When we made the migration from petrol-powered devices to electric ones, we gained convenience and greenness, pun intended. Electric equipment leaves a lower carbon footprint than petroleum. It’s often quicker, cleaner, and more convenient.
And because there’s no fuel tank, you can squeeze in a few extra features. But for outdoor tasks, cords can still be a disadvantage. You can only work within the radius of the cord, which limits your working range. And even if the cord is long enough, it’s a tripping hazard. So let’s dig into the best cordless lawn mower and spot the ideal model.
The Best Cordless Lawn Mower on UK Market 2023
1. Murray 36V Cordless Lawn Mower
When you have a device with two batteries, you’ll assume one is a spare. Which is nice of the manufacturer. Especially when your device has a battery life of 32 minutes. But this seeming convenience is a design flaw – at least in the case of this Murray. Each battery is an 18V lithium-ion. Meaning they work as a pair. If one dies or get damaged, the mower won’t work.
Also, the batteries need to stay at 10% or higher if you want to cut your grass. Luckily, the mower comes with a dual-charge battery so you can plug in both cells simultaneously. This model has a cutting width of 37cm, though you can get a 44cm model if you prefer. The controls are conveniently positioned on the handle. Its grass collection bin fits on the back.
The bin has a big capacity of 40 litres. And it has a handle so you can easily carry the litter to the compost without putting your back out – damp grass gets heavy! The bag has an indicator that warns you when it’s full. This lawn mower is a joy for HoAs everywhere because you can customise your grass height to 7 distinct levels between 25mm and 75mm with a quick knob.
The knob resembles a retro gear shaft (the type in manual cars) so you can adjust the height with a simple flick. And the front wheels are smaller than the rear wheels for fine control. The two front wheels are 16.5cm in diameter while the back wheels are 25cm. You can adjust the handle too – it has three optional heights. It has padding that absorbs mowing vibration.
The batteries load in the front of the mower and are interchangeable with other Murrays. So you can fit them in your Murray trimmer, hedge cutter, or leaf blower. And this lawn mower is a low-noise model at 96dB. Its brushless motor lasts longer than competing brands. It’s a lightweight 14kg model. And it’s so you can ‘shrink it down’ to save on storage space.
The larger back wheels on this mower (and its relatively low weight) make it easier to push this mower, even on rough ground. And the hardtop bin bag has fabric sides for ventilation.
Pros:
- Its cutting width is 37cm.
- It comes with two batteries and a twin charger.
- The mower runs for half an hour on a full charge.
Con:
- It needs both batteries to work. And it stops if the battery falls below 10%.
2. Bosch Universal Rotak Lawn Mower
What’s your least favourite part of mowing the lawn. For a lot of us, it’s the tedium. Or the noise. Or the post-trim clean-up. This Bosch lawn mower solves all those problems in a premium package that’s powerful and pretty. The mower is fitted with a 40l collection bag that catches cut grass. And the LeafCollect blade automatically pushes grass into the bag.
As for the tedium, this could come from bumpy lawns that need more hand-power to push. The Bosch has ErgoFlex handles that feel soft and cushy in your palms. And you can adjust the height and angle of your handles in three positions. So you’ll tire more slowly and place less strain on your arms, back, and calves. This added comfort will ease your mowing chores.
What about the noise? Lots of us wear headphones when we cut the grass. Often, there’s music (or a podcast) playing in said headphones. But the noise from your lawn mower motor may drown out the music, so you’re safer with protective earmuffs. That said, the Bosch has ProSilence technology that balances your mower’s acoustics, reducing noise levels up to 30%.
Can you control mowing height on this device? Yes. You can cut as low as 25mm or as high as 70mm. With four steps between for a total of 6 pre-set grass heights. A push-button toggles between the six positions. There’s a slot next to the button with a combination-locker-style dial. It shows figures from 1 to 6 so you’re always sure of your cutting height position.
