Best Lawn Mowers of 2024, According to Testing

If mowing the lawn feels like a weekly argument with grass that has too much confidence, you are not alone. The good news is that the best lawn mowers of 2024 made this chore noticeably less annoying. Testing across major U.S. home and product publications showed a clear pattern: battery mowers kept getting better, gas models still held their ground for bigger or rougher yards, and riding mowers continued to be the fast lane for anyone with enough acreage to qualify as “I should probably wave at my neighbors with binoculars.”

This roundup focuses on what stood out in 2024 testing, not just what looked impressive on a store shelf. The most consistently praised models earned points for clean cuts, strong bagging or mulching, smart storage, easy controls, solid runtime, and the ability to deal with real-world lawns rather than fantasy turf that belongs on a golf brochure. In other words, if a mower only performs well on a perfect patch of dry grass under ideal weather, it did not make this list with much enthusiasm.

The result is a practical guide to the top walk-behind, riding, zero-turn, and robot mowers that actually made sense in 2024. Some are premium picks. Some are value buys. All are here because testing suggested they were better than average at turning shaggy chaos into something that says, “Yes, I do have my life mostly together.”

Quick Verdict: The Best Lawn Mowers of 2024

• Best overall battery mower: EGO Power+ 21-Inch Select Cut Self-Propelled
• Best gas mower: Toro SmartStow Personal Pace Auto-Drive 21465
• Best traditional gas favorite in 2024 testing: Honda NeXite Self-Propelled Mower
• Best budget mower: Greenworks 40V Cordless Lawn Mower
• Best for bagging and cut quality: Ryobi 40V HP 21-Inch Self-Propelled Mower
• Best for mulching and striping: Toro 60V Stripe
• Best riding mower: Ryobi 80V HP 42-Inch Electric Zero Turn
• Best lawn tractor: Cub Cadet XT1 Enduro LT42
• Best zero-turn mower: Cub Cadet Ultima ZT1 42
• Best robot mower: Mammotion Luba 2 AWD 5000H

What 2024 Testing Rewarded Most

The biggest lesson from 2024 was simple: most homeowners no longer need to buy gas by default. Battery mowers kept earning top spots because they were quieter, easier to start, lower-maintenance, and powerful enough for many small to medium-size yards. The best battery models also closed the gap in areas where they once felt shaky, especially hill performance, bagging, and mulching.

That said, gas was not dead. Not even close. Gas mowers still made sense for people with thicker grass, bigger yards, or zero patience for charging routines. If your yard grows like it has something to prove, gas remained a safe choice in 2024.

Riding mowers and zero-turn models stayed in their usual lane: they were the right answer for larger properties, especially when the time saved was worth the higher price. Meanwhile, robot mowers finally felt less like sci-fi lawn ornaments and more like a genuine premium option for tech-forward homeowners.

Best Overall Battery Mower: EGO Power+ 21-Inch Select Cut Self-Propelled

If there was one battery mower family that kept showing up near the top of 2024 testing, it was EGO’s 21-inch Select Cut self-propelled line. Depending on the exact publication and package, you would see closely related models like the LM2150SP or LM2135SP getting the love. The reason was not mysterious: these mowers consistently balanced cut quality, ease of use, runtime, and overall polish better than most competitors.

In plain English, this mower did not feel like a compromise. Reviewers liked the strong cutting performance, intuitive drive control, and impressive bagging. Better Homes & Gardens praised how effortlessly the self-propel system moved the mower along and noted that it handled small hills and obstacles well. Good Housekeeping highlighted a claimed runtime of up to 75 minutes, seven cutting-height positions, and interchangeable blades for dialing in the finish you want.

This is the mower I would point most homeowners toward first, especially if the yard falls somewhere in the small-to-medium suburban sweet spot. It is a great fit for people who want something quieter than gas, easier than a push mower, and strong enough to deal with regular weekly mowing without drama.

The downsides are mostly the ones you would expect from a premium battery mower: it is not cheap, and some packages may not include every accessory configuration you would want. Still, if your goal is buying one mower that feels modern, capable, and surprisingly pleasant to use, EGO had the strongest all-around case in 2024.

Best Gas Mower: Toro SmartStow Personal Pace Auto-Drive 21465

Gas fans were not left out of the party. The Toro SmartStow Personal Pace Auto-Drive 21465 stood out as one of the smartest traditional gas picks of 2024, especially for shoppers who still wanted the familiar power and unlimited runtime that battery models cannot fully match.

