For 1K of lawn you might also want to look into a corded mower as it may be cheaper and you don’t have to worry about the batteries. You will only be using it for 10 minutes a week and should last you for quite a long time.

 

I use a 7 year old battery Ryobi still and it's great, so I would recommend the brand for sure. Zero issues. I have around 2k to cut and I believe mine is only a 16" so you could go even smaller aka cheaper in my opinion. I'm not sure what sizes are available with the new models.

 

I have that ryobi that you link to. It works well. I used it to mow substantially more than 1k and it never ran out of battery. It’s also nice and light.

 

I would almost just pick up a manual reel mower for 1,000 square feet. No motor, no batteries, just push it and you’re cutting

 

Congratulations on your new house! It's understandable that you don't want to spend too much money on a lawn mower for such a small amount of grass. A battery-operated lawn mower can be a great option for you, especially if you're looking for something compact that can be easily stored on a wall.

However, it's important to keep in mind that cheaper lawn mowers may not always last as long as more expensive ones. If you're looking for a reliable and durable lawn mower that can handle occasional missed weeks of mowing, it may be worth considering investing a little more money in a high-quality mower.

you can check this mower:
TORO 17″ (43 cm) Recycler® Self-Propelled 60V MAX* Battery Mower

Ultimately, the right lawn mower for you will depend on your specific needs and budget, but I hope this information is helpful in making your decision. And if you have any further questions or concerns, feel free to ask!

 

Like mentioned already you are better off buying a manual reel mower. Like a fiskers or scotts even. I mow my dogs pen that is 500sq ft and it looks so much better than the rest of my lawn cut with a rotory mower. It "cuts" vs hacks at the blades of grass. Plus you can mow it lower which I have found thickens up the grass. I have even used it on a few areas of my lawn just for that reason. So actually closer to 2k some summers using a manual reel. Far less maintenance and cheaper!

 

The cons to the reel mower is it comes with a learning curve of maintaining the reel to bed knife and the sharpening process. Not to say it's hard to learn, but it's definitely an added thing.
Whereas the corded mower requires very little maintenance.

 

Also, what kind of grass will you be mowing? I didn't see it if you have it listed somewhere. This can make a difference in your options and choice too.

 

I was thinking a reel mower would be a great option too. I have a small Scott's 5 blade reel mower and I love it for keeping the 600 sq. ft. test bed of Rye and Midnight KBG mowed low. Saying that, I just realized I've not used it this year, which will change. It's easier to pull out to mow just that test patch than my Honda mower. The reel mower is easy to hang on my shed wall to keep it out of the way between each mowing. If you skip mowing for some reason and the grass gets taller, you end up with long clippings that a mulching mower would take care of more easily, or you need to raise the reel mower height and cut at various heights to get back to your typical mowing height. Or you could rake the clippings. For a lawn that size though, a reel mower is an inexpensive option. I bought mine from Craigslist or some kind of 2nd hand online option for $40. I don't know what kind of grass you have, but being in zone 8b, I'd assume a warm season grass. Personally, I have a Honda HRN216 which is a pretty powerful twin blade mulching mower which also has a variable speed self propelled thumbpad that I like a lot. You're 33, so a Honda is a great mower, it is easy to start, and would last a long time. On the flip side, battery powered lawn care options have come a long ways, and are much quieter. I always wear ear plugs to protect my hearing when using my Honda. Consider how long you'll live there and if you ever plan on having a larger yard. Also, being a 1,000 sq. ft. lawn, it wouldn't take a great deal of effort to renovate to an extremely nice lawn. It's not much to level it to a small golf course quality turf. Level the existing lawn the best you can and lay SOD on top, and any future leveling would be minimal. At 1,000 sq. ft., SOD wouldn't be that expensive for an instant nice lawn that a reel mower could easily mow low. And I have not used this yet, but T-Nex is a plant growth regulator that would reduce the frequency of mowing and benefit the lawn in many ways.

 

For a lawn that size, a compact battery-operated mower like the RYOBI 40V you’re considering sounds like a solid choice. It’s lightweight, easy to store, and should handle your lawn just fine, even if you miss a week of mowing. Plus, the 6.0 Ah battery should give you plenty of runtime. Given your needs, it seems like a good balance between convenience and performance without going overboard on cost or size.

 

Throwing my vote in for a manual reel. I regularly mow my 4k of Bermuda with the 16” Scott’s 5-Blade. Takes me 30 minutes to mow. And it hangs on my wall as you mentioned.

don’t get me wrong, I also have a 40v greenworks rotary and a sunjoe scarifier. But for everyday mows, manual reel for me.