If you have a yard full of grass, you know it’s someone’s job to mow the lawn. Doesn’t matter whether your yard is big or small, your yard needs to be cleaned.
And who is going to do it? Of course, it’s the man of the house. Such a boring job for the alpha of the entire family. This is an embarrassment, unless you have a self-propelled lawn mower. That thing can do all the work for you, but only you will get all the credits.
But wait, self-propelled lawn mowers are expensive.
Well, we have got that covered. We have written a full blog on the best cheap self-propelled lawn mowers review 2021 version. These lawn mowers are not only cheap but also the best in the market and in your yard. Even we were surprised to find out about their price.
It is time to get yourself a lawn mower to reclaim your yard again.
Why go for Cheap Self-Propelled Lawn Mowers?
Our thoughts exactly. Why would you even think of buying a cheap self-propelled lawn mower?
Cheap lawn mowers don’t have quality, right? Expensive lawn mowers have better quality. The higher you raise your budget, the better quality you will be offered. So why even consider going for a cheaper option?
You might answer that by saying your budget is low and you are compromising quality for price.
Well, we are here to tell you that you don’t have to compromise anything. You can have good enough quality in the low price tier.
We have listed all of our best choices for each price category down below. Each with their own pros and cons.
Now, we could have told you our best choice, but we kind of want to leave that up to you. We want you to choose the best one yourself.
Best Cheap Self-Propelled Lawn Mowers under $300
First of all we will start with the lawn mowers under $300. These self-propelled lawn mowers are affordable and great at their work. Their performance is really high compared to their price. Take a look below.
- PowerSmart 21-inch 170 CC Gas Powered Lawn Mower
Features:
- The PowerSmart lawn mower is gas powered with a 170 CC OHV gas engine.
- It has a 21-inch durable steel deck.
- It has 5 position height adjustment settings for you to adjust cutting height.
- This lawn mower also has 3 in 1 grass clipping discharge facility.
- 3 Years warranty on all of PowerSmart products.
PowerSmaert focuses on delivering the best service to all of its customers. They want to serve the best products with the highest quality. This lawn mower that they are offering is a gas powered lawn mower. Even though it is a gas powered standard self propelled lawn mower, it offers the benefits of a high tier lawn mower.
It has 3 in 1 facility to manage your grass clippings, you can fold it quickly and tidily, it has 5 different height setup and 4 blade strokes. What more could you possibly want from this affordable self propelled lawn mower?
The only negative side on this lawn mower is that it makes a lot of noise. Other than it everything else it offers is high quality.
Pros
- Easy to start and operate
- 3-in-1 side discharge, mulch or rear bag capabilities
- Simple cutting height adjustment
- Check the oil each and every time
Cons
- Noisy mower
- Fuel stabilizers not included
- Snapper HD 48 V MAX 20-inch Cordless Electric Lawn mower
Features:
- The Snapper HD 48V Cordless Electric Lawn Mower can run up to 90 minutes with a full battery charge.
- This one has a 20 inch steel mowing deck.
- Again a 3 in 1 grass clipping facility.
- It has an intelligent load sensing system to tell you when to stop.
- It has a single lever and 7 cutting height adjustments for max efficiency.
Beautify your lawn and make your mowing tasks effortless with the Snapper HD Cordless Electric Self-Propelled Lawn Mower. The mower generates less noise when in operation and you can get up to 60-minutes of run time under light loads.
Its 20-inch steel deck offers smooth control. Its 3-in-1 function allows side discharging, bagging, and mulching facilities.
The single lever, seven-position cutting height adjustment system allows you to get the preferred lawn height.
A great advantage of this mower is it offers a vertical storage facility, which saves your precious space in a garage or shed and requires very little maintenance. This is the best electric self-propelled lawn mower in an affordable price range.
Pros
- Easy to start and conduct
- Quiet mower
- Excellent intelligent load-sensing technology
- Easy to adjust the cutting height
- No gas, no oil, so no fumes
- Easy Vertical Storage
Cons
- Run time is short
- Small size bag
Best Cheap Self-Propelled Lawn Mowers under $400
Alright time to increase the budget a little bit. For those middle class families who need just a little bit of help to select the right lawn mower. Here is the list:
Greenworks 40V 21-inch Brushless Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
Features:
- This is the Greenworks MO40L03 Tools only version. It is a self-propelled lawn mower that starts with the push of a button and has a single blade.
- It has dual battery ports with automatic switch over. This way your lawn mowing will be uninterrupted and continue for longer.
- This is a “Smart pace” lawn mower, meaning it will move according to your walking pace.
- It has 7 height positions for adjustments.
- It even has USB ports to help you charge your other portable devices, like your phone.
Greenworks has unlocked and brought all the features of an electric lawn mower in the market. The best feature of this lawn mower is that it is smart paced. It moves according to your walking pace. So, you won’t have to push it so hard.
