Best Cordless Lawn mower – Top 5 Models Compared & Reviews
There’s no doubt that a careful attention to a garden will leave it looking picturesque throughout the year. Basically, every form of maintenance you’ll do on your garden will have a knock-on effect the following season. For instance, poor lawn maintenance in autumn and spring will lead to problems in summer. That means you need to think about your actions and it starts with investing in a good lawn mower.
In this post, we look at the best cordless lawn mowers currently on the market today. We speak cordless because these type of mowers are here to stay. When compared to the traditional petrol mowers or the newer electric corded models, cordless mowers have meaningful advantages over their rivals. The most obvious one is the freedom to mow anywhere, without cords getting in the way or harmful petrol fumes polluting your surroundings. Cordless lawn mowers also tend to be lightweight, quiet and easy to store. With that in mind, investing in battery-powered mower isn’t a bad idea at all.
Want to cut a long story short? The Aerotek X2 Series Cordless Lawnmower is the real deal. With its 40V battery, this mower is very powerful and is particular good at picking up every last blade of grass. Its 40cm cutting width is more suiting to medium sized lawns or what will be classed as an average UK garden. You will benefit from multiple cutting height heights starting from 25mm to 75mm, while a 50 litre grass box ensures less trips to the green bin most homes now have or compost bin if you're into making your own compost. In any case, it comes with a mulching attachment which is handy if you want to return the grass clipping the lawn now and again to add nutrients back to the lawn. Below we have a quick overview of our 'best pick' and 'runner-up' before getting onto our reviews and buyer guide.
BEST PICK
This mower has some brilliant features that make it suitable for gardens ranging from small to in between medium and large. It gets rolling at the touch of a button and offers a decent mowing time of around 35 minutes from one full charge. A generous 50 litre collection box, single height adjustment lever, and 40cm cutting deck make this cordless mower a great pick for most people. It comes complete with a 40v lithium battery and charger and offers excellent value for money. With 0ver 160 reviews on Amazon alone, this model have proved reliable and well worth considering.
Cordless Lawnmower Mini Buyers Guide
Key things to consider before buying a cordless lawn mower
If you want the convenience of an electric lawn mower without the hassle of long cords or the maintenance of petrol mowers, a cordless model is a great consideration. Improvements in battery technology makes them last much longer as well as benefit from reduced overall weight and best of all they are becoming more affordable all the time.
When it comes to buying one, you have to think of the size of your garden. The point is, some lawn mowers are good for smaller gardens while others only make sense if purchased for larger lawns. Leading from this, look at the battery voltage and amp per hour. Ideally, 18v and 20v batteries will offer enough power and runtime for smaller gardens of around 250m², while 36v and 40v batteries are adequate for medium to larger lawns, about 400m² and above.
Many models feature variable cutting heights and you’ll want to choose a decent range for your lawn but also how easy it is to adjust should be considered as some are really awkward while other use just a single level. Closely related to that is cutting width, which typically ranges from 32cm to 50cm, unless you have a small lawn we would recommend something around 40cm or larger with a good sized collection box to match. A machine will a smaller cutting width obviously take longer to mow a certain area, while a wider width will get the job done much quicker.
You may also want to consider some extra features such as folding handles which has become the norm but a very useful feature to look for it grass combs on the side which make it much easier to mow right to the edge of lawns or against wall and fences. Finally weight of the machine matters but most are light weight and battery charging time, against only consider models with lithium-ion batteries as they have longer run times and much faster charge time, usually fully charged within 60-90 minutes.
One final specification to look for in the best cordless lawn mower is a brushless motor, these are far more reliable than standard motors most models incorporate, something most professional trades person are fully aware of but often overlooked for those of us who are not professional tradesmen.
RUNNER-UP
With a 44cm cutting width, this one is a great pick for large lawns. Complementing that is a 50 litre grass bag, 6 cutting heights ranging from 25mm to 75mm, a powerful 1300W brushless motor and an impressive supply of two 18V Li-Ion batteries. The build quality is extremely good, with the larger 5.0Ah capacity batteries mean its got an extremely good run time of around 40 minutes. This mower is also covered by an industry-leading 5-year warranty with no other manufacture can even compete with, even Bosch only provide 3 years. For larger mowers this is the mower we would be inclined to invest in.
