Electric vs Gas Lawn Mower

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Ten years ago this was an easy call. Cordless mowers were small, weak and ran out of juice halfway across the backyard. Gas was the only serious option for a real lawn.

That has changed. The flagship battery mowers from EGO, Ryobi and Greenworks now mow tall grass that used to be gas territory, and reviewers keep saying so. But gas hasn’t disappeared, and for some yards it’s still the smarter tool.

I run a metal and composites workshop, so tools and blades are everyday stuff for me, and I use EGO battery tools on my own lawn. Below is how the two compare, based on the published specs and owner reviews, plus a clear answer on who should buy which.

Quick comparison

Price ranges come from maker list prices and TechGearLab’s mower ratings. Noise figures are TechGearLab’s own measurements at the operator.

The battery mowers worth comparing against gas

These three are the mid-to-upper models from the three biggest cordless platforms in the US, and they’re the ones most people weigh against a gas mower.

EGO LM2135SP (Select Cut). 56V, one 7.5Ah battery, up to 60 minutes, 7.0 ft-lb of cutting torque, a two-blade Select Cut system and Touch Drive self-propel from 0.9 to 3.1 mph, per EGO’s product page. Full review: EGO Power+ lawn mower review.

Ryobi RY40HPLM02K2. 40V HP, two 6Ah batteries, up to 75 minutes, a Cross Cut multi-blade deck, rated for yards up to 3/4 acre. Ryobi says it delivers more power than a 170cc gas mower, per Ryobi’s product page. Full review: Ryobi cordless lawn mower review.

Greenworks LM2116S. 60V, two 4Ah batteries, up to 1 hour, a 21-inch stamped steel deck and a weight of 65 lb, per Greenworks’ product page.

Power: can a battery mower really match gas?

For a normal suburban lawn, yes.

Battery makers now quote power against gas engines directly. Ryobi says its 40V HP self-propelled mowers beat a 170cc gas mower, and its push multi-blade model beats a 196cc engine. EGO quotes cutting torque instead: 7.0 ft-lb on the LM2135SP, 8.3 ft-lb on the Select Cut XP and 10.6 ft-lb on its 22-inch composite-deck model.

These are maker claims, so I look at what testers found. TechGearLab called the EGO Power+ 1000 (22-inch) the mower with more power than any they tested, gas included. Pro Tool Reviews ran the EGO Select Cut XP through thick, 8-inch St. Augustine at a 1.5-inch cut without it bogging down.

Where gas still has an edge is sustained heavy work. A brushless motor can deliver big torque for a while, but cutting a foot of wet grass drains a battery fast. In the same Pro Tool Reviews test, heavy cutting with the mulching blade gave just over 43 minutes from a 10Ah battery, against a 75-minute rating.

In practice: if you mow every week or so at the right height, a flagship battery mower has all the power you need. If you regularly mow an overgrown field after two weeks of rain, gas is less stressful.

Runtime and refueling

This is the real difference, more than power.

A gas mower runs until the tank is empty, then you pour in more gas and keep going. TechGearLab noted that a tank lasted about an hour and covered their test acre, and refilling takes a minute.

A battery mower runs until the pack is flat, then you wait. Rated runtimes for current 21-inch models:

• EGO LM2114SP (6Ah): up to 50 minutes
• EGO LM2135SP (7.5Ah): up to 60 minutes
• Greenworks LM2116S (2 x 4Ah): up to 1 hour
• Ryobi RY40HPLM02K2 (2 x 6Ah): up to 75 minutes
• EGO LM2156SP (10Ah): up to 75 minutes

Recharge time varies a lot. EGO quotes about 60 minutes for its 7.5Ah and 10Ah batteries on its rapid and turbo chargers. TechGearLab measured about 3.5 hours to recharge a Toro 60V mower. Charging speed depends on the charger, not just the battery.

Rated runtime is a best case. It drops with tall grass, bagging, hills and fast self-propel speeds. Pro Tool Reviews thinks Ryobi’s 3/4-acre rating is closer to 1/2 acre in real peak-season grass.

Rule of thumb: a single-battery 21-inch mower handles about a quarter acre comfortably. Two big batteries get you to around half an acre. Beyond that, you either buy a spare battery or think hard about gas (or a robot mower).

Noise

Battery mowers are quieter, though not silent. The blade still moves a lot of air.

TechGearLab measured:

• Toro SmartStow Recycler 20340 (gas): 81 dBA, the loudest in their test
• Troy-Bilt TB110 (gas): 79 dBA
• EGO Power+ 1000 22-inch (battery): 77 dBA
• Toro 60V Max Super Recycler (battery): 74 dBA
• EGO Power+ 800 21-inch (battery): 73 dBA

A few decibels sounds small, but the bigger difference is the type of sound. A gas engine drones at full throttle the whole time. A battery mower mostly makes blade whoosh, and many slow the blade down in light grass. Ryobi markets its Whisper Series as 85% quieter than gas.

If you mow early on a Saturday or your neighbors are close, battery wins clearly.

