We Tested These Mowers To Find the Best One for Your Yard (2024)

Our Top Picks

After six months of testing through different weather and grass conditions, the Ego Power+ 21-inch Self-Propelled Mower is our top pick for most yards. We found it easy to use on different terrains and around obstacles, and we loved how it kept our grass nicely manicured all season long.

Powered by an included 56-volt, 7.5 Ah battery, the mower can run up to one hour before needing a recharge, meaning you'll be able to mow just about any lawn up to 0.50 acre on a single charge. Our small Iowa lawn (less than a quarter acre) was easily completed before the battery ran down. However, if you have a bigger lawn, we love that the battery is compatible with other Ego Power+ tools (like cordless leaf blowers and hedge trimmers), so you can easily swap it out with another without having to wait for it to recharge.

Overall, we loved how easy it was to start, remove, and empty the bag and adjust the six different cutting heights (between 1.5 to 4 inches) of this mower. Even after we were away for 10 days, the mower tackled the tall, thicker grass without an issue, and thanks to how easy it is to adjust the cutting height, we could easily move it up and down with one hand when we came across any uneven areas. Mowing leaves or damp grass was also easy, and we never encountered any issues with the mower getting clogged.

We like that you can set the mower's "walking speed" to match your own pace, from a leisurely 0.9 mph to a more brisk 3.1 mph. We kept it on the slow side, and it was easy to mow up and down a small slope and around trees. But if you'd rather push the mower yourself, you can shut the self-propelled feature off and operate it without it.

Keep in mind that if you've never used a self-propelled mower before, it might take a little bit of getting used to. We found that there was a slight learning curve to adjusting the speed and not letting the mower pull us rather than us guiding it. Plus, the instructions weren't as clear as we'd like. However, once we became accustomed to the feel of the mower propelling itself, it was very easy to maneuver around trees and other obstacles.

This mower includes three different ways to deal with the grass clippings, which we also found easy to use: It can mulch the grass clippings, spew them as-is out the side, or collect them in the included 2-bushel bag. It has LED headlights, so you can easily see your path, even if cutting at dawn or dusk, and folds to save storage space.

_{Cutting Width:21 inches | Power Type:Battery | Weight:82 pounds | Cutting Options:Bag, mulch, side-discharge}

If you have a yard less than 0.25 acres, we recommend this Greenworks mower as a budget pick that provides excellent performance at a fraction of the price. For the first cut of the year, we used this electric mower in a small yard that was overgrown and full of weeds, and it navigated the bumpy, uneven terrain with ease. We like how easy it is to set up and store, although folding it up can be tricky until you get the hang of it.

We don’t recommend this mower for yards bigger than about 0.25 acres due to the small deck, which is only 16 inches wide. It worked well for our small yard, providing excellent maneuverability that allowed us to mow areas that our landscaper would usually trim with a weed whacker, which is the benefit of such a narrow deck. The downside is that each cut is less than 16 inches wide, so bigger yards would take too long to cut.

This is a corded electric mower, which has both benefits and drawbacks. We liked that we didn’t have to worry about charging batteries (or losing a charger), but it requires an extension cord, which is an additional expense. Greenworks says you can use it with an extension cord with a gauge thickness of 14 AWG or lower and no longer than 150 feet, but that isn’t a big issue since this mower is best with small lawns anyway.

We had a few problems with the extension cord coming unplugged, but the cord retainer did help a little. Mowing with a power cord trailing behind was also a learning experience, as you need to take care not to trip or mow over it. We accidentally ran over the cord once, and it blew a fuse in the house, so it’s important to take care when using corded lawn care equipment.

We think this mower is a great option for anyone with a small lawn who doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of batteries or gas. It has a narrow cutting deck, but it’s maneuverable and very easy to use. It isn’t self-propelled, but at just 48 pounds, that isn’t really an issue. It even comes with a bag for your clippings, or you can use the included plug to mulch as you mow.

_{Cutting Width: 16 inches | Power Type: Electric (cord) | Weight: 48 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch}

Self-propelled mowers perform all the same functions to the same level as other mowers while also taking some of the effort out of mowing and setting a pace that’s neither too slow nor too fast. This Toro mower is our favorite self-propelled option because the 22-inch deck is perfect for small to medium-sized yards (up to half an acre), the 60 V battery provides enough power to mow that much lawn, and the well-designed self-propulsion system allows you to set your own pace rather than forcing you to keep up.

We used this mower on a 0.25-acre lawn, and we think it’s a good fit for lawns up to twice that size (which is exactly what Toro recommends). It consistently handled our lawn in about 20 minutes, with half of the battery life left, so we wouldn’t recommend using it with lawns bigger than 0.25 acres.

