Checklist · 12 picks · 4 categories
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First yard? Congrats, you now own grass.
The good news: you can skip gas cans entirely. Bob Vila reviewed more than 30 electric mowers, and even its budget pick is quiet and light enough for a small lawn. A string trimmer cleans up the edges the mower can't reach, and Bob Vila's corded budget pick also turns into an edger. Want it greener? Its testers spent 37 hours on 13 fertilizer spreaders, from a 2-pound hand crank to a 50-pound walk-behind. And for fall, a leaf blower handles the leaves, as long as you wear eye and ear protection. Each card shows the drawback the testers called out. Start with a mower and trimmer, then add the spreader and blower when the seasons change.
Who this is not for. Skip this if you only have a balcony or patio; the Balcony Garden list has planters, potting mix and a compact hose.
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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 31, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Badger Power 40V 18" Cordless Lawn Mower | budget | $200-300 | small lawns on a budget | 1 outlet |
| Greenworks Pro 80V 21" Brushless Push Lawn Mower | mid | $500+ | bigger yards and slopes without a self-propel motor | 1 outlet |
| Ego Power+ 22" 56V Super Composite Select Cut Mower | splurge | $500+ | self-propelled mowing with no gas to store | 1 outlet |
Best lawn mowerbudget pick · 18 in deck
Best for small lawns on a budget
Bob Vila's best bang for the buck electric mower: compact, lightweight, quiet and a good value.
Heads up. The 18-inch deck makes it less efficient on larger lawns
1 outlet. Bob Vila best Bang for the Buck electric mower.
$200-300
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mid pick · 21 in deck
Best for bigger yards and slopes without a self-propel motor
Bob Vila's best push electric mower: easy to maneuver even on slopes, and its SmartCut feature boosts blade speed in thick grass.
1 outlet. Bob Vila best Push electric mower.
$500+
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splurge pick · 22 in deck
Best for self-propelled mowing with no gas to store
Bob Vila's best overall electric mower: quick single-point height adjustment, a built-in mulch lever and a responsive self-propel drive, out of more than 30 mowers reviewed.
Heads up. The bigger battery adds weight
1 outlet. Bob Vila best Overall electric mower.
$500+
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worx WG170 GT Revolution 20V 12-Inch Grass Trimmer | mid | $100-150 | light edging and tight storage | 1 outlet |
| Black+Decker ST8600 13-Inch String Trimmer/Edger | budget | $50-100 | small yards near an outlet | 1 outlet |
| Ego Power+ 15-Inch 56-Volt Cordless String Trimmer | splurge | $200-300 | gas-level power without the gas | 1 outlet |
Best string trimmermid pick · 12 in swath
Best for light edging and tight storage
Bob Vila's best lightweight string trimmer: a budget-friendly cordless trimmer with an extra battery that folds flat for storage.
Heads up. Less effective on overgrown grass and coarse weeds, with a long recharge time
1 outlet. Bob Vila best Lightweight string trimmer.
$100-150
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budget pick · 13 in swath
Best for small yards near an outlet
Bob Vila's best bang for the buck string trimmer: compact and light, and it converts from a trimmer to a lawn edger.
Heads up. No pigtail power cord, and your range is limited by the extension cord
1 outlet. Bob Vila best Bang for the Buck string trimmer.
$50-100
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splurge pick · 15 in swath
Best for gas-level power without the gas
Bob Vila's best overall string trimmer: cordless, with gaslike power and up to 45 minutes per charge.
Heads up. Takes 50 minutes to recharge, and the battery is heavier than the competition
1 outlet. Bob Vila best Overall string trimmer.
$200-300
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotts Whirl Hand-Powered Spreader | budget | $15-25 | small lawns and spot feeding | 1 outlet |
| Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard Mini Broadcast Spreader | mid | $50-100 | small to midsize yards | 1 outlet |
| Earthway 50-lb. Commercial Broadcast Spreader | splurge | $100-150 | big yards and heavy loads | 1 outlet |
Best fertilizer spreaderbudget pick · Handheld
Best for small lawns and spot feeding
Bob Vila's best manual handheld spreader: takes up almost no storage space and also works with weed killers and ice melt.
Heads up. Less accurate than walk-behind spreaders, and flow can be inconsistent
1 outlet. Bob Vila best Manual Handheld fertilizer spreader.
$15-25
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mid pick · Walk-behind
Best for small to midsize yards
Bob Vila's best bang for the buck spreader: it comes precalibrated and fully assembled, and EdgeGuard keeps fertilizer on the lawn only.
Heads up. Hard to get the last bit of fertilizer out, and tricky on uneven ground
1 outlet. Bob Vila best Bang for the Buck fertilizer spreader.
$50-100
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splurge pick · 50 lb
Best for big yards and heavy loads
Bob Vila's best overall spreader: a heavy-duty steel handle, coated frame and air-filled tires, and easy to steer even when full.
Heads up. Takes up a lot of storage space and doesn't come with a rain cover
1 outlet. Bob Vila best Overall fertilizer spreader.
$100-150
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worx 40V Power Share Turbine Cordless Leaf Blower | mid | $150-200 | cordless cleanup of a whole yard | 1 outlet |
| Sun Joe SBJ597E-SJB All-Purpose Electric Blower | budget | $25-50 | patios, decks and driveways near an outlet | 1 outlet |
| Ego Power+ LB6504 650 CFM Variable-Speed Leaf Blower | splurge | $300-500 | big yards and long cleanups | 1 outlet |
Best leaf blowermid pick · 7.3 lb
Best for cordless cleanup of a whole yard
Bob Vila's best overall leaf blower: an impressive motor with high airspeed and airflow, variable speeds and one-handed control.
Heads up. Battery runtime depends on the speed you use
1 outlet. Bob Vila best Overall leaf blower.
$150-200
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budget pick · 3.9 lb
Best for patios, decks and driveways near an outlet
Bob Vila's best bang for the buck leaf blower: a compact, light corded blower with good power for the price.
Heads up. No speed control, and not great for wet leaves or leaves in tall grass
1 outlet. Bob Vila best Bang for the Buck leaf blower.
$25-50
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splurge pick · 10.2 lb
Best for big yards and long cleanups
Bob Vila's runner-up leaf blower: 650 CFM of power and up to 90 minutes per charge.
Heads up. Heavy for long sessions, and cruise control takes two hands
1 outlet. Bob Vila runner-Up leaf blower.
$300-500
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
Bob Vila says trimmers can throw debris, including rocks, so keep the guard in place and wear protective glasses, closed-toe shoes and long pants, plus hearing protection if needed. For leaf blowers it says to always wear eye and ear protection and a dust mask, and to pick up sticks by hand first.
Corded mowers need a heavy-duty extension cord and an outdoor outlet, Bob Vila notes. Battery mowers skip the cord: its budget Wild Badger runs up to 30 minutes, and the top-pick Ego up to 75 minutes. Either way, electric means no fuel to store and no pull cord.
In Bob Vila's spreader guide, Chris Ramos of Blain's Farm & Fleet says fall is generally best, with spring helping cool-season grasses, and to check the product label for the right setting and start low to avoid overdoing it. The guide also says to make passes in parallel rows, water lightly afterward and skip mowing for a few days.