The 7 Best Battery-Powered Lawn Mowers, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Ego Power+ 21-Inch Self-Propelled Mower

$650 at Amazon $649 at Walmart View on Walmart

After testing the Ego Power+ Self-Propelled Mower, we had an easy time selecting it as our best overall. It was easy to push thanks to the self-propelled feature and made mowing the lawn feel less of a pain (especially on our backs!) compared to a heavy gas mower.

When we first started using this mower, we thought it might run away (even on the lowest setting) because we were only used to a gas push mower, but we quickly got used to it. The lowest setting was all we needed for parts of our lawn, even small hills, and when we felt like that feature wasn't necessary (navigating around obstacles), it was easy to switch it off at the top of the handle.

Aside from the self-propelled option, this mower offers many great features, making it a great choice for your lawn. We found it easy to adjust the handle's height (two options) and angle (three options) with just one hand. Adjusting the cutting height was also simple and easy, with six settings available, ranging from 1.5 to 4 inches. It handles thick and tall grass like a champ—we even let the lawn go for ten days once, and it had no trouble at all.

One of the standout features is the battery life—we can mow the lawn three times before needing to recharge. This mower comes with one Ego 56V ARC Lithium battery with a 60-minute runtime and takes about the same amount of time to charge. We also like that you can choose from the bag, mulching, and side-discharge options for your grass clippings and use the LED headlights when mowing early in the morning or later at dusk.

The handle can easily be folded, and the mower can be stored vertically in your garage or shed. And like most battery-powered mowers, you'll get the advantage of a quick, push-button start with no cord and no fumes.

The only downside we reported was the learning curve when using a self-propelled mower. But once we figured out how to navigate the feature and the power it provides, we found it to make mowing the lawn an easier task. If you have a small, flat lawn with a lot of obstacles, this might not be the best option for you.

Also, note that we found this lawn worked great on dry and damp grass, but we did experience one time where the mower would not start (the light blinked orange to indicate an issue), but when we moved it to a less wet area, it worked fine.

_{Cutting Width: 21 inches | Weight: 93.61 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge | Yard Size: 0.5 acres | Cutting Heights: 1.5-4 inches}

Best Budget

HART 40 Volt Cordless Self Propelled Mower Kit

$394 at Walmart

This self-propelled mower from Hart is a budget-priced alternative that costs about $250 less than our overall best recommendation without sacrificing too much in terms of performance or features. The deck is a little smaller and the battery life isn’t as good, but it’s been a rock-solid mower through over two years of testing.

We used this mower on a 0.1-acre yard (front and back) with a grassy drainage ditch in front, trees and stumps to mow around, a garden bed, and other obstacles. It’s mostly flat, but with some inclines (especially at the drainage ditch), and the mower performs well throughout.

We like how maneuverable it is when mowing around obstacles, and the slightly narrower deck is good for storage and fitting through fence gates. The handle folds forward, too, for easier storage.

This mower includes mulching, side discharge, and bagging options, and it comes with everything you need to use all three functions. We initially had some difficulty installing the bag, but it got easier after we figured it out.

Hart says that this mower is good for yards up to half an acre in size, but we’ve found that the battery provides enough power to mow our front or backyard, but not both. We also make careful use of the self-propelled feature for assistance on slopes to preserve battery power.

If you have a bigger yard or want to mow everything at once, we recommend picking up a second battery (the mower has space to store a second battery onboard, so you don’t have to go back to the house halfway through).

_{Cutting Width: 20 inches | Weight: 65.15 pounds | Cutting Options: Mulching, side discharge, bagging | Yard Size: 0.5 acres | Cutting Heights: 1.5-4 inches}

Best Push

Ryobi 40V HP Brushless 21" Cordless Walk Behind Lawn Mower

$449 at Home Depot

If you have a relatively flat lawn and like to combine yard care with some invigorating cardio, the Ryobi 40V Cordless Battery Push Mower has plenty of battery power, a full range of cutting options, and some nice extra features like headlights (for mowing early in the morning or late in the evening), and a folding handle (for storage).

