The Top Two Ride-On Lawn Mowers For Effortless Grass Maintenance

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If you have a substantial yard, then taking care of the grass can sometimes seem to take way longer than it ought to. You may have looked at methods for mowing your lawn more efficiently, but not much beats a powerful ride-on lawn mower for getting the job done as quickly as possible.

If you've been investigating zero-turn versus riding mowers with their relative differences, you'll have found there's a quite bewildering range of machinery available. Most require a substantial investment, so choosing the machine that will deliver effortless grass maintenance is no half-hearted task. We have a couple of suggestions that should offer the features and capabilities you need while remaining competitively priced.

So how did we choose the top two ride-on lawn mowers? Factors such as horsepower, width of cut, and maneuverability are clearly important, as is the brand's reputation for reliability and durability. While manufacturer websites can provide raw numbers, there's nothing like user feedback for understanding real-world performance. So both picks are the result of extensive research into owners' reviews.

To provide options for as many people as possible, we chose the best traditional gas-powered ride-on lawn mower and the best electric ride-on lawn mower. The ride-on lawn mowers that came out on top are the Cub Cadet Ultima ZT1 50-Inch Zero-Turn Lawn Mower and the EGO Power+ 42-Inch T6 Lawn Tractor. Let's look at each in more detail.

Cub Cadet has been manufacturing lawn mowers in the US since 1961. Their Ultima ZT1 models were introduced in 2019, so they've had plenty of time to iron out any issues. While it can be nice to have the latest technology, when you're spending a considerable sum, it's good to have something with proven reliability.

The ZT1 50-inch Zero-Turn Lawn Mower is powered by a 726cc Kawasaki engine with electric start, producing 23 horsepower. Combined with dual hydrostatic transmissions, it can reach 7 mph traveling forward and 3.5 mph in reverse. A contoured, high-back seat provides support and comfort. Its cutting height ranges from 1 to 4.5 inches and has a current list price of $3,749.

Over at Home Depot, it's received an average of 4.5 stars from over 4,000 reviews, with 83% saying they would recommend it. More than 350 Tractor Supply Co. customers give it an equally high rating. Home Depot purchasers have said it is "a great machine, plenty of power & cuts well" and a "great mower, easy to use and very reliable." (via Home Depot) There's praise for the Kawasaki motor, too. These sentiments are echoed at Tractor Supply Co. with comments like "the mower is just a wonderful product" and "glad I made the decision." (via Tractor Supply Co.) If you're looking for a gas-powered ride-on mower for effortless grass maintenance, then based on customer reviews, you'll struggle to find better than this.

EGO Power+ has been featured on House Digest before, when we looked at top-rated self-propelled lawn mowers to keep your grass beautiful. However, our choice of the EGO T6 42-Inch Lawn Tractor as our best electric ride-on lawn mower is based solely on the feedback from owner reviews.

The machine is powered by six high-tech 56V batteries, which give performance equivalent to that of a 21 HP gas motor. It can mow up to 1.5 acres on a single charge. It has three drive speeds, reaching a maximum of 6 mph, and offers cruise control. The cutting height ranges from 1.5 to 4.5 inches, and its list price is $4,399.

Over 500 buyers at Lowe's give it an average rating of 4.4 stars. Almost 200 at AcmeTools rate it the same, and more than 250 at Amazon give it 4.3 stars. At Lowe's, where 87 percent give it four or five stars, comments like "clean and quiet, excellent mower" are typical. (via Lowe's) At Acme Tools, one delighted owner said, "My recent switch to the EGO Power+ 42" T6 Lawn Tractor has truly been a game-changer." (via Acme Tools) It's the same story at Amazon, where another happy buyer said, "Super efficient and quiet. Cuts beautifully and turns on a dime." The bottom line is that no other electric ride-on mower we found is so highly rated by such a wide variety of reviewers. (via Amazon)