If you had to pick a prime candidate for ‘going green’ with your garden tools, I guess it would have to be a cordless lawnmower. It’s a machine that’s in regular use for probably eight months of the year, maybe longer.
There are some great benefits to going cordless. Imagine not having to fill the lawnmower with gas (or go to the gas station to get it). There should be practically no maintenance beyond an occasional clean. No spark plug or filters to clean or change. Then imagine how much quieter it will be as you mosie up and down. Add in the environmental benefits of a battery-powered lawnmower, and it sounds like a win-win to me.
Buying a cordless chainsaw probably takes care of the noisiest tool in the shed, but I guess a mower is next on the loudness level. I’ve picked 3 eco-friendly models that I think are the best cordless lawnmowers for small, medium, and large yards.
Best Cordless Lawnmowers: My Top 3
Here are some quick links to my favorite cordless lawnmowers if you want to get straight to it.
- Best For Small Yards: Worx 14-Inch 40V Cordless Lawnmower
- Best For Average Lawns: EGO 21-Inch 56V Cordless Lawnmower
- Best For Large Areas: Greenworks 42-Inch 60V Cordless Riding Mower
If you’d like more info, carry on reading. In the following sections I’m going to talk about the key features you need to think about when choosing a battery-powered lawnmower. Then we’ll look at my top picks in more detail.
Cutting Width, Cutting Height, And What Happens To The Clippings
I think the most important features of a cordless lawnmower are the same as you would look for in a gas or corded electric model.
You want to know the width of cut, because that impacts how many times you’re going to wander (or drive) up and down your yard. If you’ve got a small urban area then a ride-on cordless mower is overkill. On the other hand, if you’ve got a couple of acres of grass, you don’t want a 12-inch mower — you’d be there all week!
Lawnmowers are usually described by their cutting deck, which is where the blade or blades are housed. Mostly this is a single large circle but not always. Some cordless riding mowers have twin blades side-by-side so you get good cutting width, but the vehicle itself can be kept to a more compact length. Bear in mind that deck size is not the same as actual cutting width because the blade is slightly shorter. You’ll generally lose about an inch.
I’ve seen various ‘experts’ give their opinions on what size mower you need for a particular acreage, and most seem to disagree! A lot has to do with personal choice, but as a general rule I would go with this:
- A cordless lawnmower with a 13- to 15-inch deck is compact, lightweight, and easy to turn. In other words, ideal for a small yard.
- Mowers with a 20- to 24-inch deck will suit the majority of people. Having checked dozens of different machines, I think 21-inch is the most common size. They can tackle a medium to large yard without being cumbersome.
- Above 24 inches and you start looking at lawn tractors or ride-on lawnmowers. Although smaller models are great for those with limited mobility, 36- and 42-inch models may be a better choice for managing large areas.
You’ll also get a variety of cutting heights. These are often operated by a single lever, but sometimes one at the front and one at the back. Typically you’ll get around 1-1/2 to 4 inches with a half dozen steps. That’s probably enough versatility unless you need to mow a golf course.
There’s also a question of what you’re going to do with the grass clippings. Most walk-behind battery-operated lawnmowers offer bagging or mulching. Some also offer side discharge, which can be faster than mulching, although the clippings are larger and take longer to break down (I found an interesting article about mulching vs side discharge here). Some ride-on mowers will bag, but it’s often an extra so that’s more money. The same is true of mulching kits. If you’re buying a cordless ride-on mower, you’ll want to check what’s included carefully.
Power And Run Times
Basically, the higher the voltage (V) the more power there is driving the blade (and the motor on self-propelled and riding mowers). Small, lightweight models are likely to be 18V or 20V (effectively the same thing), while larger mowers are 36V and upwards. The biggest battery I’ve seen on a mower so far is 80V. The downside with bigger batteries is that they cost more (important if you want a spare) and historically they have taken longer to charge. Charging is getting faster all the time, but even the best cordless riding mower will still be sat waiting for an hour.
Manufacturers are cautious about giving run times. A battery-powered mower will run a lot longer if it’s doing a light trim than when it’s doing the first heavy cut in spring. Some manufacturers give an actual time. Others might estimate an area covered. These are likely to be in ideal conditions (whatever they are), so real-world performance will probably be a bit less than what is quoted.
It’s possible you’ll cut the whole lawn on a single charge, which is great. If you can’t, then you either need to wait or chuck in a spare battery. Some brands include them, others don’t. If you need to buy one check the Amp hour rating (Ah). This is often compared to fuel. For example, an 8Ah battery will run for twice as long as a 4Ah version.
A number of cordless mower makers also quote torque figures. I’m not sure they mean much to a lot of people, but the higher the number, the more twisting force is delivered to the blade. In other words, a high-torque motor will handle thick or damp grass more easily than a low-torque model — although cutting damp grass is usually not recommended
I’ve also seen top speeds quoted for some self-propelled lawn tractors and riding mowers. The quickest is about 8 mph. That might not sound too impressive, but the manufacturer does claim it is faster than gas alternatives.
