The 12 Best Lawn Mowers of 2023

Best Overall

Honda HRN216VKA 21-Inch Gas Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

View On Home Depot View On Walmart View On Lowe's

This powerful, highly rated gas lawn mower from Honda has a GCV 170-cc engine with auto-choke technology, so it's much easier to start than many other gas mowers; just pull the cord and it roars to life. It has a 4-stroke engine, so you can fill the tank with straight unleaded gasoline. There's no need to mix the gas with oil, as in lesser mowers with 2-stroke engines. Once you start walking, this self-propelled mower automatically matches its "stride" to yours up to 4 mph, making it almost effortless to cut your lawn. However, you can turn the self-propelled feature off if you want, turning this into a regular push mower. The handle adjusts to two different height positions to match your own height, which is especially useful if you are shorter or taller than average.

With a 21-inch cutting deck, you can quickly work your way across lawns up to 1 acre in size, including lawns with hills or uneven terrain, thanks to the rear-wheel drive. There are seven settings for the cutting height, ranging from 1 inch to 4 inches, and changing the setting is as simple as moving a lever. The mower has Honda's MicroCut Twin Blades System, which provides exceptionally clean cuts to minimize grass wear-and-tear, while reducing the clippings to very fine pieces that can be mulched, bagged, or side-discharged. The mower comes with a 1.9-bushel clipping bag. To set your clipping disposal preference, just slide the clip to the desired setting. No need for tools or fuss. And when you're done mowing, the handle folds down for easy storage.

On the downside, like many gas mowers, you will need to change the oil in this one periodically. Honda recommends changing the oil after the first month of use and then every six months after that, using SAE 10W-30, API SJ or later for the best performance. Also, this lawn mower has plastic wheels, which some buyers felt were not as durable as rubber wheels. Still, it rolls well over most typical yard terrains without a problem, and handles even tall or thick grass with ease. All in all, we recommend this gas lawn mower for homeowners with fairly large yards, a desire to keep the lawn looking its best, and an equal desire to not have to work excessively hard to carry out that task. The Honda HRN216VKA Self-Propelled Gas Lawn Mower makes mowing the lawn as easy, and dare we say pleasurable, as a walk-behind mower possibly can.

Price at time of publish: $549

_{Cutting Width: 21 inches | Power Type: Gas | Weight: 81 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge}

Best Budget

Sun Joe MJ403E 17-Inch 13-Amp Electric Lawn Mower/Mulcher

View On Amazon View On Home Depot View On Lowe's

Electric lawn mowers can be expensive, but with this corded model, you get fine performance and lots of great features at a reasonable price. You'll need to purchase an extension cord separately that's at least 12-gauge and a maximum of 100 feet, but there are no batteries to monitor and no need for gas. Just plug it in, press the "On" button, and the 13-amp motor springs to life, ready and able to cut even fairly tall grass, as long as the grass is dry. The cutting deck is 17 inches wide and has adjustable cutting heights from 1 inch to a little less than 3 inches. Although this mower has all-terrain wheels, we think it is best used on fairly flat lawns that are no more than 1/2 acre in size.

You have two options for the grass clippings; you can bag them in the included 12-gallon bag or mulch them and let them disperse onto your lawn. At a mere 31.5 pounds, this is a very lightweight mower that's easy to maneuver, but it achieves that low weight by being made almost entirely of very heavy-duty plastic. While that's no problem for the average yard, don't expect the mower to last for long if you routinely mow over rocks, sticks, or rugged terrain. Still, for someone who just wants a reasonably priced mower to keep the grass looking good, this is a great bargain.

Price at time of publish: $169

_{Cutting Width: 17 inches | Power Type: Corded electric | Weight: 31.5 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch}

Best Electric

Makita 36-Volt Lithium-Ion Push Lawn Mower

View On Amazon View On Home Depot

Put away the gas can and the extension cords: This lawn mower is battery powered, running on two 18-volt batteries for a total of 36 volts. You get four batteries with the mower, as well as a dual-port fast charger, so you can have two batteries in use and two being charged. This gives you up to 43 minutes total of run-time and lets you mow a lawn up to 1/3-acre. The steel cutting deck is 18 inches wide and has 10 cutting height settings ranging from slightly below 1 inch to a hair less than 3 inches. The mower also has Makita's extreme protection technology (XPT) which protects the brushless motor from dust and moisture for continued peak performance.

