Best and Worst Walk-Behind Lawn Mowers
The top performers in CR's unparalleled field tests come from Cub Cadet, Ego, Greenworks, Honda, Kobalt, Ryobi, Toro, and Troy-Bilt
More than 90 walk-behind mowers were put through their paces in CR's 2022 tests.
By Tobie Stanger
A great walk-behind lawn mower ably handles the particular challenges of mowing a smaller yard, so your grass-cutting is simple and quick.
What are those challenges? You may not have even considered them.
"In a small yard you’re more likely to be turning around or navigating around obstacles more often," says Misha Kollontai, a Consumer Reports senior test project leader who covers mowers. A walk-behind mower is more appropriate for such jobs than a tractor or riding mower, he adds, because it’s easier to maneuver.
Consumer Reports has found plenty of winners among the newest crop of gas and battery-powered walk-behinds. We’re giving more than half of the walk-behind mowers we tested this winter our recommended stamp of approval.
The stars in the class of 2022 include push and self-propelled standouts from Cub Cadet, Ego, Greenworks, Honda, Kobalt, Ryobi, Toro, Troy-Bilt, and more.
One reason we were able to recommend so many models has to do with mulching, the process of cutting clippings into fine pieces. "We’re seeing noticeably better mulching performance for both gas and battery push mowers," Kollontai says. "They’re more able not only to cut your grass well but also to better mulch it and disperse it on your lawn."
But not every walk-behind mower measures up. Several that left behind ugly clumps have an Overall Score of 60 or lower on CR’s 100-point scale.
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’s performance 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, fielded in the fall of 2019, 2020, and 2021. In all, we collected CR member feedback on nearly 44,000 mowers purchased between 2011 and 2021, reflecting experiences with more than 32,500 gas mowers and more than 11,500 battery mowers.
If you’re not sure which type of lawn mower is right for your needs, start with our lawn mower buying guide.
CR members can read on for ratings and reviews of this year’s very best walk-behind mowers from brands such as Cub Cadet, Ego, Honda, Greenworks, Kobalt, Ryobi, and Toro. Along with top-rated models, we’ve included high-performing models that represent value as CR Best Buys. For even more options, CR members can check out our comprehensive lawn mower and tractor ratings.
Following our recommended picks, we’ve listed several models that fall at the bottom of our ratings.
Best Battery Push Mowers
Best Battery Self-Propelled Mowers
Best Gas Push Mowers
Best Gas Self-Propelled Mowers
Best Gas Wide-Deck Self-Propelled Mower
Worst Battery & Gas Walk-Behind Mowers
More than half of the walk-behind mowers in our ratings perform well enough for CR to recommend. Others struggle in our exhaustive cutting tests. Here, we list a few of them. Check CR’s mower ratings for a more complete list.
Murray 152506
CR’s take: For another hundred dollars or so, get yourself a gas push mower that performs better and is more reliable than the Murray 152506. While this 20-inch mower earned Very Good ratings for side-discharging and evenness of cut—and an Excellent rating for handling—its scores for mulching and bagging are just Fair. Murray rates Poor for owner satisfaction and Fair for predicted reliability.
Worx WG779
CR’s take: The Worx WG779 push mower just isn’t worth the money for its mediocre mulching and bagging performance—it earns ratings of Fair for both. You can do much better for the price.
Sun Joe MJ401C-XR
CR’s take: Simply put, the Sun Joe MJ401C-XR battery push mower doesn’t cut grass well. It rates Poor for side-discharging and Fair for bagging, and lacks the ability to mulch grass. For around $100 more, you can get a significantly better mower.
Finding the Perfect Lawn Mower
Is your lawn mower failing to make the cut? On the "Consumer 101" TV show, Consumer Reports expert John Galeotafiore explains to host Jack Rico how to find the best mower for your needs.
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Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2022, Consumer Reports, Inc.