It has 2 battery ports that will switch when one of the batteries deplete. You can even use this lawn mower to charge your phone while you are walking with it. It has USB ports to do that.
Its vertical storage facility is also a great feature. You can store it anywhere in your garage safely and securely. A great tool for any house owner.
Pros
- Easy to start and easy to operate
- Lightweight mower
- Easy to adjust height
- Cuts high grasses
- 3-in-1 side discharging, mulching and bagging facilities
- Easy to fold for storage
- Sold at a reasonable price
Cons
- Run time is comparatively shorter than other mowers
- Battery takes more time to full charge
Snapper HD 48V Max Cordless Electric Self-propelled Lawn Mower
Feature:
- This version of the Snapper HD does not include a battery and a charger. You will have to get them separately.
- Its average runtime is up to 60 minutes.
- It requires a 48V Max 5.0 Lithium-ion battery.
- It has a 20 inch steel deck and 7 height position adjustments.
- This one also has the 3 in 1 grass clippings managing facility.
Snapper HD cordless electric lawn mower is meant to be smart. It has all the smart features with its easy push start button, easy height adjustment, 3 grass managing facility and more. It offers the best within this budget.
Combine all the features of their “under $300” model and then increase those values, you will get this model.
Pros
- Easy push-button start
- Easy to conduct
- Side discharge and an excellent mulching option
- Easy to adjust the cutting height
- Lightweight mower
- The handle is encased with a comfortable padding
Cons
- In some cases, the self-propelled feature doesn’t work properly.
Troy-Bilt 12 AVA2MR766 21-inch Self Propelled Lawn Mower
Features:
- The Troy Bilt is an electric corded lawn mower
- It has a 1.9 bushel bag for collecting grass clippings.
- Mulch kit is included to help out with instant fertilizing.
- It has a 21 inch cutting width.
- A total of 6 positions included with the automated system.
The Troy-Bilt self-propelled lawn mower comes with a reliable engine system check. It has a 21 inch cutting width. Its front wheel drive system improves control and provides you faster turning while mowing. You can control the speed from the controller attached with the handle.
It has 3 in 1 grass discharge system. A mulch kit, side discharge and rear bag options. Its dual-lever height adjusters are conveniently located to quickly adjust the 6 positions cutting heights.
To be frank, you can depend on Troy-Bilt to keep yard work from feeling like a chore. Troy- Blit won’t let you down.
Pros:
- Big Bushel bag for grass collecting
- Has adjustable heights
- Great durability on the steel deck
- Easy to handle and move around
Cons:
- Corded system is annoying
- Short lifespan
Best Cheap Self-Propelled Lawn Mower under $500
Now it’s time for the 500 dollar tier. These are probably better than those ones above. They all have good quality, but these are better in the budget game.
Greenworks 48V 20-inch Brushless Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
Features:
- This model of Greenworks offers 2 24V Powerall batteries. Their combined power turns into 48V battery performance.
- This lawnmower has upto 45 minutes run time, although it depends on grass condition.
- The batteries are USB chargeable.
- Its highly efficient motors offer quiet grass cutting action.
- The steel deck is 20-inch and very durable.
This edition of 2 24V batteries from Greenworks is different from other lawn mowers in the market. It can exceed the power of gas powered lawn mowers. The two battery combined forces are enough to handle ¼ acre of grass land.
This lawn mower is completely brushless, meaning the transmission will always stay protected from the grass clippings. This will ensure longer life and noise reduction while working.
Pros
- Easy push-button start
- Quite mower
- Mulching, bagging or side-chute all included, an easily switchable
- This mower is much lighter than gas models
- Nothing to maintain, except to ensure the blade is sharp
Cons
- Power decreases as the battery is drained
EGO Power+ 20-inch 56V Brushless Walk Behind Self Propelled Lawn Mower
Features:
- Fully battery powered with a 56V Lithium-ion battery.
- It has a 20 inch steel deck that is durable and can protect the engine from the toughest impacts.
- Unlike gas powered lawn mowers this lawn mower creates zero noise and releases no fumes.
- Also has a 3 in 1 bagging facility for grass clippings.
The EGO Power+ is the best cordless self propelled electric lawn mower that exceeds the powers of a gas lawn mower. Other brands with their cordless electric lawn mowers can’t surpass the gas powered lawn mowers like EGO Power+ can. This gives EGO Power+ a special place in the lawn mower market.
The 20 inch durable steel deck and up to 60 minutes of run time makes you feel like a king in your yard. Best part is there is no fuss or fumes in the process. Who wouldn’t want one of these in their backyard or front yard?
