Ryobi 20″ 40-Volt Lawn Mower – Mower Review
W hen I bought my first home I purchased a self-propelled gas mower. A few years ago the engine finally quit and I decided to go gasless. I opted for a Scott’s 20” Reel Mower and I was happy. For a while. The Reel mower never bagged right, but I mulched. It was quiet, it cut grass really well, but ultimately it didn’t get the high stuff like weeds and fast growing dandelions, so I’d end up going over the lawn again with the string trimmer. Every. Single. Time.
Enter the Ryobi 20 in. 40-Volt Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Walk-Behind Electric Lawn Mower with 2 Batteries. Ryobi has been making quality tools with professional features at an affordable price point for homeowners everywhere. From drills to lawn mowers, Ryobi makes one of everything, and most of that is battery powered. So even with their extensive knowledge of batteries, how good can a battery powered lawn mower be? Was Ryobi up to the challenge?
Recently Ryobi gave Busted Wallet the chance to review this battery powered wonder and I hoped for the power of a gas mower with the quietness and cleanliness of my reel mower. I wasn’t disappointed. It is everything you like about mowing a lawn without all of the things you hate. Here is what we discovered…
What’s in the Box:
Design:
Straight out of the box this mower is ready to go fully assembled. I needed only to unfold and tighten the quick release style catches on the handle. It is well built and light enough that when folded I can easily pick it up and put it in the back of my van for transport. The battery compartment holds the battery that is in use, has a slot for an extra battery, and is where you put the ‘key’ which is a fuse that when pulled keeps the mower from turning on. This is a great safety feature for when you are putting in or taking out the mulch plug, turning the mower on the side to inspect/remove/reattach the blade, or leaving it where a kid might find it. There is no ‘pull start’. You press a button, pull the handle back and the mower springs to life.
Setting the mowing height is also easy. It’s one handle that has 7 positions between 1.5″ and 3.75″ One handle moves the adjuster on all four wheels.
The batteries each have a 4 light power meter and they update/blink as they are being charged which is helpful so you don’t have to check them. The charger diagnoses the battery every charge letting you know if it is good or bad, and if it can or can’t charge it. The charger won’t charge a battery that is too hot or too cold. The important part is, you don’t have to think about it, the charger does it for you. In all the mowing I did with the mower the battery never failed to charge after being totally drained, they didn’t seem to get hot with continual use.
Best part of the design? All the “Nos”. No gas. No oil. No cords. No loud noise. Seriously. I can mow the lawn and not smell like I mowed a lawn. Electric plug-in mowers are very powerful, but cords get in the way.
Weight Size:
It’s 44.7lbs pushing weight and that isn’t as heavy as it sounds. My Scott’s mower weighted in at 25lbs, but when you push a reel mower you put extra effort into it to turn the gears and blade. I found this to be about the same or less effort than the reel mower. Busted Wallet Recently reviewed the Toro 30” Timemaster and that weighs in at 132lbs! On Rich’s lawn Rich and I took turns going back and forth with the mower, pushing up and down some hills. He has a self-propelled gas mower so I wanted his opinion on the missing self-propulsion. He said it was no better, but no worse than his self-propelled. That the decrease in weight made it just as easy to move over his lawn.
How often have you been asked to help mow a lawn for a parent or friend? My Scotts’ reel mower doesn’t fold to fit in my van and a self-propelled gas mower isn’t an easy lift for 1 person at 130 pounds. That and a gas mower is going to make your vehicle smell like a gas mower. Gas and oil. Oh, and don’t forget to bring your dirty gas can and try not to spill any with your heavy mower.
The Ryobi battery powered mower folds for easy storage, it is fairly easy lift (I had back surgery in 2012 so I pay attention to this detail) when folded, and didn’t make my van smell like anything.
Power:
Do you need 800 HP to mow a lawn? Nope. But even still, I didn’t find any grass that I couldn’t cut. I didn’t find any weeds I couldn’t cut. I did find a few sticks and rocks unfortunately. I did mow through some really tall weeds at a slower pace to make sure it was bagging it all. When the mower hits a patch that is tougher it adds more power. You can actually hear the motor rev up.
Efficiency:
I mowed my lawn several times but to give this mower a fair shake I had to find lawns to mow other than my own. I found Lisa’s mom’s lawn which is larger than mine, my sister-in-law Laura’s lawn a little smaller than mine, Marshall’s lawn which is about the size of a postage stamp, and a Rich’s lawn the largest lawn of the ones I mowed.
