The 5 best cordless lawn mowers for keeping your lawn tidy

For most people, electric mowers are the way to go for lawn maintenance. Gas models are powerful, there’s no doubt about it. But they’re often loud, require lots of maintenance, and can emit unpleasant fumes. Plus, with today’s best cordless lawn mowers, you can ditch the power cord and mow your lawn without boundaries.

Today’s electric cordless lawn mowers use powerful lithium-ion battery packs that can be easily recharged from any home outlet. And because they’re powered by electricity, they’re much quieter than gas mowers, and their electric motors require zero maintenance.

If your lawn is a half-acre or smaller, one of the cordless lawn mowers from this page will be a great choice for you.

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See the best cordless lawn mowers here

Our top pick overall

EGO POWER+ Self-propelled Cordless Lawn Mower

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$749 at Lowe's

Best cordless electric mower

Worx WG779 40V Powershare 14in. Cordless Lawn Mower

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$299.99 at Target

Best self-propelled model

EGO POWER+ 56-volt 21-in Self-propelled Cordless Lawn Mower

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$549 at Lowe's

Best-rated mower by users

EGO POWER+ Select Cut 56-volt 21-in Self-propelled Cordless Lawn Mower

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$749 at Lowe's

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Our top pick overall

EGO POWER+ Self-propelled Cordless Lawn Mower

$749

$749 at Lowe's

Specifications

• Weight: 62.6 pounds

• Cutting reach: 1/4 to 1/2 acre

• Cutting height: 1.5 to 4 in

Pros & Cons

• Equipped with LED headlights

• Self-propelled design

• Weather resistant

• Mulching function isn’t perfect

• Hard to turn into self-propelled mode

This product from EGO is our overall pick for the best cordless lawn mower. It uses a single-blade design with a 21-inch mower deck, and a powerful electric motor that delivers 6 ft-lbs of cutting torque. It comes with a 7.5Ah ARC Lithium battery and a charger, too

Once fully charged, the battery pack provides enough juice for this cordless lawn mower to cut for up to 60 minutes. This cordless mower from EGO is also weather-resistant and features LED lights, which make it easy to cut your grass in all conditions, day and night.

It’s self-propelled, too, with a variable speed control that ranges from 0.9 to 3.1 MPH. The cut height can be adjusted between 1.5 to 4 inches, so you have plenty of control over how short you cut your grass.

Best cordless electric mower

Worx WG779 40V Powershare 14in. Cordless Lawn Mower

$299.99

$299.99 at Target

Specifications

• Weight: 24.89 pounds

• Cutting reach: Up to 5000 sq ft

• Cutting height: 1.5 to 3.5 in

Pros & Cons

• Lightweight design

• Affordable price

• Bag and mulch included

• Not self-propelled

• Limited cutting range of 2.5 to 3.5 inches

If you’re okay with a push mower instead of a self-propelled mower, this is the best cordless electric lawn mower for you. The Worx WG779 is small and easy to maneuver and features a 14-inch deck that’s great for smaller lawns.

It comes with two 4Ah batteries and a charger. The batteries give this cordless mower enough juice to mow about an eighth of an acre. The batteries are compatible with all other Worx 20V and 40V power tools and lawn tools, which is great if you use their ecosystem of tools.

Overall, it’s the best cordless lawn mower for you if you want something that’s affordable and easy to use, and you have a small lawn. However, if you have a large lawn or lots of steep hills, you may find yourself wishing that you went for a self-propelled model.

Best self-propelled model

EGO POWER+ 56-volt 21-in Self-propelled Cordless Lawn Mower

$549

$549 at Lowe's

Specifications

• Weight: 65.81 pounds

• Cutting reach: 1/4 to 1/2 acre

• Cutting height: 1.5 to 4 in

Pros & Cons

• High-efficiency motor

• Up to 50 minutes of runtime

• Simple operation

• Smaller battery than other EGO models

• Mostly plastic construction

This mower from EGO Power is definitely one of the best self-propelled cordless lawn mowers out there. It has a 21-inch deck and a 6Ah battery, which provides about 50 minutes of operation on most lawns. The dual-toggle handset makes it easy to control the self-propulsion feature with either your right or left hand.

Additionally, the 3-in-1 design means that you can bag your grass, discharge it through the side, or mulch it. It has a 7-position height adjustment, too, between 1.25 and 4 inches. This makes it easier to control the height of your grass while you mow.

Best-rated mower by users

EGO POWER+ Select Cut 56-volt 21-in Self-propelled Cordless Lawn Mower

$749

$749 at Lowe's

Specifications

• Weight: 55.3 pounds

• Cutting reach: 1/4 to 1/2 acre

• Cutting height: 1.5 to 4 in

Pros & Cons

• Twin blades make short work of grass

• Extremely quiet operation

• Ergonomic design

• Bag attachment doesn’t catch grass effectively

• Self-propulsion drains battery quickly

This product from EGO is one of the best-rated cordless lawn mowers out there, with an average review of 4.6 stars ]. This model includes a 7.5Ah ARC battery and a powerful brushless motor that powers the Select-Cut X multi-blade system. In this system, two blades spin on top of one another in opposite directions, providing a powerful, clean cut for all types of grass.

