How Much Does a Lawn Mower Cost in 2023?
How much you spend on a lawn mower depends on the kind of mower you need. If your lawn is small, you could opt for a low-cost reel mower for about 115 on average. However, if you need a riding mower for a large property, it would cost an average of 3,070.
The walk-behind mower, which is the most common style for homeowners, costs an average of 475. Robotic mowers (which work like a Roomba for your lawn) typically cost about 450,320 or even higher for certain models and brands.
Average costs of lawn mowers in 2023
| Average reel mower cost | 115 |
| Average walk-behind mower cost | 475 |
| Average riding mower cost | 3,070 |
| Average robotic mower cost | 450,320 |
The most affordable option is the reel mower, with an average price of 115, followed by walk-behind mowers, which cost 475 on average. With an average cost of 450,320 and 3,070, respectively, robotic mowers and riding mowers are a lot more expensive—but they’re also more convenient.
All the average used in this article are based on the most current from manufacturers’ websites, as well as Amazon, Home Depot, and Lowe’s.
Cost by type of lawn mower
There are many different types of lawn mowers — it follows that they all have different price points. The kind of mower you want significantly impacts the cost. Below is detailed pricing information for different types of lawn mowers.
Reel lawn mower
Reel lawn mowers are popular because they’re cheap, portable, and easy to use. They’re muscle-powered, meaning there is no motor. You provide the force that makes the blades turn as you push the mower. Due to the physical effort required, reel mowers are best suited for small lawns.
Electric push lawn mower
Corded electric lawn mowers and lithium-ion battery-powered lawn mowers are the two types of electric push mowers. Although cordless (battery-powered) lawn mowers are suitable for lawns of all sizes because they’re not limited by cord length, corded models are often lighter and less expensive.
Gas push lawn mower
Although gas-powered lawn mowers are significantly heavier and more expensive than their electric counterparts, they are easy to maneuver and are not limited by cord range. They are powerful enough to cut through dense, thick, or tall grass in less time.
When thinking about the cost of a gas mower, remember to factor in the cost of lawn mower maintenance over time, which includes fuel, oil changes, and filter changes.
Electric self-propelled lawn mower
Self-propelled mowers look just like push mowers, but they’re easier on the user because the motor automatically drives the machine forward. All you have to do is stand behind the mower and guide it where you want it to go.
Electric, battery-powered self-propelled mowers tend to be expensive because it takes a very heavy-duty battery to power the self-propelling feature.
Gas self-propelled lawn mower
Most self-propelled mowers are powered by gas. Compared to their electric counterparts, gas options are cheaper and more convenient because they run for much longer on a tank of gas than electric models run on a single charge.
Again, though, a gas mower will cost you more in maintenance over time.
Robotic lawn mower
A robotic mower is entirely automatic, so it’s perfect for homeowners who spend much of their time away from home or just hate mowing the lawn. Robotic mowers look and operate just like a Roomba automatic vacuum. Some models use GPS to program specific routes, but most are guided by boundary wires that help them identify areas to mow.
Rear-engine riding mower
| Cheapest rear-engine riding mower | 450,800 |
| Average rear-engine riding mower cost | 3,195 |
| Most expensive rear-engine riding mower | 5,500 |
The rear-engine riding mower is for people who need more than a walk-behind mower but less than a full-fledged lawn tractor. The engine is located in the rear of the mower behind the operator’s seat, while the mower deck is located under the operator’s seat. The mower deck is typically between 30 and 33 inches and is suited for properties less than 2.5 acres.
Lawn tractors
Lawn tractors are the most popular kind of riding mower. Because of their expansive mowing deck (between 30 and 60 inches), they are a good choice for large properties. Most lawn tractors can be equipped with numerous attachments for tasks such as snow removal, plowing, or hauling.
Zero-turn lawn mower
The zero-turn lawn mower is known as the king of lawn mowers. Its ability to rotate and make sharp turns allows it to get closer to obstacles and provides exceptional all-around cutting performance.
Another advantage of the zero-turn is its speed (up to 10 mph) and maneuverability, which allow the user to mow the lawn in the shortest amount of time. The zero-turn has a steep learning curve, is not attachment friendly, and doesn’t work very well on bumpy, uneven lawns.
Other factors that affect cost
The of products usually do not go up for no reason; several factors drive them up. In the case of lawn mowers, product features and specifications are the deciding factors. Below are the various factors that affect the cost of a lawn mower (other than the basic type, which we went over above).
Power source
Lawn mowers have different power sources, hence the differences in how they work and how much they cost. For push mowers, the most common choice of homeowners, your power source options are:
Best riding lawn mowers to consider
To help you decide which riding lawn mower is best for you, we consulted experts on their recommended picks. We also narrowed down some highly rated options with varying cutting widths and power types for different size lawns and upkeep preferences. In general, experts recommended cutting widths of at least 30 inches for small yards under one acre, 36 inches for medium-sized yards (one to two acres), 42 inches for large yards (three to four acres) and 60 inches for even larger yards of five acres or more.
