid batteries and have the potential to get you back in the saddle quicker.

Residential or Commercial Quality?

On the surface, there’s not a huge difference between commercial-quality and residential-quality walk-behind battery lawn mowers.

At the high end, power doesn’t seem to vary much (though Milwaukee just changed that expectation). In fact, one of the most powerful we’ve tested—EGO’s Select Cut XP—is technically a residential model.

What commercial battery mowers have going for them is a design and feature set that’s much more tuned in to what professionals ask for. Some of that is merely the difference between what homeowners and professional crews prefer on a mower. But there are differences in the quality of the components that brands choose for their separate lines. Commercial mowers have to be ready for far more service hours each week.

Brands such as Greenworks Commercial, Husqvarna, and STIHL rely on their dealer networks rather than big box stores. You get additional support during and after the sale that you won’t find at other retailers.

Electric riding mowers are a completely different ballgame. With those, you’ll find a much greater difference in design and performance, along with a massive gap in cost.

Self-Propelled vs Push

Considering a self-propelled drive doesn’t have a huge effect on your runtime, it’s a feature you should get if it’s in your budget. Look for variable speed controls and try working it in the store before you bring it home. You can usually tell in just a few minutes if it’s comfortable and natural for your hands.

Look for a mower that disengages its drive easily when you want to pull the mower back. Some systems have a hard time letting go and force you to drag the drive wheels rather than allowing them to roll.

Let’s not completely rule out the classic push mower style, though. When you’re on a budget, you can easily save 100 or more without losing cutting performance if you’re willing to carry more of the workload.

If that’s the direction you’re heading, look for a poly deck to help reduce weight and wheels with bearings and low rolling resistance to make your job a little easier.

Self-Propel Drive Adjustment

Our testing team generally prefers a variable speed dial separate from the presence bar. Taking a different approach, Toro’s Personal Pace and Ryobi’s Smart Trek systems offer a self-adjusting speed that some folks like.

As you’re trying different adjustment styles, look for one that’s on the stiffer side or has positive stops. This will reduce the chances of accidentally knocking it to a different speed if your hand hits it or the terrain is bumpy.

Keep an eye on the location of the dial as well. Front and center is convenient to make adjustments on the fly. However, some people hit that position with their hand or hip as they turn. If that’s you, you might prefer your adjustment on the side so you don’t accidentally change your speed with each turn.

Steel vs Poly Deck

In the gas-powered world, there are really no poly decks—most are either steel or aluminum. The cordless lawn mower world is much different with poly decks in every direction.

Steel is more durable, but it’s very unlikely you’re going to wear through a poly deck over the life of your battery-powered lawn mower. Poly also has an advantage in design. It’s much easier to make subtle changes in the shape that optimizes airflow for better lift, mulching, and bagging than a steel deck.

As we said, steel is more durable. If you have a lot of small rocks you kick up when you’re mowing or perhaps your teenager doesn’t pay quite as much attention as you’d like, then a steel deck can extend your mower’s life. Plus, it just looks good.

Bag, Mulch, or Side Discharge?

You probably already know whether you prefer to mulch or bag. Here in central Florida, we usually mulch to return nutrients to the lawn and avoid stopping every 10 minutes (literally) to dump the bag.

Sometimes, however, you go on vacation or the weather prevents you from hitting your normal mowing day. That’s when side (or rear) discharge becomes helpful.

Instead of keeping the grass up in the deck for finer mulching, it kicks it out. You could bag it, of course, but you’d spend a lot of time emptying. For the sake of getting your cut back under control, side discharging can help keep you moving along when your grass gets long.

Look for a mower that gives you all three options and keep that side discharge chute somewhere handy just in case you need it.

Deck and Blade Size

Most of the best electric lawn mowers have 20 or 21-inch deck sizes with slightly smaller blades (Several brands list the actual blade diameter rather than the deck diameter).

There are smaller models appropriate for smaller lawns or areas with a lot of landscaping to work around.

There are also larger models. Greenworks Commercial and Greenworks 60V both have 25-inch models available. Battery-powered riding mowers run up to 52 inches or more on the residential side and 74 inches for commercial.

The larger deck sizes are most helpful on lawns over 1/4-acre where they offer more significant time savings. For lawns 1/4-acre or less, the standard 20 or 21-inch deck is usually fine.

Single Point vs Multi-Point Deck Height Adjustment

There’s no doubt that single-point height adjustments are more convenient than adjusting each wheel. The relatively lighter weight of cordless lawn mowers also makes it a more viable solution.

