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Riding lawn mowers are a powerful, durable machine that makes cutting grass as effortless as possible. Lawn equipment has come a long way since the days of a sickle and elbow grease. Modern riding mowers cram the power of a farm tractor and the maneuverability of an ATV into one fun-to-ride, easy-to-control tool.  

If you’ve never bought a riding mower, or are upgrading and replacing an old mower, you will be surprised and potentially overwhelmed with today’s options. Front engine? Rear engine? Do you need the best riding lawn mower for hills or zero-turn agility? And what about the transmission? Where do you start? And how do you know if you’re getting the right size mower with all the features you need or the best riding lawn mower for the money? That’s why we’re here: to take the mystery out of this lawn care equipment and find the best riding lawn mowers for every yard, lawn, and field.

How we picked the best riding lawnmowers

The writers and editors at Popular Science have decades of combined experience when it comes to reporting on, writing about, and reviewing products. For this selection of riding lawn mowers, we relied on a mixture of first-hand experience, editorial reviews, user feedback, spec comparisons, and brand reputation. A riding lawnmower is a big investment, so we focused our search toward finding reliable, easy-to-service models from well-known brands. That way, your investment will last longer, which is great for your budget and good for the environment.

The best riding lawn mowers: Reviews & Recommendations

Most riding lawn mowers follow a similar design: A motor in the front, a seat on top, and a sharp part on the bottom. But, there’s a lot of variability within that same basic structure.

Best overall: Husqvarna Z254 54 in. 26 HP Kohler Hydrostatic Zero Turn Riding Mower

Specs

  • Horsepower: 26
  • Cutting deck size: 54 inches
  • Price: $3,785
  • Fuel: gas

Pros

  • Wide cutting deck
  • Zero-turn steering
  • 6.5 mph top speed
  • Innovative braking system
  • Ample capture or mulching options

Cons

  • Mulching kit and bagger are optional accessories that add to the cost

Wide cutting decks typically don’t translate into precision handling, but this zero turn model from Husqvarna is much nimbler than its 54-inch deck suggests. The 26-horsepower Husqvarna motor pushes it to a top speed of 6.5 miles per hour, which is plenty fast to make quick work of a sizable yard.

It has a plus, comfortable seat that’s centrally located for precision cutting. The larger rear wheels propel the mower with pep while the smaller front wheels freely rotate in order to facilitate def maneuvers. This is part of Husqvarna’s system, so it’s capable of mulching and bagging, but you’ll need to purchase an extra add-on in order to enable it. If you don’t need those options, though, that’s money saved on the front end.

Ultimately, this is a very capable mower that’s moderately easy to assemble and will require very little maintenance over many seasons of mowing.

Best small: Toro 42″ TimeCutter 452cc Zero-Turn Riding Mower with Smart Speed

Toro

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Specs

  • Horsepower: 15.5
  • Cutting deck size: 42 inches
  • Price: $3,299
  • Fuel: gas

Pros

  • Nimble steering
  • Comfortable seat
  • Good for small or medium yards
  • Lots of adjustability
  • Cup holders

Cons

  • Maxes out at two acres

If you have a smaller yard, this Toro lawn tractor is the versatile lawn slicer to keep your grass in check quickly. While riding mowers can be smaller, the smaller models are slower and feel underpowered. If you want a ride-on mower with strength and speed, go straight to a lawn tractor instead of a riding mower. It’s a great riding lawn mower for yards up to two acres. It’s not a huge, monstrous machine but still gives you plenty of cutting power. The steering is smooth and responsive. Plus it can be easily stored and maintained. For backyards, front yards, and small sidelots, the Toro riding lawn mower is the perfect fit.

Best for hills: Husqvarna TS 354XD 54-inch Garden Tractor

Walmart

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Specs

  • Horsepower: 24
  • Cutting deck size: 54 inches
  • Price: $4,899
  • Fuel: gas

Pros

  • Powerful engine
  • Comfortable, sturdy seat with arms
  • Heavy duty cutting deck
  • Easy to maintain
  • Heavy for stability on off-camber sections

Cons

  • Just OK fuel consumption

Husqvarna riding lawn mowers are some of the best on the market, including for hills. And the Husqvarna Garden Tractor is the mighty lawn mowing tool used by professional landscapers and backyard amateurs alike. The hydrostatic transmission makes the ride feel smooth and comfortable, even up and along hills. Its three strong blades, housed in the 54-inch cutting deck, can chew through anything in its path. And a 24 hp engine gives you the oomph needed to safely traverse inclines and wet surfaces. If you’re tasked lawn maintenance of a space larger than three acres, you need a garden tractor made of durable, dependable materials, and this Husqvarna lawn mower checks all the necessary boxes as the best riding mower for hills.

