Best Cordless Lawn Mowers of 2022: Whisper-Quiet Lawn Care
Battery lawn mowers are the way of the future. Just like electrification is sweeping into the automotive industry, so too it’s taking over smaller powered tools like lawnmowers, chainsaws, and more. For people in urban areas, and those with small to moderate-sized, well-managed lawns, the best cordless mowers now make more sense than ever.
As spring rolls around and people are dusting off their mowers for the summer, now’s a good time to consider switching to electricity. There are many benefits to electric mowers — you don’t need to store or stabilize gas, no oil needed, and they’re downright quiet!
Further, electric mowers are vastly superior to old-school gas mowers in terms of emissions. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a new gas-powered lawn mower produces volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides emissions air pollution in one hour of operation as 11 new cars each being driven for 1 hour! The emissions from old gas-powered mowers are so bad that some areas, like Colorado’s Front Range, offer cash incentives ($150 in Colorado) for turning in your old mower in exchange for a new cordless lawnmower.
But which one to buy? Well, we first researched the best cordless electric lawnmowers on the market, pouring over reviews and data about lawnmowers. Then, we tested our top choice on our own lawn for 3 months (so far). And we’ve been impressed with the performance. Our research is currently ongoing, and we expect more test results by late spring 2021. But for now, we’re really loving the Ryobi 40V Brushless Push Mower (full review here). If you just want a good mower for a small lawn without self-propulsion, it’s our top choice.
Read on for more of the best electric lawnmowers!
- Best Overall: Ryobi 40V Brushless Cordless Lawn Mower
- Lightweight For Small Lawns: Greenworks 17-Inch 40V Cordless Lawn Mower
- Good Choice For Larger Lawns: Greenworks GLM801601 21-Inch Cordless Push Lawn Mower
- Premium Cordless Lawnmower: Snapper XD Cordless Lawn Mower
- Lightweight Value Mower: TACKLIFE Cordless Lawn Mower
- Smaller Batteries Power Multiple Tools : WORX WG779 40V Cordless Lawn Mower
- Dual Blade Mower: Greenworks Twin Force Cordless Lawn Mower
- Compatible With BLACK+DECKER Lawn Tools: BLACK+DECKER 16-Inch 40 Volt Cordless Lawn Mower
- Budget Choice: Sun Joe Brushless Motor Cordless Lawn Mower
The Best Cordless Lawn Mower Review
1Ryobi 40V Brushless Cordless Lawn Mower
I picked up the Ryobi 40V Brushless Push Mower from Home Depot in the late summer of 2020 after completing an extensive landscape job in my backyard. After using the mower weekly for three months, I am impressed. This mower does not have any propulsion, so you have to push it yourself. And if you’re fit, that’s plenty easy as it weighs just 56 pounds. For a smaller lawn, there is no reason to get anything else, unless you are not comfortable with pushing a mower.
Thanks to the brushless motor design, there is less internal friction than many mowers. I found that the run time of 48 minutes on a charge was plenty for me to mow my lawn about four times between charges. With about an 800-square-foot lawn, that seemed about right on the money for the brand’s claims. The 20-inch mower even varies the power output depending on the resistance of the grass, so if it hits a thicker or taller section, it kicks into a turbo mode to keep the blades spinning fast.
This mower is remarkably quiet. Even my dog, who’s scared of the vacuum, doesn’t mind it. It folds easily for storage (I carry it into my basement after each use). Overall, this is an excellent choice for a small, cordless electric lawnmower. Read the in-depth review here.
40V lithium battery
48-minute runtime
7-position, single-point height adjustment from 1.5 to 4 inches
- BrandRyobi
- Model40V 20 Inch Brushless Push Mower
- Weight56 pounds
Mulching or bagging options included
Folds vertically for small storage
Variable power output
Heavier than some options
No self-propulsion
2Greenworks 17-Inch 40V Cordless Lawn Mower
If a small, light mower is all you need, the Greenworks 17-Inch 40V Cordless Lawn Mower is an ideal choice. Weighing in at just 36.2 pounds, it’s perfect for those who may need to lug it up or down stairs or store it in a small space. Users note that, even though small, this is an effective mower with both mulching and bagging capabilities.
