6 Highest-Rated Push Mowers Under $500

While many people like to use riding mowers, if you don't own a huge piece of property, a push mower is likely a more practical way to keep your lawn maintained. Push mowers come in all shapes and sizes these days, and choosing which one is right for you can be a daunting task with all the different options made by different brands that are available. You might be wondering if electric lawn mowers are better than gas-powered mowers, or — if you do decide to go electric — whether or not you should go with a corded option or a battery-powered cordless mower, which are becoming increasingly more common as the technology advances.

You might also be considering the size of the mower's deck — an important variable if you've got a larger yard — or how versatile a mower's cutting height and grass disposal may be. It's likely you are also concerned with the performance of any new lawn mower and which is the most powerful electric mower made by every major brand. Cost is another major factor when deciding on a new piece of outdoor equipment, especially because more affordable options can greatly vary in quality. To help you with your choice, here are six of the highest-rated push mowers under $500. More information on where these customer ratings come from and how these mowers were evaluated can be found at the end of this list.

Owned by the same corporation as trusted tool brand Skil, Ego has been making a name for itself as a go-to brand for battery-powered equipment. In fact, Ego claims to be the top-rated cordless outdoor brand in the industry and that its Ego 21-inch Power+ push mower is the first lithium-ion mower to outperform gas-powered equivalents. Based on over 1,400 Amazon user ratings, the product has a 4.5 out of five overall customer score, as well as a formidable 4.6 out of five on EGO's own website based on over 7,800 customer ratings.

It can run up to 45 minutes on a single charge with an Ego 56V 5 Ah ARC battery and has a quick and straightforward push-button start. Its wide 21-inch deck will cover plenty of ground in a single pass, and you can select one of three cutting functions: mulching, side discharge, and bagging — with its two-bushel grass bag easy to access. Other features include six height positions that can be adjusted one-handed, bright LED headlights, a weather-resistant body, and a folding mechanism for easy storage.

The 21-inch Power+ is just one of several different battery-powered mowers sold by Ego, and which Ego electric mower is best for you may depend on your specific needs. However, they all have one drawback when compared to gas-powered mowers, in that you're entirely reliant on the battery. If you forget to charge it or don't have spares — or if your lawn is simply too big to cover with one fully-charged battery — you'll be out of luck. If the pros of going electric outweigh the cons for you, though, the Ego 21-inch Power+ is a solid choice. The Ego 21-inch Power+ mower, which has product code LM2112, is available from Amazon for $429.

Several of the highest-rated push mowers available are 40V cordless options from Ryobi, including the Ryobi 40V 18-inch 2-in-1 Push Mower. Based on at least 1,130 Home Depot customer reviews, the product has a 4.2 out of five overall rating, with nearly three-quarters of customers recommending it. One of several great Ryobi tools that make yard work easier, the 18-inch 2-in-1 Push Mower is a compact, lightweight machine that's a breeze to push around and maneuver. Since it's battery-powered, start-up is literally as easy as a push of a button, with no messy gas engine to prime or maintain. With a Ryobi 40V 6 Ah battery, the mower can run up to a half hour, which is enough to cover a quarter-acre.

One particularly useful feature is the ability to easily switch between either a mulching mode or a side-discharge option. You can also adjust the position of the blades between seven different heights ranging between 1.5 inches and 4 inches, allowing you to choose exactly how you'd like your lawn to look. Plus, the handles collapse to make the mower easier to store.

The 40-volt batteries used to power the Ryobi mower can also be used with other Ryobi 40V cordless equipment. However, this can also be a huge downside if you don't own other Ryobi products — especially since its line of 40V tools is smaller and generally more expensive than its similar 18V and 12V systems. If you do invest in Ryobi's battery-powered mower, you may want to also consider buying some other Ryobi 40V electric yard tools, just to make the expensive batteries more worth your while. Home Depot sells the Ryobi 40V 18-inch 2-in-1 Push Mower for $219.

If you're looking for a beefier gas-powered mower under $500, you can't go wrong with the Troy-Bilt TB230B XP, which is powered by a 163cc Briggs and Stratton engine that has a no prime, no choke start. Troy-Bilt is one of the most reliable push lawn mower brands on the market, and it's easy to see why with its TB230B XP — the steel 21-inch deck is durably built, and its 11-inch rear wheels will offer enough traction to handle uneven terrain. The mower's variable-speed front-wheel drive will also make turns faster and give you plenty of maneuverability.

The TB230B XP has a dual-lever, six-position height adjustment and comes equipped with a TriAction cutting system that uses a rake bumper, specialized blade, and symmetrical deck, while an included mulch kit can help keep your lawn healthy, among other benefits. If you'd rather get rid of your clippings, the mower also has a 1.9-bushel rear bag for easy collection and disposal, while a deck wash adaptor can be connected to your garden hose to make cleaning grass from under your mower a cinch. The side discharge chute also has an integrated clip that attaches to the handle when you don't need it.

The Troy-Bilt TB230B XP has a 4.1 out of five overall user score, based on nearly 650 Home Depot reviews, with over two-thirds of customers recommending the product. However, some customers have mentioned that the self-propelled mechanism that typically makes the mower easier to push can struggle with thicker grass, which is something to keep in mind. The Troy-Bilt TB230B XP is available from Home Depot for $439. The mower even comes fully assembled, so you can get straight to work.

