The Best Lawn Mowers for Small Yards

Buying a Lawn Mower for a Small Yard

Lawn mower shopping can be frustrating for those with smaller yards, because it seems like every manufacturer is trying to deliver bigger, more powerful mowers than their competitors. Walk into a typical a big box store and you’ll find massive riding mowers almost as big your lawn!

Here, we’re looking out for the little lawns and yards because they deserve as much care as the big honking ones. For our purposes, we’re defining a “small yard” as one-third of an acre or less, down to about 10-ft. x 10-ft.

When shopping for a small yard mower, here a few things to look for:

• Deck width: A mower deck is the shroud that houses the blades. The wider the deck, the bigger the blades. In smaller spaces, it’s not about size but maneuverability. How well can the mower navigate around trees, bushes or other obstacles?
• Blade type: Most push mowers use rotary blades, which cut with a powerful, machete-like horizontal swing. Reel mowers pinch grass like a scissors between a stationary cutting bar and a rotating cylindrical reel. Reel mowers cut cleaner but deliver less force, leaving them prone to jamming from sticks and twigs.
• Price: This varies by power source, style and features. While we have a few outliers on our list, most push mowers for a small yard cost between $120 and $300.
• Power source: The options are gas, corded electric and cordless electric. Electric mowers have made great gains in recent years and are especially good for small yards. Cordless mowers feature chargeable batteries, some compatible with a specific manufacturer’s lineup of cordless tools. For small yards, don’t bother investing in expensive higher-voltage battery systems.
• Accessories. Baggers and mulching kits are the most popular. Baggers are especially helpful if you let the lawn grow long. Many small yard mowers do not have bagging options, so do your homework.
• Maintenance. All mowers need blade sharpening and periodic cleaning of grass clippings. Gas-powered mowers require engine maintenance. Most mower maintenance can be DIY, or you can take the mower to a service center. For small yard owners, your mower may only need service every two or three years, depending on yard size and mower brand.
• Storage. Small yards often mean limited storage space. Will the mower you want fold or disassemble? Be sure it’ll fit where you plan to keep it.

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