Even if your yard is small, taking care of your lawn doesn’t need to be difficult. You’ll spend less time mowing the grass if there is less grass.
The best lawn mowers for small yards are easy to store after use, can be quickly pulled out of storage, and are small and agile enough to make navigating your yard a breeze.
In this Lawn Advisors article, you’ll find our list of the top 4 conventional electrics and cordless mowers for small yards. They’re affordable, cheerful, and good for the job. As you’ll also find the factors you should consider before choosing the best lawn mower.
How to Choose the Best Lawn Mowers for Small Yards?
Here are some factors to consider to help you make the decision on the best lawn mowers for small yards:
- Grass Catcher Capacity
- Self-Propelled Mowers
- Electric, cordless or manual
- Self-Propelled Mowers
- Power Level
- Blade Type
- Cutting Width
- Cutting Heights
- Mulch Mowers
- Assembly
- Storage
- Handle
- Start
- Weight
- Price
The Best Lawn Mowers for Small Yards
Lawn Advisors collected the best lawn mowers for small yards:
- American Lawn Mower Company 1204-14 Push Reel Lawn Mower
- Greenworks 40V 16-Inch Battery-Powered Mower
- Worx WG779 14″ 40V Battery Cordless Electric Lawn Mower
- Sun Joe MJ500M 16-Inch Manual Reel Mower
1. American Lawn Mower Company 1204-14 Push Reel Lawn Mower
We placed this reel mower at the top of the best lawn mowers for small yards list due to its durable construction. It has a 4-blade reel with heat-treated alloy steel construction that keeps its sharpness for years with no maintenance. Its 8.5-inch polymer wheels can handle rough terrain and are maneuverable.
With this mower, maintaining a yard with lots of nooks and crannies and an irregular shape will be a breeze. It is also incredibly easy to use. It cuts when you push. You’ll also like how quickly you can pull it out when you need it and put it away when you’re done.
American Lawn Mower Company 1204-14 Push Reel Lawn Mower Features
a. Cuts Well
Since 1204-14 is designed for general maintenance, you should mow your lawn frequently during the growing season to maintain optimal performance. According to multiple customers, your lawn mower won’t perform as well if you let it grow too long.
Although it might not be as effective on the thickest grass types, it is suitable for the majority of grass types. This mower will serve you well if you follow the one-third rule, maintain your grass at the ideal length, and this mower will serve you well.
b. Straightforward Assembly
Since it mostly comes pre-assembled from the factory, there isn’t much to do. You only need to put the handle together and attach everything to the base of the mower. You’ll need to use some bolts and locknuts for this.
The locknuts contain small plastic wings, so they may be tightened without the use of any tools. When it comes to squeezing the c-clips into place, all you could need is a pair of pliers.
c. 3 Spider Reel Assembly
The American Lawn Mower 1204-14’s cutting reel is mounted on a practical 3-spider ball-bearing assembly.
With just a light push, this method is designed to help you in quickly start the cutting reel. So, you won’t have to worry about working too hard to get a lovely, scissors-like cut for your lawn.
d. High Impact Wheels and Durable Cutting Blade
The cutting blade on the American Lawn Mower 1204-14 is made of steel alloy, so you won’t need to sharpen it as often as you may expect.
All of the parts on the lawn mower are made of very durable materials. To handle uneven areas in your yard, the mower’s wheels are made to be high impact.
e. Small Cutting Width
The 1204-14 model’s 14-inch cutting deck, which is small compared to most lawn mowers, could be a downside. However, that 14 inches (36 cm) should be enough to effectively mow your small grass.
But that modest width is a big reason 1204-14 is so maneuverable.
American Lawn Mower Company 1204-14 Push Reel Lawn Mower Verdict
This manual lawn mower from the American Lawn Mower Company may not look to be a lean, mean grass-cutting machine, but it is surprisingly efficient. Additionally, it works exceptionally well in small yards. Why? Its size and shape for one.
This mower is incredibly lightweight and easy to use because there is no power source to turn the blades. All you have to do is push.
2. Greenworks 40V 16-Inch Battery-Powered Mower
We placed this mower as the second option of the best lawn mowers for small yards. If you don’t like having to trail a cord behind you while working, a cordless model is a perfect choice. Again, at 16 inches16 inches~41cm, it’s the ideal size for a small yard, and the battery’s 60-minute runtime is more than enough. Before the charge runs out, you’ll be back inside, relaxing with your feet up.
Your clippings may either be mulched or bagged and switching between the 5 cutting heights is a breeze thanks to a single lever. The 40V lithium-ion batteries provide you with the power you need, deliver power without fading, and don’t lose memory after charging.
