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Keep your yard looking neat and tidy with these push lawn mowers.

Wild Badger Power Brushless 40-volt 18-in Cordless Push Lawn Mower being used to cut the lawns

Credit:Better Homes & Gardens

We had some difficulty clipping the bag attachment into place upon initial setup.

It handled hills and inclines effortlessly, and maneuvered gracefully around trees.

However, this was only an issue upon setting up the lawn mower.

EGO Power+ Select Cut 56-Volt 21-Inch Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower

Credit: Walmart

We appreciated the thoughtful design that went into the self-propelling feature.

This lawn mower is also ideal for someone who wants a low maintenance machine.

Because its cordless, it doesnt need any gas or oil to operate.

A woman mowing the lawn with the EGO Power+ Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower

Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Megan Wood

You simply have to attach the 7.5Ah 56-volt battery after it charges, which only takes an hour.

Because of its performance and design, this is the best self-propelling push lawn mower.

This mower starts with a pull cord rather than an electric push button start.

The backside of the EGO Power+ Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower being shown on a lawn

With two offset blades, itcuts the grassinto small pieces that are better for both mulching and bagging.

One of our favorite features on this mower was the blade control located on the handle of the mower.

While mowing, you have to hold the lever down for the blades to rotate.

A side view of the EGO Power+ Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower while it’s sitting on a lawn

With these features in mind, we gave this machine a 5-star rating for safety.

We also appreciated that the deck is made of 16-gauge steel for extra durability.

Theres only one battery included, and there is no alert for when it will run out.

A woman mowing the lawn with the EGO Power+ Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower

It also has headlights for extra visibility.

You canpurchase a back-up batteryfor an extra cost, but only one battery is included with the initial purchase.

The self-propel buttons do not lock, which does not allow for continuous movement.

The backside of the EGO Power+ Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower being shown on a lawn

It was lightweight and easy to maneuver, and it had no issues going up inclines.

This feature was helpful when going around obstacles, but we wished it didnt need to be pressed continuously.

The small bag capacity requires frequent emptying, and the battery life is only 30 minutes.

A side view of the EGO Power+ Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower while it’s sitting on a lawn

Easy to maneuver, lightweight, and compact, theWild Badger Power 40V 18-in.

Electric Lawn Moweris our pick for the best small push mower.

Thanks to its compact sizeit weighs 37.5 poundsthis lawn mower was easy to set up and required minimal assembly.

Honda HRN216VKA 21-Inch Gas Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

Credit: Lowe’s

During testing, this mower was intuitive to use, and we liked the easy-to-adjust mowing heights.

The clippings were very fine and we didnt notice any clumping at all.

However, it does have a smaller capacity of 11 gallons, which needed to be emptied quite often.

Honda HRN216VKA 21-Inch Gas Self-Propelled Lawn Mower displayed on a lawn

Credit: The Spruce / Lauren Meyers

We also noted special features and how easy or difficult it was to store the lawn mower.

Electric mowers are available as cordless (battery-operated units) and corded models.

Some mowers come with two batteries so one can charge while the other is being used.

Back of teh Honda HRN216VKA 21-Inch Gas Self-Propelled Lawn Mower displayed on a lawn

Typically, reel mowers and corded electric mowers are best for properties of 0.25 acres or less.

Cordless electric mowers work for small-to-medium yards (up to 0.5 acres).

TheWild Badger Power 40V 18 in.

Honda HRN216VKA 21-Inch Gas Self-Propelled Lawn Mower box displayed in a driveway

Electric Lawn Moweris ideal for smaller yards because of its compact design and maneuverability.

Consider a commercial-duty zero-turn mower if your property is more than 2 acres.

A 21-inch deck is standard, although many electric models feature smaller decks.

Honda HRN216VKA 21-Inch Gas Self-Propelled Lawn Mower displayed on a lawn

The quietest push lawn mower we tested sounded more like a white noise machine than a typical lawn mower.

Bagging and Mulching

The best push mowers provide a few different grass clipping options.

Some models have a 3-in-1 system that offers bagging, mulching, and side discharge.

Back of teh Honda HRN216VKA 21-Inch Gas Self-Propelled Lawn Mower displayed on a lawn

It took about 30 to 45 seconds to restart, which proved to be a time-consuming process.

Overall, it was a fine lawn mower, but we didnt feel like it was overly impressive.

It was also simple to maneuver and had straightforward height adjustments.

Honda HRN216VKA 21-Inch Gas Self-Propelled Lawn Mower box displayed in a driveway

Your Questions, Answered

What is a self-propelled mower?

A self-propelled mower does some of the work for you.

Should I buy a push mower or a riding mower?

Toro 21623 Stripe 60 Volt Max 21 Inch Cordless Lawn Mower

Credit: Lowe’s

When choosing the best mower for your property, selecting a mower bang out is a crucial first step.

The larger your yard, the more likely you’ll be happywith a riding mower.

You’ll exert less effort on a riding mower than a walk-behind mower, especially a push mower model.

A person uses the Toro 21623 Stripe 60 Volt Max 21 Inch Cordless Lawn Mower to mow a lawn

Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Laura Miller

Riding mowers have much larger cutting decks, so you might mow large areas faster.

