As my neighbor and friend, you‘ve likely wondered whether battery-powered mowers are finally ready to replace noisy, high-maintenance gas models. Rest assured, today‘s cordless electric mowers provide lower cost, eco-friendly lawn care without sacrificing performance!
In this hands-on review, I‘ll highlight the top battery mower picks across budget levels. You‘ll discover how voltage, motor type and deck width impact cutting results. My guide also shares insider tips on picking the right electric mower tailored specifically to your yard size and terrain.
Let‘s start with my top recommendations in 2023 across three budget tiers:
Best Value Battery Mowers
Value battery mowers balance affordable upfront cost with capable cutting power for small to medium lawns.
Greenworks 40V 16” Mower
With brushed motor and 1x battery, it handles basic mowing for less than $300.
Sun Joe iON16LM 40V 16” Mower
Also under $300, Sun Joe‘s brushless motor adds efficiency and longer component life.
Ryobi 40V 21” Self-Propelled
Step up to a wider 21” self-propelled Ryobi mower for under $500 with extra cutting power plus hands-free operation.
Best Mid-Range Battery Mowers
Mid-range options add robust brushless motors, dual batteries and steel decks making them ideal as a gas mower replacement for larger yards.
Ego Power+ 21” Select Cut Self-Propelled
Optimized aerodynamic blade improves mulching and runtime. Easy storage with folding handle.
Toro 60V 21” Steel Deck Super Recycler
Torpedo-shaped deck improves grass lifting while strong 60V battery handles thicker grass.
Craftsman V60 60V 24” Brushless Self-Propelled
Extra 4” cutting width allows covering more ground per pass while front-wheel drive adds traction.
Best Heavy-Duty Battery Mowers
Commercial grade brushless motors, steel decks and high voltage battery systems allow heavy duty battery mowers to take on the thickest, wettest grass without bogging down. They easily clear acres of turf on a single charge.
Snapper 60V 21” Rear Wheel Drive Self-Propelled Mower
Large rear wheels and 60V battery power up and over hills or uneven terrain with power to spare.
Ariens 60V AMP 21” Brushless
Commercial grade Ariens mower cuts wide 21” swath path with extra high / low cutting height settings.
DeWALT 60V MAX* 22” 3-in-1 Mower
DeWALT’s heavy-duty 22” steel deck leverages dual 60V batteries to deliver gas equivalent power.
Now let’s take a deeper look at my top overall pick:
1. Ryobi 40V 21-inch Brushless Self-Propelled Mower
Deck Width: 21"
Motor: Brushless
Battery: 40V 4Ah
Runtime: 45 mins
Drive: Variable Speed Rear-Wheel
Deck Material: Steel
Priced just under $500 including battery and charger, Ryobi packs tremendous value into this mower.
The 40V 4Ah battery outputs enough juice to clear up to 1/4 acre on a charge – perfect for a typical suburban plot. Clearing my entire lawn with some leftover takes just one battery.
Mowing Coverage
| Battery Charge | Coverage |
|---|---|
| 1 | Up to 1/4 acre |
| 2 | Up to 1/2 acre |
| 3 | Up to 3/4 acre |
And charging from empty takes as little as 60 minutes thanks to the rapid charger.
The heavy-duty steel deck and digitally controlled brushless motor provide plenty of cutting power. It handled my lawn’s thick August grass without hesitation thanks to extra torque.
Adjusting cutting height from 1.5 inches up to 4 inches is easily done right from the handle in 1/2 inch increments.
The two-blade 21” width clears grass efficiently but still maneuvers well around landscaping borders and trees. And the variable speed rear-wheel drive takes the effort out of pushing.
After mowing, the handle folds vertically to reduce storage space down to just 23” wide.
And it supports rear bagging, side discharge or fine mulching thanks to the dual blade design and optimized grass catcher.
For the price, performance and quality, Ryobi’s 40V smart mower line is my top pick for delivering battery-powered cutting comparable to gasoline without the noise, mess or maintenance.
How to Select the Right Cordless Mower
Choosing the mower best matched to your specific lawn makes all the difference when it comes to end results. Let‘s go through the key deciding factors:
Lawn Size
Determining total square footage helps pick an appropriately sized cutting deck. Here’s a rough guide:
| Lawn Size | Mower Deck Width |
|---|---|
| Up to 4,000 sq ft | 14 to 18 inches |
| 4,000 to 8,000 sq ft | 20 to 21 inches |
| Over 8,000 sq ft | 21+ inches |
Measure lawn dimensions or use online mapping tools if unsure.