RYOBI 38 in. 100 Ah Electric Rear Engine Riding Lawn Mower
This electric riding mower from RYOBI is a more eco-friendly alternative to gas-powered mowers and doesn’t require the tedious gas engine maintenance. It offers a 38-inch cutting width that can be efficient for medium-sized lawns, and it features a battery that RYOBI says has up to 2.5 hours of run time for cutting up to 2.5 acres of lawn per charge. This mower also equips LED headlights, a USB phone charger and cruise control features for added efficiency, according to the brand. However, it doesn’t have a zero turn radius, meaning it may be harder to maneuver around sharp edges or obstacles in your yard.
Best gas-powered riding mower: Toro
Toro 50 in. 23 HP TimeCutter Gas Dual Hydrostatic Zero Turn Riding Mower
This zero-turn mower has a large 50-inch cutting width and can be a good selection for yards up to four acres, according to the brand. It features Toro’s Smart Speed Technology, which the brand says lets you control your mowing speed in three modes: 4 mph in trim mode, 5.5 mph in tow mode and up to 7 mph while mowing. This mower also equips a built-in cup holder for drinks, shock-absorbing dampeners that make rides smoother and a step-through front end that makes it easier to get on and off of the mower while you pick up debris or move obstacles out of the way, the brand says.
Toro 50 in. 23 HP TimeCutter Gas Dual Hydrostatic Zero Turn Riding Mower
Troy-Bilt TB 30 in. Manual Drive Gas Rear Engine Riding Lawn Mower
If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly solution to maintain a smaller yard, this compact option from Troy-Bilt offers a 30-inch deck that’s enough for yards of one acre or less. Keep in mind this does have a manual transmission — which the brand calls Shift-on-the-Go transmission — that lets you choose between six speeds and adjust it accordingly using a lever.
Troy-Bilt TB 30 in. Manual Drive Gas Rear Engine Riding Lawn Mower
Toro Titan 60 in. Gas Dual Hydrostatic Zero Turn Riding Mower
This zero-turn mower from Toro has the largest cutting width of all the options on this list at 60 inches wide, making it an efficient option for larger yards that are five acres and larger. The brand says this mower’s large cutting width can cover yards with obstacles up to seven acres, and its high maximum speed of 8.5 mph makes it the fastest option we recommend. For comfort, this mower features a high-back seat with armrests and foam-padded levers with hand grips.
Best Self-Propelled Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower
As self-propelled models, our recommendations from Milwaukee and EGO top the charts in this category, too. Here are two more outstanding options for you.
Commercial Pick: Greenworks Commercial 30-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
At Equip Expo 2022 (formerly GIE), we got our hands on the Greenworks Commercial 30-inch lawn mower. As the first in the 30-inch class for the commercial market, it’s an eye-opener for Pros who have been skeptical of battery power.
As we saw from the 25-inch version, the mower uses two side-by-side blades to achieve its cutting width. Thanks to brushless technology, it cuts with 16,000 fpm blade tip speed, making for clean cuts and efficient bagging/mulching and exceeding the power of a 200cc gas engine.
It’s Smart, too, taking advantage of 4G coverage to provide GPS tracking. On the “why didn’t they do that sooner?” list, it has a reverse function for its independent hub wheel motors.
Price: 1999.00 bare tool, 2999.00 with three 8.0Ah batteries and dual port charger.
Ryobi 40V HP Brushless CrossCut AWD Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
Ryobi crushed it with the development of the 40V HP Brushless CrossCut self-propelled lawn mower, making huge strides over its previous generation of mowers. Matching up very well against EGO’s Select Cut XP, it’s a stacked blade design that offers excellent power and cut quality. Where it has a clear advantage over its competitors is on the side discharge. This mower distributes clippings far better than other battery-powered lawn mowers we’ve tested.
With the upgrade to an all-wheel-drive system, the design team made it selectable so you can run AWD when you need it and just the rear wheels when you don’t. Plus, Ryobi builds this mower in the US using global materials.
Price: 849.00 with two 6.0Ah batteries and a Rapid charger
Toro 60V Stripe Dual-Blade Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
Toro is introducing what is probably the most compelling battery-powered lawn mower for 2023. Using its 60V battery platform for power (there are also gas models), it’s making the jump to a stacked two-blade system similar to EGO’s Select Cut and Ryobi’s CrossCut models. What Toro is doing differently is adding a built-in striping feature, leaving your lawn not with just a clean cut, but also a professional finish.
Price: 629.00 bare, 729.00 with 7.5Ah battery and charger
Best Electric Ride-On Lawn Mower
Commercial Pick: Greenworks Commercial OptimusZ Zero-Turn Lawn Mower
At Equip Expo 2023, it was clear that Pros have more battery-powered ride-on lawn mowers than ever, and more are coming. Greenworks revealed its second generation as it moves from the LithiumZ mowers to the OptimusZ line and embraces a whole-system approach.
