Lawn and Garden Equipment Repair Parts
O’Reilly Auto Parts carries the parts you need to maintain and repair your lawn and garden equipment. Check out our selection of lawn mower batteries and 2-cycle oil. We also carry lawn mower blades, lawn mower belts, recoil starters, electric starters, spark plugs, oil filters, and air filters for all your lawn equipment maintenance and repair needs. Whether you’re repairing your lawn or turf maintenance equipment or winterizing it for storage, check out the selection of parts and chemicals at O’Reilly Auto Parts.
Looking for a specific brand of parts for your lawn mower? Shop O’Reilly Auto Parts, where we carry trusted brands for your lawn maintenance tools. Keep your lawn equipment engines starting and running smoothly with Super Start batteries and MasterPro 2-cycle oil. If your mower needs an oil change, WIX provides oil filters for most lawn mowers. Need spark plugs? Champion provides spark plugs for a number of lawn and garden applications, including mower spark plugs and string trimmer spark plugs. We also carry Gates lawn mower belts, Heavy Duty inner tubes, and Prime Line parts like mower blades, primer bulbs, solenoids, and more to help get the job done right.
Lawn and Garden Accessories
Don’t forget the gas. Take a look at our selection of gas cans and gas funnels to help keep your lawn equipment fueled and ready for any job. If you have a flat tire and want to repair it quickly, try some tire sealant.
Need parts and accessories for your lawn and garden equipment? O’Reilly Auto Parts has got you covered with general maintenance items, repair parts, and components for lawn mowers, chainsaws, string trimmers, leaf blowers, and other lawn and garden applications. Whether you want to replace a dull lawn mower blade, need to change your 2 cycle oil, or need to replace a lawn mower battery, O’Reilly Auto Parts can help. We also carry carburetor rebuild kits, recoil starters, lawn mower spark plugs, choke cables, clutch cables, and lawn mower air filters. Check out our selection in-store or browse our inventory online to find the right parts and accessories for your lawn equipment repair.
Operating a Lawn Mower
Mowing the lawn may seem like the simplest yardwork, but with many different types of mowers available, all with different features, it can be surprisingly challenging to mow effectively. The more you know about lawn mowers and their proper operation, the easier it will be to give your lawn a safe, smooth cut.
Types of Mowers
There is an impressive array of lawn mowers in all styles and sizes on the market today. You need to choose the best mower for your needs and your lawn, however, and to do that, it is important to understand how mowers differ.
Best Budget
Sun Joe MJ401E-P2 Electric Lawn Mower
- This lawn mower is very lightweight, and it’s similar to operating a vacuum.
- Its small form is easy to maneuver and can fit into tight spaces.
- The mower is much quieter than a gas-powered mower.
- Grass collection bag fills up very quickly and may need to be emptied multiple times while mowing.
- Grass can get clogged underneath the mowing deck, which causes the mower to shut off.
If you have a small yard, chances are you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a push mower. Luckily for you, the Sun Joe Electric Lawn Mower is an inexpensive option that’s unbelievably easy to use and maintain. This lawn mower is half the weight of many other walk-behind models we tested, and its corded design makes it easy to mow a small yard without worrying about running out of power. In testing, we found that it requires very little effort to push — we’d compare it to pushing a vacuum cleaner across a carpet — and were impressed by how quiet it is while mowing.
This electric mower can get into tight spaces easily, thanks to its 14-inch cutting deck, but it can get stuck if you’re cutting thick grass — during testing, the mower shut off on us because the blades were clogged up. However, it was easy to clean out the cutting deck and continue mowing. The only major downside of this compact electric mower is that it solely bags grass clippings, and the collection bag is extremely small. We had to empty it two or three times while mowing a 400-square-foot area, which made the process take a little longer than expected.
Price at time of publish: 108
Power Source: Plug-in | Cutting Width: 14 inches | Weight: 29 pounds | Self-Propelled: No | Clipping Options: Bag
Best Electric
Greenworks 12 Amp 20-Inch 3-in-1 Corded Lawn Mower
- Good value for a larger corded mower.
- The mower performs well on both dry and damp grass, as well as tall weeds.
- It has no problem driving over uneven ground.
- The mower is easy to push with one hand, even though it’s not self-propelled.
- It can be a bit bulky to turn or maneuver around obstacles.
- Clippings often fall out when emptying the collection bag, even if it’s not full.
