The Best Riding Lawn Mowers of 2023

The Husqvarna Z254 54-inch 26 HP hydrostatic zero-turn riding lawn mower is one of those machines that might just be too much for some people. It’s an absolute monster of a lawn mower, with a 26-horsepower Kohler engine that is rated to mow 2.8 acres per hour. Despite that power, operation is reportedly smooth and quiet for a gas-powered mower. And the hydrostatic transmission is designed to be maintenance free, with no hydraulic hoses so there are few places for leaks.

The reinforced stamped steel mower deck houses three blades across its 54-inch span, reducing the number of passes that you need to make. The mower rides on 4 anti-scalping wheels, which reduce the chances of the mower deck coming in contact with the dirt and cutting the grass too close.

And air induction technology feeds into the deck to improve cutting performance and the overall health of the lawn. If power, performance, and durability are at the top of your must-haves list, then the Husqvarna Z254 54-inch riding lawn mower might be the machine for you.

The Craftsman T110 riding lawn mower is a basic, value-priced riding lawn mower made for any homeowner looking to take care of straightforward landscaping. Perfect for any standard lawn under 2-acres, the lawn mower can also be upgraded with a mulching kit, a bagger, and even a snow plow blade. The manual, 7-speed transmission gives control over the speed and power output, though it does require the user to take a more active role in driving than automatic equivalents.

This is one of the lowest priced riding mowers around, but still manages to pack a punch with a 17.5 HP single cylinder engine. It starts up easily and reliably, and runs through any reasonable task that a homeowner might have in their yard. As with any lower-priced tool, there are some complaints of faulty parts and early repairs, but there are a good many customers who are very happy with the performance of this riding lawn mower.

The Ryobi 48-volt, 30-inch riding lawn mower is a solid entry into the battery-powered market. With a 50 amp-hour battery on board, the mower can run for an hour or so, or about one acre of solid mowing, which is more than enough for many homeowners. The handling is smooth, and the small size allows the mower to fit in and out of tight spaces—it can travel through a standard 36-inch wide gate, for example, something many riding mowers cannot do.

As far as cutting performance goes, the twin blades driven by brushless motors more than get the job done. The cutting height can be raised or lowered from 1.5 to 4.5 inches with an easy lever at your side. And it can travel up to five miles per hour, which is far faster than a person pushing a mower can go.

While this isn’t the best option for someone with a massive lawn, if you’ve got around half an acre, or maybe an acre, then it could be an excellent option, particularly if the quiet and lack of fumes from a battery-powered tool is important to you.

The Ego Power+ Z6 42-inch electric riding lawn mower is one of the top battery-powered options in the class. Like any other battery-powered tool, it’s on the pricey side of the category, but it provides a huge amount of value.

The mower runs at an equivalent of 22 HP, and the 4 included batteries keep the machine mowing up to 2 acres—and you can upgrade the unit with two more batteries for maximum runtime. The zero-turn steering gives the operator unparalleled control of the lawn mower, able to make tight, “on-a-dime” turns either forward or backward.

This riding mower has a 3-to-7 mph cutting speed, with an 8 mph travel speed. There are three driving modes, engaged through the LCD control screen: control, standard, and sport, so you can have the level of control that you want as you’re driving. And best of all, you don’t have to deal with the fumes or noise pollution of a gas-powered equivalent machine.

There are many cases, with tools, where making the transition to electric means sacrificing some power or performance, but the Ego Power+ Z6 has all the performance that you’d need, above and beyond many gas-powered equivalents.

The Cub Cadet XT1 Enduro riding lawn mower is a beast of a machine at the price. A 22-horsepower, V-Twin Kohler 7000 Series engine runs the drive unit and the large 46-inch mower deck.

A hydrostatic transmission eliminates the need to manually shift as you’re moving, so you can focus on the mowing task at hand. And the smooth, easy-to-use controls give a 16-inch turning radius for maximum maneuverability. One of my favorite features is the quick connect deck wash system, which lets you easily wash grass clippings and debris from the underside of the mower deck.

Cub Cadet also offers a decent range of attachments and accessories to expand the capabilities of the tractor. Owners can add a bagger, a mulching kit, a sprayer, sun shades, a trailer, and a leaf collection system. And if you live in a winter climate, you can choose between a snow plow or a snow blower. As one of the more affordable tractors on the list, this little riding mower offers a ton of value for the price.