Good quality lawn mowers. 21 Best Lawn Mower Brands

Best Lawn Mower Brands

We surveyed 927 lawn care business owners to figure out the best lawn mower brands. We did this on LawnSite.com – the most popular lawn care forum – where over 186,000 lawn care enthusiasts gather to discuss lawns. Here are the results (Note: many of these are commercial mower brands).

Survey Says: 21 Most Trusted Lawn Mower Brands

Here are the results of the survey we did of nearly 1,000 lawn care enthusiasts.

Quick Look At The Top 5 (more details below):

• Honda and John Deere were a cut above the rest. Honda small engines are well known for their reliability and durability. John Deere has been a mainstay of the riding mower industry since 1963. Not surprising most pros recommend those two lawn mower brands the most.
• Toro created the golf course grass equipment industry with the release of the first mechanical fairway mower in 1924. Today they have a wide-range of walk-behind and ride-on mowers to choose from.
• Hustler is a well-known zero turn mower. Their commercial zero turns are loved in the industry. Recently they were acquired by behemoth Stanley Black Decker.
• Wright mowers are extremely well recommended when it comes to stand-on mowers and hydro walk behinds.

Below are the best brands broken into sections by type: Push mower, electric mower, riding mower, zero turn mower etc.

Best Gas Push Mower Brands

Honda

Honda is the brand of choice for most lawn mower rental companies. They don’t want to deal with breakdowns so they just get Honda and that’s that.

When it comes to how good a lawn mower is it is really the engine that matters. Sure, the blade and wheels and whatnot matter but it’s the engine that powers the whole thing.

And Honda makes the best small engines for walk behind and riding lawn mowers.

How are Honda lawn mowers and small engines so good?

• Engineering. Honda is a massive global company with endless resources. Their power equipment engineering teams are the best at what they do. They are well paid, happy and dedicated to making the best small engines for lawn mowers, generators, water pumps, snow blowers and trimmers. When you have good engineers with tons of small engine design experience you have good products.
• Materials. Honda uses a rust free NeXite material for their mower decks. This adds lifetime to the deck as the sheet steel will often rust before the engine dies. They use cast iron cylinder sleeves and they forge their own steel for the crankshafts and crankcases in their engines. Everything is top-spec and has durability in mind.
• Manufacturing. You can design the best anything on paper but the hard part is getting it built right at scale. Elon Musk says, “engineering is easy, manufacturing is what keeps me up at night.” Setting up manufacturing assembly lines to produce lawn mower engines with tight quality control is what Honda specializes at. They have plants in the U.S., Japan and Thailand producing 7 million small engines per year.
• Details Focus. Honda only makes 11 models of small engines for power equipment. In 2022, they produced just shy of 6.3 million. They have heaps of data points to know what can go wrong with any of their small engines. And then they improve and make better designs for those issues.
• Always Improving. Honda listens to their customers which is both you and other lawn mower brands who choose Honda engines for their product. And they jump on any suggestions and implement if deemed an improvement.

There’s plenty of stories of fathers handing down their 20 year old Honda lawn mowers to their kids.

But Honda isn’t the only company that cares about the quality of their product. The next best push mower brand is:

The Toro Company

Toro is an old-school American company founded in 1914. They sell equipment for landscape and turf maintenance for homeowners and professionals.

Toro does not make their own engines. They do offer a Toro branded engine on their zero turn mowers but those are made by Loncin Industries in China. They mostly buy small engines from Honda, Kawasaki, Kohler, Briggs Stratton, Yanmar and Kubota.

Here’s what engines they offer for each type of lawn mower:

• Briggs engines – Homeowner walk behind mowers
• Honda, Kawasaki or Kohler – Commercial walk behind mowers
• Kawasaki, Kohler, Kubota, Yanmar or Toro (Loncin) – Zero turn mowers
• Kawasaki or Kohler – Stand on mowers

They have 100 years experience in the mowing industry and have a great reputation. If a lawn mower rental company rents a zero turn it is usually a Toro.

Best Electric Push Mower Brands

EGO Power

EGO is a brand of the power tool industry behemoth Chervon. They make only battery powered lawn and garden equipment – including chainsaws, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers, string trimmers and lawn mowers (yes, riding ones too).

They offer 9 types of walk behind mower in both push and self propelled style. Here are the mower deck widths they have: 16.5 inch, 19 inch, 20 inch and 21 inch.

We own the 19 inch self propelled model and love it. It is highly rated because it cuts like a premium machine and feels sturdy and strong. It is is definitely one of the 2 or 3 best lawn mowers out there in terms of value for money.

Makita

Makita makes every single type of power tool and many different types of power equipment – including electric lawn mowers.

They are not owned by some conglomerate and they don’t have any other brands under their corporate umbrella – they are just loud and pride Makita. If they do acquire a company they rename it Makita.

It is the battery and electric motor which make the mower. And considering Makita has been perfecting their motor/battery design for decades – they make a good mower.

Just a quick note: The cordless electric mowers are for homeowners with less than 1 acre of land. It takes about 1h 40min to mow an acre with a walk behind mower and that stretches the battery to its limits before needing a charge.

Ryobi

Ryobi is a brandname that TTi (Techtronic Industries) licenses from Ryobi Limited (the Japanese tool die maker). TTi makes all the Ryobi power tools and power equipment you see at The Home Depot.

Their electric lawn mowers are of the budget variety and having tested one we can say they are fair value for money.

As more and more brands decide to offer a battery powered lawn mower, Ryobi will remain a mainstay in the homeowner level of the market. There is always room for an affordable lawn mower.

Greenworks

Greenworks is similar to EGO: They only offer battery powered products. In addition to lawn mowers and other lawn equipment they have pressure washers and power tools like saws and drills.

They have a ton of different lawn mowers in their range.

They classify mowers by voltage. Since voltage = current x resistance, knowing the voltage you essentially know the torque the electric motor can give to the blade. The more torque the tougher, thicker the grass it can cut.

Here’s their range: 24V, 40V, 60V and 80V. They range in price from 300 to 600.

Milwaukee

Milwaukee is another brand owned by TTi (Techtronic Industries). TTi is a massive producer of power tools around the world and they have a great reputation.

Milwaukee lawn mowers are new, having been introduced in late 2020.

It was surprising to see a few Milwaukee recommendation on the survey. But since Milwaukee is the most popular and biggest power tool brand in the USA it makes sense on brand recognition alone.

They are using their M18 system x 2 in the mower (12 Ah batteries). This delivers as much torque as a 200cc gas engine.

Best Riding Tractor Mower Brands

John Deere

Since 1963 John Deere has been making a name for themselves in the lawn vs garden tractor market. They are the brand most people think of when they think ‘riding mower’.

In our best lawn mower brands survey – John Deere was the 2nd most recommended after Honda.

John Deere has such a strong brand they could produce junk and still be rated highly. However, it’s good they don’t produce junk.

In their shareholder release in 2020 it was shown they have received less warranty claims – every year – for the past 5 years running. This is a performance indicator they use to determine the durability and reliability of their lawn mowers. Good work John Deere!

Yanmar

Yanmar makes all the diesel engines for John Deere.

They also make their own garden tractors and lots of other construction equipment.

They have been making small diesel engines since 1933 and are one of the best.

Kubota

Kubota is a Japanese manufacturing giant. They make all types of heavy equipment including lawn mowers.

They have several walk behind, zero turn and lawn tractor mowers to choose from.

They ranked highly in our survey because their mowers are 100% made in-house. They engineer everything from the wheels to the engine to the gearbox and so have complete control over all the specs.

Lawn care pros really like Kubota.

Husqvarna

And here we are at the budget riding mower brand.

Husqvarna produces affordable riding mowers for homeowners. They also make popular chainsaws and string trimmers.

They are a Swedish company that started making rifles in 1689. Now they are probably best known for chainsaws.

But they also make a popular robot mower, and offer a range of ride-on mowers

Best Zero Turn Mower Brands

Hustler

Hustler was the 4th most recommended brand in our landscape professionals survey.

Kind of surprising, really.

Hustler used to be known for having some hydraulic and electrical issues with their mowers. In 2011, they did a complete redesign of those two systems and it seems to be paying dividends.

Now pros are loving the reliability.

Hustler only makes zero turn mowers and they offer 13 models.

SCAG

Scag Power Equipment is a giant in the landscape industry.

They are highly recommended for their zero turn, stand on and hydro walk behind mowers.

With over 50 models to offer SCAG is one of the largest independent manufacturers in the commercial and residential mowing industry.

Their mowers come with Briggs Vanguard, Kawasaki, Kubota or Kohler engines. Your choice.

Ferris

Ferris is owned by Simplicity Manufacturing Company which itself is owned by Briggs Stratton.

They are a well known zero turn and stand on mower brand.

They only make commercial mowing equipment.

Troy Bilt

How the Troy Bilt brand was built is an interesting story.

Troy Bilt was acquired by lawn mower giant MTD Products in 2001. MTD Products was acquired by Stanley Black Decker in 2021.

Troy Bilt offer a range of mowers and snow blowers and are a highly recommended brand in the landscape industry.

Bobcat

Bobcat is a longstanding North Dakota company which sold to a Korean conglomerate in 2007.

They are well known for their small construction equipment but also make great mowers.

Cub Cadet

Cub Cadet is also made by MTD Products in Ohio.

They are considered a value for money mower but also make one of the best zero turns on the market. A zero turn built for tackling hills up to 25 degree slope.

Best Hydro Walk-behind Stand-on Mower Brands

Exmark

Exmark Manufacturing was bought by Toro in 1997.

Exmark has long been known and trusted by landscapers and lawn care professionals for their hydro walk behind mowers and more recently their stand on mowers.

Just take a look at that beast. It is what they are famous for – the hydro walk-behind mower. It is the best mower on hills and comes with an up to 60 inch mowing deck.

Wright

Another well-known and loved brand in this category is Wright.

Their Velke hydro walk behind mower model is quite literally famous in the landscape industry.

There are no better mowers than Exmark and Wright when it comes to commercial quality.

You will pay for that quality as well. The intro model with a 36 inch deck is 8,000.

Honorable Mentions:

STIHL

STIHL makes mowers but they are better known for their backpack leaf blowers and trimmers – according to lawn care experts.

Old-school Craftsman

Old school Craftsman lawn mowers are an honorable mention.

The Craftsman we all knew and loved is no longer.

They are now a brandname and nothing more.

Owned by Stanley Black Decker (owner of DeWALT, Cub Cadet, Troy Bilt, Hustler) the Craftsman lawn mowers today are not bad but they aren’t worth mentioning on this best brands list.

