Best Electric Lawn Mowers

Last Update: December, 2023

Mowing the lawn is one of those things that we all have to do - even if we don’t like it. In order to maintain landscaping and keep the grass looking nice, we all need a good, reliable lawn mower to get the job done.

However, traditional lawn mowers that run on gas are difficult to use, bulky and inconvenient. Pull cords make them difficult to turn on, and they are often noisy and distracting. And that’s not to mention the environmentally-damaging carbon emissions they let off.

That’s why electric lawn mowers make a great alternative. Electric lawn mowers are easy to use, efficient, and get the job done without the hassle. In this guide, we’ve narrowed down some of the top electric lawn mowers on the market to help you maintain your yard.

More About The BLACK+DECKER MTC220 12-inch 20V MAX Lithium Cordless

This electric lawn mower is the perfect option for someone looking to maintain a small garden or lawn. The mower is essentially three tools in one. It is a lawnmower that converts to either a trimmer or an edger. This helps you to save money from buying multiple tools for multiple purposes. This tool does it all for a generous price.

In addition, the mower comes equipped with an AFS automatic feed system so can work without having to stop. It is also compact enough for a small garage with limited storage space.

More About The Sun Joe iON16LM Cordless Lawn Mower

This Sun Joe lawn mower is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. This means that you don’t have to change out batteries and the mower will run pretty quietly.

The battery gives you about 40 minutes of run time, which is perfect for a small-to-medium sized yard. The motor is brushless, which means that the battery will run more efficiently. A great feature of this mower is its grass bag. So, you won’t have to go back and clean up grass clippings.

More About The Greenworks 20-inch 40V Twin Force Cordless Lawn Mower

The 40 Volt Lithium-ion battery this mower comes equipped with fits into an entire system of tools. So, if you like this mower, you can easily add multiple Greenworks products to your collection.

The cutting deck of this mower has a 20-inch radius to cover more ground and an adjustable height radius to work for different grass heights. Two blades work to cut down even the thickest of grass. The mower will actually sense how thick your grass is and adjust its power usage to accommodate.

More About The Greenworks 16-inch 40V Cordless Lawn Mower

This smaller version of the Greenworks 20-inch mower has many of the same features as its counterpart. But it is a smaller, more affordable version. Like the 20-inch mower, it has SMART CUT technology to detect grass thickness. Plus, it starts with the push of a button.

However, it lacks the dual blade system and two batteries that the 20-inch version has. This means that it will die quicker and may not be able to cover as big a yard. But if you’re just looking for small yard maintenance, you might as well save the money and go for the 16-inch version.

More About The Snapper XD 82V MAX Electric Cordless 21-inch Self-Propelled Lawnmower Kit

With an 82-volt lithium-ion battery, this powerful motor is for the gardener who tackles bigger jobs. It can run up to 45 minutes and has a 21-inch mowing deck radius. It’s made to tackle a wide area.

This mower allows you to choose between mulch, side discharge, or bagging. This way, you aren’t limited to one disposal option. In addition, you can choose between 7 different mowing heights for your grass needs.

Electric Lawn Mowers’ Performance

Using them for smaller lawns

For lawns under 8,000 sq. ft., both cordless and corded electric lawn mowers are a great option. To get a better picture, this type of lawn would be the area of a square lawn that is 90 ft. on the side, or a rectangular lawn that is 65 ft. wide and 125 ft. long.

Corded lawn mowers do come with their own set of problems, such as the potential of you running over the cord with the lawn mower and destroying it.

However, they can be a better option for those with smaller lawns.

Corded vs. Cordless

A corded or plug-in mower is definitely going to be less expensive than a cordless one. However, it does have its up and downs. For starters, the cord will limit how far you are able to go to mow your lawn.

But on the upside, you will not have to worry about your lawn mower losing power in the middle of your mowing job, because it is plugged into a continuous power source.

With that being said, those with small lawns with thicker grass should stick with a corded lawn mower.

A cordless lawn mower has a number of incentives that come with it.

When choosing an electric mower that runs on batteries, it is important to know which batteries work best. For many homeowners, using an electric mower on a large lawn is not a good idea because the batteries in these mowers only last for an hour at the longest.

If you are considering buying an electric mower, it is imperative that you do your research about batteries. For example, some lawn mowers run on batteries that are mostly lithium-ion batteries which are lighter and run more efficiently. They even last longer than regular batteries.

Factors to Consider

The Deck Size of the Lawn Mower

This refers to the width of the grass that the lawnmower can cut on each pass. For example, a lawn mower with a 14" deck cuts a 14-in wide swath.

This would mean that the lawn would take 36% more time to mow with that particular unit than with a unit with a 20" deck.

Keep in mind that 14-20 is the regular range of deck sizing that you can find for electric lawn mowers.

A Self-Propelling Mechanism

A lawnmower with a motor that does most of the pushing will definitely be more expensive. But many older people who still cut their lawns themselves prefer them despite the cost. They even consider them one of the best investments that they have made for their lawn.

The Size and Width of the Mower

Keep in mind that the wider the deck, the bigger your lawn mower will be. This may not be ideal for those who have a smaller build, as a larger mower will be heavier and harder to move around.

You should choose a mower that will suit your specific needs so that cutting your lawn will not be more difficult than it should be.

The Difference Between Collecting and Mulching

Similar to gas mowers, electric lawn mowers can dispose of lawn clippings in multiple ways.

Think through your preferences and then examine your lawn mower. See if it has a bag attached, it powers the grass out of a side chute, or if it mulches the clippings to be left on the lawn so they can be collected later.

This is a great option to have when you are cutting wet grass.  Luckily, many mowers have now been adapted to include all three options in one mower so you can choose which option is best for you.

How long will it last?

A lawn mower is not a small investment, and many homeowners that buy one expect it to last a long time.

With that being said, the longevity of your lawn mower depends on several factors, such as its manufacturer, size, and how often it is being used.

However, with most lawn mowers, the manufacturer’s warranty often offers a life expectancy.

If you take great care of your lawn mower and keep up with maintenance, it should last quite a long time.

Average Lawn Mower Lifespan

The average lawn mower can last up to 8-10 years with proper care. This is very important because a lawn mower that is not properly taken care of can last to only half of that time.

Some manufacturers, however, use price as a measure of how long the mower should last.

For example, an inexpensive mower can be designed to have a service life of only 200 hours while a pricier model could have a service life of 500 hours or more.  

In general though, if you take great care of your lawn mower, it can and will last way longer than the life expectancy.

Conclusion

Purchasing a lawn mower may seem like a difficult task due to all the factors that you have to consider. Follow the tips we’ve laid out in this guide to make sure you have covered all your bases. If you’re not sure which brand to go for, start with any of our top picks that we’ve narrowed down. With