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From gas-powered push mowers to ride-on electrics, our picks are a cut above the rest. Hedge Pruning Shears
The perfect lawn mower for your yard is out there — the trick is finding it. “It used to be that you could have any lawn mower you wanted, as long as it was a gas-powered push-behind,” jokes Dan DiClerico, Director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. In other words: These days, you've got options. Over the last decade, our lawn care experts have seen more models come into the market. The following roundup is based on our latest tests, which included more than 50 hours of assembly and hands-on mowing.
In our roundup, you'll find a broad selection of models, including self-propelled mowers, which are good for homeowners with larger lawns (or limited pushing power of their own). Battery-powered lawn mowers have also proliferated and their performance keeps getting better. “Many electric mowers deliver excellent cutting performance and they’re so much quieter than gas mowers, with none of the emissions,” says DiClerico. For our latest test, which took the total number of reviewed models in the last year to more than 30, we also looked at the latest riding mowers, as well robotic lawn mowers that do the dirty work for you.
Once you’ve perused our picks, read on for more advice on what to consider when purchasing a lawn mower. And check out our reviews of other outdoor power equipment, including leaf blowers, pressure washers and snow blowers.
Though traditional gas mowers now have plenty of competition, our experts still like them for their solid performance and time-tested reliability. "Plus, there have been a lot of innovations around engine design, as this Honda shows," says Dan DiClerico, Good Housekeeping's Director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab. For starters, our testers like the self-propelled engine for the obvious reason that it makes mowing the lawn so much easier, especially for yards with hills. Although it has a pull-cord start, the gas-powered Honda adds additional convenience features our pros look for, like Select Drive (an intuitive variable speed dial) and Versamow systems which allow you to mulch, bag, discharge and shred leaves without any additional tools.
"The powerful 200-cubic capacity engine and rear-wheel drive should make things easier on high grass and hilly land," DiClerico adds. The machine also allows for an even cutting experience at seven levels, though you have to individually adjust the lever on each wheel. Its large capacity discharge bag is well-positioned, meaning less frequent emptying. Bonus: A full spec review by our engineers found the Honda's limited five-year warranty to be impressive given the typical two- to three-year industry standard.
Our experts say that the large 10-inch rear wheels and 7-inch front wheels make this Greenworks mower easy to control and maneuver over small- to mid-size yards (up to 1/3 acre). With a smaller cutting width than other options but nicely designed with a steel deck, this cordless electric mower has many details you usually only see in a higher-end model, including the three-in-one feature which offers mulching, side discharge and rear bagging. Plus, it's lightweight and quiet.
An easy push-button start gets you going without breaking a sweat, and a single spring-loaded lift mechanism provides seven cutting height positions. Our experts also like that the mower comes with a 2Ah and 4Ah battery, both with battery-life indicators and a three-year warranty.
If you have to cover a lot of rugged terrain, like if your property is filled with rocks and tree roots, you need a mower that's up to the task. This no-nonsense machine from Troy-Bilt is powered by a 140-cubic capacity Briggs & Stratton engine, a brand known for its dependable, long-lasting small engines. "The mower took a bit longer to assemble than other models, but once we had it out on the open field, it felt incredibly solid with very little vibration," says DiClerico.
The Troy-Bilt started up easily every time and excelled at cutting, mulching and side-discharging. Its beefy, 11-inch wheels helped maneuver over rough spots in the lawn, and on open runs, the lightweight machine moved effortlessly even though it's not self-propelled. It's also very easy to adjust the deck height — nice if it's been a while between mowings and you need to take a little more off the top.
The Toro SmartStow is another top-rated mower that our experts like for homeowners who are short on space in their garage or shed because it folds up for vertical storage. It's extremely versatile too: The self-propelled engine lets you customize its speed to match your pace, plus the mower has nine cutting height options and 10-inch rear wheels that make it easy to maneuver over all lawn types. Thanks to its flex handle suspension, physical fatigue is reduced when mowing larger or sloped lawns.
While you'll have to yank the pull-cord to start it, the robust Briggs and Stratton engine provides smooth riding and powerful mowing — as well as easy maintenance with no oil changes required. The all-terrain workhorse also gives you the choice of three cutting options: rear bagging collection, side discharge or recycler mulching.
"Ten years ago, battery-powered mowers were only designed for lightweight mowing tasks," says DiClerico. "But thanks to improvements in battery technology, the category has really evolved." Ryobi is a leader among manufacturers of battery-powered tools, from cordless drills to pressure washers. With its 40-volt, walk-behind electric mower, the brand is extending that prowess into lawn care.
Our testers were impressed by the mowing and mulching capabilities of the mower, and for homeowners who still like to collect clippings, the bag went on and off without a hitch. The expanded set of features further impressed, especially the vertical storage which is a great space-saver in the garage or shed and the LED headlights come in handy when the sun is going down but you still have a few rows left to mow. One tester noted that the extra weight of the battery pack made the Ryobi a tad difficult to maneuver on hills and through tight turns. But once she adapted to the self-propelled feature, she was satisfied with the handling and navigation.
