The top performers in CR’s unparalleled mowing tests come from DeWalt, Greenworks, Stihl, Toro, and others
A walk-behind mower is perfect for a small yard, where you’ll probably have to navigate around obstacles.
By Tobie Stanger
A great walk-behind lawn mower ably handles the particular challenges of mowing a smaller yard, so your grass cutting is simple and quick. What are those challenges? You might not have considered all of them.
“In a small yard, you’re more likely to be turning around or navigating around obstacles more often,” says David Trezza, who oversees lawn mower testing at Consumer Reports. A walk-behind mower is more appropriate for that kind of job than a tractor or riding mower, he adds, because it’s easier to maneuver.
Consumer Reports has found plenty of winners among the newest crop of gas and battery-powered walk-behinds. Standout models from recent years include push and self-propelled options from Ariens Razor, DeWalt, Ego, Greenworks, Ryobi, Stihl, and Toro.
One reason we’re able to recommend so many models has to do with mulching, the process of cutting clippings into fine pieces. “We’re seeing noticeably better mulching performance for both gas and battery push mowers,” Trezza says. “They’re more able not only to cut your grass well but also to better mulch it and disperse it on your lawn.”
When you start to shop, keep in mind that some mower brands are associated only with Home Depot or Lowe’s, while others are sold only through independent dealers. Some companies may sell certain models at a big home improvement chain, while others go through dealers.
“Shop around, checking a few different stores,” says Courtney Pennicooke, the Consumer Reports product analyst who covers lawn mowers.
To see more options, check out our complete lawn mower and tractor ratings, which include ratings and reviews of more than 180 models we’ve tested. If you’re not sure which type of lawn mower is right for your needs, start with our lawn mower buying guide for the lowdown on all your options.
Best Battery Push Mowers
Battery mowers are best suited to smaller yards, under a half-acre, because of their run times, which are generally 45 to 50 minutes, according to our testing. But battery technology continues to improve, and some of the best performers can provide 70 minutes or more of run time.
Many battery mowers are part of a suite of tools with interchangeable batteries, known as battery platforms. Many consumers choose these tools because they can use the same batteries for various power tools.
Stihl RMA 510
The 21-inch Stihl RMA 510 earns top scores for cutting evenness and mulching, and it gets excellent scores for reliability and owner satisfaction. It also gets our top rating for battery run time. The mower performs capably at bagging, though its side-discharging chops are just so-so. The RMA 510 is part of Stihl’s AP 36-volt battery platform, which also includes string trimmers and leaf blowers. The warranties for both the mower and the battery itself are three years.
Ryobi RY40HPLM04K2
The 21-inch Ryobi RY40HPLM04K2 is superb at mulching, side-discharging, and cutting evenness. It also gets our top score for battery run time, which means it will go for at least 55 minutes before needing to charge, and it gets very good scores for bagging and handling. The mower also has a handle that folds down for easy storage. Ryobi offers a five-year warranty on the mower and a three-year warranty on the battery. The mower is part of the Ryobi 40V HP battery platform, which includes string trimmers, leaf blowers, and chainsaws.
Ryobi RY401220
The Ryobi RY401220 can make quick work of your mowing jobs. Like the Ryobi RY40HPLM04K2, it comes with two batteries, which can help extend your run time. It’s a 21-inch model that earns stellar ratings for side-discharging, mulching, evenness of cut, and noise at 25 feet. It also earns strong scores for bagging, handling, and noise at the user’s ear. Ryobi push mowers have a five-year warranty, while their batteries have a more typical three-year warranty. The brand’s battery push mowers earn a midrange score for predicted reliability and a very good rating for owner satisfaction in CR’s member surveys. This model is part of the Ryobi 40V HP battery platform, which also includes string trimmers, leaf blowers, and chainsaws.
Kobalt (Lowe’s) KM 5080-06
The 21-inch Kobalt (Lowe’s) KM 5080-06 battery push mower aces our mulching, side-discharging, and noise tests. Its performance is respectable for cutting evenness and handling, but so-so for bagging. The 80-volt battery delivers an average run time of an hour, more than enough to cover a quarter of an acre. A swing-up handle aids in upright storage. Kobalt battery push mowers get a respectable rating by our members for reliability, but only a passable score for owner satisfaction. This model is part of Kobalt’s 80V battery platform, which includes string trimmers, chainsaws, a snow blower, and a pressure washer.
Best Battery Self-Propelled Mowers
Like battery push mowers, battery self-propelled mowers cut grass just as well as their gas counterparts, but they may have a shorter run time.
Greenworks LMB455
The Greenworks LMB455 gets excellent scores in our tests for mulching, cutting evenness, and handling. It gets very good scores for side-discharging and midrange scores for bagging. It comes with two 80-volt batteries and gets top scores for battery run time. Greenworks offers a four-year warranty on the mower and the same on the battery. This mower is part of the Greenworks 80-volt battery platform, which includes string trimmers, leaf blower, and chainsaws. Greenworks receives excellent scores for owner satisfaction and very good scores for predicted reliability.
