Troy-bilt 46 in Lt Hydro Riding Mower Review

The 8 All-time Riding Backyard Mowers for Like shooting fish in a barrel Grand Maintenance

Our top pick is the RYOBI 48V Brushless 38 in. Electric Riding Backyard Mower

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Updated on 03/31/22

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The Spruce / Camryn-Rabideau

A riding lawn mower is ideal for anyone with a large k, requiring less time and energy to operate than a traditional push mower. Over the last four years, nosotros've spent hours researching and testing riding mowers from the top brands, evaluating maneuverability, safety features, noise level, and overall value.

Our favorite is the RYOBI 48V Brushless 38 in. Electric Riding Lawn Mower, a stand-out for its quiet functioning, easy maintenance, and performance, peculiarly on rough terrain.

Here are the best riding lawn mowers.

What Nosotros Like

• Generous run time

• Great performance, even in thick grass

• Serenity performance

• Easy to maintain

What Nosotros Don't Like

• No mulching capabilities

• Uncomfortable seat

Who else recommends it? Bob Vila also picked the RYOBI Electric Riding Mower,

What do buyers say? 1,300+ Home Depot reviewers rated this 5 stars.

It may surprise some people, but our top option is this battery-powered model from RYOBI. The naught-emissions model hands matches gas mowers in terms of power, cutting through thick grass with ease while demonstrating impressive maneuverability. Plus, it'south fume-free and practically silent, generating only minimal dissonance. (Our tester put a like model from RYOBI to work on her 10-acre farm and was blown away by the results.)

The RYOBI electric mower has a 38-inch deck, and its 48-volt batteries can run for 2 and a half hours per charge, assuasive you to cut up to two and a half acres in a single session. The two-bract deck has 12 different cutting heights, and the mower offers user-friendly features similar cruise command, LED headlights, and USB charging. At that place are no belts, spark plugs, or filters, making it easier to maintain than a traditional riding mower.

Our just complaints? The seat gets uncomfortable if you're mowing for long periods, and it doesn't accept a mulch setting. Nevertheless, if yous're in the market place for a reliable ride-on mower and prepare to switch to a battery-powered model, this is your best bet.

Cutting Width: 38 inches | Ability Type: Battery | Weight: 678 pounds | Cutting Options: Purse, side-discharge | Size of Yard: 1 to 2 acres

What Nosotros Like

• Hydrostatic transmission eliminates shifting

• Adjustable seat

• Tight turning radius

• Uniform with a variety of attachments

What We Don't Like

• Complicated to mow in opposite

For a powerful—and versatile—gas mower, you can't become wrong with the Cub Cadet XT1 Enduro LT Lawn Tractor. It'southward powered past a 541cc engine that offers 19.5 HP, and its 42-inch deck has a twin bract system that side-discharges grass clippings. The tractor and deck are made from heavy-duty materials, and Cub Buck backs information technology with a three-year warranty with no 60 minutes limit.

This mower has a hydrostatic transmission that eliminates the need for shifting—merely push button the pedal and become—and there are 12 cut height positions to choose from. It has a tight sixteen-inch turning radius equally well as cruise control and LED headlights, and because it's a backyard tractor, information technology can exist outfitted with a variety of multi-season attachments.

Cut Width: 42 inches | Ability Type: Gas | Weight: 570 pounds | Cutting Options: Side-discharge | Size of Yard: 0.5 to 2 acres

What Nosotros Like

• Generous run fourth dimension

• User-friendly command panel

• Easy to store

What Nosotros Don't Similar

• No bagging option

• Expensive

Another tiptop-rated electric riding backyard mower is the Weibang East-Passenger. It'south slightly smaller than the RYOBI, with merely a 30-inch deck, but its 72-volt lithium-ion batteries offer a similar two hours of operation that'southward ideal for medium to large lawns. Additionally, it has a smaller footprint that's easier to store in a garage or shed.

This battery-powered mower has a 2-blade cut arrangement with 10 cutting heights, and its user-friendly control console has easy-to-employ buttons for forward, neutral, and reverse. The seat is adaptable to help proceed you comfortable every bit y'all mow, and at that place are LED lights on the front bumper that let y'all mow early in the morning or at night if desired.

