Harry Sawyers is an editor who has covered home improvement, HVAC, cleaning, and emergency prep at Wirecutter for a decade.
The 56-volt Ego LM2135SP Power+ Select Cut Mower is the best lawn mower I’ve ever used, and I’ve been mowing lawns my whole life.
I earned my first $20 shoving a rusted Craftsman up the hills of north Georgia, when I was barely big enough to yank the cord to get the engine started.
I raced Toro TimeCutters across the parking lots of megachurches while working on a pro mowing crew.
Now I whip the Ego mower up and down a Los Angeles hillside that’s so steep it’s hardly safe to mow. And after mowing grass with every mainstream mulching machine of the past three decades, I’m sure that only the Ego mower could pull this one off.
But forget my personal mowing memoirs. This is about your mowing needs, and I’m telling you that this mower is satisfying, even if the smell of a gas mower’s four-stroke is like noxious nostalgia in your nose.
The Ego mower is quiet. Maintenance is simple—there is no maintenance. No emissions. No noise. Your scowling neighbors will smile. Everything is better with the Ego mower.
Our pick
This self-propelled machine easily mows down overgrown grass—and it spares you the noise, emissions, and maintenance of a typical gas mower. Its battery runs for about an hour.
But which Ego mower should you get?
We’ve been testing both our top-pick mower, the Ego Power+ Select Cut Mower LM2135SP, and its predecessor (now our runner-up), the Ego Power+ Self-Propelled Mower LM2102SP, for several years. A newer version, the Ego LM2156SP Power+ 21″ Select Cut XP Mower, emerged in 2023.
Ego’s models evolve rapidly, but the LM2135SP remained a pretty strong value for most of 2023. It added a few significant upgrades over its now hard-to-find predecessor, the LM2102SP. Compared with the newer LM2156SP, the LM2135SP lacks a few key features—it has a comparably reduced run time on its smaller battery, and its blade design offers less versatility on the cutting, mulching, and bagging operations. There are a handful of other minor distinctions, and in some ways (like the self-propelled drive interface) they’re very similar.
Over the long term, you could argue that either model is the better value. We’ve seen older Ego models on deals once the new versions get established, so you might find the LM2135SP at a discount as it phases out.
One thing to bear in mind is that the battery, included with either mower, is a major component of the cost, and having the battery alone enables you to expand your collection to include other Ego tools, stretching your investment further.
Also true for any cordless models: You gain all of the benefits of giving up a gas mower for a price that is comparable to what you’d pay for the better gas self-propelled mowers available. And that difference alone may justify the cost to go cordless.
Put that battery to work
With any cordless outdoor power equipment, there is a limit on the battery life, but look at it this way: If you need the mower, you probably need a string trimmer, too, and a leaf blower wouldn’t hurt. Electric is the way to go here, especially since many cities and towns are moving to ban gas-powered lawn equipment.
Get some additional compatible batteries with those tools, and you can, for instance, trim the edges for a bit while you recharge the mower’s battery. Get a second mower battery, and you can run everything infinitely. Get Ego’s Nexus inverter, and your lawn gear has you covered in a power outage.
Our pick
This trimmer outperformed the competition in run time and power. Its telescoping shaft and handle are easy to adjust, and they make the tool very comfortable to use, even for extended trimming sessions.
Also great
This cordless blower’s nearly 30-minute run time is among the longest we’ve tested. It has easy-to-use controls, a lot of power, and a precise airstream—but it’s a little heavier than our corded picks and a lot more expensive.
This article was edited by Annemarie Conte and Ben Frumin.
Meet your guide
Harry Sawyers is the senior editor covering home improving, HVAC, and gardening at Wirecutter. He previously worked at This Old House and Popular Mechanics magazines; before that, he restored historic houses and mowed lawns for a living. He lives in a house in LA with his wife, three boys, a dog, and a lot of Wirecutter recommendations.