American Lawn Mower Company

American Lawn Mower Company, as the name would suggest, is completely American made. They are best known for their reel mowers but have recently move into the cordless lawn mower market. They have a marketing push of ‘Keeping America Green’ hence the no gas mowers.

Best Small Engine Brands The Best Lawn Mower Brands Choose

95% of gas powered lawn mowers have a small engine from Honda, Kawasaki, Kohler or Briggs Stratton. There are other brands like LCT, Kubota and Yamaha but most choose one of the “big 4” small engine companies.

Landscape professionals rank lawn mower engines in this order:

• Honda. Best and most expensive.
• Kawasaki. Great overall. High quality and decent price.
• Kohler. Best value. Good quality, great price.
• Briggs Stratton. Great value and decent engine – especially if we’re talking about the Vanguard Series.

About your guide: Jamey Kramar is a certified Lawn Care Manager (NALP) and a Mechanical Engineer by trade. He has been writing about outdoor power equipment for 11 years and has been quoted in NYTimes, Popular Mechanics, HowStuffWorks, iFixit, Realtor.com, and more. He spends his spare time disassembling things and also building an off-grid cabin at his 200-acre property.

Best lawn mower 2023: top everyday power mowers

Mowing doesn’t have to be drudgery. Think of it like a walk in the great outdoors with a piece of dangerous equipment under your control, and it becomes a much nicer experience. So here’s our guide to the best lawn mower around – also check out our guide to the best robot mowers, too.

Every mower we’ve tested is electric. And for cordless lawn mowers, improved battery tech means cordless convenience without compromising on power. These are workhorses, yet quieter and lower carbon than petrol mowers. When shopping around, be sure to get a kit including battery and charger. These can be expensive bought separately – all here include them.

Self-propelled mowers work like e-assist bikes, giving you extra welly to make light work of mowing even large lawns.

Technology can even help you pick a mower. Pull up a Google Maps satellite view of your garden, right-click to ‘measure distance’ and place markers around your lawn. It calculates area and perimeter. Area helps you choose the right mower. And if you’re going for a robot, perimeter length tells you which kit (how much wire) to get.

Mowing performance matters but so do practicalities, so an important spec is storage footprint; ow much space a mower takes up in your shed. Robotic mowers obviously have no footprint; they live next to the lawn and mow automatically on a schedule, little and often. But with manual mowers it makes a big difference if it can tip up to be stored vertically.

Even robot mower tech has advanced. The latest models still need a boundary wire but they can now mow huge gardens, adapt to weather conditions, be controlled via app and voice.

Flymo UltraStore 380R

The most compact mower on test. It isn’t self-propelling but it’s very easy to push. It can be stored upright brilliantly; the grass box clips to the handle. Or double-fold the handle and store the mower horizontally on a shed shelf. Either way, the mower is light enough to carry one-handed.

The kit we tested comes with two chargers and twin 18V 4.0Ah batteries, for 36V performance. The batteries are small and work across a wide range of Power For All Alliance tools, from brands including Bosch and Gardena. Sharing batteries between tools saves money and materials.

Is it any good?

Unboxing, we applauded the paper packaging, where single-use plastic bags are the norm. Assembly took 10 minutes, with four fiddly bolts to attach the handles and a two-part grass box to clip together. It comes with two safety keys but you only need one, so there’s a spare if you lose it.

The Flymo is great for smaller gardens. At 36V we expected it to struggle in tough patches, but it was determined to rise to any challenge. It refused to stall, even on long or damp grass and soldiered on, even when bunged up. So it’s important to notice the plastic indicator on top when the grass box is full. It sounds whiny but there’s no lack of power. And it’s nimble: you can turn easily and tackle even small patches of grass and awkward corners. Edge performance and mowing are both impressive.

Mowing ergonomics are great. There are twin hand grips and, once you’ve pressed the central safety button, you can squeeze either grip to mow. An LED in the middle indicates battery life.

There are five cutting heights, multiple handle heights and a roller for a traditional striped effect. For storage, it folds up small, fast. The vertical storage, with the grass box clipped to the handle, is genius. You can move it like a lightweight, wheely suitcase.

This Flymo is a great buy if your garden can be mowed in its 28-minute run time (approx 230m²). For a larger garden, consider a self-propelling or robotic mower to make light work of it.

Stuff Says…

Surprisingly powerful, easy to store, the perfect mower for smaller gardens.

Key specs

Worx WG761E

This self-propelling mower is top of Worx’s new Nitro range. It has a variable speed and an unusual battery system: four 20V batteries team up to deliver 80V. They sit in a removeable BaseCamp charger and the whole, large thing clips in to the mower. No separate charger is needed, just a power cable.

The entire BaseCamp can be used, Ghostbusters-style, to power the Worx 80V backpack leaf blower. The individual 20V batteries work with PowerShare-compatible tools too. Interestingly, on test we found that the mower only works with all four batteries in place.

Is it any good?

Assembly is minimal: just clip the mesh grass box to its wire frame. It also comes with a side discharge chute, to clip on if you’re mulching instead of gathering clippings.

The Worx is powerful and large, but easy to store. Press a button and the handle folds forwards and locks into place. Then you can securely tip the mower to wheel it around or store it vertically. The mower is heavy but you rarely need to lift it. The same button sets the handle height for mowing, from three options.

Pushing the mower, your fingers pull a black wire handle to the main handle to mow and your thumbs push an orange wire handle to engage self-propelling. You can do one or both. A control in easy reach sets the speed, from a crawl to a brisk walk that blitzes lawns fast. There’s also a button on the dash to turn on its four LED headlights. A lever on the mower body selects from seven cutting heights and there’s a safety key too.

Mowing performance was very good but not the best on test. It didn’t stall with the grass box but did stall occasionally when mulching, and lawn edges were slightly tufty. Cornering was a bit hard but its power made mowing long lengths a breeze, even over bumpy ground. Overall, it lived up to the promise of a petrol-like performance.

Stuff Says…

A good, self-propelling, cordless electric mower with a petrol-like performance.

Tech specs

STIHL RMA 339 C

The mid-priced STIHL is designed for medium-sized lawns. It takes one battery at a time but this bundle comes with a charger and two batteries, each covering 250m², so 500m² total. Or buy the mower bare for £329 if you already have AK batteries – they work across a range of STIHL garden tools. Bigger batteries in the AK system can handle up to 400m²

The mower’s striking design has a mono handle which can be quickly folded for storage by pressing one lever. The STIHL is QuietMark certified. It has a pop-out safety key under the hood to prevent unwanted use. Tilt it sideways to use it as a power switch. There’s also an Eco button.

Is it any good?

The mono handle is sturdy and the entire mower feels like it will last decades. It’s ergonomic and comfortable to mow one-handed. It’s easy to use and everything clicks into place. There’s a little lever to open or close the handle, with two handle height settings and no nuts to turn. A large handle on the side makes it easy to adjust between six cutting heights (20-70mm), a wide range though six options seems like overkill. You’ll probably just have a couple of favourites, like hob rings.

The battery has a button to see the charge level and you can see this even while the mower lid is closed. A little flap on the top of the grassbox pops up to tell you when it’s full; at which point it’s easy to remove thanks to the mono handle. The back of the grassbox opens for easy emptying, so you don’t have to just shake clippings out of the front. Alternatively, buy an optional mulching kit to scatter fine grass clippings.

Mowing results are superb and it mows to 5cm away from a brick edge. It’s quiet enough (rated 90dB) and the Eco mode automatically adapts blade speed as required, saving energy and extending battery life. It also packs down well. The mono handle folds easily, then you can tip it back on end and store it upright, with the grassbox balanced on top, 116x42x51cm (HxWxD) stored.

This is the Goldilocks of mowers: not too small, not too big, just about right. Of all the machines on test, it’s the nicest to push. We didn’t want to stop.

Stuff Says…

The mono handle, sturdy build and great performance made this our favourite.

Key specs

Flymo EasiStore 300R Li

Small lawn and small shed? Look no further. The Flymo is by far the best mower here for storage space, with a footprint you could fit anywhere (see below). It’s generally petite, with the narrowest mowing width and smallest grassbox on test too.

Unusually it comes with two 20V batteries and you use both at once, to deliver 40V. You can charge both at once too. There’s a button on each battery to see the charge level. Beside the batteries is a removeable safety key and the Flymo comes with a spare, in case you lose it.

Is it any good?

Assembly is a total pain. It took more than 15 minutes and four swears. The experience feels less like unboxing, more like working on a production line. You even have to put together the hard, plastic grassbox from three parts. It’s a shame it couldn’t arrive assembled and folded up.

And yet the Flymo gets top marks because you only have to assemble it once, after which the design is very impressive. Its signature move is that it’s the best on test for storage space. Fold the handle forwards by opening two clips. Then tip the whole thing backwards to stand on its backside. Finally, clip the grassbox at the top. The whole thing takes up 102x38x31cm (HxWxD) so it has the smallest footprint here. What’s more, it’s sat back on its wheels, so you can roll it like a wheelie carry-on suitcase. It will fit in even the smallest shed. As mentioned, the grassbox is all plastic. There’s a flap on it to indicate when it’s full.

It’s designed for small lawns and is subjectively a bit whiney (it’s rated 90dB). It mows well enough for small lawns, with five height settings (25-65mm) and mows up to 5cm away from a brick edge. It’s compact and not a workhorse, so it struggled to cut over-long grass short, but cut at a higher height first and it’s fine.

Stuff Says…

The best small mower if you’re short of storage space, thanks to a clever, space-saving design.

Honda HRX476 XB

If you’ve got a large lawn, you have options. A mains-powered mower won’t cut it, the socket’s too far away. Consider robotic mowers and even a ride-on. Otherwise, a heavy-duty rechargeable like this is a good alternative to petrol. The big, heavy Honda is self-propelling, travelling at up to 1.3m/s. Which is brilliant for big lawns but also feels like more tech to go wrong.

Choose from seven cutting heights (25-79mm), which is more than you’ll ever need. Another lever lets you decide what proportion of the grass to collect and what proportion to finely shred and mulch, to naturally fertilise the lawn.

Is it any good?

The Honda is heavy. At 36.5kg, this weighs almost four times as much as the Bosch. It’s not a one-person lift so you’ll need a shed or garage with level access. But mowing isn’t hard work, thanks to the self-propelling function. There’s a dial on the dashboard that selects its speed, from nothing (you push it) up to a fast walk. You still have two-stage safety controls, so if you let go of the handle it stops. There’s also an isolator key on the side that comes out for safety and is turned as a power switch.

