Living in a suburban neighborhood has plenty of advantages, but it also means maintaining the lawn in good condition. In this way, you should have a lawn mower to help you get the job done.
But lawn mowers’ batteries frequently get self-discharged during the off-season, which brings you to another piece of equipment – the best battery chargers for lawn mowers. These units will help you maintain and start your mower with minimal downtime.
I have reviewed battery chargers you can trust for keeping your mower battery at its full capacity throughout the year. Besides, if you make this review till the end, you will get fully equipped with information that would enable you to make the right decision.
| Name | Voltage | Charging current | Weight | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Tender Plus
best overall |
12 V | 1.25 A | 1.45 lbs / 0.65 kg | Review |
| NOCO GENIUS 5
most powerful |
6 V / 12 V | 5 A | 1.5 lbs / 0.68 kg | Review |
| BLACK+DECKER BM3B
cheapest |
6 V / 12 V | 1.5 A | 1.45 lbs / 0.65 kg | Review |
Best lawn mower battery charger reviews
Battery Tender Plus – best overall
Extend the battery life of your lawn mower and always keep it charged with the Battery Tender Plus.
Apart from being suitable for lawn mowers, it also works great for motorcycles, dirt bikes, ATVs, UTVs, jet skis, and more. It is compatible with 12V lead-acid, AGM, and gel batteries and will provide 1,25 amps current. The box includes the charger, alligator clips, ring terminals, and output cords.
Similar to NOCO GENIUS 5, the Battery Tender Plus charger has indicators that would help you use the unit smarter.
Mind that if you would like to charge the battery below 3 volts, the charger won’t start. Thus, this unit is not suitable for cranking dead batteries, and you will need to find an additional source of power to get it slightly charged.
Being spark-proof, this charger will keep your lawn mower battery protected from power fluctuations, and the reversed hook-up feature will protect the unit from improper polarity connection. With this charger, you can leave the battery connected and know that it won’t be fried from overcharging.
Generally, this is the best battery charger for lawn mower as it features a simple yet functional design. With the Battery Tender Plus, you can charge and maintain the lawn mower battery all year round.
Key specs
- Voltage, V : 12
- Charging current, A : 1.25
- Weight, lbs/kg : 1.45 / 0.65
- Dimensions, inch/cm : 4.9 x 3.3 x 2.9 / 12.4 x 8.3 x 7.5
Pros
- Suitable for 12V lead-acid, AGM, and gel batteries
- Prevents battery overheating during charging
- Protects the battery from reverse polarity connection
- Spark-proof for prolonged battery life.
Cons
- Won’t start a battery with less than 3 volts.
NOCO GENIUS 5 – most powerful
If you wish to get a powerful battery charger in a compact format, then NOCO GENIUS 5 should take a firm position on your wishlist.
Being designed for 6V and 12V lead-acid, maintenance-free, and lithium-ion batteries with up to 120Ah, this charger and maintainer can extract 75 watts to get the battery with less than 1 volts to life. In contrast, GENIUS 2 of the same brand produces 30 watts of output power and is applicable for smaller-sized batteries (from 8Ah to 40Ah).
With this device, you can restore the dead battery of the lawn mower and maintain it once it is fully charged. Because of smart features such as an integrated thermal sensor, microprocessor, the unit will automatically adjust the charging mode.
Even though the charger is automatic, it produces stable 5 amps, no matter the battery size. So keep in mind that it is not recommended for batteries smaller than 20Ah as it can burn them on regular use.
You will find a charger, a pair of clamps, a mounting bracket, screws, an interchangeable connector, and a user guide in the box.
Regardless of the size, the NOCO GENIUS 5 is the most powerful and portable battery charger for lawn mowers that would easily charge and maintain batteries by providing 5 amps of current. Even when the battery is dead, this unit will get it back to life without any issues.
Key specs
- Voltage, V : 6/12
- Charging current, A : 5
- Battery capacity, Ah : 120
- Output power, W : 75
- Weight, lbs/kg : 1.5 / 0.68
- Dimensions, inch/cm : 4.6 x 2.9 x 1.9 / 11.7 x 7.4 x 4.8
Pros
- Suitable for 6V and 12V batteries with up to 120Ah capacity
- Stable 5 amps for faster charging
- Comes with a mounting bracket for attaching to the wall or other spot.
Cons
- Won’t work properly for batteries under 20Ah.
BLACK+DECKER BM3B – cheapest lawn mower battery charger
Does your 6V or 12V AGM, GEL, or WET battery of the lawn mower require support during the off-season? Then let me present this BLACK+DECKER BM3B charger and maintainer.
By working great for charging 18-20Ah and maintaining 18-120Ah batteries, I would recommend using this device for keeping the lawn mower battery at an optimal capacity during the off-season. Similar to Battery Tender Plus, the current it produces (1,5 amps) might not be enough to start the dead battery or fully recharge it. Also, be careful where you place the charger as its bottom gets hot when it is on.
The set includes a maintainer/charger, 12V/DC outlet, battery clamps, and ring terminals. The unit is small, so it won’t occupy much space in the garage. It’s also easy to use as there is a simple panel with intuitive light indicators and a convenient 6V/12V switch.
There is reverse polarity protection that cuts off power when the clamps are attached the wrong way, while built-in circuit protection prevents overcharging.
This is a great wallet-friendly trickle charger for riding lawn mower that would help you maintain and trickle the battery of your lawn-caring device through the years without overspending. It’s compact, easy to use, and comes at a reasonable price.