This agile and lightweight cordless lawnmower offers an efficient 40V lithium battery system that has been coupled with specially hardened blades that offer optimal cutting results. Its handle is comfortable and makes pushing the mower very easy and the cutting height can be easily be adjusted centrally in no time. The single lever comes with five different height positions ranging from 1-1/4 inch to 3-3/8-inch. What’s more, this product can be recharged at any time offering all the required power needed to tackle even the most stubborn weeds. And for more handy options, check out our selection of the best reel mowers.
Agile and lightweight cordless lawnmower
40V lithium battery system
Five different height positions ranging from 1-1/4 inch to 3-3/8-inch
Collapsible ergonomic handle
- BrandGreenworks
- ModelMO40B01
- Weight36.2 pounds
3Greenworks GLM801601 21-Inch Cordless Push Lawn Mower
The Greenworks GLM801601 21-inch 80V Cordless Push Lawn Mower is one of the most powerful and impressive cordless lawn mowers on the market. Many cordless lawn mowers fall short on battery life. They might have a 30-minute run time but the battery takes two hours to charge, which means it’s difficult to finish the job. This lawnmower comes with two 80V 2AH batteries, each of which has a run time of around one hour and takes around 30 minutes to charge. That means you can charge one whilst using the other, so you can keep this lawnmower running all day if you need to.
With a 21-inch cutting deck and similar performance to a gas-powered lawnmower with a 160cc engine, the Greenworks GLM801601 is ideal for any sized garden. It also benefits from Smart Cut Technology, a system that changes the speed of the blade depending on the resistance of the grass. Plus, it has a 3-In-1 grass collection design that allows you to mulch, rear bag, or side discharge your clippings.
Two x 80V 2AH batteries
Charge one battery while you use another
21-inch cutting deck
Smart Cut Technology
3-in-1 grass collection
Adjustable and foldable handlebars
- BrandGreenworks
- ModelGLM801601
- Weight79.5 pounds
Continuous use with two batteries
Powerful motor
Large cutting deck
Adjustable and foldable
The bag is difficult to empty
Some reports of bad customer service
4Snapper XD Cordless Lawn Mower
Our premium selection for the very best cordless mower is Snapper’s mighty 82 Volt machine. It comes with two Briggs & Stratton 82-volt MAX lithium-ion batteries and a rapid charger to keep it juiced up to the max. It provides the rugged power of a gas mower, but without the need for refills and oil spills while also being lightweight and easy to handle.
This self-propelled cordless lawn mower does the hard work for you as you take a stroll around the yard. The Snapper XD mows as it goes using smart load sensing technology. The 21-Inch steel mowing deck with a 3-in-1 design allows you to choose whether to mulch, bag, or side-discharge grass clippings. Sure, it’s on the pricey side, but if you have a larger or hilly lawn, this is the tool for the job. If you’re in the hunt for a mower for big lawns, you may also want to check out our top picks for the riding lawn mowers.
As much as a 45-minute runtime with 82 Volt lithium ion battery
Smart and efficient load sensing technology
Push to start feature
7-position height-of-cut adjustment
- BrandSnapper
- Model1687884
- Weight90 pounds
- Dimensions35 x 24.2 x 18.3 inches
Fast charge time
Long-life batteries to complete whole yard
Whisper quiet operation
Prone to clogging when mowing damp grass
No low-battery indicator
Difficult to turn in self-propelling mode
5TACKLIFE Cordless Lawn Mower
The Tacklife Cordless Lawn Mower is one of our favorites on the market. While Tacklife is a lesser-known brand, this model brings a lot of value. Powered by a 40V max 4Ah battery (KB4040A), it runs for about 30 minutes on full power. This should be enough time for most small to medium-size yards. You can purchase extra batteries for this model if you need more juice. Plus, it only takes a couple of hours to charge back up.
