Our Top Pick Is The Ego Power+ 21 Self
Jenica Currie is an expert content manager, producer, writer, and editor with over a decade of experience cultivating online communities. Before joining Dotdash Meredith, Jenica worked as a community manager for Just Answer, and as a community manager and managing editor at RealTravel, a former trip planning site.
We independently research, test, review, and recommend the bestproductslearn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
Greenworks 25022 Lawn Mower
Today’s electric lawn mowers are often easier to operate and maintain than gas-powered models, don’t generate as much noise, and won’t spew fumes. We researched and tested dozens of the best electric lawn mowers on the market, evaluating performance, maneuverability, safety, and noise level.
Our top pick is the EGO POWER+ 21″ Self-Propelled Mower because it has an excellent run-time, is easy to maneuver, and charges rapidly.
Here are the best electric lawn mowers.
Best Budget: Greenworks 25022 12
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Cord lock keeps plug connected
For those with smaller yards, the Greenworks 20-Inch Corded Lawn Mower is a great value. This budget-friendly model is corded, meaning youll have to navigate around an extension cord, but in our testing, we found it to be surprisingly powerful and extremely easy to operate. It has a 20-inch cutting deck that can be set to seven different heights, and it offers mulching, bagging, and side-discharge options for your grass clippings.
This mower needs to be plugged in with a 14-gauge 50-foot extension cord or a 12-gauge 100-foot extension cord, which isnt included with the purchase. The good news, however, is that youll have unlimited runtime as long as the mower is plugged in, and it has an integrated cord retention system that prevents it from coming unplugged if jostled. We found that the mower was lightweight enough to push around without much effort, and the included grass collection bag is easy to detach and empty.
Cutting Width: 20 inches | Weight: 56 pounds | Power Source: Corded | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge | Size of Yard: 0.25 acre
The Spruce / Sarah Vanbuskirk
“I appreciated having so many debris removal options and thought it was simple enough to shift settings, say from mulching to bagging, for different parts of the lawn. I didnt experience any issues with debris spilling in any of the modes.” Sarah Vanbuskirk, Product Tester
Best Fuel Additive For Lawn Mowers
A fuel additive is a chemical added to gasoline or diesel fuel to improve its performance, reliability, or longevity. The most common additives are designed to improve the fuels octane rating or to reduce engine knocking.
Other additives may be designed to improve the fuels cold weather performance, to reduce emissions, or to protect the engine from corrosion.
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Star Tron Fuel Treatment Enzyme 8 Us Fl Oz
- Cures and prevents ethanol fuel problems helps prevent phase separation
- Makes engines start easily and run smoothly reduces emissions
| Lowest Price |
Product Details
Star Tron Enzyme Fuel treatment is a multifunctional fuel additive which uses a unique enzyme technology that allows all engines to start easily and run smoothly, even when using ethanol-blended fuel or after sitting idle for months.
Star Tron allows fuel to burn more completely, which results in maximum performance, fuel efficiency and reliable operation. Star Tron will stabilize fuel for up to 2-year, preventing the formation of gums and other solids that clog carburetors and fuel injectors.
Star Tron helps prevent phase separation by dispersing water throughout fuel as submicron sized droplets that can be safely eliminated while the engine operates. Star Tron Small Engine formula is ideal for use in all gas engines including boats, cars, trucks, motorcycles, small equipment as well as engines that use pre-mix fuel.
Why You Should Trust Us
Over the past nine mowing seasons, weve 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 isnt writing about mowers, hes often being interviewed about them .
Weve interviewed landscapers, including Chad Crosby of West Michigan Lawn Services and Paul Koehler of Koehler Landscape Construction Services. Weve called people at lawn mower retail/service outlets, like Nick Ortiz at Kellam Lawn Mower in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, and Boston Lawnmower Companys David . Weve 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 guides editor, Harry Sawyers, assists with testing mowers on his LA property and draws from his previous experience as a professional landscaper.
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What Other Features Should You Look Out For In The Best Lawn Mower
Dont want to push the mower? Look out for a self-propelling mower. If you want stripes on your lawn to elevate your lawn decoration ideas, you need a mower with a rear roller. A foldable handle, meanwhile, will mean your mower demands less storage space.
Don’t forget safety too. Most modern mowers have a two step start, usually with a key that needs to be fixed and pressed before your mower will turn on. This is essential to avoid accidental starts, and a must if you have curious children. Always remove the key before inspecting and grass clogs on the blades.
