It sounds crazy, but now’s one of the best times to buy a lawn mower. Demand is lower, so there’s plenty of stock to go around, and prices drop too as retailers try to offload older machines ahead of new, more expensive stock coming in spring. The chance to get ahead and score a top-of-the-line piece of equipment at incredible savings – from the best riding lawn mowers to the best electric lawn mower – is a no-brainer. For every lawn obsessive there’s someone who doesn’t enjoy mowing the lawn. It’s one of those annoying summer chores that gets bumped further and further down the to-do list, usually until we have visitors coming. But scoring the best lawn mower now will make the task of maintaining your yard come the warmer weather a breeze. We’ve pulled together our pick of the best lawn mowers you can buy that will keep your lawn looking lovely all year round, plus some best buy guidance so you can make sure you buy smarter.
The best lawn mowers 2023
This lawn mower promises all the torque of gas without the noise, mess, or fumes, and the self-propelled cordless electric mower offers up a simple push-button to get it started and 60 minutes of cut time on a single charge. Once it’s out of battery, an hour on charge will see it ready to go again. It has a weather-resistant construction, plus bright LED headlights that mean you can mow whenever you need to. Its sloping nose design also means it can reach under low-hanging bushes more easily. There’s a single lever for choosing between six different cutting heights and a 3-in-1 option for cutting – choose from mulching, bagging, or side discharge. Its design means it should be able to handle most terrains, so if your grass is sloped or uneven, the EGO should be able to handle it. Despite its full-sized 21-inch deck, the LM2100SP manages to be surprisingly compact for storage, thanks to its forward-folding handle, while a five-year warranty finishes off this little package nicely indeed. For a start, if you’re on a budget, you’ll get a lot of performance for your money. The deck is on the smaller side at 20 inches, meaning you might want to leave this one if you have a larger yard. It is better for nipping around smaller areas and getting into smaller corners easily instead. Noise levels are low, and an easy push-to-start button will get it up and running without any hassle. It’s well-made and reliable, so you have no worries about running out of fuel or battery at any stage. Features are pretty functional here, but there’s enough. You can choose between seven mow levels and between bagging, side discharge, and mulching for the cuttings. There aren’t loads of mowers we would wholeheartedly recommend at this price, but this is one of them. The 140cc engine might seem modest, but this gas-powered mower doesn’t leave you wanting, especially at this price. For a start, the smaller engine helps to keep the machine nice and lightweight, which makes for easy handling as you’re pushing it around your lawn. It performs exceptionally well, bagging and mulching grass with almost surprising efficiency, and is short enough to be whizzed into smaller spaces without much worry. Hills are probably asking too much from this mower, and you’ll want to be sure you don’t leave too long between mows too. Longer-than-ideal grass will likely get the better of it, though its side discharge chute does come in useful in these situations. Above all, it’s reliable and super easy to set up, thanks to coming almost fully assembled in the box. Plus, at this price, that makes it something of a bargain. It’s a bit of a splurge, but this self-propelled gas mower from Honda offers a considerably better experience than cheaper gas-powered mowers due to several handy features. For a start, its powerful 190cc engine ensures it makes light work of long grass and hills, while its smooth-running hydrostatic cruise control allows you to adjust the speed up to 4mph. Honda’s 4-in-1 Versamow system also offers up the option to mulch, bag (with a sizeable grass bag), discharge, and shred leaves without the need for any additional tools. Plus, the Roto-Stop feature allows you to stop the blades as you step away from the mower without stopping the engine. We’re impressed with the five-year warranty too, compared with the industry standard of two or three. You can spend a pretty penny on a cordless lawnmower these days, but that does not mean the technology is out of reach to those on humbler budgets. The Ryobi Push Lawn Mower has a 20-inch deck with a choice of seven cutting positions between 1.5 and 4 inches. This machine works particularly well on smaller yards, probably around half an acre or less, as its 48-minute run time should suit that perfectly. It does have a battery storage compartment for storing a spare, so you can always swap it out while mowing if you get caught short – presuming you buy another battery. It’s a quiet mower, but its brushless motor offers up plenty of power that would challenge a similarly priced gas mower. With 3-in-1 mulching, bagging, and side discharge capabilities (though you will have to buy the accessory for side discharge separately), you won’t find yourself wanting for much when it comes to its performance. Lastly, the LED headlights for 24-hour mowing potential, a telescoping handle for storage, and an easy push-button start. If you’ve got a large yard, you’ll appreciate the Toro TimeMaster’s time-saving design. With its 30-inch steel deck, the Toro can cut through those larger-sized paths with every pass than your regular mower would, meaning you get the job done quicker and easier. It also offers Toro’s Pace speed control, so you can adjust the speed to match how fast you want to go. Its top speed is a nippy 4.5mph, which adds even more to its time-saving functionality. More so, there is a two-lever height control, a forward-fold handle — to help for more compact storage — and a large grass bag. There are also mulching and side-discharge options to use, should you prefer, and a choice of seven different cutting heights. It won’t be the mower for you if you have lots of tight spots to navigate, but for making quick work of large spaces, it’s what you need – even if you will have to swallow a hefty price tag for the privilege. Robot lawn mowers are for those of us who don’t want to mow the lawn ever again. They’re still relatively new, meaning prices are still relatively high, but if you’ve got the cash to spend, they’re a fantastic investment for the time-tight gardener. This Husqvarna is pricey, but it’s also one of the best robot lawn mowers you can buy when it comes to features. It takes a bit of setup (and patience) to get up, and running but once done: you can hand over the entirety of the mowing chores to your robot and never think of it again. As for performance, robot mowers still have some way to go before they can rival a “proper” mow, but this 315X gives it a good go all the same, with a choice of grass heights, adjustable via the unit itself, ground coverage of 1600 m² and the ability to tackle slopes of up to 40%.
How do I select one of the best lawn mowers?
As we’ve touched upon, the very best lawn mower is so much more than just how well it cuts the grass. It’s how easy and – dare we say it – enjoyable it makes the job for you. You need to figure out what’s important to you: strength, speed, durability, versatility, power, or lack of noise, when deciding which is the best lawn mower for you. If convenience and low noise are top of your wishlist, you might want to think about going cordless. For ease and maneuverability, an electric mower might tick the boxes best for you (assuming you have outside power), while gas mowers promise durability and pure power. If you have a larger garden: you will want to think how long the cord will stretch on an electric lawn mower and whether a cordless one will have the battery power to get around it in one. This is another time when gas-powered comes in handy, despite being pricey and not exactly the best for the environment.
How much should I spend on a lawn mower?
Like most appliances of its size, buying a lawn mower can be a sizable expense, so it’s worth making sure the money you spend is worthwhile. If you’re spending upwards of around $400, you’re in premium mower territory. Here is where you’ll find the widest selection of quality electric mowers and gas mowers that are a little more reliable. Drop down to the $250 to $400 range, and there are still some great options, but the overall performance and ease of use will be a level down. If you’re on a stringent budget, you can pick up models for just under $200, but you’ll have to manage your expectations when it comes to some parts of their performance.
How long should a lawn mower last?
With proper maintenance and care, a good lawn mower should last anywhere between eight to 10 years, and of course, the more you spend, the longer you can expect to keep using it. That means if you spend towards the lower end of the budget, you may find yourself needing an upgrade a little sooner, with a cheaper lawnmower averaging about 200 service hours before it’ll need replacing or fixing. A premium lawn mower, on the other hand, should do over double that. Expect around 500 hours before it’ll give up the ghost. It’s crucial to take exceptional care of every machine, as you have spent a good deal of money and the last thing you want to do is shorten the return investment.
