Best cordless lawn mower 2024: top battery-powered trimmers that tackle all types of turf

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 mowers is the time saving you make by not having to unfurl the cable in the first place.

Today’s battery-powered cordless mowers are invariably as powerful as their electric cable-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.

This best cordless lawn mowers guide takes you through the best options on the market, and offers some buying advice, too. If cordless is not what you want, we also have a guide to the best robot lawn mowers.

WRITTEN BY

WRITTEN BY

Bethan Girdler-Maslen

Beth is Home Editor for T3, covering style, living and wellness. While Beth has a severe lack of grass in her garden, she has tried her fair share of lawn mowers by pushing around petrol and cordless options alike around her family's turf.

The top three

Best cordless lawnmowers 2024

The best cordless lawn mower

This relatively new model from Worx is a direct contender for the Ego below and others in the 50-52cm cutting deck range, and it just pips them all to the winning post by dint of several unique and very innovative features.

Let’s start with this mower’s impressive 80v battery system. Many power tool manufacturers produce batteries that can be swapped between one same-brand tool and another. So for instance, when you discover your strimmer has run out of battery you can simply take the same type of battery out of your chainsaw and use that one instead.

However when it comes to cordless lawnmowers which need a lot more juice and power to run, other manufacturers provide an extra large battery that doesn’t fit any of their other power tools. Well, Worx has got around this issue by making the Nitro mower compatible with its standard PowerShare battery range and it does this by running the mower on four included 4.0aH batteries that sit in a special module called Basecamp.

Now you’re probably thinking that charging four batteries at a time will be a right palaver. But you’re wrong because the Basecamp module is removable so you can just unclip it and plug the whole shebang into the mains and all four batteries are recharged in around four hours. You can even recharge the batteries directly while the Basecamp is still attached to the mower.

There’s more to this battery system than meets the eye because we all know that sometimes a lithium battery will have a hissy fit and stop working completely. With this system, if a single battery should fail, the replacement cost is around £70 whereas a single large 5aH Ego battery, for instance, will set you back around £229. What this basically means is that you will be able to continue to run the Nitro mower without breaking the bank.

That’s the innovative battery system out of the way, so what’s the mower like as an actual mower. In two words, bloody brilliant. Firstly, I’m a stickler for well-designed products that perform at a top level and this model is very much a class leader in this regard. The handlebar design is exquisite – a robust, one-piece aluminium assembly that folds over for upright storage. To adjust user height you simply push a conveniently positioned button at the top of the bar and it moves up and down in three heights, from really low to high enough for a six footer.

The motor activation bar is pretty conventional, it must be said, as is the self-propulsion control. In fact, if anything the Ego’s propulsion lever just sneaks ahead of this one in terms of control ergonomics. Thankfully the speed control lever is exactly the same as the Ego and runs from snail pace to a brisk walking pace. Like the Ego, you can also turn off the blade motor and move the mower around using just the propulsion lever. This is a good thing because the Worx weighs a substantial 35kgs.

Heading down towards the 51cm all-steel deck, there’s a practical cutting height system that works by grabbing a handle and pulling on a large button attached to a built-in spring mechanism that raises or lowers the deck in seven increments – from 20mm to 80mm. The mesh grass collector, meanwhile is a very generous 70 litres which means fewer trips to the compost heap. Oh, and fancy a spot of late-night mowing? Good, because the Nitro has a set of bright LED headlights mounted on the front.

My lawn is a manageable 175m² and this thing has cut it beautifully on five separate occasions. Worx states a running time of 55 minutes and I'm inclined to agree because I've had three and a half full lawn cuts from just one charge. What’s more, the brushless motor is equipped with a management system that ramps up the torque to petrol-powered levels when the blade detects resistance from long grass. It then backs it off again for the shorter stuff. Worx calls it Intellicut (nice word) and it genuinely helps save a lot of battery juice while having some serious backup power to hand when required. According to Worx, the Nitro is good for lawns up to 1000m² – and that’s a substantially large swathe by anyone’s imagination (a standard tennis court is about 261m²).

Like many high-end mowers in this league, the Worx Nitro can mulch grass as well as eject cuttings out of a side chute. However, it only comes with a side chute and no mulching plug. Why? Because it doesn’t need one! In a stroke of genius, Worx has included a handle-operated sliding hatch that closes the rear of the mower when in mulching mode. This is a killer feature because a) we always forget where we put the damn mulching plug and b) they are a right faff to fit. With this system, you simply remove the grass collector, slide the lever to mulch and mow, baby, mow.