With several ride-on and stand-on ZT options up to 60 inches, there’s a wide range for professional crews to build from with the runtime to back up a full day of mowing. Greenworks also unveiled a trailer to support a 100% battery-powered crew, including up to three ride-on/stand-on mowers. Taking it another step further, the team is also working on a version of the OptimusZ that can run with an operator or fully autonomous. We got to see a working prototype at Equip Expo.
Residential Picks
If you’re looking for a residential battery-powered riding mower, there are several really good choices. Of those, two rise above the rest this year.
EGO E-Steer Residential Zero-Turn Lawn Mower
While some will argue EGO’s 54-inch zero-turn is the better option because of its wider deck, the EGO E-Steer is turning heads this year. It has a zero turning radius but uses a steering wheel rather than lap bars for turning. If the traditional lap bar steering system has been keeping you from going to a zero-turn model, it’s a big win.
Even if you’re comfortable with lap bars, there’s still a reason to consider the E-Steer system. EGO shifted the control panel from the side of the mower to the center of the wheel. Now they’re conveniently in front of you where it’s easier to keep an eye on your battery status and make quick adjustments.
Price: 5999.00 with four 12.0Ah batteries and onboard charger (scheduled for May 2023 launch)
Ryobi 80V iDrive Zero-Turn Lawn Mower
Ryobi is also joining the alternative control group this year. These 80V zero-turn lawn mowers feature the iDrive system that uses joystick control. Whether you want to think of it as playing a video game or flying a grass-maintaining fighter jet, it doesn’t take long to get used to.
For its first-generation iDrive models, you have three deck sizes to choose from: 30, 42, or 54 inches. They primarily use a suitcase-style 80V battery that can also be supplemented by 40V batteries to extend your runtime. With performance levels reaching up to that of a 42 HP gas engine, cutting power isn’t a problem.
Best Cordless Push Lawn Mower
EGO Select Cut Push Lawn Mower
EGO’s Select Cut mowers were the first to introduce a stacked two-blade system to battery-powered lawn mowers. By cutting high first and then following with a lower cut, you get a cleaner finish with finer clippings. EGO packs that performance and a host of convenient design features into an easy-rolling push mower for those of you who don’t want or need a self-propelled model.
Price: 379.00 bare, 649.00 kit with 7.5Ah battery and Rapid charger
Best Cordless Mower for Small Lawns
Skil PWRCore 20 18-Inch Lawn Mower
The joy of a small lawn is that it doesn’t take long to cut and you can go with a smaller mower that takes up less space. A 17 or 18-inch deck is great for that kind of lawn. The good news is, you don’t have to sacrifice all the features of larger mowers to get.
Our top pick is Skil’s PWRCore 20 18-inch lawn mower. It has the benefits of a brushless motor, folds up for vertical storage, and its 20V batteries are compatible with Skil’s entire line of PWRCore 20 lawn and power tools.
Price: 299.00 with two 4.0Ah batteries and a dual-port charger.
Best Electric Lawn Mower for Large Lawns
Ryobi 80V 30-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
We knew it would take something special to displace Greenworks 60V 25-inch mower as our top choice for large lawns. It’s taken a couple of years, but Ryobi has an 80V 30-inch self-propelled model that’s taking over.
Like the iDrive ride-on mowers, the 30-inch walk-behind uses an 80V suitcase-style battery for power. The brushless motors turn two sets of stacked twin blades, making for a total of four. By going that route, Ryobi keeps the overall blade mass down while achieving the large cutting width, performance, and runtime it needs to make sure you get the job done well.
This one is slated for launch later in the Spring. Check Home Depot for availability.
Best Budget Cordless Lawn Mower
Skil PWRCore 40 20-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
Here’s the challenge: find a brushless self-propelled lawn mower with a battery and charger for under 400. When it comes to the brands we trust, there aren’t many options.
Skil offers a lot of value with its 20-inch self-propelled lawn mower. Running on the stronger PWRCore 40 line, this brushless mower has excellent all-around performance and cut quality characteristics compared to others in the same price range. If you’re trying to make the switch to battery power on a budget, Skil offers the best value self-propelled lawn mower available.
Price: 399 with 5.0Ah battery and charger
Best Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower: Options From Brands We Trust
Best Echo Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower
Echo phased out its 58V battery lineup in favor of a completely new 56V eForce line (sorry, the old batteries are not compatible with the new tools) and that includes a new mower, the self-propelled DLM-2100SP. It’s a solid design that presses all the right buttons and makes for a well-rounded machine. It doesn’t challenge the power levels of the top performers, but it doesn’t have their price tags, either.
Price: 449.00 bare, 549.00 with a 5.0Ah battery and charger
Best Greenworks Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower
Greenworks has a couple of excellent CrossoverZ battery-powered ride-on lawn mowers to choose from. They use the same 60V batteries that power its other mowers and lawn care equipment (there are 80V versions, too). The design is a very easy transition if you’re switching from a gas mower and you can choose between a zero-turn or lawn tractor design.