How We Picked And Tested
As a result of our years of lawn mower evaluation, were 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 nuisancefrom the fiddly start-up to the annual maintenance scheduleis gone. Cordless mowers start with the push of a button, are easier to maneuver, and dont need oil changes, gas, spark plugs, or air filters. Theyre much quieter, they dont smell, they dont produce emissions, and theyre 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 capableand several excellentgas mowers available. Whatever type of mower you need, here are the criteria we feel matter most in making a selection:
Performance as a mower: We researched which mowers could perform the best from a lawn-care perspectivewhich could make cleaner cuts in grass or promote turf health. Weve measured this performance firsthand over years of long-term testing and in tests of new contenders against our established recommendations.
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.
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What To Look For In A Self Propelled Mower
A self-propelled mower should automatically turn the blade off every time you release the handle for safety reasons.
Some mowers also have what is called a blade override system that will automatically disengage a blade from spinning while at the same time allowing the engine to keep on running. Youll be able to cut grass faster, and that will extend the engines life because it wont have to stop and start every 2-3 minutes.
Choose the wheel size that is best for your property and for your motor. If the wheels on the mower are too small, they wont be able to get around on those hilly or uneven areas, despite the fact that the machine has levers for elevating or lowering, since the weight of the mower will be pressing down the wheels .
Stay away from smaller plastic wheels as well. Theyre twice as likely to crack or break if theyre left unprotected in the sunlight, if theyve battled with numerous small rocks, or if theyve been continuously exposed to very wet conditions.
Lawn Mower Spark Plug Chart
This is easier than you think. But one thing you need to remember is that spark plugs for lawn mowers comes different sizes.
The key differences are that the size and length of the thread of sparks plugs are greater in an automobile than in a lawnmower. So, make sure you dont confuse between the types.
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What About Cutting Width And Height
The wider the cutting width the mower offers the bigger the area it cuts in one go and hence the faster youll finish a mowing session. For a large lawn, go for 40cm and above 30cm is fine for a small lawn, and between the two will work for a medium lawn.
Adjustable cutting heights are handy: theyll allow you to set the height you want the grass to be when youve finished.
Our Top Pick Is The Ryobi 48v Brushless 38 In Electric Riding Lawn Mower
We independently research, test, review, and recommend the bestproductslearn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
The Spruce / Camryn-Rabideau
A riding lawn mower is ideal for anyone with a large yard, requiring less time and energy to operate than a traditional push mower. Over the last four years, we’ve spent hours researching and testing riding mowers from the top brands, evaluating maneuverability, safety features, noise level, and overall value.
Our favorite is the RYOBI 48V Brushless 38 in. Electric Riding Lawn Mower, a stand-out for its quiet operation, easy maintenance, and performance, especially on rough terrain.
Here are the best riding lawn mowers.
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Worx Landroid S300 Wr130e Robotic Mower Review
RRP: £549.99
Our rating: 4.5 out of 5
Pros:
- Intelligent programming to continuously map your lawn
- Battery interchangeable with the Worx PowerShare range of tools
Cons:
- Add-on accessories takes it out of the budget range
- It doesnt cut to the edge of the lawn
- Do-it-yourself boundary set up
The cheapest robotic mower weve tested, the Worx Landroid S300 WR130E is straightforward to use and comes with a useful but limited range of features. Compact and quiet, it features three small pivoting blades on the cutting disc, which give it a cutting width of 18cm. With intelligent programming, it works continuously to map your lawn, pausing to recharge before carrying on from where it left off. It cuts in a zig-zag pattern instead of straight lines, so the lawn looks neat and stripe-free, and its able to navigate through narrow passages, , and cope with slopes of up to 35%. It also turns efficiently, rather than constantly reversing, which results in a quicker cut and protects the lawn from too much wear-and-tear, another feature that not all the mowers we tested have.
- Buy now from Homebase
Pros:
- Front and side combs, and rear roller
- Double folding handle for easy storage
Cons:
- Awkward to manoeuvre
- Not part of a battery system
Buy the Powerbase 40V Cordless Lawnmower from Homebase
- Large rear wheel turns easily
- Part of the Einhell Power – X Change battery system
Cons:
- Handle only folds in half for storage
Buy the Einhell GE-CM 18/33 Li cordless mower from , Toolstation and Wickes
Bosch Universal Rotak 36
Price: £389 | Buy now from Just LawnmowersWhile not much bigger or even heavier than your average cordless mower, the Bosch Universal Rotak 36-550 wins on cutting power. With a 38cm deck, it can easily tackle medium-sized lawns, and while its fantastic on flat lawns and shorter grass, we found that it could also handle the kind of tricky slopes and longer grass that leave other cordless mowers floundering.
