Best Gas Lawn Mower Under $400 (2026): 4 Gas Push Picks
Four gas push mowers under $400 with 140 to 201cc engines and 18 to 21 in decks, compared on engine, deck, drive, discharge modes and the warranty each listing states.
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Top picks at a glance
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- 1
Best overallBILT HARD 201cc9.7/10View on Amazon - 2
Best bagging setupAMERISUN 21 in9.6/10View on Amazon - 3
Easiest to pushPowerSmart B8721S29.6/10View on Amazon - 4
Best compact deckPowerSmart EasyCut 189.6/10View on Amazon - 5
SENIX 22'' Self Propelled Gas Lawn MowerView on Amazon - 6
SENIX Gas Lawn MowerView on Amazon - 7
SENIX 21" 144cc Gas Push Lawn MowerView on Amazon - 8
SENIX 20" Gas Lawn MowerView on Amazon - 9
BILT HARD Gas Lawn Mower 20 inchView on Amazon - 10
PowerSmart EasyCut 18-Inch Gas Lawn MowerView on Amazon
A house lot with a lawn looks simple until the grass gets ahead of you: thick spring growth, leaves in fall, a patch that needs bagging and a corner that wants mulching. The best gas lawn mower under $400 keeps that work in one machine: a walk-behind push mower with a gas engine, a deck wide enough for the yard and a discharge mode for the job at hand. This guide compares four gas push mowers on what each listing states: engine, deck, cutting heights, drive and wheels, bagging or mulching, and warranty.
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Quick picks
- Best overall BILT HARD 201cc: 201cc engine with 9.0 ft.lb torque, 8 height positions and ball bearing wheels. Check price on Amazon
- Best bagging setup AMERISUN 21 in: 21 in deck with a 1.4-bushel bag, 6 heights and ball bearing wheels. Check price on Amazon
- Easiest to push PowerSmart B8721S2: Rear-wheel drive and 31.8 lb, the lightest pick here. Check price on Amazon
- Best compact deck PowerSmart EasyCut 18: 18 in deck and 7 in wheels for tight spots, no-tools assembly. Check price on Amazon
Our acreage picks
BILT HARD 21 in 201cc Gas Push Lawn Mower
The biggest engine here: a 201cc 4-cycle OHV engine with 9.0 ft.lb of torque on a 21 in steel deck, with height positions on a single lever, ball bearing wheels and a 3-in-1 bagging, mulching and side discharge setup.
Who it's for: owners with thick or tall grass who want the biggest engine in this budget class.
Who should skip it: anyone who must lift the mower, since at 81.9 lb it is the heaviest here. A mower this heavy wants flat ground or a trailer ramp: plan how it gets from the truck to the lawn before it arrives.
Read the full review
The BILT HARD is the muscle pick: a 201cc 4-cycle OHV engine with 9.0 ft.lb of torque on a 21 in steel deck, with bagging, mulching and side discharge. The listing states 9.5 in rear wheels and 8 in front wheels on double ball bearings, a foam-wrapped angled handle and a no-choke, no-primer start. Weight is 81.9 lb.
Pros
- Largest engine here: 201cc 4-cycle OHV with 9.0 ft.lb of torque stated
- Height positions on a single lever with four-wheel synchronized adjustment
- 9.5 in rear wheels and 8 in front wheels on double ball bearings
- No-choke, no-primer design for quick starts, per the listing
Cons
- The listing contradicts itself on height positions: the title says 8, the bullets say 8 and 10
- Heaviest pick here at 81.9 lb
- The warranty text promises support but states no term, so warranty scores zero
- No stated operator controls, so safety scores zero
AMERISUN 21 in 144cc Gas Push Lawn Mower
A 21 in 3-in-1 push mower with a 144cc 4-cycle OHV engine, 6 heights from 1.5 to 3.9 in, a 1.4-bushel grass catcher and 7 in front, 10 in rear wheels on double ball bearings.
Who it's for: owners who bag every cut and want the catcher included.
Who should skip it: anyone who needs a stated weight before lifting it into a truck. If bagging is the whole job, this is the most complete bagging setup of the four.
Read the full review
The AMERISUN is the bagger's pick: a 144cc 4-cycle OHV engine with auto choke and forced air cooling on a 21 in reinforced steel deck, with bagging, mulching and side discharge and a 1.4-bushel grass catcher. Cutting heights run 1.5 to 3.9 in on a single lever, and it rolls on 7 in front and 10 in rear wheels with 1.5 in wide treads and double ball bearings.
