Top 8 Best Ride-on Lawn Mower/Garden Tractor of 2022

The Husqvarna Rider 214TC is a fast, rear-wheel drive ride-on lawn tractor with a replaceable front-mounted cutting deck. This makes it much more than a lawn mower because it can also be equipped with accessories such as a snow shovel, brush or aerator. The design makes the steering intuitive and gives good visibility of the area you’re cutting. Unfortunately, there are no headlights for mowing in low light.

Accessibility and manoeuvrability are both exemplary and make it easy to mow around bushes and trees. However, you have to remember that if you're not careful, the rear section can swing out and hit fences and walls.

The cutting width is nicely judged for larger areas with lots of obstacles. But it would have been nice if the cutting deck was 5 cm further out from the wheels, as this would make it easier to mow around flowerbeds.

Produces a good result, comfortable to operate

Sit on mowers like these provide excellent comfort for both short and tall drivers. It has a comfortable seat, easily accessible controls, a compartment for drinks/tools and a pedal-controlled hydrostatic gearbox. The hydrostatic transmission is worth its weight in gold in areas that require a lot of reversing.

The cutting result is excellent, and the cutting height can be set very low. Mulching is particularly effective as long as the grass isn’t too tall or wet. It’s effortless to clean off the cutting deck as long as you have a hose. The 214TC is a clearly well-designed ride-on lawn mower, and despite its high price tag shows it is decent value for money, which is why we designate it as our best ride-on lawn tractor of 2021.

• King of the ride-on lawn mowers, which gets maximum points in everything we give it to do.

• Mows and navigates efficiently on both larger and fiddly areas – but this is reflected in the price tag.

• Suitable for many different garden types and thus for a broad section of homeowners.

We selected the Stihl RT 4097 SX mini tractor as the best lawn tractor in the test due to its time efficiency, great cutting result and versatility. For example, the fact that it has a towing hook makes it an excellent tool for moving things in the garden. If you buy a small trailer, the 4097 SX can cope with towing weights of up to 40 kg without problems. The good turning circle and strong drive help you navigate quickly and easily around the garden. It also has lights to see clearly even at dusk, which is a nice bonus. And when it comes to grass cutting, the 4097 SX is very impressive. It quickly and easily cuts large surfaces. The cutting result is uniform, even in tall, wet grass. It also does a perfect job of grinding up the grass, which means that the lack of a mulching function isn't as noticeable (you can buy attachments and kits for about £40). The cutting head is centred underneath the machine as is always the case on garden tractors. This means that the 4097 SX doesn't find it as easy as front-mounted ride-on lawnmowers to access everywhere. It's therefore best suited to larger, uncomplicated lawns. In more complicated gardens you'll have to do quite a lot of additional cutting around raised vegetable beds, bushes and in tight corners.

Comfort levels are high. You have a very comfortable position on the well-padded seat, which effectively counteracts problems with vibrations when driving. It's easy to reach all the levers and pedals. In addition, it has twin bottle holders. It's also easy to read the cutting head's height level. However, it can be a little fiddly to get the right level on the first try. The button for cutting while reversing is also a bit stiff. We'd also have liked easier removal of the cutting head. These are minor points by and large, and generally, user-friendliness is top-notch. For example, you can see what speed you're moving at, and the machine reacts smoothly to speed alterations. One disadvantage for lighter users is that the ride-on lawnmower is equipped with a non-adjustable weight lock to prevent use by children. It should activate at 35 kg, but it also started for a tester weighing almost 50 kg. Overall, however, the 4097 SX is an extremely good value for money tractor that gives you a lot of ride-on lawnmower for the money. And let’s not forget how fun it is to ride sit on mowers, particularly in larger, uncomplicated gardens.

The Husqvarna R 216T AWD is an extremely competent and versatile ride-on lawn tractor for anyone seeking high build quality, a strong motor and incredible manoeuvrability. It’s like your very own mini tractor and probably won’t fit in the standard garden shed.

This is a four-wheel-drive sit on lawn mower that doesn’t merely give great mowing results but also copes with pulling heavy loads too. For example, the lawn mower had no problems pulling a heavy pallet of limestone. The 216T is so strong that our testers used it to pull things rather than bother using its four-wheel drive.

As we've said, the mowing result is very good. It's quite similar to that of its smaller sibling, the 214TC in that, thanks to the rear-wheel drive it's very efficient and easy to manoeuvre. You can easily navigate around obstacles, and the response is excellent.

But you do need to remember that the back end sticks out when you manoeuvre, so if you're turning in a narrow area, you need to stay alert. This means that small, winding areas can be rather time-consuming to mow. But as long as you're aware of this, you’ll be fine. It's rapid on open spaces and, despite the speed, succeeds in mowing the grass thoroughly.

A true workhorse

The 216T AWD mini tractor is easy to start throughout the season, even when it's cold. It doesn't have a choke, and it's nice not to have to deal with one of these, while it doesn't seem to negatively affect the machine's ability to start.

The ergonomics are also decent. You have a comfortable position, there are few controls to deal with, and of course, there's a cup holder. One advantage is that you can adjust the wheel, so the lawn mower suits both tall and short users.

