The Best Lawn Mowers of 2024 Survey: 5 Interesting Takeaways

The Best Lawn Mowers of 2024 Survey:5 Interesting Takeaways
As the global lawn mower market catapults toward $38 billion by 2027, America holds a decent share of the sales. We love our lawn mowers. So, we asked lawn mower owners: “What’s your favorite lawn mower?” Some of the newest and best lawn mowers of 2024 made the list. Others didn’t.

• Is the Snapper Rear Engine Rider one of the best lawn mowers of 2024? 

• Five interesting takeaways from our survey, including: 

  • A Toro self-propelled lawn mower
  • Wright Stander ZK stand-on mower stands out
  • The Greenworks electric, self-propelled mower with long battery life
  • The Wheel Horse 500 and other iconic garden tractors
  • Scag’s proudly American-Made Liberty Z Zero Turn Mower

Is the Snapper Rear Engine one of the best lawn mowers of 2024?

Our survey was mostly a conversation starter. Tons of great products exist on the market. But the Snapper Rear Engine received real love. 

Some alluded to the iconic scene in the classic film Forrest Gump, where the title character uses a Snapper Rear Engine mower, while others expressed genuine remorse at having parted with their older versions of this classic piece of equipment. The Snapper wasn’t the only old-school lawn mower to receive praise. There’s something about the mowers of days past. Maybe it’s nostalgia. Old jobs. Different times. 

Like this anonymous Reddit responder who told us a 1979 Bolens mulching mower remains the most durable mower he ever worked with: 

“(The) most bulletproof was the 1979 Briggs-powered Bolens mulching mowers that me and another guy used to cut 155,000 square feet apartment-complex grass weekly. We wanted new mowers and beat those to death – sugared the gas, and they soldiered on!”

His favorite now? The Wright ZTO 52″ Zero Turn Mower.

“Life is like a box of chocolates,” Gump said, and when we surveyed America, we received some surprise votes. Articles tout the best lawn mowers of 2024, but the following mowers made our list based on participant feedback. 

What is America’s favorite lawn mower? 

For clarity, we asked only one simple, open-ended question in our initial polling: “What’s your favorite lawn mower?” We aren’t bothering to rank what we think are the best lawn mowers of 2024. That’s been done. 

We didn’t limit responses either. Some respondents own businesses and use commercial-grade mowers; others mentioned the one they love for their half-acre lot.

Chris Wright, CEO of TheWrightParts, has more than 20 years of experience in the lawn care and landscaping industry. He weighed in on some of the best mowers he knows for both homeowners and commercial businesses. 

“Homeowners like the Husqvarna Z248F because it’s a zero turn at a nice price point and makes them feel like a professional cutter,” he said. “It has durability and a three-year warranty that they like. From a business owner’s perspective, I feel it’s hard to top the Gravely ProTurn 260. It's a reliable unit with tons of cutting capabilities.” 

In no particular order, we're sharing some of the mowers that received the most votes and some interesting models from yesteryear. 

 Toro Self-Propelled Lawn Mower - the 22” Recycler w/ All Wheel Drive 

Toro’s Recycler repeatedly came up. As more people wrote in, others chimed in that they, too, chose the Toro and remained happy with their purchase. Much of the feedback matched the reviews on the mower’s product page.

Many appreciated its mulching capabilities and the mower’s supper bagger design. Toro claims the bag is shaped for easier lifting and does not require shaking when pouring. The ability to switch from mulching to bagging while leaving the bag on the mower received a few nods from the respondents.

Most like the simplicity: the ready start eliminated the need to prime or choke, and the hassle-free maintenance feature meant they never had to change the oil – just top it off for the life of the mower – definitely a top choice for push mower votes.

Here’s a quick list of some other reasons survey takers gave for naming Toro’s Self-Propelled Lawn mower one of the best: 

• All-wheel drive

• Lightweight

• Large bagger

• Easy mowing uphill

• Even cut

• Nice self-propelled lawn mower

 The Wright Stander ZK 

This floating deck stand-on mower is worth the pretty penny for most professionals, according to our survey. For many, it boiled down to all-day run time with the dual-sided fuel tanks, a superior hill hold, and the ability to get on and off to collect debris or easily see upcoming obstacles. 

Oh, and the need for speed came up. 

