Few machines have as tough a life as the best lawnmower. People ask a lot of them, while skimping on their maintenance.
Rather, they just keep piling on the work from the first tentative signs of early-spring green, to the first full flush of growth in late spring and early summer, to long hot-and-humid mowing sessions at summer’s peak, and finally dealing with the leaf-covered lawn in the fall.
That’s a long, hard season. It pays to select a mower carefully.
Mower Selection
A mower should leave a cut lawn looking like velvet. Most of today’s mowers do a good job at cut quality. But that doesn’t mean that every mower is suited to every yard or its owner.
Mowers are built to offer specific benefits.
Battery mowers are quieter than their gas engine counterparts, mowers with large gas engines handle extreme mowing conditions such as tall, thick grass; deck design and blade configuration effect bagging capability, and some self-propelled mowers have a ground speed that’s so fast, you need to trot to keep up with it.
And whether the mower is front or rear wheel drive matters. Front-drive mowers excel in maneuverability but loose traction uphill.
Rear-drive mowers aren’t quite as maneuverable but cut uphill as well as they do on flat surfaces. Think about what you need, and shop accordingly.
For more on mower health, scroll down to the bottom of this article.
How We Test
We’ve learned one thing from decades of mower testing. You’ve got to cut a lot of grass and mow under a wide range of conditions to get a sense of what a mower is worth.
We test uphill and down, on flats, and sidehill. Mow pristine areas planted with bluegrass and fine fescue, and we mow the wall of a retention basin that’s covered in weeds.
Then we bag, side discharge and mulch. Look at handle comfort, the ability to raise and lower the deck, mount and dismount the grass bag.
Everything comes in for a thorough analysis, from power to cut quality, from adjustability to bagging. We even look at whether the tires have a tendency to pick up wet grass clippings.
It’s a lot of dogged, tiring testing. On the other hand, it’s the only way we know how to test a mower.
1. Best Overall Lawn Mower:
Honda Variable Speed 4-in-1 Gas Walk-Behind Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
This self-propelled gas mower offers a convenient and comfortable experience thanks to Honda’s Select Drive (intuitive variable speed dial) and Versamow systems.
The latter refers to its ability to mulch, bag, discharge and shred leaves without any additional tools needed. It features a powerful 190 cc engine and rear wheel drive, designed to help make things easier on high grass or hilly land.
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It allows for an even cutting experience at seven levels, though you have to individually adjust the wheel. Its large capacity discharge bag is well positioned, meaning less frequent emptying.
Bonus: We found its limited five-year warranty to be impressive given the typical two to three year industry standard.
2. Best Value Gas Lawn Mower:
Troy-Bilt Gas Walk-Behind Push Mower with 3-in-1 TriAction Cutting System
This walk-behind gas mower features a three-in-one cutting system capable of side discharge, mulching or rear bagging of grass. It includes a mulching kit designed to help return nutrients into the soil.
TriAction in the name refers to the combination of the rake bumper (used to lift grass upright), a specially designed blade for mulching and a symmetrical deck for reducing clumping.
It is a reliable pick that comes fully assembled in the box minus the handlebar, making initial setup a breeze.
It’s easy to push and steer and is ideal for smallish, relatively flat lawns. This is a friendly-on-the-wallet option for those looking for a reliable gas mower.
3. Best Value Electric Lawn Mower:
Greenworks 40V Cordless Electric Lawn Mower
Large 10-inch rear wheels and seven-inch front wheels make it easy to:
- control and
- maneuver this Greenworks mower over small to mid-size yards.
A little smaller than other options, but nicely designed with a steel deck, this cordless electric mower has many features you usually only see in a higher end model, including the three-in-one feature which offers mulching, side-discharge and rear bagging.
A single spring-loaded lift mechanism provides seven cutting height positions. The mower comes with a 2Ah and 4Ah battery, both with battery life indicators, and a four-year warranty.
4. Best Walk-Behind Gas Lawn Mower:
Toro Super Recycler Gas Walk-Behind Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
This self-propelled walk-behind mower lets you customize its speed to match your pace at will. It is easy to maneuver and since it’s self-propelled with a flex handle suspension, it helps reduce physical fatigue when doing larger or sloped lawns.
It features a robust Honda GCV engine for easy riding and powerful mowing with four cutting height options.
The 21-inch heavy-duty steel cutting deck is well constructed and durable to ensure it lasts a long time – Toro’s five-year warranty gives additional peace of mind.
It’s an all-terrain workhorse that allows for versatility with its three-in-one cutting offering of rear bagging collection (great for a tidy lawn), side discharge (ejection for less frequently cut areas), or recycler mulching (clipping accelerators shave clippings to a fine mulch, good for lawn fertilization).
5. Best Walk-Behind Electric Lawn Mower:
EGO Cordless Electric Walk-Behind Self-Propelled Mower
EGO’s self-propelled cordless walk-behind mower uses a simple push-button to start and a single lever for six different cutting heights.
The battery gives up to 60 minutes cut time on a single charge, and can recharge in an hour.
Weather resistant construction and bright LED headlights, let you mow at dawn or dusk.
The sloping nose lets you reach under low bushes more easily, and cuttings can be bagged at the rear, discharged to the side, or mulched.
The EGO folds easily for compact storage, and has a five-year warranty (three-year battery warranty).
