If you haven’t tried the best cordless lawn mower yet, now’s the time. Aside from the safety aspect of not having a 240-volt cable within splitting distance of a fast-spinning blade, the best thing about cordless lawn mowers is the time saver of not having to unfurl the cable in the first place – and possibly an extension lead if your lawn’s on the large side – along with the constant lassoing around plant pots and garden furniture that mowing with an electric lawn mower invariably entails.
Today’s battery-powered mowers are invariably as powerful as their electric-driven associates while their high-tech Lithium Ion batteries are quick to charge and provide between 25 and 60 minutes of hassle-free mowing – plenty long enough for the average UK garden. Really, nab yourself one of these efficient cutting-edge sward swallowers and you’ll be back in the hot tub faster than a squirrel up a tree.
This buyers’ guide deals specifically with the best cordless lawn mowers on the market, which means every model in the list is battery powered. For smaller gardens that don’t need much work, we can also recommend best small lawnmowers. They may be small but still get the job done well!
And if cordless is not what you want, we also have guides to the best petrol lawn mowers and the best robot lawn mowers.
Best cordless lawnmowers ranking 2023
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Ego is fast becoming the Rolls Royce of cordless lawn mowers – and most other cordless garden machinery for that matter – and for good reason since not only are the US company’s brushless motors and batteries on another level of power and efficiency, but the superb build quality and attention to design detail they put into their products is so plain to see.
At around 31kgs, the imposingly black and very stylish self-propelled Ego+ LM2021E-SP is actually lighter than many similar-sized models so it can be easily pushed if necessary. This mower comes equipped with a 50cm steel cutting deck and a gargantuan 56-volt 5Ah ARC Lithium battery system that powers the beast for up to about 40 minutes at a time. Ego states that the supplied 5Ah battery is good for up to 700 square metres on a single charge – more if you ask me – but if you have an extra large lawn and require even greater range, I would also consider adding the 7.5Ah battery which will power the mower for a substantial 50 minutes or so. Thankfully this particular model also comes with Ego’s amazingly quick Rapid Charger which readies the supplied 5Ah battery for another stint on the sod in an industry-leading 40 minutes.
I am especially enamoured of this mower’s self propulsion system which can be set from a really slow walking pace to a spritely spring in the step simply by adjusting the rocker switch on the handlebar. The activation lever, too, is perfectly positioned for both comfort and convenience. Moreover, the self propulsion can be used independently of the main blade motor for safe transport across the lawn. Oh, and unlike most self-propelled mowers that lurch off dragging you along behind, this one starts off nice and gently.
The superbly designed collapsible handlebar system, meanwhile, can be adjusted to three heights, from really low for those of short stature to a height to match a six footer. The whole handlebar assembly also collapses and folds up into a surprisingly small and tidy package that allows you to push the mower around like a trolley cart and store it in a space-saving upright position. And should you ever feel the urge to mow in the dark you may be pleased to know that this model is also fitted with LED headlights so you can avoid decapitating moles and gophers.
In my extensive tests, this mower cut through even the tallest of field-type grass as well any petrol-powered mower I’ve ever used. In fact I’d go so far as to say that Ego mowers are probably the most powerful cordless models on the market right now and arguably the only cordless range capable of matching petrol power for sheer cutting torque. Its specially designed bagging blade scythed through everything with confidence, chucking the cuttings deep into the large 60-litre mesh grass collector. As an extra bonus, the mower also comes with a mulching plug and side chute assembly for those who prefer to have the cuttings blasted back into the lawn. With a choice of six cutting heights (from 25-95mm), you can be sure this mower will deal with all types of grasses.
Granted, the Ego LM2021E-SP is one of the most expensive cordless mowers you can buy right now, but if you're after a staggeringly well engineered model that has the power to deal with every type of grass known to humankind, then this one does the job brilliantly well. It is, quite possibly, the most thoughtfully designed lawn mower in existence. Top dollar.