On my lawn it met every expectation I had of a mower, not just of a battery powered mower. It takes about half to ¾ of one battery to do my lawn (bagging or mulching). I used both full batteries to do the Lisa’s lawn and filled 2 full trash cans with clippings. At Laura’s house I filled a lawn bag fully on less than 1 battery. Marshall’s lawn it took less than a quarter charge (really small lawn). The variable power of the motor (automatically adjusting to the heaviness of the cut) keeps battery usage to as low as possible while still cutting everything.
Before mowing Lisa’s lawn:
The real test turned out to be my buddy Rich’s lawn and this is where I really learned something about the mower. Not just because of size, but because of the grass. We set the height of the Ryobi Lawn Mower to the same height as Rich’s gas mower and must have cut enough grass to fill 6 lawn bags (his wife kept emptying them and taking them to a nearby garden). It had only been growing for a week, but he had fertilized and it had been getting plenty of water.
It was thick. And not just thick, it was grass, not weeds. It is a lawn that I hope my lawn becomes someday. Still, all in all, the mower performed well. It used both full batteries, one for 23 minutes of use (including time to stop and empty the bag) and the second battery for 32 minutes of use. By the time we were done with the second battery the first one had about 7 minutes of charge in it (they have a 90 minute charge time). At the end of that we mowed the back lawn and finished most of the sides. We had been at it for about 62 minutes and finished about 3/4 of the work. He normally does his lawn in about 45-50 minutes. My lawn which used half a battery takes me 45 minutes with any mower I use. That should give you some idea of what I’m talking about. It’s not just the area you are cutting, you have to take into account what you are cutting. Lush lawns take more energy.
His gas mower is wider, and doesn’t run out of power because he can refill it with gas. His lawn is of such a size that he is considering getting a riding lawn mower like his neighbor. If you’ve stayed with me this long I want you to understand, this isn’t the lawn this mower was meant for but I wanted to challenge it.
And yet, his wife liked it, why? Because it did it all quietly. I heard this same comment about how quiet it was from just about everyone that used it or watched me use it. Rich and I talked while we mowed. We didn’t have to shout, we didn’t have to wear hearing protection, and we didn’t smell like gas. He and I figured if you have 4 fully charged batteries you could do his whole lawn on the worst day. That’s not bad.
Ease of Use:
The hardest part of using this mower is the unboxing. Its actual use is straight forward. You don’t have to warn another user about quirks or complicated starting procedures because your gas mower is on its last legs. When you bag a lawn with a gas mower you start it Every. Single. Time. You stop to take the bag off and put it back on. I’ll let you think about how that affects your back…got that in your mind? Now imagine not having to do that ever again. When you bag with this mower it simply starts up again with the press of a button and pull of the handle. It’s light weight makes it easy to maneuver around obstacles and up and down small hills.
The bag fills up great. It doesn’t seem to block up by the mower. Half the bag is mesh, and the other half is solid. I imagine that helps direct the clippings to filling up the bag. I didn’t feel like I had to stop too soon to empty it. When mulching it spreads out the clippings well. They didn’t clump up like other mowers I’ve used.
Removing the blade for sharpening is also easy. Pull the fuse for safety, tip the mower on its side, then loosen the nut and remove the blade. Sharpen and reverse the process to install it again. I sharpened the blade after I hit a few rocks I didn’t see in my lawn. The blade is thin. At first I was going to put this in the negatives, because it kinda feels like one. But ask yourself, how thick does a blade need to be to cut grass? The strength needs to be in the thin sharpened metal edge and on all rotary mowers like this I expect the sharp edge to be thin. I imagine that cutting down on the weight of the blade saves power. It sharpened easily enough and holds an edge, but like all mowers, avoid rocks.
Service Work:
I’m not 100% sure where I can take this to be serviced but I’m not that worried about it yet. It has a limited 5 year warranty and a full 3 year warranty on the mower AND batteries for personal use through Ryobi. See Page 13 of this PDF for more details.
The folding handle. First, let me say that I like the folding handle more than I don’t. Where it doesn’t function well is when you are taking the grass clipping bag off and putting it back on. The middle bar just seems to be in the completely wrong place every time.
Batteries aren’t free, if Rich really wanted to do his lawn without gas, we’d have to buy two more batteries at 99 each.
The mulch plug. Taking it out is easy. Maybe I haven’t found the trick yet, but putting it back in seems awkward. It feels like it always wants to point down. Once in, it is secure, but you have to take a minute to make sure it’s in all the way.
They really could use two handles built into the plastic housing on top for making a one person lift easier. It isn’t bad to pick it up, but it is awkward. If Ryobi wants to give me a call I can tell them where I’d like them put.
Value:
At 399 this mower is comparable to gas mowers. It has the power of a gas mower. It cuts as good as a gas mower (it is the same rotary style blade as a gas mower so it should). A quick search showed push gas mowers weighing in between 60 and 70 lbs. So it pushes as easy, or easier, than a push gas mower. It isn’t going to replace a riding lawn mower, but it will do the job for most city lawns and sub-divisions. You can get a gas mower for less money, but then you have to deal with gas.
