Cutting grass is exhausting and time-consuming. When you're using standard mowers, that is.
Let's make it a fun and no-fuss experience with a cordless lawn mower.
As your resident experts, we reviewed some of these garden power machines, and came up with the best cheap cordless electric lawn mower of the year.
Top 5 Cheap Cordless Lawn Mowers in 2020
Greenworks Cordless Electric Lawn Mower
At 20 inches wide, this Greenworks 40V battery powered mower has the largest cutting deck out of any other product on this list to help you get the job done faster.
It’s also outfitted with two 10-inch deck size cutting blades. Based on customer reviews, the dual blade design is a notable feature to have because it offers superior cut quality and better mulching than you get in a one-blade mower.
This battery-powered cordless mower also has the longest-running time on a single battery charge – 70 minutes. And with an innovative smart cut technology, this brushless motor adjusts its power and runtime on the fly based on the thickness of the grass.
If you want a variation of grass cutting heights, this mower has two or more options for you.
With a single lever five-position cutting deck that has a height range from 1 1/4-inch to 3 1/8-inch, you can cut your grass to your desired size no matter where you use it.
Finally, a detachable rear bag is also included for you to collect grass clippings as you mow or mulch them into your existing lawn. It also supports a side discharge bag. Users claim that this electric mower is a powerful machine to help you get the job done. If you want a beautiful lawn without much fuss, we recommend you give it a try.
Key Features:
- Brushless Motor: 20-Inch Cutting Deck
- Ideal for Mid-Sized Areas
- Innovative Smart Cut Technology
- 3-in-1 Discharge: Rear, Mulching and Side Discharge
BLACK+DECKER Cordless Lawn Mower
This is our second pick for the cheap best cordless lawn mower.
Despite it being cheaper than our top pick, it does have a few technical quirks that you should be aware of.
This battery-powered mower has a slightly smaller 16-inch cutting deck. This usually isn’t a big deal, but it will add another day or two if you’re mowing a large yard.
Fortunately, you still get a wide variety of grass cutting height options. It has six adjustable intervals between 1 1/5-inch to 3 1/5-inch.
Total mowing time is usually one of the major concerns. At 30 minutes per battery charge, it offers less than half compared to our top pick. If you choose this model, it would be a good idea to stock up on an extra battery so you can mow for more than 30 minutes at a time.
The grass catching bag is a standard feature based on customer reviews. However, the mower’s handle folds down so you can store it in more convenient locations. Another nice touch is that this product includes carrying handles to make it easy to lift and carry.
For the price, this is a nice option for a battery-powered lawn mower that doesn’t use a cord.
Key Features:
- 6 Height Adjust Settings
- 3-in-1 Compact Power
- Battery Powered: Includes (2) 40 Volt Lithium-Ion Batteries
- Easy to push & convenient storage
Snow Joe Cordless Electric Lawn Mower
If you’re looking for the best cheap cordless lawn mower that packs a lot of battery power, this is our third recommended choice among the list.
With a 14-inch cutting deck size, it’s ideally made for small to medium size yards, but if you really want to push it to the limits, you can use it to cut a large one, too. It will just take more time.
Since it’s a cordless mower for smaller areas, the total lithium-ion battery runtime lasts about 25 minutes.
The cheaper price of battery-powered lawn mower usually spells limitations on the cutting height positions. But with this single-lever cordless electric mower, you get three levels to cut grass between 1 1/6-inch to 2 1/2-inch.
Although it’s inexpensive, you still get the option of collecting grass cuttings or mulching them into your existing yard by taking off the grass catcher bag.
All in all, this electric mower is a good option for a low price. If you want to test the waters on a cordless battery mower without spending a lot of money, this might be your best option.
Key Features:
- Designed for Small to Medium Lawns
- 3-Position Manual Height Adjustment
- Detachable Grass Catcher
- 2-Year Warranty from Manufacturer
Worx Cordless Electric Lawn Mower
If you liked the sound of our #3 top cordless lawn mower above but isn’t thrilled about the cutting deck height options, you may want to consider this battery-powered machine right here.
It’s similar to the Snow Joe Mower, but gives you a better cutting height range between 1 1/2-inch to 3 1/2-inch. If you like to keep your grass longer and thicker, this is likely a better fit.
The battery runtime also lasts longer. You can get between 30 to 45 minutes depending on how flat or hilly your yard is.
And finally, this battery-powered model includes a folding handle, so you can have more options for storing it.
If this sounds like what you’re looking for, give this cordless lawn mower a try.
