Battery lawn mower vs. robotic lawn mower: running cost
A battery lawn mower is cheaper to run: about $3 a year versus $9 for a robotic lawn mower at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $6 difference.
| Battery lawn mower | Robotic lawn mower | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 300 W | 30 W |
| Watt range | 100–600 W | 10–80 W |
| Typical use | 1.5 hours a day, 1 days a week for 7 months a year | 8 hours a day for 7 months a year |
| Energy per year | 19 kWh | 51 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 5.4¢ | 0.5¢ |
| Cost per day | 1.6¢ | 4.3¢ |
| Cost per month | $0.48 | $1.31 |
| Cost per year | $3 | $9 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $8 | $22 |
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What drives the difference
- Battery lawn mower: Watts are charger draw. Recharging a 56 V 5 Ah battery takes about 0.35 kWh, so a season of weekly mowing uses roughly 15 kWh, about $2-3.
- Robotic lawn mower: Robot mowers use small batteries and average 20-40 W of charging over the hours they work, about 50-80 kWh a season.
Ways to cut either cost
Lets you mow on a single charging session instead of stopping.
See options on AmazonSharp blades cut with less motor effort.
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Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, a battery lawn mower or a robotic lawn mower?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), a robotic lawn mower costs about $9 a year versus $3 for a battery lawn mower. That's $6 more, or 2.7× as much.
How many watts do battery lawn mower and robotic lawn mower use?
A battery lawn mower typically draws 300 W (range 100–600 W). A robotic lawn mower draws 30 W (range 10–80 W). Watts alone don't decide cost. Hours of use, cycling and standby matter just as much.
Rates: EIA, 12 months ending 2026-07. Methodology.