Although Kärcher is more famously known for its pressure washers, the German company has done its homework and produced a pair brilliant mowers that compete very favourably with the more established brands. For this guide we’re focusing on the larger LMO 18-36 model with a 36cm cutting deck, but if you need a smaller model, head over to our guide to the best small lawn mowers and check out the Kärcher LMO 18-33 instead.
If you have a medium-sized urban lawn, you could do worse than get your mitts around this excellent cordless model which has a cutting deck of 36cm, a 45-litre fabric grass collector for fewer trips to the compost heap, and a nice big height lever that takes the cutting deck from 30-70mm. It even comes with a mulching plug for those who like to mulch much mulch.
The Kärcher 18-36 comes with an 18v 5aH battery that’s one of the best in this price range. Its LCD not only displays accurate battery level in percentages, but it just seems to go on and on. I’m guessing you’ll easily get 40 minutes of cutting time out of it. At a smidge under 14 kilos, this one’s a no brainer, especially if you have a medium-sized lawn.
To see how this top-rated mower stacks up against the competition, be sure to check out T3's Kärcher LMO 18-36 vs Gtech Cordless Lawnmower 2.0.
Want a premium turf master? The Gtech CLM50 is a great choice.
For a mower with a large 42cm cutting deck, the exceedingly good looking white Gtech CLM50 is one of the lightest (13kg) mowers in its category – so light you might think they’d forgotten to put a motor in it.
Unlike most lawn mowers, the Gtech CLM50 adopts a different type of blade. In fact, it’s half a blade with a counterweight on the other end. Made from carbon steel, this blade is said to be just as efficient while requiring less energy. All I know is that it cut my large test lawn supremely well, and right to the very edge of the border. It also produced finer cuttings than most other mowers I’ve tested.
The motor’s well worth a mention since it features automatic variable speed: in short to medium grass the blade rotates at a steady pace, but as soon as it feels the resistance of longer grass, it speeds up dramatically, cutting the offending fronds with effortless aplomb. I managed to eek just under 40 minutes of running time from the 48v battery, and it took just 60 minutes to charge.
Noise level is another major consideration when purchasing any lawn mower and this model is one of the quietest on test. The handlebar uses quick-release latches like most other manufacturers and it can be folded into three for easy storage. However, the handlebar height can’t be adjusted and, as it stands, it feels almost too tall for this 5’6” lawn smith. Other features include a fixed battery key that can’t be lost, a battery power indicator that is visible at all times and a large 50-litre grass collector that clips on and off with consummate ease.
Verdict? If you have a medium-sized lawn and a price of £500 isn’t an obstacle, then slap some readies down on this one because it’s one of the best cordless mowers we’ve tested. It’s super light, a doddle to maneuver and it looks the business, too.
Stihl swaggers onto the lawn with a stupendous machine that looks like no other mower on the market. Instead of a standard two-strut handlebar that’s awkward to fold and a bit rickety, the RMA 339 comes with an unflinchingly solid mono bar that simply unlatches and folds over on itself. The bar can also be easily adjusted to two heights with a simple flick of a latch.
However, it’s not so much the folding aspect that makes this handlebar arrangement so unique, it’s the massive amount of free space it provides on the left hand side when it’s time to lift out the grass catcher. With other mowers, the act of removing the grass box involves two moves: one to unlatch the box from between the handlebar and the other to reach around the back of the handlebar to pick it up. By contrast, with this model you simply lean down, unlatch the collector and pick it up. All in one tidy move. Another handy facet is that the top of all-plastic 40-litre grass collector can be unhinged to empty it all at once without having to shake it up and down.
From a mowing point of view – which is, after all, what you’re most interested in – the Stihl is a lawn virtuoso, cutting grass evenly and with little fuss, almost to the very edge. It’s quite heavy but easy to manoeuvre and its wide 37cm cutting deck is a great size for medium sized lawns. The height adjuster is one of the best yet – just pull the handle out a few centimetres and lift or lower the cutting deck with almost zero effort.