Best zero-turn: Husqvarna MZ54F 54 in. 24 HP Zero Turn Riding Mower

Walmart

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Specs

  • Horsepower: 24
  • Cutting deck size: 54 inches
  • Price: $6,099
  • Fuel: gas

Pros

  • Nimble steering
  • Wide cutting deck
  • Powerful 24HP Kawasaki engine
  • Requires little maintenance
  • Lots of adjustability

Cons

  • Somewhat rough ride

The best riding lawn mower must have what it takes, and then some. The power of the Husqvarna MZ54F riding mower is obvious: its 24 HP Kawasaki engine is more powerful than most consumer riding mowers. All that power helps the 54-inch cutting deck mow through a five-acre lawn with one tank of gas. The zero-turn steering allows for quick, smooth pivots making the heavy-duty steel frame feel light and nimble. It’s easy to use, after reading the instructions and taking it out for a few test cuts. For any lawn that creeps past the three-acre mark, the Husqvarna riding mower is the best beast to tame the suburban jungle.

Best budget: CRAFTSMAN T110 42-in 17.5-HP Gas Riding Lawn Mower

Craftsman

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Specs

  • Horsepower: 17.5
  • Cutting deck size: 42 inches
  • Price: $2,139
  • Fuel: gas

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Easy to store because of its size
  • Comfortable
  • Comes fully assembled from Lowe’s

Cons

  • Underpowered for tough jobs or really big lawns

If you’re not trying to mow a huge lawn full of tough grass, you likely won’t need a massive, expensive mower. This 42-inch model still makes quick work of a 1-2-acre plot thanks to its 17.5-horsepower engine. It’s not big on bells and whistles, but it has a comfortable padded seat and precision controls. Plus, it still offers working headlights in case you’re mowing when it gets dark.

This is a great option if you want something that’s easy to store in a garage with a lot of other machines. It’s just 71 inches long and 48 inches wide, which makes it narrower than some of the decks on other machines.

Things to consider for picking the best riding lawn mowers

The best riding lawn mower is the one that efficiently mows your specific patch of grass because not all lawns are created equal. Even in your own neighborhood, one type of mower works best for one yard and another riding mower works best for the house next door. The right mower in the right hands can greatly speed up the grass-cutting process. 

Before you rush out and buy the most expensive mower on display, however, take a close look at your own yard. Take measurements of the area that needs mowing (your property minus the footprint of your house, driveway, decking, landscaping, etc.), so you know how big an area you will maintain. As a general rule, riding lawn mowers work best on yards larger than one-half acre (anything less can be mowed more effectively with a gas-powered, walk-behind mower).

Also, know what type of terrain you will drive over, and know the difference between the types of lawn mowers. A ride-on lawn mower is an investment, so you want a machine that lasts. These are motorcycles with blades; understanding and respecting the engine and cutting mechanism is important to making sure your riding mower keeps going season after season. Regular maintenance will be required, but there are riding mowers that are easier to care for than others. 

Safety and comfort are also important factors to consider when browsing any lawn or garden tool. Lumbar support and armrests on a riding lawn mower can reduce sore muscles and eliminate next-day chore hangovers. And comfortable steering not only helps your arms and legs, but also gives you greater control to chop grass in eye-catching patterns. Arm yourself with the knowledge (and our handle selections below) and you’ll find the best riding lawn mower for your property. 

Related: Need somewhere to keep lawn tools? Get one of the best sheds for every job.

Calculate what you need to find a riding mower for small yards

The key to finding the best riding lawn mower is to get the right amount of power with the most effective cutting deck. If your yard is smaller than two acres, don’t waste money on horsepower you don’t need and cut widths too large to work in small areas. 

There are four types of ride-on mowers to choose from: riding mower, lawn tractor, garden tractor, and zero-turn mower. While they all cut grass, they do so in different ways. A riding mower with a rear-mounted engine will be the least expensive option, but also the slowest and weakest. Riding mowers are the smallest of the bunch and have a maximum cut width of 30 inches. That’s a plus for small lawns (anything up to an acre). 

A lawn tractor, however, is what most people envision when they think of a “riding mower.” Lawn tractors have the engine in the front, the cutting deck is between the front and rear wheels and they can be modified to do more than just cut grass. Garden tractors are bigger, more powerful, more versatile versions of a lawn tractor. And zero-turn mowers have a rear-mounted engine with their unique push bar steering to sharply maneuver around any obstacle. 

If you have a yard too large for a push mower, yet smaller than an acre, a riding mower or small lawn tractor is the most efficient grass chopper to get. If you want horsepower and functionality, go for the lawn tractor. A lawn tractor can do more than cut grass and has the power to drive on any lawn.

Tackle tough inclines with the best riding lawn mower for hills

The best riding mowers are fierce vehicles with the handling of a car. But not all mowers can be the best riding lawn mower for hills. If a yard has a wide variety of inclines and valleys, trying to mow it can be frustrating and dangerous. Even small hills can be a hassle. Zero-turn mowers are notoriously horrible on hills, and low-powered riding mowers lack the strength needed to mow up and along a sloped lawn. A garden tractor with powerful maneuverability is the only ride-on mower that can safely keep your entire yard in order, even on hills. 

Garden tractors are bigger than lawn tractors, making them better for yards larger than three acres. But these beasts can be more complicated. To make the larger tractors easy to control, it may use a hydrostatic transmission, which provides better speed and steering but can be more expensive to maintain and repair. 

