It'd be great if we all had unlimited funds and could go shopping without looking at prices, but for the vast majority of us, that's not the case. If you are looking to buy a new lawn mower and you've set yourself a budget of $500, you might not quite get a top of the range model, but there's still plenty of choice around that price. In this article, we're going to profile 6 mowers vying for the title of best lawn mower under $500.
If your budget is slightly lower, you might find these articles of interest:
Best Lawn Mower Under 200 Dollars
The 6 Best Lawn Mowers Under $500 (Our Picks)
1. Greenworks Pro 80V Cordless Lawn Mower
(Best Electric Lawn Mower Under $500)
If this were 2001, it would almost certainly be a gas mower sitting at the top of the pile here. But in 2021, battery-powered models have not just caught up, they've surpassed them in many areas. And the Greenworks Pro 80V cordless mower is my top pick at the moment under $500. The design is extremely slick and nice to look at. But more importantly than that, the mower does all of the basics well, and then it has some innovative little add-on features that just help make your life a little easier when mowing.
The big worry with cordless mowers are the batteries, but the Greenworks Pro 80V actually does well here. The fact that most people report that the runtimes they get are more or less what's advertised - 60 minutes - if both batteries that come with it are fully charged, is a nice surprise (most cordless mowers fall below par here). On top of that, they charge up quickly as well. Some people say they go from dead to fully charged in a little over 30 minutes! Both of these factors combined mean that this mower is a great option for anything up to a medium-size lawn.And the most important part - it cuts really well, particularly when you use the mulching option. But you can also bag or side discharge if either of those is your preference. I tend to switch it up at different points in the season. The SmartCut feature is a nice little add-on too. This detects how much resistance the blade is experiencing, and automatically adjusts the motor speed, which basically extends your battery runtime as much as possible. Clever stuff!
Key Specifications:
Type: Battery Powered
Weight: 65 lbs (with battery)
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
If you have your heart set on a battery-powered lawn mower under $500, the Greenworks Pro 80V is the real deal. Smart features, smooth operation and quality results. It only drops half a star as I think some of the hardware could be of better quality.
The Makita XML03Z isn't as nice to look at as the Greenworks Pro 80V. At least not in my opinion, but it is well-built and weighs about the same as our #1 pick with two batteries onboard. It's always nice to see a steel cutting deck, as they last so much longer, and you get one with this Makita mower. If you frequently run over little stones, rocks or other debris, this is a feature you'll be glad to have.
The thing that people really like about the Makita XML03Z is that it ships with not two, but four batteries. And Makita batteries are generally pretty good, plus they can be used with a lot of the other yard and power tools that they produce. You do have to be aware that this is a 36 Volt model, and that the batteries will drain faster than an equivalent 60 or 80 Volt mower. But then you do have 4 of them, so if all are fully charged when you start, you should get somewhere around 40-45 minutes of runtime. Perfect for small lawns and probably ok for mid-size lawns too. They also recharge pretty quickly.
Aside from the build quality, the reason why this mower is right up there as the #2 pick for mowers under $500, is the quality of the cut it delivers. A lot of folks say it's right up there with gas mowers. A clean and crisp finish. I'd err on the side of caution and mow little and often though, as mowing in tougher conditions will drain the batteries much quicker. Other things to like are the easy height adjustment and the folding handles for easier storage.
Key Specifications:
Type: Battery Powered
Weight: 63.3 lbs (with battery)
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
If you're a big fan of the Makita 18/36 Volt tool range, the Makita XML03Z would make a great addition to your garage or shed, as the batteries are all interchangeable. Makita doesn't make any crap, and you won't be disappointed with either the quality or the cut that this one offers. A great choice if you're thinking of changing over from gas but don't need all the bells and whistles that some of the top-end mowers have.
3. Greenworks 40V Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
(Best Self Propelled Lawn Mower Under $500)
Yet another battery-powered mower on our list, but this one does offer something a bit different. The Greenworks LMF403 40 Volt mower is equipped with a variable speed self-propel feature that adapts to your pace. One common criticism of battery mowers is that they weigh rather a lot (60+ lbs is very common), so having the option for the mower to power itself around your yard can be very nice if you're not that strong, but you want to capitalize on all of the other benefits battery mowers have to offer. I'd probably only recommend using it in the areas of the yard you need to though (think inclines, turns etc), as using the self-propel will drain the battery quicker.
Be aware that you only get one battery with this mower (as opposed to 2 and 4 batteries for our #1 and #2 picks for best mower under $500). Going off what a lot of people say, you'll likely get around 25 minutes of runtime on this battery under normal conditions. Is that enough? Only you can decide. You do always have the option of buying a second battery if you're willing to part with the extra cash. The one thing that I have seen quite a few complaints about is the design of the battery port, saying that they're not that easy to get at and remove, and the need to swap the batteries over when one runs out of charge isn't as user friendly as it could be.
This is not unique to this mower, but the push-button starts will also be attractive if you're a frustrated gas mower owner. And it goes without saying that if it's on this list, the Greenworks LMF403 does a good job of cutting. You can bag, mulch or side discharge. The choice is yours.