Like the Gtech above, this model also features automatic blade speed adjustment. This means that in standard-length grass the motor hums along at low revs, saving battery power in the process. But when it detects a section of long grass, it seems to almost double the power, scything through it like a knife through blancmange. As soon as it’s passed through, the motor reverts to its more sedate pace again. You can safely expect about 40 minutes of cutting time on a full charge.
As is the case with most Stihl products, this mower is available with or without a battery or charger – if you already own any Stihl products that already use the 36v system, you can simply hot swap between tools. For the well-heeled lawnsmith looking for a reliable, efficient and superbly designed mower that’s actually a pleasure to use, this Teutonic model is about as impressive as it gets.
If you've got a smallish garden and want to maximise cordless bang for your buck, then the LawnMaster 24V Lawn Mower may be the system for you.
While its looks might not raise an eyebrow, the spec and runtime most definitely will, since this mower comes with not one but two 2.0Ah batteries. This gives you a total of 120 minutes of running time – enough to cover all but the largest of gardens. And the great thing is that, when one battery is in use, the other can be charged with the included charger, which can boost a battery back to full power in just 60 minutes.
In terms of cutting credentials, the LawnMaster certainly delivers the goods. It has a brushless motor and a 34cm blade that is perfectly sufficient for medium and smaller gardens (officially rated up to 300m2), while the included mulching plug is a handy addition for those who wish to inject some nitrogen back into the lawn. Also, its six different cutting heights – ranging from 20 to 70mm – means you have plenty of options to master the sward to your liking. Not bad at all.
This writer has been using this large 51cm cordless Cobra for two years and it’s a beast in every respect. The Cobra MX51S80V is equipped with an 80-volt brushless motor and it runs on two 40v 5Ah Li-ion batteries that just seem to last forever. In fact, after every first complete mow of my 200m² lawn, both batteries still show full power with all eight LEDs alight. Combined, the batteries should provide up to 92 minutes of cutting on a full charge.
Like its petrol-based stablemate, the Cobra MX534SP, a fan-type mechanism attached to the blade helps fling grass cuttings towards the back of the large 60-litre grass collector so it fills up much more than most other mowers I’ve tested – and that means fewer trips to the compost bin. As a byproduct, the blade’s vortex fan system also sucks up garden leaves like a vacuum cleaner.
The Cobra MX51S80V is an exceptional cutter and powerful enough to scythe through even long damp grass without so much as a hiccup. Moreover, the motor speed increases automatically whenever the blade detects extra resistance. And for such a large model, it’s one of the quietest cordless models I’ve ever used.
At 29 kilos, this mower isn’t light but the onboard single-speed self propulsion makes using it a breeze. That said, it doesn’t feel too unwieldy even when used without the self propulsion because it has nice big rubber wheels that help make it easy to push.
The Cobra MX51S80V has seven cutting heights (from 25-75mm) and comes with a mulching plug and a side chute. It also comes with both batteries and two fast chargers (about 60 minutes to charge from empty). The handlebar assembly, meanwhile, can be adjusted to a vast range of heights – from ultra tall to a profile that's low enough for even a gnome to comfortably use it. Granted, the propulsion lever is very springy so it’s a bit awkward to grip if you have weak hands but other than that minor niggle, I can’t think of a more efficient cordless model for large lawns up to and beyond 1,000m².
If you have a small urban lawn with an area of up to about 180 square metres and require a plucky little model that’s easy to use and very efficient, give this model a try. The Gardena PowerMax uses two 18v batteries that share compatibility with most Bosch cordless products. These batteries must be used in tandem. Unfortunately, Gardena only supplies one charger with the package so you will need to charge both batteries in succession, which is a bit of an inconvenience. You should get about 35 minutes of cutting time out of a full charge.
We’re always looking for innovation when reviewing lawn mowers since most models cut grass very well. In this instance it’s the cutting height adjuster. Instead of pulling a lever to raise or lower the deck, the PowerMax features a QuickFit knob that is really easy to use. Simply push down on the knob, turn the dial to your preferred cutting height and the whole chassis springs up or down through ten cutting height levels, from a lower-than average 20mm to 60mm.
