Whether you love mowing the lawn every week or categorically loathe the job, most homeowners can agree that cutting grass can get pretty complicated if your yard has hills. In fact, cutting grass on a hillside can be pretty dangerous, particularly if you’re working in even slightly damp conditions. So which style of mower is the best for cutting grass on a hill or an incline?

While there have been incredible advances in the riding mower sector when it comes to hill safety, a walk-behind mower is often still the safer bet. The reasoning for that is pretty obvious, as even walk-behind push mowers that are self-propelled provide users with far more control over the mower itself.

That is because they are smaller and require merely directional force to move instead of pedal maneuvering and steering. Even the most reliable riding mowers — including those with zero-turn wheel designs and auto shutoff features — are also still top-heavy enough that they can roll over if you hit a hillside the wrong way. That risk still exists with a walk-behind mower, but it is greatly diminished given the control they provide.

There are methods of mowing grass on a hill with a riding mower that have been deemed safer than others. With a riding mower, cutting the grass in a vertical pattern up and down the hill instead of moving horizontally across it is the better play due to the risk of rollover. However, if you are using a reliable walk-behind mower, you will want to mow horizontally across the hill instead. The idea is that, should the mower slip, it will continue horizontally across the slope rather than being pulled by gravity back on top of you.

Of course, you should only be mowing in dry conditions with either machine to prevent slippage. You should also wear shoes with proper grip and check that the tires on your mower have solid traction, as the potential for slipping and falling behind the mower are increased on steeper inclines.

Some hills may simply be too steep to safely approach with any sort of traditional mower. As the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) notes, a riding mower is likely okay if the hill’s incline is under 15 degrees. However, be sure to check the owner’s manual of your particular mower for more detailed information on the capacity it has for slopes. If a mower is simply not possible, there are safer options to consider, including a string trimmer or a brush cutter.