Whether you’re cutting your home lawn or working in the lawn care industry, a good mower is one of the most important outdoor tools. When you live or work on a large property, a riding mower helps make lawnmowing go much faster than it would with a walk-behind mower. If you’re asking, “What’s the best riding mower?” the answer depends on several factors.
Different types of riding mowers fit different tasks. Stand-on riding mowers don’t have a seat. The operator stands on a small platform at the rear of the mower. The mowers have a smaller footprint than other riding mowers, making it easy to fit them on an equipment trailer-a big help for lawn care professionals!” They’re typically very maneuverable, and since you’re standing it’s easy to see and avoid obstacles. They’re also better than other zero-turn mowers at handling hilly terrain (though they’re still unsafe on steep hills).
Zero-turn mowers are fast and highly maneuverable. If you’re mowing a large, flat, open lawn there’s no better tool for the job. They’re just not good for hilly or sloped yards since there’s a danger of the mower rolling over. Lawn tractors are much slower and less maneuverable than zero turns, but they do have some advantages. They’re typically better on hills than zero-turn mowers (though a walk-behind is still the best option for steep hills). You can also get attachments for them, such as a snowplow blade or work cart.
Early battery-powered riding mowers had some serious limitations, but several modern ones provide good lawn mowing performance. For top battery-powered mower brands like EGO, the mowers can cut 2 to 3 acres on a single charge. This makes them a great choice for homeowners with small to mid-size yards. The run-time limitations mean they won’t work as well for commercial applications, though, since charging between lawns isn’t always feasible. You can get battery-powered lawn tractors and zero-turn mowers.
Gasoline-powered riding mowers are more widely available and are still the standard choice for riding mowers. Gasoline mowers are also available in a wide price range for different budgets. They’re powerful and easy to refuel on the go, making it easier to cut large yards or multiple yards if you’re working in commercial lawn care. Though not as environmentally friendly as battery-powered mowers, modern gasoline-powered lawnmowers are more efficient and have lower emissions than older models.
The available cutting deck sizes for riding mowers vary widely. Wide deck sizes mean that you can cut large lawns more quickly, but it also means that the mower isn’t as maneuverable. You’ll need to choose the deck size based on the type of yard you’re cutting. If you have a large lawn with big flat open spaces a large deck will make cutting faster. For commercial lawn care, you’ll also have to think about the size of the cutting deck in relation to how much room you have on your equipment trailer.
When you’re shopping for riding mowers, durability is one of the main features to look for. Make sure the engine (for a gasoline-powered mower) is produced by a reliable manufacturer such as Briggs & Stratton, Kawasaki, or Kohler. Also, check the cutting deck construction. You’ll also want to check out how comfortable the seat or standing platform is. Antivibration systems can make a standing platform easier to use for longer periods of time. Read about the features of each mower you’re considering. Some features will likely be more appealing and useful to you than others. A mulching deck will cut the grass fine enough that you won’t need to bag or rake clippings.
Once you have an idea of what type of riding mower you want, visiting a local dealer is a great next step. By going to a dealer, you can see many popular models and sit in the seat or stand on the operator’s platform to make sure it’s a comfortable mower. Here at Ossining Lawn Mower, we carry homeowner and commercial riding mowers from top brands including Scag, Toro, eXmark, and EGO. Our expert technicians are trained and certified to work on these mowers, and they can answer questions you have about performance, durability, and more.
To assess lawn mowers and tractors, our testers and engineers travel every winter to specially prepared grounds in Florida, where we plant 1,800 pounds of grass seed (predominantly annual rye, prized for its dense growth). That’s where we put the mowers to work, cutting 500,000 square feet of grass using three modes: mulching, side-discharging, and bagging (accumulating a total of 3,000 pounds of clippings). We cut both level turf and slopes to get a feel for how each model handles the terrain.
In our view, a mower that works well now but conks out in a year or two doesn’t-ahem-cut it. So the Overall Score for each lawn mower and tractor in Consumer Reports’ ratings incorporates not only its test performance data but also predicted reliability and owner satisfaction ratings from our latest member surveys. These surveys, fielded in the fall of 2023, 2024, and 2025, leverage data on more than 62,000 lawn mowers and tractors that members purchased between 2015 and 2025.
Our tests show that you don’t have to pay top dollar to get a great mower or tractor. The price difference between our top-scoring machines can be as much as thousands of dollars. But especially at the lower end of the price spectrum, paying just a little more can often buy better performance.
Battery mowers use rechargeable lithium-ion battery packs and are available in both push and self-propelled models. They’re much easier to store and maintain than gas mowers, and our testing has shown that the best battery-powered mowers cut grass just as well as-or better than-their gas counterparts. Pros: Most mower batteries are interchangeable with other outdoor power tools of the same voltage from the same brand. They also start with push-button ease, don’t produce exhaust emissions, and run more quietly than gas models. Cons: They have a limited run time, usually enough to cut a third of an acre. Battery-powered self-propelled models use a chunk of the battery charge to power the wheels, so you won’t be able to cut as much grass unless you buy a larger or additional battery.
Gas-fueled mowers aren’t limited by battery capacity and can cut much larger yards in one go. They come in both push and self-propelled models and usually cost less than their battery-powered counterparts, though you might spend more in the long run on fuel and maintenance. Pros: They can handle long or thick grass and weeds, and can bag, side-discharge, and mulch clippings. These gas-powered tractors and riders can cut two to three times faster than simple push mowers, making them best suited for larger lawns. Most models mow a 42- to 48-inch swath and can bag, mulch, and side-discharge clippings. An increasingly popular wide-deck version cuts 54 inches or more in a single pass. A small subset of this category, rear-engine riders, bridges the gap between walk-behind mowers and tractors.