The lightweight design and 16-inch cutting deck make it easy to maneuver, even if your yard isn’t level. If you’re used to a gas-powered lawnmower, this one will seem like a breeze. We also like the fact that it’s completely foldable. You can adjust the handle to three different heights. Fold it down completely to save space in your garage or shed. The other main selling point is the fact that it collects 98% of the grass clippings if you want to bag them.
40V max 4Ah battery (KB4040A)
16-inch cutting deck
Collects 98% grass clippings
Adjustable and foldable handle
Runs for 30 minutes
Brushless motor
- BrandTacklife
- Weight37.5 pounds
Lightweight and easy to maneuver
Folds down small
Powerful and smooth motor
The battery doesn’t last very long
6WORX WG779 40V Cordless Lawn Mower
The WORX WG779 is a reliable and relatively powerful cordless lawnmower. It’s not the most powerful lawnmower on this list and it doesn’t have the longest battery life, but it has a few key benefits that might make it the lawnmower for you. Firstly, it has space for two 20V Power-Share batteries, which are included with the mower. That allows it to cut around 5,500 square feet on a single charge. Plus, if you own any other WORX 20V tool, the batteries are interchangeable. We also like the fact that the handle is padded with foam to make it comfortable. If you’ve ever used a gas-powered lawnmower with a metal handle, you know how quickly your hands go numb. It’s designed for small gardens and has a 14-inch cutting deck and lightweight body to make it easy to move around.
Two x 20V Power-Share batteries
Cuts 5,500 sq. ft. on a single charge
Foam-padded handle
14-inch cutting deck
Intellicut Technology
Adjustable handle
- BrandWORX
- ModelWG779
- Weight35.3 pounds
Comes with two batteries
Adjustable and foldable
Easy to move around
Battery life isn’t that long
7Greenworks Twin Force Cordless Lawn Mower
This Greenworks Twin Force cordless electric lawn mower is an excellent solution for keeping on top of smaller lawns and its battery ensures that you get the job finished every time. It is lightweight and compact making it comfortable to maneuver without relying on a cord, and easy to store when not in use.
The dual mower blades are strong enough to deal with thick grass without putting too much pressure on the battery life and its Smart Cut technology will identify just how much power is needed for a sufficient mowing job. The push button start is another great feature that totally eliminates those strenuous memories of yanking the pull-chain just to get your older mowers started.
G-Max 40 Volt ion battery powers multiple tools
Smart cut technology
Dual blades for better cut quality
Ideal mower for mid-sized areas
- BrandGreenworks
- Model25302
- Weight42.5 pounds
- Dimensions29.2 x 20.7 x 19.5 inches
All pieces of equipment are light and easy to maneuver
Start and stop instantly
Sturdy and durable material
Slight learning curve for the equipment
Struggles with thick, wide blade grass
No self-propel option
8BLACK+DECKER 16-Inch 40 Volt Cordless Lawn Mower
A small electric lawnmower has 6 different height settings and can contend with most grass types that it encounters. The new lithium-ion batteries provide 33% increased power on a single charge when compared to previous models.
BLACK+DECKER built this model to tackle even the most uneven yards in the neighborhood and has no issues conquering hilly, weedy areas. And if you have other BLACK+DECKER tools, this is a solid choice as it uses the same batteries as its suite of lawn-care products. And while most consumers note good durability with this 16-inch mower, some claim to have damaged it while pulling it backward. As it has a lower consumer rating than other models on this list, we’d only recommend it for those who already have this brand’s other tools and want to streamline battery use. Also, this makes a great gift for gardeners in your life.
