Last updated on April 21st, 2023
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I’ve been in the gardening game for almost 20 years now. After I left horticultural college after two years, it was off to work at my family’s nursery/garden centre before setting up my own gardening service business. Up until a couple of years ago, I still had a full-time gardening maintenance business, but now that I write reviews like this one which takes a huge amount of time, I did keep a few larger jobs on so I could continue testing the latest gardening tools.
This is where the best cordless lawnmowers come in. Back in the day, they did exist, but they were very expensive (outside my price point at the time and the few people I knew that owned one, always went back to using tried and tested petrol lawn mowers, mainly self-propelled, I actually review several here.
Over the last few years, technology has really advanced in the overall power tool space, and you can now get a good cordless lawnmower, powered by lithium-ion batteries from anywhere from a couple of hundred pounds to over a thousand. It all really depends on what you need, although I have the EGO Power+ LM2135SP 21-Inch Select Cut Lawn Mower with Touch Drive Self-Propelled for professional work. However, it was expensive, but as far as cordless mowers get, this was an incredible machine. It really is at the top of its game, maybe even genuinely the best cordless mower is your budget allows it. This thing is built from the ground up. It really is an incredible mower.
That being said, it’s an expensive mower and unfortunately not within most people’s budgets which is why my current lawn mower of choice for at home is actually this Bosch Rotak 430 Li Cordless Lawnmower pictured below. There is a newer model so the link is to the latest improved model – not that it needed improving!
Honestly, for the price, it’s hard to beat it, I would discribe it as more of a mid-range mower. It’s not a professional mower by any means, but it’s certainly at the top of its game for personal use. I’ve actually been using this mower for over 5 years now, and it’s still going strong. It cuts well, isn’t too noisy, has plenty of power for long grass, and it’s comfortable to use and folds away nicely; decent collect box, too, think it’s 50 litres. It even has as a rear roller for that striped lawn.
If you have a smaller lawn like I currently have, you really you don’t want to go too large. You will only end up paying extra for larger batteries you don’t need (on some mowers batteries are half the cost of the mower) and have trouble manoeuvring the mower around the garden if you have tight spaces.
For smaller lawns, I’ve been testing this WORX WG730E Brushless Cordless 30cm Lawn Mower as pictured above for the last 2 seasons, and I’ve been really impressed. In fact, I’ve been using it over the Bosch 43Li mower as it’s more compact and much more manoeuvrable.
I picked this up on a Black Friday deal, but even now, you can pick one up with the battery for around £200, thats not a typo, I picked it up for around £200 for testing, half the cost of my Bosch Cordless model with all the bells and whistles. When I think back on how much cordless mowers were just 5-6 years ago, this is amazing and shows how much the prices have come down over the last few years making now a great time to go from whether a corded electric lawn mower or even a noisy petrol mower.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a no-thrills model with a basic design, but it’s great at cutting grass, the battery lasts a good 30 minutes more than long enough for a small lawn and charges in around 60m minutes.
It comes with everything included, and it even has a brushless motor, something usually found only on the more expensive models. So whats the downsides you ask, well one downside is that it only has three cutting heights, and it takes a little more time to adjust the cutting height (more on this further down). However, for most people, it’s a great choice.
Honestly, I’ve been really impressed with it. I actually purchased it to use in another review I have done on lawn mowers for small gardens, so it also features on there. In fact, it’s my top pick in that review. For the money, you just can’t beat it.
So when I set out to write this review and test the best cordless mower in the UK, I considered points like the total running time on a full charge, collection box size, how well it compacts and collects the grass, and how long it takes the battery to recharge. I also looked at ergonomics and features, handle adjustments, manoeuvrability, how well it can cut around corners, narrow spaces, to the edge of fences etc. I even considered how compact and easy they are to store with the handles folded down, which is important for me.
What I really like about cordless lawn mowers over petrol mowers is how quiet they are, in general, a petrol mower like my Hyundai HYM51SPE Self Propelled Petrol 4-in-1 Lawnmower pictured above is around 95-100db. On cordless mowers, from my testing I measured around 82-83db, much, much quieter, and it’s a different sort of sound too. Don’t forget while petrol models have petrol engines, cordless models have electric motors, often brushless. With no oil or petrol to worry about, this means that can also be stored upright and even on the wall and also require next to no maintenance, just general cleaning.