The self-propelling is welcome: it would be tiring to push the heavy Honda all the time. It makes me wonder why double buggies don’t have power assist. But you need to dial it down to turn, otherwise you’re fighting the mower. So again it’s best for large lawns.

The fabric grassbox pops off and has an open front that makes it easy to empty. Mowing results are neat and it mows to 5cm away from a brick edge. It seems a bit loud but there’s a Quiet Mode button on the dashboard to dial down the noise (rated 87dB instead of 92dB). As well as this and the speed controls, there’s a set of lights on the dashboard to indicate battery level.

The Honda’s handle folds over for storage and then you can put the fabric grassbox on top. It’s not small at 57x50x105cm (HxWxD) stored.

We liked the Honda for large lawns… but at this price you could get the Honda Miimo robot instead.

Stuff Says…

This Honda is a self-propelling workhorse, but at this price you could have a robot mow the lawn.

Tech specs

Kärcher LMO 18-33

One of the most affordable and compact mowers on test. It has a 33cm cutting width but there’s also a 36cm model. The price includes battery and fast charger, but if you already have these with another rechargeable Kärcher tool, you can buy it battery-free for just £179.99. The battery has an LCD display of battery life in percent.

There’s a removable safety key to prevent small people deciding to ‘play’ lawn mowing unattended. There are four cutting heights (35-65mm) and you can swap the grassbox for a mulching plug (supplied) that reroutes clippings to the lawn.

Is it any good?

Handle assembly is like the Bosch, but instead of two screws to attach it to the mower body, the handle clips to the body. Then you use a pair of bolts with wing nuts to add the folding part. There are three handle height settings and it has foam padding but we didn’t find it especially comfortable and there’s only one position to hold it in.

The fact the handle can unclip makes the storage footprint smaller. It’s not designed to store on end though, so it takes up 39x38x70cm (HxWxD). Good, solid handles mean it’s easy to lift the folded mower one-handed.

The grassbox is fabric with a hard, plastic lid: the best of both worlds as it’s rugged, easy to carry and empty, but squashes flat to store. A flap indicates when the grassbox is full. Lowering the cutting height is easy but it’s a bit harder to raise as you need to lift the mower weight with one hand while adjusting the control (next to the front wheel) with the other.

Mowing leaves a good finish (and gets to 5cm away from a brick edge) but it lacks power: the mower sometimes stalls on over-long grass, especially when trying to cut short. It’s better to cut high first, then shorter. It was also subjectively loud (rated 92dB).

The Kärcher is lightweight, manoeuvrable and good value but lacks oomph. We preferred it to the Bosch for small lawns and it packs down smaller.

Stuff Says…

Great for small lawns and good value, but not the most powerful on test.

Tech specs

Husqvarna LC137i

This folds up well and offers seven cutting heights (25-75mm) which is more than you’ll ever need. The shortest seems too short unless you’re tending a bowling green.

If you happen to have a compatible Husqvarna 36V battery, you can save money and buy the mower bare for £288.99, without battery and charger.

Is it any good?

The Husqvarna requires a small amount of assembly, after which you’re left with a mower with a handle that folds twice: forwards, then back on itself. The fabric grassbox flattens well too. This makes it compact for storage (48x45x76cm HxWxD) but it isn’t designed to be stood on end. Folding and unfolding is quick and easy, you just undo two knobs.

The handle’s safety catch is unusual: you flick a plastic lever on the left to the side, then close the two handles together to make it move. It’s ergonomic enough to push but the safety catch doesn’t come as naturally as pushing a button.

The grassbox is good: it’s easy to lift and empty one-handed. But design-wise, a major niggle is that there’s a thin wire that gets easily caught where the mower handle folds. No matter how you reroute the cable guides, it’s too exposed.

Under the bonnet is much like the STIHL. Press a button to see how much battery life is left. Turn the removeable Security Key for power. Flick the savE button to save energy and extend battery life.

At 88dB rated, it’s pretty quiet and lacks the whiney sound that plagues some smaller mowers. It’s comfortable to push and feels very light and manoeuvrable. It mows well, even on longer grass, but it only mows up to 7cm away from a brick edge.

Stuff Says…

The Husqvarna folds up well, mows well and is a good all-rounder.

Tech specs

Bosch CityMower 18V-32-300

An affordable mower and the lightest on test. The Bosch’s biggest selling point isn’t its mowing performance, it’s its versatile battery system. The same 18V batteries work across all Power for All machines, an alliance of home and garden brands, including power tools and vacuum cleaners as well as garden tools. This saves money and materials, because you can buy some of your tools battery-free.

The mower comes with a 4Ah battery which mows up to 200m² but you can also buy higher capacity 5Ah (250m²) and 6Ah (300m²) batteries for it. It has three cutting heights (30-60mm) and, thanks to a special leaf collect blade, the top height setting can also be used to collect and shred autumn leaves from the lawn.

Is it any good?

Assembly took nearly ten minutes and a screwdriver. You’re left with a compact mower that feels lightweight but plasticky. It’s annoying that the handles are screwed on to the body and can’t pop out like the Kärcher,as this would have let it pack down smaller. As it is, it takes up 70x38x90cm (HxWxD) stored with the handle folded in half, using two plastic wingnuts.

Mowing performance is good enough for a small lawn. It’s lightweight, easy to push and not too loud (rated 89dB). There’s a removable safety key with two positions, so you can use it as a power switch. It even comes with a spare safety key, in case you lose it.

Ergonomics are good. You can’t adjust handle height but there are two types of grip: a horizontal bar and vertical handles rising from it, like bike handlebars. The Bosch is so lightweight, you can even push it one-handed, anywhere on the handles.

A red lever beside the front wheel lets you easily adjust between three cutting heights and that’s plenty. And its edge performance is impressive, mowing to 4cm away from a brick edge. There’s no visual indicator that the plastic grassbox is full, but when it is you can carry and tip it out one-handed. You can even carry the folded mower in one hand and the grassbox in the other, to put them away. It’s that light.

Stuff Says…

Lightweight and good for small lawns, but the design could be better.

Prepare for spring: Here our picks for the best lawn mowers of the year

Finding the right mower for your yard can be tricky. There are different types and subcategories, and then you have to think about features, deck widths, and power sources. It can be overwhelming. To help you, ZDNET chose five of the best, but our top choice is the Husqvarna YTH18542. With it, you can make short work of yard work.

Taylor Clemons is a tech writer and reviewer based near Cleveland, OH. After graduating from Tiffin University in 2011, they spent several years in lawn and garden manufacturing before working on their own (now defunct) game review site, Steam Shovel.

Sean Jackson is a creative copywriter living in Florida. He’s had work published with CNET, Realtor.com, theScore, ESPN, and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Taylor Clemons is a tech writer and reviewer based near Cleveland, OH. After graduating from Tiffin University in 2011, they spent several years in lawn and garden manufacturing before working on their own (now defunct) game review site, Steam Shovel.

Sean Jackson is a creative copywriter living in Florida. He’s had work published with CNET, Realtor.com, theScore, ESPN, and the San Francisco Chronicle.

A lawn mower is a hefty investment, so it’s very important to do your research to see what will best fit your lawn before spending any money. There are two basic types of lawn mowers: ride-on tractors and push mowers. And each category has multiple sub-types like zero-turn, AI-driven robot, or self-propelled. It’s also important to note how each lawn mower you’re considering gets its power.

The 5 best riding mowers: Top gas, electric, and zero-turn lawn mowers

We look at zero turn, electric, and commercial models to suit a variety of mowing situations and budgets.

The vast majority of models use gas-powered engines, which means that you have to consider the cost of keeping extra fuel and performing regular maintenance into your budget. There are also battery-powered electric models, both ride-on tractors and push mowers, that often use the same types of batteries you may already have for your cordless power tools; which makes it easier to integrate the mower into your arsenal and a bit more affordable to maintain since you don’t have to invest in specialized chargers or batteries. The downside to electric mowers is that they don’t have the same run-time as their gas-powered counterparts, with most having a maximum mow time of about an hour. Though this should be plenty of time to take care of most suburban lawns.

Robotic mowers are a recent innovation, working the same way as robotic vacuums and mops: working with AI and a home charging base to frequently mow different parts of your lawn for a consistently well-manicured yard. Their biggest drawbacks are both their hefty costs and the need to lay boundaries or guide wires to keep them in your yard and out of the street. Zero-turn mowers are similar to what you’d see in a commercial setting, featuring very large cutting decks and pivot-point turning for much better maneuverability around obstacles like trees, lamp posts, flower beds, and mailboxes.

To help you find the perfect lawn mower for your needs, I’ve chosen five of the best you can buy. I’ve broken down their major features, deck widths, and power sources to help you find the mower of your dreams, as well as the best fit for your budget.

Husqvarna YTH18542

Best lawn mower overall

Personally, I have an older version of this lawn mower, and I can’t say enough good things about it. The stamped-steel, 42-inch cutting deck and 16-inch turn radius are perfect for yards up to an acre and for mowing around obstacles like trees, lamp posts, and fire hydrants. It features a hydrostatic drive, which means that the harder you push the pedal, the faster you go; no more needing to stop and manually adjust speed. You can even safely mow in reverse with the flip of a switch, which is perfect for tricky areas or for going back over spots you may have missed. The deck features a hose hookup for washing out the blades and discharge chute, which helps eliminate the build-up of dried grass and extends the life of your mower and blades.

An adjustable, 13-inch seat makes it easy to find a comfortable position to safely drive your mower, and an emergency shutoff switch automatically kills the engine if it doesn’t detect you in the seat; you can override this by setting the parking brake so you can move small obstacles like fallen branches, toys, or garden tools without needing to restart the engine. A 3-year bumper-to-bumper warranty covers the mower, so you can quickly and easily get replacement belts, blades, and other parts if they become damaged during normal operation.

Honda HRN 166cc

Best push lawn mower

The Honda HRN, 166cc engine model, is the best push mower you can get. It features dual cutting blades in a 21-inch, stamped steel deck, which can be individually adjusted with separate levers for the perfect cutting height for almost any season and terrain. It includes a bagger attachment to collect clippings, though you can use the mulching feature to re-feed your lawn if you want. The rear wheels work with the drive train to propel the mower forward, and you can control the speed with the intuitive clutch attached to the handle; simply hold the throttle down and move the sliding button to set the perfect walking speed. A 3-year warranty covers the mower for replacing parts that become worn out or damaged during normal use, so you can rest assured your new Honda push mower will last season after season.

