Best Lawn Mowers for Big Yards
These top-performing mowers from CR's tests hit the sweet spot for ½- to 1-acre lawns
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Looking for a lawn mower for a yard that’s big but not huge? Your search isn’t so different from that of Goldilocks. You want something just the right size: not too small to tackle the job properly, and not so big that it’s overkill.
For small yards of up to ¼ acre, walk-behind push mowers are a solid choice. For slightly larger yards—from ¼ acre to about ½ acre—self-propelled walk-behinds are ideal; the powered wheels pull the machine forward, freeing you from having to push much yourself.
But if you’re tackling a lawn of around ¾ acre, even powered wheels won’t make the job seem easy if you’re clearing only a 21-inch-wide swath on each pass. That’s the standard width for walk-behind mowers. And yet a regular riding mower or zero-turn-radius model might seem unnecessary for a yard that size—plus, they’re inconvenient to store and can be much more expensive.
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 modes—mulching, 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. The surveys leverage data on more than 42,300 lawn mowers and tractors that members purchased between 2012 and 2022.
Best Lawn Mowers for Big Yards
Size isn’t the only factor that should dictate your decision. Start with our lawn mower buying guide, which explains how the slope of your yard can change the equation. You’ll also find a thorough overview of electric models, which make up an ever-growing slice of the mower market. Next, check our comprehensive lawn mower ratings.
CR members with digital access can read on for ratings and reviews of the very best mowers for big yards (up to an acre).
Best Gas Wide-Deck Self-Propelled Mowers for Big Yards
Best Rear-Engine Riding Mower for Big Yards
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