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In the past 5 years, battery-powered mowers have improved tremendously. Previously, they required you to swap multiple batteries in order to have enough juice to get even the smallest of jobs done. Much has improved since then, and they're now an excellent and incredibly useful alternative to their gas-guzzling counterparts and are a better choice for many homeowners.
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Best Electric Lawn Mowers
What to Consider
Electric Versus Gas-Powered Mowers
Electric mowers are best for small and medium-sized lawns no larger than 10,000 square feet since their deck diameters are typically between 18 and 22 inches. Gas-powered mowers are better for folks who need the utmost power to cut tall, thick, damp, or wet grass.
- Weight: Electric lawn mowers are oftentimes lighter and easier to maneuver than gas-powered models. What we like most about them is how easy they are to store. Most electric mowers fold in half and can tuck in a tight corner in your garage.
- Power: Although runtime for electric mowers has significantly improved over the last couple of years, electric mowers still have shorter run times than gas-powered models. Runtimes average between 30 minutes and an hour, but many models include multiple batteries to double their running times. It's also worth mentioning that battery-powered mowers range from 36 to 120 volts. Smaller-voltage mowers are lighter and are best for small yards, while high-voltage ones are better for tall grass.
- Noise: Electric mowers are significantly quieter than gas-powered ones — we’re talking as quiet as your washing machine. Since they don't burn fuel, they don't have any hot surfaces, which is another plus.
How We Tested
Our test team has spent decades testing lawn mowers — both electric lawn mowers and gas — on every type of grass, lawn condition, yard size, footprint, and composition. We tested every feature and every control for ease of use, comfort, power, and quality. We mowed flats, washboard surfaces, uphill, downhill, and sidehill. We even mowed tall grass and weeds — plus, we cut immaculate lawns planted with bluegrass and fine fescue that require lots of detail work.
We mulched, bagged, and tested mowers’ side discharge functions and even checked if tires had a tendency to pick up wet grass clippings. We’re so particular about mower testing that Roy, our lawn and tools expert, even laid on small sections of grass after he finished mowing to evaluate the tactile sensation in order to get a better sense of the finished product.
We’re confident that this guide will point you in the right direction toward your ideal lawn mower for your yard because of our extensive research and tests. So, shop one of our expert-approved picks below so you can get your yard looking its absolute best.
Pros
Bag easily passes through the handles
Cons
- Could be slightly faster for the price
Key Specs
• Cutting width: 20 inches
• Weight: 70 pounds
This outstanding corded electric-powered mower from RYOBI comes with one 6Ah battery making it a great mower for folks who have up to three-quarters of an acre of land. During our tests, we found that it provided good hill climbing and sidehill cutting performance.
This mower's 20-inch deck will ensure you get the job done quickly, too. Even better, the deck is resistant to corrosion and is covered by a lifetime warranty. Like most walk-behind mowers, this one mulches, bags, and offers a side-discharge function.
This self-propelled model lacks the cross-cut multiblade system, so it doesn't mulch your grass as finely. However, we think that feature isn't worth the extra cost, and this one still lets you easily use a thumb switch to increase or decrease ground speed.
Overall, if you’re looking for an American-made mower that delivers stellar battery life, is self-propelled, and folds up for easy storage, you won’t be disappointed.
Read More: Check Out Our Reviews of Gas-Powered Mowers Here
Pros
- Easy to maneuver
Cons
- Less special features
Key Specs
• Cutting width: 21 inches
• Weight: 48.9 pounds
This metal blade mower might have a smaller deck size than other electric mowers, but it still packs plenty of power, useful features, and a reasonable price point to make it worthy of your hard-earned dollars.
The mower is an effective performer at mulching, cutting, and bagging grass. Despite its small frame, you'll still have plenty of traction and oomph to get over obstacles, seven cutting heights (that are adjustable by an easy-to-use spring-loaded lift mechanism), and a hassle-free push-button start. You should also note that this mower is backed by a 3-year warranty.
3
The Multi-bladed Electric Mower
EGO Power+ LM2130SP Select Cut Electric Lawn Mower
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Pros
- Less noisy than gas powered mowers
Cons
- Doesn't cut as good as other mowers in its price range
Key Specs
• Cutting width: 21 inches
• Weight: 54.5 pounds
This electric mower features a multi-blade cutting system. The EGO comes with three interchangeable lower blades, including a mulching blade, a high-lift bagging blade, and an extended runtime blade.
Other convenient features include being able to adjust the mower’s height with a single lever, dual LED headlights, and a water-resistant design.