Ego Power electric push mower

Best electric lawn mower

• Push-button start. Folding design (for easier storage). Self-propelled. Up to 60 minutes of run time

This model snagged the top spot in our list of the best electric lawn mowers you can buy, and for very good reason. You can get between 45 and 60 minutes of run time on a full charge, depending on your yard’s grade and terrain, which makes it perfect for smaller suburban lots. It also includes a bagger attachment for collecting grass clippings as well as a mulching feature to re-feed your lawn in between professional treatments. It’s self-propelled, with an adjustable throttle to match your walking speed, and you can easily adjust the cutting deck to 6 different heights with the side lever. Dual LED headlamps make it easy to see where you’re mowing in the early morning or late evening, and a push-button start eliminates frustrating ripcords for faster motor turnover so you can spend more time actually mowing your lawn and less time icing your sore shoulder from yanking on a cable. The entire mower also has a foldable design for more compact storage when not in use, which is perfect for garages and tool sheds that are on the smaller side.

Cub Cadet Ultima ZT1

Best zero turn lawn mower

• 3-year warranty. 50-inch deck for faster mowing. Zero-turn radius. Perfect for large yards or those containing obstacles

Zero-turn lawn mowers are great for anyone who has a lot of obstacles in their yard: trees, oddly-shaped garden beds, patios, etc. They’re called zero-turn because they have a turning radius of zero inches: either the right or left-back tire becomes a pivot point for the entire mower. This enables you to get exceptionally tight turns when navigating around smaller trees, decks and patios, or lamp posts. And the absolute best one you can buy is the Cub Cadet Ultima ZT1.

It has a 50-inch, triple-blade cutting deck that’s made of stamped steel, which makes it perfect for yards 2 acres and larger. It comes equipped with a standard side discharge chute, though you can buy a bagger unit or mulching kit for easier clipping collection or to re-feed your lawn. You can even buy a haul-behind wagon or snow plow attachment for year-round use, hauling bagged leaves or clearing snow from your driveway.

You control the mower via dual levers, which feels very different than the traditional steering wheel controls you find on most mowers, so I recommend practicing maneuvering around your yard with the cutting deck disengaged before using it to actually mow. The frame of the mower is made of 2 x 2-inch steel tubing for strength and durability in almost any condition, and a 3-year warranty covers the mower. The frame and deck have a lifetime warranty, so if there are any weld point failures, cracks in the deck, or issues with the blade spindles, they’ll be covered by Cub Cadet for as long as you own the mower.

Worx Landroid L

Best robotic lawn mower

• Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and LTE connectivity. Auto run and auto-charge feature. Floating cutting deck. Rated for up to half an acre yards
• Expensive. Requires boundary wire installation before use. Mows in random patterns instead of clean, straight lines

Robot lawn mowers are a recent innovation in lawn care. They’re similar to robot vacuums and mops, using Bluetooth and GPS technology to give you control over run-routines and to map your yard for more efficient mowing. The Worx Landroid L is one of the best and most affordable robot mowers on the market. It can handle lots up to half an acre, and unlike some other models, you don’t have to lay a guidewire for mowing patterns, though you do have to lay out a boundary wire to keep it from wandering into the street or your neighbor’s flower bed.

Once you’ve downloaded and set up the companion app, you can use a Bluetooth connection to set up mowing routines, lawn boundaries and mowing patterns, and check to see where the unit is in your yard in case it gets hung up on a tree root or stuck under a shrub. The app also alerts you if the mower has been removed from its designated areas so you can immediately report a theft and track its location via LTE cellular data for recovery.

For power, it uses the same 20, 40, or 80V rechargeable battery as other Worx-branded power tools, so it’s easier to integrate into your workshop, and you don’t have to worry about buying special charging equipment. It comes with a dedicated charging base, and the Landroid L automatically returns to it when the battery reaches a certain percentage, so you never have to go retrieve a dead mower from the back of your lot and carry it back to the charging station. Worx doesn’t specify a maximum run time on a full charge, but they reassure you that the Landroid L will mow frequently in order to maintain an evenly-trimmed lawn; I would expect an hour run-time, tops, if your lawn doesn’t have any rough spots, steep inclines, or obstacles.

The Landroid L is rated for lawns up to.5 acres, featuring an 8-inch cutting disc mounted on a floating arm so that it can follow the contours of your lawn without scalping high points or missing dips. The rear wheels feature protrusions to help it grip the ground without destroying your lawn while a single front pivot wheel gives it exceptional maneuverability.

What is the best lawn mower?

The Husqvarna YTH18542 is the best lawn mower you can get. It has a mow-in-reverse feature that’s perfect for navigating tricky areas or going back over spots you may have missed, as well as a 42-inch, dual-blade deck that’s great for lawns up to 1 acre. The 16-inch turn radius makes it easier to maneuver around trees, lamp posts, decorations, and mailboxes, and the deck can be outfitted with either a bagger or mulching attachment for easier cleanup and lawn re-feeding. The automatic, hydrostatic transmission makes operating this mower similar to driving a car: the harder you push the pedal, the faster you go. So you don’t have to mess with manually adjusting any speed levers.

Cutting deck width

Hydrostatic, Automatic variable speed

Which is the right lawn mower for you?

Choose this lawn mower…

If you want or are…

A well-rounded riding, a gas-powered mower with reverse mowing

Looking for a variable speed, self-propelled push mower

An electric mower for more eco-friendly lawn care

A larger cutting deck and top-notch maneuverability

Finding the right mower for your yard can be tricky. It may be tempting to spring for the fancy zero turn model with the 60 inch cutting deck or the robot mower, so you don’t have to waste your Saturday afternoons cutting the grass. But not all mowers are suited to every lawn, and not all mowers are created equal.

If you have a smaller, suburban lot (think.25 to.5 acres), a riding mower is going to be overkill, and you might not have any space to store it in the offseason or during bad weather. A 21-inch push mower, preferably self-propelled, will be plenty of power and cutting width to handle most typical in-town lawns. For anything from.75 acres to 1 acre, a riding mower with a 30 to 42-inch cutting deck will be ideal; you’ll be able to cut your grass in an hour or less and maneuver around most obstacles with ease. Anything over an acre, and you’ll need a much larger cutting deck, 46-inches and above. That way, you won’t have to spend 6 hours mowing 2-3 acres of open land.

Zero turns are similar to commercial-grade lawn mowers, featuring very wide cutting decks and pivot turning for exceptional maneuverability around obstacles. They’re perfect for 2 acre lawns or 1 acre lawns with lots of trees.

Robot mowers are the latest innovation in lawn care and are similar to robot vacuums and mops that you may already use inside your home. Their biggest appeal is that they automatically run mowing routines and return to their home bases for charging so that mowing can be completely hands-off. The downsides are: they’re very expensive, they don’t mow in straight lines (randomized patterns only, but they also mow frequently, so theoretically, you’ll always have a well-manicured lawn), have very small cutting decks (less than 10-inches wide), and require you to lay guide or boundary wires in order to keep the unit from driving itself into the street or your neighbor’s garden beds. They can be a wonderful addition to your tool shed but aren’t suited to many kinds of lawns.

If you’re ever unsure about what kind of mower will work best for your lawn, you can always ask an expert at your local DIY or hardware store about what features you’ll need to get the best experience.

How did we choose these lawn mowers?

I chose a variety of lawn mowers, including riding tractors and robot mowers, to suit a wider range of yard sizes and terrains. I also chose both gas and electric-powered models so customers could decide which would fit best into their existing lawn care tools and routines or if anyone was considering moving to battery-powered equipment in order to be more eco-friendly. Since lawn mowers are always going to be a pricey investment, I wasn’t able to find anything that would be considered budget-friendly, though push mowers do tend to be much more affordable than ride-on tractors.

How often should I mow my lawn?

In the early spring and fall, you can get away with mowing your lawn once every other week since the grass isn’t going to grow as fast as it does in late spring and throughout the summer. Mowing more often during these times also runs the risk of killing sections of your lawn since the tender, young shoots are more susceptible to damage which can cause them to die off.

During the later spring months and the height of summer, you’ll want to mow your lawn at least once a week. Not only does this keep your yard looking neat, but it also helps keep your grass growing evenly so you don’t get tall patches. Mowing more frequently during the prime growing season also helps keep your lawn healthy by re-feeding the roots with lawn clippings if you have a mulching attachment on our mower.

Is it safe to mow wet grass?

Not at all. If you use a push mower, you run the risk of slipping in the damp grass, which may result in not only pulled muscles and tweaked ankles, but you run the risk of seriously injuring yourself if you land on the mower itself or take it down with you. Mowing wet grass with riding mowers can cause you to get stuck and create deep trenches with your drive wheels as you attempt to get yourself moving again. Electric mowers also come with the risk of electric shock if water works its way into the motor or battery housing, which will not only hurt a whole lot but could also kill you.

Aside from the risk of injury, mowing wet grass is bad for your lawn as well. Water weighs down each blade, making it harder for your lawn mower to make an even, clean-cut, leaving behind uneven patches and huge clumps of clippings that can kill off patches of your yard and damage your mower if the discharge chute gets clogged.

Whether it’s from rain or morning dew, always allow your lawn to dry out as much as it can before you start mowing.

How long should a lawn mower last?

As long as you perform proper maintenance (oil and filter changes, spark plug adjustments/cleanings/replacements, cutting deck cleaning, and blade sharpening as needed), your mower should be expected to last 10 years or more. Keeping your gas or electric mower in good working order and your blades sharp go a long way towards extending the life of your mower since they reduce the risk of unnecessary wear and tear; and mowing with dull blades can be dangerous since they won’t make clean cuts, causing discharge chute build-up that can damage drive spindles and the blades themselves.

Are there alternative lawn mowers worth considering?

There are tons of options out there if you’re in the market for a new lawn mower: rider models, push mowers, electric motors, and even commercial-grade models for businesses or customers who have very large properties. Here’s a short list of other models I thought were great choices:

The 6 Best Walk-Behind Lawn Mowers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product reviewer specializing in home, kitchen, and pet products. In her 6 years of experience as a product tester, she’s reviewed hundreds of items firsthand, and her work appears in publications such as PEOPLE, The Spruce, Homes Gardens, and more. Camryn is also the proud owner of a small homestead in Rhode Island, where she spends her spare time gardening, tending her many animals, and working through a never-ending list of home improvement projects.

In This Article

Summer is almost upon us, which means it’s time to start thinking about lawn care. There are a wide variety of lawn mowers that you can use keep your backyard looking pristine, but it’s important to find the right option to fit your yard — and your budget. If you have a small- to midsize yard, a walk-behind lawn mower generally provides the right balance of value and efficiency.

