The Quietest Lawn Mowers under 60 Decibels with & without Boundary Wire

Elizabeth Harper

Lawn Mower Vehicle on Grass
Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels

In our world of lawn mowers, we have tested numerous lawn assistants. In the year 2023, lawn mowers without a boundary wire, such as the Worx Landroid Vision, Einhell Freelexo Cam 500, or Mammotion Luba AWD, are in high demand because they eliminate the hassle of laying a boundary cable. However, one thing applies to both lawn mowers with and without a perimeter wire: some models are almost silent, while others can still be heard from several meters away. Noisy lawn mowers can quickly lead to neighborhood disputes.

It doesn’t matter if a lawn mower is actually so loud that a judge could potentially restrict or even ban its operation due to violation of noise protection regulations. In doubt, even the perceived disturbance caused by an electronic garden assistant can create dissatisfaction among neighbors. Especially in densely populated cities, such unnecessary conflicts quickly diminish the quality of life. But there is a solution. While neighbors must tolerate a certain level of noise, those who choose a particularly quiet lawn mower before purchasing can avoid many neighborhood problems from the start.

How loud is a lawn mower?

Lawn mowers have several electric motors for propulsion and cutting. It’s clear that this produces a certain amount of noise during operation. Additionally, there are noises from cutting the grass blades, which are particularly noticeable when the grass is slightly longer and the mowing routes are irregular. However, lawn mowers don’t necessarily have to be loud or annoying. Although there are robots with a wide range of approximately 55 to 75 decibels, it’s not just about the pure volume.

A significant factor is the pitch or tone that the garden assistant emits. Anyone who has ever spent a summer night awake because they could hear the high-frequency buzzing of a mosquito knows what that means, even though it is close to the hearing threshold and is below 10 decibels. In contrast, rain, which is louder at 55 decibels, trickles at a much lower frequency and can even be sleep-inducing. And even the busy street in front of your house, which is significantly louder at around 80 decibels, is still tolerable for most people, even with the windows open. The sounds that are considered annoying also depend on each individual’s personal perception.

Since this is difficult to quantify, lawn mower manufacturers provide noise levels in decibels (dB) as a comparable value. However, whether a device with a few more decibels may still be perceived as more pleasant can only be determined through trial and error. Nevertheless, the dB value is a good guideline. Because even though the difference on paper between 50 and 60 decibels may seem small, it already corresponds to a perceived doubling of the volume. The most popular lawn mowers up to 65 decibels:

When is a lawn mower too loud for neighbors?

This question also cannot be answered definitively, precisely because it depends on each individual’s perception. However, it can generally be assumed that lawn mowers up to 60 decibels are not problematic. Manufacturer specifications are usually measured at a distance of 1 meter without any obstacles between the mower and listener. As the Federal Environment Agency explains, the sound pressure of a machine decreases by about 6 decibels with doubling of the distance. After a little more than 8 meters, the already low noise level of 60 decibels for a lawn mower is reduced to around 40 decibels, which corresponds to a whisper. When taking obstacles such as plants and ambient noise into account, a lawn mower on a neighboring property can hardly be distinguished from the rustling of leaves or passing cars in front of the house, even at a significantly shorter distance.

What to do if the neighbor still complains?

Many people may be familiar with the saying: “Only talking people can be helped.” This means that if there is a problem, it will usually only be resolved if action is taken. The easiest method is to address the owner of the perceived nuisance with appropriate friendliness and courtesy. If the neighbor does this, the problem can usually be resolved without difficulties.

Thanks to the scheduling options available on almost every lawn mower today, the mowing time can be shortened or suspended at specific times and on certain days. This should quickly restore peace at the garden fence. Lawn mowers with app control:

Why does a lawn mower get louder over time?

If a lawn mower that used to be quiet becomes increasingly loud, it may be due to defects, wear and tear, or application errors. Over time, all parts of the lawn mower age, individual parts can break completely, or the maintenance may have been done incorrectly. Protection can help against aging, so garages are absolutely sensible for robots. A simple example of maintenance is the cutting blades on the cutting disc. If they are damaged or simply too worn out, audible imbalances or increased noise during cutting may occur.

Even accidentally installing two “sticky” blades instead of one, which can happen faster than you might think, can increase the noise level due to the resulting imbalance. The same applies to blades that are too loose, which can cause clattering noises. Additional sources of noise that may arise as the mower ages include rattling support rollers or parts of the casing. Another mundane reason for increasing noise is dirt, such as clumped grass clippings and partially shredded twigs. Regular cleaning is necessary to prevent this.

How can you make your lawn mower quieter?

Three important ways to make the lawn mower quieter have already been mentioned: regular maintenance, cleaning, and adjusting the mowing times. With these measures, clumped grass clippings and dull blades will not cause an increase in noise, and the lawn mower will not disturb you when you want to sit in the garden. In addition, some mowers start mowing directly on the charging station. This is practical to keep the grass short even in front of the station.

