Lawn Mowers Reviews

This report covers walk-behind lawn mowers, including self-propelled and push gas mowers, along with both cordless and corded electric, and manual reel lawn mowers. We have a separate report on robotic mowers , and for those with larger lawns, we have another report on riding mowers and lawn tractors .

We found the best 2008 lawn mower review at Consumer Reports, where a team puts 45 gas and electric lawn mowers through rigorous standardized tests. This review rates each lawn mower on its ability to cut grass evenly, as well as its performance in all three modes of handling grass clippings: Mulching, bagging and side-discharging. In addition, mowers are tested for maneuverability and rated for overall ease of use. Even though this is the most comprehensive review we found, it does have some gaps. The review fails to report each lawn mower's noise level or environmental impact. Only three manual reel mowers are reviewed, very briefly, and the new 19-inch Neuton electric lawn mower isn't tested.

Other reviews fill in some of the gaps in Consumer Reports' coverage. HowStuffWorks.com does review the new, wider Neuton CE 6.2 (*est. $480). Wired Magazine reviews electric lawn mowers in more detail, with more focus on comfort. Popular Mechanics includes decibel sound levels in its detailed reviews of high-end self-propelled lawn mowers. An older review at the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse measures the noise level for even more lawn mowers, covering all types. Noise level is an important factor in choosing a lawn mower, not only for neighborhood sanity, but also for preserving health and hearing. (A recent survey shows that more than three-quarters of users rarely or never use ear protection.). Relatively small differences in decibel ratings are significant, with a 10-decibel difference meaning the sound is twice as loud.

Gas lawn mowers, on the other hand, don't seem to be keeping pace with consumers' interest in "greener" lifestyles. Honda is the only gas-mower manufacturer committed to meeting California's stricter emissions requirements for all its lawn mowers in all 50 states. This isn't simply a matter of the mowers' engines; the California standards also reduce fume leakage from the fuel lines, requiring better materials. We did find a few self-propelled lawn mowers by other brands that meet California standards (called "CARB-compliant" or "50-state compliant"), but it took quite a few e-mails and phone calls to confirm this.

Experts say that most powered mowers last an average of five to seven years. Both corded and cordless electric lawn mowers need less routine maintenance than gas mowers, but we found quite a few complaints from owners about difficulty getting parts and service for them. In fact, that's one of the themes running through lawn-mower reviews from owners. Many owners recommend, for both gasoline and electric mowers, choosing a local dealer with good repair service. Manual reel mowers need far less maintenance than either type of powered mower, and they can last for decades.

Manual reel mowers are the least expensive option, as well as the best for the environment, but they are really only an option for very small yards (or if you have very enthusiastic kids who like to use the mower). When kept sharpened and oiled, they can last for decades. Most owners praise them as the most pleasant to use, because they're so quiet, easy to store and ready to go whenever needed. Most, like the top-rated Scotts Green Classic mower (*est. $120) , are made by American Lawn Mower company, but the Task Force reel mower (*est. $130), which gets lower ratings from owners, is an Asian knock-off that doesn't maintain the same specifications for blade design.

Honda, Toro and, recently, Lawn-Boy (owned by Toro) usually rank near the top in reviews of gas lawn mowers. Craftsman, Husqvarna and MTD-made brands (such as Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt, Yard Machines and Yard-Man) usually rank lower. However, Troy-Bilt has a new XP series, and the Troy-Bilt TV1086 XP (*est. $370) is getting some good reviews. Historically, Troy-Bilt and Craftsman lawn mowers rank in the middle for reliability, but we found quite a few complaints about their durability in owner-written reviews at Sears.com. Lawn-Boy has had a very poor repair record, but now that they're made by Toro, this may (or may not) be changing.

Comparison reviews make clear that neither price nor engine power are reliable guides to lawn mower performance and ease of use. Often, lawn mowers that are priced the same, with similar features, vary enormously in how evenly they cut or how well they handle grass clippings in different modes.  ... Continued

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

Among gas-powered push mowers, we found good reviews for the Cub Cadet 11A-18MC010, which also costs less than much of the competition. We found good reviews overall for Lawn-Boy mowers, but the self-propelled Lawn-Boy 10797 is especially noteworthy for low emissions, and it is particularly good at side-discharging and bagging clippings. When it comes to mulching, reviewers say Honda HRX mowers can't bet beat, although they are expensive.

Among electric mowers, we found the best reviews by a wide margin for the cordless Black & Decker CM1200 and corded MM875. Both get better reviews than the Neuton electric lawn mowers that are heavily advertised this year.