However, they can be harder to maneuver into small spaces because of their large turning radius.

(More expensive zero-turn riding mowers turn more easily, helping to solve this problem.)

A person mows a lawn using the Toro 21623 Stripe 60 Volt Max 21 Inch Cordless Lawn Mower

How do you maintain a push mower?

Gas mowers require regular maintenance.

The air filter should be checked a few times during the mowing season and cleaned or replaced as needed.

The blade on the bottom of the Toro 21623 Stripe 60 Volt Max 21 Inch Cordless Lawn Mower

“The beauty of cordless mowers is that they require almost no maintenance,” Mikkelsen says.

For reel mowers, you’ll want to clear away debris regularly.

Who We Are

Andrea Wurzburgeris a writer forBetter Homes & Gardenswho covers a variety of home products.

The power button on the Toro 21623 Stripe 60 Volt Max 21 Inch Cordless Lawn Mower

This article was updated byBrandi Fuller, who is a shopping editor forBetter Homes & Gardens.

She has also written about topics such as birdhouses, gardening tools, pest control, and more.

What is BHG Recommends?

A person mows grass using the Toro 21623 Stripe 60 Volt Max 21 Inch Cordless Lawn Mower

Next to all of the products on this list, you may have noticed ourBHG Recommends seal of approval.

In these cases, we use the same testing criteria we use to test the purchased products.

A person uses the Toro 21623 Stripe 60 Volt Max 21 Inch Cordless Lawn Mower to mow a lawn

A person mows a lawn using the Toro 21623 Stripe 60 Volt Max 21 Inch Cordless Lawn Mower

The blade on the bottom of the Toro 21623 Stripe 60 Volt Max 21 Inch Cordless Lawn Mower

The power button on the Toro 21623 Stripe 60 Volt Max 21 Inch Cordless Lawn Mower

A person mows grass using the Toro 21623 Stripe 60 Volt Max 21 Inch Cordless Lawn Mower

Ego Power Plus LM2206SP Lawn Mower Kit

Credit: Amazon

Person using EGO Power+ Aluminum Deck Select Cut LM2206SP 22 in. 56 V Battery Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit to clean & cut lawns

Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Dera Burreson

EGO Power+ Aluminum Deck Select Cut LM2206SP 22 in. 56 V Battery Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit being used by a person to cut lawns

EGO Power+ Aluminum Deck Select Cut LM2206SP 22 in. 56 V Battery Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit being used to cut lawns equally

Person manually operates EGO Power+ Aluminum Deck Select Cut LM2206SP 22 in. 56 V Battery Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit

Person folds EGO Power+ Aluminum Deck Select Cut LM2206SP 22 in. 56 V Battery Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit

Person using EGO Power+ Aluminum Deck Select Cut LM2206SP 22 in. 56 V Battery Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit to clean & cut lawns

EGO Power+ Aluminum Deck Select Cut LM2206SP 22 in. 56 V Battery Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit being used by a person to cut lawns

EGO Power+ Aluminum Deck Select Cut LM2206SP 22 in. 56 V Battery Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit being used to cut lawns equally

Person manually operates EGO Power+ Aluminum Deck Select Cut LM2206SP 22 in. 56 V Battery Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit

Person folds EGO Power+ Aluminum Deck Select Cut LM2206SP 22 in. 56 V Battery Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Kit

Wild Badger Power 40-Volt 18-Inch Electric Lawn Mower

Credit: Amazon

Person adjusts the grips on Wild Badger Power Brushless 40-volt 18-inch Cordless Push Lawn Mower

Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Viveka Neveln

A person takes out the clipped grass that was kept in the Wild Badger Power Brushless 40-volt 18-inch Cordless Push Lawn Mower

A person monitors the Wild Badger Power Brushless 40-volt, 18-inch Cordless Push Lawn Mower’s battery

Person using Wild Badger Power Brushless 40-volt 18-in Cordless Push Lawn Mower to cut lawns in equal size

Wild Badger Power Brushless 40-volt 18-in Cordless Push Lawn Mower placed on floor

Person adjusts the grips on Wild Badger Power Brushless 40-volt 18-inch Cordless Push Lawn Mower

A person takes out the clipped grass that was kept in the Wild Badger Power Brushless 40-volt 18-inch Cordless Push Lawn Mower

A person monitors the Wild Badger Power Brushless 40-volt, 18-inch Cordless Push Lawn Mower’s battery

Person using Wild Badger Power Brushless 40-volt 18-in Cordless Push Lawn Mower to cut lawns in equal size

Wild Badger Power Brushless 40-volt 18-in Cordless Push Lawn Mower placed on floor

A person uses the Toro 21623 Stripe 60 Volt Max 21 Inch Cordless Lawn Mower to mow a lawn

Credit:Better Homes & Gardens

The grass clippings attachment for the Toro 21623 Stripe 60 Volt Max 21 Inch Cordless Lawn Mower

Credit:Better Homes & Gardens

A person opens the battery pack door on the Kobalt Gen4 40 Volt 20 Inch Cordless Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

Credit:Better Homes & Gardens