The Best Cheap Cordless Lawn Mowers

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Cheap cordless mowers are a real option now. Ten years ago, a budget battery mower meant a weak motor and a battery that died in 15 minutes. Today, brushless motors and lithium batteries show up in mowers that cost less than a decent gas push mower.

The trick is knowing what you give up. On a cheap cordless mower, you usually lose deck width, runtime, maximum cutting height or warranty. Sometimes all four. Pick the trade-off that matters least for your yard.

I chose these based on the published specs and owner reviews, plus reviews from OPE Reviews and The Gadgeteer. I work with tools and blades in my metal and composites workshop and use EGO battery tools on my own lawn, so I looked closely at what’s actually in the box and how long the warranty runs.

The picks

What “cheap” gets you

Most of the savings come from the battery. A bare-tool mower from a premium brand can cost less than a budget kit, if you already own the batteries.

1. Worx 40V Power Share WG743: best cheap cordless mower

The WG743 is a 17-inch push mower that runs on two 20V Power Share batteries. OPE Reviews lists it with two 4.0Ah batteries and a dual-port charger, 29 lb, a seven-position single-point height adjustment, a 1.2-bushel bag with a full-bag indicator and a 3-year warranty. Worx claims about 1/8 acre per charge.

Why it’s the pick:

• A name brand with a 3-year warranty at a budget price.
• IntelliCut raises blade speed in thick grass.
• The batteries run Worx’s trimmers and blowers too.

What to watch: it’s a small-yard mower. Past 1/8 acre, you’ll need spare batteries.

2. Litheli 20V 13-inch brushless: cheapest worth buying

Litheli’s 13-inch mower is the one I’d buy at the very bottom of the price range. The Gadgeteer lists a brushless motor, a 20V 4.0Ah battery with up to 40 minutes claimed, five heights from 0.98 to 2.56 inches, 27.3 lb and a 5-year tool warranty with 3 years on the battery and charger. The reviewer got more than 30 minutes of cutting.

Why it’s a good choice:

• Brushless motor and long tool warranty at a low price.
• Very light and easy to store.

What to watch: a 13-inch deck is slow on anything bigger than a townhouse lawn, and the 2.56-inch maximum height is too low for many cool-season lawns in summer. The Gadgeteer reviewer had it shut off in thick grass until they raised the deck.

3. Sun Joe 24V-X2-17LM: best budget brushless 17-inch

Sun Joe’s 17-inch mower runs two 24V 4.0Ah batteries as a 48V system with a 670W brushless motor. Sun Joe lists six heights from 1 to 3 inches, an 11-gallon bag and a 2-year warranty. Its support page lists 33.8 lb.

Why it’s a good choice:

• Two batteries and a dual charger in the box.
• Bigger bag than most 17-inch mowers.

What to watch: Sun Joe doesn’t publish a runtime, the warranty is shorter than Worx’s, and it won’t run on one battery. Sun Joe’s direct price is often higher than the Worx, so it’s only a bargain on sale.

4. EGO LM2110 (bare tool): best if you own EGO batteries

If you already have an EGO 56V battery from a blower or trimmer, the LM2110 is the cheapest way into a full-size 21-inch battery mower. EGO’s comparison chart lists it as a 21-inch push mower, up to 55 minutes on a 6.0Ah battery, a 1.25 to 4-inch cutting height and 45.2 lb. It’s sold without a battery or charger.

Why it’s a good choice:

• Full 21-inch deck and a 4-inch maximum height.
• Same mower as the LM2114 kit, minus the battery.

What to watch: without an EGO battery, it’s not cheap at all. A small 2.5Ah blower battery will mow only part of a lawn, so check your battery size.

5. Toro 60V Recycler 21326T (bare tool): cheapest self-propelled option

Toro’s 21326T is a 21-inch self-propelled Recycler sold without a battery. Toro lists a 15-gauge steel deck, a 1.25 to 3.75-inch cutting height, 58 lb and up to 1/3 acre in 42 minutes on a full charge. It runs any 60V Flex-Force battery.

Why it’s a good choice:

• Self-propel and a steel deck at a bare-tool price.
• Lighter than most self-propelled battery mowers.

What to watch: you need a Toro 60V battery and charger. Toro’s runtime figure doesn’t say which battery it assumes.

6. EGO LM2114: spend a little more

If none of the cheap kits fit your lawn, the LM2114 is the step up: the same 21-inch push mower as the LM2110, with a 56V 6.0Ah battery and charger. It usually sells in the $400 to $500 range. EGO’s chart lists up to 55 minutes and 45.2 lb.

What to watch: it’s twice the price of the Worx. Only worth it if your lawn is near a quarter acre.

Kit vs. bare tool: the real math

The gap between a bare-tool mower and the same mower with a battery tells you roughly what the battery costs. When I checked maker and dealer listings:

EGO prices are from the dealer Power Plus Parts, Toro and Ryobi prices from their own sites. Prices change often, so treat these as a snapshot.

Two things stand out. First, the single-battery EGO and Toro kits cost only a little more than the bare tools, so a bare tool only makes sense if you already have a large enough battery. Second, a battery you already own needs to be big enough: a small trimmer battery will run a 21-inch mower for only part of a lawn.

What about Amazon budget brands?

Amazon and Walmart list dozens of 13 and 17-inch cordless mowers from brands you won’t find in a hardware store. Some are fine. Many don’t publish a model number, a runtime or a warranty, and listings sometimes contradict themselves on weight and battery size.

If you go that route:

• Check for a real warranty and a support page with a model number.
• Check the battery size in Ah, not just volts.
• Check the maximum cutting height. Many top out under 3 inches.
• Check whether spare batteries are sold separately.

I cover one popular option in the Seese cordless lawn mower review.

Where cheap mowers cut corners

Battery size. Cheap kits often ship one small battery. Two batteries in the box, like Worx and Sun Joe, is a sign of a better kit.

Deck width. 13 to 17 inches means more passes. Fine for small lawns, slow for big ones.

Cutting height. Budget mowers often top out at 2.5 to 3 inches. Cool-season grasses are usually kept taller than warm-season grasses, so this matters more in the North. See cool-season vs warm-season grass.

Warranty. Worx gives 3 years and Litheli 5 years on the tool. Sun Joe gives 2.

Motor. Brushless motors run cooler and more efficiently. All three budget kits here use them or adjust blade speed under load.

How to save on a better mower

• Buy bare tool if you already own the brand’s batteries.
• Wait for a sale. Battery mower kits often drop in price at the end of the season and on holidays. See when do lawn mowers go on sale.
• Look for bundles. Kits with a free trimmer or second battery are often better value than a bare discount.
• Consider factory reconditioned units from the maker. EGO dealers list reconditioned mowers when in stock.

Is a cheap mower enough for your lawn?

If you’re comparing against gas, electric vs gas lawn mower covers the running costs.

Make a cheap mower last

• Sharpen the blade at least once a season. A cheap motor works much harder with a dull blade. See how to sharpen a lawn mower blade.
• Mow often, so the motor isn’t fighting tall grass.
• Clean under the deck with the battery removed.
• Store batteries indoors over winter.

My how to mow a lawn guide covers the basics.

My pick

For most small lawns, the Worx WG743 is the best cheap cordless mower: light, backed by a 3-year warranty and on a battery platform that grows with you. Go cheaper with the Litheli 20V 13-inch for a tiny lawn. If you already own EGO or Toro 60V batteries, skip the cheap kits and buy the EGO LM2110 or Toro 21326T bare tool. For more options, see best cordless lawn mowers.