Best HART Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower
HART stepped up with its SUpercharge 40V brushless self-propelled mower, demonstrating that the brand can make a mower capable of cutting 3/4-acre lawns. The performance level is in the 160cc gas engine class thanks to two active battery ports and the two 6.0Ah batteries included in the kit. Compared to the mowers we’ve used from HART before, this is by far the most capable for those of you holding out for a mid-range gas replacement.
Price: 598.00 with two 6.0Ah batteries and a Rapid charger
Best Husqvarna Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower
Husqvarna launched a 20-inch commercial-grade 3-in-1 battery-powered self-propelled lawn mower with an aluminum deck and front bar to protect the battery/motor housing. The W520i notably is compatible with a battery backpack. It doesn’t fit as cleanly as Makita’s ConnectX since you still need to run an adapter into the battery slots, but it does take the weight off of your back and keep you from being tethered. It also has a higher-than-normal cutting range that tops out at 4.5 inches.
Take a look at Husqvarna’s Lawn Xpert mower—a Lowe’s exclusive for 2023!
Best Kobalt Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower
Kobalt is quietly still making excellent electric lawn mowers and the 80V line is where its performance peaks. The most recent is a 21-inch rear-wheel-drive system with an upgrade to the handle system that makes folding it forward for vertical storage easier. In addition to its excellent cutting power, Kobalt also makes efficient use of its batteries, running up 60 minutes with a 6.0Ah battery. Plus, its high 4 1/8-inch top cutting height is great for tall grass species and reclaiming neglected areas.
Price: 699.00 with a 6.0Ah battery and charger, 749.00 with two 4.0Ah batteries and charger
Best Makita Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower
One of the biggest challenges with any battery-powered electric lawn mower is runtime. Makita put that problem squarely in its crosshairs and developed the ConnectX system. Unlike other designs, the 1200Wh power supply attaches directly to the top of the mower, offering more than 3x the capacity of most cordless mowers and running up to 3 hours continuously.
Similar to the 18V X2 (36V) XML08, the mower tops out at 2800 RPM with a 2300 RPM Quiet Mode and has a true 21-inch steel deck.
Price: 949.00 bare, 1399.00 power supply (2348.00 for both)
Best STIHL Electric Battery-Powered Lawn Mower
STIHL has been a little more cautious in entering the electric lawn mower market and upgraded the line with a couple of self-propelled models. Of the two available, the STIHL RMA 510 V is your top performer. It features a 21-inch steel deck (20-inch blade) with a tougher build than the 460 series and its 3.9-inch top cutting height is appropriate for taller grass species. The one downside is that this model runs through batteries quickly compared to other self-propelled mowers.
Price: 599.99 bare, 749.99 with AP 300 battery and charger
Best Electric Lawn Mower: What We Look For
Power
Brushless motors make testing power much more challenging because of their ability to sense and adjust to the load the blade is experiencing. To gauge it, we cut an overgrown section of grass to a manageable height and follow it up by seeing how short we can cut an even standard height section of grass.
The more effectively a battery-powered lawn mower can reclaim overgrowth and the shorter it can effectively cut a baseline height, the more working power it has.
Runtime
How much runtime an electric lawn mower has is only part of the equation. The best information is how much area you can cut on a charge. We start with a section of grass cut to a standard height and then see how long we can mow on one battery charge as we cut it down to 3 inches.
Once we know that, we calculate the maximum area you should be able to mow without having to stop and recharge.
Cut Quality
We test three basic areas of cut quality: evenness, bagging efficiency, and mulching efficiency.
Evenness is simple enough—we gauge how even the cut is by looking for blades that stick out and areas that may have been cut shorter than intended.
Mulching efficiency takes in consideration the size of the clippings the mower drops and whether it creates any clumping or trailing.
Build
We consider the quality of the build based on the materials and how well the mower is put together. We’re looking for solid components that will last well beyond the warranty period, a rigid construction, and protection for the electrical components and batteries.
Hills, Slopes, and Uneven Terrain
Sure, it’s Florida and we don’t have many legit hills. But we do have sloped lakesides and ditches to go along with plenty of uneven ground. We drive or push our mowers to see how well they hold wheel traction mowing uphill, downhill, side-to-side, and bumping along.
Features
In addition to any standout features, here’s a list of the standard items we look for:
- Brushless motor
- Drive type and function
- Deck size
- Deck material
- Height adjustment
- Height range and number of levels
- Handle positions
- Discharge options
- Battery ports
Value
For our team of experts, value is much more than just price. It’s about what you get for what you pay. An expensive model may very well be the best battery mower value if it’s performing far enough ahead of the budget brands to justify it.
For the lawn perfectionist
This reliable Honda gas mower’s dual blades manicure a lawn with precision, and its unique system can dial in the ratio of grass you’re bagging and mulching.
Buying Options
At the time of publishing, the price was 699.
