Author: Dianne DeLongchamps
Is electric lawn equipment really quieter than gas equipment?
Yes, by a wide margin. Consumer Reports’ 2026 mower comparison scored noise at the operator’s ear at 5.0 out of 5 for battery mowers versus 2.2 for gas, and at 25 feet, 5.3 versus 2.8. Consumer Reports also found the noisiest electric mower it tested was easier on the ears than the quietest gas model.
Luke DeLongchamps, who runs field work for Clean Air Lawn Care in Fort Collins, says the most common reaction from new customers is pleasant surprise at how much quieter the equipment is, along with the lack of engine fumes.
At Clean Air Lawn Care, we provide organic fertilization and weed control for lawns in Fort Collins, Windsor, and Timnath. Our own equipment runs electric.
What Consumer Reports measured
Consumer Reports’ gas versus battery comparison was updated May 4, 2026. Its testing found electric mowers had the widest average noise advantage over gas at the operator’s ear. The noisiest gas models scored 0.5, while the noisiest electric models scored 2.7. At 25 feet, electric mowers still averaged quieter results than gas models. Consumer Reports also says mowers rated fair or poor on noise exceeded 85 decibels at the ear, the level at which it advises hearing protection, and it suggests an electric mower if your mowing noise disturbs nearby neighbors. The same comparison also covers cut quality, mulching, and runtime, which we cover in our post on whether electric mowers are as good as gas mowers.
The decibel numbers, side by side
University of Georgia Extension’s Forsyth County office lists noise levels for common yard equipment: about 86 decibels for an edger, 90 for a riding mower, 96 for a weed eater, 99 for a leaf blower, and 103 for a hedge trimmer, with a chain saw at 110. Every yard tool on that list is above 85 decibels.
Why 85 decibels is the number to know
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) sets its recommended exposure limit at 85 A-weighted decibels averaged over an eight-hour workday. For each 3-decibel increase in noise level, NIOSH recommends cutting the exposure time in half. NIOSH lists lawn mowers among the examples of sounds at about 85 decibels, where you often have to raise your voice to be heard by someone 3 feet away. At about 95 decibels, where it lists chain saws, you likely have to shout.
That rule makes the gaps between tools bigger than they look. By our arithmetic, a 9-decibel gap, like the one between UGA’s riding mower at 90 decibels and its leaf blower at 99, is three halvings, so the recommended exposure time drops to one-eighth. The NIOSH limit is written for workers over a workday, so treat it as a yardstick for how fast time adds up, not as a rule for a weekend of yard work.
“May still exceed safe noise limits”
University of Georgia Extension is careful not to oversell battery equipment here: “Battery powered lawn equipment tends to be quieter than gas powered equipment, but these may still exceed safe noise limits.” Quieter is not the same as silent. Anyone running power equipment, gas or electric, for extended stretches should stay mindful of exposure time, especially with handheld tools held close to the ear.
UGA says our hearing is at risk from sounds that are 85 decibels and louder. Its advice is to wear earplugs or earmuffs when operating or standing near loud equipment, to look for a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) on the label, and to use enough protection to reduce noise below 85 decibels, not to block all sound.
What this means for our own equipment
Our equipment includes Greenworks battery-powered backpack sprayers and electric blowers from EGO and Greenworks. Leaf blowers sit near the top of UGA’s list at around 99 decibels, so the electric blowers on our equipment list matter. A separate Consumer Reports article on electric mowers describes battery mowers as starting instantly, running quietly, and spewing no exhaust fumes.
Why the difference shows up beyond just comfort
Noise is not only about your own ears. In closer-set neighborhoods like Fort Collins, Windsor, and Timnath subdivisions, that quieter baseline is the difference between a crew that is noticeable from the street and one that is not, especially for early-morning visits. It also matters for anyone spending real time behind the equipment themselves, not just the people nearby. A homeowner who mows a half-acre lot every week with a gas push mower is logging real hours in that 85-plus decibel range over a season, even without ever touching a trimmer or blower, which is part of why hearing protection is worth taking seriously regardless of which type of mower sits in the garage.
Quiet is not just a nice-to-have, it is a small, real difference in what a neighborhood sounds like on a Tuesday morning.
Clean Air Lawn Care Northern Colorado is owned by Dianne, Paul, and Luke DeLongchamps — a family business serving Fort Collins, Windsor, and Timnath with organic lawn treatments and solar-powered electric equipment.
