10 Best Lawn Mowers for Hills in 2024

Tired of huffing and puffing up ’n’ down that uneven terrain on your property? In this ranking, you’ll not only find the best lawn mowers for hills — depending on how many and how steep the hills in question are. You’ll also find out the very best lawn mower for hilly ground in categories like the best cordless mower for hills and the best commercial lawn mower for steep slopes.

What is the best lawn mower for hills? With bigger wheels, better traction, rear-wheel, and all-wheel drive, these mowers are much better-suited — and possibly even safer — then that old mower you’ve been using!

Since that grass won’t cut itself, coming up next are the 10 best lawn mowers for hills.

Top Picks

A Closer Look: Best Lawn Mowers for Hills

Here’s everything we liked about the mowers in our ranking.

The best gas-powered, walk-behind mower for hills comes from Honda. With a 21” cutting radius and rear-wheel drive, the Honda HRX also offers clip director, microblades, and VersaMow technology, allowing you to choose how much grass is bagged and how much ends up in the mulch. 

We were particularly encouraged by reports that the mower switches from mulching to bagging with the flip of a switch. What is the best lawn mower for steep hills? The Honda HRX. One user said because it climbs steep hills “like a mountain goat.” Another said it went right up their hill without hesitation. 

The cordless electric mower for hills is the Snapper XD. With a 21” cutting width, the reasonably-priced XD offers 90-minute runtime on a Lithium-ion battery, included with purchase, along with a charger. We also like the push-button start and 3-in-1 versatility for mulching, bagging, or side-discharge. 

There are seven levels of height adjustments and 10” rear wheels—perfect for hilly terrain. The steel deck is heavy enough for a smooth cut on uneven ground, and the handle folds down, saving space in the garage. 

Some who were worried a battery power mower wouldn’t be powerful enough for steep slope mowing say the XD handled four 4-foot grass on a hill without choking. Better, in fact, than their old gas mower had done before.

Riding mowers are another excellent choice for steep slope mowing, and we recommend the 38” riding mower from Murray. Murray boasts a large cutting deck, ideal for hilly terrains, and an anti-vibration system providing a smoother ride on uneven ground.

We also like the wide, 18” turning radius, and 20” rear tires for traction. There’s also a durable steel front axle and an adjustable, cushioned low-back seat. The feedback that the deck holds up well under use helped us feel confident in our choice, and so, too, did reports that the blades are easy to replace.

It’s small, according to one report, but it keeps up with larger riders, and it doesn’t have an automatic choke.

Just because your yard is small, it doesn’t mean it isn’t hilly. The best mower for small hills is the corded electric 25142 from Greenworks. With a 16” cutting width, what made the Greenworks an excellent choice for hills, in our opinion, is that it’s both lightweight and easy to use. It features a push-button starter and easily-adjustable cutting heights, according to reports. 

This Greenworks model also offers both rear bag and mulching, with 7” rear wheels for maximum maneuverability, which is crucial on hilly terrain. And though small, it’s got a pretty powerful 10-amp electric motor. Don’t forget: this thing requires an extension cord. So, whatever hill you may happen to be mowing, a power source can’t be too far away.

The best lawn mower hills may, in fact, be neither gas nor electric: it might just be a push mower. The best push mower for hills comes from American Lawn Mower. With a 14” cutting width, the 5-blade push mower is reel only and made from steel. 

Consumers say this push mower climbs hills easily and is lightweight enough that it won’t wear out in the process. One report said this mower is very easy to push both up and down hills or any uneven or bumpy terrain.

Best of all, it’s easy to assemble, very affordable, and there’s nothing more sustainable in terms of fuel consumption than a human-powered mower.

For a particularly tricky hill, choose an all-wheel-drive mower with an ample cutting width. You’ll find that mower in the Craftsman 3-in-1. With a 196 CC OHV engine, this thing is powerful. This Craftsman has a large, 21” deck converting from rear bag, to rear discharge, and mulching.

We also like the all-wheel-drive offered by this grass motor, and six height adjustments. It’s also self-propelled. We were particularly confident in including this Craftsman based on the high-traction tires and the variable speed control, helping you attack that hill at a pace you can handle. We also like the 2.5-bushel dust blocker, and the bagger is included.

Sometimes, though, rear-wheel drive is the oomph required to get up, over, and back down that uneven terrain. If rear-wheel-drive is what you’re after, check out the Troy-Bilt 3-in-1. This is also one of the best self-propelled lawn mower for hills, and has a 21” cutting width and variable speeds, with better traction and easy height adjustments.

Consumers say it has plenty of power, which is good for any steep slope mowing, and it starts reliably. Otherwise, it’s light and easy to handle and even easier to assemble, according to reports. We like the TriAction cutting system and 11-inch rear wheels, and the SpaceSavr design makes storage a cinch.

If ergonomics and mobility are of particular concern to you, consider the easiest-to-use mower for hills in our list: The Toro Recycler. With a 22” cutting width, this variable-speed mower is self-propelled with 11” rear wheels, perfect for hilly terrain. Contributing to the Toro Recycler earning its spot as the easiest mower to use are reports of easy assembly, and lightweight maneuverability, particularly on hills. Plus, we can’t forget the self-propulsion.

Nicely, no oil change required with Toro; just check the oil level and add some when needed. 

And otherwise, reports say the mower starts right up, plowing through thick grass, and the mulching feature is excellent. The self-propel feature made easy work of a long and steep backyard, according to reports. 

What if you didn’t have to push the best lawn mower for hills at all? The best robotic lawn mower for hills is the WR 140 from WORX. With only 7” cutting width, these “Landroid” mowers aren’t for the biggest lawns. Nevertheless, the mower can tackle slopes up to 20 degrees, making it a good choice for uneven ground.

We also like the patented AIA technology, helping the little mower navigate tricky areas of your lawn, and customizable mowing schedules, all controllable through an app. There’s also a rain sensor when the weather turns bad. According to customer feedback: in a lawn with many uneven spots, tight corners, and random holes, the mower did well. And when it does hit a tough spot, it simply sends a “rescue” notification to your device. Pretty convenient.

If your business is mowing lawns — uneven and otherwise — the best commercial lawn mower for hills is the Husqvarna MZ61. With a massive, 61” cutting deck, this thing is up for large lawns and open fields. What we liked about the MZ61 for hills were the 11-gauge steel cutting deck and hydrostatic zero-turn radius. Clippings can be discharged, mulched, or bagged, and there’s roll-over protection for safety, and there’s also a seat-belt.

Those who used the MZ61 on hills say it provides a smooth, even cut, calling the foot-operated deck lift a big plus, adding that deck adjustments are also very easy. One user called mowing uneven ground with the MZ61 “no issue at all.”

Our Process

For this guide on lawn mowers for hills, our team spent 5 hours researching the most popular options from over 50 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about fifty user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each lawn mower. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 10 on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.

If you enjoyed this read, sign up for our newsletter below and get special online shopping deals delivered straight to your inbox.

---

Further Reading