10 Best Lawn Mowers For Small Yards
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Mowing your lawn is rarely a fun experience, especially if you’ve got a small yard that’s full of awkward corners and hard-to-move furniture. However, a lot of the problems will stem from the mower itself – there are so many different types and brands that it’s easy to end up with something that’s badly suited to your garden.
Choosing the best lawn mower for small yard spaces or gardens might seem overwhelming at first, but it’s quite easy to narrow down all the different features and designs into the ones that you actually need – trying to sort through dozens of different feature lists to find one mower that seems perfect can take a long time if you don’t know what you should be looking for.
Below are ten different mowers we’ve found that might solve your grass problems once and for all and a few reasons why we’d recommend it over other, similar lawn mowers.
Related Review; Self-Propelled Lawn Mowers.
View the best lawn mower for a small yard, below.- Greenworks 25022 Corded Lawn Mower
- Worx WR147 Landroid
- American Lawn Mower Company 1204-14
- BLACK+DECKER MTC220
- Great States 415-16 Lawn Mower
- Greenworks MO40B410 Cordless Lawn Mower
- EGO Power+ LM2021 Cordless Lawn Mower
- BLACK+DECKER MM2000
- Craftsman M215 159cc Fwd Lawn Mower
- PowerSmart DB8621PR
1. Greenworks 25022 Corded Lawn Mower
This durable mower from Greenworks uses a strong electric motor and a versatile range of different settings to deal with grass in almost any situation, regardless of how much there is or how tall it’s grown. The seven built-in levels of height adjustment let you raise or lower its entire body to trim the grass to a different length, meaning that you can cut your yard’s grass down to the bare minimum or still leave enough for it to grow back faster.
The best lawn mower for small yard grass-mowing should be something small, and the reasonably compact body design of this lawn mower makes it ideal for tight spaces. Even when you’re not using this corded electric lawn mower, you can easily fold up the handles and remove the rear bag to store this mower away – not only can the bag be removed, but you can also switch to side discharging and mulching to change the way you dispose of your grass clippings.
This compact, corded mower is great for small yards, especially if you need something that can reach short patches of grass that most mowers will skim right over.
Check Price on Amazon ➞2. Worx WR147 Landroid
This pre-programmed, fully robotic mower is designed to cut your grass all by itself, navigating around obstacles and walls while making sure that it misses as little grass as possible. The sturdy and stable design lets it climb shallow slopes and inclines with ease, using its shock sensor system to work out where it can and can’t go without needing to be programmed ahead of time. The cutting equipment on its underside can deal with plenty of grass at once, meaning that it can slice through tall clumps like butter.
The mower comes with its own recharging base, which it will automatically run to if the battery begins to die or it starts to rain, meaning that you won’t need to worry about protecting it unless it’s really far from its starting point. In smaller gardens, you can simply use it as a ‘fire and forget’ tool, sending it out to mow the grass while you relax or get on with your day.
This little robotic mower is able to fit into all kinds of narrow passageways and tight corners, letting it cut grass underneath benches and behind bushes without getting itself stuck.
Check Price on Amazon ➞3. American Lawn Mower Company 1204-14
Despite its simple design, this push mower offers a surprising level of versatility and adjustability, allowing for a range of different height settings that affect how much of the grass you’re actually clipping off. The heat-treated steel alloy blades are durable and long-lasting, even if you end up getting rocks or sticks caught in them, and the lack of an engine means that you don’t have to keep it powered or fuelled to get a great-looking yard.
Thanks to the very straightforward construction and design, you don’t need any special tools or equipment to use the mower – you simply put it on the grass, adjust the height and start pushing, letting it do all the hard work for you. It’s thin enough to store in any of closet or cupboard without taking up too much space, and you can leave it standing up without having to rest it against something or hang it on a hook.
If you're looking for simplicity over complexity, this may be the best mower for small yard jobs in this list since it doesn't rely on any gimmicks or other tools to use effectively.
Check Price on Amazon ➞4. BLACK+DECKER MTC220
This three-in-one mower is able to handle edges extremely well, something that can come in incredibly handy in smaller gardens with tighter spaces and corners. The automatic feed system built into its design helps keep it running regardless of what happens to it until you switch it off, while the strong engine lets it power through wet, muddy, or clumped grass without getting stuck.