Top 5 Cordless Lawn Mower Reviews
BEST PICK
Aerotek X2 Series Cordless Lawnmower With Lithium-Ion 40v 4Ah Battery & Charger Included
Pros
This Aerotek 40v X2 Cordless Lawnmower is ideal for smaller and medium sized lawns up to 400sq.m. The model is powered by a powerful 40V Li-Ion battery with a decent 4Ah capacity, superior to many other batteries that come standard with cordless mowers and can be as low as 2Ah. This one gives around 35 minutes of continuous running time, which is enough to do most larger lawn in one go. The 40v 4Ah battery also produces an impressive 3600 rpm to help cut thicker, longer grass more effectively and another nice little feature it has it is automatically shuts down once the grass box is full.
It arrives partly assembled and that means you'll need to do a little assembly before first time use but it's pretty straight forward. It's a five-minute job, however, with the instruction manual not being the clearest manual which is what lets this Aerotek down slightly but its mostly common sense and shouldn't really cause an issue. Back to what we like, a great specification of this mower is the 40cm cutting width. It's quite large that every pass will be wide enough for most lawns, reducing the mowing time it takes to complete even larger lawns and its plenty big enough for small and medium sized lawns. Even when cutting around edges, the deck will move nicely and cut with precision which most people will like.
Height adjustment is another thing we really like with this mower, it uses just one handle with a good range of cutting heights which are easy to change. You have a decent range of six heights from 25mm for a very close cut on level lawns to 75mm which is perfect for cutting longer grass and brings the cutting height down in stages and the best part is that they are a doddle to change in just seconds. It basically takes a a movement of the lever to do the trick rather than altering a lever on each wheel like some models have.
Grass box capacity doesn't get better than the 50 litre collection box of this Aerotek lawnmower plus it also have really good suction. This will save a lot of time and effort as you'll not need to empty it too often. Better still, there is an indicator to show when the box is full and even if you don't check, the mower itself will automatically turn off when the box is full, letting you it's time to empty which we think is a really nice feature.
This practical lawnmower is quite lightweight, compact and ease to store for its size and as pictured below. Quick release handles fold down nicely for space-saving storage, however, due to the width of the deck, it has a relatively large footprint but if you want to cut a medium or larger sizes lawns this is unavoidable.
As for getting the mower started, starting the machine is really easy and safe. Simply engage a lock-out button and apply the operator presence control (OPC) lever on the handles. This only takes a few seconds but ensures no one can accidentally start the mower and run the risk of injury, you quickly get use to this small delay. And the moment you take pressure off the OPC lever, the motor will stop immediately, again another safety feature but it also helps make it more efficient.
Finally this Aerotek model also features a mulching option, allowing the mower to discharge finely cut grass back onto the lawn as essential nutrients. Mulching also saves time on emptying the collection box and it reduces the need to fertilise your lawn more often and is actually something many professional gardeners recommend doing at least every now and again.
Overall this mower has some excellent features including a brushless motor but best of all it has a decent run time and good performance. Finally not forgetting it comes with 2 years warranty. For anyway who has a smaller to medium sized lawn and is looking for excellent value for money, this is well worth considering.
Compare the best prices from available sellers below
RUNNER-UP
Murray 883266 Lithium-Ion 44cm Lawn Mower
Pros
The Murray 883266 Lithium-Ion 44cm Lawn Mower is specifically made for large gardens up to 640sq.m which usually have to be mowed with petrol mowers which makes this a great cleaner, low maintenance alternative. Equipped with a very powerful 1300W brushless motor, this can mow through thick grass effortlessly where some models would struggle while benefiting from longer life thanks to the brushless motor, much lower noise levels and a very high cutting performance.
The model comes with two Briggs & Stratton 18V Lithium-Ion battery as pictured below with a large 5.0Ah capacity for longer running times, which are known for unbeatable performance and durability. A charger is also included as you would expect. Because the batteries do have a decent capacity, you can expect to mow continuously for around 36 minutes from one single charge which is enough for larger lawns. Better still, these batteries can be used across the entire range of Murray’s 18V range so it will be good to see what else they have with the possibility of purchasing the bare tools alternatives such a strimmers and hedge trimmers and even saving a little money too.
