5 Best Lawn Mowers for Steep Hills, Slopes, and Banks (2022)

Looking to mow your steep hills, slopes, and banks? We understand it can be a really messy task and can seem to be difficult. But with the right lawn mower for steep hills, slopes, and banks, mowing your uneven surface can be an enjoyable task. Your lawn is the perfect place to relax and a well-groomed and welcoming one is nothing short of a blessing.

Choosing the right lawn mower not only depends on the traits of your lawn, but also the features provided by a specific mower. For steep hills and slopes, you need to consider things like size, power, type, and weight, among others. Not all lawn mowers are equally suited to mow steep surfaces. We did the research for you and have prepared a shortlist of the best lawn mowers for steep hills, slopes, and banks.

This guide will help you choose the best one according to your needs, and will also provide a comprehensive insight into the lawn mower market.

Choosing The Best Lawn Mowers for Steep Hills, Slopes, and Banks

When looking for the best lawn mower for steep slopes, hills, or banks, you need something with consistent power, stability, and something that moves fast and efficiently. With so many options and features on offer, making the final decision can be extremely confusing. We’ve done the research for you and have prepared a list of the 5 best lawn mowers for steep hills, slopes, and banks.

1. Honda HRX217K5VKA 4-in-1 Lawn Mower

Power source	Deck Size	Engine Size	Weight
Gas Powered	21 inches	197 cc	89 Pounds

A lawn with steep hills or slopes is much harder to mow. You need to take care of your mowing speed, balance, and cut quality. Walk-Behind mowers are most helpful in such conditions.

Honda’s HRX217K5VKA is the best lawn mower for steep hills and slopes. We tested it out in tough condition and it stood all amongst all during our review. 

The epitome of engine design and manufacturing, nobody does it better than Honda. The HRX217K5VKA is no different, it supports a powerful 197cc engine that can work through your grass efficiently.

Its awards-winning feature “Honda SELECT DRIVE” comes so handy while mowing a lawn with steep hills, slopes, and banks. You can effortlessly match the mower’s speed to match your stride.

With a 21-inch deck, it features a twin-blade instead of a single blade, which gives a double action for finer grass cutting. It even has an additional function called leaf-shredding, which is pretty much self-explanatory. 

In addition to these, Honda has packed the HRX217K5VKA with innovative features Roto-Stop. The speed control features allow the mower to mimic your speed while the Roto-Stop gives the user the option to cut off the power of the engine to the blades. So, if you come across a log or a branch, a press of a button will kill power to the blades so you don’t have to turn the mower engine off. 

The Hydrostatic Speed Control will make sure that the mower is always packing enough power so that you can mow with ease even on steep surfaces.

The Honda HRX217K5VKA is overkill for a small to mid-sized lawn. The innovative features and excellent performance all make it worth every penny, even though it has a steep price.

2. EGO Power+ LM2142SP Electric Lawn Mower

Power Source	Deck Size	Battery Size	Weight
Battery	21 inches	5.0 Ah	71.43 pounds

When it comes to electric lawn mowers for steep hills, slopes, and banks, the EGO Power+ LM2142SP is mower to beat. It is by far the most versatile electric mowers that have all the features you require for all your mowing needs. The LM2142 a battery-powered self-propelled lawn mower that packs the power of a gas-powered lawn mower but without noise and pollution.

The EGO Power+ has a well-thought-out design that comes with two batteries that are both removable. The mower can run on one battery or two batteries if you need a longer run time. While you run the mower on one of the batteries, the other one can be charged so you never have to worry about running out of juice.

It was able to perform pretty well during review and we were able to mow a little less than 80 minute long run time which is claimed by the manufacturer.

There is a dedicated throttle control on the left side of the handlebar, so you have the freedom of adjusting speeds to suit your needs. The six-step height adjustment can set the cutting height between 1.5″ and 4.25″ with the push of a lever, so you don’t have to adjust the 4 wheels individually.

This lawn mower for steep hills, slopes, and banks is very user-friendly as even the handlebar has three preset positions allowing you to adjust the handle according to your height. The EGO Power+ also features a headlight that allows you to work through the night and the 10” rear wheels give it the traction it needs to scale steep hills, slopes, and banks. All these features, coupled with the luxury of an electric drivetrain make it one of the best lawn mowers for steep hills, slopes, and banks.