I’ve harped on ‘gasless’ enough in this review, most people I know use a gas mower and don’t see it as a problem is. It wasn’t until I went gasless that I realized how nice it is. You do pay for it up front, but you don’t have to spend money on gas, or oil changes, or spark plugs or tune ups. Over all I believe it balances out, So don’t be scared off by the starting price point. Add up what you’ve spend on your gas mower over the last 5 years with proper maintenance and you should see this as a comparable purchase.
- I enjoy having a gas free lawn.
- I enjoy being able to mow without disturbing my neighbors.
- I enjoy being able to hear my kids play because I don’t have to wear hearing protection.
- I enjoy being able to put the mower away when I’m done with it, not having to wait for a gas mower to cool down.
This battery powered technology has been a long time coming and I think with the Ryobi battery mower line up, it is finally here. This isn’t some pipe dream, it is reality. These mowers will only improve and I think they will become the standard over the next 10 years for home and personal use.
Update: The model reviewed above is now available without batteries or a charger. The replacement for the mower we reviewed is now available here and comes with one battery that has the same capacity as the two batteries in our review.
The Bottom Line: If you are replacing your aging gas mower, or are looking to go gas free, give this mower a serious look. You’ve got 90 days to take it home and try it and I think the first time you do you’ll be sold on it.
- Inserting the mulch plug is tricky
- Handle in the way removing the bag
- Upfront cost might frighten people, but i think it is a value
About The Author
I’m a family man and the fourth generation to work at my family’s printing and advertising shop. A graduate of Grand Valley State University and Eagle Scout, I’m an amateur photographer who likes to build computers, work with tools, camp, and spend time with family. I’m a scoutmaster of a Boy Scout troop and have 30 years of scouting experience. I’m an “idea guy” at work and home and am always on the lookout for the next thing or newest technology to improve my work or home life.
110 Responses
John May 26, 2015 I bought the previous model of the Ryobi 40v mower last year. I love it. I’ll never go back to a gas powered. My yard is just over a quarter acre, partially hilled and all thick grass. It takes me about an hour or so to mow. The mower takes about 3.5 battery charges to do the whole thing. However, I have the other 40v tools like the trimmer and hedger. So I have enough batters and chargers that as I work, the other two can charge up. I’ve found the mower to work just as well as my old gas one. Any places my gas mower had difficulty, my electric did also. So it’s not any better in terms of power. However, the things you stressed, the quietness and the less fumes is spot on. I can talk to my wife as I mow. And not smelling like gasoline when I get done is great. I would suggest everyone who has a manageable yard to get this mower. Reply
heather den Boer May 10, 2019 I’ve had this mower for 3 years. It spent 6 weeks at a service centre last spring only to come home with a new battery. I have suggested and suggested and suggested that it’s not the battery, it’s the connection between the battery and the mower!! It cuts out every 8’ or so. Every time. Ryobi will not replace the mower. I don’t know what to do. 400 is a lot of money for a lemon. I can’t even sell it because it doesn’t work. Reply
Jay July 11, 2019 See “You Tube” for a possible fix for you. I’ve got the same problem. And apparently so do MANY people!
Mike Ver Duin September 10, 2019 I can’t reply to Jay who suggested it, but here’s a YouTube video that describes a fix for what might be happening. https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=iX3tM6hhf24 Obviously, use care, and you are responsible for your own work and safety. I haven’t had this problem on mine, it is still going strong.
Logan Škrtić April 30, 2020 I have had this mower for awhile, and after about 18 months, mine was doing the same thing. What fixed mine? Get yourself a set of torx screwdriver bits that fit into each of the various sized all over its chassis. Make sure to tighten every screw on the mower. Especially the ones that attach the handlebar to to rear right and left sides of the mower. There is a pressure button sensor that when the pressure is relieved from it by folding the handlebar for storage, that cuts off the power to prevent the mower from starting. There, and the plastic crossbar that has the plastic clips that allow the handlebar to collapse for storage also has sensors in it to cut power to the mower if the handlebar is not fully extended and the clips are able to completely grasp around the metal tubes. This started happening after two year of year round use, and also through Phoenix desert temps that swing 35-40 degrees sometimes in a day which causes the plastics on the mower to expand and contract with the temperature changes. Add That to normal usage is well enough that you can’t blame the mower. I got This idea from owning four different German cars over the years. Their warranty service tune-ups make it a point to tighten all exposed chassis bolts on a regular schedule and is most likely a good reason they last so much longer. When stuff comes loose, it misaligns parts, and damage is done from it. So, now I just make myself an reminder on my iPhone to tuneup (or tighten up) the mower every 6 months. Problem solved!