If you have a medium to large sward that you want to keep in immaculate condition, this keenly-priced cordless beast will do the task and do it superbly well no matter the length of grass. It’s amazingly well equipped, not too loud, extremely efficient and powerful enough to confine your current petrol mower to the history books.

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The best lightweight cordless lawn mower

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 factor when purchasing any lawn mower and this model is one of the quietest on the market and the low growling sound it makes is quite different to other models. 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 price 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 manoeuvre and a good looker to boot.

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The best cordless lawn mower for medium lawns

The Worx WG743E weighs around 14.5kg so it’s very easy to push around and carry between lawn sections using the chunky orange handle. Crucially, it comes armed with two 20v 4Ah MaxLithium Pro batteries which combine to provide 40 volts of oomph. It also comes with an excellent single-unit dual charger so you can top up both batteries at once. The batteries provide up to 30 minutes on a full charge, which is about par for the course with a low-priced mower like this. As an added bonus, this mower’s batteries are the same as others in the Worx range so you can hot swap them from the company's other garden tools like the amazing Worx Leafjet WG543E blower we review in our guide to the Best Leaf Blowers.

For those with a small to medium urban-cum-suburban lawn, this model passes much muster. Its five-position cutting height adjustment (3-9cm), wide 40cm cutting deck and ample 45-litre mesh grass collector are of optimum size for a 500 square metre lawn. Moreover, this model also ships with a mulching plug that blocks the exit chute. This is so that the nitrogen-rich cuttings can be forced back into the turf which in turn helps keeps the lawn naturally fertilised.

Although the Worx’s handlebar system is very basic, it can at least be folded for easy storage. Also, this writer has detected a modicum of rear suspension in the chassis that may or may not soak up rougher terrain. Whatever, it’s an interesting addition and something I’d like to see on all lawn mowers.

The Worx WG743E cuts exceptionally well – and right to the edge – so if you’re in the market for a keenly-priced and very efficient mid-sized cordless lawn mower, step right this way.

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The best cordless lawn mower for large lawns

At around 31kgs, the extremely 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 wide 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. It 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 absolutely love 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 variable-speed rocker switch on the handlebar. The activation lever, too, is perfectly positioned for both comfort and convenience. Moreover, the self propulsion can be engaged without the blade spinning 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 and exceedingly robust 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 far back 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, 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.

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THE BEST CORDLESS LAWN MOWER FOR SMALL LAWNS

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 small-to-medium 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.

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THE BEST CORDLESS LAWN MOWER FOR URBAN LAWNS

If you have a small to medium-size urban lawn and require a plucky model that’s very easy to use, extremely efficient and a doddle to store, give this model a whirl. The Flymo 36V UltraStore 380R uses two 18-volt batteries in tandem which combine to produce 36 volts of overall power. Unfortunately, Flymo 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 Flymo’s amazing ability to be wheeled around like a shopping trolley and then fold up into a tidy package that can be stored vertically with the grass box attached. If you have a tiny shed, this may be the mower for you.

This mower comes with a 38cm cutting width, a large 45-litre plastic grass collector and a decent cutting height selector than can raise and lower the cutting deck from 60mm down to a lower-than-average 20mm. At 11.9kgs, it’s also one of the lightest mowers on test.

Add the included mulching plug and decent folding handlebar, and you have a very competent operator that performs remarkably well while being one of the easiest mowers to store away.

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The best cheap cordless lawn mower

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 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.

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The best ergonomic cordless lawn mower

Stihl waltzes onto the turf 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 grass collector 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 pretty heavy but easy enough 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 little 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 lawn smith looking for a reliable, efficient and superbly designed mower that’s a pleasure to use, this Teutonic model is about as impressive as it gets.

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The best cordless lawn mower for battery

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.

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The best self-propelling cordless lawn mower

This large 51cm cordless Cobra is 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 90 minutes of cutting on a full charge.

Like its petrol-based stablemate, the Cobra MX534SP (which you can read about in our guide to the Best Petrol Lawn Mowers), 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, this large-bodied mower is almost up there with the equally impressive EGO+ LM2021E-SP, reviewed above.

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The best budget cordless lawn mower

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.

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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.

How we test the best cordless 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.