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Best Electric Lawn Mower Reviews – Top 11 List

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Lyndon Seitz
Your guide to this Review is Lyndon Seitz

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Best Electric Lawn Mower - electric lawn mower

Best Electric Lawn Mower Summary Table

Please find our detailed analysis and buying guide of all the models after the best electric lawn mower summary table.

Image Product Features
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  • High Quality, Powerful Fully Featured
  • Mulch, Bag, Discharge
  • Approx. 60 min run time, 30 min charge
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  • High Quality and Ergonomic Design
  • Mulch, Bag, Discharge
  • Approx. 45 min run time, 2 hour charge
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  • High Quality, Efficient and Great Value
  • Mulch, Bag, Discharge
  • Approx. 70 min run time, 2 hour charge
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  • Reasonably Priced For Small Lawns
  • Mulch, Bag, Discharge
  • Approx. 40 min run time, 2 hour charge
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  • Lightweight, Quiet, Budget Price For Small Lawns
  • Only Bag
  • Approx. 40 min run time, 30 min charge
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  • Powerful, Load Sensing, Easy Adjustments
  • Bag and Mulch
  • Approx. 40 min run time, 90 min charge
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  • Powerful, High Quality & Intelligent Design
  • Mulch, Bag, Discharge
  • Approx. 40 min run time, 60 min charge
Check Price →
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Continue reading if you are curious about our choices from previous years.

Black & Decker SPCM1936 Cordless Electric Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

Best Electric Lawn Mower - Black & Decker SPCM1936 Electric Mower
Black & Decker SPCM1936 Self-Propelled Mower. Click on the photo to see the Price on Amazon.

Note – the SPCM 1936 self-propelled model is no longer available on Amazon.  The links now direct users to the Black & Decker CM1936ZA 36V Cordless Lawn Mower – which is not self-propelled.

Those who are looking for a self-propelled electric lawn mower – and who don’t mind a much heavier machine – should find the SPCM1936 the right choice. One reason it’s so heavy is that it runs on a 30-pound lead-acid battery, which can either be charged while in the mower or when removed; Groom+Style were not a fan of the older style lead-acid models because they take a long time to charge (12 hours for this one) and have to be plugged in if they’re not being used. They’re fine for smaller yards and for small gardens, though, with the charge lasting between 45-60 minutes and letting you mow about 1/3 of an acre.

As far as performance, the Black & Decker delivers as well as the two other models we’ve reviewed so far, cutting almost any size grass you can throw at it and moving easily thanks to its variable-speed self-propel mode, which is controlled by a handle and can “learn” your personal pace of mowing.

The 19-inch polymer cutting deck is a little smaller than on the mowers we’ve previously discussed, but it’s close enough to still make a good dent on your lawn on each pass. The SPCM1936 also has the now-common 3-in-1 mulch, bag or discharge options, as well as a one-touch system for changing mowing height.

You can probably tell why this electric lawn mower didn’t challenge for the top spot on our list – the battery, with its associated weight and charging-time limitations. But when it comes to the simple question of whether or not it can do a nice job mowing your lawn – it certainly can.

An in-depth look at the Black & Decker SPCM1936 Cordless Electric Self-Propelled Lawn Mower’s specifications:

  • Battery: 36-volt lead-acid, rechargeable
  • Run time: 45-60 minutes
  • Charge time: 12 hours
  • Cutting options: Mulch, bag, discharge
  • Minimum/maximum cutting height: 1.5 to 3.5 inches
  • Deck width: 19 inches
  • Self-propelled: Yes
  • Weight: 92 pounds
  • Warranty: Two years

Check Black & Decker SPCM1936 Price on Amazon

Tip: While you’re investigating gardening equipment you probably want to check out Black and Decker’s top leaf blower.

Ryobi RY40112A Cordless Electric Lawnmower

Best Electric Lawn Mower - Ryobi-40V-Lawn-Mower-Folded-for-Storage
Ryobi RY40112A Cordless Electric Lawnmower. Click on the photo to see the Price on Amazon.

There is one thing Groom+Style liked very much about the Ryobi RY40112A, but also a couple of negatives which knocked it down to number five on our list of top 5 best electric lawn mowers.