This mower sliced through dense grass, ran up and down inclines, and maneuvered over roots and around tree trunks with ease. Throughout all that, the self-propelled system allowed us to set our own pace, so we never felt rushed or like we had to slow down, even when moving up or down inclines. We felt very safe with the self-propelled system, especially since the mower immediately shuts off and stops moving if you let go of the blade control bar on the handle.

We also like how quick and straightforward the initial setup process was, and how easy it is to adjust the deck height and cutting modes. We initially had some trouble attaching the bag, but it was easy enough once we figured it out. The manual was also a little confusing on the topic of adjusting the deck height, but that turned out to be easy as well. The cutting options are also very flexible, and you can switch between bagging, mulching mode, and side discharge without removing the bag.

_{Cutting Width: 22 inches | Power Type: Battery (60V) | Weight: 85 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, side discharge, mulch}

For lawns up to 0.75 of an acre, we found this self-propelled battery-powered lawn mower from Ryobi to be a powerful and easy-to-use option. Thanks to the powerful 40-volt, 6.0 Ah battery and brushless motor, it gives you up to 70 minutes of run time (10 minutes more than our best overall). Like our best overall, the Ego Power+ Mower, it has a 21-inch deck, but it provides even more cutting heights (seven ranging from 1.5 to 4 inches), so you can cleanly cut even tall or thick grass with ease.

While testing, we found that it handled slopes and bumpy ground with ease. Start-up couldn't be easier; just push the power button, and you're on your way. We found it easy to assemble and really appreciated how easy it was to use all of the settings without a struggle or any confusion.

We tried this mower for our very first mowing session of the season. The lawn was close to six inches high and had a light covering of dead leaves. The mower had no issues with the tall grass and easily sliced through it. We did find that while trying out the clippings bag, some grass blew out around the bag’s edges, but other than that, it did an excellent job of cleanly cutting the lawn.

The mower performed beautifully on the subsequent two test mows and was easy to maneuver. We kept the self-propel speed on the lowest setting for most of our test period, as it is quite fast on high. It continued to perform well over time after that, and we fell in love with the self-propelled feature, which helped us tackle uneven ground and hills with little effort.

Similar to the Ego, you can mulch your grass clippings, discharge them to the side, or catch them in the included easy-lift bag. The bag is very simple to remove from the mower without fuss or strain, although we found it a bit tricky to replace. There is an LED headlight that comes in handy when mowing very early in the morning or after dusk, and once you're finished for the day, the mower folds for compact vertical storage, a feature we especially loved.

_{Cutting Width:21 inches | Power Type:Battery | Weight:75 pounds | Cutting Options:Bag, mulch, side-discharge}

The Toro Smartstow 21455 has everything we look for in a gas mower—a powerful four-stroke motor, a wide 22-inch deck, adjustable self-propelled movement, and the option to bag or mulch your clippings. We used it to tackle a 0.5-acre lawn on the first cut of the year with exceptionally long grass in some spots, and then mowed one more time after the grass had grown, and it started up with just two pull each time—no struggling with the pull cord or messing around with the choke needed.

We were impressed with this mower's performance and how it handled our overgrown grass and hilly terrain in the front and backyard. It was a little tough to maneuver between newly planted trees along our fence line (it’s especially tough to make sharp turns), and it struggled when it hit some very long patches of grass (about eight inches), but it performed well aside from that.

When we accidentally hit a rock we missed when cleaning up after planting our trees, we were pleased to see the mower automatically shut down rather than shoot the rock out dangerously. After clearing the problem, it started back up without issue, and it’s good to know that the safety shutoff works so fast.

We did have to empty the bag more than we’d like (about every 15 minutes), but it does have a mulch option if repeatedly emptying grass clippings sounds like a hassle. It has Toro’s Recycler system that uses air vents in the deck to hold clippings aloft and repeatedly cut them into very fine pieces, so it’s very good at mulching.

_{Cutting Width: 22 inches | Power Type: Gas | Weight: 71 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch}

This is a battery-powered riding mower, but it certainly doesn’t lack for power; Ryobi claims its four included batteries—two 80-volt, 10-amp hour and two 40-volt, 12-amp hour—provide the equivalent of 31 horsepower and can handle up to 3 acres of lawn on a single charge. While the lawn we tested this mower in isn’t that large (a half-acre property in Iowa), we didn’t come close to draining the batteries during our testing sessions. And we agree that this riding mower is loaded with power.