6. Best Robotic Lawn Mower:
Husqvarna AUTOMOWER 315X Robotic Lawn Mower
A relatively new entrant to the market, robot lawn mowers operate similar to robotic vacuums whereby you set up a wired perimeter, and then the mower should be able to cut the lawn without any intervention.
Pricing is still quite high on these types of mowers considering the quality of the cut, but if you’re interested in buying a robotic mower, we recommend turning to the category pioneer, Husqvarna.
This robotic mower is great for small to medium-sized yards. It features built-in Bluetooth and cellular, allowing use with a compatible app that conveniently lets you start and stop the machine from your phone and track its progress.
It’s also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, so you could connect it with your intelligent speakers for remote voice control. Adjusting the cutting height is simple with an easy and clear dial, or you can adjust settings in the app.
We love that when it’s getting tired, it knows to find its way back to the charging station. Thanks to its LED lights, it can operate in the dark. Be mindful though that some conditions (i.e. big hardwood leaves) may overwhelm this tiny bot.
7. Best Riding Lawn Mower:
Husqvarna Hydrostatic 46-in. Riding Lawn Mower
Riding lawn mowers are a serious investment, and we consider the Husqvarna 46-inch riding lawn mower to be a very good tractor for the money.
It is outfitted with a 22 hp, 724cc Briggs and Stratton engine, enabling it to be a powerful enough vehicle for tall grass and slopes.
Its hydrostatic transmission allows for a smooth ride, and offers cruise control for easily maintaining a set speed.
You control speed and direction by pedals so you can keep both hands on the wheel for steering.
As the name implies, it has a 46-inch cutting deck, which allows for a uniform even cut on your yard.
You can bag grass clipping as well as mulch (both kits sold separately).
8. Best Compact Riding Lawn Mower:
Cub Cadet 30-in. 382 cc Gas Rear Engine Riding Mower
At 34-inches wide, this compact ride-on mower is slim enough to fit through smaller spaces like gateways, and needs less storage space.
Plus the 18-inch turning radius makes it easier to maneuver. The engine at the back gives you an unobstructed view.
The step-through design makes it easy to get on your mower, and the ergonomically designed seat with back support plus the smooth hydrostatic transmission give you a more comfortable ride.
Switching from the deck chute to the mulch plug lets you choose between discharging clippings to the side, or mulching them. Best of all, this Cub Cadet also mows in reverse.
What is the best type of lawn mower for my needs?
The size and slope of your yard will be the main factors for choosing the right option, plus your willingness for physical exertion and the time you have to dedicate to mowing your lawn. The two main classifications are walk-behind or riding mowers:
1. Walk-behinds come in three basic types:
- manual lawn mowers, where you’re doing all the work without any assist from a motor or engine;
- push lawn mowers with an engine or motor to power the blades; and
- self-propelled lawn mowers, where an engine or motor powers the wheels and the blades.
2. Riding mowers are available in both manual and automatic transmissions (much like how you control a car) as well as hydrostatic, which uses fluid instead of belts for power transfer.
Zero turn tractors are essentially suped-up riding mowers and enable better handling and higher speeds than traditional tractors, as you control rotation with a pair of levers as opposed to a wheel (i.e., turning one will move you in a circle).
If you’re looking for a more detailed breakdown of the types of mowers, we recommend you check out Popular Mechanics‘ lawn mower buying guide.
As a simple rule of thumb, you should get a walk-behind mower if you have less than ½ an acre. Berendsohn says instead of considering the overall lot acreage, it’s better to look specifically at how much cutting space you have.
When factoring in just grass, he recommends a walk-behind for anything less than 10,000 square feet, which is just shy of a quarter of an acre for comparison. Anything more and you’ll want to opt for a riding option.
What other features matter when it comes to lawn mowers?
Once you determine the type of mower or tractor you’ll want, there are a slew of other considerations you should be mindful of:
Bonus and advanced features:
For riding mowers, extras like an ergonomic seat and cup holder may not be lead determinants, but sure are nice to have! While we’re at it, cruise control is definitely another nice-to-have, as is automatic drive for adjusting speeds.
Some tractors have the ability to switch mowing modes without a manual blade change required – super handy! For cordless electric walk-behind machines, some have removable batteries which makes storage and charging simpler.
Warranty:
This is a product category where you want to look for a robust warranty to ensure if something goes wrong you’ll be covered.
Wheel size:
You’ll want to consider both the front and rear wheels. You’ll want taller rear wheels if you’re going over rougher surfaces.
Cutting options:
Mowers can mulch, discharge (either to the side or rear), or bag clippings. Some mowers can only support one type of cutting option, some two, some all three.
Depending upon what you are trying to accomplish and how frequently you cut your lawn will determine what’s ideal for you.
Storage space:
Most electric push models can be placed vertically to save storage space, but only specific gas models can handle vertical storage, as it requires special engine seals to ensure gas won’t leak out.
Budget:
Of course, you’ll have to factor in your budget when weighing these features out. In the end, it will be a trade-off of performance, comfort and durability.
Lawn mower models start at a few hundred dollars, but prices can climb well into the thousands.
The Zerox24’s engineering team has looked at lawn mowers in the past for ease of use and performance capabilities.
While a full battery test has not been completed recently, based upon brand experience, speaking with other industry experts, and knowledge of specifications and engines, these are the picks we feel are worthy of beautifying your lawn:
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