Here’s what we liked: the mower comes with two 40-volt lithium-ion batteries; only one of them can be used at a time, but the second one can be recharging while you mow so you can minimize downtime. Additionally, the batteries are interchangeable with those on all other Ryobi tools and lawn equipment.

We weren’t as thrilled with the batteries’ recharging time of 90 minutes (compared to 30 minutes with the lithium-ion batteries in our other reviewed models), and the smaller cutting footprint of the RY40112A’s 16-inch deck.

This lawnmower is lightweight, efficient, and cuts grass exactly the way it should. It’s not quite as versatile as some of the competition, only allowing a maximum cutting height of 2 ¾ inches, but it will still do the job quite nicely for a small garden and lawn.

The specifications for the Ryobi RY40112A Cordless Electric Lawn mower:

  • Battery: 40-volt lithium-ion, rechargeable (second battery also supplied)
  • Run time: 40 minutes
  • Charge time: 90 minutes
  • Cutting options: Bag, mulch
  • Minimum/maximum cutting height: 1.75 to 2.75 inches
  • Deck width: 16 inches
  • Self-propelled: No
  • Weight: 40 pounds
  • Warranty: Three years, limited

Check Ryobi RY40112A Price on Amazon

Is an Electric Lawn Mower Right For You?

Humans are predictable. Most of us like to stick with what we’re familiar with, until or unless we see compelling reasons to make a change.

Since a large number of people grew up with gas-powered mowers, it’s natural for them to think that the ritual of mowing the lawn includes dragging a heavy machine and gas can outside, filling the tank (and checking the oil, if you’re conscientious), and breathing the sweet fumes produced by an internal combustion engine.

Today’s electric mowers, though, make sense for many homeowners, particularly those with small lawns – and those who are sick of spilling gas on their favorite jeans. If you haven’t given much thought to switching until now, here’s what you need to know to make the right decision.

Advantages of Gas Mowers

There are definitely arguments in favor of sticking with a trusty gas-powered lawn mower.

– Best for large lawns: Depending on the size of a mower’s gas tank, you may be able to mow a half-acre lawn (or even a larger one) without stopping. If you do have to pause, it’s just for a quick gas refill. Battery-powered lawnmowers can only handle a 1/4 – 1/3 acre lawn at most, before needing a lengthy recharge. Corded mowers can’t handle a large lawn because of their power cord.

– Power: No two ways about it; a gas mower has more power than an electric, so it’s a better choice for thick and wet grass. Electric machines are limited to “straightforward” mowing jobs.

– Durability: Some electrics are well-built, but by comparison, most gas mowers are tanks. With proper maintenance, they’ll usually be around long after the neighbors have to replace their electric mower.

– Alternatives: You can choose a self-powered gas lawn mower, a riding gas lawn mower or a zero-turn radius gas lawn mower, depending on your lawn and your physical needs. You don’t have any of those options if you go with electric.

Advantages of Electric Mowers

If you haven’t made a quick decision after seeing the advantages of gas lawn mowers, here are reasons you might want to choose an electric mower.

– Quiet: Electric mowing isn’t silent, but an electric model makes half the noise of the average gas-powered machine.

– Low-maintenance: Electric mowers are often described as “maintenance-free.” That’s not quite the case, since batteries do eventually have to be swapped out and cables may eventually wear out. However, there are no oil changes, filters, spark plugs or winter drainage to worry about when you use an electric lawn mower, and there are fewer moving parts which could fail and require expensive repairs.

– Easy to push: Electric lawn mowers usually weigh 55 pounds or less, so they’re easier to wheel around the yard. Gas mowers are more of a burden to push, with some approaching or exceeding 100 pounds with a full tank. Electrics are usually easier to store, too.

– Environmentally-friendly: No internal combustion engine means no pollutants are released into the atmosphere. For some homeowners, that’s a deciding factor all by itself.

– Easy start: You just push a button to start an electric mower. Some gas models start with the push of a button (when the mechanism works), but most require the time-honored fight with a pull-cord.

– No gasoline: Do you enjoy dragging cans to the gas station to be refilled, and then dragging them around your lawn and storage space? Do you enjoy paying more and more for gas as prices go up? Do you enjoy having to carefully fill your mower and still having pools of gas on your machine or driveway that have to be mopped up? Do you love the residual smell of gas on your hands and clothing? We don’t, either.

