What’s the Best Mower for Hilly Yards?

Last year, my husband and I bought a house with a small yard. We didn’t think it’d be difficult to mow, since the yard isn’t that big. But the house is on a hill, and about half that small yard includes a short but steep slope.

If you’re also a homeowner with a steep slope in your yard or a professional lawncare worker who works on hilly properties, you know how challenging it can be to mow a sharp slope like that. Riding mowers are out of the question for anything steeper than a 15-degree slope (a 5.4-foot rise over a 20-foot length). A steeper slope than that can make riding mowers tip over, making them a safety hazard in hilly yards.

To tackle a mowing job in a yard full of hills or on a steep slope, you need a good walk-behind mower. But how can you tell which mower will work best for your hilly yard?

Walk-Behinds Are Better for Hills

When you’re working on a hill, walk-behind mowers are easier to control than riding mowers. Typically, they’re smaller and you can often muscle them back on track if they start to skid. If the mower starts to skid away from you or gets out of control and you need to get clear of it quickly, you can let go of the handles (which will typically turn off the mower) and jump away from it.

Walk-behind mowers are also less likely to roll over because the center of gravity is low. And if a walk-behind mower does roll, you’re far less likely to be trapped under it than you would be if a riding mower rolled.

How To Mow on A Hill

Even with a walk-behind mower, you’ll still need to mow carefully. If you’re mowing on a slope with a riding mower, the mower’s instruction manual will tell you to mow up-and-down (rather than across the slope) to minimize the risk of rolling. With a push mower, though, you can mow up-and-down or side-to-side.

Make sure that you mow when the ground is dry, not wet or slippery. Wear shoes with a good grip that won’t slide on the slope. If the slope isn’t too steep, you can push the mower up the hill to mow (especially if it’s a self-propelled model) or push it down the hill. Just make sure that the hill isn’t so steep that the mower can roll back toward you (if pushing uphill) or that it rolls so quickly you lose control of it (if pushing down).

Side-to-side across the hill is often the best choice for mowing slopes with a walk-behind mower. If the mower starts to tip, you won’t be caught underneath it. Be cautious, and work slowly so that you won’t lose control of the mower.

A Note on Too-Steep Hills

Some hills are just too steep to mow with a lawnmower. If you are having trouble controlling a walk-behind mower on a slope no matter which direction you try cutting it, then you should look into a different option for maintaining that hill.

When a slope is too steep, rocky, or uneven to mow with a walk-behind, a brushcutter or string-line trimmer will let you cut the grass. When trimming a slope with one of these tools, start at the bottom of the slope and work your way up. The cut grass will fall downhill, so if you work from bottom-to-top that will keep you from cutting up the grass you already trimmed.

Another option would be to landscape the slope so that you don’t have to mow or trim. Be sure to research landscape methods for stabilizing slopes before you begin landscaping, to make sure that you can control soil erosion. You can also hire a professional landscaper for the task, who will be knowledgeable about options for safely and effectively landscaping on hills.

What to Look for When Buying a Mower

When you’re shopping for walk-behind mowers, there are several categories of options to choose from.

• Gasoline or battery-powered—for years, most mowers have been gasoline-powered. The battery-powered options are rapidly becoming more readily available and, in many cases, they’re just as reliable and powerful as their gasoline counterparts. Gasoline-powered mowers are easier to refuel if you mow a large yard or work on multiple properties. The battery-powered mowers run quieter, do not produce engine emissions, and have easier maintenance needs.
• Push or self-propelled—push mowers tend to be smaller and lighter weight, but you provide all the power to move the mower forward. Self-propelled mowers have a mechanism to drive the mower forward, so you walk behind and guide the mower rather than needing to push the mower forward with just your own strength.
• Homeowner or commercial—homeowner and small commercial mowers are fairly small, with cutting decks 18- to 24-inches wide. There are larger commercial walk-behinds, though, with cutting decks 30- to 61-inches wide.

The power source is largely a matter of personal preference. Both gasoline and battery-powered mowers will provide the power needed to mow on a slope.

For mowing on a slope, a self-propelled mower with rear-wheel or all-wheel-drive will make the task much easier. Don’t use a push-mower on hills unless you want to get quite a workout for your arms, legs, and other muscles.

Homeowner and small commercial mower models will be easier to control on a slope. The larger commercial mowers with wide deck sizes can cut a lawn more quickly because they cover more ground, but they can be harder to control when mowing on a slope. Make sure the mower you get to cut grass on a slope is small enough for you to easily control it.

Brands to Consider

Here at Richardson Saw, we carry gasoline-powered homeowner walk-behind mowers by Honda and Toro, as well as battery-powered mowers by Toro, STIHL, and EGO. We also have larger, commercial walk-behind mowers by Scag and Toro, as well as smaller-size commercial mowers by Honda and eXmark.

Honda mowers are considered among the most reliable on the market. They frequently feature in articles like “The Best Self-Propelled Lawn Mowers in 2024 for Making Your Yard Work Easier” (Popular Mechanics) and “The 6 Best Walk-Behind Lawn Mowers of 2024, Tested and Reviewed” (People). You’ll also find mowers by Toro and EGO on these lists.

For hills, look for a self-propelled lawn mower with variable speeds so you have more control over how quickly you’re going when working on a slope. Rear-wheel or all-wheel drive will give you even better control. Plus, some models offer features like Toro’s optional Traction Assist handle to give you improved speed control on hills.

We’ll be happy to help you narrow down your options and find the perfect walk-behind mower to use on hills. Come see us at Richardson Saw & Lawnmower in Richardson, TX, and talk with a product expert about which of our walk-behind options will suit your needs.