Something else I have noticed is some of the more expensive models, including the EGO Power+ LM2135SP 21-Inch Select Cut Lawn Mower. It’s actually faster to push a none self-propelled mower at a normal walking pace than it is to walk behind a self-propelled mower, even at the fastest speed. Just something to bear in mind; however, it’s useful for larger lawns and sloped lawns as it just makes it easier to mow for longer periods of time on uneven ground.
My 6 Cordless Lawnmowers to buy after testing:
- Bosch Rotak 36-550 Li Cordless Lawnmower – BEST PICK – My go to mower and personally tested for over 6 years – My pick for medium and larger lawns (new upgraded models now out)
- WORX WG730E 18V (20V MAX) Brushless Cordless 30cm Lawn Mower – Personally tested for over 2 years now, great for small lawns
- EGO Power+ LM2135SP Self-propelled 21-Inch Lawn Mower – Personly used this professionally since release – expensive but an excellent workhorse
- Murray 36 V Lithium-Ion 44 cm Cordless Lawnmower – A great mower, well designed and a great mid-range pick
- Einhell GE-CM 36LI Cordless Lawnmower – Another good pick for smaller and medium sized lawns up to 350 m².
Top 6 Cordless Lawn Mower Reviews
1. WORX WG730E Brushless Cordless 30cm Lawn Mower
Best for smaller lawns
I start my review with one of my most affordable cordless lawn mowers but also one of my favourite cordless mowers I have had the pleasure of testing. As previously mentioned, I’m now going into my third season with this mower, and up to now, there is not much to complain about. It’s worth mentioning off the bat that this is a 30cm cutting-width version. They do sell a slightly larger 40cm version too. The model I tested is the smaller model, which I think is perfect for smaller lawns.
This WORX WG730E Brushless Cordless 30cm Lawn Mower is truly an impressive piece of kit for the price. It’s a bare bones model, so there are no fancy features, but it does what it’s designed to do very well – cut grass! Worx seems to have kept everything basic but not scrimped on what really matters. It comes with a powerful 18v (20v max) 4.0Ah Lithium Battery. Then it comes with a fast charger which charges it back to full in around 60 minutes so you can get back to mowing sooner rather than later.
Where this stands out is that it comes with a 4.0Ah battery capacity, rather than the 2Ah most cheaper models usually come with. This means it gives a much longer run time of around 30 minutes.
To give you an idea of what this means in the real world. On my smallest lawn which is around 8m x 8m, so around 64 square meters in total. From a single charge, I can mow the lawn about three times before it needs recharging. The reason the running time is better than most similarly priced models is the 4Ah battery capacity but also the fact that it has a brushless motor. They are more efficient when they have brushless motors, and it shows on this mower. It’s also worth noting that tools with brushless motors are also more long-lasting and more reliable, and its something special to find it on a more affordable model.
Quality-wise, for the price I’ve been very impressed, it’s obviously mostly plastic, but it’s good quality, not like some of these cheap mowers you see in discount stores. This mower is really well-built, especially when you consider the price.
In terms of mowing width, it’s narrow with a 30cm cutting width, about as small as you can get, really. However, this means it’s more manageable, great for mowing narrow strips of lawn between beds and great for manoeuvring around corners or around obstacles easily. It also cuts right to the outside of the wheels which you can see in the picture below. This means it does give a nice finish up to the edge of the lawn and against raised beds, fences, things like that. That being said, I still have to finish the edge of my lawn with my cordless strimmer.
Let’s talk cutting heights, most mowers have 5-7 cutting heights. So when you consider this has only three cuttings heights, it will have you asking questions. This is how it is, the lowest setting is 30mm with a fairly close cut, and the highest is 70mm, then you have one setting in the middle. Now the lowest setting gives a nice close cut. However, most other mowers will cut ever so slightly closer on their lowest settings, almost scalping the lawn.
However, I think 30mm gives a close enough cut and looks well. The tallest setting has proven ideal for long grass. I used this height on the first cut this year when I was late to cut my lawn in spring. For most people who regularly mow their lawn as I do, it’s more of a set the cutting height at the start of the season and then get the mower out every couple of weeks. You might want to adjust the height for the first cut if the grass is longer.