The Greenworks Corded Lawn Mower is a great value if you don’t mind working around an extension cord as you mow. This electric model has a fairly large 20-inch cutting deck, and it offers side discharge, bagging, and mulching abilities, unlike other corded models we tested. We used it on both dry and damp grass, and it had no problems cutting either one, breezing right through tall weeds. It also did a good job capturing grass clippings in the included collection bag, though some do spill out when you remove the bag for emptying.
We tested this mower on a fairly uneven lawn, and thanks to its large rear wheels, it didn’t have any problem driving over divots that have posed a problem for other mowers. We were able to push the mower around with just one hand, holding the power cord with the other, but it does require two hands to turn the mower around, as it’s a bit bulky (and not self-propelled). Bottom line? With its affordable price and reliable performance, this mower is a good option for anyone with a smaller yard who wants a corded lawn mower with features.
Price at time of publish: 229
Power Source: Plug-in | Cutting Width: 20 inches | Weight: 56 pounds | Self-Propelled: No | Clipping Options: Side discharge, bag, mulch
Best Battery-Powered
EGO Power Select Cut 56-Volt 21-Inch Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower
- The battery still had power left after 50 minutes of use.
- The handle can be adjusted to different heights and angles for maximum comfort.
- The self-propelled design is easy to maneuver and takes strain off your body.
- The mower did get bogged down on a wet patch of grass and ferns.
- The process to start the mower is a bit complicated and hard to understand based on the directions.
There are several benefits to battery-powered mowers like the EGO Power Self-Propelled Lawn Mower, including its lack of emissions, quiet operation, and minimal maintenance. This 21-inch lawn mower only comes with one 56-volt battery, but it was able to mow for 50 minutes with power to spare, making it a great option even for larger yards. On first use, we struggled to figure out how to start the mower — it’s not as simple as just pushing a single button — but once we conquered that hurdle, it was smooth sailing.
The self-propelled design was easy to maneuver around the yard, and we loved that it requires minimal effort, so it won’t strain your back. The mower delivered a clean, even cut, even when the grass was damp, and it’s easy and intuitive to adjust settings like the cutting height and mower speed. We did find that the mower would occasionally get bogged down in thicker, wet areas (for instance, it had trouble cutting through a patch of ferns), but this is the case with many mowers, so we don’t think it’s a dealbreaker.
Price at time of publish: 549 (orig. 576.45)
Power Source: Battery | Cutting Width: 21 inches | Weight: 54.5 pounds | Self-Propelled: Yes | Clipping Options: Side discharge, bag, mulch
Best Gas
Honda HRX217VKA 21-Inch Self-Propelled Gas Lawn Mower
- The mower is easy to start without priming or worrying about flooding the motor.
- Self-propelled function locks into your desired speed, saving you from having to hold down a lever.
- There’s a setting that allows you to half bag and half mulch the grass clippings.
If you have a lot of ground to cover, we recommend this Honda HRX Lawn Mower. It’s powered by a 201cc engine that easily cuts through thick and dense grass, yet it’s incredibly easy to start up — we were able to get the mower going with a single pull, no priming needed. The Honda mower also has 4-in-1 functionality, meaning you can side discharge, bag, mulch, or shred grass clippings, and we like that there’s even an option to bag half and mulch half. This setting would definitely come in handy if you’re cutting longer grass.
This mower also stood out thanks to its convenient self-propelled design. The control bar has a knob that lets you select the speed you want, essentially locking the mower at that pace so you don’t have to worry about holding the lever down at the right pressure. It can also go quite fast — we found that a medium speed was comfortable for walking, but you could dial it up for faster mowing, if desired.
Overall, we had very few complaints about this self-propelled mower. It did take a little trial and error to find the right deck height and speed setting, but once that was done, the mower delivered a nice even cut every time.
Price at time of publish: 799 (orig. 989.99)
Power Source: Gas | Cutting Width: 21 inches | Weight: 91 pounds | Self-Propelled: Yes | Clipping Options: Side discharge, bag, mulch, leaf shred
Best Self-Propelled
Ryobi 40V HP Brushless 21-Inch Dual-Blade Self-Propelled Mower
- Unbelievably quiet during operation — it almost sounds like a white noise machine.
- The battery-powered mower offers comparable power to a gas mower.
- The batteries lasted for more than three mowings (42 minutes total) without needing to be recharged.
- Self-propelled design makes it effortless to mow hilly areas.
