The 7 Best 18-Inch Lawn Mowers of 2026, Ranked & Reviewed

Our verdict: A quiet brushless cordless mower with no gas to handle.

The Wild Badger has an 18-inch deck, a 40V brushless motor and a cordless battery platform, in the $100 to $200 bracket. A brushless motor has no carbon brushes to wear out, which makes it more efficient and longer lived than a brushed one. Pair that with a battery and you lose gas, oil and the pull cord.

It ranks first because it removes the chores that put people off mowing while keeping the full 18-inch width. Against the gas PowerSmart models below, you give up unlimited runtime but gain quiet, low-maintenance operation. The self-propelled 40V model has drive but a thinner record.

Buy it for a small yard where quiet matters. The caveat is runtime: it depends on the battery you get, and a second pack costs extra over time.

Deck

18 inches

Motor

40V brushless

Power

Cordless battery platform

Fuel

None, battery only

Our verdict: A light 144cc 4-cycle gas mower with 5 height positions.

The PowerSmart EasyCut has an 18-inch deck, a 144cc four-cycle gas engine, side discharge and five-position height adjustment, in the $100 to $200 bracket. A four-cycle engine runs on plain gasoline with a separate oil sump, so there is no fuel mixing, and 144cc is plenty for an 18-inch deck.

It ranks second because it is the best of the gas mowers for ordinary yards. It beats the Wild Badger on runtime flexibility, with no battery to run flat halfway across the lawn, and it undercuts nothing on price. Five height positions cover most seasonal cuts. It also runs lighter than its steel-deck sibling.

Choose it for a modest yard that suits a light gas mower. The caveat is gas and oil upkeep, plus noise that the cordless pick avoids.

Deck

18 inches

Engine

144cc 4-cycle gas

Discharge

Side

Height

5 positions

Our verdict: A steel-deck gas mower for roots, curbs and rougher terrain.

This PowerSmart has an 18-inch steel deck, a 144cc OHV engine and five-position dual-lever height adjustment, in the $100 to $200 bracket. A steel deck resists dents and cracks where plastic can split, and dual levers let you adjust the front and rear wheels together or separately.

It ranks third because the steel deck is its edge over the otherwise similar four-cycle model, standing up better to roots and curbs. It sits in the same bracket, so you pay no premium for the toughness. The OHV engine design is common and well understood, which keeps parts easy to find. Against the cordless picks, it is louder and heavier.

Choose it for yards with roots, curbs or uneven ground. The caveat is that steel adds weight, which you feel on slopes and when turning at the end of a row.

Deck

18-inch steel

Engine

144cc OHV

Height

5-position dual lever

Fuel

Gas

Our verdict: The only 18 inch cordless here with self-propelled drive.

This 40V Max mower has an 18-inch deck, a brushless motor and self-propelled drive on a cordless platform, in the $100 to $200 bracket. Self-propelled drive turns the wheels for you, so pushing a loaded mower up a slope takes less effort, and it is a rare feature in a cordless 18-inch.

It ranks fourth because it comes from a newer, unproven seller, even though self-propel is a real advantage on slopes. The Wild Badger sits in the same bracket with a more complete platform and no drive. Drive systems add weight and moving parts, which is a risk with a thin track record.

Choose it if you want drive assistance on a cordless 18-inch deck. The caveat is the unproven brand: warranty and battery replacement may be harder to get, so check the seller's terms.

Deck

18 inches

Motor

40V brushless

Drive

Self-propelled

Power

Cordless

Our verdict: A quiet five-blade reel with no gas, battery or cord.

The Great States 815-18 is an 18-inch push reel mower with five blades and no gas, battery or cord, in the $100 to $200 bracket. A reel cuts like scissors, with the blades turning against a fixed bed knife, which gives a cleaner cut than a rotary blade when the grass is short and the lawn is flat.

It ranks fifth because manual power suits only certain lawns. It costs more than the LawnMaster reel below, and neither handles tall grass well, so you must mow before the lawn gets away. The five-blade reel is quiet and requires no fuel or charging. Against the cordless picks, you lose the ability to cut thick grass.

Choose it for a flat, tidy lawn of small size. The caveat is that tall grass is hard to push through, and any miss means you cut twice.

Deck

18 inches

Blades

5-blade reel

Power

Manual push

Needs

No gas, battery or cord

Our verdict: A five-blade manual reel for less than $100.

The LawnMaster LMRM1801 is an 18-inch push reel with five blades and no gas, battery or cord, in the $50 to $100 bracket. Like all reels, it has no engine, so storage is easy and noise is nearly nonexistent.

It ranks sixth because it matches the Great States on design but costs less, in the $50 to $100 bracket, which makes it the entry point. The ranking gap is small. The two share the same five-blade layout and the same limits on tall grass and rough ground. The price difference is a full bracket.

Choose it on a budget for a small, regularly maintained lawn. The caveat is that, like any reel, it needs frequent mowing, and a weekly schedule is the practical minimum.

Deck

18 inches

Blades

5-blade reel

Power

Manual push

Needs

No gas, battery or cord

Our verdict: A no-frills 144cc gas push mower with side discharge.

This PowerSmart is an 18-inch push mower with a 144cc gas engine and side discharge, in the $100 to $200 bracket. Side discharge throws clippings out of the deck, which is the simplest and cheapest design to build and maintain.

It ranks last because it lists fewer details than the EasyCut models, such as height positions or deck material, so you cannot tell how it differs from them. It does the basic job at the same price tier. With no bagging option, you either mulch or leave clippings in a windrow.

Choose it for a simple gas push mower without a bagging kit. The caveat is that missing bag option, and the thin listing means you should confirm height adjustment before ordering.

Deck

18 inches

Engine

144cc gas

Discharge

Side

Drive

Push