Disadvantages of Gas and Electric Mowers

It’s pretty to figure out the negatives of each mower type simply by looking at the positives. Here’s a cheat sheet, though.

Gas mower disadvantages: Noisier, heavier, can be harder to start, require more maintenance, emit pollution, require gas and oil refills as well as drainage in the winter.

Electric mower disadvantages: Can’t handle large lawns, less powerful, require often-long recharging, not as sturdy, no riding or self-powered options.

Price Considerations – Gas vs. Electric Mowers

At first glance, gas and electric mowers seem to be in the same price ballpark. Electrics may be a bit more expensive, but the difference isn’t huge.

The hidden costs weigh in favor of electric, though. When you compare the average price of gas (plus oil, spark plugs, filters and the like) to the price of electricity, a gasoline mower will usually end up costing you more in the long run. Those who’ve done the math have found that it costs about $1.00 to mow an acre of grass with an electric model, while a gas machine costs about $4.50 per acre to use.

Then add in the cost of maintenance over time. It’s more expensive to maintain and repair an internal combustion engine, than it is to buy a new battery for an electric mower every couple of years.

In most cases, electric mowers are less expensive to buy and operate than gas-powered ones.

Gas vs Electric Mowers, Which to Choose?

If you’re still not sure whether you should buy a gas or electric lawn mower, here’s the quick summary.

Those with larger lawns or thick grass, or those who want the convenience of a riding or self-propelled mower, should definitely opt for a gas mower. Those with a very small lawn, or those who don’t have the physical ability to push a larger and heavier mower, should unquestionably go with electric.

Homeowners who don’t fit into either category should at least strongly consider a well-built electric lawn mower. For most, the pros will strongly outweigh the cons.

Conclusion

Feeling brave or really just want to save time and energy?  Why not check out The Top 5 Best Robot Lawn Mower Reviews… yes you read that right Robot Lawn Mowers are really a thing!

Author

  • Lyndon Seitz

    Every office has its clown, and for us, that’s Lyndon. As a fun-loving guy who likes to take the pressure out of tense situations, we rely on him for comedic support to get us through our hardest days. You’ll find him working on a lot of our food-related posts, from drinks to recipe tips, right on down to kitchen fixtures and kitchen gadgets. If there’s one thing we can say about him, it’s that he makes a mean chicken milanese, and he can’t sing (don’t ask him to, we beg of you). Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndon-seitz-bbb09471/

29 thoughts on “Best Electric Lawn Mower Reviews – Top 11 List”

  1. Not a word about the motors horsepower anywhere on any… Poor review. If not published by manufacturer, finding such is the work for a good review writer. With all the doubts that more than one has been actually tested by author, limited to just copying/pasting brochures. The easy way to do things.

    Reply
    • Hi Perico,

      Thanks for your comment.

      Lots of things are confusing in life, and high on the list are lawnmower specifications. Gas mower manufacturers usually rate their models by horsepower (and they often play games with those numbers), but electric mowers are usually judged by volts, amps and battery run time.

      It’s important to realize that electric lawnmowers can’t compete with higher-end gas-powered mowers when it comes to horsepower, or their ability to do tough mowing jobs. That’s primarily why manufacturers don’t publicize the effective horse power of their electric lawn mowers. Additionally, just computing the consistent horsepower of an electric model is extremely difficult. It involves volts, amps, efficiency of the motor (and there are three types: core, brushless, brushed), battery drain time, and much more.

      In a nutshell, a good 40 volt electric mower will deliver somewhere around 1-1.5 hp, and a mower in the 60-80 volt range may deliver 2-3 hp if you’re lucky. But you’re not going to find horsepower ratings for electric mowers, and you shouldn’t make a buying decision by comparing those numbers anyway.

      The decision between gas and electric should be based on ease-of-use, cost, durability, and how difficult your lawn is to cut. The decision between models of electric mowers should come down to battery type and voltage, run time and charge time, plus the other features that may be important to you such as deck size, mulching capabilities and height adjustment.

      Hope that helps.

      Kind Regards,
      Pierce

      Reply
    • Hi Anonymous,

      Jim asked this question above (September 8th, 2017) which we replied to. We mentioned that it does look great, but also fully priced.

