Best Riding Mowers for 2024
Preparing the mower and pushing it across the lawn can feel like a chore. with the correct riding lawn moweryou’ll save time and energy—especially for larger yards. However, trying to find Which one is right for you It can be overwhelming. To help you make your choice, we compared specs and found the best lawn mowers for different yard needs and budgets.
When choosing a riding lawn mower, consider the size of your lawn. For example, a 0.05 acre yard might only need a Push lawn mowercheaper than even the most affordable riding lawn mowers. Also, not all lawns are created equal. You may want to consider steep slopes or other rough terrain when making this decision.
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Recent advances in battery technology now offer the following options: Electric vs. conventional gas engines. There are a lot of things to consider here. If you run out of gas while mowing, you can fill up in a few minutes and continue. However, when using an electric lawn mower, you may experience a delay of one to two hours while charging. That’s why it’s especially important to size your machine to your lawn when considering electric options.
On the other hand, some electric models are compatible with battery platforms, allowing you to use your lawn mower’s battery in other tools. If you have extra rechargeable batteries for these tools, you can swap them into your lawnmower to avoid downtime from charging. However, there will still be some offset in pricing. The upfront investment in batteries is huge and may be difficult to recoup.
Important tips: Unlike most of CNET’s best lists, this one is based on research rather than actual testing, because the size and cost of these devices make getting samples difficult. I compared all the specs to find the best riding lawn mowers on the market so you can make an informed decision on which one is best for you.
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The Cub Cadet Ultima ZT1 50-inch riding lawn mower is a great choice for homeowners with large lawns. It has a powerful 23-horsepower engine and a 50-inch cutting deck, making it easy to mow even the largest lawns quickly and efficiently. This mower also has a hydrostatic transmission that makes it easy to maneuver in tight spaces. This also allows for a quick forward speed of 7 mph and reverse speed of 3.5 mph.
Additionally, the Ultima ZT1 comes with a variety of features (some at additional cost), making it a great choice for homeowners who want the best lawn care experience possible. These features include covered decks, baggers, side discharge chute, tow/haul capabilities, snow blowers and even sun shades. The fabricated mulching deck allows for a signature cut with less clumps and stray grass, resulting in finer clippings for increased uniformity and improved soil health, while the bagger and side discharge chute collect clippings easily. Overall, the Cub Cadet Ultima ZT1 50-inch Riding Lawn Mower is a great choice for homeowners who want a powerful, easy-to-use riding lawn mower that’s packed with features.
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Some people prefer the traditional steering experience of a round wheel mounted on the steering column, and my pick for the best gas lawn mower is a John Deere lawn tractor that delivers just that. The S130 features a 42-inch cutting deck and a 22-horsepower engine that can reach forward speeds of 5.5 mph and reverse speeds of 3.2 mph. Like my pick for the best zero-turn, the S130 offers a host of add-ons, including a snow plow, snowblower, snow chains, and even a full cab shell for extra protection.
The S130 includes the John Deere “Easy Change” 30-second oil change system, a proprietary all-in-one oil and oil filter canister that allows you to quickly change tractor oil with “no hassle, no mess.” The $2,899 price tag is attractive for a name-brand device with these specs. Combined with the seasonal discounts you’re likely to find somewhere, the S130 becomes a great choice for just about anyone considering buying a riding lawn mower.
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My picks for the best value ride-on lawn mowers fall into the category of ride-on lawn mowers designed for lawns 2 acres or smaller. You still get plenty of power with the 19-horsepower Briggs & Stratton engine and 42-inch mowing deck. The Bronco 42 is designed to provide effortless on-and-off convenience with a “Step-Thru” frame design, making it a great choice for people of all physical ability levels. The automatic transmission and foot pedal controls are also designed to allow the mower to drive “like a car.”
You can still use all the add-ons as well as the pull-back cart, spreader and sprayer with rear hitch. When you look at these specs and performance options at a list price of $2,199, which is close to the entry-level price of a name-brand riding lawn mower (entry-level is around $2,000), the Bronco 42 becomes the easy choice for best value.
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Choosing the best electric riding lawn mower is a bit tricky, considering the vastly different performance of these batteries and electrical systems. The Z6 42-inch does work on a removable battery platform, and you can use the mower’s individual batteries (up to six) with the company’s other range of outdoor tools. The mower comes with four 10-amp-hour batteries (Ego currently offers batteries in 2.5, 4, 5, 6, 7.5, 10, and 12 amp-hour capacities) and two extra spaces for you to add your own extra batteries. To start the mower, you’ll need at least a 15-amp-hour battery, with a full capacity of 60 amp-hours, which Ego says will allow you to mow up to 3 acres.
There are three driving modes: Control, Standard and Sport, giving you varying degrees of aggression and speed during maneuvers. In drive mode, the speed range when cutting is 3-7 mph, with an overall top speed of 8 mph. Includes a wall-mounted fast charger that’s similar to a standard electric car charger, so you don’t have to charge each battery individually. This is also convenient if you’re invested in the Ego ecosystem and like to charge multiple batteries at the same time.
You also get some nifty extras, like an LCD control screen and USB ports to charge or power devices on the go. If you’ve already invested in or are interested in this outdoor tool platform, the Z6 42-inch model is a great choice. It’s also great if you’re generally an EV/EV/battery power enthusiast. Generally speaking, the performance you’ll see is comparable to similarly sized 22-horsepower gas engine models. The price tag may be a little higher due to the battery purchase, but overall, this is a great machine with excellent performance.
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Ryobi 48 Volt, 100 Amp Hour Electric Zero Turn Riding Lawn Mower: Ryobi has some great options for electric riding lawn mowers, including this 100Ah version, which has the largest battery capacity of any device we reviewed. By converting the Ryobi and Ego’s battery voltages to watt-hours by multiplying them by battery amp-hours, we can see that the Ryobi has 4,800Wh and the Ego has 3,360Wh. At these stated capacities, both manufacturers claim their mowers can cover “up to” 3 acres, making the Ego system even more efficient.
Greenworks 60-volt, 42-inch CrossoverT Electric Riding Lawn Mower: This lawn mower is the least expensive of the electric options I reviewed. I do like the integrated storage bed behind the unit. It comes with six 8-amp-hour batteries, and there’s an extensive range of outdoor tools that can interact with those batteries, just like the Ego platform. To recharge, you’ll need to recharge your six batteries using the three included dual-battery chargers. Can cover up to 2.5 acres per charge.
Craftsman T110 42-Inch 17.5 HP Riding Lawn Mower: This gas-powered lawn mower has similar specs to some of our other units, but comes with a slightly smaller 17.5-horsepower engine. Overall, it’s a good choice, especially if you’re already a Craftsman fan, but the slightly higher price per spec keeps it out of the winner’s circle.
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How much does a riding lawn mower cost?
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Which is better, a traditional riding lawn mower or a zero-turn lawn mower?