Nicole Durden, senior merchant of outdoor power at The Home Depot, says that both gas and electric mowers can make lawn care an easier chore. “Depending on your yard’s size and terrain, a walk-behind mower is ideal for a yard that’s ¾ of an acre or less, she adds.

Today, you can find walk-behind lawn mowers that are powered by gas, batteries, or even an extension cord, and to help you select the best product for your yard, we tested nine popular models, putting them through the paces over the course of 10 hours of testing. After many hours of mowing, we evaluated each walk-behind mower on its design, performance, useability, safety, and value.

The following are the best walk-behind lawn mowers that People Tested.

Best Overall

Honda HRN216VKA 21-Inch Gas Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

• The mower is able to cut through dense and wet grass on the first pass.
• It starts quickly and reliably with just one pull.
• Thorough mulching abilities can handle wet leaves and grass.
• Good value for a lawn mower of its size and power.
• Bag latch can become clogged with clippings and may need cleanout prior to reinserting the bag.
• Self-propelled speed doesn’t respond well to slight increases.

In terms of all-around performance, our top-recommended walk-behind mower is this model from Honda. The gas mower has a self-propelled design that’s powered by a 4-stroke 166cc engine, yet we found that it was extremely easy to start up, only ever needing one pull to get the motor going. The tool has a 21-inch cutting deck and weighs around 75 pounds, but despite its substantial weight, the self-propelled design made it easy for us to operate and navigate around obstacles in the yard.

This Honda lawn mower did a phenomenal job while cutting, and it was able to cut through dense patches of grass and weeds on a single pass. We even tested it in slightly damp conditions, and it didn’t get bogged down at all. You can choose between rear discharge, bagging, or mulching grass clippings, and we loved that the mulching setting cut debris up into fine pieces that will help feed nutrients back into the lawn. It was even able to mulch wet leaves and grass without any issues.

While we were impressed with this mower’s overall performance, there are a few small caveats worth noting. The area where the collection bag latches to the mower frequently got clogged with grass pieces, and we had to clean it out before reattaching the bag. Additionally, the self-propulsion doesn’t respond well to gradual increases in speed — it tends to go from slow to fast with no options in between.

Price at time of publish: 549

Power Source: Gas | Cutting Width: 21 inches | Weight: 74.75 pounds | Self-Propelled: Yes | Clipping Options: Rear discharge, bag, mulch

Best Budget

Sun Joe MJ401E-P2 Electric Lawn Mower

• This lawn mower is very lightweight, and it’s similar to operating a vacuum.
• Its small form is easy to maneuver and can fit into tight spaces.
• The mower is much quieter than a gas-powered mower.
• Grass collection bag fills up very quickly and may need to be emptied multiple times while mowing.
• Grass can get clogged underneath the mowing deck, which causes the mower to shut off.

If you have a small yard, chances are you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a push mower. Luckily for you, the Sun Joe Electric Lawn Mower is an inexpensive option that’s unbelievably easy to use and maintain. This lawn mower is half the weight of many other walk-behind models we tested, and its corded design makes it easy to mow a small yard without worrying about running out of power. In testing, we found that it requires very little effort to push — we’d compare it to pushing a vacuum cleaner across a carpet — and were impressed by how quiet it is while mowing.

This electric mower can get into tight spaces easily, thanks to its 14-inch cutting deck, but it can get stuck if you’re cutting thick grass — during testing, the mower shut off on us because the blades were clogged up. However, it was easy to clean out the cutting deck and continue mowing. The only major downside of this compact electric mower is that it solely bags grass clippings, and the collection bag is extremely small. We had to empty it two or three times while mowing a 400-square-foot area, which made the process take a little longer than expected.

Price at time of publish: 108

Power Source: Plug-in | Cutting Width: 14 inches | Weight: 29 pounds | Self-Propelled: No | Clipping Options: Bag

Best Electric

Greenworks 12 Amp 20-Inch 3-in-1 Corded Lawn Mower

• Good value for a larger corded mower.
• The mower performs well on both dry and damp grass, as well as tall weeds.
• It has no problem driving over uneven ground.
• The mower is easy to push with one hand, even though it’s not self-propelled.
• It can be a bit bulky to turn or maneuver around obstacles.
• Clippings often fall out when emptying the collection bag, even if it’s not full.

The Greenworks Corded Lawn Mower is a great value if you don’t mind working around an extension cord as you mow. This electric model has a fairly large 20-inch cutting deck, and it offers side discharge, bagging, and mulching abilities, unlike other corded models we tested. We used it on both dry and damp grass, and it had no problems cutting either one, breezing right through tall weeds. It also did a good job capturing grass clippings in the included collection bag, though some do spill out when you remove the bag for emptying.

We tested this mower on a fairly uneven lawn, and thanks to its large rear wheels, it didn’t have any problem driving over divots that have posed a problem for other mowers. We were able to push the mower around with just one hand, holding the power cord with the other, but it does require two hands to turn the mower around, as it’s a bit bulky (and not self-propelled). Bottom line? With its affordable price and reliable performance, this mower is a good option for anyone with a smaller yard who wants a corded lawn mower with features.

Price at time of publish: 229

Power Source: Plug-in | Cutting Width: 20 inches | Weight: 56 pounds | Self-Propelled: No | Clipping Options: Side discharge, bag, mulch

Best Battery-Powered

EGO Power Select Cut 56-Volt 21-Inch Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower

• The battery still had power left after 50 minutes of use.
• The handle can be adjusted to different heights and angles for maximum comfort.
• The self-propelled design is easy to maneuver and takes strain off your body.
• The mower did get bogged down on a wet patch of grass and ferns.
• The process to start the mower is a bit complicated and hard to understand based on the directions.

There are several benefits to battery-powered mowers like the EGO Power Self-Propelled Lawn Mower, including its lack of emissions, quiet operation, and minimal maintenance. This 21-inch lawn mower only comes with one 56-volt battery, but it was able to mow for 50 minutes with power to spare, making it a great option even for larger yards. On first use, we struggled to figure out how to start the mower — it’s not as simple as just pushing a single button — but once we conquered that hurdle, it was smooth sailing.

The self-propelled design was easy to maneuver around the yard, and we loved that it requires minimal effort, so it won’t strain your back. The mower delivered a clean, even cut, even when the grass was damp, and it’s easy and intuitive to adjust settings like the cutting height and mower speed. We did find that the mower would occasionally get bogged down in thicker, wet areas (for instance, it had trouble cutting through a patch of ferns), but this is the case with many mowers, so we don’t think it’s a dealbreaker.

Price at time of publish: 549 (orig. 576.45)

Power Source: Battery | Cutting Width: 21 inches | Weight: 54.5 pounds | Self-Propelled: Yes | Clipping Options: Side discharge, bag, mulch

Best Gas

Honda 21-Inch Self-Propelled Gas Lawn Mower

• The mower is easy to start without priming or worrying about flooding the motor.
• Self-propelled function locks into your desired speed, saving you from having to hold down a lever.
• There’s a setting that allows you to half bag and half mulch the grass clippings.

If you have a lot of ground to cover, we recommend this Honda HRX Lawn Mower. It’s powered by a 201cc engine that easily cuts through thick and dense grass, yet it’s incredibly easy to start up — we were able to get the mower going with a single pull, no priming needed. The Honda mower also has 4-in-1 functionality, meaning you can side discharge, bag, mulch, or shred grass clippings, and we like that there’s even an option to bag half and mulch half. This setting would definitely come in handy if you’re cutting longer grass.

This mower also stood out thanks to its convenient self-propelled design. The control bar has a knob that lets you select the speed you want, essentially locking the mower at that pace so you don’t have to worry about holding the lever down at the right pressure. It can also go quite fast — we found that a medium speed was comfortable for walking, but you could dial it up for faster mowing, if desired.

Overall, we had very few complaints about this self-propelled mower. It did take a little trial and error to find the right deck height and speed setting, but once that was done, the mower delivered a nice even cut every time.

Price at time of publish: 799 (orig. 989.99)

Power Source: Gas | Cutting Width: 21 inches | Weight: 91 pounds | Self-Propelled: Yes | Clipping Options: Side discharge, bag, mulch, leaf shred

Best Self-Propelled

Ryobi 40V HP Brushless 21-Inch Dual-Blade Self-Propelled Mower

• Unbelievably quiet during operation — it almost sounds like a white noise machine.
• The battery-powered mower offers comparable power to a gas mower.
• The batteries lasted for more than three mowings (42 minutes total) without needing to be recharged.
• Self-propelled design makes it effortless to mow hilly areas.
• The grass collection bag is fairly small and needs to be emptied frequently.
• The mulching setting doesn’t do a great job on leaves.

The Ryobi Dual-Blade Self-Propelled Lawn Mower is our top pick for anyone with a hilly yard, as its self-propulsion abilities outperformed the competition in our testing. This electric mower has a standard 21-inch deck, and we found that it performs just as well as gas mowers thanks to its two powerful 40-volt batteries. It offers variable speed self-propulsion that lets you match the mower to your pace, and it had no problems tackling hills during testing. In fact, the feature can be too fast on straightaways if you turn it to max speed — we had to jog to keep up with it!

Because this mower is battery-powered, it’s much quieter than a gas mower, almost sounding like a white noise machine. It also impressed us with its runtime — we were able to mow a 2,000-square-foot yard three times without needing to recharge the batteries. While we loved the convenience and easy operation of this mower, it wasn’t totally perfect. The main negatives we discovered were that the grass collection bag is quite small and needed to be emptied frequently while mowing, and the mulching setting left behind quite a few dry leaves on the lawn.

Price at time of publish: 919

Power Source: Battery | Cutting Width: 21 inches | Weight: 75 pounds | Self-Propelled: Yes | Clipping Options: Side discharge, bag, mulch

Things to Consider Before Buying a Walk-Behind Lawn Mower

Power Source

There are three main styles of walk-behind lawn mowers: gas, battery, and electric, also called corded. Gas mowers are usually the most powerful option, boasting large motors that can power through thick grass and weeds, but they’re also loud and require frequent maintenance, including oil and spark plug changes.

For these reasons, battery-powered models are becoming more popular: “Homeowners have been gravitating to battery power for a few years, and we’ll be seeing even more of that in 2023 with various laws and regulations and even HOA restrictions aiming to limit the use of gas,” explains Durden. “Advancements in technology are making it possible and practical for everyone to make the switch — we have several battery mowers that offer the same (or better) power than gas mowers today.” Battery-powered mowers are also quieter and don’t give off any harmful emissions, but they do have a limited runtime. Our top pick for a battery-powered mower is the EGO Power Lawn Mower.

