Consumer Reports Says This Is The Best Riding Lawn Mower In 2026

So you're thinking of making the switch from a push mower to a ride-on variety. Maybe your yard is expansive and the chore of pushing the lawnmower around your acreage has become a point of dread in your week. Or maybe you're just hoping to cut down on the amount of time the task takes. Whatever your reasons, a riding mower is a big-ticket purchase, so you'll need to do some research on the most important factors to consider when buying the right lawn mower for your yard. Luckily, Consumer Reports, the independent non-profit organization that has been testing and reviewing products since 1936, has some potentially useful advice. Among the machines rated and reviewed for the 2026 edition of the organization's reviews of riding mowers, the Ego ZT4205S took home the highest rating of 89.

It's important to note that the crew at CR actually physically traveled to test these mowers at the organization's Fort Myers, Florida-based testing facility. Tests were conducted in grounds pre-prepared with annual rye grass seed, which tends to grow particularly densely. They even made sure to test the mowers on both flat and sloped surfaces. In addition to these hands-on tests, to come up with a final score for each mower, they incorporated feedback from CR member product satisfaction surveys.

According to the CR write-up, the Ego ZT4205S performed admirably in every test situation, including side discharging, mulching, and handling, with even cutting throughout. It's a 42-inch electric riding mower with a zero-turn radius, and CR tests put its runtime per charge at about an hour, which the organization dubs "respectable," with a "reasonable" three-hour recharge time. Additional useful features of the Ego mower include steering wheel navigation in lieu of lever arms, cruise control, and a suspension seat. It was not rated for its bagging ability, as this isn't a feature of the machine. The mower retails for $5,999.00.

If you're determined to maintain greener grass with a riding mower that makes it easy, but aren't necessarily sold on the Ego ZT4205S, another mower that received high ratings from Consumer Reports in 2026 is the Greenworks CRZ428, another battery-powered option, which received an 87 and is priced a little lower than the Ego mower at $4,999.00. It's closely followed at 86 points by two other battery-powered mowers: another Ego machine, the ZT4204L, and the Lowe's-exclusive Kobalt KZ 5680-06. The highest-rated gas-powered mower, the John Deere Z530M, received 85 points, scoring well across most categories except for noise level, which CM notes is often a downfall of gas tractors. If you're looking for another great option, there are plenty of rave reviews for Costco's best riding lawn mower.