If you head out extra-early in the morning to get your mowing done, you (and your neighbors) will appreciate the Quiet Mode setting, which greatly reduces the already not-too-bad sound level of the machine. You can mulch or bag your clippings in the included 16-gallon bag, but there is no option for side discharge. And while this mower cuts very cleanly through medium-height grass, it can struggle a bit with overly tall lawns, so it's best to mow regularly if you want the best performance. It's also a bit heavy, so is best for use on relatively flat lawns.

Price at time of publish: $399

_{Cutting Width: 18 inches | Power Type: Battery | Weight: 60 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch}

Best for Small Yards

Greenworks 25022 12-Amp 20-Inch 3-in-1 Electric Corded Lawn Mower

4.2

View On Amazon

If you have a small lawn that's no more than 1/4 acre (a typical size for a suburban lawn in many parts of the US) and you don't mind attaching your lawn mower to an outdoor-rated extension cord, we recommend the Greenworks 3-in-1 Lawn Mower. We tested this mower in one of our own backyards and found it simple to assemble (less than 15 minutes), easy to turn on, and comfortable to use. We also had no trouble folding down the handle when it was time to store the mower.

This electric corded push mower has a 20-inch steel cutting deck (the width of the cutting path) that can be set to seven different heights ranging from 1-1/2 to 3-3/4 inches, so you can get the perfect cutting height for your type of grass. The powerful 12-amp motor starts up at the push of a button; no frustrating struggles with a pull cord. And once it's running, it has no trouble neatly slicing through even long or thick grass. A cord lock helps keep it from accidentally unplugging while you work.

While testing, we appreciated the three options for the grass clippings: shoot them out onto the grass as-is from the side of the mower, mulch them first, or bag them for disposal—we found it very easy to attach and detach the bag, and easily dumped the clippings into our compost bin. The lawn mower comes with a 50-liter collection bag, but note that you will need to purchase a 16-gauge 50-foot or 14-gauge 100-foot extension cord for operation, and you have to navigate around the cord as you mow. However, you won't have to worry about battery run-time, as with a cordless mower, nor will you have smelly fumes as with a gas mower. Plus, this is a very reasonably priced lawn mower that performs very well over flat lawns or gently sloped terrain.

Price at time of publish: $165

_{Cutting Width: 20 inches | Power Type: Corded electric | Weight: 52 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge}

Best Self-Propelled

EGO LM2102SP POWER+ 21-Inch Cordless Self-Propelled Mower

4.7

View On Walmart View On Ace Hardware View On Acmetools.com

If you're looking for a lawn mower that does most of the work for you, leaving you to mostly just lend a guiding hand, then you'll like this self-propelled lawn mower, which uses its own power to keep moving forward, instead of relying on your push. Best of all, 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. Powered by an included 56-volt, 7.5 Ah battery, the mower can run up to 1 hour before needing a recharge, meaning you'll be able to mow just about any lawn up to 1/2-acre on a single charge. Nor does this powerful cordless mower shirk at tough grasses like Bermudagrass, zoysia, or St. Augustine; it cuts cleanly through any of the common lawn grasses.

The cutting deck of this mower is 21 inches wide and can be set to six different cutting heights between 1-1/2 and 4 inches with a simple one-hand adjustment. You can set it to mulch the grass clippings, spew them as-is out the side, or collect them in the included 2-bushel bag. There are even LED headlights, so you can easily see your path even if cutting at dawn or dusk. And with rear-wheel drive, the mower handles hills, slopes, and uneven terrain quite easily without much effort from you. While admittedly more expensive than many of our other picks, we feel this powerful mower is worth the higher price due to its many useful features and premium performance. It includes the battery and fast-charge charger. As with all EGO tools, the battery is interchangeable with all other EGO products.

