Best Riding Lawn Mower For Hills

Hills change everything about mowing. Flat ground lets you cut in any pattern and hardly think about traction. Slopes force you to worry about tipping, scalping, and whether your engine is getting oil on a 20-degree incline. Many owners find out the hard way that a mower rated for a half-acre of flat lawn is a different animal on a hillside.

The safe options break into three camps. Lawn tractors offer predictable weight distribution and steady speeds. Zero-turn mowers cut fast but carry their weight awkwardly on inclines. Remote-controlled units take the rider off the machine entirely, which is the only sane choice on extreme grades. Deck size, transmission type, and where the discharge chute points matter more than horsepower when the ground tilts.

Here I’ve reviewed five riding mowers that handle hills with different strengths. The Greenworks 60V CrossoverZ is the best all-rounder for most sloped suburban yards. The Husqvarna models are solid gas alternatives. The EGO tractor suits smaller electric-friendly properties. The INFRONT remote-control mower exists for one job: embarrassingly steep terrain where you should not be sitting on a machine. Full reviews, a spec table, and slope-specific buying advice follow.

Here’s how these five compare at a glance:

Features	Greenworks 60V CrossoverZ	Husqvarna TS 120	Husqvarna Z254F	EGO Power+ TR4204	INFRONT Remote Mower
Power Source	Electric 60V battery	19HP gas engine	23HP gas engine	Electric 56V battery	Gas-electric hybrid
Deck Size	42 inches	42 inches	54 inches	42 inches	21.7 inches
Drive Type	Zero-turn	Pedal-operated	Zero-turn hydrostatic	Lawn tractor	Remote-controlled tracks
Top Speed	8 mph	Not listed	6.5 mph	6 mph	Remote operation
Slope Rating	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	45° capable

Greenworks 60V CrossoverZ

The Greenworks 60V CrossoverZ is a battery-powered zero-turn with a 42-inch deck and enough torque to hit 8 mph across turf. It’s built for homeowners mowing up to about 2.5 acres who want zero-turn speed without fueling a gas engine. The six 8.0Ah batteries and 600W charger come in the box, so there’s no separate battery purchase to plan around.

The blade speed stays constant at 17,000 feet per minute regardless of ground speed, which matters more on hills than most buyers realize. A gas engine’s blade speed drops under load. This one doesn’t, so thick grass on an incline gets sliced cleanly instead of torn. It also runs about four times quieter than a comparable gas mower, and the LED headlights make early morning or evening sessions practical when you’re dodging summer heat.

Here’s the honest catch: a zero-turn’s rear-heavy layout is not ideal on steep ground, and Greenworks doesn’t publish a slope rating for this model. The 8 mph speed is a benefit on flats and gentle grades, but you should treat anything past about 15 degrees with real caution. It also uses a rear storage bin with universal front and rear attachment capability, which is useful but not a hill-specific feature. Battery range shrinks on slopes, so the 2.5-acre rating assumes mostly moderate terrain.

• Six 8.0Ah 60V batteries plus 600W charger included
• 17K ft/min constant blade speed for clean cuts under load
• Zero-turn design with 8 mph mowing speed
• LED lights for low-light mowing
• Batteries work across 75+ other Greenworks 60V tools

Best for: Homeowners with up to 2.5 acres of gently sloped lawn who want zero-turn efficiency without gas engine noise and maintenance.

Husqvarna TS 120

The Husqvarna TS 120 is a traditional lawn tractor with a 19HP Briggs & Stratton 540cc engine and a 42-inch twin-blade stamped deck. It’s the most conventional machine in this lineup, and for a lot of hilly properties, conventional is exactly right. Tractor-style mowers carry the engine over the front axle, which gives more stable weight distribution on inclines than a zero-turn’s rear-heavy stance.

The pedal-operated transmission is the standout feature. Your feet control speed while both hands stay on the steering wheel. That’s a genuine safety advantage on slopes, where a free hand lets you brace, steer, and react. You won’t chop grass as fast as a zero-turn, but you also won’t feel the rear end want to slide sideways on a damp 20-degree slope the way some zero-turns do.

Trade-offs exist. The stamped deck is lighter than a fabricated one and can flex on rough terrain, though the 42-inch cutting width keeps it manageable. The 540cc engine is adequate but not overpowered; on a long, steep climb you’ll want to shift down and accept a slower pace. Husqvarna doesn’t list a slope rating here, so common sense applies: keep climbs straight and avoid turning on the incline itself.