Key specs
- Voltage, V : 6/12
- Charging current, A : 1.5
- Weight, lbs/kg : 1.45 / 0.65
- Dimensions, inch/cm : 4.9 x 3.3 x 2.9 / 12.4 x 8.4 x 7.3
Pros
- Charges and maintains 18-120Ah batteries
- Supports 6V and 12V AGM, GEL, or WET batteries
- Simple control panel for ease of use.
Cons
- Heats up when it works
- Might not be powerful enough to fully charge the battery.
NOCO GENIUS 2
Meet another product by NOCO, which might become your reliable battery-saver and maintainer for the lawn mower.
The NOCO GENIUS 2 is suitable for charging 6V and 12V batteries with a size range of 8-40Ah, but it works as a maintainer for all battery sizes. It generates 30W of power and features an operating temperature of -4° to 104°F.
Just like Schumacher SC1280, the NOCO GENIUS 2 has a convenient and user-friendly display with an ergonomic push-button. It comes with a standard set of items: a charger, interchangeable connector, clamps, screws, and a guide. It also has a mounting bracket, so you can attach it to the wall or any other convenient place.
Since it produces only 2 amps of current, don’t expect to recharge your large battery quickly. The charger will jump between the indicators (from charging to defective), so you will need to repeatedly restart the unit to keep the battery charging. It might also be challenging to figure out how to turn on the force mode.
The instructions say that you should hold the mode button for 5 seconds, but my experience proves that it doesn’t always work. Make certain the charger is plugged in but not connected to the battery. That’s the trick.
This is a great product for small batteries of the lawn mowers that require maintenance and trickle during the winter season.
Key specs
- Voltage, V : 6/12
- Charging current, A : 2
- Battery capacity, Ah : 40
- Output power, W : 30
- Weight, lbs/kg : 1.1 / 0.49
- Dimensions, inch/cm : 3.7 x 2.4 x 1.7 / 9.4 x 6 x 4.3
Pros
- Chargers 6V and 12V batteries with a size range of 8-40Ah
- Convenient panel with informative icons
- Comes with a mounting bracket for ergonomic storage.
Cons
- Is not powerful enough to charge large batteries
- Switching to a force mode is tricky.
Schumacher SC1280
If you are looking for a worry-free battery charger for your lawn mower, the Schumacher SC1280 is a decent candidate for getting a spot in your toolkit.
This charger and maintainer delivers 15 amps during the rapid charge and 3 amps to standard, AGM, gel, and deep-cycle batteries. Unlike BLACK+DECKER BM3B with a manual voltage switcher, this unit automatically detects the 6V and 12V battery and puts it to the optimal charging mode. The output current is 300W, which I find impressive. Reverse hook-up protection spares from reverse polarity that can cause shocks or short-circuiting.
The Schumacher SC1280 is straightforward to use. You just plug it in, hook up positive and then negative terminals, press the start button, and that’s it. In case you are uncertain, you can always address the manual that comes in the box along with the charger and clamps. The screen will immediately show the current voltage and the charge percentage. Mind that the item goes to a power save mode, and the screen turns off at some point.
The charging progress might get stuck as you hit the start button to restart it. In my case, the screen showed 83% for a couple of hours. I had to unplug the unit to see accurate figures.
This is a great product for small batteries of the lawn mowers that require maintenance and trickle during the winter season.
Key specs
- Voltage, V : 6/12
- Charging current, A : 3/15
- Weight, lbs/kg : 3.1 / 1.4
- Dimensions, inch/cm : 10 x 10 x 4.25 / 25.4 x 25.4 x 10.8
Pros
- The current range from 3 to 15 amps for trickle and rapid charge
- 6V and 12V battery compatibility
- Reverse hook-up protection for safe use.
Cons
- The display figures might be misleading.
Lawn mower battery charger buying guide
Voltage сompatibility
As you get a lawn mower battery charger, you should be certain it is compatible with the battery. Usually, the batteries of these units range from 6V to 12V, so the charger should support the mower battery voltage. You can also opt for a battery charger that supports both 6V and 12V.
Amperage rating of lawn mower battery charger
The amperage rating will define how fast the charger will restore the battery capacity. Traditionally, the optimal amperage rating starts with 2 amps, but some units provide 10 amps and more. Powerful batteries will require more current to be fully recharged, so learn how to define how many amps your mower battery will need.
Lawn mower battery chargers safety features
To prolong the lifespan of the lawn mower battery, consider the charger with certain safety features:
- Microprocessor: this detail will automatically estimate the battery’s condition, capacity, and automatically adjust the charging mode to prevent overcharging.
- Temperature compensation: this feature will prevent battery overheating by controlling the temperature rate.
- Reverse hook-up protection: if you accidentally hook the clamps improperly, the charger won’t start until you fix the connectivity issue.
- Auto shutdown: when issues with the battery or charger occur, the item will automatically stop operating.
Additional features
Extra features of riding lawn mower battery chargers can significantly advance your experience and boost its performance.
- Multiple connection options: traditionally, a battery charger has one pair of clamps to connect to one battery only. But some options have two or four pairs of clamps to allow charging more batteries simultaneously.
- Mounting brackets: some chargers might have brackets that allow mounting it on the wall or any desired spot.
- Long cables: for more operational convenience, some battery chargers come with longer cables that enable you to charge the unit at 12 feet or more.
