The 5 Most Affordable Riding Lawn Mowers You Can Buy In 2026 (So Far)

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When it comes to yard maintenance, investing in the right equipment can mean the difference between an enjoyable summer activity to a frustrating list of never-ending chores. For people with yards that are over half an acre, a riding lawn mower should definitely be up for consideration. Apart from cutting grass, there are so many things you can do with your riding lawn mowers and their many attachments, whether it’s plowing snow, hauling, or fertilizing your garden. While you’ll still need to be mindful of bad habits while driving your mower, the pros generally outweigh the cons for many users.

For people with at least half an acre, it can take too much time to mow your lawn with a self-propelled lawn mower, or it might even be unsafe to do by yourself when there are steep slopes. You could also be approaching the age where a lifetime of physical labor has taken its toll and you need to manage things like joint and back pain. However, not everyone needs an expensive riding lawn mower, especially if you don’t have a massive property to manage. So, if you’re a homeowner looking for an affordable riding lawn mower for residential use, here are some of the cheapest ones you can find at some of your local retailers.

Priced at $2,099 on Lowe’s, the Craftsman R110 30-inch gas lawn tractor has a mid-back seat, soft touch steering wheel, and even a cup holder. It comes with a Briggs and Stratton single-cylinder engine that can generate up to 10.5 horsepower with a six-speed manual transmission. It also has a 30-inch steel deck and 18-inch turning radius. With a fuel capacity of 1.3 gallons, it can go up to four miles per hour in both forward and reverse. It has a minimum cutting height of an inch, but you can adjust it to five positions up to 3.5 inches. Weighing 330 lbs, the base of the unit itself measures 30 inches by 64 inches.

It includes a mulching kit, deck belt, air filter, oil filter, spark plug, and replacement blade. While it uses global materials, Craftsman also says that it’s made in the United States, which makes it a good choice for people who want to support local industries. If you want to get the CRAFTSMAN R110, but need a wider option, it is also available in three other cut widths (36 inches, 42 inches, and 46 inches). The 30-inch width model shares the same price as the 42-inch variant. On the other hand, the 36-inch model retails for $1,899, while the 46-inch model is listed at $2,299. As of June 2026, more than 6,800 Lowe’s reviewers have rated the Craftsman R110 (plus its other sizes) about 3.8 stars with a 69% recommendation rate.

While it’s not exclusively sold there, Troy-Bilt has been consistently rated as being its best lawn mower brand by Home Depot users. Designed specifically for homeowners with small yards up to ½ acre, the mid-back seat type Troy-Bilt TB30B 344cc compact riding gas lawn mower retails for $1,924 on Walmart. With five deck positions, it is capable of six speeds with its 10.5 horsepower Briggs & Stratton engine. While it does have a relatively slow maximum reverse speed of 2 miles per hour, it does have 4.26 miles per hour forward speed capacity. It has a five-point cutting height range can go between 1.5 inches to 4 inches, but the same fuel tank capacity of 1.3 gallons. It also has an 18-inch turning radius, rear tow hitch, and corrosion protection.

Despite its relatively affordable price point, most people who buy the Troy-Bilt TB30B riding mower seem to be quite satisfied with an average rating of 4.1 stars from more than 220 Walmart customers with 60% of them even giving it a perfect rating. On the official Troy-Bilt website, it has a slightly higher rating of 4.1 stars from 170+ reviewers. It is manufactured in the United States and has a two-year limited warranty for its frame, front axle, and deck shell, which is one year shorter than other options on this list.

The Craftsman T100, 36-inch gas riding lawn mower is available on Amazon for $1,899 — you can also pay an extra $199.99 for professional assembly. It shares the same price tag on Lowe’s. It boasts a more powerful 11.5 horsepower single cylinder Briggs and Stratton engine. Compared to other options on this list, it can go a lot faster with a 5.5 miles per hour forward and reverse speed and seven-speed transmission.

It has a low back seat, an 18-inch turning radius for convenient maneuvering, and although it has a wider 36-inch steel deck, it’s still compact enough for many residential gates. With its 1.3-gallon fuel capacity, Craftsman recommends it for yards up to 1 acre with a terrain that is flat with obstacles. It has a five-position cut height adjustment; its two blades can cut grass that ranges between 1.5 inches to 3.75 inches. There’s also a mulching kit included. On Lowe’s, it has a 3.8-star average rating from 6,800+ users with its other sizes. It is made in the United States (with global materials) and it comes with a 3-year limited warranty. On Amazon, it fares much better — it’s both an Amazon’ s Choice product and has an average rating of 4.3 stars from over 160 customers.

Troy-Bilt is one of the best major lawn mower brands, and the low back seat type Troy-Bilt Pony 42-inch gas riding lawn mower is only marginally more expensive than others at $2,099.99 on Tractor Supply. With a significantly wider cutting width of 42 inches, it’s made for lawns up to 1.5 acres. It has an 18″ turning radius and a slightly larger fuel tank capacity of 1.36 gallons. It also has the same five positions with cutting height capabilities (1.5 inches to 4 inches) as the Troy-Bilt TB30B. However, it is a lot faster and can go up to 5.5 miles per hour forward, while it’s rated to go backwards at 2.5 miles per hour.

Some unique features that set it apart include the two blades, step-thru frame, automatic headlights, and 7-speed shift. While it doesn’t have a stellar review on the Troy-Bilt website – it only has an average rating of 3.5 stars from 41 reviewers, it fares better on Tractor Supply where it has a 3.8-star rating from 140+ people. It comes with a three-year limited warranty for the frame, front axle, deck shell, and engine.

We’ve mentioned that Cub Cadet has been praised as one of the most reliable gas riding mower brands out there, so it’s unsurprising that it has a budget offering worth considering. On Home Depot, the Cub Cadet CC30H retails for $2,399 with an average rating of 4.3 stars from more than 2,100+ people. On the Cub Cadet website, it’s listed with the same price but holds a slightly lower 3.9-star rating from 260 people. While it doesn’t have armrests, it does have a 15-inch high-back seat and cup holder. It’s also known to be incredibly compact with assembled dimensions of 67 by 35 by 38 inches.

Similar to other options on this list, it uses a 10.5 horsepower engine from Briggs and Stratton and has a 1.3-gallon capacity fuel tank. It has a hydrostatic drive system and can go up to four miles per hour forward and two miles per hour backwards with an 18-inch turning radius. There’s a 30-inch cutting deck and its single blade has five deck positions that range from 1.5 inches to 4 inches. It also ships with a mulch kit. For its residential warranty, it has a 3-year limited warranty for its frame, front axle, and deck. That said, one of the most common problems with Cub Cadet lawn mowers is with its poor customer service and occasional comments regarding lack of power.

To make this list, we looked through all the riding lawn mower options across multiple online retailers, such as Lowe’s, Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon, and Tractor Supply. We then selected some of their cheapest offers that have an average rating of at least 3.5 stars. In cases where there were few reviews, we referenced feedback from multiple websites. Apart from price, we noted specific features that most people look for with their riding lawn mowers, such as their cutting width, cutting heights, and seat-type. We also highlight things like forward and reverse speed, fuel tank capacity, and comfort-focused fixtures like cup holders. While it didn’t affect their placement on the list, we also noted additional factors such as warranty length, coverage, and availability across other sellers.