However, the main feature of this mower is that you can remove it from its wheel and turn the handle into a separate trimmer, letting you manually finish up areas that the regular mowing mode may have missed. This is incredibly useful for areas that you can’t get to normally, especially patches of grass underneath or behind outdoor furniture and against walls.
On top of all this, the long-living 20-volt MAX batteries give you plenty of power, letting you trim and clean up your entire yard multiple times before they need to be replaced.
The versatility offered by this mower makes it great for smaller homes and yards where you don’t want to waste space on three different tools.
Check Price on Amazon ➞5. Great States 415-16 Lawn Mower
The t-style handles on this push mower are incredibly comfortable and easy to use, making it an easy tool to pick up and mow with on a lazy afternoon. Since it doesn’t need any fuel, electricity, or extra parts to be functional, five strong blades mounted between this mower’s wheel cut is as fast as you can push it, so you won’t run into the problem of slowly pushing a mower across the grass as it tries to keep up with what it’s cutting.
You can easily adjust the blades to a variety of different cutting heights, letting you get the perfect trim for your yard without having to double back for a second run, and the lack of an engine means that you’ll be completely silent while doing so – no more worrying about waking up neighbors or sleeping family members while you’re cutting the grass early in the morning.
Push mowers are great for small gardening jobs that don’t need a huge mower, and this one is no exception, offering an excellent level of functionality in a small frame.
Check Price on Amazon ➞6. Greenworks MO40B410 Cordless Lawn Mower
This battery-powered cordless mower is great for small yards with plenty of grass since it offers a huge bagging capacity and a 14-inch deck that can trim grass of almost any height. The lever-based height adjustment system lets you switch on the fly, meaning that you can trim out natural-looking pathways or leave certain areas of your yard clearer than others to fit with your aesthetic preferences. The 4.0 AH batteries used in this mower hold a charge for a long time, and you’ll be able to clear smaller yards multiple times over before needing to charge it up again.
Thanks to its lightweight design, you won’t have to worry about carrying it out to the yard every time you need to cut the grass – you can easily lift it outside, do the job and then carry it back in without breaking a sweat, especially if you detach the collection bag on the back.
This could arguably be the best mower for small yards that don't have a shed or porch to store equipment in since it's light enough to carry through an entire house (and even up or down stairs) without feeling like a chore.
Check Price on Amazon ➞7. EGO Power+ LM2021 Cordless Lawn Mower
This cordless mower offers three different methods of grass disposal: side discharge, bagging, and mulching. This makes it ideal for yards that are constantly changing or being given new aesthetic designs since all three of these options can affect how they look in different ways – you can switch on the fly, so you can even use different settings for different patches of grass if you prefer. Thanks to the compact design and foldable handles, it’s easy to leave this mower in a porch or closet without having to take up the entire area, so it can always be within reach if you decide you need to give your yard another trim.
The motor is started with a simple button press, meaning that you don’t have to fiddle with awkward pull handles or starting equipment to get it moving – if you need to move over the paved ground, you can switch it off instantly, then turn it back on as soon as you’re back on the grass.
This mower is ideal for small yards that have their grass patches divided or split by paths, borders or other obstacles since you can easily move it between them without damaging the blades.
Check Price on Amazon ➞8. BLACK+DECKER MM2000
The twenty-inch cutting path of this electric mower gives it a very wide design, but this can help trim huge strips of your garden or yard at once, saving you plenty of time and giving you a much lower chance of accidentally missing a spot. The carrying handle on the front of the mower’s frame makes it easier to carry than many others, making it easy to take out of wherever you’re storing it without having to awkwardly balance it between two people, and the removable 13-gallon bag lets you hold huge amounts of grass clippings without having to stop and empty it out halfway through.
The seven different height adjustment settings that are built into the mower’s design let you cut at anything from 1-1/2 inches to a whole 4 inches above the ground, giving you plenty of options when it comes to the way your cut grass will look and feel once it’s done.
This mower is great for dealing with large areas of grass, which can make it incredibly useful if your yard is mostly natural ground.