That brings me to the only negative part of the mower but it’s not really a deal breaker, changing the cutting height. On most mowers, there is a height adjustment lever, so changing the cutting height is super quick (although not always easy if there stiff or not well-designed like they are on some models). However, with this Worx mower, you change the cutting height by moving the wheel axle up and down manually. It’s like a spring system with three different slots to move the wheels higher or lower. It’s difficult to describe, so the picture above shows you how it works. This issue is you need to place the mower on its side to change the cutting height.
Finally, the collect box is 30 litres, more than adequate for the size of the mower and for smaller lawns. It does have a nice ‘full indicator flap’ on the collection box, so you know when it’s full and when it’s time to empty it. In all honestly, I don’t really look at this.
Final Conclusion
If you have a small lawn and are looking for a cordless lawn mower, but you don’t need all the nice-to-have features that are not essential, then this is an excellent option. I really like that it has an 18v 4Ah battery for longer run times and a fast charger, but the fact that it also has a brushless motor is what really impressed me.
Overall, an excellent mower for smaller lawns. I wouldn’t recommend it for medium-sized or larger lawns, you need a wider cutting for that or you will be mowing all day, and that is when you do start to appreciate the extra features like the option to adjust the cutting heights easily, longer lasting batteries. For small lawns, during my testing, it has ever never let me down, plus is super lightweight and easy to store too.
2. Bosch Rotak 37 LI Ergoflex Cordless Lawn mower (replaced by the Bosch Cordless Lawnmower EasyRotak 36-550)
Best for medium and larger lawns
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
I had previously reviewed the excellent but smaller 32 Li Bosch mower a few years back, I believed it was probably one of the best mowers available, and it was named our ‘Best Pick’ for nearly 3 years running. This was a great mower, but then the Worx I just reviewed was tested, and between the two smaller mowers, Worx was my personal choice.
This is when I decided to see how the larger models compared, and I settled on the Bosch 37 Li Ergoflex Cordless Lawnmower for a few good reasons. Now it’s worth noting this has now been replaced by the Bosch Cordless Lawnmower EasyRotak 36-550. It’s basically the same mower. They have just upgraded the colour scheam and made some adjustments to the position of the lever to change the cutting heights. Personally, I didn’t think it needed updating, as the lever worked great.
Everything else is the same, you get 2 of the 18v 2.00Ah lithium-ion batteries. Fast charger, and it still features the comb edges to allow it to cut close to the edges of fences to give a neat finish.
The two models are very similar and all have the same great features, such as the grass combs which allow you to mow right to the edge of the lawn, or against a fence or wall. It’s not perfect but it is certainly better than other models without this feature. You just need to quickly finish the edges with a strimmer if you are very particular. However, for most, it will be more than neat enough.
It still leaves those stripes on the lawn just double check it comes with the roller attached. If you buy it as a kit with the batteries, I think it included the roller but if you buy it as a bare tool (without battery and charger), it also does not have the roller fitted. No idea why.
I’ve been really impressed with the build quality; nothing cracked, nothing come off, it all seems to be premium quality parts, and it lasted me five years and still going strong. I will mention that one of the lithium-ion batteries that came with mine was faulty, so make sure to take out the warranty online, as it extends it to 3 years. I actually purchased one from Amazon, and they actually refunded me the price of a new battery so I could purchase one. No idea why they couldn’t just send a replacement battery, but at least they sent a new one right away.
Where this model really stands out is its size because you get a very generous 37cm cutting width and a larger 40-litre grass collection box. This means you can spend more time mowing and less time emptying, something which you seem to be doing every few minutes with the smaller model if you have a larger-sized garden.
Other features that make this model better than most are the rubber-coated wheels which means it is smoother to use than the cheap plastic wheels you see on so many mowers. Its may not seem like much, but it makes a huge difference in teh real world when actually using it.
Let us not forget the technology Bosch has incorporated into this model in regards to the ‘Syneon chip’. In simple terms, it ensures the mower gets all the power it needs depending on the amount actually needed to complete the given task, which means it can cut through even longer grass and helps save on battery power. I have noticed it starts at a high speed and slower down to the optimum speed for cuttings, so these I assume, help save battery life and extend mowing time from a single charge.