Other Valuable Features
Several cordless mowers come with both push and self-propelled versions. The latter is obviously an advantage for those with limited physicality. However, that driving power uses battery energy, so run times will be shorter. The mower will also be more complex and more expensive as a result.- According to a couple of sources I checked, gas lawnmowers run at about 95 decibels, and according to the CDC an hour of that can damage your hearing. Fortunately, cordless lawnmowers run at around 75 decibels, which is below the safety threshold so you can mow all day (if you really want to).
- If you have a small yard, storage is probably at a premium, so check how your lawnmower folds down. You might have to carry it, so weight is worth checking.
- Build quality is difficult to assess if you’re buying a mower online, but you can stick with brands that have a known reputation. There are some cheap cordless lawnmowers around, but if you don’t recognize the name on the label, is it worth the risk? You might also want to refer to buyer feedback to see if there are any common faults.
Top 3 Best Cordless Lawnmowers: In Details
Best For Small Yards: Worx 14-Inch, 40V Cordless Lawnmower
I’m not the only one who likes the Worx 14-inch cordless lawnmower. Popular Mechanics made it their Editor’s Choice for 2024. It’s small enough to store easily, and at just 29 pounds, takes very little effort to push around the yard. It’s rated for spaces up to 1/8 acre per charge – but that might be optimistic.
Some clever electrickery means the mower can sense how dense the grass is and adjust torque accordingly. This should stop it bogging down if the lawn hasn’t been cut for a while and helps improve run time. There’s 6-position height adjustment, from 3-1/2 inches down to 1-1/2 inches, and the grass can be bagged or mulched. With a noise level of just 87.8 decibels, it shouldn’t disturb peaceful mornings.
General feedback on this machine is very good, and it appears there are a lot of satisfied customers. Some do complain that batteries have limited run time and that the mower struggles with long grass. I get that, but it is only a 14-inch model. If you want to visualize its size, just hold up a ruler or tape. It isn’t very big, but then it is only intended for small yards.
The Worx 14-inch cordless lawnmower comes with 2 x 40V batteries and a dual-battery charger. It is currently $274.00. 16-, 17-, and 21-inch versions are also available, including a self-propelled model.
Best For Average Lawns: EGO 21-Inch, 56V Cordless Lawnmower
If I had to pick a single best cordless lawnmower all around, it would be the Ego 21-inch model. EGO claims the 56V power unit produces the same kind of performance as a gas mower. Maybe, maybe not, but a 35-minute run time is pretty impressive, and there’s a useful charge indicator on the battery. I don’t think my old gas model would run that long before I had to stop and fill the tank. That said, the battery does take about an hour to recharge, so a spare might be a good idea.
The EGO cordless lawnmower has plenty of valuable features. The 21-inch cutting width is a good size for the average yard, making it capable of tackling decent areas, yet at 67.5 pounds, is still nimble enough to get in and around the fiddly bits. There’s 7-position height adjustment from 4 inches down to 1-1/4 inches, and it can bag, mulch, or side discharge. It folds down into a surprisingly compact package when you want to put it away. EGO says it produces 6.0 ft.lbs. of torque.
As with the Worx, you’ll find the majority of buyer comments are very positive. A couple of people thought the cut could be uneven, and a few were disappointed with the performance. I’ve read hundreds of reviews, and there’s always someone that thinks a gas mower is more powerful. That might be right, but will the EGO do a good job of cutting your lawn? Most people think it will.
The EGO 21-inch cordless lawnmower comes with a 56V battery and charger. At the moment it’s $429.00. There’s an uprated model that has longer run time and headlights, but it costs $150 more – and who mows their lawn in the dark?
Best For Large Areas: Greenworks 42-Inch, 60V Cordless Riding Mower
OK, this thing is a lot of money, but then it’s a lot of lawnmower. The motor on the Greenworks 4-inch cordless riding mower is rated at 24 horsepower, which makes it a full-on competitor for plenty of gas mowers. It will mow at up to 6 mph. It’s rated for up to 1-1/2 acres. It runs of 2 batteries, but 4 are included so 2 can be charging while you work. Sorry, you have no excuse for a beverage break! At least the adjustable seat should be a comfortable place to sit while you work.
This is one of those cordless lawnmowers that runs 2 blades side-by-side to keep the machine as compact as possible. There are 7 height settings from 4-1/2 inches down to 1-1/2 inches. Chunky tires spread the load to minimize impact on the grass. There are useful onboard storage bins with a claimed capacity of up to 200 pounds, and there are front and rear attachment points for things like rollers, aerators, leaf sweepers, trailers, etc.
Judging by the number of comments left by buyers, Greenworks sells a boatload of these things, and again, the vast majority of feedback is positive. There are a few reports of breakdowns, but sadly that’s pretty much inevitable with high sales volumes. One disappointing note was that Greenwork’s customer support gets criticized for poor response. Not something I like to hear, but fortunately their tools don’t go wrong very often.
The Greenworks 42-inch cordless riding mower comes with 4 x 60V batteries and 2 x twin port chargers. It costs $4,297.00. It’s another mower that has headlights. Really? Do they have night races for these things? 😉
I know there are a few other well-known cordless lawnmower brands, but I don’t think there’s anything to beat my top 3 in their categories. You might disagree. Fair enough! If you’ve got a great cordless lawnmower you think I should have included, tell me about it.
Prices correct at the time of publication.