Greenworks 40V 16-Inch Battery-Powered Mower Features
a. High Performance
The Greenworks G-MAX was made to be lightweight to make it easy to use. It is designed to glide across the lawn and has 6-inch wheels in the back and 7-inch wheels in the back. Up to 7,000 square feet can be covered by the push mower using a single charge of the 40 Volt 4 Ah lithium-ion battery.
Despite not being self-propelled. Greenworks also designed it for minimal vibration while the blades are engaged.
The lithium-ion batteries powering this electric mower are also compatible with up to 25 different electric power tools. Therefore, you can simply switch to another battery from another device for an even longer total run time if you need to mow an area larger than 7,000 square feet.
b. Easy to Maintain
The Greenworks G-MAX requires little maintenance. especially when compared to a 16-inch gas lawnmower of comparable size.
Before using the battery, make sure it is fully charged; do not overcharge it by keeping it on the charger for too long. The blades will occasionally need to be changed, just like any lawnmower.
c. Ease of Use
The Greenworks G-MAX electric lawnmower is much easier to operate and maintain than a comparable gas-powered mower. You start it with a single button press. Additionally, it is lightweight enough to be pushed easily. However, the rear 7-inch wheels can be too small for uneven or bumpy turf.
The cutting deck’s height may be changed quite easily, too. There is only one large lever, which you can confidently move into the desired place with.
Additionally, the bagger needs to be carefully cleaned out after each use, t. It may start to grow mold if you leave a small volume of clippings in the bag’s deepest corners.
d. Cut Quality and Options
Even thick grass blades can be cut cleanly by the 40 Volt electric motor that drives the blades. It can cut from a depth of 1-1/4 inches to a height of 3-3/8 inches. When the weather affects how long you should leave your lawn, like certain seasons of the year, this is fantastic!
You can turn the cutting deck up to the highest setting during a prolonged dry spell or drought to help protect the underlying lawn layers from the strong sun. However, you can reduce the cutting height once more to about 1-1/4 inches to prevent it from becoming overgrown when the rains return.
e. Battery Life
It’s claimed that you should get “up to 45 minutes of runtime on a single charge”. In actuality, most people seem to get 20 to 30 minutes per charge.
Rather than just labeling this as a failure and advising you to forget about this model in light of it, we’d really advise that this merely serves to highlight the fact that this mower is only suitable for small yards.
So choose a different model if you have anything that will take longer than 20 to 30 minutes to mow. We found that bagging the clippings seems to result in longer runtimes whereas mulching the clippings seems to result in shorter runtime.
The shorter the runtime, the more difficult the conditions (such as long or thick grass).
Greenworks 40V 16-Inch Battery-Powered Mower Verdict
For households looking to cut down on their carbon footprint, the Greenworks 40V 21-inch Self-Propelled Cordless Electric Lawn Mower is great to choose from the best lawn mowers for small yards list. With brushless motor technology, this environmentally friendly machine offers higher torque, quieter operation, and longer life.
The Greenworks 40V Max System will help you prepare for spring this year. Greenworks tools use technology to give comparable gas-powered tool power and performance without the mess, noxious fumes, stamina-reducing vibration, or noise that comes with gas-powered devices.
3. Worx WG779 14″ 40V Battery Cordless Electric Lawn Mower
We placed this mower as the third option of the best lawn mowers for small yards. The WG779, like many other mowers on our list, features a small 14-inch deck ideal for small yards. There are six different cutting heights available on the deck’s simple single-lever height adjustment system.
You can choose to collect your grass clippings while you mow or discharge mulch back into your yard because the mower comes with a rear bag and a mulching blade. And you won’t be missing out on power as it takes two 20V batteries to make light of overgrown lawns.
Worx WG779 14″ 40V Battery Cordless Electric Lawn Mower Features
a. Performance
The Worx WG779 Cordless Electric Lawn Mower was designed to be lightweight and durable. This means that if you need to cut near an edge or around a tree, you won’t have to wrestle it around.
It has a maximum cutting capacity of 5,500 square feet, or roughly 1/8 acre, on a single charge. You might charge extra batteries for more time mowing if you have some.
b. Ease of Use
This mower is always prepared to start working thanks to the built-in port charger with smart charging technology. It is also lightweight, making it nimble and nice. Another wonderful feature is the padded grips with a comfortable grip and simple switch controls.
The 14-inch mower deck’s height can also be changed easily. Three different height settings—2 inches, 3 inches, and 3.5 inches—can be selected using a single lever switch.
All four wheels are set with a single pull or push of the lever, saving you from having to manually adjust the height of each wheel one at a time.
c. Cut Quality
Due to its small weight, the Worx WG779 Cordless Electric Lawn Mower is also incredibly nimble. The WG779 can be a little bit on the small side if you have a large yard or even a small yard with lots of open spaces.
