Best 5 Lawn Mower Brands 2016

When it’s time to buy your first lawn mower, or upgrade your old one, it’s helpful to know which are the best brands on the market. You want the highest quality for the money.

We looked at the top selling name brands and models, and combined this information with ratings from both Consumer Reports and online user reviews. We focused on major brands and avoided the ones with the most complaints. We want you to have the best, not the worst.

The results are in! Here are the best 5 lawn mower brands of 2016.

Top 5 Lawn Mower Brands List

Greenworks

Honda

EGO

Husqvarna

American Lawn Mower Company

 

GreenWorks

GreenWorks is owned by an international company called Sunrise Global Marketing, formerly called the Globe Group, out of China. The GreenWorks world headquarters are in North Carolina now, although they have ties to Shanghai. Sometimes people see the phrase “made in China” and they move on to the next brand. Just remember that high-quality Apple products are also made in China.

A quick search of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) records shows that this company has a rating of B+. There were ten complaints in the past 3 years, and six of them were problems with the product or service. All ten complaints were resolved by the company and closed. This shows that Sunrise Global Marketing (aka GreenWorks) is actively seeking to satisfy their customers. It also shows that there have been few serious complaints compared to the volume of sales.

Consumer Reports did a survey of GreenWorks owners in 2016. They asked the owners if they had a problem with their mower breaking down before the 4^th year when the warranty ended. Fifteen percent responded that yes, they had. Since 15% is a low percentage of the total number of lawn mowers sold, Consumer Reports declared GreenWorks mowers brand as one of the most reliable on the market.

Let’s look at a top-selling, high-quality lawn mower from this top-rated brand.

GreenWorks 25302 Twin Force G-MAX 40V Li-Ion 20-Inch Cordless Lawn Mower with 2 Batteries and a Charger

The first top lawn mower brand we’ll discuss is GreenWorks. Their models are top sellers on Amazon and they ‘ve racked up hundreds of 5-star reviews. Consumer Reports said that the GreenWorks push mowers are among the most durable on the market. Only 15% of owners reported that their GreenWorks mower had broken down by the 4^th year of use.

The 25302 is a perfect example of the best qualities in a GreenWorks mower. It’s packed with features and is convenient and simple to use. It’s a 3-in-1, so it mulches, bags, and discharges. The accessories swap out without the need to use any tools. It has twin 10-inch blades which give it a total cutting width of 20-inches. The grass gets a nice clean cut, and the mower is powerful enough to mulch leaves, too. If you’re cutting thick grass and you notice that the mower isn’t working as well, slowing down your walking speed generally helps. It’s impressive that a battery-powered mower works this well.

But just because the 25302 is battery-powered doesn’t mean it won’t run long enough to finish the yard. The 40-volt 4Ah battery gives it up to 60 minutes of runtime. If you hit a tough spot, the engine senses it and works harder. If it’s smooth going, the engine throttles back to save power. The 25302 has slots for two batteries, so it can switch to the second one if the first battery runs out of power. All the batteries for the mower are also compatible with other GreenWorks power tools, like their weed trimmer.

While you’re cutting the grass, this mower sounds about like a fan running. But there is more to love than its quiet engine. It has a single lever to adjust the cutting height, mounted right on top of the deck. There are 5 positions to choose from, from 1-1/4” to 3-1/8” high. We love that one lever adjusts the whole deck.

Speaking of the deck, it’s plastic. You’ll never have to worry about it rusting. The high-impact polycarbonate is tough, but light. As a result, the mower weighs only 42.5 pounds.  The handlebar also folds down for storage, so it’s light enough and small enough to put in the trunk of a car.

GreenWorks offers a 4-year limited warranty. If you should need some troubleshooting tips, see our article on how to solve common problems with this kinds of mower.

Watch the GreenWorks 25302 mower in action in this video. Or view our in-depth review on this model.

 

Starting the GreenWorks mower

You may never have started a mower like this before. It’s so easy!

To start the mower

• insert the key


• pull the bail handle


• push the button

That’s the advantage of electric start—there’s no cord to pull.

When you’re done mowing, release the bail handle to halt the mower.

Safety tip for mowing on slopes and hills

GreenWorks (and other manufacturers) advise mowing across the face of a slope, not up and down it. This applies especially in the case where it rises more than 2.5 feet for every ten feet of ground.