We think that if you have a lawn smaller than a quarter of an acre in size, this mower provides excellent handling, easy operation, and enough power to do the job.
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Pros
- Equipped with LEDs for mowing at dusk
Cons
- Plastic deck gets easily scratched
Key Specs
• Cutting width: 20 inches
• Weight: 50 pounds
We were quite surprised at the cut quality, performance, and battery life of this affordable mower from HART. I recommend it for folks on a budget who have just under a half-acre of ground to cover. If your yard is bigger than that, the mower’s battery compartment is equipped with two bays, so you can double its 40-minute runtime. The mower also features a single-lever deck adjustment, a simple push-button start, and bright LED lights for mowing at dusk.
It’s worth mentioning that the included charger isn’t a rapid charger, so it isn’t as quick to recharge as other electric mowers we’ve tested. However, this one is significantly cheaper and is just as convenient to use. It’s an excellent, affordable mower that’ll come in handy for folks with a small front lawn. If your yard has hills consider the slightly more expensive self-propelled model instead.
5
The Self-Propelled Pick
Toro 21356 Recycler Self-Propel 60-Volt Max Electric Lawn Mower
Pros
- Outstanding build quality and generous warranty
Cons
- Cut-size lever is made of plastic, not steel
Key Specs
• Cutting width: 21 inches
• Weight: 61 pounds
We've yet to meet a Toro mower we don't love. Toro’s lawn mowers have outstanding build quality and cut grass extremely well. This steel-deck mower is comfortable to mow with and is equipped with nine cutting positions. Thanks to its wide, 21-inch deck, you can finish your job in less time. You can expect to cut one-third of an acre of grass in just 40 minutes before needing to recharge its battery.
The Toro folds up easy for storage, provides excellent handling, easy operation, and plenty of power to get your yard looking its best. Toro backs the mower with a 2-year full warranty, and its included battery gets an additional year of coverage. If you have a more flexible budget, we also recommend the Toro 21466 mower, which is a self-propelled model with a three-phase brushless mower.
Pros
- Includes two batteries
Cons
- Mulching performance is subpar
Key Specs
• Cutting width: 20 inches
• Weight: 72 pounds
Another Greenworks model worth considering, this 20-inch brushless mower comes with two 24-volt batteries and a dual charger, useful features, and a reasonable price point to make it worthy of your hard-earned dollars.
The mower is an effective performer at mulching, cutting, and bagging grass. You get self-propelled rear-wheel drivefor plenty of traction and oomph to get over obstacles, multiple cutting heights, and a hassle-free push-button start. This mower and the batteries are backed by a 3-year warranty.
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Pros
- Works well on hilly terrain
Cons
- Back wheels can remain locked when releasing self-propelled mode
Key Specs
• Cutting width: 21 inches
• Weight: 66 pounds
If you’re the type of homeowner who occasionally neglects your lawn (no judgment here!) and you need to break out the big guns, the robust and reliable Snapper mower has your back. During our tests, the mower was more capable of cutting tall grass than other electric mowers. We also found its bagging performance to be impressive as well.
Since the Snapper comes with two batteries, this mower is an excellent option for larger-than-average size yards. It’s completely self-propelled, has variable speed control, has seven height adjustments, and of course, has a nifty push-button start and folds easily for storage.
Pros
- Easy to move around and stow
Cons
- Mostly plastic parts
Key Specs
• Cutting width: 16 inches
• Weight: 38 pounds
If you have a tiny yard and want a lightweight and easy-to-maneuver mower this Black+Decker is worth a look.
During our tests, we found that it struggled with tall, thick grass, but it effectively cut average-height grass without issue. Regardless, it weighs less than 40 pounds and has an 18-inch-wide plastic deck making it narrow enough to store in a small garage or storage shed but not so small that it’ll make cutting the grass a timely affair.
Compared to the similar Sun Joe 24V-X2-17LM, this model offers a better set of wheels and an easier-to-use handle that isn’t fixed. The Black+Decker also features a conveniently located single lever to raise and lower its mowing deck.
Despite its under-$350 price point, the mower includes two batteries, which should give you around 30 minutes of mow time.
Brandon Carte
Senior Electronics Editor
Brandon Carte has been covering technology at BestProducts.com since 2017, where he's been writing about the latest gadgets, appliances, and scouring the internet for the products that make life easier. His reporting has been featured on , Good Housekeeping and USA Today. When he's not researching washing machines or testing robot vacuums, you can find him at concerts, swimming laps, or at the movies. He thinks smartphones are too big, prefers MP3s to Spotify, and misses his iPhone’s headphone jack.