Don’t completely discount two or four-point adjustments, though. A four-point system typically has a more rigid construction over single point. Plus, you can kick your front wheels one notch higher than the rear to improve your bagging efficiency.

This one is really about what your preference is. We find most people set their height once and leave it, so a four-point system may not be all that bad from a convenience standpoint.

Multiple Battery Ports

If you have a lawn that’s more than 1/3 of an acre, there’s a good chance you can benefit from multiple battery ports. There are three possibilities: a second storage port, a second active port with a manual switch, and a second active port with automatic switching.

Automatic switching is the most convenient and usually comes on higher-priced mowers. Manual switching and simple storage take some extra effort, but not as much as going back to the garage or trailer for another battery.

Height Range

The majority of electric lawn mowers have all the height range you need to cover a wide variety of grass species. If you prefer to cut at heights over 3-1/2 inches or under 2 inches, just double check that the mower you’re looking at covers it.

Why Buy an Electric Lawn Mower?

The best electric lawn mower for you should get your lawn cut on one charge. No matter which model that is, they all share some common characteristics. There are no gas emissions and no gas engine to maintain. You still need to clean it off when you’re done, but the maintenance is much easier and takes less time.

They’re also quieter. The early bird gets the worm and if you want to start mowing at 7:00 on Saturday morning, your neighbors can probably sleep through it. of a night owl? Many battery-powered mowers have headlights, and you’re unlikely to disturb your neighbor’s Lord of the Rings marathon at 10:00 PM.

Those are some of the more obvious reasons, but one of our favorites is the ability to put the battery in and mow. There’s no cranking, no choke, and no fuel cut-off valve. As long as you have enough batteries to get the entire lawn cut, it’s an easier system to work with than gas.

Why You Can Trust Pro Tool Reviews

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That’s not us. We only recommend what we’d actually use, even if we don’t earn a commission from it. It’s all about giving you a legitimate recommendation and our honest opinion of each product.

We’ve been in business since 2008 covering tools, writing reviews, and reporting on industry news in the construction, automotive, and lawn care industries. Our Pro reviewers work in the trades and have the skills and experience to know whether tools can perform well in the field.

Each year, we bring in and review more than 250 individual products. Our team will put our hands on hundreds of additional tools at media events and trade shows throughout the year.

We consult with innovators in the technology and design of tools to gain a broader grasp of where these products fit and how they work.

We work with more than two dozen professional contractors around the United States who review products for us on real job sites and consult with us on testing methods, categories, and weighting.

We’ll provide more than 500 pieces of new content this year absolutely free for our readers—including objective evaluations of individual tools and products.

The end result is information you can trust because of the editorial, scientific, and real-world professional experience we collectively utilize each and every time we pick up and test a tool.

The 3 Best Cordless Lawn Mowers of 2023

We did firsthand comparative testing of 7 of the best cordless lawn mowers on the market so that you can easily find the optimal machine for your needs and budget. As consumers ourselves, we understand that there are dozens of cordless lawn mowers to choose from and that marketing claims can be inconsistent and confusing. To remedy this problem, we bought the most promising machines and subjected them to a rigorous direct comparison analysis. We hope this review will simplify the market for you, making the selection of a cordless mower a breeze.

Keeping up with the yard requires a range of tools for maintenance. That’s why our expansive list of reviews cover basics like top-ranked garden hoses and shovels to cordless tools like the best cordless leaf blowers and the best cordless string trimmers, our favorite chainsaws, and of course, our select picks of the best tools. And if you need help knowing when you’ll get that ideal mowing window, we have also tested weather stations and rain gauges.

Editor’s Note: We updated our cordless lawn mower review on March 31, 2023 to share information on how we scored our testing metrics.

Best All-Around Lawn Mower

Ego LM2102SP

Few lawns are too demanding for the Ego LM2102SP. With a 5 amp-hour, 56-volt battery and a mammoth cutting deck, this machine can mow down the toughest of turfs and mulch with the best of them. The Ego has all the important features you want in one of these products — like self-propulsion, a wide range of cutting heights, and easy folding and storing — to make cutting your lawn that much easier.

We have little to criticize this burly machine for other than its size — it’s massive. This means it’s going to require more storage space. Additionally, for those with smaller lawns, this is probably too much machine. And though it’s not astronomically expensive, it’s certainly not the cheapest model out there. These are minor gripes, and we feel that this electric marvel is far superior to its gas-powered relatives and rules the roost among cordless mowers.