Finally, there are corded walk-behind mowers, which tend to be the most affordable. These use an extension cord to plug into an electrical outlet, giving them an unlimited runtime, but you have to navigate around the cord as you mow, which is why they’re recommended for small yards.

Yard Size

The size of your yard will dictate which type of walk-behind mower is best for your needs. If you have a small yard that’s less than ¼ acre, a corded push mower will generally meet your needs. These are usually lightweight and have smaller decks, and they’re easy to operate and store.

For larger yards, you may want to upgrade to a self-propelled mower, such as the Ryobi Dual-Blade Mower, which moves forwards on its own using power from the motor. This means you don’t have to physically push the mower to move it around your yard, making the process less strenuous.

In terms of a gas vs. battery powered model, battery mowers do have a limited runtime — typically less than an hour, but it will vary by product — which may not be enough for yards that are an acre or more. However, keep in mind that you can always buy backup batteries, if needed.

Terrain

The terrain of your yard is another factor to consider as you shop for a lawn mower. “If your yard is flat, a push mower will be the most affordable choice,” recommends Durden. “If your yard has hills, you may want to invest in a self-propelled mower that takes less manual effort.”

Walk-behind mowers with larger rear wheels — like the Greenworks 12 Amp 20-Inch 3-in-1 Corded Lawn Mower — tend to handle better on uneven ground, so you may want to look for this feature if your yard has a lot of divots or ruts.

Clippings

There are three main options for handling grass clippings while you’re mowing: discharging them out the side or back, bagging them up, or mulching them into fine pieces that will decay back into your lawn. Some lawn mowers, such as the Sun Joe Electric Lawn Mower only offer one option, while other models like the Honda Hrx 21-in Self-Propelled Gas Lawn Mower offer all three.

If you want a bagging mower, pay careful attention to the size of the collection bag in comparison to your yard. If the bag is too small, you may find yourself stopping to empty it frequently — a problem we ran into when testing the Ryobi Dual-Blade Self-Propelled Mower.

How We Tested

We researched today’s most popular walk-behind lawn mowers, and we selected nine top-rated models for testing, including three battery-operated, two corded, and four gas options. We sent each model to the homes of our testers, who are located in seven different cities across three states, and they tested each lawn mower over the period of several days.

We used each lawn mower three times, evaluating them on their ease of use, performance, power, safety features, and more. Each product was then scored on its setup, design, performance, usability, safety, and value, and the highest-scoring products were selected for this round-up.

If you have a larger yard or a lot of hilly terrain, a self-propelled lawn mower will take a lot of the manual effort out of mowing your grass. “Self-propelled mowers are designed to automatically move forward from 1 to 3.5 miles per hour,” explains Durden. “They‘re recommended for yards of more than half an acre, especially those that are hilly or sloped. Some mowers offer variable speeds that come in handy when working near trees and garden beds.”

In general, you can expect to pay between 400 and 1,000 for a self-propelled lawn mower, and the more you’re willing to spend, the more power and features your mower will have. However, some of our top-rated models are only around 500, so don’t feel like you have to splurge to get a great tool.

If your lawn is only a few hundred square feet, you can probably get by with a reel-style lawn mower, but if it’s over ¼ of an acre, a walk-behind mower will make weekly maintenance much easier. The great thing about walk-behind lawn mowers is that there’s an option for every lawn size and budget. If you have a small yard, an inexpensive option like the Sun Joe Electric Lawn Mower will make quick work of your grass without breaking the bank.

Why Trust PEOPLE?

Camryn Rabideau has been a professional product tester for six years, and she’s previously tested ride-on lawn mowers from popular brands like Ryobi and Husqvarna. While writing this article, she relied on firsthand insights from the People Tested team, who used these lawn mowers for a total of 10 hours. She also spoke with Nicole Durden, senior merchant of outdoor power at The Home Depot, for tips on selecting the right lawn mower for your home based on factors like your yard size, terrain, and budget.

What Is People Tested?

We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.

But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.

In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.

The Best Lawn Mowers

A fter spending a whole season mowing a 4,300 square-foot lawn with self-propelled gas, electric and manual lawn mowers, we’ve selected the Honda – 21″ HRR216K9VKA as the best lawn mower. With a 160cc engine, the Honda’s cord-free, self-propelled operation gives you plenty of power to get through weeds and overgrowth. If you’ve got a smaller lawn and you don’t want to deal with gasoline and engine maintenance, the Greenworks – 22502 electric is a great option.

A fter spending a whole season mowing a 4,300 square-foot lawn with self-propelled gas, electric and manual lawn mowers, we’ve selected the Honda – 21″ HRR216K9VKA as the best lawn mower. With a 160cc engine, the Honda’s cord-free, self-propelled operation gives you plenty of power to get through weeds and overgrowth. If you’ve got a smaller lawn and you don’t want to deal with gasoline and engine maintenance, the Greenworks – 22502 electric is a great option.

The 6 lawn mowers we tested

Best self-propelled gas mower: Honda – 21″

Honda seems to have discontinued our winning pick but has released a new model that seems almost identical in features. The changes seem to be a different engine, adding 1 more height option, and a darker paint on the body. We have adjusted all the links to point towards the newer item.

Both models of self-propelled gas mower that we tested are well-built machines. This was a very close call, but Honda – 21″ has included design and ergonomic considerations that make it a better mower.

Honda has models in the 500 and 600 range which add features and functions you may be interested in: electric starting or the option to stop the blade and idle down the engine rather than shutting off and re-starting every time you need to stop, for example. We stuck to our 400 budget and feel confident that most will be happy with the performance of this machine on an average lawn like ours.

Top Pick: Honda. HRR216K9VKA 21

Honda’s small engines are rock-solid and reliable. Plenty of power and great design considerations — even the pull start was easy to use. If you need the power and speed of a self-propelled mower, this is your best bet for under 400.

Honda engines have a reputation for easy starting and this one is no exception. Even with just a pull-start (and needing to re-start every time we stopped to pick up a piece of debris), we never had any trouble getting this mower going.

Self-propelled mowers are heavy and can cause damage in wet soil when making a tight turn. Turning while in motion was very manageable on the Honda, but avoiding lawn damage with a heavy mower requires getting to know the wet spots on your lawn and developing a feel for the balance of the mower.

We tested the mowers in wet grass to see how they’d fare, and the Honda did stall on the wettest grass we tested — probably because the chute clogged up with the wet clippings we were bagging. Other reviewers claim their machine didn’t stall with wet grass, but very wet grass is definitely not something any mower is designed for.

After running electric mowers and manual mowers, the Honda was definitely louder, but it’s not like a straight-pipe Harley or a chainsaw.

Adjusting cutter height requires individual settings on each wheel — this is a bit annoying, but most people won’t have to adjust often.

Since the mower is pulling itself forward whenever the engine is going, variable speed control helps for working slowly around turns or near edges of a curb. Honda’s thumb-controlled walk-speed setting was easy to use and felt more natural than the “personal pace” adjuster on the Toro, which was another mower we tested.

Honda’s switch controlling the bagging/mulching flap is also nicer than the Toro’s lever, with a solid engagement that clicks reassuringly in place. Honda claims that their blade system cuts better with two blades, but with a yard the size of the one we tested it was difficult to tell the difference. Suffice it to say, the Honda and Toro both cut well.

The foldable handle has quick-release locks for folding and storing the handle, whereas the Toro uses spin-off fasteners that take more time. Honda also includes padding on the handles of their machine, where Toro leaves you with plastic.

We stored our mowers in a raised shed in the backyard. The shed isn’t super roomy, so storage size and maneuverability were something we noticed. At 84 pounds the Honda is still light enough to lift on its back wheels to roll in, but lifting it to move around in a tight space is noticeably more difficult than with the non-gas models.

Key takeaways:

• The Honda – 21″ HRR216K9VKA gave us trouble-free performance the first time and every time. No trouble with the pull-starter, the bagging system, or the blade adjustment.
• This mower is powerful enough to take on wet grass and mulches whatever twigs and leaves are on your lawn.
• While it’s hefty compared to electric or manual-powered mowers, Honda designed a handle-folding system that makes it relatively easy to store.

Best electric mower: Greenworks – 22502

Compared to the heavy gas mowers the Greenworks – 22502 electric powered mower feels incredibly light: at 56 lb, it’s about 30 lb lighter than the Honda. This makes it far easier to turn without skidding, not to mention easier to handle when you’re putting it away. There’s a lot of plastic involved in keeping that weight down, of course, but the Greenworks still feels more like a serious lawn mower than the other electric model we tested. It’s a simple machine and doesn’t need unnecessary bulk.

Best Electric Mower: Greenworks. 22502

With a wide cutting path and easy-to use features, the Greenworks makes quick work of a lawn without the extra noise and smell of gasoline power.

The Greenworks mower has a 20-inch mowing width and height can be adjusted from 1.5 inches to 3.75 inches with seven height settings total. In the price range we tested, most electric mowers cut a much narrower track (the Sun Joe is a 14-inch and a comparable Black and Decker model is 15 inches) which means you’ll finish 20-30 percent more quickly with the Greenworks.

The Greenworks came ready to go for bagging, side discharge, and mulching, where the Sun Joe only lets you bag unless you buy extra accessories. Setup was a piece of cake, though we should note that the box it came in was not taped shut — the outer shipping box was secure and nothing was missing, but it was a possible sign of lax shipping quality control.

Greenworks made height adjustment very easy: adjusting one lever controls cutting height on the entire mower. On the other hand, the Sun Joe required individual wheel adjustments, as did the gas-powered models we tested.)

This mower has a side discharge chute, but it requires an attachment to keep open. You have to insert a plug in the back of the mower and add the chute on the side to spread clippings to the side.

One of the disappointing things we noted was that clipping shreds occasionally spray out from the catch basket around the perimeter of the deck. This isn’t a big deal, but it’s not something that happened with other mowers.

Dumping the clippings can be slightly awkward since there’s a crossbar that supports the handles. This is an issue on both electric models we tested, but not on the gas models (which have larger, more robust handlebars that don’t use a cross-brace.) This doesn’t stop you from removing the bag, but you have to be aware of where your hands are and bend in awkward ways.

Mowing with an attached power cord is not fun. You’re chained to the plug, dancing a tango with the mower to avoid the cable getting clipped. It’s manageable if you start near the plug and work going away from the cord, but annoying to say the least. Water in pools or puddles is also an electricity-related hazard you’ll have to pay attention to with a long cord.

Note that the Greenworks mower doesn’t come with an extension cord; you’ll need to buy a fairly heavy cord, at least 14 gauge if you’re going longer than 50 feet. 16GA is okay at 50 feet, but you’ll want something longer than that unless you have electrical outlets on every corner of your lawn. You’ll also have to coil the cable carefully after you use it, either a careful straight coil or over-under, unless you want to spend time every week untying a bunch of knots and dealing with a spiral-shaped cord after a year of twisting and untwisting it from sloppy coils.