But that’s not all we loved about this zero-turn mower. Unlike other riding mowers we tested, this one uses Ryobi’s iDrive joystick rather than a steering wheel, pedals, or levers to steer the machine and control its speed. We found it very easy to use, making driving the mower a lot of fun. The mower has a 42-inch deck (double the length of our best overall pick), a cutting height range of 1.5 inches to 4.5 inches that is easily set with a single lever, and four cutting blades; we found that it easily handled tall grass, thick weeds, wet turf, and small lawn debris without a hitch.

We also found it very quiet—we were able to converse with nearby family members with the mower powered on. It also has excellent suspension that absorbs bumps and vibration, making the ride very smooth and comfortable. And as with all zero-turn mowers, it turns on a dime, making it easy to maneuver around all manners of obstacles.

We were consistently impressed with this mower's performance level in various weather conditions. We have avoided using it on a slope in our yard when it's wet due to concerns about slipping, but we haven't experienced any problems mowing wet grass. On hot days, we love not needing to deal with gas exhaust.

We also loved all of the extras: It has headlights, cup holders, and USB ports for powering up your phone. It discharges clippings to the side, but you can purchase a bagger or mulching kit separately if desired.

Note that we had a bumpy start when we initially received this zero-turn mower, as our first machine had an electrical defect that rendered it unusable. However, the manufacturer not only sent a technician to attempt to figure out the problem but ultimately quickly replaced the mower with a new one that arrived fully assembled and ready to go. We were impressed with the excellent quality of service.

While this mower might not be the best choice for everyone's budget, it's a great zero-turn mower to splurge on, and we found that it saves you time, especially compared to tractor models we've used in the past.

_{Cutting Width:42 inches | Power Type:Battery | Weight:700 pounds | Cutting Options:Side discharge}

If you have a yard up to 4 acres in size and you want the power and performance of a commercial riding mower, we recommend this beast from Toro. It has a 50-inch deck allows you to cut wide and cut fast; the top speed is 7 mph. We tested this mower on a property with a lot of trees and other obstacles and definitely found the zero-turn function to be handy as we quickly swung around whatever came our way, yet still managed to mow cleanly, very close to all obstacles.

It did take us a bit of time to get the hang of using hand levers to control the mower's speed, direction, brakes, and blade engagement, but once we did, we found it very easy to maneuver. We slipped a bit while mowing a wet slope, but otherwise, we had no problems tackling tall and thick grass, wet grass, and small yard debris like twigs and leaves. It's also very easy to set the cutting height, which ranges from 1.5 inches to 4.5 inches.

Some riding mowers can be rather bumpy or have a lot of vibration, but thanks to Toro's MyRide suspension system, we found this mower to be very smooth and comfortable, even when mowing over rough terrain. It gave the lawn an even cut, leaving it looking professionally groomed. The clippings shot out far enough to the side to avoid unsightly clumps. If you prefer a bagger or mulching kit, you can purchase those separately.

While it does require periodic oil and filter changes, it's designed to make the procedure as easy as possible, with no tools required. We appreciated the built-in cup holder but did note that, unlike many other riding mowers, this one does not have headlights. Still, while admittedly an investment, we feel the power and performance of this commercial-quality mower make it worth the cost if you have a large property.

This mower had a bit of a learning curve at first, but we got used to it pretty fast. We have no issues using it anymore, and in fact, we find ourselves mowing the lawn more often (one to two times a week) just because it's so easy, and frequent mowing is better for healthy grass. Just note that depending on the obstacles in your yard, you may still need to use a trimmer and push mower—we've found that certain areas are hard to maneuver around and require additional tools to keep our yard looking its best.

_{Cutting Width:50 inches | Power Type:Gas | Weight:694 pounds | Cutting Options:Bag, mulch, side-discharge}

If you'd prefer to remain comfortably indoors while someone—or something—else does the mowing for you, then the Worx WR155 Landroid M is the mower of your dreams. This robotic lawn mower can handle lawns up to 0.50 acre in size, and once you set out the perimeter wires to keep it safely contained and download the Landroid app onto your phone, you're ready to set it loose. We used one to mow a small 500-square-foot lawn with a flower bed obstacle, and we loved how it took over mowing duties for us after an initially difficult setup process.

If the Landroid bumps into an obstacle, it automatically stops and heads in a different direction. We found that it respects boundaries and stops when it encounters an area it shouldn't, like the flower area in our yard. While its movements across your lawn look random, it follows a complex algorithm that lets it cover the yard without missing spots. The blades will automatically lift when going over rough terrain, but Worx recommends not letting it operate in a very rugged area, full of rocks, or with inclines of more than 20 degrees.