Best Bang for Your Buck

Greenworks 25322

This economical machine is a good choice for those with moderately demanding lawns and modest budgets. Unlike some other affordable models, the Greenworks 25322 is not burdened with a short runtime (we clocked 73 minutes of runtime per charge). Nor does the mower suffer from a long recharge interval (we topped its battery off in an hour). To round things out, this machine packs enough cutting power to mulch well-managed lawns.

There are some negatives worth mentioning. The Greenworks isn’t self-propelled, which can be a pain if you have a sloping lawn. Also, it has a meager 13 ¾ cutting deck compared to the competition, which means you’ll make more passes to cut the same amount of turf. And, surprisingly, this slim mower is not as easy to maneuver as we expected. A plus to its small size is that it’s easy to fold and store.

Best for Easy Handling

BlackDecker CM2043

The BlackDecker CM2043 is not a high-end mower, but it has several characteristics that make it worth consideration. First, the price is well below average. Second, it’s maneuverable, excelling in tight spots such as inside corners. Finally, it supplies enough power for moderately demanding jobs, which is good because the cutting deck covers a wide range.

On the other hand, it disappoints in several key areas that negate its usefulness for high-demand lawns. Of chief concern is this mower’s short battery, which is only capable of cutting ~6,457 ft² (~80′ x 80′ area). Exacerbating this issue is a prolonged recharge interval of 300 minutes. We should also point out that the BlackDecker is not self-propelled. But if you have a small lawn, perhaps one with an irregular shape, then this little guy can get the job done while leaving enough money in your wallet to do something fun when the chores are all done.

Why You Should Trust Us

We’re passionate about evaluating the full range of battery-powered tools, from string trimmers and pressure washers to chainsaws, leaf blowers, and drills. Our Senior Research Analyst Austin Palmer has been tearing apart electronics with an eye for quality design and engineering for most of his adult life in our laboratory and the field.

• Mowing tests (35% of overall score weighting)

• Battery tests (25% weighting)

• Handling tests (25% weighting)

• Ease of Use tests (15% weighting)

Also contributing to this review is Senior Review Editor Nick Miley, who draws on his research experience in university laboratories to build a predictive runtime/cutting square footage model for the mowers. He draws on 10 years of product testing, not to mention the half-acre lawn that he mowed as a kid, to analyze these machines.

Analysis and Test Results

We devise a comprehensive set of testing categories or metrics to standardize and quantify all of our product evaluations. To determine the best cordless lawn mowers for each user, these metrics are mowing (35%), battery (25%), handling (25%), and ease of use (15%).

Value

There are two ways of looking at value. The first is assessing which models offer more to the consumer. This more could be features, quality, or aesthetic appeal. The second is to identify two or more products that offer the same features and compare their cost. The Makita XML03 and the Greenworks 25322 offer comparable features and performance but sell for markedly different prices. The Greenworks offers significant value over its peers.

Mowing

The performance of the mowers while they’re in use is the meat and potatoes of this review. It includes cutting efficiency based on the maximum cutting width minus the minimum overlap required to eliminate a cutting gap. (The cutting gap is the space between the end of the blade and the outer edge of the cutting deck). This metric also covers the range of cutting heights compared to the claims of the manufacturer. Last, we field-tested the mowers’ ability to power through shaggy and weedy knee-high grass while mulching. Mulching is the recutting of clipped grass repeatedly so that the clippings can be deposited deep into the turf.

The mowing metric makes up a whopping 35% of the overall score for each mower, and each model’s performance here mirrors its final ranking. The Ego topped the class.

Battery

These cordless lawn mowers run on lithium-ion battery cells, and we consider performance here second only to mowing. We measured runtime as the time it takes a stationary mower with the blade spinning to exhaust a fully charged battery. Recharge time is simply the time it takes for a dead battery to regain its full charge. Interestingly, some models with the longest runtimes (like the Makita) also displayed the shortest recharge times.

Unfortunately, the runtime measurement tells us fairly little about the longevity of a battery charge when the mower is actually cutting grass. This is harder to measure. Some of these cordless mowers, like the Ego and Makita, can cut tens of thousands of square feet of turf on a single charge. We didn’t have access to a field of grass of sufficient size and uniform length to conduct a cutting-grass battery test. Instead, we used a statistical model based on runtime and the dimensions of each cutting deck to render square footage estimates.

