Owning one of the best electric lawn mowers will make light work of cutting the grass in your yard, so you won't have to put in quite as much effort. There are a few factors to consider before you purchase, whether that's the size of your lawn area, your budget, and if you want to collect the cuttings or not.
Corded electric lawn mowers are easy to use and they're usually a bit cheaper—you plug in, and you're ready to go (and mow). They are far more environmentally friendly than gasoline-power, but you may be held back by the cord—especially if you have a more medium-sized yards. The best cordless lawn mowers are a fantastic alternative because they are powered by battery and you aren't running the risk of cutting through trailing cables, yet you need electricity to recharge them.
To help you choose an electric lawn mower, we're in the process of reviewing a bunch of makes and models so we can keep the lawn healthy and maintained throughout the summer. Until then, we've featured two lawn mowers that we have had hands-on with already (BLACK+DECKER BEMW472BH and BLACK+DECKER BESTA512CM) and checked the spec of alternatives to consider. What we look out for is the cutting width, cutting performance and any other spec that we deem useful. We like to test lawn mowers for a minimum of one month / four weeks so we can evaluate the set up, performance and maintenance.
If you find that you need a larger mower, then check out our round-up of the best lawn mowers which includes ride-on and self-propelled mowers, but if you want to leave things to the latest lawn tech, the best robot lawn mowers will take the work completely out of your hands. Read on to find out what made the cut in this electric lawn mower round-up...
The best electric lawn mowers in 2024
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We're on a mission here at Top Ten Reviews to review everything that we feature in our buyer's guide. While we haven't been able to test every electric lawn mower in this guide in person, we've instead honed in on top-rated brands and used our knowledge of the spec you'll need to look out for to help you make the right decision for your yard, all for the best price.
The best electric lawn mower
✅ You need to mow around obstacles: This electric mower is designed to help you navigate around trees, plant pots and complicated areas around the lawn such as edging.
✅ You have a medium-sized lawn: it has the power and cutting width to efficiently mow lawns up to one-eighth of an acre. For smaller lawns, we'd recommend a more compact mower.
✅ Reasonable pricing is priority: for it's decent mowing performance, this corded mower has an affordable price tag of $169.99 and is available from Amazon or Home Depot.
❌ Your lawn is super-sized: anyone with a lawn larger than one-eight of an acre should consider another model with wider cutting deck.
❌ Storage space is limited: even with it's handle folded away, this is a large lawn mower relative to its weight. Some users may prefer something that is more compact for tighter storage.
🔎 The Black + Decker BEMW472BH offers efficient mowing with innovative upright handles, ideal for navigating obstacles. It is reasonably priced for medium-sized lawns but unsuitable for large areas due to the corded design. It is not recommended for those who dislike handling cables or have limited storage space. ★★★★
The BLACK+DECKER BEMW472BH provides impressive mowing performance for its price. Our reviewer, Pete, found that its unique upright handles allowed for easy maneuvering around tight corners. It also offers convenient features like quick cutting height adjustment and easy assembly.
Setup: This electric mower arrived well-packaged in recyclable materials, except for a few small pieces. Some assembly is required, but Pete found that it is manageable without tools. Thanks to clear instructions, setting up took around 20 minutes. The mower is lightweight and can be moved by two people or one strong person, although the box lacks handles.
Design: This mower features durable plastic construction with metallic components in the handle assembly and mowing blade, making it lightweight at 35 lbs. Its sleek design in BLACK+DECKER's signature colors includes an EasySteer handle for effortless maneuvering around obstacles. While the upright handles aid in navigating obstacles, they may hinder movement in tight spaces.
This mower is not meant for outdoor storage but is relatively rust-resistant due to its low metal content. To save space, we recommend folding the handle assembly for indoor storage. The EasySteer feature is useful, especially for those struggling with traditional mower handles.
Performance: On test, Pete found that the BLACK+DECKER BEMW472BH's 1,600W motor offered ample power to efficiently mow the grass and cut through tough weeds like dandelions. This mower is suitable for lawns up to 1⁄8 acre in size, with a cutting width of 15" (38 cm). It offers some help with cable management, featuring a bright orange power cable and handle-mounted cable clips.