      For those who are interested in the Kobalt 80-Volt Cordless KM2180B-0 you can read more via this Link on Amazon -> http://geni.us/kobalt80V21inch

      Kind Regards,
      Pierce

      Reply
    • Hi Doug,

      Thanks for finding this correction. It did take me half an hour to redo the maths on this… :-). Article updated.

      Kind Regards,
      Lisa

      Reply
  2. You do not mention Greenworks. Are they out of the business of making battery powered mowers? I need a new $120 36volt greenworks mower if I have to keep it. Is it worth doing so? I have a 19 inch mower which is exhausted each time I do the back or the front lawns. Both need cutting now in November but I could wait till the Spring. Would you recommend doing so?

    Reply
    • Hey Myles,
      The GreenWorks 25302 Twin Force G-MAX Cordless Lawn Mower is back on the list… Happy Spring mowing!
      Kind Regards,
      Pierce

      Reply
    • Hey Jim,

      We looked at the Kobalt 80 Volt battery powered lawn mower, it does look like a beast, but also looks quite expensive for what you get?

      For those who are interested please check out the Kobalt 80-Volt Cordless KM2180B-0 via this Link on Amazon -> http://geni.us/kobalt80V21inch

      Kind Regards,
      Pierce

      Reply
  3. You mention “the greenworks” a few times in your top 5 but i dont see a model by that brand lised? Also, do you have any experience with any of th. Worx mowers??

    Reply
    • Hi Casey,

      Thanks for the question. We previously had the GreenWorks 25302 model on our list, however removed it after the product was recalled by the manufacturer -> we have not put another Green Works model back on the list as of yet.

      Our team hasn’t had the chance to try any of the Worx electric lawn mowers. If you were interested in their mowers I would suggest focusing on their upper end models like the WG772 (as the lower end models like the WG770 have lead acid batteries – lithium ion batteries are preferable in electric lawn mowers, check out the guide linked below).
      http://groomwithstyle.com/rechargeable-battery-care-cordless-appliance-battery-user-guide/

      Comparing the WG772 against some of the models on our top 5 list:
      The Worx WG772 falls, price wise, around the Earthwise 60420 and then Ryobi 40180. With the Earthwise 60420 you get a cheaper mower with roughly the same specifications as the Worx WG772. With the Ryobi 40180 you get a slightly less expensive mower with one battery with a faster charge time. Depending on your lawn type etc. they should all handle a lawn that is slightly less than 1/4 acre (about 7200 square feet or roughly the size of a tennis court).

      For those who want to investigate the WG772 further please following the amazon link below.
      http://geni.us/WorxWG772

      Kind Regards,
      Pierce

      Reply
  4. How is the SPCM1936 on a 2017 list? It is no longer made or sold anywhere, and you can’t even buy replacement batteries for it…

    Reply
    • Hi Peter,

      Sorry, if there was any confusion…but the Black & Decker SPCM1936 is under the Previous Years Section (as noted in the yellow box just above it).

      Kind Regards,
      Pierce

      Reply
  5. I’ve had a Neuton for about nine years, and its fizzled out this year, unfortunately. I loved it because it is light. I’m short, and am really struggling with what to buy… (I had the smaller one). My only issue was that it doesn’t have a high enough cutting range, it cuts a little short…

    Reply
    • Hi Catherine,

      That is great you had found the Neuton so reliable (nine years of use is quite amazing). Hopefully, some of the lawn mowers listed on our top 5 list meet your requirements.

      Kind Regards,
      Pierce

      Reply
  6. Are there any electric reel mowers on the market? Most of the ones that were given good ratings are no longer made.

    Reply
  7. Obviously real lithium mowers are not there yet.
    I will purchase when a 21″ can run and be self propelled for 60 minutes.

    Reply
  8. Yes, indeed there are chances of running over and destroying the lawn mowers power cord while mowing with corded electric lawn mowers but still they are good to use if you have a small size lawn. And the above cordless lawn mowers are good but among them GreenWorks 25302 is best as it is lightest among the above and it will be easy to handle and use it for a medium size lawn.

    Reply
    • Thanks for pointing this out Vanessa. It looks like the self-propelled model is no longer available on amazon. Updating the article.
      Cheers Lisa

      Reply

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