Ryobi 40v Push Mower Upgrade
As we are jumping headlong into the joys of yard maintenance season, how is your trusty Push Mower holding up? Still using a gas mower eh? Almost two years ago I tried my best to bring you over to the battery operated mower contingent and you’re still holding out? Well I got my hands on the new Ryobi 40v Self Propelled Push Mower (RY401120) and stack it up against its predecessor.
This review has been sponsored by Ryobi Outdoor Products. Affiliate links are included.
Ryobi 40v vs Ryobi 40v
Similar to new car models or maybe even an iPhone, it can be tough to tell what upgrades you get with each iteration. For this comparison we’ll be looking at the new Ryobi RY401120 vs 2018’s RY40190. Both are 40 volt, 20″ self propelled mowers, but there are changes.
With only a battery to charge and swap out, maintenance on these mowers is ridiculously simple. No winterizing and no oil or fuel to change. With a push button start and a pull of an adjustment handle you’re on the go in seconds.
The stance on the new RY401120 is slightly different with a lower angle while the handles telescope in leaving about an inch or two longer than the RY40190. In my opinion, it makes the mower a little back loaded, which, when paired with a loaded clipping bag causes a slight wheelie effect. Especially with the self propelled function engaged.
Noticeable immediately is an update to the battery storage. Rather than a side by side compartment you have a jet fighter cockpit which gives a little more room for the included 6.0 Ah 40v battery. The telescoping handle lock is a much needed upgrade as well. With the RY40190, if the latch came unhooked (which occasionally happened with bumpy rides) the mower would shut off. The push down toggle locks securely in place and eliminates this issue altogether.
A Worthy Successor?
If you’ve been on the fence about ditching your gas mower and picking up a battery operated mower then now is a perfect time. Ryobi got a lot right with their last few models and continue to tweak the little things to make this model even better. With a run time on a single 6Ah battery lasting 45 minutes to an hour, for a small city yard like mine, it’s a perfect addition to city life lawn care. The self.propelled function, in my opinion, is too fast for me even set on “min”. But Ryobi has already solved that issue with the next model up, called “Smart Trek” technology that adjust the speed to how much pressure you push on the handles. I’ve used it at a tool event… and it’s amazing.
If you already own another Ryobi 40v mower, then there are a few upgrades that make life easier, but the gap isn’t so large that you need to upgrade immediately. Also… where did the handle on the front go? Granted the old handle had a very uncomfortable texture to grab on to… but it was useful!
Ryobi Outdoors continues to shine with the RY401120. The quietness, the convenience and the ease of use makes the switch from a gas powered mower an easy decision. Just remember to grab a few 4.0 and up batteries the next time Ryobi Days rolls around, because there’s nothing worse than running out a juice halfway through a job if you’re mowing and weed-eating with the same platform.
The Ryobi 40v RY401120 Self Propelled Push Mower is available at the Home Depot on sale at the time of this post for 379.
This post has been sponsored by Ryobi Outdoor Products. I have been provided with product in exchange for my opinion. My opinion is my own.
The main advantages of the Ryobi mower are that:
- It’s very lightweight and maneuverable
- Its folding design makes it very portable and easy to hang
- Its runtime is very long, amongs the best on the market
- Its rechargeable lithium-ion batteries can be used to power your other compatible Ryobi cordless lawn equipment.
CONS OF THE RYOBI
- There is no option of a side discharge
- It’s not self-propelled. Although it is lightweight, it may be difficult for some to maneuver on hills or steep grades. A self propelled version is now available, which I will hopefully get a chance to test
- Its charge rate is good, however a ‘quick charge’ option would be good
Over a three year period, I’ve used this mower in wide range of conditions – super thick grass, wet grass, new sod, new seed, mulching leaves, bagging, different cut heights etc, and its power and performance did not disappoint.
It can handle tough grass without any issue, and given how light it is, it did well on newly seeded areas as well. When the mower hits a patch of lawn that is tougher it adds more power. You can hear the motor speed up to compensate. This is done automatically in order to conserve battery usage.
In my experience I get approximately 40 minutes from a full charge of one 4 amp hour battery. My lawn can usually be done in about 30 minutes, so I’m able to do it all with one battery. And that usually leaves enough juice left to do the trimming as well. Not that I need to use one battery for both. The mower and trimmer both came with 2 batteries, so I could easily do my neighbors lawns as well if I needed too. I bought the blower without batteries, when I realized how much extra capacity I had. I believe the current model of this mower now comes with a single 5.0 Ah battery.