The 45-liter grass collection box effectively gathers cuttings, although some were dropped during testing. Adjusting the mowing height was simple, and different settings produced varying cutting results. As a corded electric mower, avoiding using it in wet conditions is important due to the risk of electrocution. Also, it operates at noise levels similar to a noisy restaurant, measuring around 79-81 dB.
Value: this is one of the key incentives of the BLACK+DECKER BEMW472BH. It's RRP is $169.99 yet, at the time of writing our review, was available for $140.40 via both Amazon and The Home Depot. Official replacement blades are available from Black + Decker and resellers.
Read our full Black + Decker 15 in. 10 AMP Corded Electric Walk Behind Push Lawn Mower review
| Attribute | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Price & availability | A very good mower, relative to the price you pay. US and UK versions differ slightly. | ★★★★½ |
| Design | Unique handle design delivers sensitive steering while adding bulk. Robust, lightweight construction. | ★★★★ |
| Performance | Mowing performance is efficient and easily adjustable via the cutting height selection lever. | ★★★★ |
| Setup | Tool-free setup was completed within 20 minutes, although there were a few frustrating moments along the way. | ★★★½ |
2. The best multi-functional electric lawn mower
✅ You have multiple grass cutting tasks: the BLACK+DECKER BESTA512CM is a 3-in-1 corded lawn mower, strimmer and edger
✅ You're on a budget: a $99.99 RRP is hard to beat, especially with three main functionalities.
✅ You need a mower that's easy to store: the compact design is space-saving, and can be hung up or put on a shelf in the garage when not in use.
❌ You have a large yard: you'll be forever mowing your grass if you have more than 1/8 acre and opt for this tool.
❌ You have uneven ground: the cutting height cannot be adjusted so if you have uneven ground, the BLACK+DECKER BESTA512CM best be avoided (unless you want to mainly use it as a trimmer and edger).
🔎 The BLACK+DECKER BESTA512CM is fantastic budget option if you need a mower and / or strimmer to get by the next few months. It's incredibly versatile and will take care of all the lawn care duties. It's not great for uneven ground, though, and the grass cuttings won't get collected.★★★★
The BLACK+DECKER BESTA512CM isn't like any other lawn mower, or indeed string trimmers, that we have featured before. Our editor, Jen, has owned this lawn mower for years—and it's still going strong. It's a great option for cutting, trimming and edging the lawn.
Setup: This is going back a long time since Jen opened the box to her BLACK+DECKER BESTA512CM so memory is hazy and, of course, the packaging may have changed now. The setup is memorable, however, which was straight forward.
To set up, the string will need to be attached to the trimmer. The BLACK+DECKER BESTA512CM is essentially a trimmer that can be used with four wheels in lawn mower mode so as long as it is working as a strimmer, it'll also work as a lawn mower and an edger.
Design: This lawn mower turned strimmer and edger boasts a 3-in-1 design which became more useful for Jen than she had ever imagined. It was easy to clip the strimmer/edger into the set of four wheels when using as a mower.
The BLACK+DECKER BESTA512CM can then be turned on with a trigger. The shaft on the trimmer / edger is height adjustable but mind that this doesn't get too stiff and become non-adjusting overtime.
Performance: The most use that the BLACK+DECKER BESTA512CM had in Jen's yard is the lawn mower and trimmer mode. It cuts the grass really well, although fatigue in the hand set in due to the vibrations and constantly holding down the trigger when in use. There isn't a collection bag so any grass cuttings will lay in place; the more often you mow, the fewer clippings there will be.
When used as a trimmer, it did an equally good job cutting back the areas of lawn that the lawn mower deck couldn't reach.
The power cord is 15.3in in length so you may need to use an extension cable, as Jen did, to reach all the areas of your small yard.