While some said this mower seems small compared to comparable equipment, the Stander ZK was listed as one of the best lawn mowers based on our survey due to its forward speed: up to 12.5 mph while delivering a clean cut. 

Here’s a quick list of some other reasons survey takers gave for naming Wright’s ZK Stander a fan favorite:

• The suspension system makes for a smooth ride

• Full visibility

• Responsive, easy-to-use controls

• Dual wheel option

 Greenworks 25” self-propelled lawn mower w/ Two Batteries & AutoSwitch technology 

Several electric mowers received votes, but one stood out: Greenworks’ 25” mower. One respondent said the AutoSwitch technology on the mower was a game changer. No need for manual swapping? Wild.

The increased run time was mentioned in the feedback given for this mower. (Making it one of the best lawnmowers in 2024, maybe? Not for us to decide, but many seem to love it). 

Greenworks claims the mower can run up to 80 minutes with the AutoSwitch technology. 

Next to the run time, respondents mentioned the following as perks of this lawn mower: 

• A quiet mower

• Love not having to get gas

• Self-propelled lawn mower

• Cuts through thick grass

• Eco-friendly

 Wheel Horse c160 Auto with a 48” deck 

More than a few write-ins mentioned the Wheel Horse brand, so we thought we’d share a bit about one of the most iconic mowers: the Wheel Horse 500 Special. One respondent praised the 1970s Wheel Horse c160 Auto with a 48” deck. Like the Snapper Rear Engine Rider, the Wheel Horse tractor speaks to a bygone era. You can’t ask America about its favorite mower and not learn a bit about history. 

In his book, “Straight From The Horse's Mouth: The Wheel Horse Story,” Michael Martino Jr. documents how Cecil and Elmer Pond took the effectiveness of the rural tractor and transformed it into a working machine fit for the postwar suburban lawn. 

True Americana. 

The Wheel Horse garden tractor cuts down acres effectively, plows snow, and takes care of other tasks. Other lawn tractors like the John Deere 318 and Simplicity Sovereign 7016 received their fair share of votes for reasons similar to those of Wheel Horse respondents. 

The 500 special was a commemorative-edition tractor made for the Indianapolis 500. According to tractordata.com, “Wheel Horse has provided tractors to the Indy 500 as pit tractors for a number of years. The 500 Special was built to celebrate this; they were not actually used at the race.” 

Bobby Unser won the Indianapolis 500 in 1968, and in the video below, he can be seen in a photo riding on a Wheel Horse. 

WATCH: Doug Houser shares his 1968 Wheel Horse 500 tractor and its history. 

Despite no longer being in production, the Wheel Horse lives on and is considered one of the best lawn mowers. Here are a few reasons why these fantastic garden tractors received so much praise:

• Simple, no gimmicks

• Dependable 

• Gets the job done 

• Multi Use capability

• Can knock out acres with ease

• Comfortable 

• Classic

 Scag Liberty Z Zero-Turn Mower 

The Scag brand, in general, received a lot of votes. Many homeowners chimed in that they needed a happy medium between the higher-end, commercial-grade mower and the baseline riding mowers on the market. 

Several respondents mentioned this line and the Freedom Z, in particular, for large acreage lots. With so many great zero-turn mowers on the market, it was close in this category. But the Liberty Z received votes for its durability and sensical price-point for homeowners. 

Scag built the Liberty Z Zero-Turn Mower specifically for residential customers, so it makes sense it made the list as one of America’s best mowers in our survey. The cutter deck is available in 36”, 48”, 52” and 61” widths. Commercial operators mentioned the V-Ride II as 

Here’s why voters think the Scag should be considered one of the best mowers of 2024: 

• Clean cuts 

• Handles hills decently

• Comfortable

• The clutch provides ample power for the cutter deck

• American-Made Lawn Mower

For transparency, the John Deere Zero Turn Z300 Series received the same number of votes and for many of the same reasons. 
Quick Summary:

The best lawn mower remains a subjective question. With so many great models to choose from, it's no wonder the market looks strong for years to come. Whatever your lawn mower of choice, it's important to remain informed about how to care for your lawn. A lot of myths float around, so stay tuned in. We'll keep you informed with the best practices, how-tos, and interesting insights from professionals to help keep your lawn pristine.