As I just mentioned the battery, it’s worth noting the model I have comes with two 36v 2.0Ah lithium-ion batteries. This means I can be charging one while using the other. Charging takes around 140 minutes to get fully charged now the fastest but not slow either. However, you can have it 80% charged in only 70 minutes if you need to get back to mowing sooner.
Finally, a great feature specific to some Bosch mowers (including this model) is the hardened precision blades that are designed to also collect leaves from your lawn which I think is a great feature, especially if you have lots of trees around your lawn because it makes collecting the leaves much easier and simpler. I have a couple of trees in my garden, large magnolia trees so it great for collecting these.
In terms of cutting heights, it has 5 settings between 25mm-70mm, so it cuts very close to the ground, which of course, looks amazing, especially with the stripes. I actually use it on the second to last setting as it scalps the lawn otherwise if it’s not perfectly level, which mine is certainly not.
The cutting height can be changed easily with just a pull of the handle. As mentioned earlier, on the latest design, they have changed the position of the handle to the front wheels.
In terms of comfort, the handle is well designed, very comfortable to push, easy to activate the mower on the handlebars and its folds down to make it compact for storage. It is also worth noting it also has a key which needs to be inserted to power the mower. The is handy if you have kids, as the mower cannot be acidently switched on if you remove the key when in storage.
Our recommendation
If you have a medium-sized or larger lawn (up to 500m²/600m²) then I would highly recommend investing in this larger Bosch Cordless Lawnmower EasyRotak 36-550. It’s obviously more expensive, but you get a wider cutting width and a larger collection box. Don’t forget it also comes with two powerful 36v batteries, so you can be charging one whilst mowing. There is nothing worse than running out of battery before finishing your lawn and having to wait for the battery to recharge. Run time is around 40 minutes, i;m able to mow a fair amount of lawn in that time.
Overall it’s certainly one of the best cordless lawnmowers currently available, and it cuts amazingly well. Best of all, you get those stripes we all want. It is worth noting, you really need a level lawn to really benefit from the stripes. If the lawn is uneven, its hard to see the stripes.
If we could only recommend one lawnmower, then this Bosch model would probably be it.
3. EGO Power+ LM2135SP 21-Inch Select Cut Lawn Mower
BEST PROFESSIONAL PICK
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
Buy on Mowers-online.co.uk
I use to own one of these mowers when I had a professional gardening services business up until a couple of years ago. I must say, no other mower could even come close. It was amazing, however, the downside was, as with all professional grade tools, it was expensive. A friend of mine, who also owns a local garden maintenance and tree surgery business owns two of these EGO Power+ LM2135SP mowers and swears by them. Gone are the Hayter petrol alternatives ( even though they are also fantastic mowers). He went all in on cordless electric for everything, hedges trimmers, chainsaws, you name it’s now electric.
This model is without a doubt, the best alternative to petrol models, once you have used one, you will not return to using a petrol mower, it really is that good and packed with features. The 2-in-1 function lawnmower is designed to be environmentally friendly, producing no emissions when in use and operates quietly to lessen noise disturbances which is what made it perfect for mowing domestic gardens and noise-sensitive areas like hospitals and schools.
What makes this mower unbeatable is the cutting performance and the included blades. I say blades because it actually comes with three different blades, plus a bottom blade. It’s actually called an X blade system, as it uses two blades at the same time. The bottom blade cuts the grass while the top blade, which is interchangeable, can be either the Mulching Blade, High Lift Bagging Blade or the Extended Runtime Blade. I personally only really used the high lift bagging blade as it gave the best cut and collect, while the extended runtime blade did give the best of both worlds, collected grass clipping while also giving a good run time of well over an hour of continuous mowing.
This mower is powered by robust brushless motor that is powered by a very impressive 56v 7.5Ah lithium-ion battery which comes included. Once the battery is charged you get a running time of over an hour if the grass is not too long, and this is enough to get some work done before another recharge.
This lawnmower has a decent cutting width of 21 inches (52cm), which is considerably wider than the regular-sized lawnmower and comparable to most large petrol models. With such a wide cutting width you can cover more ground in less time, therefore, reducing the time spent mowing the lawn.
