Hello, lawn enthusiasts!
 If you’re toying with the idea of swapping your traditional gas lawn mower for a sleek, battery-powered model, you’re right on trend. Thanks to rapidly evolving technology, these eco-friendly mowers are stepping up their game, offering better performance and wider coverage, making them a perfect fit for lawns of various sizes throughout the mowing season.
With the addition of extra batteries, these mowers are proving they can handle your lawn care needs with ease.
- Best Overall: Ego LM2150SP Cordless Mower
- Best Budget: Greenworks 16-Inch Electric Push Lawn Mower
- Best Combined Performance: Ego Lm2167sp Electric Lawn Mower
- Best For Bagging: Toro 60v Max Electric Battery High Wheel Mower
- Best For Large Yards: Ryobi Brushless 42-Inch Electric Cordless Riding Lawn Tractor
- Best For Small Yards: Makita 36-Volt 18-Inch Push Lawn Mower
- Best Lawn Striper: Toro 6123 Stripe Dual-Blade Self-Propelled Mower
- Best Lightweight: Black+Decker 40v Max 16 Inch Cordless Lawn Mower
- Best Overall: Ryobi 21-Inch Dual-Blade Self-Propelled Mower
- Best Push Mower: Ryobi 21-Inch Dual-Blade Self-Propelled Mower
- Best Riding: Ryobi Brushless 42-Inch Electric Zero Turn Riding Mower
- Best Self-Propelled Push Mower: Ego Power+ 21-Inch Self-Propelled Mower
- Best Value: Echo Dlm2100 Sp Electric Lawn Mower
- Best With Storage: Ryobi Brushless 42-Inch Electric Cordless Riding Lawn Tractor
- Best Zero-Turn: Ryobi Brushless 42-Inch Electric Zero Turn Riding Mower
Battery mowers are gaining traction, especially among homeowners with lawns ranging from 5,000 to 8,000 square feet. Imagine completing your entire mowing task in just an hour and forty minutes! Not only do these mowers excel in cutting grass efficiently, but they also seamlessly integrate with other battery-powered garden tools for trimming and surface cleaning tasks. Having relied on gas mowers for years, we’ve got a good grasp on why battery mowers might be the better choice for many households.
This spring, we’re diving deep into the world of electric lawn mowers with our extensive, multi-phased testing. This year, we’ve put these mowers through their paces, including a rigorous bagging test over an 85,000 square foot area. These initial tests have been a vital part of our comprehensive evaluation.
Our aim is to help you find an electric lawn mower that meets your needs in terms of power, bagging efficiency, cut quality, and ease of use. Here, we’ll share our test results and give you a behind-the-scenes look at our testing methods.
Battery-powered lawn mowers generally offer easier operation and lower maintenance than gas mowers, and they’re cordless and eco-friendly, too. They’re especially suited for small to medium-sized lawns. Considerations like your lawn size, specific features you’re looking for, and your comfort level with the machine are crucial when choosing the right battery-powered lawn mower.
In our quest to find the best, we’ve tested a wide array of mowers, including corded, cordless, gas, electric, riding, and self-propelled models. In our roundup of top battery-powered lawn mowers, we’ve focused on safety, ease of use, performance, and overall value. We’ve thoroughly examined each mower’s ability to maneuver around obstacles, handle slopes, and cut through thick grass.
 The post-mowing appearance of the grass was also a key factor in our evaluations. Our final list was compiled considering runtime, cutting options, charging time, and cutting width. Join us as we share our insights and help you find the perfect mower for your green oasis!
EGO Power+ Select Cut 56-Volt 21-Inch Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower
Our top pick for the best self-propelled lawn mower is none other than the Ego Power+ LM2101SP Cordless model. Its user-friendly design and robust self-propelling feature make it an exemplary choice for homeowners with small to medium-sized yards.
The inherent advantage of self-propelled mowers is that they employ the motor to drive the mower forward, which significantly reduces the physical exertion required from the user. During our series of tests, we deduced that the Ego Power+ could be an excellent option for those who struggle with physical mobility or strength as it demands considerably less manual labor in comparison to other similar mowers.