Height of cut varies from 25mm to 75mm as with most models and there is a simple lever for making the adjustments so it's good to see they have stuck with that single lever design. The cutting diameter is an impressive 44cm which is slightly wider than our 'Best Pick', which means it's a little better for larger lawns. You will need to push this mower to do the job, but the razor sharp blade and massive power output helps ensure little effort from you as its fairly light weight which means most people will still find it easy to push.
Murray also equipped this lawn mower with a larger 50 litre grass bag like our best pick does to accommodate large amounts of grass. It means it’ll take longer to fill up, thus you can do more runs before needing to empty the bag. The hard top fabric bag easily detaches from the main body for emptying. And with soft-grip handles, this mower will be comfortable to push on the lawn. The handles also fold down to allow compact storage as do most well designed models.
For peace of mind, the product is covered by an unbeatable 5-year limited warranty while the batteries and charger are warranted for 3 years which is still equal to any Bosch warranty and better than many others which limit the warranty to 1-2 years. We totally have no doubt over the quality of this cordless lawn mower and we have no problem recommending this mower for anyone with a larger lawn who is looking for a good alternative to a larger corded or even petrol lawn mower. An excellent choice for large lawns.
Compare the best prices from available sellers below
Bosch Rotak 370 LI Ergoflex Cordless Lawnmower with Two 36 V Lithium-Ion Batteries
Pros
The Bosch Rotak 370 LI Ergoflex Cordless Lawnmower is a fantastic offering from a leading manufacturer of garden tools and equipment. This model is powered by a 36V Lithium-Ion battery combined with an electric powerdrive motor, which together powers the mower through lawns of up to 400sq.m making it perfect for smaller and medium sized lawns.
Furthermore, it comes with two batteries, meaning you can have a fully charged battery on standby should the other run flat before you complete the job. A full charged battery offers 30-40 minutes of operational time depending on the size and lawn condition, obviously longer grass takes more power do the overall time is reduced but for mowing weekly it will easily last 40 minutes. Bosch also offers what they call "Efficient Energy Management", which they claim can extend running time by 15 per cent, this probably doesn't mean a right lot for most people as all we really care about is the run time and the two models we just looked over also have very similar running times, that said it still has a very impressive running time.
Home assembly is required and it's only a matter of 10 minutes to get the machine rolling, and no tools are needed, the hardest part is the grass collection box comes in two parts which is a little awkward to clip together at least it was for me. The supplied manual is quite brief on instructions and relies on pictures to help you but is easy to follow.
The cordless lawn mower is fitted with a 37cm metal blade, which gives a clean cut and excellent finish to your lawn. The metal blades can also be sharpened when needed, unlike plastic ones. Moreover, these are hard wearing and durable.
It also has 6 cutting height adjustments from 20mm to 70mm which are easy to switch between. Adjustment is done using a lever situated at the central side of the lawn mower, the lawn we mowed was a little uneven so we mowed at number 2 for a fairly good cut. A built-in comb help mow right to the ends of the lawns which is does well but mowing to the side of walls or fences you still need to finish off with a strimmer. There's even a roller attachment to help achieve those classic stripes on your lawn, this is does do to a certain extent but its not as good as the cylinder mowers and probably not heavy enough for the roller to do its job, however its still a nice feature as not many other rotary mowers have a roller on the back for making stripes, even if they are a little faint.
When it comes to grass box capacity, the 40 litre offering on this mower is sufficient enough to let you mow longer and empty out less frequently. As idea we had a lawn that was around 10 meters by 10 meters and we have to empty it twice. The box is well-designed and a breeze to remove.
A nice addition to this product is the removable safety key of which it includes 2 so keep one in a safe place. This deactivates the mower to help prevent accidental starting. The lawn mower also has a small footprint and the fact that the handles fold down make for compact storage. Last but not least, the Bosch Rotak 370 LI comes with a 2-year warranty, but can be extended to three if registered online which only takes a couple of minutes and is well worth doing, plus if you need to return it for any reason you can also do all this online once you registered. Overall this is a great alternative to our 'Best Pick' and is slightly better but this comes at an extra cost.