Possible to adjust height
Sold with 2 40 Volt max lithium batteries
Folding handle provides simple storage solution
9.5 gallon grass box
- BrandBLACK+DECKER
- ModelCM1640
- Weight48.8 pounds
- Dimensions30.1 x 21.1 x 18 inches
Excellent mower for smaller yards
Quiet and easy to start
Lightweight and easy to push
Small deck and bag means multiple passes required
Stalls if the grass is too damp
Rear bagging-only
Some consumers raise durability concerns
9Sun Joe Brushless Motor Cordless Lawn Mower
The Sun Joe Brushless Mower is our choice for the best cordless lawn mower available in terms of value. Its hybrid technology makes it one of the most innovative mowers available and will save you heaps of cash on electricity bills over the coming summers, which is always a good thing.
While it might not be able to complete huge yards on one charge, it is still powerful enough to trim smaller yards to Homeowners’ Association perfection. It is complete with an easy start/stop button and a compact design that makes for easy storage when not in use. This mower is simply a beautiful piece of machinery that will make you wish it was summer all the time, and might even consider moving somewhere that is a reality, just so you have an excuse to use it as often as possible. To prepare your lawn for mowing, use one of the leaf blowers from our list.
Brushless motor increases battery efficiency
Compact design perfect for mid-sized lawns
Multiple height adjustment
Dual cutting options
- BrandSun Joe
- ModelION16LM
- Weight33 pounds
- Dimensions48.4 x 17.7 x 42.9 inches
Excellent value for money
Bag has large mouth and doesn’t clog
Lightweight and easy to transport
Not self-propelled
Difficult to maneuver
Does not mulch
Cordless Lawn Mower Buying Guide and FAQs
How We Chose Our Selection of Cordless Lawn Mowers
Before compiling this list of the best cordless lawnmowers, we took a variety of aspects into consideration like size and performance. However, there are four major things that determined our selection that include;
Brand - The top brands we selected are readily available and have earned consumer trust with thousands of positive reviews. These top brands have earned good reputations over years of service. And our favorite of the list, Ryobi is readily available at Home Depots across the United States. That means easy warranty service for those who choose it.
Quality - We looked for mowers that have a reputation for lasting a long time. This means we researched dozens of other articles and learned about brands before starting up the engines on our own testing.
Reviews - As a consumer, you can learn a ton from the opinions of other shoppers. And just like you, we read many, many reviews to make informed choices. We go through the effort to learn about these products just like you would with the goal of saving you time on research. We selected the products that had the most positive reviews as well as those that lived up to the hype.
Price - We realize that price matters. As such, we offer products on our list in a good range of prices that cut across a variety of people’s budgets, while offering value at every price level.
Features To Look For In Cordless Lawn Mowers
It would be unwise to assume that all cordless lawnmowers would perform at the same level of operation. There are a few features to tick off the list before purchasing the desired lawnmower.
Battery: The battery is the heart of the cordless lawnmower. It has to have the capacity to run long enough to cover the expanse of your lawn or field. Depending on the type of grass, it may take more power to smoothly lower the grass. So the battery capacity is important so it runs powerfully even on terrains that require more power.
While some older lawn mowers used lead-acid batteries, almost all modern battery-operated mowers use lithium-ion batteries, which offer great power in a lightweight package. Most of these will range from 20 to 80 volts, and from 2 to 8 amp-hours. To figure out how much power the battery has — quantified as wattage — you have to multiply volts times amp-hours. Our top selection here, the Ryobi 40V 20-inch mower, has a 40V, 6.0 ah battery. That means it packs 240 watts of electricity, enough in this case to mow a half-acre of grass!
Performance: A good lawn mower should be able to clear and level grass without hassle. A top-performing lawn mower will offer adequate clearance and efficiency while taming an overgrown lawn.
Deck Size: The deck size is essentially the radius of the cutting deck. So a 20-inch mower will be, you guessed it, 20 inches wide. A wider mower will make faster work of a lawn job. But it will usually weigh more and be larger to store.