Because battery-powered lawn mowers are so quiet, it can be natural to assume they lack oomph. But after a few minutes of steering this 60-volt Toro through thick turf grass, our experts were impressed by the combination of speed and power. “It’s an adjustment because you don’t have that whir of the engine, but honestly, this battery-powered mower cut as well as any gas models in our tests,” says DiClerico, who oversaw several weeks of testing of the Toro at a site in New Jersey. The 7.5-Ah battery delivers an notable 50-minute run time.
Although heavier than average, the mower was exceptionally easy to set up and fold up for storage, plus maintenance is minimal since you don’t have to worry about oil changes, fuel stabilizer and the like, as is the case with all battery-powered mowers. You are paying more for the Toro, but our testers agree it's worth the investment, especially given the brand’s reputation for reliability.
A relatively new entrant to the market, robot lawn mowers operate using a wired perimeter, so the mower can cut the lawn all by itself, even on hills. We're impressed by Husqvarna, which pioneered this category, and our experts say this robotic mower is great for medium to large yards up to 0.8 acres (for smaller yards, the Automower 315X would be a more prudent choice). With built-in Bluetooth and cellular and voice control compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, the mower is controlled by an app. Our pros liked how easy it was to use the app to conveniently start, stop and park the machine remotely as well as set up a schedule for mowing and track its progress. Adjusting the cutting height is also quick and easy via the app. For theft prevention, GPS tracks the position of the mower and sends alarms and notifications to your connected devices if anything is amiss.
Three pivoting razor-sharp blades cut finely from all directions, even in the rain, working like a mulching mower – clippings are never bagged. The weather timer ensures the mower cuts more often in a strong grass growth period and less often when growth slows. When it's getting tired, we love that it knows to find its way back to the charging station. Thanks to its LED lights and super-quiet operation, it can operate in the dark. Be mindful though that some conditions (i.e. big hardwood leaves) may overwhelm this tiny bot.
Want your lawn to look like the outfield of a big-league baseball park? While all lawn mowers create some degree of striping as they move back and forth across the grass, the aptly-named Toro Stripe exaggerates the effect, thanks to the 3/4-inch-diameter steel roller at the rear of the mower. We are still in the process of testing the self-propelled, battery-powered mower, so we’ll wait for a full season of usage before passing final judgement. But our initial impressions are mostly positive, with the mower delivering the even cutting performance and smooth handling that we see with all Toros we've tested. The feature set is impressive too, namely the massive 7.5-Ah battery with a claimed 65-minute run time and the fact that the mower folds up for easy storage.
One thing to note: In order to leave behind those perfect stripes, the Toro moves at a more leisurely pace than other self-propelled mowers we tested, especially in taller grass. So it’s best-suited to a true lawn manicurist, rather than homeowners who want to get the job done as quickly as possible.
Zero turn mowers — a.k.a. “Z-turns” or “ZTRs” — have made their way from landscaping crews to the residential market, thanks to lower prices and increased usability. This version from John Deere is a cut above the competition with its combination of value and performance. Its ample 48-inch cutting deck and robust 24-horsepower engine will make short work of lawns up to 2 acres in size. In testing, it plowed through the thickest and tallest grass, throwing a steady stream of clippings in side-discharge mode, and was equally adept at mulching shorter grass. "The washout port makes for easy cleaning of the mower deck and there's a cup holder to keep your water bottle from toppling over," notes DiClerico.
Like most zero-turn mowers, the John Deere is controlled with a pair of levers, known as lap bars. This allows for exceptional speed and handling, but it does take some getting used to. In the last year, several brands have come out with ZTRs that have a steering wheel or joystick controls, which makes operating them easier. See our full article on zero turn mowers for more recommendations.
Our experts like the versatility of this 30-inch wide, six-speed compact ride-on mower, which is slim enough to fit through a standard 42-inch gate and takes up less storage space than other ride-ons. Plus the 16-inch turning radius makes it easier to maneuver and because the engine is in the back, you have an unobstructed view.
This mower has many features our pros look for, like LED headlights, a battery-level indicator and a cup holder to make mowing comfortable and convenient. It’s battery-powered and a single charge lasts up to an acre or one hour. This mower has nearly 800 five-star reviews at Home Depot and a 4.3 rating; many consumers say they like the easy maintenance of battery-powered machines since you don't have to deal with oil changes and broken belts.
Our experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute start by assessing the current marketplace to identify the lawn mowers and tractors you’re most likely to find at home centers and online. From there, we focus on brands that have performed the best and proven the most reliable through years of outdoor power equipment tests. Hands-on testing starts with a thorough review of technical and performance data points, covering such factors as cutting swaths, noise and battery run times, when applicable.
To measure all-important cutting performance, our experts test mowers and tractors on a variety of terrains, from hilly to flat and on many types of turf grass. Usability tests take into account handle comfort, how easy it is to raise and lower the deck and how easy it is to mount and dismount the grass bag. "We even look at whether the tires have a tendency to pick up wet grass clippings," notes Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics’ Senior Home Editor, who teamed up with us for this report.