The Ryobi Dual-Blade Self-Propelled Lawn Mower is our top pick for anyone with a hilly yard, as its self-propulsion abilities outperformed the competition in our testing. This electric mower has a standard 21-inch deck, and we found that it performs just as well as gas mowers thanks to its two powerful 40-volt batteries. It offers variable speed self-propulsion that lets you match the mower to your pace, and it had no problems tackling hills during testing. In fact, the feature can be too fast on straightaways if you turn it to max speed — we had to jog to keep up with it!
Because this mower is battery-powered, it’s much quieter than a gas mower, almost sounding like a white noise machine. It also impressed us with its runtime — we were able to mow a 2,000-square-foot yard three times without needing to recharge the batteries. While we loved the convenience and easy operation of this mower, it wasn’t totally perfect. The main negatives we discovered were that the grass collection bag is quite small and needed to be emptied frequently while mowing, and the mulching setting left behind quite a few dry leaves on the lawn.
Price at time of publish: 919
Power Source: Battery | Cutting Width: 21 inches | Weight: 75 pounds | Self-Propelled: Yes | Clipping Options: Side discharge, bag, mulch
Things to Consider Before Buying a Walk-Behind Lawn Mower
Power Source
There are three main styles of walk-behind lawn mowers: gas, battery, and electric, also called corded. Gas mowers are usually the most powerful option, boasting large motors that can power through thick grass and weeds, but they’re also loud and require frequent maintenance, including oil and spark plug changes.
For these reasons, battery-powered models are becoming more popular: “Homeowners have been gravitating to battery power for a few years, and we’ll be seeing even more of that in 2023 with various laws and regulations and even HOA restrictions aiming to limit the use of gas,” explains Durden. “Advancements in technology are making it possible and practical for everyone to make the switch — we have several battery mowers that offer the same (or better) power than gas mowers today.” Battery-powered mowers are also quieter and don’t give off any harmful emissions, but they do have a limited runtime. Our top pick for a battery-powered mower is the EGO Power Lawn Mower.
Finally, there are corded walk-behind mowers, which tend to be the most affordable. These use an extension cord to plug into an electrical outlet, giving them an unlimited runtime, but you have to navigate around the cord as you mow, which is why they’re recommended for small yards.
Yard Size
The size of your yard will dictate which type of walk-behind mower is best for your needs. If you have a small yard that’s less than ¼ acre, a corded push mower will generally meet your needs. These are usually lightweight and have smaller decks, and they’re easy to operate and store.
For larger yards, you may want to upgrade to a self-propelled mower, such as the Ryobi Dual-Blade Mower, which moves forwards on its own using power from the motor. This means you don’t have to physically push the mower to move it around your yard, making the process less strenuous.
In terms of a gas vs. battery powered model, battery mowers do have a limited runtime — typically less than an hour, but it will vary by product — which may not be enough for yards that are an acre or more. However, keep in mind that you can always buy backup batteries, if needed.
Terrain
The terrain of your yard is another factor to consider as you shop for a lawn mower. “If your yard is flat, a push mower will be the most affordable choice,” recommends Durden. “If your yard has hills, you may want to invest in a self-propelled mower that takes less manual effort.”
Walk-behind mowers with larger rear wheels — like the Greenworks 12 Amp 20-Inch 3-in-1 Corded Lawn Mower — tend to handle better on uneven ground, so you may want to look for this feature if your yard has a lot of divots or ruts.
Clippings
There are three main options for handling grass clippings while you’re mowing: discharging them out the side or back, bagging them up, or mulching them into fine pieces that will decay back into your lawn. Some lawn mowers, such as the Sun Joe Electric Lawn Mower only offer one option, while other models like the Honda Hrx 21-in Self-Propelled Gas Lawn Mower offer all three.
If you want a bagging mower, pay careful attention to the size of the collection bag in comparison to your yard. If the bag is too small, you may find yourself stopping to empty it frequently — a problem we ran into when testing the Ryobi Dual-Blade Self-Propelled Mower.
How We Tested
We researched today’s most popular walk-behind lawn mowers, and we selected nine top-rated models for testing, including three battery-operated, two corded, and four gas options. We sent each model to the homes of our testers, who are located in seven different cities across three states, and they tested each lawn mower over the period of several days.
We used each lawn mower three times, evaluating them on their ease of use, performance, power, safety features, and more. Each product was then scored on its setup, design, performance, usability, safety, and value, and the highest-scoring products were selected for this round-up.
If you have a larger yard or a lot of hilly terrain, a self-propelled lawn mower will take a lot of the manual effort out of mowing your grass. “Self-propelled mowers are designed to automatically move forward from 1 to 3.5 miles per hour,” explains Durden. “They‘re recommended for yards of more than half an acre, especially those that are hilly or sloped. Some mowers offer variable speeds that come in handy when working near trees and garden beds.”