Price at time of publish: $649

_{Cutting Width: 21 inches | Power Type: Battery | Weight: 62.6 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge}

Best Reel Mower

American Lawn Mower Company 14-Inch Manual Reel Mower

View On Amazon View On Home Depot View On Walmart

No cords to keep track of, no smelly gas fumes, no battery run-time to monitor: 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. As it's entirely powered by your own muscle exertions, you probably aren't going to want to cut more than a very small patch of grass with this mower, but you could mow up to 1/4-acre or so if you have the energy. The mower has a 14-inch deck and adjustable cutting heights from 1/2-inch to 1-3/4 inches. It can handle grass that's no more than four inches high easily, especially fine-bladed cool-season grasses like bluegrass, fescue, or rye. You'll need to clear out sticks, small rocks, and other debris, however, as they can jam the blades if you mow over them.

There's very little maintenance with this mower; you'll need to sharpen the blades every few years, and for best performance, wipe them off after cutting the grass. That's about it. The clippings deposit right onto the grass, where you can leave them or rake them up if desired. American Lawn Mower Company does sell a separate catch-bag for this manual mower, however. For homeowners who don't have a large lawn, want a very reasonably priced mower, are concerned about environmental issues, or just enjoy working outdoors, it's hard to beat this excellent manual reel mower. And at only 19 pounds, it's easy to maneuver.

Price at time of publish: $90

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

Best Push Mower

Troy-Bilt TB110 21-Inch 2-in-1 Gas Push Lawn Mower

4.4

View On Home Depot View On Troybilt.com

This traditional gas push mower has lots of power, handles very well even on tight turns or slopes, and unlike many gas models, starts easily without priming or choking. The 140cc Briggs and Stratton engine provides plenty of oomph as the mower cleanly and evenly trims your grass to any length between 1-1/4 and 3-3/4 inches. The cutting deck is 21 inches wide, and the Troy-Bilt TriAction cutting system uses a rake guard, symmetrical deck and specialized blade to deliver a clean, even cut for a beautiful lawn without much effort on your part. There's nothing too complicated about this lawn mower; it's very easy to adjust the cutting length, it maneuvers easily on its 11-inch rear wheels, and the 4-stroke engine means you don't need to mix oil with the gasoline when fueling up.

On the downside, you will need to change the oil periodically, using a 10w-30 oil. Troy-Bilt recommends changing the oil completely after the first 5 hours and then every 50 hours after that, or at least once per year. Like all gas mowers, this one emits rather smelly fumes and is louder than electric mowers. But it's still hard to beat the power and steady performance of a gas mower. You can mulch the grass clippings or catch them in the included bag, but there is no side-discharge setting for this mower.

Price at time of publish: $399

_{Cutting Width: 21 inches | Power Type: Gas | Weight: 66 pounds | Cutting Options: Mulch, bag}

Best Battery-Powered

RYOBI RY401110-Y 20-Inch 40-Volt Cordless Push Lawn Mower

View On Home Depot View On Walmart

This battery push lawn mower gives you up to 48 minutes of run-time, thanks to the powerful 40-volt, 6.0 Ah battery and brushless motor. Suitable for lawns up to 1/2-acre, this reasonably quiet and zero-emission mower has a 20-inch cutting deck with 7 cutting heights ranging from 1-1/2 to 4 inches, so you can cleanly cut even tall or thick grass with ease, as long as it isn't wet. It can handle gentle slopes, but is not the best at cutting over rough terrain or hills. Start-up couldn't be easier; just push the power button and you're on your way. No smelly fumes or cords to worry about.

You can mulch your grass clippings or catch them in the included easy-lift bag that is very simple to remove from the mower without fuss or strain. However, you'll need to purchase a separate attachment if you want to discharge the clippings from the side of the mower. There is a 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 telescoping handle collapses for easy storage. While not the largest cutting deck, this is a great lawn mower if your lawn isn't too big or if you need to work your way around obstacles such as tree trunks.