However, on hard surfaces instead of grass, the operating noise is undamped and therefore significantly louder. Soundproofing panels in front of or under the charging station can help here. On the other hand, we do not recommend attaching sound insulation on, under, or inside the mower, or at least only very technically savvy individuals should attempt it. Instead, adjusting the device properly can help reduce the noise level.

The Quietest Lawn mowers

In the test of the Ecoflow Blade, it was no surprise that the slowest of the three available driving and mowing speeds was also the quietest. If that unexpectedly doesn’t suffice, we have listed particularly quiet lawn mowers below. Except for the first mentioned Segway Navimow, which is by far the quietest mower on paper, the other manufacturers and models should be considered exemplary, and we make no claim to completeness:

Segway Navimow with 55 dB

Unquestionably, the quietest lawn mower is the Segway Navimow. The manufacturer states a noise level of only 55 decibels, and in our test, we praised its particularly low volume. In addition, this model, available in four versions for lawns ranging from 500 to 3000 square meters, is one of the newest representatives of its kind and does not require a boundary wire. Furthermore, the app made a mature impression, offering not only the standard features of new wireless lawn mowers but also the important ability to change the virtual boundaries of the lawn in specific areas. This puts the Segway Navimow among not only the quietest but also the best lawn mowers without a boundary wire (best list).

Gardena, Einhell, and McCulloch at 57 dB

In general, Gardena lawn mowers are very quiet. In this guide, we looked at the models Gardena Sileno Minimo and Gardena Sileno City. Both models are available in various versions, but they are designed for smaller gardens with lawn sizes ranging from 250 to 600 square meters. Such properties are often found in cities where neighbors are close, making disruptive noise even more problematic. Therefore, it is logical that Gardena focuses on being particularly quiet. Both models have a noise level of only 57 dB. They require a boundary wire and operate according to the chaos principle. In combination with the Smart Gateway, the City model offers integration into one’s own smart home and additional smart features. Gardena lawn mowers:

With the Einhell Freelexo Cam 500, we were actually surprised by the manufacturer’s specification, as we found the device to be louder compared to other lawn mowers. However, this device is also said to emit only 57 dB. The advantage of this robot is that, like the Segway Navimow, it doesn’t require a boundary wire and is relatively affordable for this type of robot (starting at 899 euros on Amazon), but it has few features and is comparable to the Gardena Minimo models. Manufacturer McCulloch also advertises its ROB-S series lawn mowers (S400 and S600) with only 57 dB. Here too, a boundary wire must be laid, and there is app control. Lawn mowers without a boundary wire:

Husqvarna and Flymo at 58 dB

Following is Husqvarna, another manufacturer known for producing quiet lawn mowers: market leader Husqvarna and its Automower. Of course, this does not apply equally to all models, but we found, for example, the Husqvarna Automower 420, which the manufacturer states emits only 58 dB, proving that large mowing areas can also be handled quietly. The highlight of the Automower 420 is that it mows lawns up to 2200 square meters and can be operated via Bluetooth through the extensive Automower Connect app. Also comfortably quiet at 58 dB: the Flymo 1200R. Contrary to its name, it is not intended for 1200 square meters but only for an area of 400 square meters, although an app is also available. Husqvarna lawn mowers:

Worx and Husqvarna at 59 dB

Husqvarna again, this time with the Automower 310. It is aimed at owners of lawns up to 1000 square meters and emits only 59 dB during operation. Here too, the Automower Connect app is used for easy control. The same applies to the Automower 305, which is designed for areas up to 600 square meters. For those who prefer wireless options, the Worx Landroid Vision with 59 dB is a good choice. This model navigates using a camera, not only looks stylish but also features app control and is very user-friendly. It seemed quieter to us than the Einhell Freelexo Cam 500, which was listed with 57 dB above. Note: Most other Worx Landroid mowers are significantly louder at around 65 dB. Worx lawn mowers:

Conclusion

Lawn mowers don’t have to be loud, quite the opposite. Even if they are supposed to keep large areas of grass short, there are models that are significantly below 60 decibels, which should hardly cause any neighborhood disputes. Even more than 60 decibels are not generally a disqualifying factor – really loud lawn mowers hardly exist anymore today. However, this may be different if maintenance or operation is inadequate. Then even the quietest mower can become noisy.

If you want to minimize your lawn work, you should look into our guide on lawn mowers without a boundary wire. Additionally, we have compiled a top list of the best lawn mowers without a boundary wire, all of which have been extensively tested. You can find all the tests in our world of lawn mowers. Furthermore, in another guide, we provide tips on maintenance, care, and tuning for lawn mowers. We have also demonstrated in an article that lawn mowers don’t have to be expensive. If you are looking for the perfect lawn mower for any lawn size, you should check out this guide.

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