The 36-550 in the name is a descriptor of the device’s grass combs. These combs are convenient for trimming the sides of the garden. They let you cut close to edging, fences, or soil lines without damaging your lawn mower. But remember, this mower needs 4Ah of power. If yours comes with a ‘spare battery’ confirm whether the batteries and 2Ah or 4Ah.
Bosch battery-powered lawn mowers are quieter, quicker, and more comfortable than many competitors. Battery life varies so time yourself when you first charge and use the mower.
Pros:
- It has a 38cm cutting width.
- You can adjust the cutting height from 25mm to 70mm.
- It can cut up to 550cm3 on a single charge.
Con:
- You’ll need to double-check the battery specs (2Ah vs 4Ah).
3. WORX 40V Cordless Lawn Mower
Some people are impressed by automated devices, whether it’s a car or a washing machine. Others resent equipment that tells them what to do. Or worse, decides on your behalf without your input. If you fall on the former side of the fence, you’ll love this gadget. It has a feature called Intellicut. It autonomously shifts the speed, engine power, and efficiency.
So if you hit a hilly patch with a tougher variety of grass, your mower will rev higher to give you more cutting power. When you get to an area with softer, shorter grass, the machine might reduce power needs and raise slicing speed – a bit like cruising downhill in free gear. This makes your yard work effortless and stress-free. And it extends battery life as well.
But let’s look at some of the more practical aspects of using this lawn mower. It uses twin 2.5Ah batteries and ships with a dual charger, but you need to engage both batteries 20V at once (40V total). The plastic guard on the side lets you trim right to the kerb without damaging your wheels, blades, or paving. And its noise levels rest at a reasonable 90dB.
Like many mower models, you can control the grass height between 20mm and 70mm. These heights have 6 positions operated by a stepped lever. This lever is next to the wheel and you can easily adjust it. A second dial lets you manually choose turbo mode or eco mode. In eco mode, intellicut is activated. The mower uses a ‘plug-in’ start so you don’t have to pull.
This WORX lawn mower carries a 2-year warranty. It’s a compact design can be folded for storage. The power share batteries are front-loading and have an indicator with charging bars.
Pros:
- It has a 34cm cutting width and a 30l grass bag.
- It’s a lightweight model at 10.4kg.
- The mower ships with twin chargers.
Con:
- The machine cuts out a lot during use.
4. Yard Force 40V Cordless Lawn Mower
Rechargeable devices are a blessing. They save energy, reduce waste, and are portable. But waiting for your gadget to charge can be a pain. Especially for a chore you didn’t want to do in the first place. It ends up being the perfect excuse to ditch your yard work. This is where the Yard Force quick charger comes in. It ‘loads’ your battery before you can chicken out.
With charging promptly done, you can slot in the 2.5Ah battery and start trimming. At full charge, your Yard Force mower can run for up to 25 minutes. The mower can manage multiple types of terrain because the larger rear wheels offer a sort of 4WD effect on your mower. It also has a rear roller so you can easily work decorative stripes into your lawn.
The lawn mower runs on 40V but it’s best for short, soft grass and broadleaf weeds. For tall, dense grass, you need a powerful motor and this one just doesn’t cut it, pun intended. But as long as your grass is a gentler variety, you can attain grass lengths of 25mm to 75mm using the 7-step lever. The lever has a gear-shaped knob on the side for easy height adjustment.
Your grass cuttings gather in a 35-litre hybrid bag as the brushless motor keeps things quiet (or at least quieter). The bag has fabric so air circulates freely inside the bag. This cut grass is compacted inside the bin so you can use it for longer periods before emptying. A full-ness indicator will confirm when it’s time to empty the bag so don’t stress about over-filling it.
This model has a 34cm cutting width. But if your yard is bigger and you want fewer disturbances in the (yard) force, you’re better off with the 37cm model. The push-button starter sits on the side of the handle for easy access. The mower weighs 15kg and has a ‘2+1 year warranty’. That’s two years on the lawn mower and a year on the quick charger battery.
For the type of person that doesn’t plan their chores, his fast-charging lawn mower is a treasure. The compacting bag holds more grass per session and it’ll tell you when to dump.