Ryobi’s batteries charge to full capacity in 90 minutes. So technically, if you had three batteries, you could basically mow indefinitely. The batteries each have 4 led lights on them so you can check their power level and you can see their charge progress as they’re charging. Even though the mower could be used to mow 1/2 acre or larger; in my opinion, it is best suited for lawns that are between 1/3 of an acre to 1/2 an acre. That leaves you plenty of capacity for those days when the grass is super thick, or if you need to cut when it’s wet. And, truthfully, I think most people would want a self-propelled mower for lawns larger than 1/2 an acre.
DURABILITY
Over my three years of ownership I only had two things break on the mower. The first item was the plastic battery cover. One of the hinge pins broke when I was opening it. It doesn’t open quite far enough in my opinion. I was able to fix this simply by putting a bent nail in it’s place. The other item that broke, was the rear protective shield. See photo. It basically ripped off. This item receives a lot of wear, so perhaps it should be made from metal instead of plastic and rubber. I called Ryobi about this problem and they mailed me a new one free of charge, so that wasn’t too big of a deal. It was fairly easy to swap out.
ALTERNATIVES
The starting price of the Ryobi is comparable to gas mowers, while also having comparable power. It cuts just as good as a gas mower. In fact, it is the same style blade. Similarly sized gas push gas mowers, however, weigh between 60 and 70 lbs. So the Ryobi pushes a bit easier than a push gas mower in my opinion. In comparison to other battery powered mowers, it’s main competitor is the more espensive EGO mower. The design of the Ryobi isn’t quite as refined as the EGO, however it offers a more appealing value proposition in my opinion. Other 36V cordless mowers look like reasonably good alternatives, but their power and feature sets just don’t compare.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this mower. Ryobi offers a great combination of features at a reasonable price. It’s perfect for a small to medium-sized lawns, and especially attractive if you plan to buy other tools that can use the 40-volt battery architecture. It’s very light, very portable, does an excellent job cutting, and has ample run time. On top of that, it has all the benefits of a cordless electric mower – ie. quiet, no maintenance, easy storage, easy to start, etc.
Check out my gear section for links to this mower and more.
The 10 Best Electric Lawn Mowers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
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.
Barbara Gillette is a Master Gardener, herbalist, beekeeper, and journalist. She has 30 years of experience propagating and growing fruits, vegetables, herbs, and ornamentals.
Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. The Baltimore native also covered the technology scene for LocalBusiness.com and has been a regular contributor to the sports pages of The Baltimore Sun and The Washington Post.
Electric lawn mowers have many advantages over gas-powered models. For example, electric models don’t release exhaust fumes and can be significantly quieter and easier to operate, resulting in a much more pleasant mowing experience all around. “Electric lawn mowers come with many features to help owners stay safe, comfortable, and productive,” says Kris Kiser, president and CEO of Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI).
We researched many different types of electric lawn mowers and tested several in our own backyards across the country. We then evaluated products based on their set up, design, performance, usability, safety, and value and selected our favorites in a range of categories for this list.
Best Overall
EGO Power Select Cut 56-Volt 21-Inch Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower
- Powerful and easy to use
- Lightweight and foldable for vertical storage
- 60-minute runtime and recharging
- Relatively affordable
After testing other electric mowers across the country, the EGO LM2102SP POWER 21-Inch Cordless Self-Propelled Mower is our best overall pick because it is very easy to use, lightweight and compact, and offers additional power when you need it, all at a relatively affordable price. Self-propelled mowers make mowing—especially over hills and rugged terrain—much easier because the mower moves for you at your pace, while you simply guide it around your yard. This option is no exception. While we tested this mower, we almost found it too powerful at first, especially because it was our first time using a self-propelled mower. But once we got the hang of it, we turned it off and on easily, and adjusted the speeds when needed by using the levers on the handle. We found the self-propulsion helpful for going up small hills (the lowest speed was all we needed) and turned it off when navigating around obstacles.
We also appreciated the battery life and fast recharging this mower offers. Although it comes with just one EGO 56V ARC Lithium battery, it has a 60-minute runtime and only takes about the same time to recharge using the included Rapid charger. And while it only took 50 minutes to mow our lawn, we are happy to report that the battery did not run out. If you have other EGO products at home with the same battery, you could always swap in that battery if you have a larger lawn and want to continue mowing without much of a break.
Other user-friendly features we love include the easily-adjustable handle: You have two options for the height and three options for the angle, so you can pick the one that is most comfortable for you. We also found adjusting the cutting height to be a simple task, with six settings to choose from ranging in height from 1.5 to 4 inches. And when you are done, the handle is just as easy to fold, so you can store your mower vertically in your garage or shed. We do want to note that while we think this mower did a great job mowing in dry and damp conditions, once when mowing over a particularly wet area, an orange light came on and the mower stopped. However, once we moved the mower to a more drier area, we were able to start it again easily. The only other minor issue we reported is putting on the grass collection bag. We found it would be much easier with two people since it clips on tightly and it’s a bit hard to get around the support bar (it popped off a few times during this process). But other than those small issues, we think this is an excellent electric mower for navigating different types of terrain with ease.
