Cordless Lawn Mowers for Beginners: Three Complete Kits That Start With a Button

What a first cordless mower needs

A beginner buying a cordless mower is usually replacing a gas mower they never liked starting, or buying the first mower for a first lawn. Either way the shopping list is short: the battery and charger come in the box, the mower starts at a button, one lever sets the cutting height, and the deck is light enough to turn at the end of a row without a fight. Sixteen to 20 inches of deck covers almost every suburban lawn. The three mowers here are all complete kits from brands with a 40V battery platform behind them, and they differ in deck size, runtime and whether the mower pushes itself.

This guide is built from the published specifications of each product and from recurring owner feedback. We have not run these products ourselves.

How the three compare

Greenworks 40V 16-inch: the simplest start

The 16-inch Greenworks is the mower to hand a new owner. The battery and charger are in the box, the start is a button, and a single lever moves the deck through five heights from 1-1/4 to 3-3/8 inches, which covers a short spring cut and a tall summer one. Greenworks calls the 16-inch deck lightweight and easy to maneuver and rates the mower for small to medium yards up to half an acre, though the 30-minute runtime on the 4.0 Ah pack is the figure to plan around. The pack recharges in 120 minutes, so a lawn that outlasts the battery is finished after lunch, and the brushless motor is quiet enough for an early Saturday. The 3-year warranty covers the battery as well as the tool, and the pack runs more than 75 other Greenworks 40V tools when a trimmer or blower comes next.

Skil PWR CORE 40 20-inch: the mower that pushes itself

A 20-inch deck mows a quarter more lawn per pass than a 16, and it is heavier, which is why Skil drives it. The variable-speed self-propel lever moves the mower at whatever pace the user picks, so hills and thick grass stop being a shove. The kit includes a 6.0 Ah PWR CORE 40 battery and the Auto PWR JUMP charger, Skil rates runtime at up to 50 minutes, and the digital brushless motor starts at a button. The listing does not detail the height adjustment or the weight, so a buyer who cares about either should check the manual before ordering. It is the pick for a beginner with a bigger yard who would rather learn one extra lever than push a wide deck.

Greenworks 40V 17-inch: six heights and 35 minutes

The 17-inch Greenworks is the middle choice: an inch wider than the 16, six cutting heights on one lever instead of five, and up to 35 minutes per charge from the same 4.0 Ah battery and charger. Greenworks rates it for small to medium yards up to a quarter acre and says the brushless motor runs 30 percent quieter than gas. It mulches or bags, starts at a button and carries the 3-year tool and battery warranty. Weight is not stated, so assume a little more than the 16 and a lot less than a self-propelled 20.

Setting up and using a first cordless mower

Charge the battery fully before the first cut and store it indoors, not in a hot shed. Set the height lever high for the first pass on an overgrown lawn and bring it down a notch each week; cutting more than a third of the blade at once stresses the grass and the battery. Mulch when the grass is dry and short, bag when it is long or wet. Mow in overlapping rows and turn at the ends rather than backing up. Clean the underside of the deck with a brush, never a hose, and leave the battery on the charger only until it is full.

Which one should you buy

Buy the Greenworks 40V 16-inch for a small or medium lawn and the simplest mower in the group. Buy the Skil PWR CORE 40 20-inch for a bigger or hillier yard that wants self-propel and 50 minutes of runtime. Buy the Greenworks 40V 17-inch for a quarter-acre lawn that wants six heights and a few more minutes without the size of a 20.