You’ll get about 60 minutes of cut time in self-propelled mode, which is plenty for most lawns. Variable-speed self-propulsion also makes it easy to keep up with your mower.

Best budget-friendly option

Sun Joe MJ501M Manual Reel Mower

$99.99

$99.99 at Target

Specifications

• Weight: 30 pounds

• Cutting reach: 1/4 to 1/2 acre

• Cutting height: 1.4 to 2.44 in

Pros & Cons

• Much more affordable than electric models

• Entirely silent during operation

• No charging needed

• Manual design is impractical for larger yards

• Twigs, leaves, and debris can clog up the mower easily

Before electric cordless mowers became commonplace, your only option for a cordless mower was a manual reel mower like this model from Sun Joe. Reel mowers have no motor at all. You cut your grass entirely manually by pushing your mower across the grass. This is quite a workout, but reel mowers like the Sun Joe MJ501M never need batteries or gas, and require minimal maintenance.

Reel mowers also offer a surprisingly close, precise cut, with less jagged grass than most electric or gas mowers. This mower has a 18-inch cutting path, and an adjustable cutting height of up to 2.44 inches. Sharp, hardened steel blades ensure a clean cut, and a bag attachment also lets you catch grass clippings for compost.

Overall, this is the best cordless lawn mower if you’re on a budget and have a small yard, but it’s impractical for larger properties. You’ll also need to stay on top of weekly mowing, too. Reel mowers like the Sun Joe have a hard time cutting especially long grass, so consistency is key for healthy, happy grass.

How to choose the right lawn mower for your yard

There’s a lot that goes into choosing the best cordless lawn mowers. Whether you’re browsing our top five picks or you’re looking into some other models, here are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind while looking at your options:

• Electric vs. manual: Manual reel mowers have no power source at all. They cut grass completely manually, which means you don’t have to worry about a cord, battery charge, or gas engine. They’re also very light. However, mowing with a manual reel mower is quite a workout, and it’s only practical for smaller lawns. You also have to stay on top of mowing, because most reel mowers won’t work well when cutting very long grass. Because of this, a cordless electric mower is the best option for most people, rather than a manual model.

• Self-propelled vs. push: Self-propelled mowers use electric power to propel the mower, which means you don’t have to push it yourself. This means that mowing takes much less work, which is great if you have a larger lawn and garden. Push mowers, on the other hand, do not have a self-propulsion feature. While this makes them simpler and more affordable, it does make mowing more difficult, especially if you have a large or sloped lawn.

• Battery capacity: Most of the best cordless lawn mowers have a battery capacity of between 4 and 6 Ah, which gives about 50-60 minutes of cutting time. This is about enough time to cut a half-acre of grass at a normal walking pace. If you have a larger lawn, you may need to get a model with larger batteries, or swap a fresh set of batteries into your mower before you finish mowing.

• Multipurpose batteries: Cordless lawn mowers from some manufacturers use the same batteries as other power and lawn tools. For example, the Worx WG779 we recommend in this article uses the same batteries as other Worx power tools like drills, saws, leaf blowers, weed whacker, and other tools. Investing in a cordless lawn mower that uses swappable, multipurpose batteries can add some serious versatility to your garage and workshop.

• Single vs. dual-blade: Single-blade mowers will do fine for most lawns. As the name suggests, they use just one blade to cut grass, usually with a width of about 22 inches. But if you have a large lawn or want to get the job done fast, a dual-blade mower is a better option. They’re more powerful and usually cut up to 36 inches at a time. Of course, dual-blade models are also more expensive, so you’ll need to keep this in mind, too.

• Mulching: Mulching mowers use a design that blows grass through the blades multiple times. This creates small grass “mulch” that settles in your lawn, providing it with more nutrients. Mulching mowers can also bag grass or blow it out the side of the mower, so they’re also called “3-in-1” mowers. A mower with a mulch feature is usually more expensive, but it can help reduce the need for fertilizer and keep your grass healthy.

Our top choice for lawn mowers

All of the mowers we mentioned above are a great choice if you need a new cordless lawn mower. But if you’re still having a hard time deciding, here are our overall top picks:

• EGO POWER+ Self-propelled Cordless Lawn Mower: It has plenty of battery capacity, advanced features, and an easy-to-use design that’s ideal for most lawns.

• Worx WG779 40V Powershare 14in. Cordless Lawn Mower: If you’re on a budget or have a small lawn, this is a good alternative. It’s not self-propelled, but it’s fine for lawns up to 1/8 acre. 

• And if you have an even smaller lawn or don’t mind putting in effort as you mow your yard, the Sun Joe MJ501M Manual Reel Mower is another good alternative.

Prices updated on 08/03/2023. We are not responsible for any changes to the prices mentioned above.