Coming equipped with six distinct height adjustment settings for the blades, ranging from 1.5 to 4 inches, offers the precise level of customization that you might need. Our tests further revealed that adjusting key features such as the cutting height, pace of propulsion, and handle height was conveniently manageable with just a single hand. Additionally, the incorporation of LED lights in the design facilitates mowing chores before dawn or after dusk, effectively allowing you to evade the intense daytime heat.
The Ego Power+ LM2101SP Cordless Lawn Mower boasts an impressive lengthy runtime of 60 minutes per charge backed by a potent 56 volt 7.5Ah ARC lithium battery. Such performance makes it well-suited for managing yards up to 0.5 acres in size.
This specific lawn mower ranked on our list for not only its mowing performance but also its versatile grass disposal systems. Switch easily between mulching, side-discharging, or bagging as per your convenience. However, it’s worth noting that fitting the grass bag on our own was a bit challenging and might be more efficiently executed with an additional hand at times.
What truly stole our hearts, was the smart storage design of this lawnmower. Unlike many bulky models that hog substantial space in your storage shed or garage, the Ego Power+ folds to be efficiently stored away.
Greenworks 40V 16-Inch Electric Push Lawn Mower
Our selection for an economical battery-operated lawn mower is the Greenworks Cordless Lawn Mower. It features five adjustable heights and is equipped for both mulching and rear bagging.
This particular model stands out for its lightweight design, weighing in at just 37.5 pounds— as light as our choice for the best lightweight mower. Some other mowers listed here can weigh up to a hefty 66 pounds, making this one a breeze to handle.
Although it’s a push mower that requires you to exert the effort to move it around your lawn, it remarkably eases the task. Available are five different height settings for the blades which allow cuts between 1.25 inches to 3.375 inches.
An integral part of mowing is planning how to manage your grass clippings. Fortunately, this lawn mower provides the flexibility of choosing between mulching or rear bagging. It also includes a collection bag for users preferring to bag the clippings.
However, it’s crucial to note that the battery life of this mower stretches only up to 45 minutes on a full charge. Compounded with its 16-inch wide deck, it clips less grass per mowing pass, potentially elongating the time needed to mow the entire yard.
For those with larger yards, the limited battery life could pose a challenge as it would necessitate a pause for recharging. The silver lining here is that the battery powers up to full in just two hours.
Toro 60v Max Electric Battery High Wheel Mower
If versatile bagging and mulching options are on top of your list, the Toro Recycler Walk Behind Mower is a model that deserves keen attention. Its quick-connect bagging system makes it a breeze to toggle between the mulching and bagging modes as required.
Moreover, its self-propelling mechanism makes it conveniently moveable, even in uneven or hilly yards. Adding to its ease of operation is a speed-sensing feature that aligns the mower’s pace with your walking speed. This mower boasts a sturdy 22-inch deck and provides nine cutting height adjustments from 1 to 4 inches, promoting precise grass cutting.
This self-propelled model can operate up to 40 minutes on a single charge and is capable of cutting up to a third of an acre in one swipe. Its 10-inch rear wheels not only ensure superior traction but are also designed with a unique tread pattern that is lawn-friendly.
A highlight of the Toro Recycler is its compact folding design that can reduce its storage footprint by as much as 70 percent. While it does come with a higher price tag than typical walk-behind models, we believe that its array of user-friendly features justifies the extra expense and makes mowing substantially more manageable.
Testing Battery-Powered Lawn Mowers: A Deep Dive
We rigorously tested eight walk-behind lawn mowers, including gas, electric corded, and battery-powered models. Our tests spanned various backyards across the country, evaluating each mower for its setup, design, performance, ease of use, safety, and value. Before testing, we timed and observed the setup process, noting the clarity of instructions and any assembly required.
Each mower underwent three rounds of testing, where we meticulously recorded the grass length cut, yard size, and time taken.
We assessed the ease of starting, adjusting handles, altering speed (for self-propelled models), and changing cutting heights. Additionally, we evaluated features like bagging, mulching, and side-discharge capabilities, if available. Maneuverability around obstacles, slopes, and thick grass was a critical part of our testing.
We also scrutinized the uniformity of the grass cut and reviewed safety features and additional functionalities, such as folding handles, cable management systems, and LED lights. This comprehensive approach led us to a list of top-performing electric mowers.