Price at time of publish: 549
Cutting Width: 21 inches | Weight: 93.61 pounds | Power Source: Battery | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge
Best Budget
Greenworks 12 Amp 20-Inch 3-in-1 Corded Lawn Mower
We’ve tested the Greenworks Electric Corded Lawn Mower several times over the last few years, and it continues to stand out as the best affordable choice for small yards and tight spaces, even those with somewhat challenging terrain. In fact, while testing this mower in our latest round of testing, we had no issues navigating over divots, clumps, bumps, and other parts of our lawn that were uneven—we found that this mower powered right through them. Plus, the 12-amp motor is powerful enough for tough cutting and mulching, including the tall, spindly weeds in our yard. We didn’t report any issues mowing over slightly wet grass either.
The 20-inch cutting deck is narrower than some other options, but we found that it helped us get through the tight areas of our yard easily. Adjusting the cutting height (seven different heights ranging from 1.5 to 3.75 inches) is simple as well, and really is the only setting you need to worry about. However, we did note that the mower didn’t go quite low enough to cut some patches of clover. Although it’s budget-friendly, we love that you have three options for your grass clippings—bag, mulch, or side discharge—and you don’t have to purchase any of these features separately (which would add to the cost). The grass collection bag was easy to clip on, although we did spill some grass clippings the first time we removed it and noted that the bag was not even full. However, we think this won’t be an issue once we get the hang of it.
Although this electric model is corded, we appreciated the unlimited runtime and didn’t find the cord to be cumbersome. We did find ourselves holding on to the cord even though there was a cord restraint system that kept it in place, but we were able to mow the lawn easily with our other hand. It’s important to note that this mower must be used with a 14-gauge 50-foot extension cord or a 12-gauge 100-foot extension cord (not included). Overall, we found this to be a really easy lawn mower to set up (just a few screws are needed for the handle), use, and store (just fold the handle), and it continues to impress us with its performance and price.
Price at time of publish: 230
Cutting Width: 20 inches | Weight: 56 pounds | Power Source: Corded | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge
Best Self-Propelled
Ryobi 40V HP Brushless 21-Inch Dual-Blade Self-Propelled Mower
Although it is a little more of a splurge compared to other options we tested, The Ryobi 40V HP Brushless 21 Inch Cordless Self-Propelled Mower stands out for its powerful performance (comparable to some gas models), and long, 70-minute runtime. We tested this mower on the first grass of the season and were quickly impressed by its ease of use and quiet performance (we thought it almost sounded like white noise), especially compared to gas models we’ve used in the past. Thanks to the self-propelled technology, it was a breeze to mow over uneven terrain, even over hills, with little effort on our part. It did take a little bit of time to select the right cutting height for our uneven lawn (the blade did get stuck a few times), but once we adjusted the height, we were impressed by the cutting performance. Luckily this mower offers seven adjustable cutting heights (1.5 to 4 inches), so you can easily pick the one you need. We also want to mention that like our best overall mower, the EGO LM2102SP POWER 21-Inch Cordless Self-Propelled Mower, the self-propelled feature does take some time to get used to, and you may feel like the mower will run away on you at first until you figure out which setting you need for each part of your yard.
This model comes with two 40-volt batteries and a Rapid charger. Since only one battery is needed at a time, you will always have one ready to go should you need it. Our lawn took only 45 minutes to an hour each time to mow, and we never had to stop and recharge it to finish the job. However, we did have to stop the first time we mowed to empty the grass collection bag, which we found to be surprisingly small. It filled up after mowing about 25-30 feet of tall grass. The next two times weren’t as much of an issue because the grass wasn’t as overgrown. It was very simple to remove the full bag, but we found that it spilled easily and a few blades even spilled when the mower was in use (whether or not it was filled.) These few issues aside, we appreciated the bag, mulching, and side-discharge options for the grass clippings overall, although it is worth noting that it did not break up older leaves very well.
Like most of the mowers on this list, the Ryobi 40V HP Brushless 21 Inch Cordless Self-Propelled Mower is easy to fold and store vertically to save space. We were equally impressed with all of the safety features. Although it has a simple, push-button start, the mower has a key that you can store separately so no one can accidentally start the mower. When ready to use, the key has to be inserted behind a flap. Plus, the mower only works while you are gripping a lever. The LED headlights provide extra light that might be helpful when mowing around dusk or dawn. Although this mower is a bit more pricey than our best overall (which is also a battery-powered self-propel model), we think it’s worth the extra cost for the power, long runtime, and extra battery.