This mower "knows" when the grass is too wet for mowing and will automatically return to its dock when it rains. It also easily handles narrow pathways and can cut right up to the edges of your lawn, something other robotic mowers struggle with. While this isn't an inexpensive option, it's worth it if you don't want to take time out of your schedule for regular lawn maintenance.

Our only complaints about this mower involve the initial setup and the complicated app. The setup process is very involved, even for a small yard, since you need to lay down a perimeter cable to show the mower where it's okay to go and then use the app to set up a mowing schedule. The app wasn't very clear or intuitive, and while we eventually got it working, we wish it had been easier.

_{Cutting Width:8 inches | Power Type:Battery | Weight:21 pounds | Cutting Options:Mulch}

Although we didn't test this manual mower, it's consistently one of the highest-rated reel mowers by pleased buyers. We like that it can tackle up to 0.25 of an acre and is lightweight and easy to maneuver at 19 pounds. With this old-fashioned, environmentally friendly manual reel mower, it's just you, your lawn, and the snip-snip of the four blades as they rapidly spin while making perfect cuts through your grass.

This mower has a 14-inch deck and adjustable cutting heights from 0.50 to 1.75 inches. It can easily handle grass no more than four inches high, especially fine-bladed cool-season grasses like bluegrass, fescue, or rye. However, you'll need to clear out sticks, small rocks, and other debris, as they can jam the blades if you mow over them.

This mower requires very little maintenance. You'll need to sharpen the blades every few years and wipe them off after cutting the grass for best performance. That's about it. The clippings deposit right onto the grass, where you can leave them or rake them up if desired. However, American Lawn Mower Company sells a separate catch-bag for this manual mower.

_{Cutting Width:14 inches | Power Type:Manual | Weight:19 pounds | Cutting Options:Not applicable}

Final Verdict

After six months of testing, the Ego Power+ 21-Inch Self-Propelled Mower is our best overall pick. We love that it is powerful enough to tackle tough grass and terrain, but lightweight and simple to use. But if you are looking for something that's best suited for large lawns with lots of obstacles to mow around, the Ryobi Brushless 42-Inch Electric Zero Turn Riding Mower (our best zero-turn pick) is extremely maneuverable and can mow several acres on one charge.

Husqvarna Automower 430XH: This impressive smart mower is entirely automated and also interfaces with a phone app and smart home systems like Alexa and Google Home for remote monitoring and operation. It’s rated for 1/2 to 1-acre yards, and we tested one in a 15,000-square-foot yard (about 1/3 of an acre) after consulting with Husqvarna regarding the complexity of the yard. We were impressed with the performance overall and thought it would work very well in a large, uncomplicated yard without many features and obstructions.

The setup is very complicated and requires a lot of fine-tuning of the boundary line, which is why we don’t recommend this mower to everyone. Once we had it set up and fine-tuned, it didn’t have any trouble driving up and down slopes, and it even navigated up and over exposed tree roots without issue.

FAQ

• How often should you replace a lawn mower?

  If you take good care of your lawn mower, paying attention to regular maintenance and storing it properly in between uses, you can expect the tool to last five to 10 years or even longer. However, gas lawn mowers usually last longer than battery mowers.

  Some signs that it’s time to shop for a new mower include clouds of smoke from the exhaust, unusual engine noises, cracked or damaged shafts, inability to start the mower or keep it running, or excessive vibration. Of course, you might also want to buy a new mower if you redo your yard to include a much larger or smaller lawn, or if you move to a new home with different landscaping needs.

• What type of lawn mower lasts the longest?

  You can usually expect a gas-powered walk-behind lawn mower to last longer than a battery-powered mower. However, there are many variables that affect the longevity of a lawn mower, including how often you use it, the type of grass you’re cutting, the terrain you mow over, and how well you take care of your mower.

• What is the best month to buy a lawn mower?

  If you’re in the market for a new lawn mower, you’ll typically find the best selection at your local home improvement center in the spring, when the growing season gets underway, and homeowners start to think about beautifying their yards. But the summer holidays of Memorial Day and Independence Day, as well as Father’s Day to a lesser extent, usually mean big sales on outdoor equipment and tools, including lawn mowers, so that might be a good time to purchase that mower you’ve been eyeing. If you can wait, though, and are willing to take a chance on not finding the exact model you most want, retailers usually sharply cut prices on lawn mowers at the end of autumn, as they want to make room for seasonal winter products.

• How often should you change your lawn mower oil?

  The oil (and oil filter, if it has one) on your gas-powered lawn mower should be changed after every 50 hours of use, assuming it does not have a filter. If it has a filter, you can change it every 200 hours. At a minimum, change your oil at least once per season. It’s important to change the oil in your lawn mower to reduce friction between its moving metal parts and protect the life of your engine.

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