Greenworks is a popular brand for electric mowers — it even makes one of the best automated robot lawn mowers on the market. If you prefer to trim your grass yourself and leave indoor vacuuming to the robots, the Greenworks 40V 16-inch Cordless Lawn Mower is a great option. It has a positive 4.2 out of 5 overall customer score, based on over 10,500 Amazon reviews.

Powered by the same proprietary 40V battery that can be used for over 75 other comparable Greenworks tools, the electric mower can run up to 40 minutes on a single charge and cover up to ⅓ of an acre. You can fully recharge the battery in two hours to cover any additional ground you need to. Like most modern electric mowers, it has a simple push button start. The mower has five different height positions ranging from 1.25 inches to 3-⅜ inches, giving you some versatility when it comes to grass height. Plus, it can either be used with a bag or mulch the grass instead.

It should be noted that a 16-inch deck is on the smaller side for a push mower, which means you may have to go up and down your lawn in more rows than you otherwise would need to with something like a 20-inch mower. If you've got a smaller lawn or don't mind adding a few extra steps to your FitBit though, the Greenworks 40V 16-inch Cordless Lawn Mower is one of the highest-rated push mowers you can find for under $500. The Greenworks 40V 16-inch Cordless Lawn Mower retails for $299 on Amazon, though it's currently discounted for $249.99. Even better, that price includes a 4.0 Ah 40V battery and charger.

Yardmax makes a powerful gas-powered leaf blower, as well as other robust landscaping equipment, including a range of gas-powered push mowers. Based on over 711 reviews, the Yardmax 21-inch 170 cc 2-in-1 Mower has a 4.1 out of five overall user rating on Home Depot's website, with over three-fourths of customers recommending it. It's a lightweight and compact push mower that's great to use in tighter spaces, but has enough oomph to it for serious cutting. 

It can easily be adjusted between seven different cutting heights between 1.25 and 3.75 inches using a single lever, and can both mulch or discharge trimmings to the side. Its wide, 21-inch deck incorporates a volute spiral design for increased airflow and mulching capabilities. This 16-gauge steel deck is also built in one piece to reduce vibration, making it easier to control along with its 7-inch front and 11-inch rear ball-bearing wheels and adjustable, three-position handle. Plus, the mower can easily be folded for storage and minimal assembly is required when you unbox it for the first time. 

With a 170cc gas engine, you'll also get one of the strongest push mowers in its class. Though — if you prioritize power over everything else — this model might not be the best choice, as Yardmax also offers 201cc push mowers that come in both rear-wheel drive and front-wheel drive. However, the 170cc model is cheaper than these options, and has just as high — if not better — customer ratings, which should also be taken into consideration. The Yardmax 21-inch 170 cc 2-in-1 Mower has product code YG1550 and is available from Home Depot for $260.

If you really want to save money on a push mower, you can always opt for a manual reel mower, like the ones your great-grandparents may have used before gas-powered mowers became popular. Manual reel mowers are still around though, and they can be especially useful for small yards or parts of your lawn that have very steep inclines, where a heavier push mower might be too cumbersome to maneuver. Plus, manual reel mowers are a lot quieter and a lot cheaper than gas or electric push mowers, and that's not even including the money you'll save on energy costs. Maintenance for manual mowers can be a lot easier, too, especially when compared to gas-powered alternatives. 

The American Lawn Mower 14-inch Manual Reel Mower is one of the highest-rated push mowers on Amazon, with over 14,000 customers giving it an average score of 4.3 out of five. It weighs just 19 pounds and uses a tempered alloy steel three-spider, single-blade reel that's easy-rolling and has a cutting height between ½ and 1-1/2 inches. American Lawn Mower says its deluxe hand-reel mower is ideal for "most turf grasses — especially for cool-season grasses such as bluegrass, fescue and rye," providing a precise, scissor-like cut with rear grass deflection.

Despite its great reviews and quality construction, this isn't the best choice if you're looking to minimize manual labor when it comes to yard work — especially if you've got a really big lawn. However, you'll never have to worry about running out of gas, battery life, or straying too far from a power outlet with a good, old-fashioned manual push mower. Amazon sells the American Lawn Mower 14-inch Manual Reel Mower (product code 1204-14) for $89.99, though it's currently available for $79.50.

Customer ratings are a great way to determine if a product is reliable and works as advertised before you decide whether or not to purchase it. The push mowers under $500 included on this list have high user ratings on either Amazon or Home Depot, which both have large amounts of customers weighing in on each product. The bigger the base of customers reviewing a product, the more reliable the user rating is, as any fake reviews or outlier scores made in bad faith (whether positively or negatively) won't have much of an impact. Some of the recommended push mowers on this list all have customer ratings of at least 4.1 on Home Depot's website — with at least 450 ratings weighing in on each product and at least two-thirds of customers recommending each — while others have at least a 4.2 out of five-star average customer score on Amazon, with at least 1,400 user ratings — if not many thousands more — factored into that score.

Additionally, an effort was made to include various brands and power types of push mowers for this list for a broader range of options to choose from. So, while several of the highest-rated push mowers available from Home Depot are battery-powered and made by Ryobi, not all were included to leave room for other high-rated mowers from other brands as well as those that use other power sources, such as gasoline.

Because this list is focusing on more affordable mowers under $500, some high-rated options were completely left off this list. For example, Home Depot sells some top-rated mowers that are made by Makita, but this brand is absent from this list because the mowers they make priced under $500 generally have poorer overall reviews.