Pros
- Easy to operate
- Really strong deck
- Cutting height adjustment works fine
- Requires zero push to move
- Smooth handling
Cons
- Shorter lifespan
- Malfunctions sometimes
- Run time decreases as it ages
What to consider before Purchasing a Self-Propelled Lawn Mower?
Many homeowners own a yard which is highly-valued in the summer season. Everyone wants to spend time in their backyard and chill in the summer heat. Unfortunately that’s when they find out that their lawn needs to be mowed.
Purchasing a high-quality yet low-cost self-propelled lawn mower can help you with that. It will ensure that your lawn looks great and stays usable all-year round.
But there are several factors you should consider when purchasing a cheap self-propelled lawn mower.
- Your Yard Size
This is a very important factor, and it will impact the type of self-propelled lawn mower you choose. If your lawn or yard is big enough to fit a basketball court, we suggest you purchase a powerful self-propelled lawn mower. However, if your lawn size is small, a medium quality self-propelled lawn mower should do the trick.
- Power Source
Self-propelled mowers come in gas, electric or battery powered. Battery powered lawn mowers come in handy. You wouldn’t need any cord connection with them. This means that you will have more convenience but buy the one with a good battery. Many models come with a USB rechargeable option.
A corded electric lawn mower may also be good depending on your lawn size and grass type.
Then there is the last option which includes the gas powered lawn mowers. They are fine in every way, except they ruin the environment with their fumes and noise.
- FWD or RWD (Front Wheel Drive or Rear Wheel Drive)
Front-wheel drive is the best for flat lawns but if you have a lawn with slopes, Rear wheel drive will suit you more as they provide more grip to the tires.
- Maneuverability
It includes both steering and moving in a straight line.
The size of the wheels must be looked into. They should be big enough to move over wet grass. If the lawn has a slope, the wheel size must be bigger. Smaller wheels will have trouble climbing up a hill that is not even.
Now don’t forget that you might even have to change the wheel sometimes. It could be for repairing reasons. Whatever it may be, you should know how to change a self-propelled lawn mower wheel.
The steering ability must be flexible which means that there should be some sort of swivel in the tires. The handle must also be comfortable to grip and easy to move.
- Grass Clippings Collection
There are three ways a self-propelled lawn mower can manage grass clippings after cutting the grass.
The first one is mulching which is cutting and allowing the grass to be left on the ground to be decomposed with time.
The second one is throwing it sideways or side discharging.
And the third one is bagging which is basically collecting all the grass clippings in a bag or container attached with the mower. Most self-propelled lawn mowers have all 3 of these functions in one system, but still check before buying.
- Weight
Many people think that heavy lawn mowers are durable and last longer. But this is actually not true when it comes to mowers.
Alright, let us break this myth. One of the best features of a self-propelled lawn mower is its lightweight, which makes it easy to move around. Besides, a lightweight lawn mower is easy to store.
- Energy Saving
The energy saving factor directly relates to the lawn mowers battery or power usage. Most lawn mowers consume more energy when you run them on different grasses.
Thick grasses consume more energy than thin grasses. Wet grasses are harder to cut and take more blade strokes. This costs more energy. Most electric lawn mowers, especially the good ones claim that they can last up to an hour. In reality that is very uncommon and cheap lawn mowers last only 45 minutes.
- The Noise
The electric ones make the least amount of noise. The gas powered ones are the worst. They are a complete noise machine.
The more you increase your budget the better technology you will get. And the higher the quality, the lesser the noise.
Keep these factors in mind when buying a self-propelled lawn mower, especially cheap ones. These factors do make a big difference.
F.A.Q.s
Which self -propelled lawn mower is better? FWD or RWD?
Front wheel drive lawn mowers allow you to move and turn quickly on flat terrains. Rear wheel drive provides more traction at the center of the mower, helping you mow hilly terrain more easily. In our opinion rear wheel drive lawn mowers are better.
Can you overcharge a lawn mower battery?
New self-propelled lawn mowers with new technology have a system to stop over charging when the battery gets full.
How long do lawn mower batteries last?
The average life of a lawn mower battery is 3 years depending on your usage.
How much should you spend on a self-propelled lawn mower?
Within a $300-$500 budget you will get a good quality self-propelled lawn mower that is capable of cleaning small to medium sized yards. A higher budget will definitely get you better lawn mowers, but they are not necessary for small yard owners.
Conclusion
A cheap self-propelled lawn mower may sound cheap but if you take a look at our list, it may not be that bad. Cheap doesn’t mean it has to be bad. Bad quality is a whole different thing, but cheap is a category. It can be good.
The self-propelled lawn mowers we have talked about were not really cheap, they were in the affordable class. The only flaw about them is that they are affordable, but their quality is excellent. Not perfect, but excellent.We hope you’ve found the best one for you in our cheap self-propelled lawn mower review for 2021. Be the alpha in your yard again.