If you’re not ready to go cordless just yet, we recommend the self-propelled Honda HRX217VKA Lawn Mower. In terms of cut quality and the ability to maintain turf health, it’s one of the best self-propelled mowers available, due mostly to a pair of features—a two-blade cutting system that offers golf-course-like results, and a unique way to dial in a precise mulching-to-bagging ratio to compensate for various grass conditions. Combine all of that with this mower’s other strong details, like a large 200 cc engine and rear-wheel drive to help traverse tall grass or hills, and you’re getting enough to justify the steep price.
A good version of a standard mower
This dependable, popular Toro performs as well as other decent self-propelled mowers and stands out for its ability to be stored upright (like the Egos), saving valuable garage space.
Buying Options
At the time of publishing, the price was 449.
If you want to pay the lowest price possible and still get a quality self-propelled mower, we recommend the Toro SmartStow Recycler 20340. At around 450, the Toro costs less than the Egos and the Honda, and, like other good options at this price level, it offers intuitive self-propulsion and excellent mulching performance. The Toro’s unusual feature—and the reason we recommend it over a lot of similar machines—is its space-saving ability to be stowed upright in a crowded garage or shed (the Egos can be stored this way as well). However, with the Toro, you don’t get the Ego’s gas-free convenience or the Honda’s cut quality.
The best lawn mower
The self-propelled Ego LM2135SP’s battery runs for an hour and easily mows down overgrown grass—and it spares you the noise, emissions, and maintenance of a typical gas mower.
Buying Options
With Ace Rewards membership (free to join)
For the lawn perfectionist
This reliable Honda gas mower’s dual blades manicure a lawn with precision, and its unique system can dial in the ratio of grass you’re bagging and mulching.
Buying Options
At the time of publishing, the price was 699.
The research
Over the past nine mowing seasons, we’ve spent more than 120 hours researching nearly 250 mowers, interviewing experts, and extensively testing some of our top picks.
An invaluable source has been Roy Berendsohn, a Popular Mechanics lawn mower guru who has more than 20 years of experience testing and writing about mowers. If Berendsohn isn’t writing about mowers, he’s often being interviewed about them (see here and here).
We’ve interviewed landscapers, including Chad Crosby of West Michigan Lawn Services and Paul Koehler of Koehler Landscape Construction Services. We’ve called people at lawn mower retail/service outlets, like Nick Ortiz at Kellam Lawn Mower in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, and Boston Lawnmower Company’s David (who asked that his last name be withheld). We’ve talked to product managers at Honda, Toro, Troy-Bilt, Ego, Cub Cadet, and other manufacturers.
Personally, I maintain a rural property in New Hampshire that is far too large for a push mower to cover but that does provide ample room to test our recommendations. This guide’s editor, Harry Sawyers, assists with testing mowers on his LA property and draws from his previous experience as a professional landscaper.
Who this is for
If you want to be able to stand the sight of your yard this summer, you’re going to need a lawn mower. Anything larger than a half-acre gets into riding-mower territory, but a self-propelled push mower is perfect for a half-acre or less. Going at a pace of about 3 mph (roughly average walking speed), it will take about an hour to cut this amount of grass. (If you have a particularly small lawn, a reel mower is an option—but it’s quite hard work.)
If you already own a gas mower that’s less than a decade old, you will probably not notice a tremendous difference by upgrading to a newer gas mower. Upgrading to a cordless model is a more noticeable change you could immediately appreciate.
The Best Reel Mower for Your (Small) Lawn
After 30 hours researching and testing reel mowers, we think the Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower is the best pick for manual lawncare.
The Best Riding Lawn Mowers of 2023
Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.
Ryobi RY48130
The Ryobi 48V battery-powered riding mower is a small-but-powerful electric tool that will serve small to medium-sized yards well. Read
Cons
Lawn care is hard work no matter how you do it, but it’s a little bit easier when you’re able to sit down on the job. A riding mower lets you do just that, without losing a moment of productivity. And it’ll save your back, your legs, your arms, and anything else that normally hurts after you’ve pushed a lawn mower over an acre of grass.
Like with any category of tool, there are a ton of different options available for riding mowers. The first decision to make is where it gets its power. Many mowers run on traditional gasoline, but as battery power improves, more electric options are coming onto the market.
An electric mower runs quieter and emits no fumes, unlike gasoline-powered riding lawn mowers. However, gasoline mowers will run for as long as you have a can of gas handy to refill the tank, while battery-powered options can take hours to recharge.
The next choice is the size of the mower deck. The larger the deck, the faster you’ll finish cutting. But large decks are also harder to get into tight spaces, or through gates. If you plan on driving in and around a lot of obstacles or on narrow paths, then a smaller deck might be worth sacrificing mowing speed for.
Also, smaller decks tend to be more affordable than larger ones. Alongside the size of the deck is the size of the engine that powers it, generally measured in horsepower (HP). The more horsepower, the more powerful the machine.
