The 7 Best Lawn Mowers of 2026

At 37.5 pounds, the Greenworks 40V is the mower we reach for when the lawn is small and the route to it includes steps. It pushes with one hand, which sounds like a small thing until you are halfway up a flight with the mower in front of you. The 16-inch deck slips between beds and through a gate that a 21-inch mower makes look tight.

This is the small-yard specialist in the group, and that is exactly how we recommend it. The 4.0Ah battery is rated for 35 minutes, which is enough for a courtyard or a townhouse strip; for thicker grass, keep a second pack charged and swap it rather than pushing the first one to empty. The push-button start and single-lever height adjustment keep the routine simple, and the bag is there when you want to collect clippings instead of mulching.

We were surprised by how quiet it is. The noise is closer to a box fan than a gas mower, so an early start is less likely to annoy the neighbors. The 2-in-1 system covers mulch and rear bagging, and the single-lever height adjustment is easy to reach.

For a courtyard, a townhouse strip, or a lawn with more edges than open space, the smaller deck is an advantage, not a compromise. It is the mower that disappears into a narrow shed and comes out without a struggle, and that is most of the reason it earns a place here.

The first thing we noticed about the LawnMaster 48V is the 27-pound body. It is light enough to lift onto a shelf or carry through a gate without bracing yourself, which is not something we can say about most 19-inch mowers. The 19-inch deck is the other half of the appeal: wide enough to finish a small-to-mid lawn in fewer passes, but not so wide that it feels clumsy around a shed.

The 48V system uses two 24V 4.0Ah packs and a dual charger. The listed runtime is 40 minutes, and the six cut positions run from 1.4 to 3.4 inches. We like the dual charger because it lets both packs recover at once, and the brushless motor with automatic power management keeps the mower from bogging down in ordinary grass.

The 2-in-1 system covers mulching and side discharge. Mulching is the mode we use most, because it leaves the clippings on the lawn and saves a trip to the bag. Side discharge is the escape hatch for taller grass, and the chute is easy to set. The deck is plastic, which keeps the weight down, but it is not the mower to buy if you want a steel deck.

Where it lands in the group is as a value alternative to the pricier Greenworks mowers. It gives you a wider deck and a much lighter body for less money, and that is the reason it earns a runner-up spot. For a mulch-first lawn, the package makes a lot of sense.

No charging routine, no battery to baby: the PowerSmart 18 is the gas mower for someone who wants a can in the shed and a simple pull start. The 144cc engine has an auto choke and a primer, and cold starts have been predictable in our use. It is the kind of mower you can pull out after a month and expect to fire without a ritual.

At 58.4 pounds, it is light for a gas mower, and the 18-inch deck makes it easier to wrestle around beds than a big self-propelled unit. The 8-inch rear wheels roll over roots and uneven ground, and the height adjustment from 1.5 to 3.9 inches covers a normal residential cut. We like the steel deck for the way it shrugs off a stray stick, though the paint is the part that will show age first.

It earns our gas pick because it keeps the controls simple and the weight down. There is no self-propelled drive to maintain, no battery to replace, and no charging window to plan around. The trade-off is that you do the pushing, and on a slope you will feel it.

The two-year limited warranty is the backstop, and for a gas mower at this end of the range, that is the reassurance we look for. Keep the oil changed and the blade sharp, and the simple design is easy to live with.

The LawnMaster 15 is the least expensive way to put power to a small lawn, and the cord is the whole bargain. There is no battery to age out, no gas to mix, and no pull cord to fight. You plug in, squeeze the handle, and cut.

We recommend it for a fenced courtyard, a strip beside a driveway, or any flat patch within reach of an outdoor outlet. The 11-amp motor and 15-inch deck are sized for that kind of job, and the 7-gallon bag holds enough clippings that you are not emptying it every five minutes. The height adjustment runs from 1 to 3 inches, which is the range most small lawns need.

The cord is the part to plan. Use a 12-gauge outdoor extension cord, keep the loop behind you, and start at the outlet so you are not dragging the cord through the grass you just cut. It is not the mower for a half-acre, and it is not the one for a lawn with a lot of beds to wrap around. For a simple rectangle, the cord is a fair trade for never buying gas or a battery.

We were surprised by the metal deck. At this end of the range, we expect plastic, and the metal gives the mower a more solid feel than the price suggests. The 28-pound body is easy to carry with one hand, and the small deck stores in a narrow spot.

Two 20V batteries, one charger, and a 16-inch deck: the Worx WG745 is built for someone already using the orange PowerShare line. The two 4.0Ah packs slot into the same system as the brand's trimmers and blowers, so the mower does not add a new battery platform to the garage.

The 39.7-pound body and 1/4-acre rating make it a small-yard tool. The brushless motor and IntelliCut adjust the blade speed to the grass, which is the reason it can stretch a pair of 4.0Ah packs through a light cut. The 2-in-1 system mulches and bags, and the six cut positions run from 1.5 to 4 inches. We like the 4-inch top height for leaving a longer finish in dry weather.

The mower is easy to push and easy to store, and the compact deck is the reason it fits in a shed next to a grill and a bike. The 1/4-acre rating is the honest limit. For a small, flat yard, that is an acceptable trade.

This is a good compact mower for a small yard, and the battery-sharing is the reason to pick it over a generic budget model. The one part we did not enjoy was assembly: the pictographic directions are thin, so keep the product photo handy and give yourself a clear hour. Once together, the mower itself feels tidy and easy to handle.

The Casince 17 is the lowest-cost cordless mower here, and the 50-liter bag is the first clue that it is not just a toy. The 17-inch deck, two 4.0Ah batteries, and a 30-pound body add up to a mower that is easy to pull out for a small, flat lawn.

The 40-minute runtime and 5,380-square-foot claim are best-case numbers, so treat them as a ceiling rather than a promise. The six height settings run from 1 to 3 inches, which is a narrower range than the bigger mowers here, and the 50-liter bag is a useful size for a courtyard.

We see it as a budget option for a small, flat lawn, and that is the job it is built for. The 30-pound body is easy to push and turn, and the two batteries give you a buffer if one runs down. The one-button start and pull-bar operation are easy to learn, which matters if more than one person in the house will use it.

What we like most is the simplicity. The bag is sized so you are not stopping constantly, and the mower does not ask you to learn a complicated height system. For a first mower or a rental property, it covers the basics without a big outlay.