Best Lawn Mowers for Small Yards
10 top push mowers from CR's tests for cutting up to a quarter-acre
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The beauty of a small yard isāin theoryāeasy care. So why complicate your life with a pricey lawn mower with features you really donāt need?
āFor lawns up to around 1ā4 acre, Iād recommend a push mower,ā says Misha Kollontai, who oversees CRās lawn mower testing. The bells and whistles on more complex and expensive, self-propelled mowers arenāt necessary for smaller yards, he says.
Consider, for instance, the boost that self-propelled mowers provide, to assist you in moving forward. āThe feature helps most when moving in long stretches in one direction,ā Kollontai says. Thatās not a concern in small yards, he adds, because youāre mowing short swaths and turning often.
That said, push mowers have their limitations. Theyāre ideal if your lawn doesnāt take a lot of time to mowāsay, half an hour. (Thatās about the time it takes to cut 1ā4 acre, CR has found.) āBut once you start creeping above that length of time, anyone can start getting a little fatigued pushing a mower around,ā Kollontai says.
And some homeowners with small plots still may want or need the extra ease that a self-propelled mowerās drivetrain provides. If itās a struggle for you to push a mower or your yard has hills, you may want upgrade to a self-propelled mower.
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 modesāmulching, 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 and review the convenience features.
The Overall Score incorporates all that performance data, along with predicted reliability and owner satisfaction ratings from our latest member surveys. They leverage data on more than 78,000 lawn mowers and tractors that members purchased between 2010 and 2020.
CR members with digital access can read on for ratings and reviews of the 10 best battery- and gas-powered push lawn mowers for small yards. Each one on the list cuts well, is easy to maneuver, and wonāt hog storage space.
Put In the Shopping Legwork
Keep in mind that while your new mower may save you steps, shopping for one may take a bit more legwork this season. COVID-related supply-chain holdups, combined with increased demand, are reducing supply, says Courtney Pennicooke, the CR product analyst who covers lawn mowers. āSupplies are more limited, and models may be on back order,ā he says.
You also might need to check out a variety of retailers. Some mower brands are associated only with Home Depot or Loweās, while others are sold only through independent dealers. And some brands may sell certain models at a big home-improvement chain and others through dealers.
āShop around more than usual, checking a few different stores,ā Pennicooke says.
Check our comprehensive lawn mower ratings for even more good choices, including over 30 push models from brands such as Atlas, Craftsman, Cub Cadet, DeWalt, DR, Ego, Hart, Honda, Kobalt, Masport, Ryobi, Stihl, Toro, and Troy-Bilt.
Best Battery Push Mowers for Small Yards
Best Gas Push Mowers for Small Yards
Finding the Perfect Lawn Mower
Is your lawn mower failing to make the cut? On the āConsumer 101ā TV show, Consumer Reports expert John Galeotafiore explains to host Jack Rico how to find the best mower for your needs.
