Push Vs. Self-Propelled Lawn Mower: Which Type Has Better Battery Life?

There was a time when buying a new lawn mower mostly came down to which brand you were most loyal to. Nowadays, brand name is almost secondary to factors like gas or battery power and whether you want a push mower or a self-propelled one. Of course, when it comes down to battery power, runtime is one of the most important elements to consider, as waiting for a battery to recharge with a half-mowed lawn can be frustrating even to yard care novices.

Debates will forever rage about how many batteries you actually need to power your electric devices, but it just so happens that the style of mower you choose can have a direct effect on its battery life. The question then becomes whether a push mower or a self-propelled model will give you the best battery life while you cut your grass. It may seem obvious, but the answer is indeed a standard push mower.

Self-propelled lawn mowers have an actual drive system built into the device that allows them to move without being pushed. The propulsion system naturally requires power from the battery to operate and, in turn, contributes to draining the battery faster. According to tests conducted by Consumer Reports, that drainage cuts a self-propelled machine's runtime by an average of 10 minutes compared to push models using a similar battery. So, if you're concerned about runtime, push may be the way to go.

Ten minutes may not be a dealbreaker for folks who prefer to casually stroll behind their lawn mower rather than push it themselves. The rub is that the additional propulsion element tends to make self-propelled mowers more expensive. In the end, it's a matter of consumers picking their physical and financial poisons, though it should be noted that factors like the length of the grass, the terrain of your yard, and the ampere-hour (Ah) rating of the battery being used can dramatically alter the runtime numbers.

If you are eyeing a battery-powered push mower for your yard care regimen, that Consumer Reports study ran down some of the best options available. And according to that outfit, Ryobi's 40V HP Brushless 21" Mower (model #RY401220) is an electric mower worth the investment, as it provides battery life to users with as much as 90 minutes of runtime. It's the only model on that list to earn full green marks for performance in the site's testing. Snapper and DeWalt Tools machines ranked second and third on the list. 

In the self-propelled corner of the market, Ego's 56V HP Brushless 21" Mower (model# LM2156SP-2) provided nearly two hours of usage on a fully charged battery. Greenworks' 80V mower (model #MO80L421) competes well with the Ego machine and offers 75 minutes of runtime with the extra battery. Self-propelled models from Ryobi and DeWalt also made the list, along with two other Ego models.