In general, you can expect to pay between 400 and 450,000 for a self-propelled lawn mower, and the more you’re willing to spend, the more power and features your mower will have. However, some of our top-rated models are only around 500, so don’t feel like you have to splurge to get a great tool.
If your lawn is only a few hundred square feet, you can probably get by with a reel-style lawn mower, but if it’s over ¼ of an acre, a walk-behind mower will make weekly maintenance much easier. The great thing about walk-behind lawn mowers is that there’s an option for every lawn size and budget. If you have a small yard, an inexpensive option like the Sun Joe Electric Lawn Mower will make quick work of your grass without breaking the bank.
Why Trust PEOPLE?
Camryn Rabideau has been a professional product tester for six years, and she’s previously tested ride-on lawn mowers from popular brands like Ryobi and Husqvarna. While writing this article, she relied on firsthand insights from the People Tested team, who used these lawn mowers for a total of 10 hours. She also spoke with Nicole Durden, senior merchant of outdoor power at The Home Depot, for tips on selecting the right lawn mower for your home based on factors like your yard size, terrain, and budget.
We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.
But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.
In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.
The 7 Best Battery-Powered Lawn Mowers of 2023
Sage McHugh has written for Dotdash Meredith since 2019. With over a decade of experience in consumer-oriented content, Sage has a passion for products and how they enhance our everyday lives.
Andrew Hughes is a certified arborist, member of the International Society of Arborists specializing in tree heal care, and reviews tree content on The Spruce’s Gardening Review Board. He founded and runs Urban Loggers, LLC, a company offering residential tree services in the Midwest and Connecticut.
Jenica Currie is an expert content manager, producer, writer, and editor with over a decade of experience cultivating online communities.
Cordless and environmentally friendly, a battery-powered lawn mower is generally easier to maintain and operate than a gas-powered model, and it is especially suited for small to medium-sized lawns. “The best battery-powered lawn mower for your yard is one that suits your specific needs,” says Kris Kiser, president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI). He suggests asking yourself the following before selecting a mower: “What is the size of the property and job? What features are needed for the job? What is your ability to handle the machine?”
We researched and tested a variety of lawn mowers in our own yards including corded, cordless, gas, electric, push, riding, and self-propelled options. For this list of the best-battery-powered lawn mowers, we evaluated products based on their set up, design, performance, usability, safety, and value and included the best options we’ve tested.
Best Overall
Ryobi 40V HP Brushless 21-Inch Dual-Blade Self-Propelled Mower
- Powerful performance
- Long run time and fast charging
- Lightweight, foldable, and compact
- Easy to set up and start
- Quiet operation
The RYOBI 40V HP Brushless 21 Inch Cordless Self-Propelled Mower is the best battery-powered lawn mower we tested because it is just as powerful as some gas models, lasts for up to 70 minutes on a single charge, and is very easy to operate and maintain. We were surprised by how quiet this mower was (almost like weight noise) and lightweight (almost delicate), and easy to start (push-button compared to pulling a cord) compared to gas mowers we’ve used in the past. However, once we got it started and found the right height for an uneven lawn, thanks to the self-propelled technology, it was very powerful and easy to maneuver around, even over hills. By moving a slider from high to low, we could easily adjust the mower’s speed that we needed, depending on the terrain. Finding the right speed takes a bit of getting used to at first, especially on straight, flat rows where the mower was going almost too fast. But overall, we appreciated the power and found it really made mowing much easier, especially on hilly terrain.
This mower has an impressive 70-minute run time, and comes with two 40V batteries. Only one battery is needed at a time, and you can charge the other one with the included Rapid charger and switch them out when needed. We mowed for 45 minutes to an hour each time and had no issues with the mower running out of batteries. However, we will point out a few small issues we came across with the bag. This mower allows you to mulch, bag, or side discharge. The first time we used the mower for the season, the grass was pretty high and the bag filled up very quickly (after mowing about 25-30 feet with taller grass). However, the next few times we used it when the grass wasn’t as overgrown, we did not have that issue. Removing the bag to empty is simple, but when it was full, we did find that it spilled easily. Also, we did notice occasionally that grass would come out of the bag when it was full (just a few blades at a time). While in the mulching mode, we also noted that it did not seem to break up older leaves very well, but we did appreciate overall how well it cut the grass, and we appreciated the seven adjustable cutting heights (1.5 to 4 inches).