Check Price on Amazon ➞9. Craftsman M215 159cc Fwd Lawn Mower
The 21-inch cutting width on this self-propelled mower, combined with its powerful gas engine and front-wheel drive, makes it ideal for mowing your garden quickly and cleanly. The entire body can be adjusted to multiple different cutting heights. There are three different discharge settings that you can easily swap between to change how your mower disposes of grass clippings.
Thanks to the soft handles and simple design used in this mower’s construction, it’s incredibly easy to guide around, and you can simply walk behind to steer it as the mower itself does all the hard work. As if that wasn’t enough, the rear wheels have been specially designed to complement the front ones, making it far more maneuverable and easier to use in tight spaces. This, combined with its relatively small size, means that you can use it in nearly any garden or yard without running into space issues.
Alternative: Husqvarna LC221RH Mower.
This self-propelling mower is great if you want to cut your grass without working up a sweat or stressing yourself out after a long workday.
Check Price on Amazon ➞10. PowerSmart DB8621PR
This wide mower is able to fit into all kinds of tight spaces, using its motor to help it power through thick grass and uneven ground without slowing down. The ability to switch between three discharge options means that you aren’t limited to using it in a certain way, and its lightweight design makes it easy to carry back and forth if you if you’ve got to move it over borders or paths.
This Push Mower helps keep your movements steady on rough ground, as well as making it much easier to mow up slopes – the strong, sharp blade can cut through grass, twigs, and other thin obstacles without slowing down, so you shouldn't have any problems with small sticks jamming the motor. You can also adjust its height to a variety of different settings, ranging from 1.18 inches to 3.0 inches above the ground.
This little mower is great for clearing out difficult corners and nooks in your garden without sacrificing cutting power or quality.
Check Price on Amazon ➞Lawn Mower For Small Yard Buyer’s Guide
Choosing a mower is difficult, so it’s important to know what kind of features you need most before you make a purchase. It’s impossible to break down every single feature, element, and aspect of each type of lawn mower, but there are a few that definitely stand out more than others.
How it’s Powered
Different engines, motors, and power types will affect how your mower works since each one will have its own quirks and functional differences that you’ll need to get used to. For example, gas-powered mowers will need to be refilled manually, whereas robotic electric mowers will often plug into their charging station automatically if they begin to run out of charge and corded styles will only work as long as they’re plugged in.
Manual ones won’t need anything but your physical strength to operate, but this doesn’t always make them the superior option.
Cutting Width
The width of your lawn mower can make a big difference in how you cut your grass – you might assume that the best lawn mower for small yard grass-cutting will be something thin and narrow, but there are also some cases where having a wider reach will be much more useful. Aside from how easy they are to handle, the main difference between the two will be how much grass they can actually cut with each “strip” you create in your garden.
Who Invented the Lawn Mower?
The original lawnmower was invented in 1830 by an English man named Edwin Budding as a way to cut the grass on sports fields, replacing the scythe as the primary grass-cutting tool of the era. The first-ever steam-powered mower was created in 1893, and gasoline-fed models were officially invented in the United States at some point in 1914.
How do I Remove a Lawn Mower Blade?
Although the exact method varies based on design, you’ll generally have to loosen a bolt or nut to detach the blade from the mower’s base. It’s usually recommended that you jam or block it with something to prevent it from spinning – even if it’s turned off, you could accidentally swing one of the lawn mower blades into your hands.
For push-based mowers, you’ll often have to raise it up and remove the blade from beneath, since they’re far less stable and can’t always be kept still when they’re turned sideways.
How do I Change the Oil in my Lawn Mower?
Changing the oil in your mower can be fairly easy since it’s a relatively straightforward process. To get started, you need to unplug everything you can to make sure that nothing turns on accidentally, then use a siphon tube to draw the oil out into another container for storage or future disposal.
You can also tilt it to let the oil flow into the container normally, but this might require more practice – certain models might also use an oil plug, which allows for a more controlled flow. Once the old oil is out, you need to fill it up again with fresh oil using whichever tool or method you originally filled it with, then seal everything back up again.
Expert Tip
If you’re mowing your yard in strips, make sure you overlap slightly each time so that you don’t leave any thin, uncut strips in-between the lines of trimmed grass you’ve created.
Did you know?
Cutting your grass too close to the ground can cause ‘scalping,’ which promotes weed growth – raise the height if it seems to be cutting too much of the grass off.