It has a really nice lever design for adjusting the cutting height. This adjustment feature makes changing the cutting height easy, and it’s nice and sturdy. You can move it between six positions between 28mm for a close cut to 94mm for tackling longer grass.
Weighing 28kg without the battery, the lawnmower is considerably light for its size when compared to petrol models but still robust enough for continuous professional use. It is really very well built, not cheap plastic parts that you fear will crack.
Lets talk a little about the functions. These are mulching and cutting/collecting. If you choose the cut and collect function there is a generous 70 litre collection box and this means more time spent mowing and less time spent emptying. Mulching is another option found on petrol alternatives, not usually on cordless models, but this mower does mulch which many professionals will find useful. I usually collect my clipping but I know alot of people who prefer to mulch, especially on very large lawns.
Another wonderful feature that can be found in this model (that is usually not found on other cordless models) is the automatically controlled variable speed (3 speeds) that handy. What I will say is that with the speeds being between 0.9 MPH – 3.1 MPH, most people could probably push a mower faster without using the self-propelled function. however, it’s very handy when you’re using it for long periods of time or on sloped lawns or even uneven lawns. Its worth noting this model also has a touch drive system which makes it very easy to engage the self-propelled feature.
The adjustable handles also give you control over the preferred working position whether you are tall or short and it also has three settings so you really can get the right handle height for you.
This self-propelled lawnmower doesn’t come cheap, and for this reason, we would only really recommend this model to those who have large lawns or lots of mowing to cater for. Whether for professional or domestic purposes, this model is designed to provide optimal service every time.
It is important to note that the battery running time will differ depending on the condition of the grass being cut, amongst other factors, however, for normal grass conditions you usually get around 80 minutes. The battery and charger are covered by a 3-year warranty too. The lawnmower itself is covered by a 5-year warranty, meaning any flaws with the machine will be addressed by the manufacturer. For professional use though the warranty drops to 12 months which is a shame.
Our recommendation
The EGO Power+ LM2135SP 21-Inch Select Cut Lawn Mower is without a doubt the best cordless mower for those with large lawns and even deeper pockets or needs a professional grade mower for your business. The self-propelled cordless model starts at the push of a button and has no harmful emissions. Its wide cutting width of 52cm paired with the Select cut X Mutli Blade System that gives the lawn an even cut makes this an excellent choice.
Overall, this machine is designed to provide adequate power to cut through different textures of grass whilst keeping the user as comfortable as possible. It will suit any serious enthusiasts or professional well because it is made for excellence. I am yet to find a better cordless lawnmower than this model, especially for professionals.
4. Murray 36V Lithium-Ion 44cm Cordless Lawnmower
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
The Murray 36V Lithium-Ion 44cm Cordless LawnMower is intended for use in medium and larger-sized gardens measuring up to around 640m², an area typically tackled by petrol mowers, hence this cordless model is an excellent, clean and low maintenance alternative but its also affordable. It is powered by a powerful 1300W motor with brushless technology (again, something I like to see) to ensure optimum productivity, low noise and increased runtime. This kind of motor is also durable and low maintenance and far superior to brushed motors fitted to most other models.
This is actually powered by two Briggs & Stratton 18V 5.0Ah Li-Ion batteries, you can get around 30-40 minutes of mowing time from a single charge which is fairly good. It also comes with a charger and everything you need to get to work straight out of the box. Moreover, the supplied batteries can be used interchangeably with other 18V tools from Murray, so you may want to consider some of their bare tools like hedge trimmers and cordless strimmers and probably save some money as well.
I have been really impressed with the battery level indicator on each battery that shows the amount of charge left as a % and a traffic light system once plugged into the mower to give a battery lever indicator once in use. I have never seen it used on any other mower, and I think it’s well thought out.
The cutting width is an impressive 44cm, which is perfect for large lawns, whilst the height of the cut is adjustable from 25mm to 75mm. Adjustment is done by a single lever mechanism that is smooth and easy to operate, making adjusting the height a straightforward process. I find the second from the bottom setting is perfect.
While you’ll have to push this lawnmower to cut the grass, the razor-sharp blade, plus great power output, ensure minimal effort from you so you will find it a doddle to push and on top of this, it’s much lighter than the petrol alternatives. It even has soft-grip handles that feel comfortable between the hands and they can fold down for compact storage after use.