We also loved how compact and easy this mower is to store. We had no issues pulling the lever to fold the mower for vertical, space-saving storage. The safety features are also a big plus. The mower has a key, so even though it’s easy to start with just a press of a button, the key does need to be inserted in the mower behind a flap, so you can remove the key when you don’t want someone else using it. You also need to grip the lever when you start or use the mower, or it will not work. The LED headlights also provide extra light should you need it. Overall, if you are looking to switch from a gas to a battery-powered mower or want an easy-to-use mower for your lawn (ideally up to 3/4 of an acre), we found this to be a great choice.
Price at time of publish: 799
Cutting Width: 21 inches | Weight: 75 pounds | Run Time: 70 minutes | Charge Time: 1 hour | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge
Best Self-Propelled
EGO Power Select Cut 56-Volt 21-Inch Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower
- Self-propelled feature is easy to use
- Lightweight and easy to maneuver
- Foldable and compact for vertical storage
- 60-minute runtime
A self-propelled lawn mower can make mowing your lawn an easier task because the mower does most of the work for you—you simply guide it over your terrain while you walk at a comfortable pace that you set on your mower. After testing the EGO POWER Self-Propelled Mower, we selected it as our best self-propelled pick because it was easy to turn the feature on and off when you needed it, and it made mowing the lawn feel less of a pain (especially on our backs!) compared to using a heavy gas mower. If you are new to self-propelled mowers, this will take a little getting used to (including this mower), but we think it will be well worth the initial time spent. In fact, when we first started using this mower, we thought the mower might run away (even on the lowest setting) because we were only used to a gas push mower. Once we figured out how to run the mower without the self-propelled feature, it allowed us to get used to the mower itself and all of its features. We found that 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 both the handle’s height (two options) and angle (three options) with just one hand. Adjusting the cutting height was also a simple and easy task with six settings available, ranging from 1.5 to 4 inches. This mower comes with one EGO 56V ARC Lithium battery that has a 60-minute runtime and takes about the same amount of time to charge. It took us 50 minutes to mow our lawn, and we did not run out of batteries. We also like that you can choose from the bag, mulching, and side-discharge option 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.
Price at time of publish: 549
Cutting Width: 21 inches | Weight: 93.61 pounds | Run Time: 60 minutes | Charge Time: 1 hour | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge
A good version of a standard mower
This dependable, popular Toro performs as well as other decent self-propelled mowers and stands out for its ability to be stored upright (like the Egos), saving valuable garage space.
Buying Options
At the time of publishing, the price was 449.
If you want to pay the lowest price possible and still get a quality self-propelled mower, we recommend the Toro SmartStow Recycler 20340. At around 450, the Toro costs less than the Egos and the Honda, and, like other good options at this price level, it offers intuitive self-propulsion and excellent mulching performance. The Toro’s unusual feature—and the reason we recommend it over a lot of similar machines—is its space-saving ability to be stowed upright in a crowded garage or shed (the Egos can be stored this way as well). However, with the Toro, you don’t get the Ego’s gas-free convenience or the Honda’s cut quality.
The best lawn mower
The self-propelled Ego LM2135SP’s battery runs for an hour and easily mows down overgrown grass—and it spares you the noise, emissions, and maintenance of a typical gas mower.
Buying Options
With Ace Rewards membership (free to join)
For the lawn perfectionist
This reliable Honda gas mower’s dual blades manicure a lawn with precision, and its unique system can dial in the ratio of grass you’re bagging and mulching.
Buying Options
At the time of publishing, the price was 699.
The research
Over the past nine mowing seasons, we’ve spent more than 120 hours researching nearly 250 mowers, interviewing experts, and extensively testing some of our top picks.
An invaluable source has been Roy Berendsohn, a Popular Mechanics lawn mower guru who has more than 20 years of experience testing and writing about mowers. If Berendsohn isn’t writing about mowers, he’s often being interviewed about them (see here and here).
We’ve interviewed landscapers, including Chad Crosby of West Michigan Lawn Services and Paul Koehler of Koehler Landscape Construction Services. We’ve called people at lawn mower retail/service outlets, like Nick Ortiz at Kellam Lawn Mower in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, and Boston Lawnmower Company’s David (who asked that his last name be withheld). We’ve talked to product managers at Honda, Toro, Troy-Bilt, Ego, Cub Cadet, and other manufacturers.