Pros:
- It comes with a fast charger.
- The hybrid litter bag is 35l.
- Its rear wheels are bigger for added manoeuvrability.
Con:
- It’s not ideal for long grass because it doesn’t have sufficient cutting power.
5. Greenworks Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower
Starting a lawn mower can feel like a chore in itself. And it’s frustrating because it doesn’t seem that complicated – just pull the string! With Greenworks, there’s no pulling involved. Just load the battery and enjoy your instant start. The lawn mower comes with two batteries and both are 40V and the charger has a single port. So in this case, it’s genuinely a spare.
The lawn mower cuts in swathes of 35cm. And you can shift the cutting height through fice steps from 20mm to 7omm. With any grass cutter, you can use the chopped bits for mulching or compost. But Greenworks take a step further. The lawn mower has a ‘mulch’ function. In this setting, the lawnmower releases the cuttings back onto the lawn as you pass.
This lawn mower can take 2Ah and 4Ah batteries, and these batteries will fit any Greenworks device. The batteries it ships with a 2Ah so you can upgrade them if you need longer battery life. This mower can cover large grassy areas but you can’t cut stripes or patterns since the mower doesn’t have a roller. And the grass bag has a capacity of 40l so you can work a while.
When you order this mower online, be sure to request the UK version. That way, they’ll ship you the right type of (three-pin) plug with correct voltage settings. The mower has an indicator with 4 LEDs. They show how many bars of battery you have left. When you’re done mowing, you can fold the lawn mower and stow it in a tight space. The cutting blade is steel.
Greenworks mowers come with a pair of 2Ah batteries (an heir and a spare!). They each cut 250m2 on a full charge. Slide up to 4Ah or 6Ah if you need more mowing time per charge.
Pros:
- The lawn mower has a mulching feature.
- It ships from overseas with a UK plug included.
- It can mow up to 500m2.
Con:
- It doesn’t have a roller so you can’t stripe the yard.
6. Makita Manual Lawn Mower
If you’ve owned a smartphone from its earliest days, you may have been puzzled (and slightly miffed) with the new generation of handsets. The ones with permanent batteries If you’re a seasoned Apple user, you may feel the same frustration levels with this mower. You probably never think about batteries because yours (unlike older Android phones) are always built-in.
All this is to say this Makita lawn mower doesn’t come with a battery. You get the shell and the wheels and even the grass bag … but you have to order the battery (and its charger) separately. So what can this mower do once you charge and load it? It has an extended cutting width of 43cm so you can clear the grass much faster. It’s great for big gardens.
And it’s a heavy machine. It already weighs 18kg before you add the lithium battery. Given its mass, the lawn mower is fitted with an electric brake to help you control it better. But despite its 3600 rpm, its noise levels are dampened to 80dB and its vibrations are minimised as well. The fabric grass box has a 50-litre capacity with an indicator so you know when to empty it.
You can adjust the cutting height from 20mm to 75mm. It has a twin-toothed rotary blade and its wheels have ball bearings. Its overload feature controls current levels to prevent the circuit from tripping. But because it’s so bulky, its lower limits strain the mower. When you set it short, it quickly heats up, clogs and ends up cutting out, no pun intended.
This Makita mower has a tonne of safety features. Its 3,600rpm engine is quieter than the average. And it has electric limits to avoid shortcircuiting. But it works best on longer grass.
Pros:
- Its cutting width is 43cm.
- The mower has an electric brake.
- It’s relatively quiet at 80dB.
Con:
- It has no roller … and this version doesn’t come with a battery or a charger.
7. Flymo Mighti-Mo Cordless Lawn Mower (Our Top Pick)
Not everyone wants a massive lawn mower. Especially if you’re an urbanite whose yard is barely there. But even if you have a minuscule garden, you still want to keep it neat. And mowing can be a relaxing chore to take your mind off things. So if you want something small enough to cover the angles of narrow city yards, consider getting the one-foot Flymo.