Cutting Width: 30 inches | Power Type: Battery | Weight: 309 pounds | Cutting Options: Mulch, side-belch | Size of Thou: 0.5 to 1 acre

What Nosotros Similar

• Extremely powerful

• Ideal for big yards

• Built-in washout ports

• Includes white glove delivery

What We Don't Like

• Learning curve with handles bars

The Toro 42-Inch TimeCutter Gas Dual Hydrostatic Goose egg-Turn Riding Mower is ideal for anyone who has a large yard with many obstacles. Its zero-turn design gives you lot the power to turn on a dime, and it'due south powered by a 22.v HP engine that can handle virtually any status. Plus, the 42-inch steel deck allows you to cutting wider paths, and the brand claims this model can assist reduce your mowing time by up to 50 percent.

This lawn mower offers speeds up to 7 miles per hr in mow mode and five.v miles per 60 minutes in towing fashion, and it'south decked out with features to keep yous comfortable, including an under-seat storage compartment, built-in cupholder, and step-through front stop. The aught-turn mower comes with white glove delivery, saving you from having to do any assembly, and the make offers a 3-year residential warranty with unlimited hours.

Cut Width: 42 inches | Power Blazon: Gas | Weight: 502 pounds | Cut Options: Bag, mulch, side-discharge | Size of Yard: 1 to 2 acres

What We Similar

• Durable construction

• Adaptable seat

• Broad range of accessories bachelor

• "xxx-second oil change" organisation

What Nosotros Don't Like

• Bagging and mulching kits sold separately

Backyard tractors similar the John Deere S120 offer more flexibility for homeowners—in addition to mowing, this gas-powered automobile can be used to spread grass seed, sweep your lawn, and even snowfall blow in the winter. It's uniform with a wide range of multi-season accessories, and it'southward also a solid riding mower, boasts a 22 HP engine and 42-inch deck.

This lawn tractor has a fully-welded steel frame and 13 different cut heights. The seat can be adjusted to 10 dissimilar positions to keep you comfortable, and the tractor's xxx-2nd oil change system makes it easier to maintain. The mower has a new like shooting fish in a barrel-read fuel estimate, and it even has cruise control for effortless mowing in big yards.

Cut Width: 42 inches | Power Type: Gas | Weight: 444 pounds | Cutting Options: Side-discharge | Size of 1000: 0.5 to 2 acres

What Nosotros Similar

• Generous run fourth dimension

• Like shooting fish in a barrel to store

• Charges quickly

• Includes mulching kit

• Built-in USB chargers

What We Don't Like

• Expensive

For a riding mower that won't accept upward too much infinite in your shed, this battery-powered model from Cub Buck is modest yet powerful. It has a 56-volt battery that offers upward to ninety minutes of runtime, and it actually charges dorsum upwards in around iv hours—much faster than larger models. The mower has a xxx-inch deck that can side-discharge or mulch grass clippings, and it also boasts a tight eighteen-inch turning radius that lets y'all navigate around obstacles with ease.

This meaty mower is designed to easily fit through gates, and the brand claims it only takes upwards the space of ii garbage cans. Information technology has a high-dorsum seat for comfort besides equally prowl command and two USB charging ports, and you lot tin can't beat its low-maintenance design.

Cutting Width: 30 inches | Power Type: Battery | Weight: 362 pounds | Cutting Options: Mulch, side-discharge | Size of Yard: 1 to 2 acres

What We Like

• Automatic transmission

• Good traction on hills

• Tight turning radius

• Compatible with a variety of accessories

What Nosotros Don't Like

• Bagging and mulching kits sold separately

• Express cutting heights

You'll be able to power up steep hills with ease on the Troy-Bilt Bronco 42-Inch Gas Riding Lawn Mower. Information technology has an automated manual (just like a car!) that makes it easy to bulldoze, and its 20-inch rear wheels offer superior traction for sloped terrain. The lawn tractor has a 42-inch deck with anti-scalp wheels to forestall turf damage, and the machine's 19 HP 544cc engine will make quick work of overgrown grass.

The Troy-Bilt Bronco has a pace-through frame that offers more leg room, and it offers a mid-seat dorsum and rubber footpads to keep you comfortable. The machine has a rear hitch where you lot can pull garden carts, sprayers, and spreaders, and in that location are likewise bagging and mulching accessories available separately. However, the 1 downside is that this mower only offers five cutting heights, with the everyman setting at 1.25 inches.

Cutting Width: 42 inches | Power Type: Gas | Weight: 520 pounds | Cutting Options: Side-belch | Size of Yard: 1 to 2 acres

What We Like

• Durable construction

• Padded chair with armrests

• Practiced traction

• Includes roll-over protection arrangement

What We Don't Like

• Expensive

• Bagging and mulching kits sold separately

If you lot're willing to spend top dollar on a top-of-the-line commercial-course mower, the Ariens Zenith 60-Inch Cipher-Turn Mower is extremely heavy-duty. Not just does it have a commercial 23.5 HP Kawasaki FX engine and 10-gauge welded deck, it even comes with welded steel frame rails and a roll-over protection arrangement to keep you safe as you lot mow.

