Best Lawn Mowers for $300 or Less
These budget-friendly gas and battery push mowers score a cut above at a reasonable price
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Can you even find a budget lawn mower anymore? And if you do, will it be worth what you spend? With prices for this key outdoor power tool rising significantly over the past year, purchasing a reasonably priced lawn mower that performs well has become a whole new challenge.
In Consumer Reports’ lawn mower and tractor ratings, prices for "carry-over" gas lawn tractors—models we rated last year that are still available this season—are up by double digits, says Courtney Pennicooke, a CR product analyst who covers outdoor power equipment.
Among those "carry-over" models, gas push mowers—typically the least costly category of mowers—have risen in price 26.5 percent from the spring of 2021, he estimates. Carry-over battery push mowers are up a lower, but still substantial, 16 percent.
Some of that increase is due to supply-chain snarls that have raised prices for other manufactured products, including cars and large appliances. When parts aren’t available, manufacturers can’t finish building their mowers—and retailers can’t sell them. That reduced supply and greater demand from new lawn mower buyers who relocated to the suburbs or want to upgrade their lawn equipment as a result of the pandemic are driving prices upward.
Use This Shopping Strategy
Where does that leave you if you’re looking for a reasonably priced lawn mower that does its job well?
First, be aware that the new sweet spot for lawn-mower value is between $250 and $325. For that money, you’ll find a few very good gas or battery push mowers in our ratings, some with helpful features like folding handles and the capability for upright storage. Among the three gas and four battery models featured below—all priced around $300 and recommended by CR—a couple also earn Excellent predicted reliability scores, which means they’re more likely to hold up under many years of use.