• Briggs & Stratton 19HP 540cc engine
• Pedal-operated automatic transmission for hands-on-wheel control
• 42-inch twin-blade stamped deck
• Tractor layout with engine weight over the front
• Straightforward gas refueling and no battery charging time

Best for: Buyers who want the most stable, predictable platform for moderate slopes and prefer a classic gas tractor over electric or zero-turn options.

Husqvarna Z254F

The Husqvarna Z254F is a 54-inch zero-turn powered by a 23HP Kawasaki engine with a hydrostatic, no-maintenance transmission. It tops out at 6.5 mph, which makes it one of the faster deck sizes in this group. This is the machine for large open lawns with only gentle undulation, not a property crisscrossed by steep banks.

Kawasaki engines start reliably, and the ClearCut deck is genuinely good at bagging thanks to a deep deck design and high airflow. You can discharge, mulch, or bag — the mulching kit and bagger are sold separately, so factor that into the decision if you plan to collect clippings. The seat is comfortable and the anti-slip foot area helps when you’re bracing on uneven ground.

The zero-turn handling is the limitation on hills. Zero-turns pivot on the rear wheels, which puts most of the weight behind the center line. On a slope beyond about 15 degrees, the front caster wheels can lose contact on uneven terrain, and the deck can scalp. The 54-inch width also means the deck hangs wider than the wheelbase, so side-hill mowing gets sketchy fast. This is a flat-land machine with enough power to handle a modest grade if you approach it straight on.

• 23HP Kawasaki engine with reliable starting
• Hydrostatic no-maintenance transmission
• 54-inch ClearCut deck with deep airflow design
• Max speed 6.5 mph
• Discharge, mulch, or bag options

Best for: Owners of large, mostly level properties who want a wide, fast cut and don’t have serious slopes to negotiate.

EGO Power+ 42 Electric

The EGO Power+ TR4204 is a 42-inch electric lawn tractor that combines up to six 56V ARC Lithium batteries to produce roughly 20,000 watts — comparable to a 21-horsepower gas engine. It’s a tractor-style layout, not a zero-turn, so weight sits more predictably on hills. EGO rates it for up to 1.5 acres per charge with the six included 6.0Ah batteries.

The digital LCD display gives you three blade settings, three drive speeds, and cruise control. That level of adjustability genuinely helps on slopes: you can drop to a slower drive speed, raise the blade setting to avoid scalping on a crest, and let cruise control hold a steady pace. Twelve cutting-height positions from 1.5 to 4.5 inches give fine control, and the rear tow hitch means you can haul a cart around the property.

Range is the real constraint. Mowing hills drains batteries faster because the motors work harder, so the 1.5-acre figure assumes typical conditions, not a steep, wet, heavy-grass day. Six 6.0Ah batteries are heavy to handle, and charging them all takes time. The 6 mph top speed is fine for a tractor but slower than the Greenworks zero-turn. None of that matters if your yard fits the range profile and you want an utterly quiet, no-gas solution.

• Six EGO 56V 6.0Ah batteries for up to 20,000 watts
• 42-inch deck with 12 height positions
• LCD display with blade, speed, and cruise settings
• Rear tow hitch for hauling loads
• 6 mph top speed

Best for: Owners of 1.5 acres or less who want quiet electric operation, precise cutting height control, and the stability of a tractor-style frame.

INFRONT Remote Mower

The INFRONT Remote Control Lawn Mower is a different species entirely. It’s a tracked, remote-operated machine with a 9HP/225CC gas engine and electric start, designed to climb slopes up to 40–45 degrees. Nobody sits on this thing. You stand at a safe distance and steer with the included remote, which makes it the only genuinely safe option in this lineup for extreme terrain.

The rubber track system grips ditches, soft soil, dense brush, orchards, embankments, and wetlands that wheeled mowers simply can’t handle. The zero-turning-radius differential drive lets it spin 360 degrees in place, which is essential when you’re navigating around trees on a hillside. The 550mm (about 21.7-inch) deck is narrow, but the dual alloy/manganese steel blades chew through dense weeds and rough growth, and the cut height adjusts remotely from 0.79 to 5.91 inches. A blade auto-retract protects the blades when they hit rocks.

Now the hard truth: a 21.7-inch cut is slow if you’re used to a 42- or 54-inch deck. This mower prioritizes access and safety over speed. You also stand or walk while it works, so it’s not a ride-on experience. And it’s a specialized machine with a price to match — check the current price on Amazon against how much genuinely dangerous slope you actually own. For most buyers, this is the second mower, not the first.

