QuietSpecs

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The quietest lawn mowers

Written by
· 5 min read

Quietest lawn mower on a striped backyard lawn

Battery mower noise figures exist, just rarely on a US page: seven of the eight battery walk-behinds here declare 79 to 84 dB(A) at the operator, each on a STIHL UK page or in a European manual.

The quietest EGO and STIHL mowers, and why gas is closer than you think.

On this page
  1. How we chose
  2. Our picks
  3. How to choose
  4. Comparison
  5. FAQs
  6. Bottom line
  7. Review history

A quick look at the quietest lawn mowers

STIHL's gas RM 655 V declares 84 dB(A) at the operator, exactly what its big battery RMA 765 V declares. That one line upends the usual assumption about mowers. While the blade is cutting, a battery walk-behind is only a few decibels quieter than gas, if that.

Finding even that line takes work. Of the makers we checked, only Husqvarna prints a mower noise figure on a US product page, and everything else known comes from the same makers' European pages and manuals, where EU law requires the numbers. Those declarations cover the eight battery walk-behind mowers on this page: 79 to 84 dB(A) at the operator among firm matches, with guaranteed sound power between 93 and 98 dB(A).

More battery walk-behinds with a maker declaration are on the battery lawn mower page. Where a mower sits among the other machines the people over the fence hear is the subject of our page on keeping a quiet yard.

Where these figures come from

STIHL's UK pages and European manual, EGO's European manuals and Husqvarna's US page for the LE-322R supplied every number. Each is copied as printed, along with the standard, the K value and the source where the maker gave them.

STIHL needed no matching, since its names are the same in both markets, but EGO's EU models had to be matched to US mowers by the specs both manuals print, and every one of those matches is labeled. The LM2135SP match is exact: blade speed, bag, all eight cutting heights and weight agree. Weaker matches, like EGO's 22 inch through a shared blade set, are called probable and kept out of the picks.

QuietSpecs' picks of the quietest lawn mowers

Prices as of Nov 12. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.

Best overall

EGO POWER+ LM2135SP 21 in Select Cut Self-Propelled Mower

EGO POWER+ LM2135SP 21 in Select Cut Self-Propelled Mower
  • Noise at operator: "Sound pressure level at operator's ear LPA" 80.3 dB(A), K 3 dB(A) (maker EU manual for LM2130E-SP)
  • Price: $749.00 at Amazon, checked Nov 12
  • Best for: A quiet self-propelled mower bought online
  • Skip it if: You need a figure printed for the exact US model, which EGO does not publish

Nothing is printed for US mowers, but EGO's EU manual declares 80.3 dB(A) at the operator's ear with a K of 3 and a guaranteed 93 dB(A), tied for the lowest guaranteed sound power in this survey, for the LM2130E-SP.

Its 2700 RPM blade speed, 70 liter bag, eight cutting heights and 25.1 kg weight match the US LM2135SP's own manual exactly, so this mapping is the most solid in the guide. Self-propelled, 21 inch, and sold on Amazon.

Check price at Amazon

Lowest EGO ear figure

EGO POWER+ LM2020SP 20 in Steel Deck Self-Propelled Mower

  • Noise at operator: "Sound pressure level at operator's ear LPA" 79.2 dB(A), K 3 dB(A) (maker EU manual for LM2020E-SP)
  • Price: No maker list price
  • Best for: Buyers who prefer a steel deck
  • Skip it if: Only the tightest documented mapping will do; that is the LM2135SP

The steel deck 20 inch LM2020SP maps to EGO's EU LM2020E-SP, which declares 79.2 dB(A) at the operator's ear with a K of 3 and a guaranteed 93 dB(A).

The EU model's 51 cm deck and six cutting height positions match the US mower, though the manuals share fewer details than the LM2135SP pair, so treat the mapping as strong rather than exact. Its Amazon listing was unavailable when we checked.

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Quietest STIHL

STIHL RMA 448 V Battery Lawn Mower

  • Noise at operator: "Measured sound pressure level LpA" 79 dB(A), KpA 2 dB(A) (maker UK page)
  • Price: $599.99 maker's list price, checked Sep 26
  • Best for: STIHL AK owners with a modest lawn
  • Skip it if: You need a wider deck or an online purchase

Under its technical details, the UK page for the RMA 448 V gives "Measured sound pressure level LpA" 79 dB(A), K 2, beside a guaranteed 94 dB(A); the US page for the same named mower prints no sound data.

Its 27 kg weight and 2.0 to 4.5 km/h drive match the US listing. An 18 inch self-propelled mower on the AK battery system, $599.99 unit only through STIHL dealers.