Key Features:
- Patented Intellicut Technology
- Foam Padded Handles
- 3 Cutting Height options
- Battery Powered: Includes 20V Max Lithium Batteries
BLACK+DECKER 3-in-1 Cordless Lawn Mower
Our final recommendation for the best cordless electric lawn mower is this 3-in-1 machine right here.
Unlike other products on this list, this machine easily converts from a mower to a trimmer to an edger.
If you have a small yard that you want to keep tidy, it might be one of the wisest investments you may have.
It lets you tackle three jobs at once without having to purchase each tool separately.
It’s also cheap, and it’s a reasonably good deal when it comes to buying a mower, trimmer, and edger.
The cutting deck is 12-inches wide. The battery runs for 20 minutes at a time and is super lightweight at 14.4 lbs.
It does lack a grass-catching bag, but the added bonus of two other lawn tools makes up for it.
Key Features:
- 3-in-1 Tool: Mower, Trimmer, and Edger
- Minimum or No Bog Down Time
- Perfect for Small Yards with Small Slopes
- Easy to Use and Maneuver
Important Features to Look For
Now that you have seen our top picks, there are some important features you’ll want to consider before making a purchase.
These types of battery-powered mower come in all shapes and sizes, and offer some subtle differences in features. By paying attention to what options are available on these machines, you’ll be able to find the best electric mower for your needs while also saving the most amount of money.
Cordless Mower Cutting Deck Size
The cutting deck size determines the cut quality or how much grass you can cut at one time. It also determines how many times you’ll have to go back and forth to finish your yard completely.
The larger the blade, the fewer passes you’ll have to do as you mow.
Personally, we like the slightly smaller cutting decks because we have a lot of tight spaces and things to go around in my yard.
But, if you have a large yard with few obstacles, the best battery-powered lawn mower usually comes with a larger cutting deck, so you don’t have to make too many passes.
Our top picks typically have a height range between 12 to 20 inches for the cutting decks.
Runtime of Electric Lawn Mowers
Since you’re not running on gas or a power cord when using a cordless mower, you want to make sure that you have enough lithium-ion battery juice to get the job done.
If you have a small yard or don’t mind stopping to recharge your battery-powered lawn mower, this isn’t a big deal. However, if you have a large yard or lots to do in general, your lawn mower battery runtime (or lack thereof) can become a pain.
For the best cordless lawn mower, we recommend a battery runtime starting at 20 minutes and going up to 70 minutes on a single battery charge.
You can always buy a battery or two on the side to extend these mowing times.
Height Adjustment
Your lawn mower’s height adjustment dictates how tall or short you can cut your grass. If you live in an area that gets a lot of rain, you may want to cut your grass shorter, so you don’t have to cut it as much.
But if you live somewhere that doesn’t receive much rainfall, you might want to leave the grass longer, so it doesn’t burn off. The top-rated cordless battery lawn mowers mentioned above have height adjustments starting at just over one inch and going up to over three inches.
Grass Catching Bag
Do you like a neat yard that’s free of grass clippings when you’re done mowing? Or are you someone who doesn’t mind having that grass mulched into your yard?
If you prefer to keep your lawn tidy, then a grass-catching bag is a must-have item. A grass catcher lets the blades of grass funnel into a bag that you can dump out when you’re done mowing. It also acts as a safety feature to catch flying rocks or other debris when you’re cutting the lawn.
Our reviews will tell you that whether or not you want to collect your grass clippings, a grass catcher is a useful accessory. Four out of our five top picks have this handy bag attachment.
Weight of Cordless Automatic Mowers
A lot of gas-powered lawn mowers are heavy, and this can be a problem if your yard has inclined slopes.
Fortunately, most electric lawn mowers are lighter and easier to push than the gas-powered mowers. If you don’t have mobility issues or mind a heavier mower, an electric mower with a larger cutting deck won’t be a problem.
If you want a lightweight option, get an electric mower whose cutting deck is below 20 inches. A 20-inch cutting deck and up models weigh just as much as a gas-powered mower.
The electric lawn mowers we reviewed starts at just over 14 pounds and go up to almost 50 pounds. You must pay attention to the weight if you think it may be a concern.
Different Types
When it comes to buying a cordless electric lawn mower, you’ll find that it comes in two types: mulching and grass catching.
A mulching cordless lawn mower is one that chops up the grass into fine pieces and then discharges it back to the lawn as you mow. Some people prefer this method of mowing because the grass clippings add nutrients back to the soil as they decompose.
As per our reviews, the downside to mulching electric lawn mowers is that the grass clippings can tend to make your grass look brown, especially in hotter climates where the mulched grass doesn’t decompose as quickly.