Mowing Obstacles
Also survey your property for landscaping borders, flower beds, trees and other obstacles. Complex landscapes demand narrower, more nimble mowers over wide area models. Consider self-propulsion if maneuvering across steep slopes.
Grass Type
Evaluate your turf grass species and time of year. For example, lush St. Augustine in mid-summer grows much thicker than dormant Bermuda grass in winter. Plan for extra cutting power if peak growth aligns with your mowing schedule.
Battery & Motor
More voltage and advanced brushless motor design translate to increased torque and blade speed for chewing through thick grass. Compare voltage, battery capacity (Ah) and motor type specs when selecting between models.
Higher voltage lithium-ion batteries also sustain energy output longer. When batteries fade, motor power diminishes.
Terrain Profile
For flat, even turf basic push or self-propelled mowers work sufficiently. But contoured yards with dips or hills demand heavy-duty models with robust traction.
Check manufacturer terrain rating and wheel drive configuration – front, rear or all-wheel. Models rated for slopes over 15 degrees maintain power without losing momentum going uphill.
Weighing Pros and Cons of Battery vs. Gas
While battery technology has closed the gap in cutting performance considerably, some differences remain that help determine suitability:
pros | cons
Runtime | Upfront cost
Emissions | Power output
Maintenance | Charging logistics
Noise | Winter storage
Cordless lithium-ion batteries now run over an hour on higher voltage models – enough to clear multiple average home lots per charge.
My Ego mower’s 56V ARC battery has 65 minutes maximum runtime. By design, it initiates a power-saving mode automatically when reaching the final 25% charge to ensure completing my entire yard without fully depleting. Pretty clever!
Average Runtime by Voltage
| Voltage | Avg. Runtime |
|---|---|
| 24V – 40V | 30 to 45 minutes |
| 40V – 60V | 45 to 60 minutes |
| 60V+ | 55 to 70 minutes |
Of course, zero emissions and vastly lower noise pollution make battery operation much more pleasant overall.
My neighbors no longer need to endure my early weekend mowing thanks to Ego‘s whisper quiet brushless motor!
On the flip side, costs are still higher than comparable gas mowers – around 2X to 3X as much. Advanced brushless motors, steel decks and lithium batteries all demand premium materials costs.
However, avoiding gas and oil changes saves money over time while electric motors last longer than maintenance-demanding combustion engines.
So the break-even timeframe averages around 3 to 5 years for most models.
What‘s Next for Battery Lawn Mower Tech?
While the modern battery mower already outpaces legacy gas models, engineers are just getting warmed up inventing the future of automated turf care!
Robotic Operation
Several vendors have showcased concept autonomous mowers able to intelligently navigate yards while avoiding obstacles. Integrated GPS, cameras and sensors will enable precision trimming unattended.
Solar Charging
Eco-friendly solar panels seamlessly integrated into the mower body show promise for extending operational times by passively recharging batteries while housed in sunlight.
Husqvarna already sells a robotic solar charging model in Europe able to fully repower while cutting via onboard solar cells.
Connected Smart Features
Onboard WiFi and integration with home automation platforms will allow conveniences like remote start/stop, custom cutting schedules, usage analytics and security alerts via apps.
Several high-end models on the market currently offer Bluetooth mobile connectivity for basic remote controls.
So while modern battery mowers already beat gasoline models across most usage factors, emerging technology will only continue nudging electric equipment further ahead as the superior 21st century solution.
Let‘s Find Your Perfect Battery Match!
Now that you know the essential factors that comprise cordless mower performance, let‘s pinpoint the ideal model tailored to your unique lawn conditions and needs.
The most significant deciding components are:
- Yard dimensions
- Obstacles/landscaping complexity
- Grass type
- Engine power requirement
- Terrain grade
- Budget
With measurements and turf grass data handy, I can nmap models in the product matrix above to recommend your ideal voltage, cutting width, drive type and features.
Let me know the details, and I will find you the perfect battery-powered mower replacement for your gas guzzler! Just reach out anytime.
Your neighbor,
[Your name]