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Best documented

STIHL RMA 765 V Battery Lawn Mower

  • Noise at operator: "LpA measured in accordance with EN IEC 62841-4-3: 84 dB(A)", KpA 3 dB(A) (maker manual)
  • Price: $2,469.99 maker's list price, checked Sep 26
  • Best for: Large lawns where the quietest sound power per yard matters
  • Skip it if: Your lawn fits a 21 inch deck

The two-blade RMA 765 V has the fullest declaration in the category: STIHL's European manual gives "Sound pressure level LpA measured in accordance with EN IEC 62841-4-3: 84 dB(A)" with a K of 3, a measured sound power of 92.2 dB(A) and a guaranteed 93 dB(A).

A 63 cm deck for large lawns on the AP system, $2,469.99 through STIHL dealers.

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How to choose

If one you own is already making a noise, start with Lawn mower making noise or Yard work noise.

Where can you find lawn mower decibel ratings?

On European, UK or Australian pages and manuals. Not on the US pages for the STIHL and EGO battery mowers sold here.

STIHL uses the same names on both sides of the Atlantic: RMA 448 V, RMA 765 V, RMA 756 V and others. Its US pages print no sound data. Its UK and Australian pages print the operator figure, the uncertainty value and the guaranteed sound power in their technical details, and the European manual for the RMA 765 V adds the standard, EN IEC 62841-4-3, and a measured sound power. Our roundup of STIHL's decibel figures gathers them for every current US STIHL walk-behind with a published figure, gas and battery.

EGO is harder. It prints nothing in the US, shows no US price on its site, and declares fully only in European manuals under EU model numbers.

Are battery lawn mowers quieter than gas?

At idle, outright. Under load, by a few decibels at most on STIHL's numbers.

The gas RM 655 V declares 84 dB(A) at the operator and a guaranteed 98 dB(A). That matches the operator figure of the battery RMA 765 V and the guaranteed power of the battery RMA 756 V. On chainsaws and trimmers, battery tools undercut gas by 15 dB(A) or more in the same maker's paperwork. Mowers are the exception.

The likeliest reading is that the blade and deck, more than the motor, make much of the cutting noise. Battery mowers still make no sound at startup or between passes, and no exhaust. Anyone expecting a mower that cuts in near silence should read the figures first.

How loud is a lawn mower in decibels?

Among firm matches, a battery walk-behind here declares 79 to 84 dB(A) at the operator, with a guaranteed sound power of 93 to 98 dB(A).

MowerAt the operator (LpA)Guaranteed sound power (LWA)
STIHL RMA 448 V79 dB(A)94 dB(A)
EGO LM2020SP (EU LM2020E-SP)79.2 dB(A)93 dB(A)
EGO LM2135SP (EU LM2130E-SP)80.3 dB(A)93 dB(A)
STIHL RMA 7 RV82 dB(A)96 dB(A)
STIHL RMA 756 V83 dB(A)98 dB(A)
STIHL RMA 765 V84 dB(A)93 dB(A)
STIHL RM 655 V (gas)84 dB(A)98 dB(A)

LpA is what you hear behind the handle. LWA is the sound power the mower sends over the neighborhood, with a guaranteed ceiling. The ranking uses the operator figure and shows guaranteed power beside it, as our string trimmer guide does.

Because the two come from separate measurements, one never substitutes for the other, and a low figure behind the handle says little about what the neighbors hear. The RMA 765 V shows it best: 84 dB(A) at the operator and a guaranteed 93 dB(A), a pair worth reading alongside sound power vs sound pressure.

Leaf blowers differ. Their makers print a bystander figure at 50 feet instead, the figure our leaf blower rankings use.

Two figures we left out

Husqvarna's consumer LE-322R page lists a guaranteed 98 dB(A) beside a measured sound power of 66 dB(A). A measured value 32 decibels under its guaranteed ceiling is not credible, so only the 98 is used.

EGO's Australian manuals print sound figures in the 60s that match nothing else EGO publishes. Ignored.

Honda and Toro print nothing in the US

No mower noise figure appears in the Honda or Toro US manuals and pages we checked, and Husqvarna's gas W520 page leaves its sound fields empty. The Husqvarna models that do carry figures on US pages are listed on our Husqvarna decibels page.

For quiet mowing that is rarely a question of noise at all, see our robot mower guide. Robot mowers are a different category with their own disclosure habits, quieter by design because they cut a little every day.

How the quietest lawn mowers compare

ProductNoise at operatorGuaranteed sound powerDeckDriveBattery systemPrice
EGO LM2135SP"Sound pressure level at operator's ear LPA" 80.3 dB(A), K 3 dB(A) (maker EU manual for LM2130E-SP)"93 dB(A)" per 2000/14/EC21 inchSelf-propelledEGO 56 V ARC$749.00
EGO LM2020SP"Sound pressure level at operator's ear LPA" 79.2 dB(A), K 3 dB(A) (maker EU manual for LM2020E-SP)"93 dB(A)" per 2000/14/EC20 inch steelSelf-propelledEGO 56 V ARCNot verified yet
STIHL RMA 448 V"Measured sound pressure level LpA" 79 dB(A), KpA 2 dB(A) (maker UK page)"Sound power level, guaranteed LWA" 94 dB(A)18.1 inchSelf-propelled, 2.0 to 4.5 km/hSTIHL AK$599.99 maker's list price
STIHL RMA 765 V"LpA measured in accordance with EN IEC 62841-4-3: 84 dB(A)", KpA 3 dB(A) (maker manual)"Guaranteed sound power level: 93 dB(A)" per 2000/14/EC63 cm, two bladesSelf-propelled, 0 to 5.5 km/hSTIHL AP$2,469.99 maker's list price

Prices as of Nov 12. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.