Compare the best prices from available sellers below
Greenworks 40V Cordless Lawn Mower 41cm (16") with 2x 2Ah batteries and charger
Pros
The Greenworks 40V Cordless Lawn Mower with its 41cm cutting width is supposed to be one of the best-selling cordless lawn mowers in the UK. The 40V mower offers plenty of power and runtime, making it an excellent choice for medium sized lawns. It comes with 2 x 2Ah batteries that offer 25 minutes runtime each, and there is an option to upgrade to 4Ah batteries and benefit from 50 minutes of running time, especially for tackling larger lawns but we would probably recommend one of our picks if you was to consider this.
As it stands, this this mower can comfortably cut lawns of up to 300m². The cutting width of 41cm promotes wider ground coverage for quicker completion of jobs. Mowing is smooth and precise, producing a neat finish at every cutting height, starting from 25mm to 80mm, the eagle eyes readers out there may have noticed this will mow to a slightly higher length than other models. This is a pretty good range, allowing you to cut short and long grass to the right height for a healthier lawn.
In addition, there is a mulching option which not all models have that allows you too deposit finer grass clippings back onto your lawn. And if you don’t want to mulch the grass, there is a massive 50 litre grass box for collecting the grass for later disposal.
This Greenworks 40V Cordless Mower is also one of the most lightweight cordless mowers at around 17.1kg. All things considered, this lawn mower is as high performing as it is attractive and is well worth considerings but for maybe slightly smaller lawns up to 300 square meters due to the smaller capacity batteries.
Compare the best prices from available sellers below
BEST PICK FOR SMALLER LAWNS
WORX WG779E.2 36V Cordless 34cm Lawn Mower (Dual battery x2 20V Batteries)
Pros
The WORX 34cm WG779E.2 36V Cordless Lawn Mower is a compact smaller mower that’s perfect for smaller lawns and getting into tight spaces. Despite being on the smaller side, the WG779E.2 is full of power, using 2 x 20V 2Ah batteries simultaneously which effectivly gives you 40v and 4Ah capacity.
Depending on conditions, long grass, short grass, you can expect to get around 20 to 30 minutes, with longer runtime being for smaller lawns with flat terrain and less dense grass. Furthermore, the machine features eco mode, which can be really useful when you don’t need too much power, like if your lawn has been cut recently and you're just giving it a light trim, the main advantage of this if you get a longer run time. If you’re dealing with long and wet grass, however, you can always select turbo mode for maximum power but the running time is limited.
A cutting width of 34cm doesn’t seem as large as with the other lawn mowers in this post, but is more than enough for lawns of up to 200m². This one may struggle to last on medium sized gardens both because of battery duration and cutting width and the collection box is smaller.
A great feature of this mower is the Intellecut technology, which helps maintain optimal power usage. It auto adjusts the cutting speed of the machine to suit various conditions, such as increasing the power and cutting speed for longer and tougher growth. Worx have also designed the deck to help with cutting closer to edges and reduce the need for trimming.
There are 6 height of cut levels in the form of 20mm to 70mm and this helps you maintain grass depending on the season. The grass box is only 30 litres but that’s enough for a mower of its size. For easy removal and transport, the box has a top handle. The practicality of this mower doesn’t end there as the machine is pretty lightweight at just 12kg.
Love them stripes on the lawn? Well, this WORX WG779E.2 comes with a rear roller that creates those classic stripes on any lawn although they may be a little faint as the mower is a little light. Overall this is perfect for smaller lawns and much more affordable that any other model in this lineup. Basically there is no point in paying extra for longer run times, wider cutting widths if you don't need them.
Compare the best prices from available sellers below
Cordless Lawnmower Buyers Guide
Thinking of buying a cordless lawn mower but not sure what features and specs to consider? With plenty of options to choose from, deciding the best battery powered mower for your garden needs some research. Go through the buyer’s guide below for some tips on how to select a cordless mower.
Benefits of a cordless model
- Convenient operation – with a cordless mower, there is no worrying about where the cord is but rather cut your lawn without one entirely. A cordless mower offers total freedom and you can mow in whatever manner you want.