This high-end zip-turn mower has 22-inch rear tires that offer unbeatable traction and a smooth ride on uneven terrain, and it can achieve mowing speeds of 8 miles per hour forrad and 4 miles per hour in contrary. It has a high-back seat with padded armrests and seat isolation to reduce bumps, and there are xv cut heights to choose from with its elementary pivot selection arrangement.

Cut Width: 60 inches | Power Type: Gas | Weight: one,076 pounds | Cutting Options: Side-discharge, mulch, pocketbook | Size of Yard: 5+ acres

Terminal Verdict

The RYOBI 48V Brushless 38 in. Electric Riding Lawn Mower is a top choice among riding lawn mowers thanks to its two-and-a-half-hr runtime, powerful performance, and ease of maintenance. If you prefer a gas mower, consider the Cub Cadet XT1 Enduro LT 42 in. 19.5 HP Gas Riding Lawn Tractor, which boasts a hydrostatic transmission and can be used with a diverseness of multi-season accessories.

Power Source

One of the first decisions y'all'll demand to make is whether to buy a gas- or electric-powered riding lawn mower. Gas mowers are more often than not more powerful, but they're louder, less eco-friendly, and require more maintenance. Electric mowers, on the other hand, are typically less powerful with a shorter run time, but they're quieter, easier to offset, and better for the environment.

Deck Size

The deck size of a lawn mower dictates how wide a path information technology cuts—larger decks cut wider paths on each pass. A deck size of between xxx to lx inches is recommended for nearly homeowners. Bigger decks are better for lawns with few obstacles and turns, while smaller decks will be helpful if you lot accept to mow around trees or garden beds.

Grass Clipping

Don't forget to consider how the lawn mower handles grass clippings. Some machines simply spit clippings back out onto your backyard, while others have options to bag or mulch the cut grass. The best option for you simply depends on how you prefer to handle your clippings.

FAQ

• What'due south the difference between a zero-turn mower and a riding mower?

  Zero-turn mowers are a blazon of riding lawn mower, and their defining characteristic is a zero-degree turning radius. These mowers characteristic two swiveling wheels in forepart and two larger drive wheels in the back, and they're controlled by 2 handlebars, which command each individual drive cycle. Non merely do these mowers turn more than sharply, simply they're too typically faster than backyard tractors. However, they're also more expensive than other riding mowers.

• What type of lawn is all-time suited for a riding mower?

  "A riding lawn unit is easy to maneuver, especially on flatter land, and prevents the operator from experiencing fatigue as they are sitting while mowing," explains Caroline Skelton, Go-To-Marketplace Manager for Riding Lawn Equipment at John Deere. "These units come up in a multifariousness of speeds and horsepower ratings, depending on the needs of the operator. In recent years, zero-turn mowers have become more popular equally they are ideal for a variety of terrains and larger backdrop."

  Riding backyard mowers are typically preferred for lawns that are 1 acre or larger. They are faster and more comfortable to operate than walk-behind mowers, but they're also significantly more expensive.

• How do you transport a riding mower?

  The easiest fashion to transport a riding lawn mower is with a trailer. Mowers tin exist driven up a ramp into a low trailer and then towed behind a vehicle. It'south also possible to transport sure riding mowers in the bed of a pickup truck, simply special ramps are needed to be able to safely load and unload the tractor.

This commodity was written by Camryn Rabideau, a freelance contributor for The Spruce. As someone who grew up on a 70-acre farm and owns a five-acre parcel herself, she's no stranger to backyard mowers, and she'southward written extensively on them. She'due south also personally tested the RYOBI 38 in. 75 Ah Bombardment Electrical Rear Engine Riding Backyard Mower and used other riding backyard mowers from RYOBI and Husqvarna.

While selecting lawn mowers for this list, she looked at factors such as their deck size, power source, special features, comfort, and warranty period. She also spoke with Caroline Skelton, Go-To-Market Manager for Riding Lawn Equipment at John Deere, for insights on choosing and maintaining a riding lawn mower.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how nosotros fact-check and continue our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. The best riding lawn mower for hills and uneven yards. Bob Vila. https://www.bobvila.com/manufactures/best-riding-lawn-mower-for-hills/

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Source: https://www.thespruce.com/best-riding-lawn-mowers-4142782

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