Best electric lawn mowers in 2024
Light, quiet and easy to use, we review budget electric lawn mowers to help you find one for your lawn.
The lawn is often a point of pride for gardeners and keeping it manicured and well-kept is a top priority. Whether it's the front or back, big or small, maintaining a trimmed lawn is much easier when you have a quality mower. However, choosing a mower isn't always easy as there are so many on the market with differing features. The most common mower is an electric corded and these are generally chosen for their ease of use. They're quiet, light and simple to manoeuvre plus they're clean, with no fuel fumes or regular servicing needed. They're also the cheapest mowers, but do you get what you pay for?
To find out if paying less means you lose out on features or performance our gardening experts tested a range of corded electric lawnmowers that won’t break the bank. We've also got some advice on how to choose the electric lawnmower that matches your needs.
Want to compare these to others or shopping for a different mower? See our reviews of the best cordless lawn mowers, best robotic mowers and best hand-push lawn mowers.
For other help with lawn care, take a look at our reviews of the best strimmers and the best aerators, or check out our guide to the best lawn edging.
Planning a DIY project in the garden, have a look at the best cordless drills.
Budget Mowers Buyer's Guide- video
Follow our tips on choosing a budget mower to fond the right one for your garden.
Best electric mowers to buy at a glance
- Best budget electric mower: Mountfield Electress 38
- Best electric mower all round: Webb WEER33
- Best electric mower for ease of use: Gardena PowerMax 1200/32
- Best electric mower for cable safety: Ryobi RLM13E 33S
- Best electric mower for features: Cobra GTRM34
Jump to
- Best Buy electric mowers
- Best of the rest
- How to choose an electric mower
- How we tested electric mowers
All the lawn mowers in our review are rotary mowers with an electric motor that spins a blade to cut the grass. This blade is angled upwards to create lift, which pulls cut grass away and into the grass collector. We tested a range of electric mowers, putting them through their paces across different lawns and terrains, to help you find the right one for your garden.
Each mower has a detailed list of pros and cons for clarity and has been rated according to set up and storage, handling, mowing and value for money. Every mower in our round up below has scored a minimum of four out of five stars, so you can buy with confidence.
In every review we award outstanding products our coveted Best Buy award. To see these and the others we recommend, browse our pick of the best electric lawn mowers, below:
Best electric lawn mowers
Mountfield Electress 38
RRP: £159
Our rating: 4.5/5
Available from Amazon UK
Pros
- Long cable
- Good choice of cutting heights
- Choice of handle heights
- Wide cutting width
Cons
- No cable safety clip
This sturdy electric mower feels robust and has a wide cutting width of 38cm, helping you mow the grass quickly, with fewer passes up and down the lawn. It's simple to put together, offering the choice of three handle heights to suit different users and has a useful six heights of cut, from 25-75mm, which are easy to change with a single lever. It manoeuvres well around the lawn despite its weight and is simple to use producing a neat cut. It comes with a large grass collection box of 40L too so you're not constantly emptying clippings on the compost heap. When you've finished mowing it's easy to store, with a handle that folds flat over the body of the mower, so it takes up very little room and a detachable cable that can be hung up or stored in a drawer. It has a long 15m cable, which should reduce the need for an extension lead, and only its black colour and lack of cable safety clip let it down. We awarded it a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for best budget mower in 2023.
Specifications
- Cutting width: 38cm
- Power: 1400W
- Weight: 11kg
- Noise: 95dB
- Warranty: 5 years
Webb Weer 33
RRP: £129.99
Our rating: 4.8/5
Available from Tool Station
Pros
- Light and easy to manoeuvre
- Cuts to the edge
- Height of cut simplest to change
- Orange cable easy to see
Cons
- Grass box tricky to assemble
This mower is well thought out with excellent features. It’s easy to assemble and folds for storage with a comfortable, foam handle which can be adjusted to a variety of heights. There are five cutting heights to choose from and these are easily changed by a single lever. The grass collection bag has a generous 35L capacity and a full indicator that lets you know when it needs emptying. The mower is relatively quiet and it cuts well, right up to the edge. It’s lightweight and comfortable to manoeuvre and our only quibble is the black mower cable, which could be a brighter colour so it's easier to see. For just £99.99, this is a a great value mower and we awarded it a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for best electric mower all round in 2021.
Specifications
- Cutting width: 33cm
- Power: 1300W
- Weight: 8.8KG
- Noise: 89dB
- Warranty: 2 years
Read the full Webb Weer 33 review
Gardena PowerMax 1200/32
RRP: £119.99
Our rating: 4.5/5
Available from Tooled Up and Amazon UK (£136.95)
Pros:
- Light and easy to manoeuvre
- Cuts to the edge
- Height of cut simplest to change
- Orange cable easy to see
Cons:
- Grass box tricky to assemble
This mower offers incredibly precise cutting - it cuts between 20-60mm in 5mm increments and this height of cut is very easy to control with a simple twist of a dial making it great for gardeners who lack strength or dexterity. It’s light and easy to manoeuvre, with a tight turning circle and we love the bright orange power cable, which is easy to spot in the grass. The grass box is easy to empty and indicates when it's full, however, we found it a little tricky to assemble. The handle which folds for easy storage is a little short for taller users. We awarded it a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for ease of use in 2021.
