Best electric lawn mowers: Pricing & reviews

The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is underway, and it's not happening by accident. There are a lot of reasons you're starting to see more EVs on the road; these include:

Environmental - Car shoppers know their carbon footprint and no longer want to use fossil fuels to power their vehicles. While electric vehicles do use power from the grid, the emissions are much lower than from gasoline burning.

Growth in Solar Adoption - More and more people are installing solar, allowing them to generate electricity and power their vehicles cheaply.

Financial Savings - The cost per mile traveled, and overall cost of ownership is lower with EVs, saving consumers money.

Improved Technology - Enhancements in battery technology now allow people to do multiple days of commuting in an EV on just one charge. For many, that's enough to consider EVs as viable alternatives to traditional vehicles.

But automobiles aren't the only devices making a switch to electric. For many of the same reasons noted above, everything else in your garage that once required the right combination of gasoline and engine oil is now available in electric versions. Whether it's a lawn mower, snow blower, leaf blower, or trimmer, if you don't want to prime up an engine and yank a starter rope, you don't have to anymore. Instead, you can simply plug a charged battery into your device and get to work!

The reviews below are for electric lawn mowers, but the features to consider and the benefits described can apply to many other electric lawn tools.

Good for the Environment 

The EPA estimates that more than 800 million gallons of fossil fuels are burned yearly in the U.S. because of lawn equipment. As anyone struggling to lift a gas can and steady a funnel knows, lawn equipment doesn't just pollute the air. The EPA also estimated that over 17 million gallons of gas are spilled as the equipment is refueled yearly, polluting our groundwater too.

Solar + electric equipment = savings

Electric lawn equipment may save you money depending on gas and electricity prices. If you have solar panels installed, the savings are almost guaranteed. If you time it right, your lawn mower and other equipment can be charged by the excess energy your panels produce. You'll save money on gas, and the sun will purely power your lawn tools. 

Convenience

There are a lot of reasons why electric equipment may be convenient, including:

• Simple refueling - You can throw away the funnel you've long used to fill the numerous gas tanks around your garage. Most electric equipment needs only a charged battery that is easy to swap in and out. In addition, there's no need to worry about the correct oil-to-gasoline ratio.

• Easy starting - Electric equipment starts with a click of a button—no priming, choking, and, fortunately, no starter rope. 

• Portability - In most models, a battery replaces an engine, significantly reducing the equipment's weight. As it gets lighter, it gets more portable. In addition, many electric lawn mower models fold up like a stroller, which will conveniently save you some room in your garage. 

• Reduced noise - Electric lawn mowers make much less noise than their gasoline-powered counterparts. If you're an early riser but hesitate to mow in the morning out of respect for your neighbors, this could be a big selling point. 

Battery life

Most product listings will provide the expected cut time on one charge, but it will still be helpful to know whether the equipment uses one battery or two, their physical size, and how fast the battery will charge. 

Compatibility

Electric lawn mower manufacturers generally consider the lawn mower to be just one piece of equipment from a full suite of electric lawn product offerings. A manufacturer typically makes one battery compatible with all their other equipment, but manufacturers won't necessarily make every type of existing equipment. If you have a specific tool you would like to complement your lawn mower, double check that the manufacturer makes that additional item you plan to buy. 

Corded vs. cordless 

It is important to note that your switch to electric doesn't have to include a battery. If you have a small yard and don't need as much mobility, corded equipment can still be a good option. 

Standard features 

You shouldn't have to sacrifice quality to switch to electric. In addition to an electric lawn mower's new capabilities, the product's standard features will still be important. Do you care about a mulching feature? Does blade size matter to you? There are a lot of electric models out there, and you'll want to make sure you've considered these features as well. 

Voltage vs. amp hours (Ah)

The easiest way to think about volts and amp hours is that increasing volts will allow more raw power. Increasing amp hours will allow you to use your equipment longer on one charge.  

Review: 21-Inch, 40-Volt Mower by Greenworks Tools

The Greenworks MO40L2512 includes dual 40-volt, 2.5Ah batteries. The cut time is an impressive 70 minutes, but if your lawn requires more time to get the job done, consider having another battery ready, as it takes almost two hours to charge. 

At 42.5 pounds, it's about twenty pounds less than the leading EGO Power + model and as much as 100 pounds less than traditional mowers. 

Buying Options: Amazon

Review: 20-Inch 40-Volt by Earthwise

The Earthwise 60420's most distinctive feature is that it works with two battery types, one 40-volt, 4Ah, and one 40-volt 2Ah, for a cut-time of approximately 50 minutes and a charge time of up to 2 hours. In addition, there are six levels of height adjustment, bag and mulching accessories, and a blade size of 20 inches. 

• The Earthwise has a steel deck for extra durability, and its 9.5-inch rear wheels help with maneuverability. Earthwise also claims to be one of the quietest mowers on the market.  

  Buying Options: Amazon

Review: 16-Inch, 40-Volt Mower by Sun Joe

The Sun Joe is more compact and a little easier on your wallet. If you have a small lawn and don't need a long cut time, the Sun Joe is a great choice. Its standard model has a 16-inch blade and uses one 40-volt, 4Ah battery for about 30 minutes of cut time. 

Sun Joe might make the most sense if a compatible snow blower is important. Snow Joe's snow blower has a battery that works for both pieces of equipment. 

The Sun Joe is one of the lightest mowers available at 33 pounds. It's also easy to maneuver but does sacrifice some functionality: it does not offer mulching or a side discharge. Still, the Sun Joe is a sensible option if you have a small yard and want something compact to get the job done. 

Buying Options: Amazon

Review: 19-Inch 40-Volt by RYOBI

The Ryobi uses one 40-volt, 5 Ah battery but has a spot for a spare on the equipment itself. The one battery includes about 45 minutes of cut time and takes 90 minutes to charge, so if you have a decent-sized lawn, you may want to consider purchasing the second battery. The RY40180 touts a brushless motor with load-sensing technology that detects the optimal power needed and allows you to save some energy while prolonging the cut time. 

Buying Options: Amazon