The Rider 216T is easy to maintain and has a counter so you know when it’s time for the next service.

The front LED is powerful. It's beneficial for anyone also using the sit on lawn mower to pull things. Most people cut their lawns in the daytime, but it's useful to work in the garden in the early morning or late evening.

But of course, all this means it costs more. This is far from a cheap ride-on lawn mower, but as a premium mower, it's quite simply in a class of its own. If you're looking for a machine that can replace both a four-wheel drive and a lawn mower on an undulating, large plot – even one with lots of obstacles – you should consider this mower. The 216T is a real workhorse.

The Solo by Al-KO T 22-111.7 HDS-A V2 is a garden tractor mower with low vibrations thanks to its combination of a plastic chassis and stable sheet metal frame. However, the plastic chassis is a little rigid, which means the hood is rather stiff to open. You sit relatively high up on this machine, making it difficult to get close to trees and bushes with low hanging branches. At the same time, the height gives you a perfect overview of the area you're cutting. The turning circle is good, and the steering bites immediately, even with minimal movements. The V2 motor makes the HDS-A V2 powerful, and it handles both tall and coarse grass easily. Cutting even a meadow with this machine is no problem. The tyres also give you a good grip. The comfortable seat combined with the low vibrations makes mowing the lawn a pleasant experience. The seat is easy to adjust and there's plenty of legroom.

The Solo by Al-KO T 22-111.7 HDS-A V2 spreads the grass well from the discharge and has a large petrol tank that lasts a long time. The noise level is higher than average, even when the cutting deck is turned off, so you need to use hearing protection. The tractor doesn’t have a towing hook, which is a shame as it would have given it many more applications because it's such a powerful machine. However, you can buy one separately. The pro transmission provides a good speed, which is most useful over large areas. In combination with the strong motor and the large petrol tank, this means that the AL-KO T 22-111.7 HDS-A V2 is best suited to rough lawn mowing over larger green areas.

The Husqvarna Rider 112C has a good drive and outstanding terrain-handling abilities, making it suitable for many different garden types. It’s also quite neat and equipped with articulated steering, which means that you can mow into awkward nooks and crannies, and have reasonable control when turning. We have no problem running it up slopes, cutting on a gradient etc., either in wet or dry grass.

Forward and reverse are controlled by two different pedals, instead of a single pedal, as is the case on many other ride-on lawn mowers. We like this solution as it means you have to move your foot when you change direction.

The construction has both advantages and disadvantages

However, a clear disadvantage with the R 112C riding mower is that you have to get off it to change the cutting height. The height setting is at the front, and thus, you can’t reach it from the seat. Over time this quickly becomes irritating, at least if you're used to adjusting the cutting height as you mow.

In addition, the height adjustment is meant to consist of seven steps, but we can only find five and a service position. The service position is used to tip the cutting deck, and unlike the cutting height adjustment, the position of this is useful because you can stop the machine and are then immediately ready to start cleaning.

The petrol filler cap is also well positioned. However, we see it as a disadvantage that you can’t easily see how much petrol is left in the tank from the outside.

Build quality leaves a lot to be desired

The R 112C gives a good result, but it only has two blades at the front, plus two front wheels. This means that you can’t get close in when you're mowing around obstacles. However, it leaves your lawn nice and neat.

The ergonomics are pleasant, too. You have a comfortable position and there’s a handy cup holder immediately in front of the seat.

The biggest disadvantage with this ride-on lawn tractor is the design and build quality. The seat is formed so that rainwater collects in it, which could have been handled better. It also has a tendency for parts underneath to break if you lower the cutting deck too quickly. Over a test period several months long, it manages to chew through both belts and plastic housings underneath. A drive wheel also broke, and had to be replaced after we lowered the cutting deck too quickly. We’d have liked to see a solution either where the cutting deck couldn't be lowered too quickly or a design that could stand up to it.

The machine is also equipped with plastic clips which lock very cleverly, but these aren’t very good quality. They break easily and cost quite a lot to replace.

However, it gets a bonus for having a towing hook.

If you’re careful when you lower the cutting deck, the R 112C is still quite a handy and neat ride-on lawn mower. Because it’s easy to manoeuvre and navigate obstacles, it’s ideal for a winding or smaller garden. Of course, you can use it on an open lawn too, but the design is most suitable for spaces where larger garden tractor mowers would have problems.

The Toro Timecutter ZS 4200 T is a very powerful ride-on lawn tractor with several exciting construction choices. It’s remarkable in that you control it with joystick controls. If you're used to operating a digger, you may appreciate the joystick controls because it means that you accelerate and steer with your hands. At the same time, we can’t see why it wouldn’t have been more user-friendly – and reached a broader target group – if Toro had instead chosen to give it a steering wheel (this model is also available in a steering wheel version). However, if you're used to operating machinery with joystick controls, it’s easy to manoeuvre as a whole.

