Electric lawn mowers offer many advantages over their gas-powered cousins, from eco-friendliness (no lugging that gas can to the gas station for a refill) to convenience and ease of use. They’re also relatively quiet, so your neighbors probably won’t notice when you’re mowing at night, and they fold up vertically for convenient storage.
The best electric lawn mowers for you
For most people, a battery-powered mower is the right choice. We’ve tested a variety of models and found them to be dependable, easy to use, reasonably priced and, most importantly, environmentally friendly.
The best electric lawn mowers come with a wide range of features, from easy-to-use controls to high-quality blades. Some even feature self-propulsion or an auto-mower function that makes the job much easier, especially for newer users.
A green knob near the handle clicks to indicate each speed increase, offering you steady control. LED headlights are an added bonus and a power indicator flashes to let you know when your mower’s batteries need charging.
This battery-operated, self-propelled model from Ego boasts a strong motor and efficient drive system that enables it to achieve nearly 1500 square feet of mowed area per amp hour. It can run for an hour or so on a single charge, and it offers a wide array of helpful functions like three-in-one bagging, mulching and side discharge.
It’s a lightweight machine and surprisingly powerful for its size, mowing a lawn in a single pass without a hassle. And we liked that it’s a bit more user-friendly than most of the other electric mowers we’ve tested.
Another thing we liked about this mower is that the handle folds down for easy storage, making it an ideal choice for those with limited space in their yard. Its mowing deck is durable, easy to clean and features multiple cutting height options. It’s also a breeze to adjust the self-propelled speed.
The battery-powered lawn mower is still a fairly new technology, but it’s one that should have you looking forward to a long service life with proper care. It’s a little more expensive than a gas mower, but it offers a lot of benefits, including quiet operation and convenient charging.
Depending on your needs, electric mowers have a range of charge times, from a short 25-minute recharge to a 2.5-hour charge that’s designed for large yards. And some have onboard battery storage compartments, so you can swap out a low-battery when necessary.
You should always check the manual for the mower you’re considering to make sure it has all of the expected features. For example, some have a battery level alert, while others have a quick-charge feature that’s available on some of the higher-end mowers.
Some are able to be used as an extension cord, so you can keep a small cord handy for when you’re not using your battery-powered mower. Lastly, some have a convenient cable relief clip that keeps the cord from tangling or tripping over, which is important for safety.