Still, the difference between a manual transmission and a hydrostatic transmission can be felt immediately as you simply, safely drive the mower up and along hills. With greater control comes tighter turns and quick maneuvering around the terrain. A high-quality hydrostatic garden tractor gives you commercial-grade cutting power in a user-friendly package, making it the best riding lawn mower for hills.

Zero-turn riding mowers cut the largest lawn with a twist

The benefits of a zero-turn riding lawn mower are clear: maneuverability and speed. These powerful lawn mowers can zip around trees, rocks, decks, pools, fences, or anything else that dots your landscape. They shift from forward to reverse in a snap and are ideal for making intricate patterns on the lawn. And the quick speed and wide cutting deck make them perfect for large lawns, fields, and anywhere else grass needs to be taught a lesson.

For lawns larger than four acres, you want a cutting deck wider than 54 inches. Generally speaking, a 54-inch cutting deck on a riding mower traveling at medium speed can cut four acres in an hour. Besides a large cutting width, you also want good horsepower to efficiently travel across the yard. A mower with 25 hp will provide enough muscle for large yards and fields. You can go higher, but most consumer models are between 11 hp to 25 hp. Anything above that may be too much muscle for one home.

The agility comes from the unique steering of a zero-turn riding mower. The left and right push-bar accelerators control each rear wheel independently. Push both forward and you move forward. Pull them back and you slow down and move in reverse. Push one bar forward and you spin around the stationary wheel. It may sound complicated, and there is a mild learning curve to mastering the mechanism, but your brain will pick up the steering and turning will be reflexive with just a few minutes of practice. Of course, take it slow at first and do not try to make sharp turns until you feel comfortable, and always be careful on hills. The weight distribution of zero-turn mowers can make inclines difficult to cut. 

The rear-mounted engine gives operators a great view of what’s ahead. And zero-turn mowers are often faster than other ride-on mowers. While they may look intimidating and the steering is not like a car, zero-turn mowers are some of the best tools for cutting grass in big areas and tight corners.

Here’s the best budget riding lawn mower you can get

If the prices for ride-on lawn mowers give you sticker shock, rest a little easier knowing great and inexpensive riding mowers are out there. While you won’t be able to find anything useful for less than $1,000, once you reach the $1,500 ballpark you can find decent models that get the job done.

Between riding mowers, lawn tractors, and zero-turn mowers, the traditional riding mower will be the cheapest option. The main tradeoff for the lower price is cutting width, horsepower, and speed. The less expensive riding mowers have a 30-inch cutting deck (as opposed to the 50-inch decks of lawn tractors). These tiny grass gobblers are better for those with less than an acre of ground to mow. In fact, if your yard is smaller than an acre, smaller is better. Anything larger than a 30-inch riding mower is overkill. 

A small, inexpensive riding mower performs only one task: cuts grass. They can’t plow sow, haul lumber, or turn on a dime. They are little more than a standard walk-behind mower with a chair, but the low price makes up for the lack of functions. 

FAQs

Q: How long does a riding lawn mower last?

A riding lawn mower should last anywhere between five and 10 years. But the years don’t matter as much as the hours of use. Consumer riding mowers are made to last about 300 hours. If you have a two-acre lawn, you may spend 60 hours a year using the mower and the mower will last five years. This varies based on where you live, rainfall, type of grass, type of terrain, etc., so it’s only to give you a rough idea. Make your mower last longer with routine maintenance and storing it properly during the off-season.

Q: What is the best riding lawn mower for one acre?

The Troy-Bilt TB30 (mentioned above) is the best riding lawn mower with just enough power to tackle one acre of grass, and the best riding lawn mower for the money if on a budget. For any yard larger than an acre, invest in a lawn tractor, like the 42-inch Craftsman riding lawn mower (mentioned above). It will be fast and efficient. More expensive models and zero-turn mowers won’t be as helpful or efficient on smaller yards, so spending more is not always the best answer. And for anything smaller than one-half acre, a walk-behind mower is the most effective. 

Q: When is the best month to buy a riding lawn mower?

The best month to buy a riding mower is April or August. Shoppers are most likely to find the model they want in spring, at the start of the mowing season. The prices won’t be the lowest, but availability is at the highest. Look for good sales during the summer, especially around Labor Day. At that point, many home goods stores are looking to clear floor space for fall/winter products. Options will be somewhat limited, but you can still find the make and model you’re looking for or something comparable. The cheapest of the cheap riding lawn mowers can be found in the fall, but who knows what stores will have left. And most stores don’t even sell riding mowers in the winter. While it’s not an exact science, stick to the months that begin with the letter A when shopping for a riding mower.

The final word on finishing chores in comfort with the best riding lawn mowers

Finding an effective, efficient ride-on mower isn’t too difficult once you know what to look for. Understanding the difference between a riding mower, lawn tractor, garden tractor, and zero-turn mower will make you a smart shopper. To inform your lawn equipment decision, think about your lawn: How big is it? How many obstacles are in the way? Are there any hills? Using the wrong mower will make hot days doing yard work in the sun seem endless, but the best riding lawn mower will give you enough time to relax and enjoy the season…before you need to break out the snowblower. 

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.