Finally, consider the accessories that come with the mower. Some are exactly as advertised—dedicated lawn mowers that can’t serve any other functions. That said, many companies offer a wide variety of attachments, including bagging systems, dump carts, lawn aeration trailers, and even snowblowers. A good tractor can be an entire landscaping system, if you need it to be.
The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.
The Husqvarna Z254 54-inch 26 HP hydrostatic zero-turn riding lawn mower is one of those machines that might just be too much for some people. It’s an absolute monster of a lawn mower, with a 26-horsepower Kohler engine that is rated to mow 2.8 acres per hour. Despite that power, operation is reportedly smooth and quiet for a gas-powered mower. And the hydrostatic transmission is designed to be maintenance free, with no hydraulic hoses so there are few places for leaks.
The reinforced stamped steel mower deck houses three blades across its 54-inch span, reducing the number of passes that you need to make. The mower rides on 4 anti-scalping wheels, which reduce the chances of the mower deck coming in contact with the dirt and cutting the grass too close.
And air induction technology feeds into the deck to improve cutting performance and the overall health of the lawn. If power, performance, and durability are at the top of your must-haves list, then the Husqvarna Z254 54-inch riding lawn mower might be the machine for you.
The Best Zero-Turn Mowers of 2023
These achieve the rare feat of making lawn mowing fun.
By Roy Berendsohn Published: Mar 1, 2023
When it comes to yard work, zero turn mowers do the impossible. They make lawn mowing fun. They accomplish this by putting unprecedented speed, control and maneuverability at the disposal of the person mowing the lawn. The so-called “zero turn” feature of these mowers converts a grass cutting machine into something akin to an amusement park ride. You steer the machine with two levers—the left lever controls the left wheel, the right lever the right wheel. With that steering setup, you can zoom over the landscape cutting straight lines, curves, or pivot the mower into and out of a corner. What’s not to like?
Read on to understand how these agile grass cutters work, how we go about testing them, and see some candidates that we’ve recently tested as well as some that we haven’t but that we think look particularly promising.
The Best Zero-Turn Lawn Mowers
A zero-turn riding mower consists of an operator platform, a frame and wheels, an engine (or battery bank), transmissions (or motors), and a pair of control levers commonly known as lap bars. In gas mowers, the engine powers a pulley system. One group of pulleys drives the blades, another group powers a pair of transmissions–one at each rear wheel. When you move the lap bar forward or back, you are directing the transmission to go faster, slower, or even turn the opposite way. When one drive wheel turns clockwise and the other counter clockwise, the mower pivots. When the wheels rotate at different rates, the mower turns in an arc-shaped path. When the lap bars are in the neutral position, the mower stops. Aside from a parking brake, there’s no other braking mechanism. Battery-powered zero-turn mowers work the same way, but have separate motors to drive the rear wheels and one for each blade inside the mower deck.
When it comes to transmission, most mowers have a Hydrogear EZT—a well-known and cost-effective residential-grade transaxle with a reputation for durability.
Some mowers use a deck stamped from one piece of steel, others use a deck fabricated from multiple pieces and welded together. A fabricated deck can be built from thicker steel at a lower cost than it would be able to be built otherwise. Once you’re talking about stamping metal as thick as 10 gauge (about 1⁄8 inch thick), the cost of stamping such a deck would push up the mower’s price beyond what most people are willing to pay. The decks in the mowers below range from 42 to 52 inches, a typical size in this class of product. When powered by these engines and the Hydrogear, these mowers will deliver a decent cut quality at their rated top speed of 7 mph. Note, however, that cut quality declines steeply if you maintain that speed in very thick grass or on uneven terrain.
As to the electric mowers, they represent the leading edge of the technology in this category. These are remarkable and expensive mowers powered by large-voltage lithium-ion batteries. If you’re interested in reducing mowing noise and simplifying your maintenance routine by eliminating gas and oil, they’re worth a look.
Selecting a Zero-Turn Mower
Everyone would like to select the biggest possible zero-turn mower with the hope of whittling a big grass cutting job down to size as quickly as possible. Reality usually intercedes because these machines are expensive and the wide range of options available today quickly drive up the cost. Roughly speaking, you start somewhere in the range of a mower with a 42-inch deck costing in the vicinity of 3200 to 3500 and move up in increments of 1000 to 1500 until you reach entry-level commercial-grade equipment that costs 7000 to 8000.
Again, speaking in terms of approximation, a mower with a 42-inch deck will cut a two-acre lot (that takes into account that the house, driveway, outbuildings and various landscape features are taking up some of that space). Use a mower with a larger deck to cut anything over two acres. But here’s the caveat. That entry-level ZTR mower (3200, say) with a 42-inch deck will wear out faster and need more maintenance than a mower with a 50-inch deck, a heavier frame, larger engine and higher quality transmissions, and thicker deck with more robust blade spindles, costing 4500.
In the simplest possible terms, you can cut a smaller area with a larger mower and expect more longevity out of the machine (not to mention a nicer mowing experience) or you can cut a larger area with a smaller machine and encounter more maintenance and a mowing experience that will be, we might say, a bit more rugged.