Ego LM2123SP-2
The 21-inch Ego LM2123SP-2 battery self-propelled mower comes with a spare battery. If you swap batteries midway through the job, you will get an average of nearly 2 hours of operation. The batteries need just an hour to charge. This mower excels in all of our evaluations except bagging, where it still performs capably. The batteries come with a three-year warranty. Ego battery self-propelled mowers received middling predicted reliability scores but earned top-notch owner satisfaction scores in our latest member surveys. This model is part of the Ego Power+ battery platform, which includes string trimmers, leaf blowers, and pressure washers.
Ryobi RYPM8010
The Ryobi RYPM8010 battery self-propelled mower has an exceptionally wide 30-inch mowing deck, a quick charge time of less than an hour, and a run time of just over an hour. It’s the most expensive battery mower in our ratings, but its stellar performance and wide design mean you’ll be done mowing faster. This mower aces most of our performance tests, nabbing very good scores for bagging and handling, as well as first-rate scores for mulching, side-discharging, and cutting evenness. It also has a long battery warranty of five years. Ryobi’s self-propelled battery mowers get middling scores for predicted reliability but receive very good scores for owner satisfaction in our member surveys.
Best Gas Push Mowers
Gas-fueled mowers aren’t limited by rechargeable batteries and can cut much larger yards in one go (assuming, that is, you have enough gas on hand).
Ariens Razor 911607
The Ariens Razor 911607 is a little pricier than most lawn mowers we test, but it’s the clear standout among gas push mowers in our ratings. It offers top-notch mulching and cutting evenness, and also scores near the top for side discharging, handling, and bagging in our lawn tests. It has a 21-inch deck that’s height-adjustable, allowing it to trim grass anywhere from 1 inch to 4.125 inches. It also includes a washout port, making it easy to clear the underside of excess grass and debris. We don’t have enough data on Ariens mowers to judge its predicted reliability, but it comes with a three-year warranty.
Toro 21311
The Toro 21311 is among the best gas push mowers in our ratings, and it’s reasonably priced, too. It earns top marks for mulching and side-discharging, though its bagging performance is only average. It handles nicely and provides an even cut, too. As a brand, Toro gas mowers earn stellar marks for reliability and average scores for owner satisfaction.
Troy-Bilt TB120C
The 21-inch Troy-Bilt TB120C gas push mower rates very well overall. That’s due in part to its standout performance in mulching and cutting evenness, and its ability to cut in side-discharge mode. This model’s bagging also rates near the top; handling is just middling, and it tends to be noisy. It lacks features of similarly priced models, including a washout port and high wheels, which can often handle bumpy terrain better than standard wheels. Its two-year mower warranty isn’t the most generous, either. Troy-Bilt gas push mowers earn excellent ratings for predicted reliability and midrange scores for owner satisfaction.
Yard Force YF22-3N1
The Yard Force YF22-3N1 gets superb scores for an even cut and very good—but not excellent—scores for mulching and bagging. It gets only midrange scores for how it works in side discharge mode. We found it to be a little less noisy than some of our other gas mowers, and at 22 inches, it has a slightly wider deck that allows you to cover a bit more territory in one pass. It’s one of the pricier models among the gas push mowers we’ve tested.
Best Gas Self-Propelled Mowers
Gas self-propelled mowers usually cost less than their electric counterparts, though you might spend more in the long run on fuel and maintenance.
DeWalt DW12AVP2R3739
The 21-inch DeWalt DW12AVP2R3739 is a gas self-propelled mower that gets excellent scores for cutting evenness, mulching, and side-discharging. It earns very good scores for bagging and handling. Like most gas mowers, it’s loud to the ear. The DeWalt earns near-perfect marks for predicted reliability and midrange scores for owner satisfaction in our surveys.
Echo LM-2119SP
The Echo LM-2119SP gets top scores for cutting evenness, mulching, and side-discharging, as well as very good scores for bagging. This model comes with high wheels and a foldable handle for easy storage.
Stihl RM 655 VS
For a hefty price, the Stihl RM 655 VS gets excellent scores in our tests for cutting evenness, mulching, and side-discharging. It gets very good scores for bagging, but only midrange scores for handling. It’s one of the few gas mowers in our ratings that gets a very good score for noise at 25 feet, in case you’re trying to keep the noise down for your neighbors.
Toro Super Recycler 21565
The Toro Super Recycler 21565 gets superb scores for mulching, evenness, side-discharging, and handling. It falls short, however, in bagging and noise output. But this model comes with a swing-up handlebar, high wheels, an optional discharge chute, and a five-year warranty. In our latest surveys, Toro gas self-propelled mowers earn a very good rating for owner satisfaction and a midrange score for predicted reliability.
How CR Tests Lawn Mowers and Tractors
To get you ratings and reviews of the latest models by early spring, our testers travel to our mower-testing facility in Fort Myers, Fla., to conduct tests in late winter at grounds we prepare each year. We plant 1,800 pounds of grass seed (predominantly annual rye, prized for its dense growth) and cut 500,000 square feet of grass in three modes—mulching, side-discharging, and bagging (a total of 3,000 pounds of clippings). We mow both level turf and slopes to get a feel for each model’s performance and review the convenience features.
A model’s Overall Score incorporates all of that performance data, along with predicted reliability and owner satisfaction ratings from our latest member surveys.
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