3. Greenworks 40V 21″ Brushless (Smart Pace) Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

Power Source	Deck Size	Battery Size	Weight
Battery	21 inches	5.0 Ah	21.65 pounds

GreenWorks 40V 21” Brushless self-propelled lawn mower takes the cues from the dependable Greenworks 25022 and takes away the cord to make it a truly cordless electric lawn mower for steep hills, slopes, and banks. The lawn mower features two batteries that can help you mow for more than an hour. The GreenWorks 40V also packs a smart pace self-propelled system that can intelligently adjust to your walking speed.

GreenWorks has been making quality lawn mowers for quite some time now and their heritage has allowed them to produce a user-friendly experience. The electrical drivetrain automatically detects if one battery is low on power and switches to the other one seamlessly. The 21” deck is big enough for any lawn and will allow you to get the job done as soon as possible. In addition to the excellent drivetrain, the mower has a 7 step height adjustment to fine-tune the grass clippings.

To successfully scale steep hills, slopes, and banks, the lawn mower has 8” front and 10” rear wheels that provide excellent traction when going uphill or downhill. Moreover, the 40V can be stored vertically and takes up 70% less space than comparable lawn mowers.

4. GreenWorks 25022 Corded Lawn Mower

Power Source	Deck Size	Power	Weight
Electric Corded	20 inches	12 Amp	56 pounds

GreenWorks has a big history behind it and the 25022 corded lawn mower for steep hills, slopes, and banks is a great way of showcasing the expertise the company has in making lawn mowers. The 25022 has great features that outshine the competition and help it stand out.

If you’re looking for an option that has a minimal carbon footprint and is not pulled back by limited battery life, then GreenWorks 25022 is the best option for you. It has a 20-inch deck, a bigger wheel size for better stability, and packs a powerful 12-amp motor. It gives Three-way functions with side discharge capability and a seven-tier height adjustment to choose the cutting height of the grass. Also, the 25022 comes with a foldable design for compact storage.

With the GreenWorks 25022, you don’t have to worry about running out of battery or fuel. An extension cord that needs to be bought just once can have you set for life. Although the mower lacks a self-propelling system, the reduced weight more than makes up for it. It is effortlessly light and can be pushed around even on steep hills.

5. Snapper XD 82V MAX Cordless Electric Mower

Power Source	Deck Size	Power	Weight
Electric	19 inches	80V	59.5 Pounds

The Snapper XD 82V MAX Cordless Electric Lawn Mower is perfect for small to medium-sized yards. Powered by a Briggs & Stratton 82V Max Lithium-Ion battery, this lawn mower is easy to start and doesn’t require any maintenance.

With a 3-in-1 steel deck, the Snapper XD 82V MAX can mulch, bag or side discharge your grass clippings. The included large grass bagger fits up to 2.1 cubic feet of clippings and the height adjustment lever lets you choose from 7 different cutting heights.

With easy push-button starting and a brushless motor, this mower is practically maintenance-free. You can also choose your desired cutting height with the single lever height adjustment.

Moreover, Compact storage capability makes it easy to store in tighter spaces and the push-button start ensures easy operation.

Husqvarna Z254F – Best For Commercial Use (Bonus)

ENGINE	DECK SIZE	MAX SPEED	TANK CAPACITY
26 HP	54 inches	6.5 mph	3.5 gals.

Looking for a lawn mower that can handle any terrain? The Husqvarna Z254F is perfect for you. With a 26hp Kohler 747cc engine and 54-inch cutting deck, this zero turn lawn mower can take on even the most challenging yards.

Make lawn maintenance an event instead of a chore with the all new Husqvarna Z254F 26HP Kohler zero turn lawn mower. With a wide range of cutting sizes, this mower is perfect for large yards.

Thanks to the 26hp Kohler 747cc 7000 Series V-Twin engine and hydrostatic EZT transmission, this mower is built to deliver performance and style.

The solid tubular frame and wide tires provide stability and comfort all day long, while the high-back plush seat with armrests ensures you’ll enjoy every minute spent on your lawn.

So why wait? Order your Husqvarna Z254F today!

