8 Best Stand-On Mowers of 2023
Updated: Mar. 30, 2023Have you ever wondered if a stand-on mower is the right option for your lawn? We break down the pros and cons and help you make a decision.
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Buying a Stand-On Mower
If you’ve ever seen professional landscapers zipping around on stand-on mowers and completing their work in record time, you’ve likely wondered if you should get one for your own home lawn care.
These machines are favorites among pros for their nimbleness, comfort, durability and relatively small footprint, which means more of them fit onto a landscaping trailer.
Homeowners can also enjoy the benefits of these mowers. In particular, some homeowners favor the comfortable ride and precision controls.
Comfort comes from the design. Stand-on mowers spread the bouncing and jolts across your entire body, rather than concentrating it in your hips and back. Precision is another benefit. A stand-on mower provides a line of sight to the cutting line that can’t be beaten.
However, they’re not for everyone. Stand-on mowers are much more expensive than typical residential models, running in the thousands of dollars. It makes sense for pros to pay extra for that kind of reliability and power, but many homeowners find them cost prohibitive.
If you’re in the market for a stand-on mower, here are some essential factors to consider:
- Price: These mowers are built for rugged daily or near-daily use, which is why they’re targeted to commercial buyers. The cheapest will still run you more than $5,000, while most models are more than $10,000.
- Deck size: If you need to navigate gates and turn tight circles around beloved bushes and trees, a smaller deck is often better. If you have more wide-open spaces, look for a mower with a wider deck.
- Deck construction: A lower gauge steel deck can take more of a beating. Most stand-on mowers come with seven- or 10-gauge steel decks.
- Cutting speed: Stand-on mowers typically move forward at seven to 12 miles per hour. This puts them in line with. or even ahead of, most residential zero-turn riding lawnmowers. The bigger and more open your lawn is, the more that cutting speed pays off.
- Fuel supply: Almost all stand-on powers are gasoline powered, though one we’ll mention below runs on propane. If you have a particularly large yard, look for a mower with a larger fuel tank.
- Warranty: These vary by manufacturer and model. Most run at least a two years, but check the fine print. Some are different for commercial or residential use, and some limit coverage it you exceed a certain number of operating hours.
Best All-Around Stand-On Mower
The Husqvarna V548 is a good middle-of-the-road option. Its 48-inch cutting deck is narrow enough to make it through most gates, while still big enough to make quick work of larger yards.
The seven-gauge steel deck can take a beating, and the seven gallon fuel tank carries enough gas to handle most jobs in one filling. It comes with a 24.5-horsepower (hp) Kawasaki engine, and a maximum cutting speed of 11 miles per hour (mph).
Best Entry-Level Stand-On Mower
Cub Cadet’s Pro X 636 comes with a 36-inch-wide deck, allowing you to navigate tighter obstacles. It’s also a good choice if you’ll need to pass through narrower gates, or have limited storage options.
The Pro X 636 features an 18.5-hp Kawasaki engine and an 8.5 mph maximum cutting speed. It comes with a six-gallon fuel tank. The 10-gauge steel deck shell is on the thinner side, but should handle the wear and tear of residential use.
Best Mower From a Legendary Manufacturer
John Deere is a well-recognized name in lawn care. The John Deere 636M stand-on mower offers a 36-inch cutting deck made of seven-gauge steel. Powered by a 19-hp engine, it’s features a 5.5-gallon fuel tank.
One nice touch: A storage area that provides a convenient place to stash your cell phone, gloves and other small items. If you prefer to mulch your grass clippings, the 636M has an optional mulching attachment and blades.
Best Stand-On Mower for Heavy Use
The Pro X 660 EFI is the current top Cub Cadet stand-on mower line. It features a 60-inch cutting deck made of 10-gauge steel. Its 29.5-hp Kawasaki engine generates a maximum forward cutting speed of 10 mph, and the 7.5-gallon gas tank carries enough fuel to do most jobs in a single fill-up.
One strong selling point of the Cub Cadets is their warranty: Three years with no usage-hour limit for the motor, and five years on the cutting deck. This is a great choice for those with large properties requiring frequent mowing.
Best Alternate-Fuel Stand-On Mower
The John Deere 652R made our list because it offers more fuel flexibility than most stand-on mowers. You can use standard gasoline or convert to propane with an optional kit.
It boasts a 52-inch, seven-gauge steel cutting deck. The 23.5-hp gas engine comes with a 5.6-gallon fuel tank and can reach forward cutting speeds of 9.6 mph. Like the 636M, the 652R has an optional attachment and blades allowing you to mulch your grass.
Best Budget-Friendly Stand-On Mower
At $5,200, the Bradley 36-inch stand-on compact mower is about half the price of the other mowers on this list. It doesn’t skimp on the basics, with a 36-inch, seven-gauge steel cutting deck. It’s powered by a 25-hp Briggs & Stratton engine, although its relatively small five-gallon fuel tank may require refills on particularly large properties.
Some users wish this model came with an hour meter to track usage, especially because maintenance is tied to hours of operation. Bradley sells an hour meter as an add-on for $20, or you can pick one up online.
Still, most reviews on the Bradley site recommend it. Writes reviewer Chris: “I needed the narrow deck to get [through] narrow pool gates and was worried it would take forever to mow the larger grassy areas due to the small size. However I was pleasantly surprised with the speed at which I could cut due to the powerful 25-hp engine.”
Note: This mower doesn’t meet California Air Resources Board requirements so it’s not for sale in California.
Best Budget-Friendly Stand-On Mower for Large Yards
If you’re enticed by the Bradley price but want a wider cutting deck, consider the Bradley 61-inch stand-on mower. The engine is slightly more powerful that the 36-inch model (26-hp vs. 25-hp), but the cutting deck is far wider at 61 inches. The deck is still seven-gauge steel.
One other upgrade of note: Unlike the other Bradley, this one comes with an hour-meter installed, so you can track your usage for maintenance and warranty purposes.
Best Stand-On Mower for Large Yards
For maximum deck size at a reasonable price, consider the Ferris SRS Z3X.
Available in three deck sizes (52-in, 61-in. and 72-in.), it features a 37-hp Kawasaki motor that delivers forward cutting speeds of up to 12 mph. The result is a machine that can make quick work of the biggest, baddest yards out there. Its 11-gallon fuel tank provides the range to tackle big jobs in a single fill-up.
Attachments include a mulching kit and a lawn striping kit. The 52-in. Ferris mower comes with a 3.5-bushel grass clipping collector option.
The warranty runs four years or 500 operating hours, with no hour limitation for the first 24 months.