Lawn Mowers: Expert and User Reviews

Our AssessmentTesting here is objective and thorough, performed annually in Florida by a team of mowers. Lawn mowers are ranked here based on objective tests for performance in all three grass-handling modes, as well as ratings for handling and ease of use. The report ranks 40 self-propelled gas mowers, 15 push gas mowers, 14 cordless electric mowers and five corded electric mowers. ConsumerReports.org no longer rates lawn mowers for evenness of cut, and still doesn't measure noise level, but does publish owner-written reviews plus a forum that includes useful comments from expert Peter Sawchuck.

Our AssessmentHonda, John Deere and Husqvarna earn top marks in the latest J.D. Power and Associates customer-satisfaction survey of over 2,000 users who've bought a lawn mower within the past two years.

Our AssessmentAlthough the editors of Organic Gardening don't tell us which three cordless mowers they tested, they do provide ample reasons why the Neuton CE 6.2 (now the plain CE6) wins one of the 2009 Editors' Choice awards. They praise it for consistent cutting, saying "It chopped down thick, at times damp, grass with steady power." They also like the battery gauge and removable battery. Charging takes eight hours and runs the mower for about an hour.

Our AssessmentThis enthusiastic review of the Toro Super Recycler 20092 gives it a near-perfect rating based on personal usage by the About.com guide to lawn care. The only drawback noted is the price, but he says the extras are worth it, praising the electric start and reporting that the Personal Pace is the most intuitive drive system he's tried. Another review here gives the19-inch Neuton CE 6 cordless lawn mower a perfect 5-star rating based on three months of frequent use, with praise for its quiet, excellent performance. The reviewer bought an extra battery for the Neuton, but reports that it mows a third of an acre on a single charge. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

Our AssessmentHomeDepot.com publishes owner-written reviews and ratings of the lawn mowers it sells, but you have to click on each lawn mower model to see if it's been reviewed. Self-propelled gas mowers have accumulated the most reviews, cordless mowers the fewest -- but top-rated models stand out within each type. Among gas mowers, it's easy to tell which models are CARB-compliant.

Our AssessmentThis year at least one CARB-certified mower (the Craftsman 37639 with a Honda engine) is available in other states in addition to California. We found quite a few lawn mowers rated well here by owners that fare poorly in the tests at ConsumerReports.org. In addition to Craftsman mowers (made by Husqvarna and MTD), Sears sells some mowers by Black & Decker, Worx and American Lawn Mower -- but not all models have accumulated reviews.

Our AssessmentMost of the relatively inexpensive lawn mowers sold here haven't accumulated reviews from owners at the time of our report, but there are a few exceptions. Three corded electric lawn mowers stand out, with mostly positive reviews, as do two Yard-Man push mowers (including one that's CARB-certified yet available in other states too).

Our AssessmentThis buyers' guide to reel mowers, by an employee of retailer Clean Air Gardening, is designed to match a reel mower to the user's specific needs. Four mowers are discussed. The Fiskars gets praise for good build quality, as does the Scotts Green Classic. The top ranking, though, seems to go to the lightweight Brill Razorcut 38 for northern lawns, and the heavier Mascot for southern lawns of Bermuda, Zoysia or St. Augustine grass.

Our AssessmentWe'd rank these single-product reviews higher if they were more current than 2008. Editors review and rate lawn mowers on the basis of actual test usage, and some lawn mowers are included here that ConsumerReports.org and Popular Mechanics don't cover.

Our AssessmentThis update by an engineer adds a worn-out battery to earlier 2008 criticisms of the Black & Decker CM1200 cordless mower, recommending the Toro 20360 or Earthwise 60120 as better options (though without any details). The 2008 review says the Black & Decker CM1200 bag is an improvement over an earlier cordless Black & Decker -- presumably the CM1000 or an even earlier model -- but that the CM1200 new handle is flimsy, with awkward controls and a starter that seldom works.

Our AssessmentThis brief but enthusiastic review is based on a chance to try out the cordless Black & Decker CM 1200 (now CMM1200), though no comparisons or objective tests are mentioned. The review praises this mower for its Energy Star rating and quiet ease of use.

Our AssessmentThis blog review of the Scotts Green Classic mower quotes and contradicts some of the reviews of it posted at Amazon.com. The author is quite disappointed with the effort required, though he admits he could use the workout. Quite a few readers weigh in, with several defending manual reel mowers and others advocating electric mowers. One reader notes that some cordless mowers let you switch batteries as needed.

Our AssessmentEnthusiastic reviews at this site cover features well and include nice illustrations, but don't document any testing. This review of the Fiskars Momentum reel mower explains how its flywheel action stores energy for mowing tough patches. Another March 2010 review praises the Black & Decker cordless; an April 13, 2009, review here by Lloyd Alter praises the Brill Razorcut 38; and a February 2008 review covers the Enviromower cordless mower (essentially the same as the Neuton CE 5).

Our AssessmentThis site publishes owners' reviews of the cordless electric and manual reel mowers sold here, but only a few have been posted. The Scotts Green mower gets mixed reviews.

Our AssessmentThis retail site sells electric corded and cordless mowers, as well as manual reel mowers. The comparison chart is useful in comparing the features and specifications of 10 current manual reel mowers, including the new Fiskars Momentum. A similar chart elsewhere on the site compares six electric walk-behind mowers. Another article here recommends specific manual reel mowers based on the type of grass you need to mow.