It also comes with a large 50-litre collection bag, so it can accommodate a serious amount of grass clippings and consequently reduces trips to the green recycling bin. The hardtop fabric catcher features a ‘full’ indicator so you know when to empty.
Last but not least, this mower comes with an impressive 5-year warranty which is one of the longest warranties of any lawnmower. The batteries and charger are covered for 3 years though so just bear this in mind. This is a way better offer than what brands like Bosch provide and I think shows the confidence Murrey has in their products.
Our recommendation
Here we have a quality lawnmower that meets nearly all the requirements for cutting medium and larger lawns. From the power and performance of a 1300W brushless motor to the 2 x 18V 5.0Ah Li-ion batteries which come included, the wide 44cm cutting diameter and a large 50 litre collection bag, you can’t ask for more. I also like that there are 6 cuttings heights as well as the ease of pushing the mower, thanks to soft-grip handles.
Overall, the Murray 36 V Lithium-Ion Cordless Lawnmower is a good option if you want to mow a large garden without dealing with high maintenance and loud petrol engines. This is a great alternative to my Bosch Cordless Mower.
5. Einhell GE-CM 36 Li Cordless Lawnmower
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
This Einhell GE-CM Li Power X-Change 36v Lithium Lawnmower is ideal for small and medium-sized gardens. This cordless mower has a cutting width of 36cm and a 6 level cutting height which can be set between 25mm-75mm like most good mowers. It is suitable for lawns up to 300 square meters of lawn from one full charge, making it ideal for even medium-sized lawns.
The fast-charging batteries (it has two), can be fully charged within 60 minutes and this is one of the fastest charge times of any cordless lawnmower available.
It incorporates a large 40-litre collection box that has a ‘full indicator’ fitted, so you always know when the grass clippings need to be emptied.
It comes with 2 years manufacturer’s warranty for peace of mind and Einhell spare parts are readily available should you need them.
If you are looking for a reliable, high-quality cordless mower and have a budget of around £300 or less, then this Einhell GE-CM Li Power X-Change Lawnmower is worth considering.
This cordless mower is manufactured to a very high standard, as you would expect from the German manufacturer ‘Einhell’. It is reasonably quiet when mowing and will easily mow a medium-sized lawn up to 300 square meters from just one charge, this will give you around 40 minutes of consistent mowing.
One advantage this mower offers is that the batteries can be charged in around 60 minutes and it comes with 2 years warranty for extra peace of mind.
Another positive point is that the Power X-Change 36v Lithium batteries can be used in other ‘Einhell’ power X-Change tools’. This could save you some of your hard-earned cash if you plan on investing in some other power tools because they are much cheaper when purchased without batteries.
Our recommendation
Overall, a very good mower, nice clean cut, easy to use and worth the extra cost when compared to other cheaper models. It really is a great affordable cordless mower. It’s a little larger than the Worx mower but smaller than the Bosch. It is a great in-between model worth considering.
Cordless Lawn Mower Buyer’s Guide
Advantages of the new cordless mowers that use lithium-ion batteries
So what makes the new lithium-ion batteries better? The two main advantages are that they have much longer run times which gives you more cutting time per charge. The lithium-ion batteries can also be fully charged in around 60-90 minutes from flat, which means you spend less time waiting for batteries to charge and more time mowing. Most models will mow for 30-45 minutes between charges, which is more than enough time to mow small and medium-sized gardens.
Other advantages of cordless mowers
- Lightweight design makes them easy to lift, carry, and manoeuvre around tight spaces and corners.
- Most cordless mowers feature compact, folding handles for convenient storage.
- No emissions and extremely quiet operation, making them a more eco-friendly and neighbourhood-friendly option compared to petrol mowers.
- Enjoy 30-60 minutes of mowing time on a single charge and be back to mowing in as little as 60 minutes with a full recharge.
- Zero maintenance is required. No need to worry about fuel filters, oil changes, or messy fuel.
- Cordless design allows for unrestricted mowing, eliminating the need for extension leads or being tethered to a power outlet.
- Simply plug the lithium-ion battery into the mower and you’re ready to mow.
Last update on 2024-10-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
