Updated August 2026 · 5 picks
The Best Electric Lawn Mowers of 2026
For anything under about half an acre, a battery mower has stopped being a compromise. There is no fuel to store, no carburettor to gum up over winter, no pull cord, and the noise drops from ear-protection territory to something you can mow at eight in the morning without annoying anyone.
The specification most buyers over-weight is runtime, and the one they under-weight is deck width. We ranked on cutting width, published runtime, height-adjustment range, storage footprint, battery platform and warranty — and every pick's numbers come from the manufacturer's own specification page.
At a Glance
| Pick | Model | Approx. Price | Rating | Best For | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for Small Yards | Greenworks 40V 16 in. Push Mower (25322) | ~$320 | 4.5/5 | Quarter-acre and smaller lots with lots of obstacles, and anyone short on storage space. | Check Price |
| Best Overall | EGO Power+ 21 in. Select Cut Push Mower (LM2130) | ~$599 | 4.8/5 | Suburban lots up to about half an acre where you want maximum runtime and the full height range. | Check Price |
| Best Value | RYOBI 40V HP Brushless 20 in. Push Mower (RY401170) | ~$429 | 4.6/5 | Homeowners already invested in RYOBI 40V batteries, on lots up to about half an acre. | Check Price |
| Best Self-Propelled | EGO Power+ 21 in. Select Cut Self-Propelled Mower (LM2135SP) | ~$699 | 4.7/5 | Sloped or larger lawns, and anyone for whom pushing a mower is the limiting factor. | Check Price |
| Best Corded | Greenworks 12 Amp 20 in. Corded Mower (25022) | ~$189 | 4.3/5 | Small, relatively open lawns within about 100 feet of an outdoor outlet. | Check Price |
Our Picks, Reviewed
Greenworks 40V 16 in. Push Mower (25322)
A narrow, 41-pound deck that turns where a 21-inch mower cannot.
~$320 approx. street price
Pros
- 16 in. deck turns easily around trees, beds and garden furniture
- About 41 lbs — the lightest mower here to push, lift and store
- Up to 40 minutes of runtime on the included 4.0Ah pack
Cons
- Tops out at 2-3/4 in. cutting height, low for most turf grasses
- Narrow deck means more passes on anything approaching a third of an acre
EGO Power+ 21 in. Select Cut Push Mower (LM2130)
Sixty-five rated minutes, a 4-inch height ceiling and a five-year tool warranty.
~$599 approx. street price
Pros
- Up to 65 minutes rated runtime on the included 7.5Ah 56V pack
- Eight cutting heights from 1 in. to 4 in. — the full useful range
- Select Cut system takes two interchangeable lower blades (mulching, extended runtime)
Cons
- 21 in. deck is more mower than a small, obstacle-heavy yard needs
- 56V packs cost meaningfully more to replace than 40V equivalents
RYOBI 40V HP Brushless 20 in. Push Mower (RY401170)
A 20-inch brushless deck on the platform most homeowners already own.
~$429 approx. street price
Pros
- Brushless motor and a 6.0Ah pack included, rated up to 45 minutes
- Seven-position single-point height adjustment
- 3-in-1 bagging, mulching and side discharge
Cons
- Rated runtime sits below the EGO despite the larger included pack
- 20 in. deck is a middle answer — neither the most nimble nor the widest
EGO Power+ 21 in. Select Cut Self-Propelled Mower (LM2135SP)
Variable-speed drive from 0.9 to 3.1 mph, for yards that are not flat.
~$699 approx. street price
Pros
- Touch Drive self-propel with variable speed from 0.9 to 3.1 mph
- Three interchangeable lower blades: mulching, high-lift bagging, extended runtime
- Eight cutting heights from 1 in. to 4 in., and LED headlights
Cons
- Self-propel drive adds weight, cost and moving parts you may not need
- 60-minute rated runtime is slightly below the push version's 65
Greenworks 12 Amp 20 in. Corded Mower (25022)
No battery to charge, degrade or replace — within reach of an outlet.
~$189 approx. street price
Pros
- Never runs out mid-cut; constant power from the first pass to the last
- No battery to degrade, replace or store over winter
- Cutting heights from 1.5 in. to 3.75 in. — a better range than the 16 in. cordless
Cons
- Tethered to roughly a 100 ft extension cord, which limits reach
- Cord management is a genuine nuisance on obstacle-heavy lots
How to Choose: Electric Lawn Mowers Buying Guide
Deck width: fewer passes versus easier turns
A 21-inch deck clears ground faster; a 16-inch deck turns more easily around trees, beds and garden furniture, and weighs less to push and store. On a quarter-acre lot the wider deck saves only a few minutes of walking, which is why narrow mowers are the better fit for small, obstacle-heavy yards.
Runtime, and why it is usually not the limit
Manufacturers rate these mowers at 40 to 65 minutes on the included battery, under ideal conditions. Real runtime falls in tall, wet or dense grass. But a small lot rarely needs more than half an hour of actual cutting, so runtime only becomes the binding constraint once you are past roughly a third of an acre.
Cutting-height range matters more than the number of positions
Most turf grasses do best cut somewhere in the 2.5 to 4 inch range, and cutting too short is the most common cause of a stressed, weedy lawn. Check that the top of the range reaches at least 3.5 inches. Greenworks' 16-inch cordless mower tops out at 2-3/4 inches, which is genuinely low; the EGO decks reach 4 inches.
Battery platform and warranty
As with power tools, the battery is the long-term commitment — packs are proprietary and cost a meaningful fraction of the mower. EGO's 56V line carries a 5-year tool and 3-year battery warranty. Ryobi's 40V platform is worth choosing if you already own its batteries. Corded mowers sidestep the question entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size electric mower do I need for a small yard?
For a quarter acre or less, a 16-inch deck is usually the better choice than a 21-inch one. The wider deck saves only a few minutes — a quarter acre takes roughly 1.5 miles of walking behind a 16-inch mower versus about 1.2 miles behind a 21-inch — while the narrower, lighter machine is easier to turn around obstacles and easier to store.
Is a corded electric mower still worth buying?
For a genuinely small yard within about 100 feet of an outlet, yes. A corded mower never runs out of power mid-cut, has no battery to degrade or replace, and costs less than any cordless equivalent. The price is cord management, which is a real irritation on a lot with many obstacles, and a hard limit on how far you can roam.
Do I need a self-propelled mower for a small lawn?
Self-propel is about slope and mower weight, not lot size. On flat ground under a quarter acre, pushing a 40-to-60-pound electric mower is not hard work, and the self-propel mechanism adds weight, cost and parts that can fail. Choose it if your yard has real inclines or if pushing is physically difficult, not because the lawn is large.
How long do cordless mower batteries last?
Two separate questions. Per charge, manufacturers rate these packs at 40 to 65 minutes, less in thick or damp grass. Over their life, lithium-ion mower packs typically give several years of seasonal use before capacity noticeably drops; EGO covers its batteries for 3 years and its tools for 5. Storing packs indoors over winter rather than in an unheated shed meaningfully extends that.
Can an electric mower handle tall or wet grass?
It can, but it is the situation where battery mowers show their limits most clearly: the motor draws harder, runtime drops sharply, and mulching clumps. The practical answers are to raise the cutting height for the first pass and cut more often rather than longer. Higher-voltage platforms like EGO's 56V have more headroom here than 40V machines.