Pros: Steering them is easy and familiar because they use a wheel, just like a car. The best models have comfy, high-backed seats and make it easy to engage the blades and adjust the cutting height. Cons: Bagging kits cost extra and tend to be expensive, which is why many tractor owners mow in the side-discharge mode. Riding mowers produce exhaust emissions and require a lot of storage space. Zero-turn-radius mowers offer more nimble handling and higher top speeds than tractors. Rather than a steering wheel, you control a zero-turn with a pair of levers; pushing one forward and the other rearward causes the mower to turn in place. Pros: They’re easy to maneuver around obstacles, such as trees and flower beds. Their easy handling and high top speed help you get across your property quickly. Cons: Zero-turn mowers cost more than most tractors, and not all of them cut as well as tractors. Rear steering wheels can tear up grass during turns. They’re not well-suited for hilly properties because they can lose traction and may be hard to control on slopes. Their lever controls also require practice. And though they offer a higher top speed, that won’t necessarily save you time; you’ll still want to go 3.5 to 4 mph to get an even mow.
Upkeep: Gas engines require tune-ups and oil changes, unlike battery models. Battery riding mowers, which encompass zero-turn designs and some traditional riding mower versions, operate the same as their gas cousins but on cordless electric power. Their decks range from 42 to 54 inches. CR tests have found that the top-rated battery riding mowers perform as well as-or better than-gas riding mowers and tractors. A small subset of this category, rear-engine riders, bridges the gap between walk-behind mowers and riding mowers, with smaller cutting decks.
Pros: With no gas engine, these mowers require far less maintenance than gas tractors and riding mowers. Cons: Battery riding mowers can be more expensive than traditional gas tractors and riding mowers. Upkeep: As with a gas-powered model, you’ll have to keep the blades sharp and your eye on the tire pressure. But you won’t need to change the spark plugs or motor oil. Low-profile battery-powered robotic mowers maneuver on their own around your yard. Many have sophisticated systems for navigating obstacles and traversing different types of terrain, enabled by new robotics technology. They cut only within the boundaries you select, then automatically return to their charging docks.
Pros: Robotic mowers can save you the time and effort of regular mowing. They can even mow in the middle of the night. Because they’re battery-powered, they’re relatively quiet and won’t pollute. Cons: These units are relatively costly compared with push mowers, with most priced between about $600 and $2,500. Deck sizes can be narrow-around 9 inches-so it’ll take a while to cut even a small lawn. There is setup required, usually with an app for new models, and there may be a learning curve to program them. Upkeep: A robotic mower’s underside needs regular cleaning, and the blade needs replacement once or twice a season. Check the wiring and charging station periodically to make sure they’re intact and still running properly.
Depending on how much you want to spend, there’s a wide selection of mower features and options available. Push vs. self-propelled: Push mowers tend to be less expensive. Drive type: All-wheel drive offers the best traction on slopes, followed by rear-wheel drive. Front-wheel drive, which you’ll see on most models, is well-suited for flat surfaces but isn’t the best choice if you bag clippings. Washout port: A washout port makes cleaning the mower’s underside easier. Electric start: On gas models, this feature lets you start the engine with push-button ease rather than yanking a pull cord. Travel mode: On self-propelled models, this feature lets you control the blades and mower movement independently. The mower can then pull you where you want to go without engaging the blades around rocks, sandy areas, pavers, or other parts of the yard that you don’t want to mow. Upright storage: Almost all electrics can be stored vertically in a garage. Interchangeable battery: Many manufacturers are making string trimmers, leaf blowers, chainsaws, and even snow blowers that can accept the same battery that powers their lawn mowers. Hour meter: This indicates how long the engine has run and can help track when it’s time for an oil change or other maintenance. Hydrostatic transmission: This allows tractors to vary their ground speed quickly and smoothly without the need to move any additional controls. A safety switch for reverse: Cutting in reverse can pose a hazard to others in the area. Tight turning: Four-wheel steering lets tractors turn almost as tightly as zero-turn-radius riders.
Ossining Lawn Mower carries a wide range of brands and models to suit different property sizes and budgets. Ariens focuses on commercial and high-end residential riding mowers, and Gravely is part of the same group. Black+Decker, Craftsman, Cub Cadet, Ego, Greenworks, Honda, Husqvarna, John Deere, Murray, Ryobi, Toro, Troy-Bilt-each brand brings its own strengths in decks, engines, transmission types, and feature sets. Deck widths commonly range from 42 to 54 inches for riding mowers, with some high-capacity versions reaching 54 inches or more to cover ground quickly on large properties.
For Ossining homeowners evaluating options, step-by-step guidance from a local dealer helps you compare models by fit, feel, and function. Step 1: Walk or Ride? The first step is the choice between two basic types of lawn mowers: riding mower and a walk-behind. Any more ground to cover than a 1/4 acre, you'll want to ride if for no other reason than to get the lawn done faster. Step 2: Selecting Your Features-budget and comfort drive the decision. For lawns from ¼ of an acre to 2 acres, you’ll likely be most comfortable with a rear-engine riding mower, light-duty lawn tractors, and residential-duty zero-turn mowers. Anything more than two acres and you’ll want a commercial-duty zero turn mower.
To explore options and hands-on feel, visit the showroom where you can sit in the seat or stand on the platform to ensure comfort. Ossining Lawn Mower offers service and parts support for the mowers they sell, with technicians ready to discuss performance, durability, and maintenance needs. Stop in to schedule a demo, get pricing, or check out the latest models.
- Determine yard size to choose between walk-behind and riding mowers.
- Consider deck size and terrain to select tractor, lawn tractor, or zero-turn.
- Assess durability features, reliability brands, and maintenance needs.
- Test mowers in-store for seat/stand comfort and overall handling.
- Choose power source: gas, battery-powered, or mixed-use varieties.
