Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
- Electric lawn mowers offer a number of advantages over gas-powered motors, including low maintenance and push-button start.
- Our top pick, the GO Power+ 20 inch Cordless Lawn Mower, is versatile and durable, and it has the performance of a gas model but with the convenience of electric power.
Electric lawn mowers are a practical alternative to gas mowers for many reasons. They’re ideal if you have minimal storage space and don’t want to deal with the hassle of storing gasoline and oil. Electric mowers tend to weigh much less than their gas-powered counterparts, so they can be easier to transport and use.
One huge advantage, though, is their push-button start. The fact that I wouldn’t have to deal with a pull-cord, an engine that is reluctant to turn over, or gas that had simply gone bad was one of the driving factors behind my first electric mower purchase. I have nerve damage in both hands, so a lightweight mower that was easy to start turned out to be the perfect solution for my small yard. And unlike gas-powered lawn mowers, the electric variants are quieter and do not pollute.
The mowers in this list come in battery-powered or corded design. The corded mowers are really suitable for smaller yards because you will need to use an extension cord to run the mower. Learning to mow a pattern so that you don’t run over (and cut) your cord takes a bit of practice, but is also doable. The battery-powered models are a bit more versatile, though you’ll find that battery life varies. If you have a large yard or an incline, keeping two sets of batteries charged and ready may be necessary if you want to mow the entire space in one session. Keep in mind that electric mowers may not be as powerful as gas versions, and the cut quality may be inconsistent
We included the electric lawn mowers below based on a number of factors, including versatility, power, battery life, features, and overall performance. They’re available at a variety of price points, so you should be able to find something that works for your budget and needs.
Here are the best electric lawn mowers you can buy:
- Best electric lawn mower overall: EGO Power+ 20-Inch Cordless Lawn Mower
- Best electric mulching lawn mower: DeWalt 20-Inch 20V Cordless Lawn Mower
- Best corded electric lawn mower: Earthwise 20-Inch Corded Electric Lawn Mower
- Best budget electric lawn mower: Greenworks 20-Inch 12-Amp Corded Lawn Mower
- Best electric riding lawn mower: Ryobi 38-Inch Battery Electric Rear Engine Riding Lawn Mower
Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.
The best electric lawn mower overall
Amazon
Why you’ll love it: The EGO Power+ 20-Inch Cordless Lawn Mower offers plenty of power, a push-button start, and a bagger for versatility.
The EGO Power+ 20-Inch Cordless Lawn Mower offers the performance of gas but in a convenient cordless electric design. The mower creates 30% less noise than a gas-powered model, making it more pleasant to use. Though this mower is electric, it doesn’t sacrifice power or functionality. The three-in-one function allows you to mulch, bag, or use the side-discharge chute. A push-button start is easy to operate and incredibly convenient, and the LED headlights allow you to mow anytime.
This 56-volt mower is equipped with a 600-watt high-torque magnetic motor. The lithium-ion battery offers about 55 minutes of runtime, and the 20-inch cut-capacity allows you to quickly progress through your mowing, meaning fewer trips around the yard. The rapid charger will fully charge a battery in approximately 30 minutes, so for jobs that do require recharging, you’ll be back to work quickly. Because the battery and charger are compatible with all EGO tools, you can use a single battery to power the EGO blower, hedge trimmer, string trimmer, chain saw, and this mower.
This versatile mower even folds up in just seconds and can be stored upright, saving you valuable garage or shed space. At just 56.2 pounds it’s easy to maneuver and use.
The EGO Power+ 20-Inch Cordless Lawn Mower has a 4.4 out of 5-star Amazon rating based on 625 reviews. Nick Naylor wrote a positive review of this mower after using it for two years: "Those that have described the EGO as the ‘Tesla of mowers’ are absolutely right. This thing screams ‘premium’ and ‘well-engineered’ along every inch of its design. It’s built with quality materials yet significantly lighter than a gas-powered mower thanks to the electric mower … The mower puts out plenty of power and had absolutely no trouble with my overgrown lawn."
Tom E. said: "I let my lawn go three weeks this spring, and it took two rounds to finish my one-third of an acre. I was impressed it only bogged out in the same dense wet grass where my gas mower would. With regular mowing, I have no doubt I will get it done on one charge."