Pros
- 1.4-bushel grass catcher included for bagging
- 6 heights from 1.5 to 3.9 in on a single lever
- 7 in front and 10 in rear wheels on double ball bearings
- Auto choke for fast starts, per the listing
Cons
- No warranty term in the listing, so warranty scores zero
- No stated operator controls, so safety scores zero
- No stated weight
- Push only, with no drive assist stated
PowerSmart B8721S2 21 in Gas Lawn Mower, Rear-Wheel Drive
The only rear-wheel drive pick here: a 21 in steel deck mower with a 140cc OHV engine, 6 heights from 1.5 to 3.9 in, a 1.4-bushel bag and a 3-in-1 bagging, mulching and rear discharge setup, at 31.8 lb.
Who it's for: owners with slopes or long pushes who want drive assist and light weight.
Who should skip it: anyone who wants stated wheel sizes before buying. For a weekly mow on a slope, drive assist and low weight matter more than a bigger engine.
Read the full review
The B8721S2 is the easy-pushing pick: a 21 in steel deck with rear-wheel drive, a 140cc OHV engine, 6 heights from 1.5 to 3.9 in on a single lever and a 1.4-bushel bag, with bagging, mulching and rear discharge modes. At 31.8 lb it is the lightest mower here, and the listing gives item dimensions of 32.9 by 16.5 by 22.6 in.
Pros
- Rear-wheel drive, the only drive assist stated here
- Lightest pick here at 31.8 lb
- 1.4-bushel bag for collecting clippings
- 6 heights from 1.5 to 3.9 in on a single lever
Cons
- The bullets state a 140cc engine while the style name says 144cc B&S
- No warranty term in the listing, so warranty scores zero
- No stated operator controls, so safety scores zero
- No stated wheel sizes
PowerSmart EasyCut DB8618P 18 in Gas Push Lawn Mower
The compact pick: an 18 in steel deck with a 144cc 4-cycle OHV engine, 6 heights from 1.5 to 3.9 in, 7 in wheels and a 3-in-1 bagging, side discharge and mulching setup, with no-tools handle assembly.
Who it's for: owners of smaller or fenced lots who need a narrow deck and easy storage.
Who should skip it: anyone with open ground, where the 18 in deck means more passes. It stores small too, which matters when the shed is already full of garden tools.
Read the full review
The EasyCut is the small-yard pick: an 18 in steel deck with a 144cc 4-cycle OHV engine, recoil starter and auto choke, 6 heights from 1.5 to 3.9 in on dual levers and 7 in wheels. It offers bagging, side discharge and mulching, an ergonomic handle and a vortex tunnel deck design, and weighs 55 lb.
Pros
- 18 in deck fits narrow gates and tight beds
- 144cc 4-cycle OHV engine with recoil starter and auto choke
- No tools needed to unfold the handle, per the listing
- 6 heights from 1.5 to 3.9 in on dual levers
Cons
- Smallest deck here, so more passes on open lawns
- No warranty term in the listing, so warranty scores zero
- No stated operator controls, so safety scores zero
- No bag size stated
Other machines to compare
SENIX 22'' Self Propelled Gas Lawn MowerCheck price on Amazon
SENIX Gas Lawn MowerCheck price on Amazon
SENIX 21" 144cc Gas Push Lawn MowerCheck price on Amazon
SENIX 20" Gas Lawn MowerCheck price on Amazon
BILT HARD Gas Lawn Mower 20 inchCheck price on Amazon
PowerSmart EasyCut 18-Inch Gas Lawn MowerCheck price on Amazon
Side-by-side specs
| Model | Acre Score | Type | Cutting width | Engine | Drive | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BILT HARD 201cc | 9.7/10 | Push | 21 in | 201cc 4-cycle OHV | Hand push | Not stated |
| AMERISUN 21 in | 9.6/10 | Push | 21 in | 144cc 4-cycle OHV | Hand push | Not stated |
| PowerSmart B8721S2 | 9.6/10 | Push | 21 in | 140cc OHV | Rear-wheel drive | Not stated |
| PowerSmart EasyCut 18 | 9.6/10 | Push | 18 in | 144cc OHV | Hand push | Not stated |
Specifications are manufacturer rated as listed, collected 22 October 2026.