But there are still other factors to consider, in selecting a mower other than deck size and your budget. Larger mowers take more space in a garage or outbuilding. And a mower with a 50-inch or even 60-inch deck, as useful as it might be in getting the job done more quickly, may not fit through a fence’s gate, and it might be more difficult to maneuver in tight spots without creating scalp marks on the lawn from a lot of close-quarter pivoting.
Carefully consider all these factors when shopping for a mower: your budget, maintenance and whether you will perform that work yourself, mowing speed and time, maneuverability and trimming in tight areas, the importance that you place on your comfort while mowing, cut quality, longevity, storage, and access to the landscape.
How We Select and Test
There’s only one way to test a mower, and that’s to cut grass with it. But we also do more than mow.
We raise and lower the deck and adjust the seat. We look at service point access (the air filter, the spark plug, and the oil filter) and how easy it is to remove the deck. We mow approximately an acre with each mower, considering cut and mulching quality while running uphill, downhill, across washboard, and along sidehills. (On sidehills, we’ll mow surfaces pitched up to approximately 20 degrees; manufacturers generally recommend not going steeper than 10 degrees, but we like to be thorough.) We evaluate power and speed relative to cut quality—we investigate whether the mower delivers a decent cut mowing at full speed. When mowing in damp conditions, we look at whether the mower’s tires accumulate grass and how effectively it discharges moist clippings. Finally, we test maneuverability (these machines are, generally, very nimble) and how readily they come to a stop when you back off the lap bar control levers.
For more lawn mower reviews, check out our guides to the best riding lawn mowers, electric lawn mowers, and self-propelled mowers we recommend, and learn more about finding the right mower for you.
Why You Shouldn’t Buy an Electric Riding Lawn Mower
Josh Hendrickson
Josh Hendrickson Editor in Chief
Josh Hendrickson is the Editor in Chief of Review Geek and is responsible for the site’s content direction. He has worked in IT for nearly a decade, including four years spent repairing and servicing computers for Microsoft. He’s also a Smart home enthusiast who built his own Smart mirror with just a frame, some electronics, a Raspberry Pi, and open-source code. Read more.
Riding lawn mowers are great for making quick work of lawn care. But they’re loud, jerky, and chug through oil and gas. An electric riding lawn mower promises to solve all of that. But after two years of owning one, I’m here to say don’t make the mistake of buying one. At least not yet. I’ve owned a variety of lawn mowers, both of the push and riding variety, and have tried both gas and electric options. I switched over to electric mowers years ago, first with my push mowers and then my rider. And while I absolutely loved my electric riding lawn mower in the beginning, now I’m sorry I bought it. The purchase feels like a mistake, and it’s all down to using old technology.
The Benefits of an Electric Mower
Although it’s easy to think an electric mower sounds like a dumb idea, that’s not true. Range really isn’t as much of an issue as you might assume. While corded electric mowers were once a thing, battery tech has come a long way. If you have an electric push mower, chances are a single battery can get through the average 1/4th acre yard found in the U.S., and if not, you can swap it out with another battery on the fly. It helps that companies selling electric push mowers also typically sell other yard tools, like weed whips, that use the same batteries. It’s a lot like power tools at this point—stick with a brand, buy more batteries, and you’ll have plenty of juice for the job. And you get other benefits along the way.
For one, whether we’re talking push or riding, electric mowers are much quieter thanks to skipping the traditional engine. Depending on your machine, the loudest part will be the blades themselves; you may not even need hearing protection as you do with conventional mowers. In the case of my riding lawn mower, I once helped out a neighbor who ran out of gas partway through a mowing job. When I started mowing, she grabbed my attention as though something was wrong. It turned out she thought I hadn’t started the blades on the machine because it was so quiet.
An electric mower is easier to use, too. No seriously. Think about all the times you’ve pulled the chain of a gas mower only to have to pull it again and then a third time. If you’re lucky, that’s all it took. Even with a riding lawn mower, you’ve probably dealt with getting everything set just right, so it starts when you turn the key. Electric mowers are nothing that. You push a button, and it just goes. Every single time, assuming you remembered to charge the battery.
On top of all that, while an electric mower is typically more expensive to purchase than a gas mower, it’s also less costly to use. Electricity is cheaper than gas, especially right now, and you won’t have to deal with oil. Depending on where you live, it’ll cost you pennies to mow your lawn with an electric mower.
When I first purchased my electric riding lawn mower, I loved it for all these reasons. It starts quickly, it’s quiet, it doesn’t cost much to run, and it felt like I finished mowing the lawn faster than with my old gas-riding lawn mower.