For the healthiest grass, mow like this

Have you ever seen a lawn with brown tips on the top of the grass? Don’t burn your lawn like that. Leave it taller in the summer and shorter in the winter.

Only cut off the top third of the total length of the grass blades. This means your lawn will around 1-1/2” to 2” tall in cooler months, and 2” to 3-1/4” tall in the summer months.

Tips to care for the lithium-ion battery in the GreenWorks 25302

The GreenWorks G-MAX battery from your mower also fits more than 25 tools. Here’s how to keep it in top shape.

Once the battery is fully recharged, take it off the charger. If you can keep it stored where the temperature stays below 80 degrees and it’s dry, it will have a longer lifetime.

When you store it for the winter, leave it between 30-50% charged. That sounds strange, but it’s based on science. Lithium-Ion batteries do better when stored with only a partial charge. You may have noticed that when you buy a new electronic product with this kind of battery, it comes only partially charged.

GreenWorks also suggests that when the battery has been in storage for about two months, give it another charge.

Honda

Since 1953, Honda has been making automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment like generators and lawn mowers. In America, they are registered as Honda Power Equipment, and based in Alpharetta, Georgia.

The BBB gives them a “B” rating. In the past three years, they had 12 complaints. Eight complaints were problems with a product or service, and some of those involved lawn mowers. All complaints have been addressed by the company and closed.

Consumer Reports rated one of Honda’s gas-powered lawn mowers as a best buy. Let’s look at that model to see why.

Honda HRR216K9VKA 3-in-1 Variable Speed Self-Propelled Gas Mower with Auto Choke

Honda may be better known for its cars, but their attention to making quality engines carries over into their lawn mowers, too. Consumer Reports recommended the Honda HRR2169VKA as the best buy among all the gas-powered self-propelled multi-speed lawn mowers they reviewed for 2016.

The Honda GCV160 engine is CARB-compliant, and has an auto-choke feature for easy start. Even though you have to yank the cord, you should only have to pull it once.

The HRR2169VKA is a 3-in-1 model, which means it discharges clippings, mulches, and bags. Choose the function with the clip director lever, and mount the accessory that you need.

If you need to adjust the cutting height, there are 6 cutting heights between 1-1/8” and 4.” That’s a perfect range to cut any kind of common lawn grass. The only downside is that there are 4 levers you’ll need to set, one at each wheel.

There are two blades for a finer cut, especially when the mower is mulching. The cutting width is a nice wide 21-inches so you cover the lawn quickly.

When you’re ready to start mowing, make sure you’re not holding the Smart Drive Control lever so the mower won’t move when you start it. Pull the blade control lever back (it’s also called a “bail handle”). Pull the cord gently till you feel some resistance, then give it a yank so the engine roars to life. Now you’re ready to mow.

If you release the bail handle, or blade control lever, the engine will stop the blade. This is a safety feature. If you release the Smart Drive Control Lever, the engine will stop moving the mower forward. If you’re not an old hand at lawn mowing, or even if you are, pause for a moment for this brief safety article. It will take you 2 minutes to read. All the safety features in the world won’t help if you aren’t sure how to operate a mower safely.

The HRR2169VKA has rear-wheel drive, which is ideal for mowing on uneven terrain. Use the Smart Drive Control Lever to choose a speed ranging from zero up to 4mph, which is a brisk walk.

Some of the other convenient features on this mower include the spacious 2.4-bushel grass catcher bag, foam grips on the handlebar, and the fact that the handlebar adjusts to two heights and folds up for storage. The HRR2169VKA also has a fuel shutoff valve. It comes with a 3-year limited warranty.

See the Honda come out of the box and get to work in this video.

 

Honda recommends using 86 octane fuel (or higher) in the HRR2169VKA. Please refuel after each use so there is less air inside the gas tank and less problem with oxidation. When storing the mower like for the winter, please drain the tank or use a fuel stabilizer.