Experts evaluate lawn mower assembly, noting how long the process takes and any challenges encountered.
Our team also keeps up with the latest models and innovations at trade shows and other industry events.
The two main classifications are walk-behind or riding mowers, and the size and slope of your yard will be the main factors for choosing the right option. As a simple rule of thumb, you should get a walk-behind mower if you have less than ½ an acre or 10,000 square feet of grass space. (Pro tip: Berendsohn says instead of considering the overall lot acreage, it’s better to look specifically at how much lawn you have to mow.) Anything more and you’ll want to opt for a riding option.
✔️ Walk-behinds come in three basic types:
✔️ Riding mowers are available in both manual and automatic transmissions (much like a car) as well as hydrostatic, which uses fluid instead of belts for power transfer.
✔️ Robotic mowers are like robotic vacuums but for the yard. The autonomous, battery-powered machines cut the grass according to programmable schedules, staying within wiring that you put around the perimeter of your property.
Several major brands, including Husqvarna, Toro and EcoFlow are launching new robotic lawn mowers in 2023 that use vision-based navigation systems to map your yard, eliminating the need for perimeter wires. "We've seen prototypes of this new breed of mower and can't wait to test them out," says Dan DiClerico. "If the technology lives up to the promise, it will make robotics even more user-friendly." Stay tuned for further updates!
For a more detailed breakdown of the types of mowers, check out Popular Mechanics' lawn mower buying guide.
Once you determine the type of mower or tractor you want, there is a slew of other considerations you should be mindful of:
✔️ Power source: Most mowers and tractors still run on gas, so you'll have the widest selection in this category, along with solid performance. But gas mowers are the noisiest, plus they require routine maintenance (like oil changes) and their fuel gives off emissions. Battery-powered eliminate the noise and fumes, and many models cut as well as gas mowers. They tend to be more expensive though and their hefty battery packs add to their weight. Corded electric mowers run on electricity. You don't have to worry about them running out of power, but the cord is a nuisance, so our experts recommend them only for very small lawns.
✔️ Wheel size: Uniform front and back wheel sizes generally provide the best maneuverability over even lawns, including tipping the mower back to make U-turns at the end of a row. If your yard has a lot of rough terrain, look for slightly larger rear wheels.
✔️ Cutting options: Mowers can mulch, side discharge or bag clippings. Some mowers can only support one type of cutting option, some two and some all three. What you are trying to accomplish and how frequently you cut your lawn will determine what's ideal for you. Here's what our experts have to say:
✔️ Features: For riding mowers, extras like an ergonomic seat and cup holder may not be deciding factors, but they sure are nice to have. Cruise control is another nice-to-have, as is an automatic drive for adjusting speeds. Some tractors have the ability to switch mowing modes without a manual blade change. For cordless electric walk-behind machines, some have removable batteries, which makes storage and charging simpler.
✔️ Warranty: Look for a robust warranty to ensure if something goes wrong you’ll be covered — especially with expensive riding mowers and tractors. The industry standard is two to three years, but some models come with warranties of five years or more.
✔️ Storage space: Most electric push models can be put away vertically to save storage space, but only specific gas models can handle vertical storage, as it requires special engine seals to ensure gas won’t leak out.
✔️ Budget: Lawn mower models start at a few hundred dollars, but prices can climb well into the thousands. In the end, you'll have to weigh performance, comfort and durability with cost.
Rachel Rothman brings more than a decade of extensive hands-on testing of lawn care equipment, leveraging her training in mechanical engineering and applied mathematics. In her role as chief technologist and director of engineering at the Institute, Rachel helped develop the test protocol for this category. Rachel has also tested dozens of lawn mower and tractors in recent years at her home on Long Island, NY.
Lynn Redmile is a Testing and Product Review Analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she's been evaluating products, including all types of outdoor power equipment, since 2012. Rachel and Lynn worked closely with Dan DiClerico, the Director of the GH Institute's Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab. Dan has tested and written about outdoor power equipment, including lawn mowers and tractors, for nearly 25 years. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping, his expertise appeared in Consumer Reports and This Old House. He has personally tested lawn care equipment from more than a dozen leading brands and he is a regular at trade shows where he stays up to date on the latest innovations.
Rachel Rothman (she/her) is the chief technologist and executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she oversees testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also manages GH’s growing research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. During her 15 years at Good Housekeeping, Rachel has had the opportunity to evaluate thousands of products, including toys and cars for GH’s annual awards programs and countless innovative breakthroughs in consumer tech and home improvement.
Lynn Redmile (she/her) is a contributing product reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she's been evaluating beauty, textiles, home, pet and cleaning products since 2012. She brings over 30 years of data analysis experience to the role. When she’s not managing testing data, you’ll find Lynn photographing jazz musicians, dancing and traveling to experience new cultures and food.
Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.
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