Best Lawn Mowers

Buying guide for Best lawn mowers

Whether you’ve got a trim little square of grass in front of your house or acres of sprawling pasture behind your barn, your lawn mower plays a huge role in the landscaping of your property. As such, you undoubtedly want a machine that gives the best performance possible. In fact, during certain times of the year, you may use your lawn mower more than once per week. The ideal lawn mower is a durable, high-quality machine that will serve you for many years without fail.

How do you decide which lawn mower to buy? The market offers so many choices, from rotary mowers that cost under $100 to robotic lawn mowers that cost upwards of $1,000. If you’re thinking of getting a new lawn mower, there are a few things you'll want to consider in order to make an informed decision.

Can't decide between a push mower and a riding mower? Luke, our professional landscaping consultant, offers this advice:

Why buy a walk-behind lawn mower?

If you’re considering a walk-behind lawn mower, chances are high that you don’t have acres of grass to contend with on a weekly basis. If you did, you’d probably be seriously considering a riding lawn mower instead.

But riding lawn mowers can be pricey, and they consume lots of storage space. If your yard is small, investing in such a large machine could be overkill.

A walk-behind mower is a great choice for homes with small- and medium-sized yards. Walk-behind lawn mowers also offer more precision than riding mowers, as they are easier to manipulate in small spaces.

Types of lawn mowers

There are several types of walk-behind lawn mowers. Each has its own unique set of characteristics.

Push mowers

A push mower’s engine powers the blade. In turn, the blade rotates and cuts the lawn. All of the “forward drive” is human-powered; you rely on your own muscle to propel the machine. If you have a small, even lot — or if you just like the exercise — a push mower could be the right choice for you.

Self-propelled mowers

A self-propelled lawn mower uses energy from the engine to power the wheels. Sometimes, just the front or back wheels receive power; other times, the lawn mower has all-wheel drive.

These mowers are wonderful for lots of reasons. If you have a large lot, need to mow rough terrain, or suffer from physical weakness or fatigue, a self-propelled mower could be your best bet.

Gas lawn mowers

If you own a gas-powered lawn mower, you must refill the gas tank periodically. This costs money, and as the gas combusts, it releases emissions into the air that aren’t great for the environment.

But gas mowers tend to wield more power, so if you’ve got a large lawn or thick patches of grass or other tough growth to tackle, a gas-powered machine could be the better choice.

Electric lawn mowers

Electric mowers come with a battery that you must charge. The battery powers the blade’s rotation. This is a more environmentally friendly option than a traditional gas-powered motor.

Gas-powered lawn mowers employ the same internal combustion engine technology that most cars use to run.

Electric mowers don’t require engine maintenance, but they have their downsides. Some are less powerful than gas mowers, and some have a limited battery life, which can be frustrating. And electric lawn mowers that tether you to a cord while mowing can be very inconvenient.

When assembling a shortlist of the top lawn mowers, we consider which sizes would be most useful for owners of small plots or large green spaces.

Digging deeply into available lawn mowers has yielded a variety of effective choices with gas, electric, or manual operation.

Our research has turned up a wide selection of compact, efficient models as well as high-speed mulching mowers.

In our search for the best lawn mowers, we’re careful to recommend only models that are highly durable and easy to use.

When looking for the best lawn mowers for in-depth review, we include some cordless electric models that can help cut emissions and save on gas.

We started our search with well-known brands, because you’re more likely to be happy with a purchase from a major manufacturer with a good reputation.

Topping our list of best lawn mowers is a handful of models with ergonomic designs meant to minimize strain.

Our in-depth investigation helped us understand the refinements and improvements made to gas mowers in recent years.

With so many lawn mowers to choose from, we’ve done the legwork for you and evaluated which are the most powerful, cost-effective, and easy to use.

We looked for the best compact lawn mowers for people who don’t have much ground to cover.

Features to consider

Do you want an entry-level lawn mower or a more advanced model? The answer to that question depends on your budget as well as your personal preferences. Below are some of the more notable lawn mower features to consider when you’re shopping.

Mulching capabilities

Still other lawn mowers include mulching capabilities. These machines hold on to the clippings and cut them into smaller bits before depositing them back onto the lawn.

Self-propelling system

Powered by a drive system, the wheels of a self-propelled lawn mower turn automatically. Some people prefer a self-propelled mower because it requires less physical effort from them.

However, some people like the exercise they get when using a push mower.

Self-propelled lawn mowers are typically controlled in one of four ways: squeezing a bail, pushing a lever, squeezing a lever, or pushing a handle to increase/decrease speed.