Features

• 26 HP Kohler engine.
• 3.5 gal. fuel tank capacity.
• Ready-start equipped with an automatic choke system and eliminating user input to start the machine.
• Air induction mowing technology in the deck to increase airflow, grass lift, and cut quality.
• Integrated zero-turn, including hydrostatic hydro-gear, provides maintenance-free transmission.
• The 12- gauge cutting deck of 54 inches in width, reinforced with heavy stock steel, which increases durability and reliability.
• 15 inches high back vinyl padded seat with a cup holder to provide convenience and comfort to the operator.
• 3 blades with electric blade engagement with 4 anti-scalp wheels.

Type of Lawn Mower

Walk-behind lawn mower or riding lawn mower

This is simple enough to understand. There are two types of lawn mowers based on the way you may operate them. You can either walk behind them, or you can ride them while they do their thing.

Walk-behind mowers are more affordable, but as you can guess, require you to walk throughout the entire ordeal to handle their operation properly. These are sufficient even for a large-sized lawn but if your lawn is spread across acres of land then you might not want something that keeps you walking beside for hours on end.

Riding mowers have a seat for you to sit in, like a tractor, while they work their magic. It is just as easy as driving a car. It has a steering wheel and pedals for you to operate them. However, they are quite expensive.

For most steep hills and banks, the walk-behind mowers with self-propelled mechanisms are great. Otherwise, if you can afford it, riding mowers make your life a lot easier but are a waste of money even for a medium to the large-sized area, not to mention they are extremely difficult to store as they take up a lot of space.

Push Mower vs. Self-Propelled mower vs. Zero Turn Mower

The more traditional way of mowing is to push the lawn mowers. It may or may not have an engine, and requires the power of your hand to move ‘push’ around. For steep hills, slopes, and banks this can be highly inconvenient. The power it requires is tremendous, and it can exhaust even the most athletic of men in a short time. Although it is the cheapest option available, it is highly not recommended for steep land, especially if your yard is big.

The productivity of the two different mowers:

• Riding Mower: Approx. 4 acres per hour at 6mph
• Walk-behind Mower: Approx. 1.45 acres per hour at 3 mph

Self-propelled mowers are equipped with an engine that handles the issue of powering up their blades by itself and can move at variable speeds, so you don’t need to push it around. If it is a walk behind a self-propelled mower, all you need to do is set its direction and it will do its job perfectly. If it is a riding mower then you’ll have to drive it up and down the lawn like a rover.

Zero-turn mowers are built for extreme finesse. Their effective turning radius is 0 hence the name and can provide a clean cut with detailed accuracy. They are highly innovative, but are highly ineffective for bumpy surfaces and as such are quite expensive. If you can afford it, they work best for larger flat areas.

Front vs Rear vs All-Wheel Drive:

This is pretty much self-explanatory. Front-wheel drives are powered by front wheels, rear-wheel drives are powered by rear wheels and all-wheel drives receive power on all wheels.

Front-wheel drives are best suited for flat yards, with the least amount of ridges. As such, their build is created to complement the mowing of level grounds, which is why they are not recommended for steep land.

Rear-wheel drives are more recommended for steep slopes and ridges. This is because the rear wheels provide stable traction during uphill or sideways mowing, which is why they are more suitable for hilly grounds than front wheels.

Some rare lawn mowers are all-wheel drives. They are more of an all-rounder in all-terrain, uphill, sideways mowing, or with overgrown ridges and uneven surfaces. AWD requires extra power, uses more fuel, and is quite an expensive but the safest possible option for usage.

Functions

There are primarily two classifications of lawn mowers based on functions, and this is a very easy choice to make once you know what they are.

Two-Way Function:

This type of mower provides two functions, as the name suggests; mulching and bagging. Mulching is when you cut the grass and let the ground receive the cut-up pieces back. This is helpful for a number of reasons, including a reduction in soil erosion and the provision of nutrients for better growth. Bagging is when you don’t want to mulch your grass but clean it up instead. Lawn mowers come with the optional bag behind their blades which receives all the cut grass to be disposed of. Almost all types of lawn mowers come with both of these functions.

Three-Way Function:

Some mowers provide an additional function of side discharging, which simply means that all the mulch is discharged via special side holes back into the lawn. This provides a better throw and spread of the mulch. Most of the high-tier mowers include this function. This is customer-specific, and you can simply choose what you like.

Both are equally efficient and effective when it comes to mowing steep hills, slopes, and banks.

Features

Lawn mowers come with many features and specifications and it could take all day to discuss them all, which is why we will only be discussing the important ones here.

