How to choose a cordless lawn mower

[EricL]

Cordless lawn mowers are low-maintenance, convenient and easy to manoeuvre. They are also quieter and more eco-friendly than their petrol-powered counterparts. 

Here is our guide to choosing a cordless lawn mower that is perfect for keeping your lawn well-groomed. Let us know if you have any questions, and we’d be happy to assist.

What to consider when choosing a cordless lawn mower

Your lawn mower is an important tool, and can help you make precise cuts with minimal effort. There are several different types of lawn mowers, including petrol, cordless, hand and ride-on. Each have their own advantages and fulfil different needs.

Cordless lawn mowers are designed for portability and ease of storage. Here are some factors to consider before purchasing one:

Your lawn’s characteristics

It’s important to know your lawn size and how much grass you need to mow to determine which cordless lawn mower would work best.

18V electric lawn mowers are perfect for small courtyards, and medium-sized yards of around 200 square meters (roughly the size of a standard tennis court). They often come with ample-sized catchers, have fast charging capabilities, and are lightweight and portable.

In comparison, 36V lawn mowers are ideal for medium to large lawns. These typically come with larger batteries and have larger catchers. They also offer additional features like cutting modes that come in handy when mowing coarse grass. Ryobi 36V cordless lawn mower

It is best practice to look at the stated coverage of the mower in question. However, this coverage is subject to your grass’ height and thickness. Cutting tall and thick grass requires a bigger motor and more battery power. For example, Couch grass has soft leaves and does not require a heavy-duty mower.

Battery

Cordless lawn mowers come in a range of battery sizes and types. Understanding which battery is best suited for your needs goes a long way in determining your choice of lawn mower. 

Your mower’s battery size is an indication of how long it can run before you need to recharge your battery. A typical 18V 5Ah battery generally runs for 40 minutes, subject to load and your lawn’s conditions. In comparison, a 36V 5Ah battery is more powerful and lasts longer.

For example, the Ryobi 36V HP 46cm 6.0Ah Brushless Cordless Lawn Mower lets you mow around 1000 square meters on a single charge, running for around 50 minutes.

Having a second battery is also handy. Many lawn mowers, like the Ryobi One+ 18V 40cm HP Brushless Cordless Lawn Mower, use a double battery system, giving you extra power when required.

Ryobi's 36V battery system

Many tool manufacturers have also adopted a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to their battery systems. For example, Ozito uses the PXC battery system, Ryobi’s battery system is called One+ and Makita uses the LXT battery system. Purchasing any of these batteries means they will be compatible with any tool belonging to that brand. 

Features

Cordless lawn mowers come with a range of features, ranging from mulch plugs to adjustable grass cutting heights. Think about which features are a must in your lawn mower.

We always advise examining your lawn and your mowing habits before shortlisting the features that you need. For example, if your lawn is only about six square metres, you won't need a lawn mower with 55 litre grass catcher. 

Similarly, if your lawn has a tricky shape and you are looking for a mower with good edging capabilities, we recommend the Easyedge polymer deck series from Ryobi. This mower is designed specifically to trim tricky edges surrounding your garden bed. 

How to use your cordless lawn mower

Knowing how to maintain and use your lawn mower can help make mowing safer and more efficient. Here are some tips:

Mow regularly and in stages

Some people prefer to mow monthly, others much more frequently. Your mowing habits also influence the type of mower that you need. Mowing regularly means that there is a lighter load on the motor, so you won't need a heavy-duty lawn mower. 

We recommend cutting your lawn in stages, especially if your lawn is very tall. Begin at the top, then the middle and finally, the bottom. 

Use protective gear

It's important to stay safe when mowing your lawn. When mowing, you should wear protective equipment, including goggles, gloves, earmuffs and closed-toe footwear. 

For more information on using a lawn mower safely, check out this guide on How to mow your lawn by the Bunnings team.

Maintain your cordless lawn mower 

Cordless lawn mowers are very easy to maintain. However, some basic maintenance can help extend its lifespan and keep it performing well.

