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Now that spring has sprung, you may be considering getting a head start on your lawn, ensuring you have the best-looking yard on the block. Whether you need to replace an old lawn mower or are a new property owner and purchasing your first lawn mower, there are plenty of options ranging from electric, gas-powered, riding mowers, and more.

If your property is less than a half-acre, we recommend a lightweight gas-powered lawn mower that provides versatility and affordability. Honda offers some of the best lawn mowers for small yards, and their outdoor equipment product line delivers brand recognition, along with the utmost quality and dependability.

The Honda 3-in-1 variable-speed lawn mower is the best for small yards

According to Best Reviews, the Honda HRN216VKA is the “Best of the Best” lawn mower for small yards.

The 21-inch Honda 3-in-1 variable-speed lawn mower is self-propelled, offering optimal performance and speed adaptability. The Smart Drive technology puts the power in the hand of the operator, who can control the desired speed by depressing the multi-purpose handle to engage the variable speed transmission. 

The simple speed control system eliminates the need for gears, offering a steady operating performance of 1 to 4 mph. The versatile handle provides ease of maneuverability with five adjustable positions. Meanwhile, a dual lever system provides seven different height settings for cutting the desired grass length. The dual-blade system cuts the grass finer, leaving more room for clippings in the discharge bag. Additionally, the attached one-step clip director seamlessly transitions from bagging, mulching, or discharging functions.

The advantages of owning a Honda mower

A line of Honda push lawn mower models in a Valley Appliance store in Peru, Illinois
A Honda push lawn mower | Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The gas-powered 170cc engine has an automatic choke, making it easier to start up when compared to other lawn mowers. The four-stroke gas-powered engine does not require a gas and oil mixture, operating efficiently on gasoline alone. Additionally, a longer oil line simplifies changing and filling the oil, and a larger gas cap lets operators fuel up without spilling or overflowing, making it easier to monitor gas levels.

This Honda mower receives a five-star rating on the Home Depot website, with over 6,000 consumers raving about their success with the quality Honda machine. One user said, “The GCV170 is quiet, smooth, has 8.2 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm, given the lighter weight and size of the deck, this mower moves, cutting green, fast-growing, wet, thick, heavy grass like a buzz saw, never slowing, no matter the height or thickness of the grass.”

The downside of the Honda GCV170 lawn mower

Despite the great reviews for this lawn mower, a few downsides are worth noting. While the Honda HRN216VKA lawn mower offers superior speed control capabilities, some consumers report the system is difficult to handle. Other consumers experienced difficulty with the self-propelling function, saying it “chewed up the belt,” while other users said the drive control is bulky. Yet another user complained of “thumb fatigue,” explaining you need to hold the “huge gray plastic piece down” to keep the mower running on high.

Still, in many regards, the Honda product line of self-propelled lawn mowers is unsurpassed by other brands, offering reliability and dependability second to none. Most consumers are pleasantly surprised by the low noise level, smooth operation, and easy handling.

The best-selling Honda 3-in-1 variable speed self-propelled gas lawn mower retails for $549 at Home Depot and similar prices at other outlets, with a three-year manufacturer’s warranty. Property owners that need to maintain a yard between one-quarter and one-half acre will be well served with the Honda GCV170 gas lawn mower.