Its the little things, though, that really sell this mower. The well-designed handle gives you a choice of hand positions and makes it easier to push around, and we love the one-click height adjustment, where you just press and hold a button on the top handle and lift the body up and down to change the cutting height. Boschs ProSilence motor technology makes it much easier on the ears than many rivals and, with a generous 40l grass box, youre not forever stopping to empty out the clippings.
We also found that the 36V battery would comfortably last for up to 30 minutes of mowing, then take just over two hours to recharge. As a nice extra, its specially designed blade even collects and grinds up any leaves that have dropped on the grass. Its an exceptional mid-range mower.
Key specs Size: 105 x 40 x 135cm Weight: 15kg Height of cut: 2.5-7cm Grass box capacity: 40l Power: 36V 4Ah lithium-ion battery Width of cut: 38cm
Price: £106 |
Price: £210 |
Read our full Worx WG730E review for details
Price: £299 | Buy now from Wickes
Price: £239 |
Price: £269 |
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Gas Versus Electric Mowers
Many riding lawn mowers are gas-powered, meaning they require gasoline to operate. Others, meanwhile, are electric and use a battery-powered motor that needs to be charged. Though gas riding mowers are more durable and typically better suited for large lawns, Hill cautioned that theyre usually much louder than their electric counterparts and are less eco-friendly since they emit fumes.
Electric riding mowers can be cheaper and easier to maintain since they dont require purchasing or changing out the engine oil, among other upkeep requirements. However, electric riding mowers do have their downfalls: Their functionality is limited to the amount of time they can be used in a single charge if you have several acres of land , the power may not be enough to cut your entire lawn in one sitting.
How Often Will I Need To Clean My Mower And Sharpen The Blades
You should look to clean the underside of your mower at least twice during the season. If the deck gets clogged with dried grass it will rarely affect the blade rotation, but it can inhibit how much of the blade of uncut grass is shown to the mowers cutting edge, which will impact the quality of your cut. Dull blades are only going to undo all your hard work by tearing up your lawn.
A general rule of thumb is to sharpen your blades before mowing season each year. However, if you scalp uneven turf or hit a rogue rock, you might need to repeat the process. After cutting, if you notice the grass tips look torn rather than sliced, the blade may need sharpening.
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Why Trust The Spruce
This article was written by Camryn Rabideau, a freelance contributor for The Spruce. As someone who grew up on a 70-acre farm and owns a 5-acre parcel herself, shes no stranger to lawn mowers, and shes written extensively on them. Shes also personally tested the RYOBI 38 in. 75 Ah Battery Electric Rear Engine Riding Lawn Mower.
While selecting lawn mowers for this list, she looked at factors such as their deck size, power source, special features, and warranty period. She also spoke with Caroline Skelton, Go-To-Market Manager for Riding Lawn Equipment at John Deere, for insights on choosing and maintaining a lawn mower.
A Rechargeable Push Mower Thats Great For Small
Lowe’s
If you have acres and acres to mow, this isnt the machine for you. But if you have a small- to medium-sized lawn, Sun Joes cordless electric push mower is a great option. It blazes a 14-inch path in each pass, allowing you to get through plenty of grass with each push. The mower also has a three-position manual height adjustment, allowing you to get a higher or lower cut based on your personal preference.
The whole thing has a simple push-button start and removable safety key to ensure only adults control the action when theyre ready. Your clippings will be collected into a 10.6-gallon bag thats easily detached so you can simply toss it in the trash or your compost pile. The Sun Joe is powered by a 28-volt lithium-ion battery thatll mow more than 10,000 square feet of yard with one charge. Once youre done with your yard work, just plug it in to recharge for next time.
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How To Gap A Lawn Mower Spark Plug
If your lawn mower is giving you trouble starting up, it might be time to gap the spark plug. This simple process can be done in just a few minutes and could save you a lot of headaches down the road. Heres how to do it:
Where is the spark plug on a lawn mower?
The location of the spark plug on a lawn mower can vary depending on the model. However, it is typically located near the front of the engine, close to where the ignition coil is located.
How long does a lawn mower spark plug last?
A lawn mower spark plug typically lasts around 100 hours. However, this can vary depending on the brand of spark plug and the model of lawn mower.
What size spark plug does a craftsman lawn mower take?
A Craftsman lawn mower typically uses a spark plug with a 14 mm thread size.