Acreage and terrain fit
BILT HARD 201cc Gas Push Mower
AMERISUN 21 in Gas Push Mower
PowerSmart B8721S2 Gas Lawn Mower
PowerSmart EasyCut 18 in Gas Push Mower
Buying guide: the best gas lawn mower under $400 for a house lot
Engine size
Engine size is the clearest split here: a 201cc 4-cycle OHV engine on the BILT HARD against 140 to 144cc engines on the other three. The BILT HARD also states 9.0 ft.lb of torque, the only torque figure in this guide. Bigger displacement helps in thick or tall grass; for a maintained lawn, the smaller engines do the same weekly job with less weight to push. All four engines are 4-cycle, so there is no fuel mixing: straight gasoline in the tank, oil in the crankcase.
Deck width
Three picks cut a 21 in path and the EasyCut cuts 18 in. A wider deck finishes a lawn in fewer passes, while the 18 in deck fits through narrow gates and around tight beds. Measure your gate before you buy: an 18 in deck goes anywhere, a 21 in deck needs the gate to cooperate. Deck material is stated as alloy steel on two, a steel deck on the BILT HARD and iron on the EasyCut.
Bagging, mulching or discharge
All four are 3-in-1 machines with bagging, mulching and a discharge mode: rear discharge on two, side discharge on two. The PowerSmart B8721S2 and the AMERISUN each include a 1.4-bushel bag for collecting clippings. If you bag every cut, a stated bag size matters; if you mulch, it does not. Mulching works best on grass that is cut often; on tall or wet grass it clumps, so bag those cuts.
Drive and wheels
Three are hand push and the PowerSmart B8721S2 is rear-wheel drive, per its title. Wheel sizes range from 7 in to 9.5 in rears, and two listings state double ball bearings in the wheels. On flat ground any of them pushes fine; on slopes the rear-wheel drive pick and the lighter weight pick have the edge. Big rear wheels roll over roots and edging stones more easily than small ones. The B8721S2 is the lightest here at 31.8 lb, and the BILT HARD is the heaviest at 81.9 lb.
Walk the area first and clear stones, sticks, wire and toys. Wear eye and hearing protection, long pants and sturdy closed footwear, mow across slopes with a walk-behind (not up and down), and never pull a running mower toward you. Keep kids and pets well away. Refuel only with the engine off and cool. See CPSC lawn mower safety. Read our Safety Disclaimer.
Matching It to Your Property
- Flat house lots suit any of the four; the 21 in decks finish faster than the 18 in.
- Sloped ground favors the rear-wheel drive PowerSmart B8721S2, the lightest pick at 31.8 lb.
- Lots with trees and beds to trim around favor the 18 in EasyCut and its 7 in wheels.
- With no garage nearby, fit matters: check the stated dimensions before buying.
The Acre Score explained
The Acre Score weighs five factors: performance (engine size and torque, cutting width, what the discharge modes cover), build quality (deck material, wheels, drive), value (stated specs for the budget class), safety (operator controls the listing states) and warranty (a stated term with years or months). None of these listings states operator controls or a concrete warranty term, so those two factors score zero here and the ranking comes from engine, build and value.
| Product | Acre Score | Perf. /35 | Build /25 | Value /25 | Safety /10 | Warranty /5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BILT HARD 201cc | 9.7 | 32 | 21 | 21 | n/a | 0 |
| AMERISUN 21 in | 9.6 | 29 | 21 | 21 | n/a | 0 |
| PowerSmart B8721S2 | 9.6 | 29 | 20 | 21 | n/a | 0 |
| PowerSmart EasyCut 18 | 9.6 | 28 | 19 | 21 | n/a | 0 |
Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each product’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Safety counts only for powered gear or where the listing states safety features; where it does not apply, the score is taken over the remaining 90 points.
FAQ: mowing large lots
What gas do these mowers use?
All four are 4-cycle gas engines, so they take straight gasoline with no oil mixing. The listings do not state fuel grades or tank sizes, so follow the fuel guidance in the manual that comes with the mower.
How long does gas stay good in a mower?
Gasoline goes stale in storage, so buy fresh fuel and do not leave old fuel sitting in the tank between seasons. The listings do not state storage guidance, so check the manual before the mower sits through the off season.
Do any of these mowers self-propel?
No. All four are push mowers per their listings, and none states a self-propelled drive. The PowerSmart B8721S2 states rear-wheel drive, which assists the push rather than driving the mower on its own.
Bag, mulch or discharge: which should I use?
Bagging leaves the cleanest lawn, mulching returns clippings to the turf and discharge is fastest on rough or overgrown patches. All four mowers offer all three modes, so the choice is about the lawn, not the machine.
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