Unfortunately, the choke controls, ignition and other controls are beneath the armrest, so you have to lean over the machine to access them. The choice of positioning for the cutting deck is also somewhat unusual. It isn't underneath like a tractor model, but nor is it at the very front like a standard front-mounted sit on lawn mower. This means that it doesn't benefit from the front-mounted design’s advantage – better access. Instead, you have to squeeze a large part of the machine – and yourself – into larger bushes. This makes it more like a tractor model.

However, you get a splendid view when the cutting deck isn’t directly beneath you like it is on a tractor model. So there are both advantages and disadvantages to this design. However, we would have liked the large wheels on the cutting deck positioned differently or made smaller to increase accessibility. As it stands, it’s challenging to get in around trees and other obstacles if you don't approach them on precisely the right angle.

Good mowing result despite the quick speed

The TimeCutter ZS 4200 T riding mower does an excellent job on large, flat surfaces. The cutting deck is large, and you can drive quite fast with it so you can get through a large area of lawn quickly. It’s evident that the motor is 24 hp because it's so powerful. This is very clear when you're going uphill and even when you’re reversing on a slope. There are a total of three speeds, and you choose between these with a centrally placed lever.

The TimeCutter ZS 4200 T moves forward at high speed and has no problems mowing the grass. Despite working at high speed, the mowing result is exceptional. The only times we notice it struggling a bit is if we allow the lawn to grow taller – 10 cm or more. And we also appreciate that it offers plenty of options when setting the cutting height.

Difficult to manoeuvre

However, it could have had better terrain-handling abilities. We notice several times that it continues to slide forward when we brake on a gentle slope. The wheels lock, and there’s a risk that it will skid into obstacles.

However, it gets a bonus for having a towing hook. It also gets bonuses for the soft, comfortable seat with armrests on the sides, the fact you can see the fuel level from the outside and the fact that you have a good view over the motor.

Overall, the TimeCutter ZS 4200 T is best on large, flat and open surfaces where its speed and power come into their own. In smaller or winding gardens it quickly becomes clumsy.

The AL-KO T 15-110.6 HDS is a substantial garden riding mower that can quickly cut large areas. One of its main strengths is how easily it can mow down everything from regular grass to tougher undergrowth. For example, we gave it a try in an overgrown area with large numbers of bushes, and it had no problems chewing up the branches – although it's primarily intended as a lawnmower. Like other garden tractors, the T 15-110.6 is primarily intended for larger, uncomplicated gardens. The cutting deck is centrally placed, so it doesn't reach into corners or right out to the edges. The T 15-110.6's hydrostatic transmission is a little jerky, and it doesn't come equipped with direct steering. This means that manoeuvrability is a bit lacking. At the same time, it has a strong drive, a good turning circle and doesn't slip. It's also easy to understand how to operate the machine. The controls and pedals are easy to adjust, and the lawn mower reacts swiftly.

The cutting result is good. The T 15-110.6 does a good job of grinding up and spreading out the grass cuttings, both on short lawns and very tall grass. The results are so neat that it's hardly noticeable that you've just cut the lawn – it just looks well-tended. And when it comes to maintenance, the bodywork is easy to clean. However, the cutting deck is a little bit awkward to remove and we would have liked to see a flush nozzle. Nor are the comfort levels brilliant. The seat on this sit down mower is quite hard, and you have to put up with a lot of vibration. The construction quality is rather plasticky in parts and some aspects of the product come across as unnecessarily stingy. One example is that there is glass for lighting and lighting wires under the bonnet, but no bulbs. That seems misleading. We would also have liked a towing hook, which we think should be standard on a garden tractor. The T 15-110.6 is undoubtedly good at its core function of cutting grass. But given that it's a garden tractor, we would have liked greater versatility.

The Stiga Park 220 ride-on lawnmower has articulated steering and a front-mounted cutting deck with electronic height setting that makes it easy to adjust the cutting height. The fact that it's front-mounted makes it easy to access even more complicated gardens. You don't have to do so much additional cutting as you would with a garden tractor. However, it does have a problem achieving a uniform cutting result on uneven lawns, because it follows the unevenness. It also leaves an unnecessarily large amount of grass uncut for a front-mounted ride-on lawnmower due to a relatively long distance between the blades and the front edge. This ride-on lawnmower is also limited by a relatively jerky hydrostatic transmission and small wheels. In addition, it has a half steering wheel, which makes it more complicated than necessary to navigate around your lawn and yard. Combined with the fact that it struggles with slopes, this means you're relatively limited in how you can drive it. When we cut a lawn in a tighter space, it felt heavy to drive. Another disadvantage is that it sometimes slips when reversing and that this risks damaging the lawn. However, the tyre pattern means that it doesn't leave any marks when you drive forwards. We also feel that it's useful to have direct steering, as this improves manoeuvrability.

The noise level is below average, but above all, the noise profile is relatively pleasant, with a low growling noise. Nor did we experience any problems with vibrations. The only disadvantage regarding its comfort is that larger people may find it challenging to get at some buttons as their buttocks and thighs may tend to hide them. It's easy to clean both the bodywork and underside of the Stiga Park 220. We would have preferred it to be possible to tilt the cutting head a little more to avoid having to bend your back during high-pressure cleaning, but on the whole, it's easy to wash and keep clean. It also has economical fuel consumption and a good turning circle.