What makes this Toro so appealing is that it behaves like a classic gas mower that went to finishing school. It has a 22-inch deck, self-propelled drive, and Toro’s SmartStow design for easier upright storage. That last part matters more than people think. A mower that takes up half the garage will eventually become part of your personality, and not in a good way.

For yards up to about half an acre, this Toro hits a practical sweet spot. It is a strong choice for homeowners who mow longer stretches, deal with heavier grass, or simply do not want to manage charging cycles. It is also a good option for anyone who sees “battery life remaining: 12%” and immediately becomes suspicious of modern civilization.

Of course, gas still means fuel, noise, and seasonal maintenance. You do not get the push-button simplicity of a battery mower. But in 2024 testing, Toro proved that gas could still feel user-friendly, not old-fashioned.

Best Traditional Gas Favorite: Honda NeXite Self-Propelled Mower

Another standout from 2024 testing was the Honda NeXite Self-Propelled Mower, which Good Housekeeping named its best overall mower in a broader roundup. That says a lot, because it beat out both gas and battery competition in that particular ranking.

Why? Testers liked its reliable performance, self-propelled ease, and all-around capability, particularly for homeowners who still prefer a no-nonsense gas machine. It was also noted for tool-free mulching and leaf shredding convenience, which is the kind of feature that sounds boring until you realize it saves time every single weekend.

For shoppers looking specifically at the 2024 landscape, Honda represented the polished, dependable side of gas mower design. It was especially appealing for hilly yards and people who wanted long-standing engineering credibility over the newest battery trend.

If EGO was the 2024 symbol of how good battery mowing had become, Honda was the reminder that a well-made gas mower still had plenty of fans for perfectly logical reasons.

Best Budget Pick: Greenworks 40V Cordless Lawn Mower

Not everyone needs a mower that feels like a luxury crossover SUV with blades. Some people just need something affordable, easy to store, and capable of keeping a smaller lawn under control. That is where the Greenworks 40V Cordless Lawn Mower made a strong case in 2024.

Good Housekeeping called it the best value among its electric picks, and the reasoning made sense. It was easy to maneuver, quiet, lightweight, and simple to operate. That combination matters for first-time homeowners, older users, and anyone with a yard small enough that a giant mower would be like bringing a chainsaw to trim a basil plant.

This is not the mower for huge yards or wildly overgrown grass. The smaller cutting width and more modest battery endurance make it better suited to lighter-duty work. But for compact properties, routine weekly cuts, and buyers who want a lower-cost way into cordless mowing, Greenworks offered one of the best low-stress options of 2024.

Best for Bagging and Neat, Clean Results: Ryobi 40V HP 21-Inch Self-Propelled Mower

Some mowers finish the job. Others make your lawn look like you secretly hired help. In 2024, the Ryobi 40V HP 21-inch self-propelled mower earned praise for landing in that second category.

Popular Mechanics singled it out in its yard-and-garden awards, calling it a pleasure to operate and praising the quality of the cut. The publication was especially impressed by its bagging, noting that it collected wet, fresh clippings remarkably well. That is not just a geeky testing detail. Strong bagging is a big deal if you care about a cleaner finish, mow damp grass from time to time, or hate watching clumps get dragged around the yard like green confetti.

Ryobi’s 40V HP system also positions this mower as a true gas alternative for many homeowners. It has the kind of runtime and power that make it realistic for regular suburban mowing, while staying quieter and easier to live with than a gas machine. If your top priority is a polished cut and tidy cleanup, this mower deserved serious attention in 2024.

Best for Mulching and Striping: Toro 60V Stripe

If you want your lawn to look like it just signed a minor league baseball contract, the Toro 60V Stripe is the mower to notice. In 2024 coverage, Toro’s Stripe model stood out for creating that professional-looking striped finish that makes neighbors suddenly care a lot more about your grass than they did last week.

Good Housekeeping named it the best electric mower for striping, while Better Homes & Gardens highlighted the Toro Stripe as a top mulching option. That combination is not accidental. Mowers that lay grass down cleanly and mulch effectively tend to produce a nicer-looking surface overall.

This is a great mower for homeowners who care about appearance, not just efficiency. It is also one of the better examples of how battery mowers in 2024 started to move beyond “good enough” and into “actually impressive.” If you want a lawn with visible personality, this is your showboat pick.

Best Riding Mower: Ryobi 80V HP 42-Inch Electric Zero Turn

For large lawns, the Ryobi 80V HP 42-inch electric zero turn was one of the most interesting riding mowers in 2024. Better Homes & Gardens tested it on a half-acre yard with hills and obstacles and found that it cut a significant amount of time off the usual mow. That is exactly what people shopping in this category want to hear.