Value: With a $99.99 RRP the BLACK+DECKER BESTA512CM is good value for money in our opinion. We found it useful for all grass cutting duties and firmly believe it should be added to your arsenal if you need a strimmer or lawn mower. It can be bought direct from BLACK+DECKER or resellers such as Amazon.
| Attribute | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Price & availability | It has been available for years, sold on BLACK+DECKER and Amazon for less than $100 | ★★★★★ |
| Design | Really useful, multifunctional design for small yards with tricky spaces | ★★★★★ |
| Performance | Fantastic cutting performance but you can not adjust the cutting height | ★★★★ |
| Setup | Only setup required was to attach the string to the trimmer, and the mower base if required | ★★★★★ |
3. The best electric lawn mower for the smallest lawns
✅ You have a small yard: with it's 18in deck and 150in cable length, you be able to quickly mow around the small front or back yard.
✅ You need something lightweight: weighing just 46lbs this lightweight, compact lawn mower is easy to push around and use with minimal effort.
✅ You need a mower that's easy to store: the handle folds down making it easy to store in small spaces.
❌ You have a large yard: you'll need an extension cable (or two) which could become an issue with the trailing cable.
❌ You want / need a robust mower: being small and lightweight this mower isn't exactly built like a tank.
🔎 The Greenworks 18" Corded Electric 12 Amp Push Lawn Mower is a budget-friendly, lightweight lawn mower suitable for small yards. Customers are impressed by the cutting performance, and love that it is so easy to store. ★★★★
If you're looking for the best electric lawn mower for small yards then the Greenworks 18" Corded Electric 12 Amp Push Lawn Mower is it. While the 150ft cable may be a hinder on your purchase decision, we've read that customers have roped in the help of an extension cable if they need a little more length.
Setup: arriving in a cardboard box with plastic wrapped around some parts, there doesn't seem to be much assembly required with this mower. Looking at the customer pictures on Walmart, the handle will need attaching and the cutting height will need selecting to suit your yard.
Design: the Greenworks 18" Corded Electric 12 Amp Push Lawn Mower measures 28.35 x 21.65 x 13.78 inches and weighs 45.75lbs. Customers have shared comment that it is compact and some have gone on to say that it is lightweight, although others have said that it's heavy to lift.
It has a steel, 18in cutting deck with every other component plastic. There's a seven height-adjusting lever which ranges between 1 5/8 - 3 1/8 inches and, something that is somewhat a stand-out feature to this mower, is that it has mulching capabilities that'll give the lawn back any lost nutrients. This Greenworks mower has a side discharge, too.
Performance: customer reviews rave at how good to cutting performance is of the Greenworks 18" Corded Electric 12 Amp Push Lawn Mower. It can handle uneven ground thanks to the adjustable cutting height, and it's lightweight to push around the small lawn.
To start it, just push the button and pull the bail to start mowing. It'll mulch automatically which users say is "OK". And then, once you've finished the job, the handle folds back to make for easy storing.
Being electric it is quieter than a gas mower and there's no swapping batteries or recharging them, which is another benefit that users enjoyed.
Value: With an RRP of $199.99 this electric mower is a fantastic option for those with tight budgets. We've also regularly seen it on sale so you could get it for even less. It's listed with resellers including Amazon and Walmart.
Note: we have not reviewed this electric lawn mower so have instead enlisted the help of customer comments to share with you.
4. The best electric lawn mower for tight spaces
✅ You have a super small yard: this Sun Joe mower has a cutting deck of 14in making it ideal for the smaller yard.
✅ You need something lightweight: weighing just 30lbs the Sun Joe MJ401E-PRO is a good option if you want a mower made from steel, but need the weight of plastic.
✅ You want to collect grass cuttings: the ultimate in convenience, this push mower will cut and collect the cuttings in a 10.6 gal bag.
❌ You have a large yard: you'll need an extension cable (or two) which could become an issue with the trailing cable.
❌ You want a mower made from metal: aside from the steel blade, the Sun Joe MJ401E-PRO is made entirely from plastic so if you want something more heavy-duty you best look elsewhere.