Clippings collection

Some walk-behind lawn mowers come with a bagging system that collects clippings. The bag typically hangs under the steering handle of the mower. If you’re an active gardener, this option is a must-have.

You may also want this feature if you have to clean up clippings due to thick or coarse grass in your yard. Bear in mind, however, that you’ll have to empty the bag of clippings periodically with this feature.

Push-button start

Many lawn mower models no longer have the traditional pull cord start mechanism. Instead, they have a push-button start.

So if you’re sick of wrenching your arm every time you want to start the lawn mower, consider a machine that activates with the push of a button.

Electric mowers start like this, as do some gas models.

How to make your lawn mower last

A lawn mower that’s well-maintained can last 10 years or more. But neglecting to properly care for your lawn mower can easily cut that time in half.

Some manufacturers rate their lawn mowers based on how many hours the machines will supposedly last. Cheaper lawn mowers may be rated to last 200 hours or less. High-end models can be rated for 500 hours or more.

From these figures, you could deduce that a larger yard reduces the lifespan of a lawn mower. But there are steps you can take to make your lawn mower last as long as possible.

• Change your gas-powered lawn mower’s oil regularly. Just like a car, a gas-powered lawn mower needs regular oil maintenance. Check the oil after every eight hours of use. The darker the oil, the more urgently it needs a change. Fresh oil is amber.

• If your lawn mower has an air filter, change it every 25 hours

• Periodically check your lawn mower’s fuel filter. It should be clean. If it’s not, replace it, as cleaning it yourself may damage it.

• Conduct a regular check on the mower’s spark plugs. If you’re unsure how to do this, consider purchasing a lawn mower tune-up kit from your local lawn and garden store. Or, take your machine to a professional.

• Examine the blade for damage. Power down your mower and let it cool off before you do this. If it’s electric, unplug it first. Then, examine the blade for nicks, dents, and other types of damage. The manufacturer may recommend blade sharpening or even blade replacement.

Lawn mower prices

$80 to $150

In this price range, you will find smaller corded electric lawn mowers and basic gas-powered push mowers.

If your mowing chores are few, this could be all you need.

$150 to $250

In this price range, you’ll find lawn mowers with clipping collection mechanisms and more powerful engines. You may even find a cordless, battery-powered push mower on sale.

$250 and up

In this bracket, you’ll find more powerful electric lawn mowers with 18- to 58-volt electric batteries. Gas-powered push mowers with high-powered engines also sit in this price range, as do some self-propelled mowers.

Tips

• Some lawn mowers have a port that allows a hose plug-in. That hose rinses out clippings under the mower deck. This is convenient because you don’t have to tip the machine to wash the clippings out of the mower.

• Many electric mowers come with a removable battery option. This is helpful, as you can store the battery where temperatures aren’t as extreme.

• Some mowers have a blade-brake clutch feature that allows you to stop the blade but not the engine. This feature is good for picking up debris in your way while mowing. Notably, you should always exercise caution when picking up debris around a lawn mower.

• The batteries on some electric lawn mowers may also charge other equipment, such as leaf blowers and trimmers.

• Some gas-powered lawn mowers have a no-prime feature that allows for quicker starts.

• Engines come in different power ranges, usually from 140cc to 190cc. If you’re dealing with crabgrass or tend to cut taller, wetter grass, we recommend a lawn mower with a more powerful engine.

• Some lawn mowers come with a folding handle that takes less space to store.

Wheel size can vary from one lawn mower to the next. Larger back wheels are commonly found on self-propelled lawn mowers; they help move the mower over rough terrain. If you need to mow in tight spaces, however, consider a lawn mower with uniform wheel sizes.

FAQ

Q. What type of lawn mower is best for which terrain?    

A. If your lawn is rough or has many slopes to it, we recommend a machine with large back wheels. For many folks, the ideal product in this scenario would be a self-propelled lawn mower, since that leads to less physical exertion.

However, if you’re able-bodied and have a smaller yard with more even terrain, you could easily get by with a push mower.

Q. What type of upkeep does a lawn mower need?

A. A gas-powered mower needs the same type of upkeep that a car does: oil changes, air filter changes, new spark plugs. An electric mower doesn’t have these needs, but you might have to eventually replace the battery.

Q. Aren’t electric mowers considered the weaker choice?

A. Not as much by today’s standards. Thanks to advanced lithium-ion technology, batteries are more powerful and hold charges much better than they used to. Some electric lawn mowers can even match gas-powered mowers in terms of sheer power.