The Problem With Most Electric Riding Lawn Mowers
The first year and a half I owned my riding lawn mower, I loved the thing. But starting this summer, I changed my mind. In fact, I can’t in good conscience advise anyone to buy an electric riding mower right now. You should not buy one at all. You’re better off with a gas mower, at least for the next few years. Why did I change my mind so much? The batteries. When you buy an electric push mower, you get a nice set of easy-to-change long-lasting lithium-ion batteries. But that’s not the case with an electric riding mower. Instead, most currently use a Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) battery. You’re probably already familiar with SLA batteries—there’s one in your car. Yes, it’s the same kind of battery your car uses. And chances are, if you have a gas riding mower, it also uses one as well!
But there’s a big difference between how your gas riding mower, your car, and an electric riding mower use that battery. In very basic terms with the former two, the battery starts the engine before the gas components take over to keep things going. After that, the battery powers other electrical functions, like those useless headlights on your mower.
Electric riding mowers are entirely reliant on SLA batteries. In the case of my machine, it houses four SLA batteries under the seat, and they all work together to provide 48 volts or about an “hour of run time.” My mower promises to get through an acre before needing a recharge, but I can tell you from my experience that’s inaccurate. It’s probably something closer to 3/4ths of an acre.
So what’s bad about that? Well, SLA batteries are, frankly, terrible. They don’t last long at all and are easy to damage. They work well enough in a car (though some people might disagree) because most people drive their vehicles daily. But you probably don’t mow your lawn every day, and you definitely don’t during the winter.
And therein lies the problem. Buy any electric mower with an SLA battery, and you’ll find heavy warnings:
Always connect the mower to the charger when the unit is not in use. If it is not possible to leave the mower charger connected, make sure to charge the batteries fully at least once a month.
Unlike other battery tech, SLA batteries need to remain charged, and letting them drop below 50% can damage them. They don’t do well with cold either. Ignore those warnings, and you can kill batteries. Or the batteries may not hold a charge anymore. We tried our best to keep to those rules, but our batteries aren’t working correctly two years later.
I think range issues ended up killing the batteries. Our mower is rated for a full acre before needing a recharge, but it’s realistically closer to 3/4ths an acre. We have a half acre of land, so just mowing the lawn regularly drained the battery below 50%. Again, going below 50% can deplete an SLA battery’s recharge life.
I spent over 6500,000 on a mower that’s now half as useful as it once was, and I’ll spend hundreds more getting it back into shape. Only to have to repeat the process two years from now. That same mower now costs even more than when I first purchased it. A gas mower would be better. You might be wondering if better electric riding mowers are on the way, and the answer is yes. But it’s not all good news.
The Future of Electric Riding Lawn Mowers
Obviously, the biggest complaint and downfall of most current electric riding lawnmowers is the reliance on SLA batteries. And if that’s the case, the solution is, in theory, pretty easy—switch to Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. You probably own devices that already use Li-ion batteries. Do you have a smartphone, cordless drill, true wireless earbuds, or an electric vehicle? All of those use Li-ion batteries. It’s not surprising that so many gadgets made that choice either because Li-ion solves many of the problems plaguing SLA batteries. It doesn’t damage them to drain the battery to zero (at least not as much), you can keep them charged all the time (modern tech prevents “overcharging”), it doesn’t suffer from “memory issues,” and as much it’s generally longer lasting. With a Li-ion battery-powered electric mower, you won’t have to worry about maintaining charge as much or plugging in over the winter.
So what’s the catch? Price. Electric riding mowers are already expensive. You’ll pay over 6500,000 for a model that promises to mow just one acre on a charge, more if you need something that can handle a bigger yard. Compared to other similar riding mowers, that’s a 20% premium. But if you want to buy a Li-ion electric riding mower, the price goes way up.
Ryobi only recently started selling its first Li-ion options, and the starting price is a wallet-busting 6,000. That giant price gets you a mower that only promises to mow around an acre of land on a single charge. And remember, companies tend to overpromise and underdeliver on charge claims. When it comes time to recharge, you’ll need to wait an hour and a half to get back to a full charge. You can buy a model with more range, but each step up adds another 450,000 to the price.
Other mowers either go for a similar price or come from lesser-known manufacturers. The most affordable entry I can find is a Craftsman, tipping the scales at 3,000. But scroll through the reviews, and any Комментарии и мнения владельцев not tagged as a promotion are pretty negative.
For that kind of money, you can buy professional-grade gear that’ll cut your lawn in a fraction of the time.
The bottom line is until come down and enough time has passed to prove reliability; you probably shouldn’t drop a ton of cash on a Li-ion electric riding mower. Push mowers, on the other hand, are a solid bet. Those work well and won’t break the bank. For now, electric riding mowers just aren’t worth the money, despite their benefits. They’ll either cost way too much up front, or cost too much down the road as you replace batteries again and again.
Josh Hendrickson Josh Hendrickson is the Editor in Chief of Review Geek and is responsible for the site’s content direction. He has worked in IT for nearly a decade, including four years spent repairing and servicing computers for Microsoft. He’s also a Smart home enthusiast who built his own Smart mirror with just a frame, some electronics, a Raspberry Pi, and open-source code. Read Full Bio »