Consumer Reports tests best lawnmowers and tractors

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The grass may be greener on the other side, but with the right lawnmower you can improve the view on your side, too!

If you're in the market for a lawnmower, listen up! In one popular category, there's only one that Consumer Reports recommends!

Consumer Reports tested more than 100 lawnmowers and tractors, including electric, battery- powered ones. Its experts have affordable recommendations for any size yard.

"So the first thing you really want to consider is how big your yard is but also whether you have any hills. And then, of course, you also have to decide whether you want a gas or electric model," said Consumer Reports' Paul Hope.

If your lawn's on the smaller side - a quarter of an acre or less - a push mower should get the job done. The $250 dollar Troy Bilt is very good if you prefer to mulch the grass. It left behind an evenly cut lawn and is easy to push, pull and turn.

To make mowing easier for larger sized lawns - a half acre to an acre - a self propelled lawn mower is the way to go.

The $600 Ego is the only self-propelled electric mower Consumer Reports recommends.

"The EGO will run for about an hour - that's enough to mow about a quarter of an acre. After that you'll need to recharge it for about an hour," said Paul.

Not ready to give up the gas? The $400 Toro Recycler SmartStow offers multiple speeds so you can power through thicker grass and adjust to different terrain.

If you've got an acre and then some, or prefer to ride your mower, testers found some good starter options while testing tractors.

The $1,900 John Deere D130 can cut and clip grass as evenly as some tractors that cost almost twice as much, and Consumer Reports surveys report above average reliability for John Deere mowers.

For lawns with serious hills and bumpy terrain, Consumer Reports says consider an all-wheel drive mower. It recommends the $550 Cub Cadet SC 700h. It cuts evenly in mulch, bag and side discharge modes plus the all wheel drive can handle the hills.

To read the full story from Consumer Reports, CLICK HERE.

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