Maintenance

Here gas loses badly.

TechGearLab sums up gas upkeep as oil, fuel tanks, carburetors and spark plugs that need to be cleaned, drained or stabilized. A typical gas mower year looks like this:

• Check and top up oil before mowing, change it on the engine maker’s schedule
• Replace or clean the air filter
• Replace the spark plug every season or two
• Add stabilizer or run the tank dry before winter
• Deal with a gummed-up carburetor if old fuel sat over winter

A battery mower needs:

• A sharp blade (same as gas, see how to sharpen a lawn mower blade)
• A clean deck underside
• Batteries stored indoors over winter, not in a freezing shed

On a small gas engine the carburetor is a common trouble spot, and the usual cause is fuel left sitting. Battery mowers simply don’t have that failure point.

Starting and everyday use

Push a button, squeeze a bail, and a battery mower starts. Every time. No choke, no pull cord, no flooded engine.

Most battery mowers also fold. EGO, Ryobi and Greenworks all sell 21-inch models that fold and stand upright, which frees up a lot of garage floor. Greenworks says its EZ Fold handles take up to 70% less space. Gas mowers usually need to stay flat so oil doesn’t run where it shouldn’t.

Weight

Battery mowers aren’t automatically lighter. Batteries and self-propel motors add weight.

• Greenworks LM2116S: 65 lb, per Greenworks
• Ryobi RY40HPLM02: 79.2 lb, per Ryobi

Both are self-propelled, so you don’t push that weight on flat ground. But a 79-lb mower is a lot to drag backward or lift into a truck. If weight matters, look at smaller push models in my small-yard mower guide.

Cost: upfront and over the years

Gas is cheaper to buy. TechGearLab lists the Troy-Bilt TB110 gas push mower at $369 and the Toro SmartStow Recycler self-propelled at $579. Comparable self-propelled battery mowers with batteries run around $640 to $1,000 at full price.

Over the years, the gap narrows:

• No gas, oil, spark plugs, air filters or stabilizer
• Electricity for a mower is a small cost
• No carburetor repairs

The cost that worries people with batteries is replacement. A large 56V or 40V battery is a meaningful expense, and owner reviews of EGO mowers mention batteries losing capacity over time. Warranties help here: EGO gives 3 years on batteries (5 with registration on its newer models), Ryobi 3 years and Greenworks 3 or 4 depending on the line.

My take: if you already own batteries from one platform (say, for a string trimmer or leaf blower), a tool-only mower or a kit with extra batteries makes the battery route much cheaper. If you own nothing and want the cheapest way to cut grass, gas still wins on price.

Lawn size and slopes

Under 1/4 acre: battery, easily. A single-battery mower finishes with charge left.

1/4 to 1/2 acre: battery, with a big battery (7.5 to 10Ah) or two. Self-propelled is worth it at this size. See my self-propelled mower picks.

1/2 to 1 acre: either. Battery works with two large packs or a spare, but it’s tight in peak season. Gas is simpler.

Over 1 acre: gas walk-behind, a rider, or a robot mower. A walk-behind battery mower isn’t the right tool here.

Hills: both work. Greenworks says the LM2116S handles 15° slopes, and advises against walk-behind mowers on slopes steeper than that. Hills drain batteries faster, so size up. Ryobi also sells an all-wheel-drive battery model (RY40HPLM03K2) for uneven ground.

Weather, emissions and storage

Gas engines produce exhaust. TechGearLab points out the CO2 and fumes, and battery mowers make none at the mower. EGO, Greenworks and many others also rate their mowers IPX4 for weather resistance, which covers splashes, not mowing in a downpour.

For storage, a battery mower can sit in the garage all winter with no fuel prep. Just take the batteries inside and store them the way the maker’s manual says.

Who should still buy gas?

Gas makes sense if you:

• Mow more than 1/2 to 3/4 acre with a walk-behind and don’t want to buy spare batteries
• Regularly cut very tall, thick or wet grass
• Want the lowest upfront price for a capable mower
• Don’t own any battery tools and don’t plan to
• Already maintain small engines and don’t mind it

Who should buy battery?

Battery makes sense if you:

• Mow up to about 1/2 acre
• Want push-button starts and almost no maintenance
• Mow early or late, or have close neighbors
• Already own (or plan to buy) a battery yard tool system
• Want to store the mower upright and save garage space

My verdict

For a typical American suburban lawn, I’d buy a battery mower today. The flagships cut as well as most gas mowers, start every time and skip the yearly engine chores. I use EGO battery tools on my own lawn, and the lack of fuel and engine maintenance is the part I’d miss most if I went back.

The EGO LM2135SP is the best all-rounder for most yards up to around half an acre. The Ryobi RY40HPLM02K2 gives more runtime out of the box with two batteries and is the stronger pick for bigger lots or Ryobi 40V owners. The Greenworks LM2116S is the one to look at if you want a steel deck.

If you mow a big lot, often face overgrown grass or want to spend as little as possible, a good gas mower is still a sensible choice. For timing a purchase, see when lawn mowers go on sale.