The motor itself is of the brushless variety so you can expect decades-long reliability from it. Add a decent 30-litre grass collector, a mulching plug and a very comfortable handlebar, and you have one very decent little operator that performs remarkably well on any urban-sized lawn. Incidentally, if you prefer a smaller lawn mower like this model, pop over to our separate guide to the Best Small Lawn Mowers where we look at a whole lot more.
Looking for a large-bodied self-propelled cordless mower that doesn’t cost the Earth This lime green mean machine screams ‘buy me’, and for more reasons than just the way it looks, which is frankly fantastic.
Aside from boasting a durable 46cm steel cutting deck that’s perfect for lawns up to 600 square metres, the Greenworks Pro GD60LM46SPK4 is also equipped with variable-speed self propulsion, a long-life brushless motor, a single 60v 4Ah battery with charger, a mulching plug and side chute, and a 55-litre fabric grass collector.
The self propulsion speed is adjusted using a rocker throttle and the speed varies between a slow comfortable walking pace and a brisk march. In our test, it cut a swathe with effortless precision, never once bogging down, even when it hit a stretch of extra tall grass. The included mulching plug and clip-on side chute can be considered a bonus, especially if you’d rather have the cuttings flung back into the lawn to fertilise it.
The Greenworks’ seven cutting heights (from 25mm to 80mm) are effortless to adjust using the large lever on its right and its two-way folding handlebar system is very well designed and capable of being used at three different height positions.
Despite its size and weight (30.5kgs), the Greenworks Pro GD60LM46SPK4 is easy to store without taking up too much space – simply collapse the handlebar assembly and store it in an upright position. You should get up to about 26 minutes of mowing from the supplied 4Ah battery.
If you have a lawn in excess of 500 square metres and positively loathe mowing it, then this cool-looking lawn barber could be just the ticket to get you off your posterior and onto the turf.
Designed in the UK, this T3 Award-winning cordless Cobra is equipped with a small 34cm cutting deck and a 35-litre fabric grass collector, making it the perfect little mower for an average sized urban sward. Being so small and made almost entirely of plastic, it’s light enough to carry and a doddle to store. It’s also admirably quiet.
Despite using a brushed motor instead of a more expensive brushless one, this titchy mower really impressed us with its cutting efficiency, even in relatively long damp grass. We estimate about 30 minutes of use on a single one-hour charge of its Samsung battery – enough power to cover up to three separate sessions on a small 10m x 8m lawn. For added convenience, it has a battery power indicator just below the start button on the handlebar.
The Cobra sports five cutting heights (25mm to 75mm), a simple height adjustment lever and, for the price, a very good collapsible handlebar system that incorporates quick-release clips instead of awkward screw threads. This is a great value model that’s efficient, easy to manoeuvre and compact enough for easy storage.
We've got a great Cobra MX3440 vs Einhell GE-CM 18/33 Li comparison feature that supplies even more detail about this top cordless lawn mower.
The Bosch CityMower weighs just 9.9kg so it’s really easy to push around and carry between lawny sections. Crucially, it comes fitted with Bosch’s comfy Ergoflex handlebar system that is perfect for both righties and lefties.
For those with a typical urban lawn, this thing passes much muster. Its height adjustable 34cm cutting deck and 31-litre grass collector are of optimum size for a 300 square metre lawn and, because it's fitted with extended grass combs, it also cuts right to edge of the lawn. And that means less strimming.
The CityMower has also got a clever processor on board that ensures the blades maintain a constant speed through any length of grass, thereby allegedly increasing the 18v battery’s capacity by up to 20%. Even with that boost, the mower will run for about 25 minutes on a hour-one charge, which is about average for a mower of this dimension.
The CityMower comes with a battery but if you already own a set of Bosch power tools that use the 18v system then opt for the ‘solo’ model and use one of your own batteries instead. This little compact mower cuts exceptionally well and is light enough for even the weakest knee’d lawn smith to push around and carry, and being a Bosch, you can be sure it’ll go on running for many summers.