The mower’s strengths were speed, quiet operation, clean one-pass cutting, and a user-friendly control setup. Better Homes & Gardens also noted that it was easy to get close to fences and trees, which is one of the main reasons people move into zero-turn territory in the first place. Official specs push the value proposition further, with claims of up to 3 acres per charge on the right setup.

This is not an impulse buy. It is expensive. But for homeowners with a large yard who want electric convenience without stepping down in performance, the Ryobi was one of 2024’s most compelling premium options.

Best Lawn Tractor: Cub Cadet XT1 Enduro LT42

If a zero-turn mower feels too aggressive, too specialized, or too expensive, a good lawn tractor is often the smarter middle ground. In 2024 testing, the Cub Cadet XT1 Enduro LT42 stood out as a particularly strong choice.

Better Homes & Gardens praised its comfort and easy, car-like operation. Official Cub Cadet specs for comparable XT1 LT42 configurations point to a 42-inch deck and power suited for up to about 1.5 acres of mostly flat terrain with a few obstacles. That is a very normal homeowner use case, which is exactly why the XT1 made sense.

This is the kind of mower that works well for buyers who want a riding experience without the sharper learning curve of zero-turn controls. It feels approachable, practical, and comfortable enough for longer sessions. If your property is big enough to justify sitting down but not so complex that you need maximum maneuverability, the XT1 was one of the strongest picks from 2024 testing.

For an even more basic lawn tractor feel, the John Deere S100 also remained a familiar option thanks to its 17.5-horsepower engine and 42-inch deck. But the Cub Cadet got more direct praise in hands-on test coverage.

Best Zero-Turn for Obstacle-Rich Yards: Cub Cadet Ultima ZT1 42

Zero-turn mowers exist for one reason: they save time when your yard has trees, beds, curves, and enough landscaping to turn mowing into a driving exam. In 2024, the Cub Cadet Ultima ZT1 42 was one of the most compelling picks in that category.

Better Homes & Gardens named it the best zero-turn mower in its riding mower roundup, praising its power, clean cuts, and maneuverability. This Old House also reinforced the logic behind the category itself, explaining that zero-turn mowers shine on relatively flat to gently sloping terrain and around lots of obstacles. That is the perfect environment for the ZT1.

What buyers need to remember is that zero-turns are not ideal for steep slopes, and they do come with a learning curve. The lap bars can feel strange at first if you are used to a steering wheel. But once the controls click, the time savings and tighter turns are hard to give up.

Best Robot Mower: Mammotion Luba 2 AWD 5000H

Robot mowers were not mainstream in 2024, but they definitely stopped feeling like a gimmick. Reviewed named the Mammotion Luba 2 AWD 5000H its best robot lawn mower of the year, praising its smart app controls, zone management, onboard camera view, and, most importantly, its actual mowing performance.

This is not a budget solution. It is a convenience play, and an expensive one. But for people who hate mowing, love gadgets, or simply enjoy automating chores out of existence, the Luba 2 made a convincing argument. It looked high-tech because it was high-tech, not because it wanted applause.

For smaller yards, Segway’s Navimow i110N also helped make the category more approachable in 2024, with a design aimed at about a quarter-acre and a feature set built around easier boundary management. So while robot mowers were still a niche purchase in 2024, they became a lot more believable as real lawn-care tools.

How to Choose the Right Lawn Mower for Your Yard

Match the mower to your lawn size

This is where most buying mistakes begin. If your yard is under a quarter acre, a compact battery mower is usually enough. For lawns up to about half an acre, a self-propelled battery mower often makes the most sense. Once you move into bigger territory, especially above one acre, riding mowers become more attractive fast. Buying too much mower is just as silly as buying too little. A zero-turn for a tiny flat lawn is the yard-equipment version of wearing football pads to play ping-pong.

Think honestly about terrain

Flat lawns with lots of obstacles favor zero-turn mowers. Hills often favor self-propelled walk-behinds or traditional lawn tractors with better traction and simpler control. If your yard gets slick, uneven, or messy, do not assume faster always means better. Control matters.

Decide how you want the lawn to look

If you care about a spotless finish, prioritize bagging and cut quality. If you want to feed nutrients back into the lawn, pay attention to mulching performance. If you dream of visible stripes that make your lawn look weirdly athletic, a dedicated striping-friendly mower is worth considering.