Price at time of publish: $299

_{Cutting Width: 20 inches | Power Type: Battery | Weight: 56 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch}

Best for Large Yards

Toro Recycler 22-inch Personal-Pace Self-Propelled Gas Mower

View On Home Depot View On Walmart View On Walmart

If you have a large lawn that's 1/2 acre or even a little more, your lawn has hills or uneven terrain, and your grass tends to be tough or tall, then you need the power of a gas mower. With this self-propelled offering from Toro, not only do you get a 163 cc Briggs & Stratton engine that keeps on going even when the going gets tough, you also get a 22-inch cutting deck for mowing a wide swath of grass at each pass. Plus, it includes a 4-point adjustable cutting height of 1-inch to 4 inches and Toro's Vortex Technology that provides more airflow to the engine for superior performance. Nor do you have to carry out complicated oil changes on this mower; just check the oil level occasionally and top it off when required. And thanks to the 4-stroke engine, there's no need to mix oil with gasoline when fueling up—just plain unleaded gasoline is all you need.

But perhaps the greatest feature of this mower is its Personal Pace Auto-Drive, which allows the lawn mower to automatically set its "walking speed" to your own without any need for you to do anything beyond continuing to walk forwards. The rear-wheel drive means the mower easily handles hills and slopes. You can set the mower to bag the grass clippings or mulch them, but you'll need to order an optional side chute if you prefer side discharge. On the downside, like most gas mowers this one has a pull-start cord, not an auto-start button, but most buyers felt it was easy to start with just one pull of the cord.

Price at time of publish: $499

_{Cutting Width: 22 inches | Power Type: Gas | Weight: 80 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch}

Best Riding

RYOBI RY48111 48V 38-Inch Electric Riding Mower

4.8

View On Amazon View On Home Depot

While sitting atop this battery-powered riding lawn mower, you'll find no smelly gas fumes, not a lot of noise, but plenty of power to mow up to 2.5 acres. This mower neatly slices through whatever grass you throw its way at speeds of up to 8 mph in forward, and 3 mph in reverse, with three brushless motors providing superior torque and powerful performance. The cutting deck is 38 inches across and the cutting height has 12 settings ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 inches for clean, level cuts. And it's very easy to handle; with a 16-inch turn radius, you can make tight turns around obstacles or at the edge of the lawn. The mower has no problem in climbing up or down slopes with up to a 15-degree incline and can tow attachments such as spreaders or tillers that weigh up to 600 pounds.

An onboard control panel lets you easily put the mower in forward, neutral, or reverse, turn on the LED headlights, check the battery power level, or set the mower into cruise control for the ultimate in easy mowing. There's even a cup holder to keep your favorite beverage close at hand. And once the battery needs a recharge—it can run up to 2.5 hours straight before that happens—you simply plug the mower into the included charging station, which must be plugged into a standard 120-volt outlet. The mower can discharge the clippings from the side or mulch. It's capable of bagging, as well, but you'll need to purchase the bag separately. While this riding lawn mower is undeniably an investment, it's well worth the expense if you have a very large lawn and prefer a mower that is environmentally friendly, relatively quiet, and easy to maintain.

Price at time of publish: $3,199

_{Cutting Width: 38 inches | Power Type: Battery | Weight: 678 pounds | Cutting Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge}

Best Robotic

Worx WR155 Landroid M Robotic Lawn Mower

View On Amazon View On Home Depot View On Walmart

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 lawnmower can handle lawns up to 1/2-acre in size, and once you set out the perimeter wires to keep it safely contained and download the Landroid app into your phone, you're ready to set it loose. With its 8-inch cutting width and adjustable cutting heights from 1-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches, your Landroid will work tirelessly to keep your lawn looking its best. When it's time for the 20-volt, 6-Ah battery to recharge—it can get up to 90 minutes of run-time before that happens—the Landroid will guide itself to the charging dock and settle down for the 1.5 hours it takes to recharge. Then it's back to work if you desire; you can set up whatever mowing schedule you'd like in the app, but it's a good idea to let the mower run frequently so the grass doesn't get too high, which could bog it down. The grass clippings are extremely fine and left as mulch on your lawn.

If the Landroid bumps into an obstacle, it automatically stops and then heads in a different direction. While its movements across your lawn look random, it's actually following a complex algorithm that lets it cover the entire yard without missing spots. The blades will automatically lift when going over rough terrain, but don't set your robotic mower into an area that's very rugged or full of rocks. Nor can it handle inclines of more than 20 degrees. But it "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 definitely worth it if you don't want to have to take time out of your schedule for regular lawn maintenance.

Price at time of publish: $1,500

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