German brand Einhell enters the swardsmanship market with a great budget-priced model that, while not the prettiest of lookers, does the job and does it well. This is a 33cm mower so consider it if you have a small lawn; at just 10.9 kgs, it’s also light to carry and easy to store.
The Einhell GE-CM 18/33 LI model comes with a battery and charger and is one of the cheapest ready-to-run models you can buy. It’s generally well designed and equipped with a brushless motor for unswerving reliability, a simple fold-over handle bar assembly for easy storage, and a three-setting height adjuster that takes the chassis from 25 to 65 mm – enough range for most types of common grasses.
If you’re not bothered by looks and just want a descent small-bodied mower that costs less than £200 complete with battery and charger, then you can’t really go wrong with this Einhell.
Like small city cars vs large cars, bigger mowers tend to feel and look more luxurious. They are also likely to be equipped with fancy telescopic handlebar systems and slick cutting height adjusters. As a consequence, large-bodied mowers are also proportionately more expensive to buy than their smaller brethren. But what if you had a large suburban lawn and didn’t want to spend a fortune on a cordless mower big enough to handle it?
Enter this wide-bodied stablemate to the T3 award-winning MX3440V reviewed above. The Cobra MX4340V has a wide 43cm (17-inch) cutting deck, 50-litre fabric grass collector and a brushless motor that are all on a par with premium-priced models like the Gtech and Greenworks. However, this model costs almost half the price, complete with 40v 5Ah battery and charger. Uniquely, it even has a battery power indicator on the handlebar assembly to let you know how much juice is left. And speaking of juice, you should get up to 50 minutes of running time out of it which is exemplary for a mower of these dimensions.
Yes, the folding handlebar system isn't as posh as some of the more expensive models but, guys, it’s a mower not a status symbol.
Why cordless lawn mowers are the best lawn mowers
For most lawns men (lawns persons?), we'd always recommend a cordless mower such as the ones listed above.
That's because there are few less compatible duos than a 240-volt electric cable and a fast-spinning blade, and with UK garden sizes ever shrinking, petrol mowers are just totally OTT for most people, especially in cities. We estimate that the whole cordless mowing process from getting it out of the shed to finishing the job is almost twice as fast as when using a corded model.
However, some cordless models may struggle in extra long grass so best avoid tackling any untamed pastures (we’re talking really long grass here, the sort that hasn’t seen a lawnmower in months). If cutting grass that's about six inches long, fear not if your cordless model cuts it unevenly, leaving chunks of flattened grass in its wake. This is normal for any mower doing its first cut of the season. The secret is to set the cutting deck to the highest setting and tilt the mower back in long grass so the blade doesn’t bog down. Once you’ve completed one pass, run over the lawn again in the opposite direction or, better still, leave it after the first cut and return a day later for its second cut. Then gradually lower the cutting deck for subsequent sessions until it looks like a golf course fairway. At least that’s the theory.
Cordless mowers' lithium-Ion batteries are relatively quick to charge and provide between 25 and 60 minutes of hassle-free mowing, which is plenty long enough to completely cut an average UK garden.
T3.com's Deputy Editor Robert Jones reviewing the Stihl RMS 443 VC cordless lawn mower.
How we test lawn mowers
A good example of how T3 performs hands-on testing of cordless lawn mowers can be seen in our Stihl RMA 443 VC review. We have a clear methodology when reviewing products and mowers are no exception, with us first assembling and then using wireless lawn mowers to actually cut grass ourselves in a real world environment.
Take the Stihl RMA 443 VC coverage as an example. In the picture above, Deputy Editor of T3 (and budding gardener) Robert Jones is shown in videos and pictures actually using the mower. He also provides his personal, hands-on experience with the mower, talking through his findings in terms of design and build quality as well as performance and features.
We don't just rely on what a manufacturer says about their product – we test cordless lawn mowers ourselves, looking out for key signs of quality. If a mower misses the mark, we'll let you know, while if it slays sward like a pro then you'll know. The best mowers on the market end up in T3's best cordless lawn mowers buying guide.