Specifications
- Cutting width 32cm
- Power 1200W
- Weight 8.3kg
- Noise 94dB
- Warranty 2 years
Read the full Gardena PowerMax 1200/32 mower review
Ryobi RLM13E 33S
RRP: £119.99
Our rating: 4.5/5
http://vhttps://www.onbuy.com/gb/p/ryobi-rlm13e33s-33cm-corded-rotary-lawnmower-1300w~p56470734/
Pros:
- Comfortable foam handle
- Light and easy to move
- Cuts to the edge
- Best cable relief clip
- Orange cable easy to see
Cons:
- Noise high pitched
This mower is simple to assemble and simple to use. Its handle folds for storage and can be adjusted to a choice of heights and it's light and comfortable to use. There are five cutting heights to choose from, ranging from 20-60mm, and these are easy to change with a simple lever. Its best feature however is a convenient and effective cable relief clip, which keeps the cable tucked safely out of the way while you mow and we awarded it a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for best for cable safety in 2021. Though one of the quietest machines on test, the motor on this model is very high-pitched.
Specifications
- Cutting width: 33cm
- Power: 1300W
- Weight: 9.9kg
- Noise: 89 dB
- Warranty: 3 years
Read the full Ryobi RLM13E 33S review
Cobra GTRM34
RRP: £122.99
Our rating: 4.5/5
Available from Just Lawnmowers
Pros:
- Simple to assemble
- Comfortable and easy to use
- Cuts efficiently
- Cable relief clip for safety
- Rear roller
- Folds for easy storage
Cons:
- Doesn't cut to the edge
- Heavier than some
Easy to put together, this mower has a 34 cm cutting width and a rear roller for those ever desirable stripes. Although it's reasonably heavy and may be harder to lift and carry than some of the mowers in our test it feels well balanced and cuts and collects even long grass very well. There's a choice of seven cutting heights and this is easy to change with a single lever located on the deck. The fabric grass bag has a 35L capacity and it compacts down flat for easy storage, as does the mower, which has easy-clip levers on the handle and double folds down over the body of the mower. We awarded it a BBC Gardeners' World Magazine Best Buy for features in 2021.
Specifications
- Cutting width: 34cm
- Power: 1300W
- Weight: 13 kg
- Noise: 96dB
- Warranty: 2 years
Read the full Cobra GTRM34 electric corded mower review
The best of the rest
Although some models didn't quite achieve a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy award, they still have features that make them worth recommending. Browse our pick of the best of the rest on test.
Stihl RME235
RRP: £170
Our rating: 4/5
Available from Just Lawnmowers
Pros:
- Sturdy and robust
- Quick empty grass box
- Long warranty
Cons:
- Long assembly
- Drive lever very stiff
- Black cable hard to see
This mower does the basics very well. It's well thought out with an adjustable, folding handle for storage and a handy cable relief clip and it has five cutting heights from 25-65mm, which are simple to change with a single lever. The grass box opens right up for easy emptying and has indicator that lets you know when it's full. It feels sturdy and moves smoothly but we found the drive lever a little uncomfortable and stiff. It was also the longest mower to assemble in our test.
Specifications
- Cutting width: 33cm
- Power: 1200W
- Weight: 13kg
- Noise: 93dB
- Warranty: 5 years
Einhell GE-EM 1233
RRP: £125
Our rating: 4/5
Available from OnBuy.com (£298.57)
Pros:
- Double folding handle for easy storage
- Easy to manoeuvre
- Cable relief clip for safety
Cons:
- Assembly instructions unclear
- Single drive lever
- Black cable hard to see
This mower is easy to manoeuvre and easy to store. It mows right up to the edge of a lawn and its 30L capacity is good for a mower of this size. There's a choice of five cutting heights and a mulching option if you prefer to leave the clippings to break down on the lawn. However, the black cable is hard to spot against the grass and the one-handed drive lever is uncomfortable, particularly for left-handers.
Specifications
- Cutting width: 33cm
- Power: 1250W
- Weight: 11.5kg
- Noise: 96dB
- Warranty: 3 years
How to choose an electric lawn mower
Not all budget mowers are basic machines. Consider the following points to help you choose the right electric mower for you:
- Where are you mowing? A convenient power socket is essential for an electric mower but you may need an extension lead too. Check that the length of the cable is long enough to reach all parts of your lawn. If your lawn runs right up to walls, fences or raised beds look for a model that cuts to the edge or you’ll need to invest in a grass trimmer to neaten them up afterwards.
- What size mower do you need? The wider the cutting width, the quicker the mower will cut your lawn. However, there is a trade-off. Mowers with a wider width have a bigger deck and are heavier and less easy to manoeuvre around trees or furniture. A wider cutting width is therefore best for large expanses of grass while smaller models are ideal for nipping up and down little lawns and negotiating beds and borders.
- Is it safe? An electric cable is an obvious safety hazard and if you’re concerned about tripping over the cable or cutting it accidentally when you’re mowing, look for a model with a brightly coloured lead that’s easy to spot. A cable relief clip will help to keep it tucked out of the way of the blade and will also prevent it being snagged and ripped out. For safety always use an RCD (Residual Current Device) plugged into the electric socket before plugging in your mower.
- Where will you store it? No matter the model, these are fairly bulky machine. However, the handles of most mowers can be partly unscrewed to fold over the body of the mower; others are designed to unclip and double fold completely flat. If you need to lift the mower up steps into storage or onto a shelf, make a note of its weight and whether there are carry handles to make this easier.
Budget lawn mowers - Buyers' Guide video
How we tested electric lawn mowers
When we test lawn mowers, each one is unpacked, assembled, and then used to cut grass over a wide area, and wheeled up slopes and in and out of storage to see how they fare. They're assessed according to the following criteria with equal marks attributed to each:
- Setup and storage. Looked at the ease of assembly and clarity of instructions and how easy the mower is to store.
- Handling. Focused on comfort and ease of use, handle-height adjustment and how to change the height of cut, weight and noise levels.
- Mowing. Assessed cutting width, the range of cutting heights, collection-bag capacity and features such as cutting to the edge or mulching.
- Value for money. Considered all of the above as well as quality, design, warranty and price.
For more information on our testing process see How we Review
This review was last updated in February 2024. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.
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