We also tested six riding lawn mowers in our own yards, rating them on similar criteria. Comparing these findings with previous recommendations, we refined our categories, swapping out or adding new top picks based on exceptional performance.
Choosing a High-Quality Battery-Powered Lawn Mower
Battery System
Battery-powered lawn mowers are cordless and feature one or more batteries powering the engine. Voltages range from 36 to 120 volts; higher voltage systems typically offer longer runtimes. Our top pick, the RYOBI 40V HP Brushless 21-Inch Cordless Self-Propelled Mower, offers up to 70 minutes of runtime. Remember, higher-voltage mowers are heavier, which may affect maneuverability.
Mower Type
Push mowers require physical effort to move forward. They’re smaller and lighter, hence easier to handle, but require more manual effort. Typically, push mowers are more affordable, ranging from $100 to $400. Our top pick, the EGO Power+ 20-Inch 56-Volt Push Lawn Mower, offers a 60-minute runtime and a 40-minute fast battery charge.
Self-propelled mowers use motor power to move the wheels. They do the heavy lifting, requiring you to guide them. Most are powerful enough to handle thick grass and slopes. Prices for self-propelled mowers range from $300 to $900. Our top pick, the EGO LM2102SP POWER+ 21-inch Cordless Self-Propelled Mower, is user-friendly, easy to maintain, with a long runtime and quick recharge.
Riding lawn mowers are ideal for large yards. They have wider cutting decks, enabling you to cover large areas quickly. Riding mowers require less physical effort than push or self-propelled mowers. Prices start at over $1,000. Our favorite, the RYOBI 80V HP Brushless 42 in. Battery Electric Riding Lawn Tractor, offers 12 cutting height options and several other features, making it a worthy investment.
Deck Size
The deck size determines the mower’s cutting width. A wider deck covers more area per pass. For yards under half an acre, a mower with a deck size under 30 inches is sufficient. Larger yards require wider decks.
Lawn Size
Most battery mowers can run up to 60 minutes on a single charge, suitable for small, flat lawns. Slopes, thick grass, and obstacles can reduce runtime. For larger yards over an acre, consider a mower with long-lasting batteries or buy an extra battery for extended use.
Notable Features
Grass Catcher
A grass catcher bag attaches to the mower to collect clippings, keeping your yard tidy. It’s a convenient feature, eliminating the need to manually bag clippings. Our top budget-friendly pick, the Greenworks 40V 16-Inch Electric Push Lawn Mower, includes a grass catcher bag.
Mulching
Mulching mowers finely chop grass clippings and redistribute them on the lawn, providing natural nourishment. The EGO LM2102SP POWER+ 21-inch Cordless Self-Propelled Mower, among others on our list, features this beneficial mulching function.
Adjustable Cutting Height
Most mowers have adjustable decks to handle various grass types and conditions, typically ranging from one to four inches. Features like a single lever or large knobs can simplify deck height adjustment.
FAQs
What is the lifespan of a battery-powered lawn mower?
Battery-powered lawn mowers can last up to ten years with proper maintenance. According to Kris Kiser, CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), lifespan depends on the brand, model, and user maintenance. Proper care, charging, and storage are key for longevity. Following the manufacturer’s guidelines for care and timely repairs can extend your mower’s life.
How long do lithium batteries last in a lawn mower?
Lithium batteries in lawn mowers typically last 2-3 years.1 Their runtime may decrease by about 6% annually. Batteries may need replacement after five years due to reduced charge capacity.
What is the optimal voltage for a battery-powered lawn mower?
Battery-powered lawn mowers range from 36 to 120 volts. Higher voltage offers longer runtime, allowing more mowing per charge. However, larger batteries are heavier, which can impact handling, especially in push mowers.
What’s the difference between brushless and brushed motors?
Brushless motors offer better efficiency and reduced weight compared to brushed motors, which lack electronic controllers and can be more expensive. Both types use electromagnetism for mechanical rotations.
Brushless motors are more efficient, as they don’t lose energy to friction and heat, which can damage the motor. They also don’t require brush replacements, leading to reliable performance and lower maintenance costs. Brushed motors may be cheaper initially but can cost more in maintenance and are prone to overheating and stalling. Brush replacements add to their ongoing costs.