We felt this mower was ideally sized for our lawn and having no exhaust fumes was great, but it still made a lot of noise relative to manual mowers. Plus, we really missed being cord-free after our time with the gas mowers.

Key takeaways:

• Like any electric mower, the Greenworks – 22502 20″ mower is lighter and easier to maneuver, but you’re tied to an electrical cord.
• Greenworks gives you a lot of mower for your money; it’s much more efficient and better built than the other electric mower we tested.
• It’s not as quiet as the manual mowers, but not having to deal with the noise and smell of a gasoline engine is a huge plus.

Best manual mower: Fiskars – Staysharp Max

The Fiskars – Staysharp Max is wonderfully simple. It’s solid and precise. Plus, with an 18-inch wide reel it covers ground more quickly than even the Sun Joe electric mower we tested (the Fiskars also costs more though.) Manual mowers use a scissor-like blade system that usually makes a grinding or swishing noise, but Fiskars takes pride in their carefully aligned blades and resulting lack of noise.

Before starting we knew we were going to be in love with manual mowers for the eco-friendly aspect, quiet operation, and lack of gas exhaust. The Fiskars mower was indeed very enjoyable to cut with.

Best Manual Mower: Fiskars. Staysharp Max

Quiet and smooth, this is a machine made to clip a smaller lawn that’s already in top condition.

A quiet mower means you don’t feel guilty bugging your neighbors if mowing early in the day or late in the evening. A great perk is that you can talk on the phone or listen to music with non-sealing earbuds while mowing with this machine.

We wore gloves while mowing (since you need to be even more diligent about clearing debris with a manual mower) but were surprised at how comfortable the padded handles are on the Fiskars.

Fiskars went for a very wide cutting area, two inches wider than the Great States mower. This lessens cutting time, but all that width makes it more cumbersome to maneuver in the shed. We feel that it’s well worth the tradeoff and had no issues maneuvering on the turf.

Out of the box, setup was pretty simple, requiring a few screws to connect the handles to the body. The handles fold up (without locking), which saves space, making storage easy compared to non-folding handles.

Adjusting height on this mower is even easier than on the gas-powered models — it’s just one lever in the front instead of adjusting four wheels individually. It’s also marked at 1 inch (shortest) to 4 inches cutting height. On other models you kind of just have to know the height range and wing it, so this was a nice touch on the Fiskars.

To give this manual mower a workout, we used the 1.5-inch setting on overgrowth at first. It was easy in some parts, but extremely difficult towards the end, in patches that weren’t even super tall. On subsequent mowings, it was a breeze. Unlike with gas or electric mowers, you definitely have to spend more time clearing the lawn of twigs and debris before mowing so you don’t jam up the mower.

The adjustable chute can let you direct clippings forward or backward as needed. There’s no included bagging option and even with the optional clipping-catcher this mower can’t suck up and pulverize leaves and small twigs like the powered mowers can.

With extra lawn-clearing time and smaller cutting width, a manual mower can be more work and will take longer than powered lawn mowers. However, if you’re trying to reduce your carbon footprint and don’t ever let your grass get overgrown, this may be the mower for you.

Key takeaways:

• Heavier than most manual mowers, the Fiskars Staysharp Max‘s 18-inch cutting width makes quick work of small lawns.
• Most manual mowers are somewhat quiet, but Fiskars has made a reel that’s almost noiseless.
• Great build quality, fit and finish; this mower is more expensive than a cheap plug-in mower and it shows.

Other products we tested

Toro – 22″ Recycler 20334

Immediately, we noticed the Toro 22″ Recycler’s excellent packaging: high-quality plastic wrap on all the parts and the engine keeps everything tidy during shipping.

While we appreciated the padding and a few control details on the Honda just a bit more, Toro really knows their stuff too. The handle and connectors on this mower are excellent.

One setup detail that lost Toro some points is how hard it is to add oil to the BS engine and check the level. Waiting for the oil to drip down into the crankcase so you can read the dipstick accurately is a tedious process and the min/max markings on the dipstick are not present as depicted in the manual. Instead, there are only dots. There’s very little room for error, so setting up the mower for the first time involved a lot of waiting/re-dipping to make sure we got the right amount of oil.

We had trouble with the electric starting system, too. We charged the starter battery as directed, but it didn’t work. The instructions for initial startup weren’t especially clear, either. The starter button didn’t work in an intuitive way and the manual talks about a key-start that our mower doesn’t have. So for our review, the tester started the mower manually, just like the Honda. The Toro we tested does include the electric starter at the same price as the Honda with pull-start only.

Wheel height adjustment on the Toro isn’t as easy as other mowers. You have to adjust each wheel individually. Plus, the front wheel height adjustment tab was bent on the machine we received.

Eventually, the first Toro we got had to be exchanged, since the metal tab on a wire that looks up to the blade control lever was broken. This rendered the machine unable to start. Home Depot swapped this out for us without a problem.

Toro’s “personal pace” drive speed feature works just fine, but we preferred the thumb control of the Honda. On the Toro, you have to hold the fixed handle in one hand and control speed with another handle that slides up and down. It’s not difficult to use, but it’s not as easy as Honda’s system.

Great States – 16″ 415-16

Unpacking the Great States – 16″ 415-16 mower was definitely a low point. Terrible setup instructions meant we had to undo the assembly we’d already done to fit the handles into the lower mower part. The plastic twist knobs that hold the handle fasteners together are poor quality, to say the least. In fact, you could cut yourself while tightening them. That being said, it’s a tool-free setup process.

At 16 inches of cutting width, (two inches less than the Fiskars, but much lighter overall), this machine is definitely more maneuverable. The quality of build feels lower than Fiskars, but not too bad considering it’s less than half the cost.

The cutting height on the Great States ranges from 0.5 inch to 2.5 inches compared to the Fiskars’ 1-4 inches. You really don’t need the 4-inch range unless you are cutting down overgrowth, but this might matter in a few cases.

The lack of motor noise and exhaust is still a great reason for choosing this manual model, but the cutting blade makes a grinding sound that’s louder than the Fiskars precisely adjusted cutter. The Great States is also slightly harder to push than the Fiskars.

This is a tool that gets the job done for less than 100 and will likely last for many years (with a design that’s been around longer than you probably have.) There are even folks with yards larger than ½ acre who happily use this machine to mow. When it comes down to details, though, the Fiskars is a much nicer mower.

Sun Joe – 14″ MJ401E

Setting up the Sun Joe 14″ MJ401E was drama-free, with a good (non-folding) attachment design for the surprisingly comfortable padded handles, but the budget price shows through: This mower looks and feels like a toy. While it is more agile than most of the other mowers, it is very plastic, very light, and very basic. At about 40 less than our winning electric model, this should be treated as a basic mower.

Sun Joe doesn’t even include the parts needed for mulching at this price point; If you only ever bag and need to stay within a low budget, this will get the job done. The relatively smaller clippings compartment fills up fast, though. We had to dump out 5-6 times on a small lawn, though that’s partly on account of some overgrowth we were chopping through.

Another disappointment was the very flimsy-feeling height adjuster, which uses a spring-loaded adjuster on each wheel axle and makes you turn the mower on its side to adjust. With three settings, it’s adequate for basic lawn care.

How we selected

For our lineup, we selected an assortment of manual, electric, and gas-powered mowers. As always, we tried to avoid products with consistently negative reviews that mention the same problems. We narrowed our selection to mowers from top brands with good reputations for warranty, reliability, and quality.

Lawn sizes have been shrinking. Recent census data shows that 95-percent of new houses sold have a lot smaller than ¼ acre (and the houses on those lots are getting bigger, leaving even less space for turf). So, we excluded riding mowers from our review and focused on the benefits of powered mowers relative to calorie-powered manual push mowers on a moderately-sized lawn.

We capped the price of the gas models at 400 since there were lots of good options. There are many other features to be had beyond that price range, but unless your lawn is bigger than 1/2 acre, it probably won’t make sense for you to spend much more.

How we tested

Our test lawns (front and back) total to around 4,300 square feet. We cut at the recommended height of 2.5 inches multiple times with each mower. Some mowers got a bit of an extra workout at the beginning of the season due to overgrowth, but we made sure to mow with them again once they reached normal heights to be fair.

Setup

Initial setup was one of the big differentiators for the mowers. Some had great instructions, while others were misleading and confusing. Each of these machines required some setup time since they come disassembled. The Great States mower stood out as most frustrating to set up.

Bagging

We tested the bagging feature on all the mowers that included it. We also compared all of the features used for normal lawn mowing including setup of the cutter height and ease of storage.

Overall usability

Weight and size were some of the most important factors that we noticed. A bulky mower is more difficult to store and transport and extra weight also requires some practice to get clean turns and avoid damaging lawns.

Important features to consider

Mower type – This is typically recommended by lawn size, but there are plenty of options; even within the broader gas/electric/manual categories there’s much to consider.

Bagging and mulching options – Some people will want to bag their clippings. We found that while all of these mowers are capable of bagging, you’d have to buy a separate attachment for the manual mowers. Overall, the design of the bigger self-propelled mowers made removing and emptying the clipping bag easier than the electric models.

Self-propel or push-assist – This makes the work much easier, but it comes with noise, smell, maintenance concerns, and a CO2 footprint. On the flip side, people-powered mowers are quiet and pollution-free, but they’re only efficient if you’re mowing on a rigid schedule to minimize the amount you’re cutting with each pass.

Electric-powered mowers – Electric motors offer great performance, but until battery technology can improve, these models require power cords which introduces a set of compromises compared to other style mowers.

Cutting-height adjustment – This is something most people won’t be adjusting frequently, but it’s still something you’ll have to deal with at least once on all mowers.

Cleaning and storage – This is another big usability consideration. Each mower has its own set of folding-handle quirks, plus nooks and crannies that need to be brushed out or washed off.

How to properly mow a lawn

Mowing a lawn often includes other maintenance aspects like perimeter cleaning with a string trimmer and clearing clippings or debris with a leaf blower which we cover on those respective articles Below we’ll stick to strictly mowing tips.

Direction

The “stripe” pattern clearly visible on most sporting fields comes from the fact that mowers push the grass over slightly while they trim and alternating directions when mowing will create contrast in the way those ‘rows’ of clipped grass reflect sunlight.

Generally, the back-and-forth stripe pattern is also the most efficient way for you to mow at home. If you start by mowing around the perimeter a few times, you’ll have some “headland” room to turn around at the end of each long row without fussing about grass you might miss when you turn.