Personally, I maintain a rural property in New Hampshire that is far too large for a push mower to cover but that does provide ample room to test our recommendations. This guide’s editor, Harry Sawyers, assists with testing mowers on his LA property and draws from his previous experience as a professional landscaper.
Who this is for
If you want to be able to stand the sight of your yard this summer, you’re going to need a lawn mower. Anything larger than a half-acre gets into riding-mower territory, but a self-propelled push mower is perfect for a half-acre or less. Going at a pace of about 3 mph (roughly average walking speed), it will take about an hour to cut this amount of grass. (If you have a particularly small lawn, a reel mower is an option—but it’s quite hard work.)
If you already own a gas mower that’s less than a decade old, you will probably not notice a tremendous difference by upgrading to a newer gas mower. Upgrading to a cordless model is a more noticeable change you could immediately appreciate.
The Best Reel Mower for Your (Small) Lawn
After 30 hours researching and testing reel mowers, we think the Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower is the best pick for manual lawncare.
How we picked and tested
As a result of our years of lawn mower evaluation, we’re sure that most people will be happiest with a self-propelled, electric cordless option. Honestly, it all comes down to convenience. Every single element of a gas mower that is considered a nuisance—from the fiddly start-up to the annual maintenance schedule—is gone. Cordless mowers start with the push of a button, are easier to maneuver, and don’t need oil changes, gas, spark plugs, or air filters. They’re much quieter, they don’t smell, they don’t produce emissions, and they’re easier to store in the off-season. The run time has limitations, and charge times can be slow, but the latest models close the performance gaps between cordless and gas.
All that said, there are many capable—and several excellent—gas mowers available. Whatever type of mower you need, here are the criteria we feel matter most in making a selection:
Rear-Wheel Self-propulsion: Self-propelled mowers make life easier. With the mower moving itself across the lawn, all you have to do is throttle and steer, rather than forcing the mower’s full weight up every incline and over every bump. Self-propelled cordless mowers are all rear-wheel drive (RWD), which is preferred over front-wheel drive (FWD), because the mower’s traction improves as the grass bag fills and adds weight over the rear wheels. A self-propulsion feature adds to a mower’s price, but it’s a feature we feel is well worth it, and this requirement doesn’t narrow the field by a whole lot. It does, however, weed out the most bare-bones machines.
Performance as a mower: We researched which mowers could perform the best from a lawn-care perspective—which could make cleaner cuts in grass or promote turf health. We’ve measured this performance firsthand over years of long-term testing and in tests of new contenders against our established recommendations.
User interface and features: In years of tests, we’ve found most midrange mowers perform at a comparable level; most can cut the grass just fine. That led us to place an emphasis on user interface features—how difficult is it to adjust the push-bar height, or to raise and lower the mowing deck? Can you intuitively control and adjust the self-propulsion? Is the bag a pain to put on and take off? Are there other design details that make startup smoother, reduce engine maintenance, or make storage easier?
Cost: We looked at cost in terms of long-term value. Gas mowers are cheaper up-front, generally, but they carry long-term costs that cordless mowers avoid. Those include supplies (like gas, oil, stabilizers, air filters, and spark plugs) and the time and labor of caring for one: getting gas, changing the oil, and emptying the tank at the end of the season. With cordless mowers, a large percentage of the price tag is the battery. Most companies offer a series of outdoor tools (leaf blowers, string trimmers, hedge trimmers, etc.), all compatible with the same battery. And they cost less if you buy them without a battery. So for a high cost up-front, a cordless investment may open the door for an affordable expansion into that manufacturer’s other tools.
Charge time and run time: For cordless candidates, we looked at these two primary factors, which determine whether a battery will be adequate or frustrating. Because these two elements are so important, we looked only at mowers that used at least a 40-volt battery.
and reputation: The best mowers out there have proved satisfying for the most number of people for the longest amount of time. That led us to closely consider the differences among a smaller group of about 50 established, well-regarded models from major brands, often covered by comparable warranties of about three to five years.
Best overall lawn mower
Craftsman 56V MAX Battery-Powered Brushless Riding Mower Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Eco-friendly
- Easy to use and maintain
- Widely adjustable cutting height
- Blade width is generous
- Tight turning radius
- Battery life up to 90 minutes
- Fast charging time of 2 hours
- Price comparable to gas mowers the same size
- Suitable for average suburban-sized lawns
Cons:
- Somewhat tight legroom across the knees
- Not a zero turn
- Motor can slow down mowing tall, dense, weedy areas
- Very sensitive acceleration and deceleration until one gets comfortable with it