Remove entwined weeds on the motor spindle, and wipe away stuck grass patches stuck on the blade and underside of the mower. While you are there, check the blade for any damage. Also make sure that the battery compartment is not full of grass clippings. 

Keeping your lawn mower clean and tidy will help to keep it functional for longer and also provide a much better mowing experience.  

How to maintain your lawn

The Bunnings Workshop community team has also shared these helpful guides related to maintaining and enhancing your lawn:

• How to repair a lawn
  
  
• How to detect lawn problems
  
  
• How to fix a muddy lawn. 

We also recommend checking out our garden tools series for more related tips:

• How to use a leaf blower
  
  
• How to select a shovel or a spade
  
  
• How to choose and use a wheelbarrow.

More inspiration for your garden

Check out the Top 10 most popular garden makeovers shared on Bunnings Workshop, as well as our Top 10 most popular raised garden beds.

Need more help? 

The Bunnings Workshop community is here to assist if you need a hand in choosing a cordless lawn mower. Don't hesitate to hit the Start a discussion button and let us know your needs. 

[Remarka6le]

Discussions with a Bunnings staff member regarding lawn mowers was probably one of the longest I've ever had while in a store. We originally started out with an 18v 33cm mower to utilise our 18v batteries, but for a large yard you would need fortnightly mow's for it to be effective. Where it failed was during the frequent summer weather events we experience in QLD, even on the highest setting it would never be able to keep up with the rapidly growing, thick grass that was in our rental. 

When we purchased a home, we made the decision to get a better mower. All of our friends said to just get Petrol, the power you get and how low you can get is still (to my opinion) better than what current gen electric mowers can accomplish, but we wanted to stay green if we could. Cue a member of the Bunnings team at Springfield Orion who we had an in depth talk with regarding mowers, essentially it came down to this:

- Always go Brushless

- It's better to be prepared for anything than having a mower that can't accomplish those rare or emergency scenarios. Grab the most power you can get for your budget. 

- 18v is only suitable for smaller homes, but can get the job done if you have an abundance of batteries (18V 40cm HP Brushless was best for this)

- For Medium sized homes, the Ryobi 36V 46cm 4.0Ah Brushless is peerless and the reviews reflect that. This is what we eventually got. 

- For Mid - Larger homes, investing in the propelled 46cm 6.0Ah Brushless Cordless will give you the closet experience to a petrol mower you can currently get. This is what we would have gotten if it were in stock at the time. 

We were originally upset about not having the batteries for the 36v, but we've come to appreciate the staff members reasoning for us to upgrade to this level. We are able to cut to the height and distance we want with 2 batteries at most, but we do have a third just in case. Eventually, we will upgrade to the propelled system (when this one gives out, which it is showing no signs of), but it has handled it's own, even during the QLD rain bomb of 2022. 

[EricL]

Hi @Remarka6le

Thank you for sharing your experience with a cordless lawn mower. The Ryobi 36V 46cm 4.0Ah Brushless Cordless Lawn Mower Kit is a fantastic lawn mower. One of its best features is the load-sensing motor. Its ability to adapt to the type of grass its cutting makes it ideal to use in almost any lawn situation. Having that 36V battery gives you the confidence that you'll be able to cut your lawn with battery power to spare. 

How long have you had your mower and have you run into any limitations while using it?

Eric

[Remarka6le]

Hey @EricL , 

We've had the mower for about 2 years now and runs fantastic at the height we enjoy cutting at (between 2 - 3, depending on the season). The only limitation we have is on our front hill where it sometimes gets a bit overloaded with debris and shuts off, but this is rare. When we won 1k to spend on Ryobi products, we purchased a Scarifier that we use only on that hill to dethatch it, it not only helped its health but made mowing a lot easier as well. 

Aside from this, the Lawn Mower runs great, it's light, compacts well under the shed bench we built and adapts to the thickness (and even wetness) of the lawn, so we're better able to handle rain events as well