Recommended maintenance schedule for the Honda HRR2169VKA (according to the user manual):

• Before each use, inspect the mower, check the air filter and the oil level


• After the first month, or 5 hours of use, change the engine oil


• Every year, or after 25 hours of use, clean the air filter


• After 50 hours of use, clean the air filter again and change the engine oil


• Also after 50 hours, adjust the Smart Drive Control cable if needed


• After 100 hours of use, change the oil, and clean the air filter


• Also after 100 hours, inspect the spark plug and arrester, adjust cables if needed; grease pinion gears and check the flywheel brake pad


• After 150 hours of use, replace the spark plug, air filter, and change the oil; adjust the valve clearance and idle speed, clean the fuel tank and filter


• You may need to replace the fuel line after two years of use

Although you have to spend time and money to maintain your Honda (or any gas-powered lawn mower), it’s worth it to keep it running well longer. Plus, if you have a larger yard over ¼-acre, you probably need a gas-powered model.

If you’re not a fan of doing tune-ups on your power tools, check out our two top picks in the cordless electric category. They only need cleaning and recharging.

Better yet, check out our last offering, a push reel mower. Zero maintenance for years to come.

The low-maintenance EGO Power+ battery-powered mower is up next.

 

EGO

EGO is based in Geneva, Illinois, but it is a child company of global power tool manufacturer Chervon, from Nanjing, China. (No, that’s not a typo. It’s “Chervon.”) They have been developing innovative electric power tools for two decades.

Roy Berendsohn at Popular Mechanics reviewed one of EGO’s most popular lawn mowers and declared it a “well-engineered machine.” Let’s see why.

EGO Power+ 20-Inch 56-Volt Lithium-ion Cordless Lawn Mower – 4.0Ah Battery and Charger Kit

Why would you want a battery-powered mower? There are a lot of reasons. One, the EGO Power+ is one of the best cordless electric mowers for the money. Consumer Reports said so in their 2016 review.

Two, this mower is very quiet and doesn’t need maintenance like a gas-powered mower does. Just keep it clean, keep the batteries charged, that’s it. And electricity is currently cheaper than gas in most parts of the USA.

So besides saving money, why else would you want a cordless mower? After all, aren’t they limited on how big of a yard they can mow? Well, yes, they are limited, but this EGO mower goes up to two miles on one charge, or 45 minutes of runtime. (If you need more runtime, check out the GreenWorks mower described above.)

It’s a 3-in-1 mower, so it mulches, bags, or discharges out the side. (Are you seeing the theme here? We love 3-in-1s.) The motor has 600 watts of power running off 56-volt batteries. That’s impressive. It means you’ll get a clean cut in tougher grass, and you can mulch leaves, too.

We also love the single lever, spring-assisted, cutting height adjustment. Check it out in the photo—it’s mounted in a convenient place right on top of the deck. It looks like a gear-shift.

The 4.0Ah battery recharges in just 30 minutes. You could mow half the yard, have lunch while it’s charging, and then finish the job. Even better, this mower has LED headlights so you could mow very early or very late. It makes so little noise it won’t matter when you cut the grass. When you’re all done mowing, the handle folds down for storage.

The EGO Power+ mower has a 5-year limited warranty. The battery and charger have a 3-year warranty. This is a good deal since lithium-ion batteries typically last 3 to 5 years, but few manufacturers guarantee them for more than 1 year.

See a video review of the EGO Power+ LM2001.

 

 

Husqvarna

How to tip your Husqvarna 7021P lawn mower to empty out the oil:

The Husqvarna Group is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. They started manufacturing lawn mowers in 1919. Their first powered lawn mower roared to life in 1947. Poulan Pro is another brand of power tools and lawn mowers owned by Husqvarna.

The USA headquarters of Husqvarna Professional Products, Inc., are based in Charlotte, NC. The Better Business Bureau accredited them in 2007 and gives them an A+ rating. Even though they have had 162 complaints over the past 3 years, they also made a good faith effort to resolve each problem.

The Husqvarna website has a lot of detail about each lawn mower, along with FAQs and user manuals that are easy to access. They also post helpful videos about their products on Youtube.

We choose one of Husqvarna’s top sellers on Amazon to review here.

Husqvarna 7021P 21-Inch 160cc Honda GCV160 Gas Powered 3-N-1 Push Lawn Mower with High Rear Wheels (CARB Compliant)

There’s no wonder this is a popular push mower from Husqvarna because it has the same reliable engine found in the Honda HRR2169VKA described above. The engine is the CARB-compliant GCV160. It’s an efficient engine made to last. The CARB compliance means it can be sold and used in the state of California. If you want to see how to maintain the engine for long life, take a look at the recommended maintenance schedule above.