Frequently asked questions

What is the quietest lawn mower?

Among battery walk-behind mowers with firm declarations, STIHL's RMA 448 V declares 79 dB(A) at the operator and EGO's LM2020SP maps to 79.2, with EGO's LM2135SP at 80.3. The lowest guaranteed sound power, 93 dB(A), is shared by both EGOs and STIHL's large RMA 765 V.

Which mower disturbs a sleeping household least?

For sleepers indoors and next door, the guaranteed sound power is the figure to shop by, and the lowest here is 93 dB(A), shared by both EGO walk-behinds and STIHL's RMA 765 V. A battery model also stays silent until the blade engages, so rolling it out of the garage wakes nobody; once cutting begins, the declarations put 79 to 84 dB(A) at the operator, loud enough that the hour you mow matters more than the model.

Is a battery lawn mower quieter than gas?

At idle and startup, clearly, since a battery mower makes no noise until the blade spins. Under load the declared gap is small: STIHL's gas RM 655 V declares 84 dB(A) at the operator and a guaranteed 98, the same as some of STIHL's own battery mowers. The declarations suggest the blade and deck, not the motor, set much of a mower's noise while cutting.

Why do US mower pages not list noise figures?

We cannot say why, only that they mostly do not. STIHL sells the RMA 448 V and other battery mowers in the US under the same names and prints their figures only on its UK and Australian pages and European manuals. EGO declares only in European manuals. Husqvarna is the exception, printing figures on its US pages for some models.

Do Honda, Toro or Ryobi publish mower noise?

Not for the US mowers we checked. Honda's HRX217 page and the HRX217 and HRC216 manuals and Toro's 60V and gas mower manuals contain no mower noise figure. Husqvarna's gas W520 page has the sound fields but leaves them empty. We did not check Ryobi, Greenworks, DeWalt or Makita US mowers for this guide.

Which quiet mowers are on Amazon?

When we checked, EGO's LM2135SP was in stock on Amazon and its LM2236SP was available through other sellers. The LM2020SP listing was unavailable, and Husqvarna's LE-322R showed only offers far below its list price, which we did not link. STIHL sells through its dealer network.

The bottom line

US mower pages are nearly silent about noise. Husqvarna prints figures on a US page. STIHL keeps the same mowers' numbers on its UK and Australian pages and European manuals, EGO only in European manuals, and Honda and Toro publish nothing in the US for any mower I checked.

Buy battery for the idle, the startup and the lack of fumes, not for a quiet cut. STIHL's gas RM 655 V declares 84 dB(A) at the operator and a guaranteed 98, level with several of its battery mowers.

The quietest declared mower you can order online today is EGO's LM2135SP, at 80.3 dB(A).

Stanley Alu, founder and editor

What we also considered

These are worth knowing about, and why they didn't make the list.

  • STIHL RMA 7 RV Battery Mulching Lawn Mower

    The mulching only RMA 7 RV declares 82 dB(A) at the operator and a guaranteed 96.

    Search Amazon for this model

  • STIHL RMA 756 V Battery Lawn Mower

    Declares 83 dB(A) and a guaranteed 98, as loud as STIHL's gas mower on sound power.

    Search Amazon for this model

  • EGO POWER+ LM2236SP 22 in Super Composite Self-Propelled Mower

    EGO's 22 inch maps to an EU manual declaring 83 dB(A) and a guaranteed 96, a probable match made through a shared blade set.

    See it at Amazon

  • Husqvarna Lawn Xpert LE-322R Battery Lawn Mower

    Husqvarna's consumer mower prints a guaranteed 98 dB(A) but no operator figure, beside a measured 66 dB(A) that cannot be right. We use only the 98.

    See it at Amazon

  • STIHL RM 655 V Gasoline Lawn Mower

    The gas contrast: STIHL's UK page declares 84 dB(A) at the operator and a guaranteed 98 dB(A), matching several of STIHL's battery mowers.

    Search Amazon for this model

How we reviewed this article

Every statement here comes from the 4 maker documents, standards and agency pages listed under Sources, quoted where the wording matters. We did not measure, inspect or repair anything ourselves. Each substantive revision is dated below. How we work

  1. Current version

    First published, written by Stanley Alu.

Sources

Manufacturer pages and manuals for every product

Related guides

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