However, small yards filled with trees, contoured edging, and landscape features are where it really shines. The WG779’s lightness and light weight make it simple for you to maneuver around these turns. To the point that you might not even need to pull out your weed whip after you are done mowing.
d. Maintenance
If you choose to bag your lawn clippings, make sure to empty it as soon as you are finished cutting. The remaining grass in the bag could decompose quickly. Grass clippings that accumulate in the back can be a little challenging to remove when they are damp.
Without having to check on it or unplug it, the port charger with smart charge technology helps maintain the battery’s power. The batteries should definitely be removed and put inside if you live somewhere with cold winters because prolonged colds can reduce overall battery life.
It is recommended to plug the batteries in and recharge them once a month during the winter.
e. Bad Design
Our only complaint is that the folding handle’s cord was poorly designed. You must be careful not to trap it and cause damage.
Worx WG779 14″ 40V Battery Cordless Electric Lawn Mower Verdict
Although it is more expensive than some of the other mowers on the best lawn mowers for small yards list, we think it is a wise investment because it will work in your small space now and won’t need to be replaced if you need to size up later.
This mower’s Intellicut technology enables you to dial in a different torque level whenever you need it. In this way, you can increase the torque at different times to protect the battery and increase it when driving over rough grass.
4. Sun Joe MJ500M 16-Inch Manual Reel Mower
We placed this mower as the fourth option of the best lawn mowers for small yards. This is the smallest version of Sun Joe’s range of manual reel mowers and has a 16” cutting width with a 4-position height adjustment lever.
A simple, lightweight, maneuverable, and economical push reel mower is all you need—no messy gas. The Sun Joe MJ500M Reel Mower with Grass Catcher is a quiet option for any lawn and handles challenging grass with ease.
The MJ500M has a convenient rear collecting bag that makes it easier to maintain your yard clean and nice.
Sun Joe MJ500M 16-Inch Manual Reel Mower Features
a. Performance
A classic push reel mower is typically pictured as having a cylindrical arrangement of blades attached to a T-shaped handle.
The Sun Joe MJ500M Mow Joe bucks that notion to mixed effects by opting for a U-shaped handle reminiscent of what you would hold to use a push-powered or self-propelled motorized mower.
The flyweight 22-pound Mow Joe seems like a toy when used on flat, dry, and relatively short grass covering no more than a quarter of an acre because it distributes your force over a wider grip. The 16.8-inch steel deck is surprisingly easily moved by its 8.8-inch wheels.
b. Mowing Doesn’t Get Any Cheaper
You won’t likely find a more affordable option than purchasing this mower. It has a very low upfront cost and only requires your time and effort to advance push; just your time and effort to push it along.
It will keep your costs extremely low even if you end up purchasing a new one every couple of seasons.
c. Cut Quality
If you don’t bother cutting grass that is taller than 4 inches, the array leaves behind the even, smooth finish one would expect from a push reel mower. There are four easily adjustable height options available, but I wouldn’t suggest using any lower than the two highest.
The shortest option, which is listed as.8 inch (21 cm), is practically a crewcut and may scalp your lawn. It fails to lift the grass blades vertically, as the best push reel mowers will, before cleanly slicing them when cutting grass that is longer than four inches.
Instead, it usually only pushes the grass lower and requires several passes to get it to the right height. Finally, you have the choice to attach the modest-sized clipping bag to collect the leftover remnants of your grass, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It tends to fall off annoyingly easily and frequently.
d. Setup is a Breeze
First impressions matter in life in general, so it’s nice to know that when you open the box, you won’t be left cursing the MJ500M didn’t exist.
You won’t need any tools to complete the setup, which is really simple. Good start!
e. Build Quality
Customers seem to focus on this problem the most when mentioning things, they dislike about the Sun Joe MJ500M Mow Joe. The handle and the wheels seem to be the two “weak links” in particular. Customers frequently report that the wheels completely fall off or lock up when they are mowing.
Obviously not what you want while trying to complete the task quickly! Customers also frequently complain about the handle, saying that it often becomes loose while moving the mower up and down the grass.
The vibrations that invariably result from pushing it along seem to eventually loosen the locknuts that secure the handle in place.
Sun Joe MJ500M 16-Inch Manual Reel Mower Verdict
This one might have attracted your attention if you’re seeking for a low-cost mowing option from the best lawn mowers for small yards that allows you to collect the clippings as you go.
In fact, its design’s departure from traditional manual reel mowers is a creative touch that combines the nostalgic appeal and excellent cutting quality of a motorless mower with the advantageous usability of modern machines.
Watch this video below to know more about the best lawn mowers for small yards.
Best Lawn Mowers for Small Yards FAQ
To Wrap Up
This article provides valuable information that should help you choose one of the best lawn mowers for small yards.
If you still don’t know what to choose from the best lawn mowers for small yards list, tell us in Lawn Advisors comments box below and we’ll help you make the right decision.