- Easy to operate – compared to worrying about oil, cleaning filters, engine maintenance or pulling a cord, the only thing you need to do to start is press a button and squeeze a handle.
- Lightweight construction – many cordless models have a 10 to 20kg weight difference from petrol models for example. Although it may not sound like much, the implication will start to show after a few minute of pushing the mower.
- Easy storage – with no petrol to think about nor cords to wrap around the handle twenty times, many of the cordless models only require you to fold down the handle and store in the shed.
- Quiet operation – battery-operated lawn mowers are very quiet and that means you can mow early in the morning or late evening without disturbing your neighbours.
- Eco-friendly – without emitting harmful petrol fumes into the air, cordless mowers are some of the safest machines to use in the current environment conscious society.
That said, let’s look at the factors to consider when buying a cordless lawn mower.
Factors to consider when choosing a cordless lawn mower
Lawn size and condition
Cordless lawn mowers are generally suited to small and medium sized lawns. That’s because they run on batteries, which will drain at some point. If you have a large garden, anything over 400m², you will need to be careful of your selection otherwise you might have to take breaks half-way through to recharge the battery. Leading from this, charging time is another thing you’ll need to think about. If you have to take a break, look for a model that charges quickly. Something else to look for is batteries with a higher capacity, generally the higher the capacity the longer the run time.
It’s also important to note the condition of your lawn. For instance, even lawns require less power from a lawn mower, meaning the battery will last longer. Similarly, short grass is easier to cut than dense growth, and won’t drain the battery as fast. If you have a large lawn, uneven lawn and the grass is constantly thick, long or wet, keep in mind you’ll need a mower with a powerful battery. Alternatively, get a secondary battery.
Cutting width and adjustable height
Wider cutting widths are suitable for larger lawns as they require fewer passes to complete a given area. This also means the battery is less likely to die before you finish mowing. For medium to large sized gardens, you will want to go with a mower with a cutting width of about 39 – 42cm.
Small and medium sized lawns should be okay with a cutting width of around 32 – 39cm. Just keep in mind that the smaller the cutting width, the more cutting you will need to do. This could imply that the battery dies before you complete the job.
When it comes to cutting heights, you can expect a decent range to use. Many will offer adjustable cutting heights starting from 20 to 80mm. The lower settings are good for keeping the lawn well-manicured, while the higher settings are perfect for cutting lots of length. In short, it’s good to have several options, so consider a mower that offers a nice range.
The right battery
There is more to the battery than just run time. Battery power and ampere per hour will have an impact on the overall mowing power and speed. A weak battery will struggle in difficult conditions such as slopes or thick grass.
Battery voltages come in the form of 18V, 20V, 36, and 40V. The lower voltages provide a decent amount of power and runtime, though only sufficient for smaller gardens. 36V and 40V options are ideal for the standard UK lawn.
Ampere hour varies between models too. A 2Ah battery is the most common as seen from the models above. It offers a good runtime and fast recharge, while many cordless mowers come with two batteries so you can switch between. Larger and more powerful mowers may come with a 4Ah battery, which offers double the capacity of a 2Ah battery.
Go for a 40v 4Ah battery if your lawn is on the larger size and probably if it has uneven terrain and dense overgrowth. Smaller lawns with flat terrain will use an 18V or 20V 2Ah battery without any issue.
Our Final Conclusion
Cordless lawnmowers have come a long way and they aren’t going away any time soon. They are convenient, easy to use, and virtually maintaince-free, giving all the good reasons to own one. We hope this guide has made it easy for you to find the best lawn mower for your garden.
BEST PICK
This mower has some brilliant features that make it suitable for gardens ranging from small to in between medium and large. It gets rolling at the touch of a button and offers a decent mowing time of around 35 minutes from one full charge. A generous 50 litre collection box, single height adjustment lever, and 40cm cutting deck make this cordless mower a great pick for most people. It comes complete with a 40v lithium battery and charger and offers excellent value for money. With 0ver 160 reviews on Amazon alone, this model have proved reliable and well worth considering.
Other reviews you may find useful:
Our site is reader supported, this means we may earn a small commission from Amazon and other affiliates when you buy through links on our site.