RS Recommends: Ditch the Gas With the Best Electric Lawn Mowers
Unpredictable gas prices are just the beginning of why you should consider adding an electric mower to your home. Gas-powered mowers, much like a car, require a lot of maintenance, like oil changes and replacements of air filters and spark plugs – something users often neglect until it’s too late and have to drop cash on a pricey engine repair. The best cordless electric mowers cut out fuel entirely. Plus they’re significantly more silent and don’t emit the harmful fumes that traditional mowers do. Here’s your buying guide.
Electric Mower Buying Guide
From battery life to blade type, here’s what we looked at when choosing the best electric mowers to buy right now.
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Battery: There are a few different types of batteries in various models, but we found that the easiest were the ones you could swap in and swap out. With multiple batteries, you’ll always have a spare one charging, and can simply pop it into the mower when the first one dies. You can also often store both batteries in the unit itself and have it automatically switch over with no interruption.
Runtime: For most average-sized lawns, these should definitely have enough juice to cover it all. But for large areas, check to see what the typical runtime is. There are a bunch of variables that can affect it besides just battery strength, including the density and thickness of the grass, but about 90 minutes is a good run.
Blades: Most mowers are going to perform well…at first. The key is selecting a blade that will hold up for the long haul. You can also find double-bladed models where the primary blade is meant to stay intact, while the secondary blade can be swapped out depending on what you’re doing, like bagging or mulching. But don’t discount single-bladed mowers or even mowers with two separate single blades.
Noise: Most of these landed between 80-90 on the decibel scale – about as loud as a food blender. Gas mowers, by comparison, can produce 90-100db.
Storage: When you’re done, many of these fold up for storage in a tight space, like underneath a porch.
What Are the Best Electric Lawn Mowers?
From Black & Decker to Worx, here are the best brands making top-rated electric mowers, including both corded and cordless push models.
Greenworks PRO 19 in. 60V Battery Cordless 2-in-1 Lawn Mower with 5.0 Ah Battery and Charger
Home Depot
Greenworks mower performed well in wet and thick grass, never once getting gummed up or jammed, and can handle uneven terrain like hills and ditches too. The protective 19-inch deck is fused with strong steel, and there’s seven adjustable height settings to choose from, all the way up to nearly four inches. It’s even light enough to hang up on a garage wall. Unchanged:
The 5V battery lasts around an hour, and is also interchangeable with your other Greenworks tools.
Black+Decker Corded Electric Walk Behind Push Lawn Mower
The Home Depot
Start up this Black+Decker 13Amp mower with the push of a button, and you’re good to go – no pull-cord required.
The EdgeMax feature allows you to mow right up against borders and barriers, getting that perfect precision cut without accidentally running down unintended plants or fences.
The mower itself is surprisingly smooth to push, much like a vacuum, with three different handlebar positions, and covers a span of about 20 inches. This also comes with a convenient 13-gallon nylon collection bag for cuttings, and mulching out the side is an option too. Raising it up and down lets you quickly choose one of seven settings (up to a 4-inch cut), and the push handle easily folds down when you’re done for the day.
Worx WG779 40V Power Share Cordless Lawn Mower
Amazon
At under 30 pounds, this is among the lightest mowers of the bunch here, while still being reliably powerful enough to get the job done. It’s compatible with both 20V and 40V Worx batteries (and can handle two batteries at once), plus the on-board power indicator lets you know exactly how much charge is left. It has six adjustable height settings, and a plastic-topped collection bag that can stuff .85 bushels of cuttings inside it.
Makita Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit with 4 Batteries
Amazon
This one’s best for inclines, as the rear-wheel drive, self-propelled tech improves traction and makes it easier to push uphill. The motor provides some notable strength too, spinning the blade at 3000RPM, with four lithium batteries to power it – more than any other one here. This cuts a wide 21-inch swath, and is designed with Makita’s Extreme Protection Technology to keep water and moisture channeled away from electric and sensitive parts inside.
Buy: Makita Lawn Mower $499.00
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