Cutting in a concentric spiral pattern from the outside perimeter is also viable if you’re looking to minimize the stripe effect; Some also find the right-angle corners easier than 180° turns.

(If you really want to get fancy, reel mowers or powered mowers with a roller attachment push the grass flat enough to create the contrast needed for the intricate patterns you sometimes see on ball diamond outfields. David Mellor, groundskeeper for Fenway Park, even wrote a book on the subject.)

The best practice is to rotate your mowing pattern 90 degrees (start at a right angle to your previous pattern) every few mowings to keep grass from being pushed down too much in one direction.

Types of grass

There are basically two “regions” of grass-growing in the United States: “warm-season” grasses in the South, “cool-season” grasses in the North, and a narrow “transitional zone” where it’s common to cross-seed types from both regions.

Seed producers like Pennington and Scotts have lots of great info about the different varieties you might have in your yard. It’s a good idea to get to talk with a lawn-care professional in your area who can help you understand the quirks of growing locally (especially weeds and disease).

The biggest difference between these regions and the varieties you’ll find there is in the timing of peak growth: warm-season grasses grow the most during the summer, then go dormant and turn brown during the cooler winter months; cool-season grasses grow the most in spring, slow down when it gets hot, then have another growth spurt in the fall before winter dormancy.

Grass height and mowing frequency

When you’re deciding how tall you want your grass, the most important thing to remember is that if your grass is too short, it can’t absorb sunlight. Photosynthesis doesn’t happen without leaf area, and all of the other qualities of good turf are dependent on that energy. Basically, longer is better for the health of the grass.

This is especially important in non-growing seasons: the grass will be stressed and needs plenty of leaf and root area (with stored energy from the growing season) to continue thriving. Mow when the air is cool and avoid mowing right before hot weather is in the forecast.

Some warm-climate species, like Bermudagrass, are cut as low as a half-inch on sporting fields. This requires daily mowing in quick-growth seasons, though. (And plenty of water to keep it healthy.) See our in-depth review we did on garden hoses too.

There’s another benefit to keeping lawn grass on the longer side. While the grass is soaking up all the sunlight with lush, long leaves, it’s keeping that sunlight away from any weeds that might be trying to start underneath.

As a rule of thumb, never remove more than a third of the leaf area in one mowing. So if you’re mowing down to two inches, mow again before the grass hits three inches. Pennington provides a handy chart of mowing height for common grass types.

Mulching grass vs. bagging

In very sandy soil mulching can cause some problems since there aren’t as many organisms to consume clippings, but in most cases mulching regular clippings back into the turf is highly recommended by grass experts and municipalities alike.

Earthworms, fungi, and other primary consumers in your lawn’s ecosystem thrive on the clippings and turn the mulch back into available nitrogen for your lawn. (So it’s not just easier than disposing of bags: it means less fertilizer!)

So long as you aren’t trimming off more than an inch of grass, and you aren’t mowing when it’s wet, the clippings should easily scatter down to soil level and form a helpful layer of worm-food. You can even mulch the leaves that fall off your trees!

All of the mowers we tested are mulch-ready except for the Sun Joe 401E, which requires an optional attachment to safely funnel the clippings (and any debris you may accidentally find in your grass) to the side. The other powered mowers will require a quick conversion from bag-mode with an included plug or a moveable flap.

Because bagging is occasionally beneficial (if you have to wait for your lawn to dry in the spring and the grass gets really long, for example) we also tested the bagging features of all the powered mowers. (Manual-power reel mowers aren’t very good at cutting tall grass, but you can get leaf-catcher attachments if you really don’t want to mulch.)

Mowing wet grass

While it’s good to mow when the air is cool, avoid mowing grass that is wet from watering or rainfall. When fibers in the leaves get wet they get tougher, so the cut takes more work and can leave a ragged edge on the leaf. It requires you to sharpen your blades more frequently, too.

Plus, if you’re mulching your clippings, wet mulch all over your lawn is just as bad as it sounds — clumpy and prone to get musty. If you don’t have a way to dispose of them within a few days, having bags of wet mulch sitting in your garage is even worse.

Mowing wet grass is just a bad idea. A little dew in the morning generally won’t slow you down much, but if the grass is soaked it’s best to wait for the sun to come out.

Mower maintenance

Mowers are tools and tools need to be taken care of if you want them to keep doing a job well. Storage in a clean, dry place should be a given, but there are a few specific tasks that you’ll have to get used to if you want a mower that will keep your lawn looking its best:

Sharpening

All cutting edges require routine sharpening, even mower blades. Plan on sharpening at least once a season if you don’t want to bruise or tear your grass. Checking the blades for uneven wear and other problems is Smart, but checking the grass to see how well you’re cutting is the surest way to determine the condition of your mower blades.

Sharpening more than once a season should only be necessary if you’re cutting heavier material like a lot of twigs (or the bane of every mower, hidden gravel/sand leftover from winter snow piles.)

Fiskars claims that the steel and tight-tolerance design used in their reel mower will cut cleanly for the life of the mower, but they still sell a sharpening kit and it works like all the other reel-mower sharpening kits. An abrasive compound wears away high spots and leaves a keen edge when you spread it on the blades and run the reel backward against the stationary cutting bar. (If dismounting drive chains or spinning mower reels with a hand drill aren’t your idea of fun, you can usually find a local handyman or landscaper who will do the job for you.)

Powered mower blades have edges more like axes and you can sharpen them in nearly the same way. A vise or other clamp to hold the blade steady and a carbide scraper or good steel file are all you really need to bring the edge back to a chisel-shaped apex that will be able to slice paper and keep your lawn looking crisp and green.

Winterizing gas mowers and oil changes

If your lawn is covered in snow (or simply not growing) for more than a month every year, there are storage tasks you’ll need to remember for gas engines. Old gasoline can go stale or dry out and create a layer of varnish inside your engine. You need to either add a stabilizer to your mower’s gas tank and fill it before storage (pretty easy, but the mower will be heavy) or get all of the gas out of the system.

Like your car, a mower’s four-cycle gasoline engine uses oil for lubrication, but unlike your car, it doesn’t run the oil through a filter to clean out debris. Nearly everyone will recommend annual oil changes before storage as part of a winter routine.

Spark plugs in a mower should last for a long time, but you should check them annually or as directed in your owner’s manual. People fool themselves into replacing electrical components arbitrarily if mowers won’t start, but it’s well worth learning how to spot signs of failure as a part of annual maintenance.

Gas vs. electric vs. manual mowers

All the mowers we tested will cut well enough once the blades hit the grass. The biggest differences come down to how much effort is required from a homeowner to get there and cover ground efficiently.

Manual reel mowers

These are the greenest of mowers, powered by whatever you’ve had for breakfast. They’re relatively simple tools that do one job: they cut grass quietly and efficiently for as long as you can push them. Beyond the sustainability and simplicity, they’re lighter and easier to store: no cord, no gas, no worries. If you like the idea of augmenting your lawn-mowing cardio with a bit more resistance, you should consider a reel mower.

The biggest weakness to the reel mower is that it’s not effective with thick or tall grass. This is a tool that will make you regret every time you forget to mow by making you work much harder. Have a lot of overgrown weeds? You’ll want to look elsewhere.

Electric mowers

If your lawn is big enough that just thinking about pushing a reel mower is exhausting, an electric-powered mower is one way to ease your burden without the weight, noise, smell, and maintenance concerns of a gasoline engine.

Even compared to the Fiskars Max, the electric mowers we tested were light and easy to maneuver. They’re still louder than the manual mowers, since there’s a 14-inch or 20-inch steel blade swinging around under the deck. However, your neighbors and family will still have less reason to complain about your Saturday-morning routine.

There’s not nearly as much to maintain on an electric mower as on a gasoline-powered mower, but keeping the deck clean and inspecting the cord for wear are still important tasks you’ll need to perform.

Managing the cord on an electric mower is similar to the annoyances of working with a household vacuum cleaner but on a larger scale. Running over the cord with the mower is, obviously, something you must never do. You also don’t want to trip on it, drop it in a pool, accidentally unplug it or plug it into a socket that can’t provide the 12 Amps of AC power needed by these engines.

Gas-powered self-propelled mowers

The bigger your lawn, the more you’ll appreciate the self-propelled mower: these machines are designed to help you cover a lot of ground quickly by pulling themselves along at up to four MPH. So, all you really need to do is steer.

The gas mowers we tested have engines that provide around five horsepower to get through thick or long grass. (These are very similar to the engines you’ll find on a small Go-Kart.) Naturally, having all of that internal combustion power at your fingertips also brings noise and smells that other kinds of mowers won’t have.

While your time mowing will be much easier, the biggest drawback to gas-powered mowers is in maintenance. Like a gas-powered car, these mowers need fuel, oil changes, and air filter and spark-plug checkups. Maintaining a small engine is very simple: you can do a mower oil change in minutes and even teach your kids how to do it. However, it’s not for everyone. Naturally, there are mechanics who will do all of these services for you, for a fee.

The bottom line

Mowing your own lawn is one of those rites of passage for do-it-yourself home ownership. Like other jobs you do around your house, it will save you money compared to professional care, but it may take you more time and involve more cursing than you expected. We hope one of these mowers will help make your weekly lawn chores more enjoyable and less frustrating.

If you’ve got a smaller lawn and you’re excited about the idea of a brisk walk back and forth across it every Saturday morning, the Fiskars is probably an ideal machine for you. Smooth, quiet and precise, like the scissors the company is famous for, the Staysharp Max reel mower can help you keep your lawn looking its best without the noise and complications powered mowers bring.

If you’ve got a few weeds that are invading your lawn or if you anticipate dealing with overgrowth after a wet spring, a powered mower will mean less straining — not to mention the time it’ll save. The Greenworks 22502 has a 20-inch cutting blade that lessen the number of rows you’ll need to walk. Plus, it’ll make quick work of just about any foliage found in an urban lawn-care setting. It’s ready to go for bagging out of the box, too.

And if you’ve got a lawn bigger than ¼ acre or if you think you’ll appreciate the one-switch conversion between mulching and bagging, the Honda HRR216K9VKA cuts a wide swath quickly and efficiently through leaves, twigs and tall weeds. A self-propelled machine takes a bit more maintenance than an electric, but annual oil changes might seem a small price to pay compared to the headache of dancing around a cord on a larger lawn.

Top Pick: Honda. HRR216K9VKA 21

Whether bagging or mulching, the Honda keeps up with your needs. It’s solid and simple to make the most of your mowing time.