Key Specifications:
Type: Battery Powered
Weight: 67 lbs (with battery)
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
I have to say the runtime you can expect if you just stick with one battery would make me wary of buying this if I had anything bigger than say ¼ of an acre. The batteries take 3-4 hours to recharge and you don't want to be waiting around doing your lawn in sections. But if your lawn is ¼ an acre or smaller, or you're willing to buy an extra battery, this is a great mower. The self-propel definitely comes in handy if your yard is less than flat and the quality of the cut is what you'd expect from a Greenworks mower.
4. BLACK+DECKER 140cc Gas Powered Lawn Mower
(Best Gas Lawn Mower Under $500)
If you're not too fussed about your new mower being battery operated and like the power of a gas mower, here's one for you. The BLACK+DECKER 12A-A2SD736 140cc gas mower comes in quite a bit under $500 and you get a lot of mower for your money.
It's easy enough to put together out of the box, which is always a good start. It's also known to be a very reliable starter, so if that's something that has put you off gas mowers in the past, don't let it worry you here. At 77.8 lbs it's definitely on the heavier end of the spectrum, BUT it comes with something to help you with that. It is equipped with front-wheel drive self propel, which makes the extra weight less of a problem. And you don't need to worry about using the self-propel feature like you do with a battery mower. With those, you're always worrying about the batteries draining faster with self-propel engaged. Sure, with this it may result in you using more gas. But you can just refuel and carry on. There's no waiting around for charging to complete.
The combination of no limit to your runtime and the self-propel feature make this mower a good contender for larger lawns than any of the first three options. I'd feel very confident in using this on a medium size lawn. If I didn't have the money for a ride-on mower (under $500 you certainly wouldn't unless second hand), this would even be a contender for a larger lawn too.
Last but not least, this BLACK+DECKER 140cc has the oomph to carve right through even the thicker grass varieties such as St Augustine grass, and allows you to mulch, bag or discharge.
Key Specifications:
Type: Gas
Weight: 77.8 lbs
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
If you put the drawbacks to gas mowers to one side, the BLACK+DECKER 140cc is a great option for well under $500. In fact, it's probably the best value mower on this entire list and offers great all-around performance, combined with a solid build quality. It's also the only option on this list capable of mowing a large yard in one go.
Lots of electric and battery-powered mowers feel quite cheaply made. There's too much plastic. But that's not the case with the Snapper XD 82V. It almost feels like a gas mower. It's really very well made. It's got quality written all over it and you can't help but admire it.
This Snapper comes with two batteries and is packing 82 Volts, more than any other battery mower on this list. Does it make a difference? It certainly seems to. Most people say these batteries will run for 30-40 minutes and the recharge time when using the included fast charger is roughly 30 minutes. As you have two batteries, you can make sure that you're never without charge, making it suitable for larger jobs as well as smaller jobs.
On top of this, most people seem to say that the battery delivers more than enough power to blast right through most things, including taller and thicker grass. It's also got a load sensing technology that detects when a higher rpm is required to get the job done. And then you get all the nice little touches too, like push-button starts and easy height adjustment.Key Specifications:
Type: Battery Powered
Weight: 90 lbs (with battery)
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
You have to admire the craftsmanship that has gone into the design of the Snapper XD 82V mower. It's something else. It is on the expensive end for a push mower and it's not light, but if those two things don't bother you it's a truly great mower for the average homeowner. Due to the battery capabilities, I'd really recommend this for medium size yards, but inclines and sloped terrain might not be the best fit unless you're physically strong, due to the weight.
There are some very good looking mowers on this list and if my choice had to be made on looks alone, the stealthy black appearance of this EGO Power+ mower would likely come out on top. I love the futuristic vibes it gives off. It's also battery-powered, so the energy source it runs off is progressive too.
A lot of the battery mowers around this price come with the same set of features. What sets this one apart from others I would say is the weight (or lack of it) and the ruggedness of the build. At 57.5 lbs it's several pounds lighter than any of the other mowers on this list, and the vast majority of people that buy it say that it is very nice to push around the lawn. There isn't a self-propel feature, but you don't need it. EGO says that the mower is built with "weather resistant construction" and it gets very good feedback in this area. It feels like a quality product, right down to the wheels. And that's saying something as a lot of manufacturers cheap out on those.
The cut it delivers is nice and even and perfectly adequate for most types of lawns, providing you keep on top of things and don't expect it to zip through a yard full of long grass like a gas mower. That it would struggle with, and there are quite a few folks that say it doesn't do so well with leaves either. One other thing that there is to like about this mower is just how small it folds up when not in use.Key Specifications:
Type: Battery Powered
Weight: 57.5 lbs (with battery)
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
Able to cope well with a variety of conditions and easy to manoeuvre for the majority of people, the EGO Power+ LM2021's adaptability makes it a good fit for anyone with a small to medium size lawn. Don't buy this expecting gas mower type performance though, as you'll be disappointed. This is more for maintenance jobs as opposed to rescue jobs! It's very well put together.
Leave a Reply