🔎 The Sun Joe MJ401E-PRO is a hard-working electric push mower that'll either collect your grass cuttings, or discharge through a side chute for taller grass. It has a collapsible handle for easy storage and takes up little space even when fully assembled. ★★★★
Have a tight space? The Sun Joe MJ401E-PRO is what you need. It's powerful yet compact and lightweight which makes it ideal for yards up to 1/4 acre.
Setup: from reading the reviews it is clear to us the assembly of this electric lawn mower is easy. It's a popular choice for those aged 50+ years-young who are overjoyed at how simple it was to assemble, and how clear the instructions are to follow. We can not say what packaging was used but from our experience reviewing Sun Joe and Snow Joe products, it would be delivered in a branded cardboard box at the very least.
Design: The Sun Joe MJ401E-PRO packs a 14-inch blade into a 16-inch body, meaning it is one of the lightest models in our guide to the best electric lawn mowers. The mower is only 30lbs, less than 50 inches long and just over 40 inches in height.
Snow Joe’s electric mower blends this compact build with a potent 13-amp motor. Alongside this diminutive build are collapsible handles, making storage simple.
Performance: Although the Sun Joe MJ401E-PRO will not win any awards mowing large lawns, its size means it handles hilly areas with great ease. It also handles garden edges much better than more unwieldy mowers.
Customers have noted that the 10.6 gal bag for grass cuttings fills up quickly so either be prepared to empty it regularly, or remove it entirely.
Value: Priced at $179.99, the Sun Joe MJ401E-PRO is great if you are a novice gardener on a budget, or are looking for a cheap but effective electric mower for a small garden. You can find it listed on Sun Joe or resellers such as Amazon.
Note: we have not reviewed this electric lawn mower so have instead enlisted the help of customer comments to share with you.
The best cheap electric lawn mower
✅ You have a small yard: the LawnMaster MEB1114K has a cutting deck of 15in making it best suited to smaller yards.
✅ You need something lightweight: weighing just 27lbs the LawnMaster MEB1114K is the lightest lawn mower in this guide.
✅ You want to collect grass cuttings: helping you to tidy up after a mow is a handy 7 gal collection bag.
❌ You have a large yard: you'll need an extension cable regardless with this mower, so multiple extension cables could get you in a tangle.
❌ You want a mower made of steel: aside from the steel blade, the LawnMaster MEB1114K is made from plastic to keep it lightweight, but you may prefer something more robust.
🔎 The LawnMaster MEB1114K is a cheap electric lawn mower which is ideal for smaller yards. It has a collector bag and is easy to assemble and store. You will need an extension cable with it though, which is something to be mindful of ★★★★
The affordable LawnMaster MEB1114K lawn mower is an 11 AMP 15-inch electric mower that’s easy to push around a smaller yard of 1/8 acre. It’s cord-powered, but you will need an extension cable with it because it's short (we were unable to get the exact cable length). And at 27 lb, this is one of the lighter mowers on our list. That makes it ideal if you’re struggling with an injury or don’t want to push a hefty weight around.
Set up: Reading through the customer reviews, assembly of the LawnMaster MEB1114K is really easy. It looks like all you'll need to do is attach the lower and upper handle to the main unit, then the collector bag, and you're all set.
Design: The main design feature of the LawnMaster MEB1114K is the 15-in cutting deck which is rust-resistant. There five cutting positions to opt for from 1.4" - 3" which can be adjusted with a lever.
The handle length is also adjustable so you can find the perfect height for you to help make the mow easier. Made of two parts; an upper and lower handle, the upper handle can fold over the lower to make storage easier. And being just 27lbs is can be easily manoeuvred into a space for safe-keeping.
To the rear of this electric lawn mower is a 7 gallon collector bag which will make it easier to tidy up the clipping after a mow, although this isn't the biggest we have heard of.
Performance: the key to the success of this lawn mower is how light it is. It'll mean that it's a good choice for those aged 50+ years-young, which will help to manouvre it around the yard - and put into storage thereafter.