We tested this mower on a mostly flat 3,000 square foot yard, and we were able to mow two times without recharging the high-capacity battery. That may vary depending on the thickness or height of your grass, and engaging the turbo mode will drain the battery more quickly, but we were impressed with the battery life overall.

This mower comes with a powerful 40V battery (the same as some self-propelled models), so it’s equipped to handle thick, heavy grass without bogging down. It has a turbo mode too, which you can engage when tackling especially heavy or damp grass. The controls are easy to understand and use, with a knob for switching between the bagging and mulching features, and another for the turbo mode.

This mower is a little heavy for a push mower (our best budget pick is self-propelled and only about a pound heavier), but we never had any trouble pushing or maneuvering it around obstacles. We also like how easy it is to fold down the handle for storage.

_{Cutting Width: 21 inches | Weight: 64 pounds | Cutting Options: Bagging, mulching, side discharge | Yard Size: 0.5 acres | Cutting Heights: 1-4 inches}

Best for Large Yards

Ryobi Brushless 42-Inch Electric Cordless Riding Lawn Tractor

$4,999 $2,999 at Home Depot View on Ryobitools.com

Battery-powered riding mowers offer all of the benefits of their push and self-propelled counterparts but allow you to sit down and let the mower do most of the work. After testing the Ryobi 80V HP Brushless 42-inch Battery Riding Lawn Tractor for six months on our lawn, we were thoroughly impressed with its outstanding performance and fantastic features. 

It offers an impressive 13 different cutting height positions ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 inches for a very precise cut. We adjusted the blade height to 2 inches during our test and were amazed at how uniform the grass looked. Even some fairly large sticks were no match for the mower, as it easily chopped them up.

We had some leaves in our garden beds, which we raked out, and the mower was able to chop them into fine debris. We also tested the mower after a rainy morning, and it effortlessly cut our lawn and discharged grass clippings with no issue.

Thanks to the three 80V 10Ah batteries and wide, 42-inch cutting width, you can cut up to 2 acres on a single charge. One thing to keep in mind is that the batteries don't arrive fully charged—our mower's battery level was only at 23 percent when we received it, and it took us about an hour to fully charge. The LCD screen on the mower itself allows you to check the charging status and battery level, so you have all of the data right there as well.

Besides the long-lasting battery, we were also impressed by how quietly the mower operated. The noise level was remarkably low when the blades were spinning, in contrast to that of traditional gas mowers. There are three options for your grass clippings: bag, side discharge, or mulch.

The onboard LCD screen is a great feature that allows you to control the LED headlights, drive, and blade speeds. Although a physical speed control lever would have been our preference, we were able to manage switching while driving. The mower also features an accelerator pedal that enables slow and precise maneuvering around obstacles.

However, it is a bit jerky. Turning the mower was a bit more difficult than we imagined. When taking slow turns, we found ourselves having to exert excessive force to turn the wheel.

When purchasing a riding lawn mower, it's important to consider the delivery. Upon arrival, the Ryobi 80V HP Brushless 42-inch Battery Riding Lawn Tractor was securely packaged in a large, partially enclosed pallet. However, getting the mower off the pallet was a bit of a struggle.

We had to manually push the mower off the pallet due to a broken board on the bottom instead of following the instructions to drive it off. But once unpacked and charged, we had no other issues with performance.

_{Cutting Width: 42 inches | Weight: 557 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge | Yard Size: 2.0 acres | Cutting Heights: 1.5-4.5 inches}

Best Zero-Turn

Ryobi Brushless 42-Inch Electric Zero Turn Riding Mower

$5,999 $4,999 at Home Depot View on Ryobitools.com

The Ryobi 42-Inch Electric Zero-Turn Mower comes with a steep price, but if you have a large lawn with a lot of obstacles to maneuver around, you can’t beat its power and convenience.