Pros: Powerful motor, quiet operation, rapid-charging battery, foldable upright storage
Cons: Batteries are expensive
Buy the EGO Power+ 20 inch Cordless Lawn Mower on Amazon for $275.30 or $486.69 with 5.0Ah battery kit
The best electric mulching lawn mower
Home Depot
Why you’ll love it: The DeWalt 20-Inch 20V Cordless Lawn Mower is easy to use and easy to store, and it offers mulching, bagging, or a rear discharge option.
When it comes to mulching, the DeWalt 20-Inch 20V Cordless Lawn Mower offers top performance and plenty of features that make it easy to use.
Mulching your grass allows you to reuse those clippings in a practical way, returning nutrients to your lawn and making for healthier grass in the process. This mower has a mulching feature, but you can also use the bagger or discharge clippings out of the back of the mower. In short, you can use this mower in a variety of ways, depending on the chore.
The battery life lets you cut up to a quarter-acre per charge. With a brushless motor with high-power output, this mower is ideal for smaller areas and jobs.
Adjusting this mower is easy, with a single-lever adjustment system. With deck heights from 1.5 to 3.4 inches, you can tackle uneven ground with the higher setting or set the deck low for a fine, low cut. The folding handle and lift handles make the mower easy to transport, but you can also hang it from the handles to get it off the ground and free up floor space in your shed or garage.
The DeWalt 20-Inch 20V Cordless Lawn Mower has a 3.5 out of 5-star rating, based on 121 reviews. Steve said, "The mower is very well-thought-out and designed with several superior features. First is the easy deck-height adjustment with one lever. Second is the easy-start button on the ergonomic handle. Third is the easy-fold handle. Fourth is the lifting handles on the deck front and rear."
Mbikeguy also had a great experience with the mower: "Great mower [with] lots of power, and decent run time. Used this mower for the first time today and it works great. Wider deck than my previous battery mower and lots more power even though they were the same voltage, run time is better too when cutting thick grass. Old mower took two battery changes to cut the lawn and this one [used a] single charge and still had two bars remaining on the second set."
You can see this mower in action in this video.
Pros: Powerful brushless motor, easy height adjustment, folding handle for transport and storage
Cons: Limited battery capacity
Buy the DeWalt 20-Inch 20V Cordless Lawn Mower from Home Depot for $399
The best corded electric lawn mower
Amazon
Why you’ll love it: Lightweight, easy to operate, and with a cushioned grip for comfort, the Earthwise 20-Inch Corded Electric Lawn Mower is ideal for smaller yards.
The Earthwise 20-Inch Corded Electric Lawn Mower is equipped with all of the features you need to efficiently mow smaller yards. At just 53 pounds, the mower is both lightweight and compact, making it easy to push. Its 20-inch cut width minimizes the number of passes that you need to make, and the 12-amp electric motor is quiet yet powerful.
This mower has a single-lever height adjustment, raising or lowering the deck from 1.75 inches to 4 inches, so you can customize the cut height to your needs. The comfortable, cushioned handle-grip helps to minimize hand tension, and the mower is equipped with side discharge, mulching, and rear bag options.
I used this mower for a small yard for two years, and it started easily every time. I do have nerve-damage issues in my hands, so a lightweight mower was important to me. I found the padded bars helpful, though holding the safety-bar down throughout operation did tire my hands out a bit. This mower did a tremendous job with the lawn, cutting easily. It could absolutely tackle larger mowing jobs, but the inconvenience of having a power cord would make this impractical. I only sold this mower when I moved to a home with acreage.
The Earthwise 20-Inch Corded Electric Lawn Mower has a 4.3 out of 5-star rating on Amazon based on 236 reviews. Mike was very pleased with this mower’s performance: "Small, light, powerful, reliable, and sucks up grass and debris like a vacuum. The cord did get in my way a few times but that was nothing compared to the hassle of my old gas lawnmower."
J.J. Weel also praised the mower’s construction: "There are few nooks and crannies for grass clippings to get stuck in, and it looks like if the machine ever needs repair or maintenance, that will be reasonably simple to do. The metal parts are all heavily powder-coated and the plastic seems to be decent quality."
Pros: Lightweight, easily adjustable height settings, cushioned handle
Cons: Holding down the safety clade can cause hand tension, corded design limits some access
Buy the Earthwise 20-Inch Corded Electric Lawn Mower on Amazon for $167.93
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- We tried Mott & Bow’s popular stretch-denim jeans for guys — and their comfort blew us away, especially for under $130 a pair
- The best under-eye masks you can buy
- The best combination locks you can buy
Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Paige Cerulli)