The Sun Joe MJ403E is the budget corded pick, typically around $150-185, the cheapest mower in this list by far. Its 13-amp motor and 17-18 in deck handle small yards well, and being corded means unlimited runtime with no battery to recharge. It is rated 4.3/5 by owners and is light and easy to handle, but the cord limits range to small lots and some buyers note durability concerns.
Full review
Real-World Performance
The Sun Joe MJ403E is the budget and simplicity pick. Rated 4.3/5 by 152 customers at Home Depot, it earns praise for being powerful enough to handle thick and wet grass, which reviewers note is impressive for an electric mower at this price. The 13-amp corded motor never runs out of charge, so for a small yard you simply mow until done, no battery anxiety.
easylawnmowing frames it as ideal for small to medium yards, and at 31.5 lb it is by far the lightest, easiest-to-handle mower in this list. The trade-off is range: the cord limits you to within about 100 ft of an outlet, and the smaller 17-18 in deck means more passes than the 21-inch cordless mowers. For its intended small-lot use, though, it cuts a clean path.
Build Quality and Design
The MJ403E keeps things simple: a corded 13-amp motor, a 17-18 in cutting deck, seven cutting-height positions from about 0.98 to 2.87 in, and a 12-gallon rear bag for clippings. A safety switch prevents accidental starts. At 31.5 lb it is light enough for almost anyone to maneuver and trivial to store.
Sun Joe backs it with a 2-year warranty, and the corded design eliminates the most expensive failure point of cordless mowers, the battery. The honest caveat from reviews is durability: some owners report longevity concerns over heavy use, which is the trade-off for the rock-bottom price and lightweight build.
Where It Falls Short
The cord is the defining limitation. It tethers you to within roughly 100 ft of an outlet and makes the mower impractical for anything beyond about a quarter acre, and managing the cord around obstacles takes care. The smaller deck also means more passes on larger lawns than the 21-inch cordless mowers here.
Some owners report durability concerns over time, consistent with the budget construction, and the mower lacks the power and runtime freedom of the cordless options. It is purpose-built for small flat yards near an outlet, and pushing it beyond that role is where it disappoints.
How It Compares to Alternatives
The MJ403E is the budget and corded outlier in a list otherwise full of cordless mowers. It costs a fraction of the EGO LM2114, Greenworks 60V 21-inch push, Greenworks 80V 21-inch push, and self-propelled Greenworks MO48L4422, but it gives up their cordless freedom, larger 21-inch decks, and greater power.
Its advantages are unlimited runtime, the lowest price, and the lightest weight. For a buyer with a small flat yard near an outlet who does not want to manage batteries, those advantages can outweigh the cordless mowers' capabilities. For anyone with a larger or hilly lot, the cordless options are the better long-term tools.
Who It's Best For
The Sun Joe MJ403E is for budget buyers with small flat yards, up to about a quarter acre, within reach of an outlet who want the cheapest, lightest electric mower available. If your lawn is small and you would rather not deal with batteries or spend over $400, it is a sensible, no-frills choice.
It is the wrong pick for larger lots, hilly terrain, or yards far from an outlet, where the cordless EGO LM2114, Greenworks push mowers, or self-propelled Greenworks MO48L4422 are far more capable. As the budget corded option for small yards, though, it fills a real niche at the bottom of this list.
Setup and Storage
One underrated advantage of the MJ403E is how little it asks of you. There is no battery to charge, no oil to change, and no gas to store, so the mower is ready whenever an outlet and an extension cord are. easylawnmowing notes it comes largely assembled, and the 7-position single-lever height adjustment lets you change cutting height quickly between passes.
Storage is where the lightweight corded design shines. At 31.5 lb it lifts and hangs easily, and the compact 17-18 in deck takes up far less space than the 21-inch cordless mowers in this list. For apartment-adjacent homes, condos, or anyone short on garage space, the small footprint and the absence of battery-charging gear make it one of the most convenient mowers to live with day to day.
Value at This Price
At roughly $150-185 the MJ403E is by a wide margin the cheapest mower in this roundup, costing a third or less of the cordless options. For a small flat yard, that value is hard to argue with: it cuts cleanly, never needs a recharge, and the 2-year warranty covers the limited mechanicals. Owner ratings around 4.3/5 confirm that buyers who match it to a small lot are satisfied.
The value case erodes quickly if your yard is large, hilly, or far from an outlet, where the cord and small deck become real liabilities and the cordless EGO LM2114 or Greenworks mowers justify their higher prices. But for the specific buyer it targets, the small-lot owner who wants to spend as little as possible, nothing else here comes close on price.
Strengths
- +By far the cheapest mower here, typically around $150-185
- +Corded means unlimited runtime, never stops to recharge
- +Lightweight at 31.5 lb, the easiest mower here to push and store
- +Powerful 13-amp motor handles thick and wet grass for an electric
- +7 cutting heights and a 12-gallon bag, backed by a 2-year warranty
Watch-outs
- −Tethered to an outlet; limited to within 100 ft and a small yard
- −Smaller 17-18 in deck means more passes on larger lawns
- −Some owners report durability concerns over time
- −Not suitable for lots beyond about a quarter acre
How it compares
The budget and corded outlier, a fraction of the price of the cordless EGO LM2114, Greenworks 60V 21-inch push, Greenworks 80V 21-inch push, and self-propelled Greenworks MO48L4422. It trades their cordless freedom, larger decks, and power for unlimited runtime and the lowest price, making sense only for small lots near an outlet.
Who this is for
At a glance: Budget buyers with small flat yards (up to about a quarter acre) within reach of an outlet who want the cheapest, lightest electric mower.
Why you’d buy the Sun Joe MJ403E
- By far the cheapest mower here, typically around $150-185.
- Corded means unlimited runtime, never stops to recharge.
- Lightweight at 31.5 lb, the easiest mower here to push and store.
Why you’d skip it
- Tethered to an outlet; limited to within 100 ft and a small yard.
- Smaller 17-18 in deck means more passes on larger lawns.
- Some owners report durability concerns over time.
Rating sources
“Rated 4.3 out of 5 by 152 customers; powerful enough to handle thick and wet grass, which is impressive for an electric model.”
“Ideal for small to medium sized yards, with a 12-gallon rear bag and 7 cutting heights, at the lowest price in the category.”
“A lightweight, affordable corded mower that cuts a clean path for small yards within reach of an outlet.”
Our 4.3 score is the average of these published ratings. Ratings marked * were derived from the reviewer’s written analysis or video transcript — the publisher didn’t print an explicit numeric score, so we inferred one from their own words. Click through to verify. More about methodology.