Price at time of publish: 799
Cutting Width: 21 inches | Weight: 75 pounds | Power Source: Battery | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge
The Best Electric Lawn Mowers of 2023
These cordless cutters are powerful, convenient, and (relatively) quiet.
By Roy Berendsohn Published: May 11, 2023
If you’re among the thousands of homeowners in the process of switching from a gas engine mower to one powered by a battery, this is the season to make your move. Battery mower technology is evolving and improving even as you read this. Our tests are proving conclusively that more of these lawn mowers cut a larger area than previous machines. And, almost certainly, if you buy a spare battery or two, you’ll have more than enough capability to handle your lawn’s requirements for the duration of the cutting season.
Many people, especially those with small yards (roughly 5,000 to 8,000 square feet of grass to cut) who can handle the job in 40 minutes to an hour find that not only can they cut their lawn with battery-powered mowers, but that they can also do their trimming and blow the surfaces clean with battery-powered tools. We’re diehard gas engine users here, but even we have to state the obvious: battery mowers are great yard-care tools and a perfect fit for many homeowners.
We’ve been testing electric lawn mowers since it came into being and this spring was no exception. As in past years, we took the latest crop of battery-powered mowers and put them through a multi-day, multi-phase test. The measured-area and bagging test required mowing approximately 85,000 square feet of turf. That’s slightly under two acres. Prior to that we had already run the mowers through a preliminary test–we didn’t even bother to measure that test area. In the process we walked somewhere in the range of 9 to 10 miles testing these mowers.
We put in that effort to help you find an electric lawn mower that’s a good fit for you, in terms of power, bagging ability, cut cleanliness and ease of operation. Our test results are shown below, followed by more specifics on how we test.
The Best Electric Lawn Mower
Ego LM2150SP Cordless Lawn Mower
Ego LM2167SP Electric Lawn Mower
Echo DLM 2100SP Electric Lawn Mower
Greenworks 25223 Cordless Lawn Mower
Ryobi RY401150US Self-Propelled Electric Mower
Toro 21466 Recycler Lithium-Ion Electric Mower
Toro 21623 Stripe Dual-Blades Self-Propelled Mower
Husqvarna Lawn Xpert LE-322 Battery-Powered Lawn Mower
Makita GML01Z Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
Ego LM2150SP Cordless Lawn Mower
Several features allowed the Ego to clinch Best Overall, no small achievement in our mower tests. First is its outstanding cut quality. Healthy grass looks like velvet after it has been mowed with the EGO. Even when the mower is used in mulching mode, we did not find clumps of accumulated clippings after the mower was finished (it’s important to specify here that these tests were performed on dry grass). We attribute that cut quality to the X-shaped blade (a design developed decades ago on Honda’s gas engine mowers) and to the smooth and unobstructed deck surface surrounding the blade.
This mower is also an excellent bagger, gathering pounds more grass per square foot of test area than most mowers. You have to be aware of that when operating this mower. Its bag will fill more quickly than you might think. Although we spend most of our time testing mowers in mulch mode, we recognize that bagging is particularly important to people who have a lot of foot traffic in parts of the yard and want to prevent grass clippings from getting dragged into the house, garage or onto patios. If that’s you, the Ego is probably a good fit for you.
Like many battery mowers today, the Ego is equipped with an all-plastic deck that will never rust, and a tilt-forward handle that also telescopically adjusts to suit the user’s height. To make it even easier to use, it has single-lever deck height adjustment with a large T-shaped handle. The combination of the spring-loaded adjustment and one of the better speed-control mechanisms we’ve seen–a simple dial that you rotate forward and back.
Since this model is sold without a battery and charger, it’s up to you how much battery to put in it. The brand recommends a battery with a minimum of 7.5 Ah of capacity, and that’s what we used to arrive at the cut area you see below. You can easily do better than that with a larger battery such as the company’s 10-Ah, a whopper of a power pack. Given that the Ego’s motor and drive system are both quite efficient, enabling it to accomplish nearly 1500 square feet of mowed surface per amp hour of battery capacity, that would translate to nearly 15,000 square feet of mowed surface with such a large battery. That’s a lot of lawn. With a 10-Ah battery, the manufacturer estimates run time as 75 minutes. That strikes us as plausible, particularly on level ground, in mulching mode.
With decades of mower testing behind us, we’ve seen just about every type of drive control imaginable. It’s difficult for us to assess these, since what one person finds comfortable someone else may not. We found the Ego’s dial-adjusted speed control (the company calls it Touch Drive) to be simple and intuitive. Move the dial forward with your left or right thumb to increase speed. Move it back to decrease. The slowest speed is a leisurely pace (.9 mph), the top speed requires a comfortably-fast walk.
