These Are The Best Cheap Lawn Mowers, According To Consumer Reports

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Living in a home with a front or backyard is a dream, but it can also quickly turn into a nightmare if you don't maintain it. When your lawn goes untamed, weeds can grow, healthy grass dies off, and unwanted bugs and critters start claiming the space. Plus, the whole yard becomes an eyesore.

To tidy up your lawn, you can always go the manual route with a reel mower. It takes more effort and time, but it's the most affordable option and easiest to maintain. However, if you don't want to spend all day mowing, you could shell out a few more dollars to get a gas or cordless mower instead. There are a host of cheap lawn mowers out there, some of which you can even get on sale if you happen to shop during the best times of the year to buy a mower. If you're looking for options, here are five of the lawn mowers Consumer Reports considers the best budget models.

Available for $329.99, the Stihl RMA 510 is a battery-powered push mower designed for cleaning small to medium suburban lawns. It features a 21-inch cutting deck with a cutting width of 20 inches and an adjustable cutting height ranging from 1.4 to 3.5 inches. The mower also comes complete with your standard accessories — a 19.8-gallon grass catcher, mulch insert, and side discharge chute.

As part of Stihl's AP platform, the Stihl RMA 510 can work with AP 300, AP 300 S, and AP 500 S battery packs. It can mow a little over 3,000 square feet on a single charge of the AP 300. If you have a larger lawn, you can go with the AP 300 S, which can cover 3,600 square feet, or the AP 500, which can accommodate areas up to 4,500 square feet. For even bigger spaces, the mower includes one other convenience: two built-in battery slots. One slot powers the machine, while the other is merely there for storage. That means if your battery dies in the middle of a job, you won't have to run back to the garage to get a new pack. You can simply swap out the two batteries already in the machine.

Once you're done with the mower, you can store it in three ways: as is on all four wheels with the handle unfolded, on four wheels but with the handle folded over the deck, and upright with the handle folded if you want to save space.

The Ryobi RY401170VNM is a cordless 20-inch walk-behind push mower from Ryobi's 40V HP lineup. It runs a brushless motor marketed to rival a 150cc gas mower, but without the noise or pollution. Since it uses battery power, the runtime of the Ryobi 40V lawn mower on a single charge depends largely on the capacity you're using. With a 6 Ah pack, you can operate the machine for a maximum of 45 minutes. This is generally enough to work through half an acre. The Ryobi RY401170VNM is also compatible with other 40V HP batteries like 8Ah and 12Ah. You can readily switch to these bigger packs if you need to run the mower longer.

The RY401170VNM is already kitted with a mulch plug, side discharge chute, and grass catcher bag. But Ryobi offers other attachments that work with the model, too. For instance, you can buy an extra-large three-bushel grass catcher to replace the standard bag, and a lawn mower striper attachment to give your yard a striped pattern.

Beyond accessories, the machine itself is designed for convenience. Its cutting height can be adjusted to seven positions between 1.5 and 4 inches to make it easy to cover different grass types and conditions. There's on-board storage for an extra battery for swapping out packs mid-mow and a foldable handle for storing the mower vertically as well. You can get the Ryobi RY401170VNM at Home Depot for $329 for the kit, including a 40V 6Ah battery and 40V Fast Charger; the mower alone is also available for $249.

The Toro 21311 is a 21-inch gas-powered push mower featuring a 140cc Briggs & Stratton engine with a gross torque of 5.5 ft-lb. As one of the models in Toro's Recycler series, it's equipped with the patented Recycler Cutting System. This enables it to produce ultra-fine grass clippings that are then reintroduced into the turf to enrich it.

Like most other mowers, this Toro mower can be used in mulching, bagging, or side discharging mode. The mulch plug is already built into the machine, while the two-bushel bagger included in the kit can be easily attached at the back. The side discharge chute also connects to the back of the mower, but it doesn't come with the package. You have to request one after registering your mower at toro.com.

For simplicity's sake, the Toro 21311 includes a two-point cutting height adjuster, with options between 1.25 and 3.75 inches. Its engine requires no oil changes, so it's easier to maintain. You just need to check the oil level and add some Toro "Top It Off" engine oil if it's running low. The mower's deck is even made of steel for durability. With a forward mowing speed of up to 3.4 mph, the Toro 21311 is ideal for lawns up to one-third of an acre. It costs $389 and includes a grass bag and an 18-ounce bottle of oil.

Made by one of the tool brands owned by Lowe's, the Kobalt KPM 1040A-03 is a push lawn mower with a 20-inch steel cutting deck. It functions as your typical 3-in-1 mower that can mulch, bag, and discharge clippings to the side. Simply attach the right accessory, and you're good to go. Like most other battery-powered mowers, it starts with a simple push button for convenience. You can also adjust the deck to one of six available cutting heights, the lowest of which is at 1.25 inches and the highest at four inches. In terms of storage, the mower can stand on two wheels with the telescopic handle folded, so it doesn't take up much floor space.

Powered by Kobalt's 40V battery, the KPM 1040A-03 can last as long as 60 minutes on a 6Ah pack. The charging time takes nearly four hours, though. That said, if you're working on a big yard that needs more than an hour, it's best to get a spare battery. Speaking of lawn sizes, the mower is recommended for yards between a quarter and a half acre — the typical area for many residential homes. The Kobalt KPM 1040A-03 retails for $399, complete with a battery, charger, collection bag, mulching insert, and side discharge chute. The mower itself has a five-year limited warranty, while the battery is covered for three years.

The Skil PM4910-10 is a self-propelled lawn mower that offers gas performance on battery power. It delivers a cutting swath of 20 inches and supports both bagging and mulching modes. Unlike most other lawn mowers, it doesn't have a side discharge — though this tradeoff might not matter to homeowners who don't use the functionality anyway.  Other than cutting modes, the Skil PM4910-10 provides flexible deck heights and variable speed control, too. The cutting deck can be lowered to as low as 1.5 inches and raised to as high as four inches, with five other height options in between. Just use the single-lever height adjuster near the rear wheel of the machine. For speed, the dial control on the handle lets you easily choose a comfortable pace while you work.  

Once you're done mowing, plug the battery into the included charger. It can charge a 2.5 Ah battery from 0 to 30% in just 15 minutes. Afterward, fold down the telescoping handle and lift the mower on its two wheels to stow it vertically. The Skil PM4910-10 is available as a kit at Do It Best for $429.99. Inside the package, you should find a 1.7-bushel grass bag, mulching plug, 150W charger, and 5 Ah battery pack.