A hilly area provides a good landscape for sightseeing and golfing activities. But challenging when it comes to mowing. For the best results, you require a lawn mower best suited to use on hills.
This detailed guide will give you all the information to help you get the right lawn mower. You’ll also get a list of the most valuable mowers available on Amazon.
Types of Lawnmowers for Hills
Riding lawn mower
This is the type of lawn mower where the operator sits on top just like a car. As they carry out the activity of mowing. They really ease up the effort it takes to mow and one is able to cover a large area. This type of mower come in three variations;
- The zero-turn mower
- Tractor lawn mower
- Articulating lawn mower
The center of gravity of most of these types of lawn mowers might restrict their use on hills of up to a certain gradient of around 20°
Self-propelled lawn mower
This is the type that utilizes a drive system to push themselves forward. Unlike what most people might think, this type of mower doesn’t take all the effort needed to push a lawn mower. Rather makes the pushing easier because the person mowing has to walk it from behind.
This type of lawn mower can really be useful in an area with hills.
Push lawn mower
The person mowing pushes the lawn mower from behind. Just like the self-propelled lawn mower. However, in this case, there is no benefit of being assisted by the motor. All the effort required comes from the person carrying out the work.
The 5 Best Lawn Mower on Hills
PowerSmart self-propelled Gas-Powered Lawn Mower
This gas-powered lawn mower boasts some of the most decent features needed for mowing in a hilly area. It comes with a powerful 209cc engine that powers the rear wheels and reduces the effort you need to push.
It has 8” rear wheels for decent clearance. And 5 levels of additional adjustable height from 1.2” to 3”. Which you select accordingly depending on the terrain you are on.
Specs
- 21″ width cutting deck
- Gas powered, 209cc 4-cycle engine
- weighs 77 lbs.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| * Decent clearance * 3 in-1 functionalities: mulching, bagging, and side discharge * Friendly price * 3-year warranty | * No self-propel speed control. |
EGO Power LM2142SP 21-Inch Cordless Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
If you are in the market for a battery-powered mower then this is the best alternative. Not only does it give your lawn a good trim, but also has a good runtime. With a single charge lasting up to 80 minutes. Enough to tackle most medium-sized lawns.
The lawn mower is self-propelling with an adjustable speed of 0.9 MPH – 3. 1 MPH. And a maximum cutting height of 4”.
You are also able to proceed with your mowing past the dark hours. Because it comes with 2 bright headlights.
Specs
- Battery powered 56V
- 21″ width deck
- 1-handed height adjustment
- weighs 70.9 lbs.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| * Good ground clearance * Decent runtime for a battery * Headlight * You get a quality cut | * Pricey |
Honda 663020 Variable Speed Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
If you are familiar with engines, you must be aware of the reliability that comes with those from Honda. And this is no exception.
Owners of this lawn mower have praised its build quality. And the smoothness with which its engine runs. Most others have also praised how well the self-propelled wheels help reduce the effort needed to push it.
It’s an amazing lawn mower, to say the least, and we tip-off that it lasts a very long time.
Specs
- Gas powered 170cc engine
- Twin-blade system
- 21″ deck width
- weighs 92 lbs.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| * Handles great * Excellent reliability * Comes with adjustable height * Starts easily | * Small wheels struggle with bigger dips. |
Snapper XD Cordless Electric Lawn Mower
The snapper XD is the second battery-powered lawn mower on our list, it doesn’t do everything perfectly but it’s sure close.
This lawn mower really handles well on tall grass and even inclined angles. Its self-propelling feature is set to adjust to the pace of the person mowing. And a 7-position height adjustment ensures you have enough clearance to deal with huge dips.
What’s more, the mower incorporates convenient features like; upright storage to save on space. And dual batteries that last up to 60 min.
Specs
- Battery powered 82V
- 21″ width deck
- 7 step height adjustment
- weighs 71.65 lbs.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| * Reputable brand * Clever upright storage feature * 7- position height adjustment * Powerful motor * 5-year limited warranty | * It doesn’t like a dulled blade |
Greenworks 40V Smart Pace Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
The Greenworks with its unique lime green color appears last on our list. Not that it’s bad, in fact, it has one of the best ground clearances suitable for hills. Credit to its large wheels.
It bears adequate power, has an almost silent operation, and its two 4.0Ah batteries give you up to 70 hours of runtime.
The mower is robust and sturdy and has a proprietary Smartpace feature. That lets it adapt to your walking speed.
Specs
- Battery powered 40V
- 21″ cutting width
- Brushless motor
- 7 position height adjustment
- weighs 78.8 lbs.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| * Smartpace feature * Easy pushbutton start * Steel deck * Quiet operation | * Self-propel doesn’t take away a lot of effort * The cut could be better. |
Lawn Mower for use on Hills- Buying Guide
A lot goes into consideration when choosing a lawn mower that can work in a hilly area. these are just some of the things you need to consider before acquiring one.
1) Power
We have three types of power options available for lawnmowers; gas-powered, battery-powered, and corded electric.
The battery powered-this has really gained popularity over the last few years. Partly because they are becoming more affordable. Are less noisy and require less maintenance. These lawn mowers are also easy to maneuver because they weigh less than their gas-powered counterpart
The gas-powered- has stood the test of time and is usually the best alternative. If you want something with decent runtime that a battery cannot offer. The downside to this type of lawn mower is that they require regular maintenance and can really get noisy.
The corded lawn mower- This is mostly suitable for small lawns which don’t extend the power cord over a long distance.
2) Powered Wheels
A lawn mower can power either the front or rear wheels.
Front-powered- gives the best maneuverability over tight spaces. And are good for lawns where you need to make a lot of turns due to different obstructions.
Rear-powered- these are the best for hills because, as the weight of a lawn mower shifts to the back when moving upwards a slope. The front-powered lawn mowers loses traction.
Ground clearance
Hilly terrains are usually characterized by uneven surfaces and various transition angles. A mower with good ground clearance will make it easy to work on the lawn with little likelihood of getting stuck.
3) Deck size
The bigger the width of the deck the more lawn it can shave in one pass. General push mowers usually have decks ranging from 16″ to 24″. While larger riding lawn mowers which include tractors have widths ranging from 36″ to 54″.
Choose a bigger deck size for your lawn mower if you want to save time. And opt for the bigger riding lawn mowers for huge chunks of land.
4) Weight
Weight becomes of importance only for a push mower. If the lawn mower you are using is self propelled, it takes away a lot of effort needed to push it on the lawn.
Battery powered lawn mower are generally lighter in weight compared to the gas-powered ones
Which lawn mower is the best for hills?
The best lawn mower for the hills would be a self-propelled push mower, that powers the rear wheels. And has a good ground clearance. This is because self-propulsion greatly minimizes the effort it takes to push over hills.
The self-riding lawn mower is a good option to tackle a large lawn. But most of these, bar the zero-turn variant, have a high center of gravity. And would easily tip over if the hill’s gradient gets too big.