Its metal cutting blade is 30cm wide. And the mower has combs on the side so you can work around tight edging without damaging your hardscaping or your mowing equipment. You can tweak trimming height from 25mm to 65mm but this won’t do for longer, tougher grass. This is a city-dweller’s lawn mower, down to the stylish multi-coloured selections available.
This Flymo Mighti-Mo has controls on both sides of its central pad. This lets you use the equipment comfortably whether you’re left or right-handed. And while it’s a cordless lawn mower, it does have some wiring. Side clips secure the cables to the handle so it won’t tangle while you trim. And when you’re done, the mower folds into a compact cuboid for storage.
When it’s fully charged, this mower works for 24 minutes at a stretch. And if you’re worried the battery will rattle while you mow, the safety key keeps the battery stationary beneath its cover. The grass bin is a hard-cased version so it can hold up to flying pebbles and other debris. The bin has lattices on the side so the grass clippings are ventilated and won’t clump.
For small living spaces with even smaller gardens, this is the best cordless lawn mower. It folds for compact storage, cuts for close to half an hour, and is safe for contemporary edging.
Pros:
- You can adjust from 25mm to 65mm.
- It cuts up to 250m2 on a single charge.
- Its cutting width is 30cm.
Con:
- It takes two hours for a full charge.
Buying Guide
The best cordless lawn mower is one that fits your budget and your garden requirements. This could range from the size of your yard to the type of grass you grow. It could even be influenced by your HoA. Grass height rules directly affect how often you mow (and water) the lawn. So let’s explore some factors to consider when you’re shopping for cordless cutters.
Size and Shape
Is your garden symmetrical? If you have a small square garden, you can get away with a smaller lawn mower. And if your garden has awkward corner and curves, you may need a small mower to manoeuvre those hard-to-reach sections. And it’s not just the size of the mower that matters – it’s the cutting width. This dictates how many passed you need.
A wider cutter finishes faster. You’ll use fewer mowing rows to complete the garden. So if you have a plantation-sized garden, get a cordless mower with a cutting swathe above 40cm. For smaller gardens and angular spaces, you can get something slimmer in the blade section – think one foot or less. 32cm lawn mowers are popular for small front gardens and edges.
Battery Life
Ordinary mowers are powered by petrol or AC. The latter is directly plugged into the mains. Or maybe an extension cord. But cordless lawn mowers will probably have a rechargeable battery. Check how long it takes for a full charge, the minimal charge to function, and how long a full charge lasts. For small gardens, a full charge might be enough to finish the yard.
But you’d also have to factor charging time into your plans. You can’t just rev it and start or plug it and play. And you want to consider cleaning time too. It’s best to clean your mower immediately after use. If not dried clumps of snipped grass can get as hard as concrete and will be frustrating to get rid of. So check if the clean-up system needs battery power as well.
Special Features
Mowing height is a standard feature. But because the UK has above average rainfall, you’ll often find yourself cutting wet grass. Higher mowing heights are ideal for this, so the higher your mower’s maximum height, the better it is for your yard. The minimum mowing height will largely be decided by neighbourhood rules, so confirm the ‘house rules‘ before you pay.
You can also look into added-value features like large collection bins, mulchers, corers, ergonomic handles, and self-propulsion. With self-propelled mowers, you can work longer because you use less energy. You’re not pushing the trimmer – you’re just guiding it. Check where the controls are and how easy it is to control them. Handlebar controls are best.
Cords Away!
Looking at these seven cordless lawn mowers, we’ll stand behind the Flymo. Here’s why:
- You can use it left-handed or right-handed.
- The side knobs fold the mower for storage.
- Its 30l grass box is hard-bodied.
- It has grass combs on the side to protect your edging.
- You can cut from 25mm to 65mm.
- Cable clips keep the wiring out of the way.
- You can cut for 24 minutes on a full charge.
- The safety key prevents injuries.
- It cuts in swathes of 30cm.
Which cordless lawn mower are you using at the moment? Show us photos in the comments!
