The best battery lawn mowers perform as well as—or better than—the best gas mowers, Consumer Reports’ lawn mower ratings reveal. Two of these cordless electric push mowers, both from Ryobi, receive higher Overall Scores than the top-rated gas push mower, a Honda. Several top self-propelled battery mowers, made by Greenworks, Ryobi, and Ego, score higher than the top-rated gas self-propelled model, also a Honda.
Among the more than 60 push- and self-propelled cordless electric mowers we’ve tested, most models earn strong overall ratings, and we recommend over half of them. So there are plenty of appealing options at a variety of prices.
In this article
- Best Battery Mowers: Push Self-Propelled
- Why Buy a Battery Lawn Mower?
- Why Trust CR's Lawn Mower Tests?
Below, members can read ratings and reviews of this year’s best battery-powered walk-behind mowers—both push and self-propelled—as well as a couple of models that miss the mark. CR members can also browse our in-depth ratings of over 140 mowers and tractors, encompassing battery-powered lawn mowers and tractors from brands, including Cub Cadet, Ego, Hart, Makita, Ryobi, Snapper, Stihl, and Toro. For more lawn mower shopping advice, check out CR’s tips on which type of mower to choose and our lawn mower and tractor buying guide.
Best Battery Push Lawn Mowers
If you have a lawn that’s less than a quarter-acre, you’ll most likely find a battery push mower that will fit your needs. Push mowers are generally less expensive than self-propelled models, albeit with fewer features.
Best Battery Self-Propelled Lawn Mowers
For a lawn that’s between a quarter-acre and a half-acre, a battery self-propelled mower’s improved maneuverability will help you climb slopes and trim your larger yard with less effort.
2 Battery Mowers That Don't Make the Cut
Two-thirds of the battery push mowers in our ratings perform well enough for CR to recommend. Among self-propelled battery models, more than half earn that distinction, and all receive at least midlevel overall ratings. But our testers have identified two models that aren’t worth your money.
Why Buy a Battery Lawn Mower?
Battery walk-behind mowers are attractive options for lawns of less than a half-acre, which make up the bulk of newly developed residential properties. Consumer Reports’ exclusive lawn mower and tractor ratings show that these electric mowers have become competitive with—or are even superior to—gas mowers in many respects:
More on Lawn Mowers
Best Lawn Mowers and Tractors
Is an Electric Mower Worth It?
5 Reasons to Choose Battery-Powered Lawn Tools
Best Lawn Mowers for Small Yards
Run times have improved. Several battery and self-propelled mowers in our ratings offer impressive run times of 70 or more minutes. (The average run time of battery mowers in our tests is 45 to 50 minutes.) Some manufacturers are designing new models with multiple battery slots. When one battery is spent, another can take over, a feature CR’s expert testers consider in determining a model’s true run time.
“Battery run times have increased to the point where some mowers are able to cut half an acre on one charge,” says David Trezza, who leads CR’s lawn mower tests.
You’re getting more value for your money. Performance among our tested models is improving for both self-propelled and push battery mowers, and they offer more value, Trezza says. Several highly rated battery push mowers from Snapper, Ryobi, Skil, Greenworks, Kobalt (Lowe’s), and Atlas are priced at or below similarly rated gas models from Toro, Honda, and Troy-Bilt. Notably, even those battery mowers that are more expensive to buy may cost you less in the long run. A CR analysis found that, depending on the model you choose, the savings on gasoline and maintenance can more than make up for the price difference within a few years of ownership.
You can often use the battery for other yard equipment. Increasingly, mower brands are designing other outdoor power tools—including string trimmers, leaf blowers, and chainsaws—to accept the same battery as their mowers, typically at 40 volts or higher. A few brands, including DeWalt, Makita, and Milwaukee, sell battery mowers that run on 18- or 20-volt batteries that also power their hand tools, such as drills and circular saws.
Battery mowers are more eco-friendly. They don’t produce noxious fumes or use fossil fuels. The most energy-efficient battery mowers in our ratings earn CR’s Green Choice designation, signified by a green leaf. Not only is that efficiency good for the environment, but it’s also, to a small degree, good for your wallet.
Battery mowers require less maintenance than gas mowers. Consumer Reports’ tests show they’re quieter than gas models, too.
Why Trust CR's Lawn Mower Tests?
CR’s expert lawn mower tests combine scientific rigor with real-world usage. To give you ratings and reviews of the latest models by early spring, Consumer Reports’ lawn mower experts travel to Florida to conduct tests in late winter at grounds we specially prepare each year. We plant 1,800 pounds of grass seed (predominantly annual rye, prized for its dense growth). We cut 500,000 square feet of grass in three modes—mulching, side discharging, and bagging (collecting a total of 3,000 pounds of clippings). We cut both level turf and slopes to get a feel for the handling of each and every model. We also review the convenience features of every model we assess.
Every model’s Overall Score in CR’s ratings incorporates all of that performance data, along with predicted reliability and owner satisfaction ratings. We compile those ratings from our latest member surveys, leveraging data on more than 36,500 lawn mowers and tractors that members purchased between 2013 and 2023. That includes responses covering 10,483 battery walk-behind mowers.
Tobie Stanger
As a senior editor at Consumer Reports for more than 30 years, Tobie Stanger specialized in helping readers shop wisely, save money, and avoid scams. Her home- and shopping-related beats have included appliance and grocery stores, generators, homeowners and flood insurance, humidifiers, lawn mowers, and luggage. She also covered home improvement products, including flooring, roofing, and siding.
