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    Best Budget Lawn Mowers

    These gas and battery push mowers are a cut above at a reasonable price

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    Person pushing the Toro 21311 lawn mower on a lawn.
    Through our extensive lawn mower tests, we’ve found some models that deliver top performance with great value.
    Photo: Toro

    If you’re looking to buy a new inexpensive mower, now may be a good time: The supply-chain snarls that raised prices on manufactured products have long since eased, and lawn mower prices have leveled out or gone down. 

    On the flip side, tariffs may lead to price hikes in the near future. Manufacturers might find themselves facing higher supply and production costs, which could raise lawn mower prices for consumers, according to Courtney Pennicooke, a CR market analyst who covers outdoor power equipment.

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    More on Lawn Mowers

    The sweet spot for lawn mower value is between $350 and $500. Even at prices below that range, you’ll find a few very good gas or battery push mowers in our ratings, some with helpful features like folding handles and the option of upright storage. Among the three gas and four battery models featured below—all priced around $300 and recommended by CR—a couple also earn excellent predicted reliability scores, which means they’re more likely to hold up for many years of use.

    Keep in mind, too, that prices can change quickly: Some mowers currently showing up in our ratings at $300 may actually be selling for slightly more—and some for less. 

    If only Amazon shows up as a vendor on the product page and you see the term “See offers,” there’s a chance that the model is sold by independent lawn mower dealers. In that case, go to the manufacturer’s website to find a nearby dealer selling that brand.

    Check out our lawn mower buying guide for more advice on getting the right mower for your property. CR members can read on for reviews of seven gas and battery push mowers that top our ratings from Kobalt (Lowe’s), Ryobi, Skil, Stihl, Toro, Troy-Bilt, and Yardmax.

    Best Budget Gas Lawn Mowers

    Gas lawn mowers generally cost less and run for longer. Check out our picks for the most reliable gas lawn mowers.

    Best Budget Battery Lawn Mowers

    Battery lawn mowers are quieter and more eco-friendly than their gas counterparts. Many of these mowers have batteries that can be interchanged with other outdoor tools. For more information, check out our roundup of battery platforms for power tools.

    How CR Tests Lawn Mowers

    To test lawn mowers and tractors, our testers and engineers travel every winter to specially prepared grounds in Florida, where we plant 1,800 pounds of grass seed (predominantly annual rye, prized for its dense growth). That’s where we put the mowers to work, cutting 500,000 square feet of grass using three modes: mulching, side-discharging, and bagging (accumulating a total of 3,000 pounds of clippings). We cut both level turf and slopes to get a feel for how each model handles the terrain. We also review convenience features.

    Additionally, the Overall Score for each lawn mower and tractor in our ratings also incorporates predicted reliability and owner satisfaction ratings from our latest member surveys. These surveys, fielded in the fall of 2022, 2023, and 2024, leverage data on more than 46,000 lawn mowers and lawn tractors that members purchased between 2014 and 2024.

    @consumerreports

    Are you ready to step up your #lawncare game? 😎 See expert tips, ratings, and reviews at cr.org/home 🌱 #spring #lawnmower #lawntok

    ♬ original sound - Consumer Reports

    Tobie Stanger

    Tobie Stanger

    As a senior editor at Consumer Reports for more than 30 years, Tobie Stanger specialized in helping readers shop wisely, save money, and avoid scams. Her home- and shopping-related beats have included appliance and grocery stores, generators, homeowners and flood insurance, humidifiers, lawn mowers, and luggage. She also covered home improvement products, including flooring, roofing, and siding.