Storage and noise are bigger deals than people expect

Battery mowers win here. They start more easily, store more simply, and make less noise. Gas mowers still perform well, but they ask more from you in return. If your garage is tight or your neighbors are close, that matters.

Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a Lawn Mower

Do not shop by horsepower or voltage alone. Bigger numbers can matter, but they do not tell the whole story. Deck design, blade system, balance, and ease of control all affect real-world performance.

Do not ignore deck width. A narrower deck is easier to store and maneuver, but it also means more passes. That tradeoff matters more than most people realize after week three.

Do not assume all self-propel systems feel the same. Some are intuitive; some feel like the mower is trying to leave without you. Hands-on testing in reviews often revealed major differences here.

Do not buy a zero-turn for steep hills unless you are absolutely sure it suits your terrain. They are brilliant in the right setting and less brilliant when gravity gets ambitious.

Do not underestimate maintenance. Gas mowers demand more of it. Battery mowers reduce it. Robot mowers replace pushing with software setup. Every mower asks for something.

Our Final Take

If you want the safest recommendation for most homeowners based on 2024 testing, go with the EGO Power+ 21-inch Select Cut self-propelled mower. It was the most balanced, modern, and broadly appealing option.

If you want old-school gas confidence, the Toro SmartStow 21465 is a smart bet. If budget matters most, Greenworks gives smaller lawns an easy win. If you care about bagging and a polished finish, Ryobi’s 40V HP mower deserves a close look. For large properties, the Ryobi 80V HP riding mower and Cub Cadet’s riding and zero-turn options cover different flavors of “I am not walking this whole yard.” And if you want the future now, the Mammotion Luba 2 shows that robot mowing is finally becoming more than a novelty.

In other words, 2024 was a very good year to buy a lawn mower. The hardest part was not finding a decent option. It was admitting how much mower you actually needed and resisting the urge to buy a machine that belongs on a baseball field when all you have is a suburban rectangle and two annoyed dandelions.

Real-World Experiences With the Best Lawn Mowers of 2024

The real difference between an average mower and a great mower usually shows up after the honeymoon period. Day one is easy. Everything is shiny, the wheels roll like butter, and you convince yourself that yard work is your new mindfulness practice. By week six, reality kicks in. The grass is damp, one section is thicker than the rest, the bag is fuller than expected, and suddenly the quality of the mower matters a lot more than the marketing on the box.

That is where the best lawn mowers of 2024 seemed to separate themselves. Good battery mowers, especially the EGO and Ryobi models that got so much praise, made routine mowing feel smoother and less tiring. The self-propel systems took real strain off your arms and back, which is something you appreciate more every time the temperature creeps up. Quiet operation also changed the experience. Instead of sounding like you were starting a small airport, battery mowers let you mow early without feeling like the entire block now knows your plans.

Gas mowers, however, still had an undeniable advantage in certain real-world moments. If the lawn got too tall because of rain, travel, or classic procrastination, gas power still felt reassuring. There is a certain comfort in knowing you can just refill, restart, and keep going. The Toro and Honda gas favorites from 2024 fit that experience well. They were the mowers for people who do not want to think much about charge levels, battery ecosystems, or whether they remembered to plug something in after dinner.

Riding mowers changed the job in a completely different way. Once you move from walking behind a mower to sitting on one, lawn care becomes less of a chore and more of a task you can plan around. On a large yard, a strong riding mower can turn a sweaty hour-plus slog into a much faster and more controlled routine. That does not mean riding mowers are magical. You still have to navigate obstacles, think about deck size, and avoid turning your flower beds into a cautionary tale. But the time savings are real, and the comfort difference is even more real.

Robot mowers create the strangest but maybe most luxurious experience of all. Instead of mowing, you manage mowing. You set zones, tweak schedules, check apps, and occasionally stand in the yard watching a robot cut grass with the same expression people use when they first see a self-checkout machine actually work. It is less physical labor and more “lawn operations management.” For the right buyer, that is fantastic.

In day-to-day use, the best mower is not just the one with the highest rating. It is the one that fits your yard, your storage space, your patience level, and your tolerance for maintenance. Get that match right, and mowing stops feeling like punishment. It just becomes another household routine, only greener, louder, and sometimes oddly satisfying.

Conclusion

The best lawn mowers of 2024 proved that there is no single perfect machine for every yard, but there are several excellent ones for the right situation. Battery models became the easiest recommendation for many homeowners, gas still made sense where brute-force consistency mattered, and riding and robot mowers gave bigger or busier households smarter ways to tackle the job. The winner is not the fanciest mower. It is the one that makes your specific lawn easier to manage week after week.