What our model reveals is a fairly wide range of square footage cutting estimates. Unsurprisingly, one of our favorite models, the Ego, crushed the competition with an estimated 14,275 sq.ft. of turf trimmed on a single charge. The average square footage for the class is 9,270 sq.ft.

Ease of Use

This metric evaluates the mower features that are not critical to a machine’s performance but make using the mower more enjoyable. It includes the noise level of a running mower, the battery charge meter, battery removal, and mower storage.

One of the big benefits of an electric mower is the lower noise level. Gas mowers roar, electric mowers purr — a significant difference.

Deciphering the Decibel (A) Scale The A-weighted decibel (dBA) scale measures the pressure vibrations in the air, referred to as sound intensity. The decibel scale is not linear, like measurements of distance or mass. Instead, it’s logarithmic and scaled so that an increase of three decibels represents a doubling of sound intensity.

To get an objective measurement of the noise output coming from the cordless lawn mowers, we used a sound pressure level meter that records sound intensity in decibels (dBA). We found a relatively substantial difference in the sound intensity within the class that worked out to a 7.4 dBA spread between the loudest and quietest models. The Makita is the quietest of the group at 70 dBA, with the Ego coming in a close second at 71 dBA. The Federal Aviation Administration describes 80 dBA as what one can expect from a busy urban area during the day. The takeaway here is that these mowers are, in comparison to their gas-powered counterparts, quite a bit less noisy.

Let’s move on to look at the battery charge meter and battery removal. Although it may seem insignificant, evaluating these two details is necessary because they frequently come up when we ask people how they like their purchase after a few uses. The Greenworks placed the battery meter under the battery cover, and the batteries themselves require two hands to remove.

Although the battery charge meter and battery removal system may seem like minor details, the folding/ unfolding mechanism is not. These mowers — even the smaller ones — take up a lot of space when stored. Old gas-powered models usually allowed you to fold the handle, but the oil and gas reservoirs prevented them from being stored in a vertical position. This is not the case for the electric models, which can take up far less storage space when not in use. Unfortunately, models like the Sun Joe iON16LM and, to a lesser degree, the BlackDecker make folding and unfolding quite difficult and time-consuming.

Handling

The handling metric complements the ease of use evaluation. Both are concerned with the effort required to perform the task of mowing the lawn. The difference is that the handling evaluation focuses on the core task of mowing the lawn and not those aspects of a product that support this function. Specifically, we assess the starting mechanism. Is it easy to engage? Is there a lag in the start-up process? Next, we evaluate how much effort goes into directing the mower around the turf. This is a general assessment of maneuverability. Finally, we dig into the bail — which is the lever that engages the blade — and how it feels when gripped.

As far as starting goes, these machines all start up pretty much the same way. One simply pushes the start button. The difference from one mower to the next is in the starting delay once the button has been pushed. The Ego fires up immediately. Some mowers take longer. Despite some delay, all the models reviewed here start up without a problem.

We saw more variance in the maneuverability of these machines than we did with the starting mechanisms. The first big difference is in the propulsion of the mowers. Some machines, such as the Ego, are self-propelled. Others have to be pushed if you want them to move. Both options offer pros and cons. In general, self-propelled models cost more, but if the lawn is large or inclined, it’s probably worth the extra money. On the other hand, some models like the Ego can — even at their slowest setting — be a bit fast for tight spots or corners. While one can simply disengage the drive system in such scenarios, the Ego delivers some resistance when it is pushed.

Whether you are interested in a self-propelled cordless lawn mower or not, activation of the cutting blade is controlled by a component called a bail. This is a spring-loaded bar that is connected to the handle. When the bail is depressed, the blade is engaged. When released, the blade stops spinning. Although this component may seem uniform across mower models, this turns out not to be the case. The shape and resistance of the bail can cause discomfort, especially on longer jobs. As such, we paid close attention to the feel and functionality of the bail during our various field tests.

While most of the bails went unnoticed — which is a good thing — a few were quite stiff and taxing to grip for prolonged periods. The primary offender in this evaluation is the Makita. Its stiffness seems to result from firm springs that return the bail to the off position when one’s grip is loosened. It remains to be seen if these springs will loosen in time.

Conclusion

The above review covers every aspect of cordless lawnmowers, from handling to mowing power. We hope that this analysis provided you with all the information to allow you to confidently select the perfect mower. over, we hope that this article will shed a bit of light on some aspects of these machines that will improve your overall experience. We have had a great time testing and writing about these machines and hope that our work will help you better enjoy your time in the backyard.