Customers have shared that it is easy to use and adjust. It's also great for challenging tall weeds and grasses. There is no side discharge chute though, so you'll have to use it with the collection bag - just be prepared to empty it often, even in a super small yard.
Value: With a $129.99 RRP this is the cheapest electric lawn mower we could find. It gets even cheaper every now and then too. You can find it listed on reseller sites such as Amazon.
Note: we have not reviewed this electric lawn mower so have instead enlisted the help of customer comments to share with you.
How to choose the best electric lawn mower
While deciding on a lawn mower with a cord might seem like the most obvious way to keep your spending low, we recommend avoiding corded models unless you’re on a very tight budget. Why? Well, it boils down to the running times: nowadays, cordless models can run strong for 45 minutes to an hour, which should be enough time to deal with a moderate or large lawn.
With a corded model, you’ll always need to stay close to an electric socket. It’s also easy to get frustrated by tripping on your cord or shoving it out of your path. Cordless models take away that hassle, and it’s likely the job won’t take as long once you remove all the cord maneuvering.
While an electric lawn mower is more environmentally friendly than a gas lawn mower, you may need one if you’re dealing with a particularly large lawn. Gas is a more powerful energy source, and the mowers also run longer without a refill. Even so, most electric lawnmowers only take 40 minutes to recharge, so if you run out of battery mid-mowing session, that’s enough time for a snack break.
Cutting modes and features should also be on your mind when you choose an electric lawn mower. While they’re not essential, self-propelling models can also make your life far easier.
How we tested these electric lawn mowers
How we tested the best electric lawn mowers
We love to test products here at Top Ten Reviews, that's how we know that they are going to be the best for you and your home or yard.
Of those corded mowers we have tested, the BLACK+DECKER BEMW472BH and BLACK+DECKER BESTA512CM, they have been used in our own backyards for a minimum of 4 weeks. We've set them up, cut the lawn, adjusted heights (if possible) and emptied the grass collector (if a feature). Sometimes we can continue to use the lawn mowers that have been loaned to use for a longer period of time, or we are gifted them, which means that they'll continue to be used giving them the greatest test of all; longevity.
In some instances we are unable to test all of the products you see featured in our buyer's guide. When this happens we check out the specs and features of well-known brands, and read the customer reviews to see what they have to say about it. Read more about how we test.
Electric lawn mowers FAQ
Are electric mowers good?
Electric mowers are a great option if you want a machine that isn’t too heavy to move around—and won’t cost you a fortune. They are best suited for smaller lawns rather than huge areas of grass, and this is because a power cord restricts you. There are battery lawnmowers that solve the cord problem, but you’ll need to note how long the run time is on each battery. Many battery-powered mowers can be purchased with a spare battery so your mower is never out of action.
Electric lawnmowers don’t require any fuel, which makes them more affordable to power than gas mowers. There’s also the added benefit of electric mowers operating more quietly than their gas counterparts.
How much do electric lawn mowers cost?
In general, prices for corded electric lawn mowers tend to start at about $100; however, dealing with a cord while mowing can be awkward, and it limits your mobility and the distance you can cover. You can buy extensions for your mower, but this might be inconvenient if you have an extremely large backyard.
Battery-operated mowers cost a little more, starting in the low $200 range up to about $500, but the convenience of battery power, for many consumers, is worth paying extra. These models can also run for up to 90 minutes, so unless you have acres of land to cover, you should be able to get the job done. Be aware that cordless mowers have somewhat less power than corded models, and you’ll have to recharge the batteries, but they offer much more mobility.
Running costs may be another concern when buying an electric lawn mower. Compared to best gas lawn mower models, you can rest assured that the money you’ll spend on charging on powering your electric mower will be considerably less, costing around 20 to 60 cents an hour to run, depending on the exact wattage of your model.
Are electric lawn mowers powerful?
You should consider your yard's size and how often you intend to mow it. If your lawn is 1/3 acre or bigger, you’ll want to spring for a high-performance model with a high-voltage battery, wide cutting path, and multiple height settings. If you have a smaller yard or don’t need to mow very often, you can probably get away with one with less power.