The 7021P is also a top seller because it’s reliable. Consumer Reports found that just 16% of Husqvarna’s push mowers broke down before their fourth year of ownership. That’s less than other top brands like Toro and Cub Cadet.

Besides the Honda engine, this Husqvarna 7021P has other easy-to-use features in common with the Honda HRR2169VKA. It’s also a 21-inch wide, 3-in-1 mower, with the ability to mulch, bag, and discharge to the side. Unlike the Honda, it has larger rear wheels. That’s really helpful because this is a push mower, not a self-propelled model. Larger ball-bearing wheels make it easier to maneuver when you push it over bumpy ground or have tall grass to cut.

Another nice feature is the the foldable and adjustable handlebar with a foam grip. Unfortunately, this is another mower that requires you to set all four wheels individually when you choose a different height. But it offers 9 cutting heights ranging from 1.5 to 3.5 inches. It comes with a 2-year parts and labor warranty.

Read our in-depth review on this Husqvarna lawn mower.

How to tip your Husqvarna 7021P lawn mower to empty out the oil:

American Lawn Mower Company

The American Lawn Mower Company also does business as, or is the owner of, Earthwise, Great States, and Scotts. The majority of push reel mowers on the American market are manufactured by them.

Their “About Us” page says have been in business for over 100 years. They began making push reel mowers in Indiana in the 1890s. The first mowers cost between $2.20 to $4.75. Convert that to today’s dollars and it becomes $61 to $133. In other words, they still sell their products at about the same relative price!

The BBB gives the American Lawn Mower Company an A+ rating, although they are not accredited. They have had just 4 complaints over the past three years, and all are closed.

Let’s look at one of their top sellers on Amazon. It’s a very simple little push mower that fits their goal of being the “first choice in eco-friendly lawn care.”

American Lawn Mower 1204-14 Hand Reel 14 Inch Push Lawn Mower

No, it’s not a toy, but this little push reel mower is tiny. It weighs just 19 pounds. The cutting bar is just 14 inches across. This is the ideal lawn mower for a postage-stamp size yard in front of a townhouse. The best part is that you’ll probably never have to sharpen the blades or do any maintenance besides oiling it every now and then. There is no cost to refuel it, tune it up, or recharge it.

As you push the mower, the gears turn the steel blade cylinder faster than you are walking. Each pass of the wheel pushes grass against the cutting bar, snipping it like scissors. This kind of cut is gentler for your grass than the rotary tearing motion of a powered lawn mower. It’s also obvious that this kind of mower doesn’t pollute with either noise or fumes.

American Lawn Mower only offers a 90-day warranty, but don’t let that worry you too much. They inspect each lawn mower and it has to pass a cutting test. They say that each one must cut a piece of paper that is just 1/3000^th of an inch thick, much thinner than a single blade of grass. Should this delicate alignment between the bed knife and blade reel get out of balance, you can adjust it with tools at home.

The wheels are 8-1/2” high, and the cutting height adjusts between ½” to 1-1/2” inches. This numbers mean two things. One, if you’ve let the grass grow for a while, you might need to borrow a power mower to do the first cut. Two, if you have certain kinds of cold weather grass, this might cut it too short. Check with your local lawn and garden center if you’re not sure.

Overall, this model 1204-14 is an example of the great bang for the buck that the American Lawn Mower company provides with their products. They sell simple, durable lawn mowers that balance features with price. If you’re on a budget, it’s worth looking at what they have to offer. Hundreds of positive customer reviews on Amazon show that there are lots of satisfied customers.

Final Comparison of the Top 5 Brands

Here is a chart with a quick comparison of 5 brands we chose. We show the Better Business Bureau rating, how many lawn mower models of that brand are getting 4-star reviews or better on Amazon, and whether Consumer Reports recommends that brand or particular model.

 

Don’t see the right mower for you? No problem!

Take a peek at our other reviews on top lawn mowers. There is something for every budget.

Have a really big lawn?

If you have ½-acre or more, you might want a riding mower or tractor. Actually, you might want a riding mower even if your yard is small! Satisfy your curiosity and see which one would be best for you.

Best 5 Lawn Mower Brands 2016