Another common issue is that mulching a lawn with a lot of weeds can end up fertilizing a larger part of the yard with those weeds.
A grass catching cordless lawn mower is one that collects the grass into a bag as you mow the lawn. This allows you to do whatever you please with the clippings and eliminates the labor of using a rake and bag to collect the mulched grassed, if you’re going to invest in a cordless lawn mower.
We suggest that you buy one that includes a grass catcher. That way, you can decide later if you want to collect the grass clippings or not. While four out of five cordless lawn mowers we recommend above has a grass catcher, using it is optional.
Another good rule of thumb here is that you may want to mulch grass at certain times of the year and collect the clippings during others. For example, mulching is best done in the early spring and late fall so that the grass clippings can return as many nutrients as possible to the soil while collecting your clippings during the hot summer months will give your lawn time to breathe.
7 Benefits of Cordless Electric Lawn Mowers
If you’re in the market to buy a cordless electric lawn mower, you most likely already know why you’re getting it. However, it’s still good to point out the many benefits you’ll enjoy by making this type of purchase.
Here are the top benefits of cordless lawn mowers:
- Cheaper: It’s no surprise that gas-powered lawn mowers cost money to operate. And when you compare the price of owning and operating one of those mowers (i.e., gasoline, oil, filters, and spark plugs), electric mowers can save you a substantial amount of money since they don’t require gas-powered features (only electricity to charge a lithium-ion battery).
- Environmentally Friendly: 5% of the nation’s air pollution is contributed to gas mowers. Cordless electric lawn mowers don’t produce emissions, making them better for our environment. [1]
- Easy Start: All the best cordless battery lawn mowers start with the touch of a button, which means there’s no hard cord to pull or carburetor to prime with gas.
- Less Weight: Without the hefty parts of a gas-powered mower, electric models weigh much less. That makes these machines easier to push around your yard. Also, it makes it easier to operate for people who have difficulty moving heavy things.
- Less Noise: Cordless lawn mowers produce less noise than gas lawn mowers, and with most electric mowers, you don’t need to wear ear protection. The loudest cordless mowers are as loud as a washing machine.
- Less Maintenance: Without gasoline, oil, filters, or spark plugs to worry about, these battery lawn mowers are cheap to maintain. Just make sure you charge the battery correctly, and you won’t incur any other expense besides a new blade.
- Easy to Maneuver: The major advantage of cordless lawn mowers over corded electric mowers is that you have no restrictions of movement. Corded models require you to be plugged in, which can limit your mobility. Also, you have to watch out for the cord while mowing. Cordless models give you total freedom to mow your lawn just like a gas-powered lawn mower.
FAQs
A cordless lawn mower is a type of electric lawn mower that runs on lithium-ion batteries as opposed to being plugged into an electrical outlet with a cord. The batteries are rechargeable and the average battery life is between 20 to 60 minutes of mowing time.
If properly charged, a cordless lawn mower battery could possibly last up to five years.
With proper maintenance and care, the best cordless lawn mower may last for 10 years or more.
You can expect the best cordless lawn mower to cut wet grass similarly to a gas-powered model. However, the same advice rings true: don’t cut wet grass until it is standing upright. [2]
That way, you know for sure it’s easy to cut. Otherwise, the wet clippings may clog up the mower mulching bagging deck and make the yard cutting process take longer to finish.
No. Cordless lawn mowers don’t use oil or include spark plugs, making the top cordless battery lawn mowers much easier to maintain than their gas-powered counterparts.
Yes, but special care needs to be taken so that water doesn’t reach the electric lawn mower’s motor. The best way to clean your cheap cordless lawn mower is by hand, using a damp rag and following up with a towel to dry it off.
And the Best Cheap Electric Lawn Mower is…
With its impressive Innovative Smart Cut Technology and 3-in-1 Discharge features, theGreenworks 20-inch Mower deserves the title as the best budget cordless electric lawn mower.
We based this recommendation on the cutting capacity, portability, and overall functionality tests that my team and I conducted on several electric cordless lawn mowers.
Aside from its 20-inch cutting deck and up to 70 minutes battery runtime, the Greenworks cordless lawn mower also operates with less noise. In our opinion, this tough but light equipment will make your garden chores as easy (and as quiet) as possible.
Greenworks Cordless Electric Lawn Mower
Our #1 Recommendation
- Brushless Motor: 20-Inch Cutting Deck
- Ideal for Mid-Sized Areas
- Innovative Smart Cut Technology
- 3-in-1 Discharge: Rear, Mulching and Side Discharge