The Ego is powerful, fun to operate, and cuts so well—it’s difficult to find anything to complain about. We suppose its big batteries could use a handle (like the Toro) but at least they are well shaped and have a lot of rubber-coated surface, to promote a good grip.
Ryobi 21″ 40-Volt Cordless Lawnmower Review
The newest Ryobi model #RY401130 21″ 40-Volt cordless lawnmower gained a lot of attention at the recent Tool Box Buzz Best Cordless Lawnmower Head to Head comparison test. Ryobi brings affordable cordless options to homeowners that are easy to find. Their cordless outdoor power equipment line continues to evolve and grow and the new 21″ 40-Volt cordless lawnmower is a great example of their progress.
Ryobi 21″ 40-Volt Cordless SelfPropelled Lawnmower
Manufacturer: Ryobi Model number: RY401130 Price: 449.00 Power source: 40-Volt Lithium-Ion Batery Weight: 79.2 Lbs.
Specifications and Features
- Drive Type: Rear Wheel Drive Self Propelled
- Battery System: 40-Volt 7.5 Ah Lithium Ion
- Deck Size: 21″
- Cutting Height: 1.5″-4″
- Deck Height Adjustments: 7 Point
- Starter Type: Push Button
- Cutting Options: Mulching, Bagging, and Side Discharge
- Warranty: 5 Year Limited Tool 3 Year Limited Battery
- Weight: 79.2 Lbs.
The Ryobi 21″ mower folds into a compact overall size for storage. Because it is electric and has no gas or oil it can be stood up and stored vertically.
First Impressions of the Ryobi 21″ Lawnmower
Last year I had the opportunity to review the 21″ Smart TREK self propelled lawnmower from Ryobi. I found this model to have several lacking areas. When I began evaluating the new 21″ 40-Volt cordless model, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this new 21″ 40-Volt model was greatly improved.
The overall construction of the mower has a very solid feel. The wheelbase is more compact than others at 65.15″. This gave the Ryobi mower excellent handling. The mower deck as well as the handle assembly are all metal which contribute to the solid feel. However, the mower is pretty heavy. At 79.2 Lbs. it was one of the heaviest mowers we tested. That weight was concentrated on the motor housing and centered on the deck which gave the mower good balance.
Ryobi’s Self Propelled System
One feature of the Smart TREK mower I absolutely did not care for was the self propelled drive system. The new 21″ 40-Volt lawnmower’s self propel system is intuitive, responsive, and above all else easy to use.
Ryobi’s spring loaded safety handle folds flat against the cushioned handle bar. Two green plastic levers are used to engage the self propel system. The blade deck turns on and off with by pushing of the center button. The speed is controlled by an easy to reach sliding control lever. This control system is more user friendly than the Smart TREK system which requires pushing down on the handle bar.
On Board Battery Storage
The Ryobi 21″ 40-Volt cordless lawnmower uses a single battery as a power source. The housing has a spring loaded smoked grey plastic cover that keeps dust and debris out. Inside the battery compartment area is an extra space where a second battery can be clicked in and stored. Having the second battery ready to go and on hand is a great idea feature for users cutting larger areas.
Ryobi Mower Deck Height Adjustment
My favorite feature of the Ryobi Model RY401130 is the deck height adjustment system. Ryobi incorporates a molded handle into the deck housing. The handle features a release switch and adjusts for height simply by pulling upwards or pushing down. The system features a total of 7 preset detents that allow adjustment from 1.5″-4″. I was not the only one impressed by this, in fact the Ryobi took first place overall for best/easiest deck height adjustment during the Head to Head.
Ryobi 40-Volt Power and Runtime
Ryobi offers a new 7.5 Ah high capacity 40-Volt battery with the new 21″ cordless lawnmower. This is the largest capacity battery pack Ryobi has ever made. One of these batteries is include with the mower, however you would need to purchase additional batteries separately.
By combining the 40-Volt system with a large (7.5 Ah) battery pack, the Ryobi 21″ mower produces a calculated 270 Watt Hours. During field testing, the mower accomplished 10,430 square feet of mowing on a single charge. That equates to about 1.1 miles traveled all together. That kind of coverage is exceptional for the average homeowner. Also, the cutting potential becomes almost endless if you are willing to purchase additional batteries.
Room For Improvement
As I previously mentioned, the Ryobi 40-Volt mower is heavy. It is also somewhat loud for a cordless lawnmower. At 89.2 decibels it registered as the loudest mower we tested. If Ryobi could find a way to shave some pounds and decibels this would be welcomed improvements. Especially considering that cordless lawnmowers are a sought out product for buyers in congested neighborhoods or noise restricted communities.