Engine Type:

This is a very important feature to consider. There are three types of engines for self-propelled lawn mowers; Gasoline(petrol), Electric(Plug-n-Play), and Battery(Rechargeable).

Gas-powered mowers are powerful and extremely efficient. They can mow for as long as their fuel lasts, and their power remains consistent throughout their usage period. However, the downside is that you need to keep an eye on their fuel tank, and perhaps keep a bucket of gas as a backup, just in case. Also, you can add the fuel cost to its maintenance. These are great for larger areas.

Electric-powered corded mowers are machines that come with a plug. You put the plug in the socket and your mower is ready to cut some grass. It comes without the hassle of refueling and has perhaps the lowest maintenance cost. Sounds efficient, right? Not exactly. Electric mowers come with a disadvantage; the wire cord with which they are plugged in. While mowing, you have to be very careful not to mow over the wire cord, otherwise, you would be buying a new one every time you mow. People come up with innovative techniques to counter this, so do understand this drawback before you choose an electric mower for yourself. Also, most electric mowers do not come with a longer cord. You have to buy it separately, so do keep in mind the size of your lawn when you are buying a longer chord.

Lastly, battery-powered mowers do not require a cord and don’t need to be refueled before use. They are wireless variants of lawnmowers; they only need to be charged. However, their hours of usage per recharge depend on their battery capacity. Higher battery capacity means higher costs, as well as longer recharge times. Also, while you are using them, if the battery falls below the reserve amount, they lose their efficiency.

For hilly yards and steep grounds, we recommend gas-powered mowers. They offer more power and stability on the slopes. EGO Power+ is a great battery powered mower that offers comparable performance to a gas-powered one.

Deck Size:

Deck size of lawn mowers defines how fast you can mow through your lawn. It varies from 14 inches to above 30 inches, depending on the model, price, and engine type. The way to choose this is to first choose your relevant engine type, and then decide how big of a deck size you can afford in your budget. A higher deck size means a bigger blade, which means more area will be covered in minimal time. A smaller deck size means limited mowing area and hence longer mowing times.

Maneuverability:

This depends upon the weight, wheels, and the overall mechanics of the machines. Since you will be using your mower on steep banks and slopes, you need a proper amalgam of less weight and better stability and maneuverability.

Rear-wheel-drive options are great and offer great maneuverability. Other things to consider include an engine that is heavy enough not to slide downhill on its own, a lightweight design enough for you to move it, and a self-propelled mechanism. Moreover, the wheels should provide enough traction to remain uphill for as long as needed.

Precautions

Mowing a lawn full of steep slopes and ridges is a very difficult task, and can even be dangerous. No precaution is less than a human life, which is why we strongly recommend following these steps to prioritize your safety before you are mowing:

• Remove any obstacles that may slow or hinder your progress, such as stones and sticks. Your children may have left any toys out there as well, so keep a lookout. Any such thing can destabilize your mower in an instant, putting your safety in danger.
• Always begin from a flat surface and go slow. You may wish to finish faster by going fast, but it can be dangerous if you lose control of the mower at any given time. Take every step cautiously and steadily.
• Do not mow the slopes vertically. The center of gravity becomes so high that you may fall anytime, so always mow sideways when on a steep slope.

The Winner

We have discussed various factors for you to make an informed decision for your lawn mowing needs and tried our best to help you choose the best lawn mower for steep banks, slopes, and hills.

However, if you are looking for our recommendation then we would go for the Honda HRX217K5VKA. It features a powerful Honda engine combined with a rear-wheel drive and multiple unique features that complement your mowing experience. Its Honda SELECT Drive feature allows it to match the speed with which you are walking, and it has a cruise control system to make it move at a specific, consistent pace.

It is heavier than most and maybe a little bit more difficult to maneuver, but its walk-behind system gives you the freedom of movement you need in case anything goes wrong while you are mowing on a steep hill or a ridge. Its weight also gives it more stability and higher traction when on steep hills. It is a little on the expensive side, but the features it offers are definitely worth it.

Conclusion

In your quest to find the best lawn mower for steep banks and slopes, we have outlined specific factors for you to consider before making your choice. Along with that, we shared several suggestions that we consider as the best options for lawn mowing on steep hills based on their types and functions. We hope that it not only helped you make an informed decision but also saved you some money by picking out the correct option.

Also Read: 11 Best Push Mower For Rough Terrain [Reviewed 2022]