After trying out the mower for six months on our lawn, which is less than half an acre in size, we noticed a substantial decrease in our mowing time. We estimate that it reduced our time spent mowing by 40 percent. Thanks to the extra-wide 42-inch cutting deck, we were able to cover a lot of ground in one pass.

There are 12 cutting heights, ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 inches. Setting the cutting height was a breeze. You can choose the cutting heights with the conveniently located lever to ensure a precise cut. As we came across thick grass areas on the lawn, we reduced the speed, and the mower seamlessly cut through them. Overall, we did not notice any areas of uncut grass.

The lawnmower features a unique control system called iDrive, which operates with a single joystick. With the joystick, we were able to easily control the speed, both forward and reverse, ranging from a complete stop to full speed. Its zero-turn radius made it incredibly easy to maneuver around obstacles.

While mowing uphill, we did not experience any tipping of the mower. However, the tires spun when attempting to back up on a slope. It should be noted that this issue only occurred during testing after a rainy day.

This riding mower also boasts an unmatched battery life of two and a half hours, allowing you to mow up to two and a half acres on a single charge. It comes with two 80-volt, 10-amp-hour and two 40-volt, 12-amp-hour batteries, which can be charged simultaneously by plugging the charging cord into the rear of the mower. Charging took us anywhere from an hour to 2.5 hours, depending on how low the batteries were.

For faster charging, you can also charge the 80V batteries separately by plugging the charging cord directly into the battery. It took approximately 35 minutes to fully charge an 80V battery from 12 percent. However, although it takes longer if you have the time, we found it to be more convenient to charge everything at once.

It is quieter than the Troy-Bilt Pony 17 HP 42-inch Deck Rider we previously used, and we also didn't have to worry about oil changes or smelly fumes. It's worth mentioning that we initially received a faulty mower with an electrical problem. However, thanks to the exceptional customer service provided by Techtronic Industries Company Limited (Ryobi's parent company), we were able to obtain a replacement mower in no time, and it worked flawlessly.

_{Cutting Width: 42 inches | Weight: 700 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge | Yard Size: 3 acres | Cutting Heights: 1.5-4.5 inches}

Best Lawn Tractor

Ego Power+ T6 TR4204 42 in. Riding Mower

$3,999 $3,499 at Amazon $3,999 $3,499 at Lowes $3,999 at Ace Hardware

It takes serious battery power for a riding mower to cut grass well, but also tow trailers and small equipment. That’s why the Ego Power+ T6—with its array of six powerful 56V batteries—is our recommendation for those who have acreage with both mowing and towing needs.

We tested this powerful mower on a half-acre lot full of slopes and obstacles like trees and rocks, and we were immediately impressed with the clean-cut, speed, and advanced features.

This lawn tractor features two powerful brushless motors that provide the equivalent of 21HP, with each motor attached to its own blade for maximum cutting power. We used it to cut long grass immediately after a heavy rain, and it cut cleanly, fast, and never bogged down.

We like that it has 12 deck settings to achieve the grass height you want (between 1.5 and 4.5 inches) and that the deep well of battery power lets you actually achieve a close-cut lawn without a recharge midway through.

Ego made good use of the six 56V batteries included with this mower, both in terms of the powerful blades and propulsion. It’s capable of mowing at up to 6 mph and can move even faster with the blade retracted. The electric motors also provide plenty of torque for towing if you attach a trailer or other small equipment to a bumper-mounted clevis hitch receiver.

We found the seat to be a little small (with no armrests and a low back), which can make for a wild ride at top speed, but the stamped steel deck provides a solid place to brace your feet, and the large steering wheel is easy to hold onto. If you want a comfier seat, the Ryobi Brushless 42-Inch Mower (our best for large yards pick) has a plush seat with more padding.

We like that this mower comes with a lot of premium features and touches, like a convenient display that shows the speed and blade settings, Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port to charge your phone, bright headlights, and even a cup holder. Conspicuously absent is a bag or mulch attachment—you need to buy those separately—but we were able to use the default side-discharge mode without any clogging or other issues.