• Rubber track system climbs 40–45° slopes
• Remote control operation from a safe distance
• Zero-turning radius with 360° in-place rotation
• 9HP/225CC gasoline engine with electric start
• Remote-adjustable 21.7-inch cutting deck with auto-retract blades

Best for: Properties with dangerously steep banks, orchards, or wet terrain where putting a rider on the machine is a rollover risk.

How We Chose These Products

The selection process started with slope safety, not brand reputation. A riding mower for hills needs predictable weight distribution, a transmission that won’t surge on an incline, and a deck that discharges without clogging on damp grass. I grouped the five picks into three mechanical categories — lawn tractor, zero-turn, and remote-controlled — because each handles slopes differently, and buyers often don’t realize how much the drive layout matters.

I looked for honest limitations as much as strengths. The Greenworks and Husqvarna zero-turns are fast and capable on moderate grades but carry rollover risk past roughly 15 degrees. The tractor-style Husqvarna and EGO models handle weight better but cut slower. The remote INFRONT eliminates rider risk entirely but sacrifices deck width. None of these is perfect for every hill, which is why the buying guide below explains what actually goes wrong on steep ground.

Buying Guide: What Really Matters

Understand the slope degrees first. A 15-degree slope is mowable with a lawn tractor and a careful zero-turn driver. Past 20 degrees, most standard riding mowers become unsafe because the center of gravity shifts and the uphill wheels lose traction. Past 25 degrees, you should not be riding a consumer mower at all — that’s remote-control territory. If you don’t know your slope, measure it with a phone clinometer app or an inclinometer before you shop.

Look at traction and weight distribution. Tractors put engine weight over the steering axle, which helps the front wheels hold the line. Zero-turns concentrate weight behind the operator, so uphill climbs can lighten the front and downhill runs get twitchy. A differential lock or rear hitch doesn’t fix physics. When you do mow a slope, always climb straight up and down — never traverse sideways — and turn only at the bottom where the ground flattens. Keep the discharge chute pointing toward the uphill side so clippings don’t slide back onto the cut path and clump.

The deck and drive matter as much as the engine. A deep-deck design like the Husqvarna ClearCut moves air better and resists clogging on wet hills. Stamped decks flex more than fabricated ones on uneven ground. Hydrostatic transmissions are the right call for slope work because they deliver steady torque without gear-shifting surprises. And if you’re buying electric, remember that every climb drains the battery faster than flat mowing — so size your range for the worst slope, not the average yard.

Our Top Recommendation

The Greenworks 60V CrossoverZ is the best riding lawn mower for hills on most properties. It combines zero-turn speed with constant blade speed and quiet electric operation, and the 8 mph pace means you spend less time on any given slope. If your land stays under 15 degrees and within about 2.5 acres, it’s the most capable and pleasant machine here.

If you want the stability of a tractor on more serious grades, the Husqvarna TS 120 is the value pick. Its pedal-operated transmission keeps both hands on the wheel, and the front-heavy layout feels more planted on a 15-to-20-degree climb. For steep or wet terrain where a rider shouldn’t be onboard, the INFRONT remote mower is the only safe answer — slow, but it goes where the others can’t.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a zero-turn mower handle a 20-degree slope?

Not safely. A 20-degree slope is past the comfort zone for almost all consumer zero-turn mowers. The rear-heavy weight distribution and caster front wheels make them prone to sliding sideways, losing steering control, or tipping on uneven ground. If you have a 20-degree slope, use a lawn tractor with a low center of gravity, or a remote-controlled mower like the INFRONT for anything steeper.

Does rear-discharge matter on hills?

Yes, more than most buyers think. Side-discharge mowers throw clippings downhill, which can dump a pile of wet grass on the cut path and smother the turf below. A rear-discharge deck or a mulching setup keeps clippings on the slope itself, where they break down faster. If your lawn has visible slopes, prioritize a deck that flowe… that moves clippings downhill with the cut rather than against it.

Why does my mower engine lose power or oil pressure on hills?

Oil starvation. On a steep incline, the engine oil pools away from the oil pickup, and the pump sucks air instead of lubricant. That can starve bearings and valves, especially on engines with a low oil capacity or a poorly positioned pickup. The fix is to keep climbs short and slow, keep oil at the full mark, and check engine oil after a hard hill session — a quart low on a slope is the easiest way to shorten engine life.

What maintenance should I do after mowing a lot of hills?

Check tire pressure first — low pressure makes the mower lean and increases the rollover risk on the next trip out. Inspect the drive belts for wear or glazing, since hills put extra strain on them. Clean the deck underside thoroughly, because clogged grass holds moisture and corrodes the steel. And change the oil on schedule