Honda HRX-BE 21-Inch Walk Behind Battery Powered Lawn Mower (HRX217YXBEXA6)

Why it's worth it

The battery version of Honda's HRX keeps the 21-inch deck, the twin-blade MicroCut system, and the 4-in-1 Versamow setup that lets you bag and mulch at the same time. It's the finest-cutting mower here, and the only one backed by a nationwide dealer network.

If you've spent years behind a Honda HRX, this is the one to look at. It keeps the 21-inch deck and that smooth self-propel feel, but swaps the GCV engine for a battery and an e-Select electric transmission adjustable from 0 to 4 mph. Owners coming off decade-old Honda gas mowers — including one who went shopping for an electric-start gas model and found the lineup had gone battery — report it holds power in thick Bermuda and heavy spring growth.

Nothing here mulches like it. The twin-blade MicroCut system puts four cutting surfaces to work, chopping clippings fine enough that they disappear into the turf instead of sitting on top in gray rows. Good Housekeeping's field testing found MicroCut clippings filter down within a day. The 4-in-1 Versamow setup adds a Clip Director lever, so you can send some clippings to the bag and mulch the rest without swapping a single attachment.

From our review of 5 lawn mowers, by Genevieve Dubois, Home & Living Expert

What we like

• +If you've spent years behind a Honda HRX, this is the one to look at
• +Nothing here mulches like it
• +Runtime is the trade-off
• +Service matters more than it used to

What to know

• –Early units have had assembly problems
• –It's also the most expensive walk-behind in this guide, and what you're buying is cut quality and long-term support rather than…