_{Cutting Width: 42 inches | Weight: 639.33 pounds | Cutting Options: Side discharge (mulching and bag attachments sold separately) | Yard Size: 1.5 acres | Cutting Heights: 1.5-4.5 inches}

Best Self-Propelled

Toro 7013897 22 Inch 60V Flex Force 21466 Battery Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit

$683 at Amazon $628 at Walmart View on Acmetools.com

If you are looking for a mower with bagging and mulching capabilities that's exceptionally comfortable to use, the Toro Recycler Walk Behind Mower particularly stands out. We tested this mower in our quarter-acre home and loved how it automatically adjusted to our walking speed so it never felt too slow or too fast to keep up with.

The "bag-on-demand" lever, located on the mower's front right side, allows you to choose between collecting grass clippings while you mow or redistributing or recycling them to your lawn. Even when set to recycle, you can leave the bag with the grass clippings on the mower.

We also enjoyed the self-propelled transmission, which made this mower easy to maneuver, even on rough and hilly terrain. Even though our lawn has a number of inclines, we were able to mow it in about 20 minutes with no extra effort. For even smoother operation, it can also sense how fast you walk and automatically adjust to your pace.

This mower has a durable 22-inch deck with nine cutting positions, ranging from 1 to 4 inches for a precise cut. We found that it effortlessly cut through dense grass, dandelion stalks, and even weeds. We took care not to pick up any larger sticks from our trees, but we discovered it was capable of managing smaller ones.

This self-propelled mower can run for up to 45 minutes per charge, allowing you to cut up to a third of an acre in one pass. We did find out, though, that the battery drains faster the lower the blade is set to the ground. Our favorite feature is the ability to easily check the battery level at any time. It's as simple as clicking a button on the battery area (four green dots indicate a fully charged battery). 

Setting up the mower was very straightforward and took only 15 minutes. We then used the two blue knobs on either side of the mower's body to set the handle height to our preference. Both of our testers—one of whom was 6 feet tall and the other 5 feet 8 inches—utilized the mower's higher handle height during testing.

The 10-inch rear wheels provide optimal traction and have a unique tread pattern that won’t damage your lawn. To top it all off, the Toro Recycler folds up compactly for storage (reducing its footprint by about 70 percent) so it didn't take up a ton of space in our garage when not in use.

_{Cutting Width: 22 inches | Weight: 95 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge | Yard Size: 0.33 acres | Cutting Heights: 1-4 inches}

Best Mulching

Husqvarna Lawn Xpert LE-322

$822 at Walmart $949 at Lowes View on Cpooutlets.com

Lots of mowers will mulch if you insert a mulching plug or remove the bag, but the best ones have a dedicated mulching mode (some even require you to physically change the blade). The Husqvarna Lawn Xpert LE322R is our favorite because it has easy push-button controls for switching to the mulching mode, plenty of battery power for small to medium-sized lawns, and smooth speed controls that let you set your own pace.

We tested this mower on a 0.31-acre lot with plenty of mature trees, a large flat area, and some slight slopes. With the mower set to mulching mode, we were able to mow both the front and backyards with about half of the battery life left, so we think it’s suitable for lawns a little larger than 0.5 acres (which is the maximum Husqvarna recommends).

This mower includes a control center built into the handle that makes it really easy to use. We loved being able to see the battery life at a glance, with the mode and speed controls found in the same central location. In addition to the great mulching mode, this mower also has a sensing mode and a power mode, and you can switch between them at any time by pushing a button.

This mower doesn’t match your pace automatically like our best self-propelled pick, but it’s a smooth adjustment that never felt too slow or too fast. We also had some trouble getting used to turning around at the end of each row with the self-propulsion active, but we expect that to get easier as we become more familiar with the way the mower works.

_{Cutting Width: 21 inches | Weight: 87.5 pounds | Cutting Options: Mulching, bagging  | Yard Size: 0.25-0.5 acres | Cutting Heights: 1.5-4.5 inches}