Mower Size & Weight: Cordless lawn mowers are relatively larger and heavier than corded electric mowers; this is obviously because of the battery. However, they tend to be rather small and light compared with gas mowers. Small lawn mowers are appropriate for smaller sized lawns; they wouldn’t work efficiently enough on larger field’s cause of the time factor
Self-Propelling: Some lawn mowers are self-propelling; they have a motor that pushes the machine along leaving you to steer it in the required direction. This provides a more hassle-free mowing process, taking away the manual pressure of pushing the machine yourself.
Extras: Some lawn mowers will come with extra devices that help to keep the charger optimally charged. This may include an additional battery or a charging unit.
Budget: Cordless lawn mowers would probably cost from $260 to 4 digit figures. It’s important to consider how much you’re willing to spend on a good lawn mower before going ahead to purchase one.
Types of Lawn Mowers
Mulching Cordless Lawn Mower: Mulching lawnmowers put the grass back in the soil after trimming it. This is done by sharp blades and a mulch plug that cuts the grass into bits and places it back in the soil. This is extremely beneficial for the lawn since the trimmed grass delivers nutrients to the soil and makes it quite healthy. The regrown grass will come back looking greener and better.
Collecting Cordless Lawn Mower: These types of lawnmowers have a bag or box that takes in the trimmed grass. This saves you time and energy of raking or collecting the trimmings yourself.
Dual-purpose Battery Lawn Mower: Fortunately, most mowers these days give you the option of either bagging your grass trimmings or mulching them, with the same mower. You do this usually by switching the bag for a plug that fills the hole the bagger would normally cover. Not every mower does this, but for those who want the option of mulching in the summer, and then using the bagger to pick up leaves in the fall, this is a very nice feature.
Corded vs. Cordless Electric Lawn Mowers
Corded Electric mowers need to be connected to a power source to run. They are generally more powerful and will run as long as you need them. It may, however, limit your movements and the cords may get tangled while mowing. The plus side is these mowers may cost less than the cordless ones.
Cordless lawn mowers are battery-operated; this means they have a limited time to run. The run time will generally last long enough to complete the task at hand. However, they are a bit heavier than electric corded mowers and are more expensive.
Cordless Lawn Mower FAQ
Q: What is a Cordless Lawn Mower?
A: A cordless lawn mower is run on battery power; the in-built battery can be ultimately recharged for top performance.
Q: Is a Cordless Lawn Mower Right For Me?
A: Cordless lawn mowers are great for smaller-sized lawns and are generally easier to operate. If you prefer doing chores hassle-free and seamlessly, cordless lawn mowers are a great choice. They are also very quiet and greatly reduce pollution, which is great for cities with smog problems.
Q: Can Cordless Lawn Mowers Be Used To Cut Wet Grass?
A: In general, you should not mow wet grass with any mower. Wet grass requires extra power to cut due to the slippery surface. The blades will also require more power to efficiently work.
Q: What Maintenance Does A Cordless Lawn Mower Require?
A: The blades and mower deck should be cleaned regularly. The battery also needs to be optimally charged, but take care not to over-charge it in order to sustain the battery's performance and lifespan.
Q: My Lawn Is Composed Of Long Grass, Is The Cordless Lawn Mower Suitable For Use On It?
A: A cordless mower can work its way through tall grass, but it won't be happy. It is better to trim long grass before using a cordless lawn mower on it. Once you have the grass under control, keep it at a healthy, shorter length with regular mowing.
Q: How Long Does A Full Charge Last?
A: A full charge should last up to 30-90 minutes depending on the type of lawnmower. Manufacturers specify this in the mower's marketing material.
Q: Is There Any Other Equipment That I Need?
A: Some lawnmowers come with extra equipment such as an extra battery or charging units that ensure it stays in top performance over time.
Sources:
- The Pros and Cons of Teens Mowing Lawns - The Balance Careers
- What is Mulch Mowing? - Home Guides