Troy-Bilt TB260 XP SpaceSavr Self-Propelled Lawn Mower review: a compact yet high-powered tool

When I moved into my home in mid-2020, I didn’t have the luxury of buying new lawn care products, so I gratefully took my father’s old riding lawn mower and self-propelled gas push mower when he offered them to me.

My home sits on half an acre with two sides of the property featuring sloping hills (one of which turns into a ditch). I use the riding lawn mower to mow the flat surfaces of my yard and the push mower to mow the remaining third of my property – primarily the sloping hills and the ditch that runs in front of my house. 

Suffice to say, the push mower my dad gave me did the trick, but it was fairly old, and it took me at least three attempts to start it each time I needed to mow my lawn. I was beyond happy to put that lawn mower aside and try the Troy-Bilt TB260 XP SpaceSavr Self-Propelled Lawn Mower when I got the chance.

It only took one lawn care day to realize that I’d hit the jackpot with this lawn mower. Mowing my lawn is now easier and more enjoyable with this Troy-Bilt lawn mower at my disposal. See how we got on and whether it deserves a slot on the best lawn mower list.

Troy-Bilt TB260 XP SpaceSavr Self-Propelled Lawn Mower: key specifications

• Deck cutting width: 22 inches
• Power source: Gas
• Cutting height range: 6 adjustments ranging between 1.25–3.75 inches  
• Fuel tank capacity: 1 quart
• Engine Oil Capacity: 15 ounces
• Weight: 75 pounds
• Dimensions: 60 L x 22 W x 38 H inches

Setting up the Troy-Bilt TB260 XP SpaceSavr Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

The Troy-Bilt TB260 XP SpaceSavr Self-Propelled Lawn Mower arrived in a large box with handles. On top of the box, I noticed some instructions that told me to open the top flap and remove the small items on top (the rear bag and a plastic bag with instructions, oil, etc.). It also said to cut the sides of the box so that the box flattened, and I could push the lawn mower out rather than having to pick it up.  

I discovered that the lawn mower was most nearly assembled, or at least the most important parts like the deck with the engine and the wheels. It seemed I would only need to assemble the handle, recoil start, and either the side chute or rear bag. It was far easier than I thought it would be thanks to the step-by-step instructions.

Assembling the handle basically required putting four screws in at the right spot and then unraveling the recoil start and placing it on the handle. After that, I poured the full plastic pouch of oil that was included in the packaging into the lawn mower and added the side discharge chute (I prefer to mulch my yard rather than catch grass clippings). Then I adjusted the handle to my preferred height and I was ready to go.

What is the Troy-Bilt TB260 XP SpaceSavr Self-Propelled Lawn Mower like to use?

I never realized how much effort and labor had been required to mow my lawn before I tried the Troy-Bilt TB260 XP SpaceSavr Self-Propelled Lawn Mower. As I mentioned before, I had to basically stand on my head, pray to the gods of lawn care, wear lucky jeans, and do a full-on ritual to get my old push lawn mower to start. When it came time to use this Troy-Bilt lawn mower for the first time, I felt a sudden dread. How many times would I have to pull the string? How many times would I fail before I got it right?

This particular lawn mower has an Auto Choke design, meaning you don’t have to press a button to prime or choke the engine before pulling on the recoil starter. After holding the blade control handle against the main handle, I’m happy to say that I only had to pull the recoil starter once and the lawn mower purred to life.

Overall, the Troy-Bilt TB260 XP SpaceSavr Self-Propelled Lawn Mower is very easy to use because it has a self-propelling system. To make the lawn mower propel forward, all you have to do is squeeze the single lever drive control and the blade control against the upper handle at the same time. The single lever drive control determines the speed by which the lawn mower propels forward. If you release it slightly, the lawn mower slows down. Release it all the way and the mower stops completely.

My old lawn mower didn’t have a single lever drive control (only a blade control lever), so I did have to get used to holding both levers at the same time. It’s not the most comfortable design feature, but it’s not something that would dissuade me from using this lawn mower. Besides, it allows me to decide the speed by which I want the mower to go.

The first time I used the lawn mower, I quickly realized that the wheels weren’t set at the right height. In fact, they were far too low which caused it to get ‘stuck’ in the thick grass. I stopped the mower and adjusted the cutting height on the front and back wheels. There are six cutting heights that range between 1.25–3.75 inches.

Outfitted with four-wheel drive, I found this Troy-Bilt lawn mower to be easy to maneuver and turn. Combined with the self-propelling system (which seems to have a faster speed than my old lawn mower), I felt like I powered through my mowing session far quicker than I ever had before. If you don't know how to mow a lawn well, these features certainly help the process.

I thought it might take me longer to cut my yard because the cutting width is only 22 inches, which is a few inches shorter than my old mower. That said, I found the smaller deck size easier to maneuver when mowing near the drainage ditch in front of my house. The ditch is a nightmare to cut, and usually requires me to use a weed eater. However, the narrower deck of this lawn mower allows me to mow just a bit more of the ditch than I was able to mow with my old mower – a great feature if you're often wondering how to get rid of lawn weeds and grass overgrowth in a particular spot.

I’ve used this lawn mower a few times on my yard and I’m happy to say that it works fantastically thanks to Troy-Bilt’s TriAction cutting system which rakes the grass at the front of the mower so that it stands up and is evenly cut with the S-blade. The mower then mulches the grass finely and ejects it effortlessly. By the time I’m finished mowing, my yard looks sharp and clean.

Standout qualities of this Troy-Bilt lawn mower: vertical and flat storage

Perhaps the most attractive feature of the Troy-Bilt TB260 XP SpaceSavr Self-Propelled Lawn Mower comes from the name itself: the SpaceSavr design. This design lets me fold the handle forward so that it lays flat on the deck of the mower. To do this, I had to unlock the handle near the back wheels, lay it forward, and then lock it in place again. I could immediately store the ‘flattened’ lawn mower under a bench or shelf, however, I prefer the second SpaceSavr design. After folding the handle forward and locking it in place, I lifted the handle so that the lawn mower stands vertically with the assistance of built-in kickstands.

You may be asking, “Can’t I do this with any lawn mower with a foldable handle?” The answer is no. Not only does the kickstands prevent the lawn mower from falling over in the vertical position, but Troy-Bilt has designed the lawn mower in a way so that the gas and the oil won’t leak in the vertical position, as long as the oil and gas levels are below the recommended mark. There is a small plastic orange piece in the gas tank that indicates where the gas line cannot exceed to prevent gas from leaking out when the lawn mower is in the vertical position.

Troy-Bilt estimates that in the vertical position, you could save 72 per cent more space in your garage or shed. As someone with a three-car garage, I have plenty of storage space. Even so, I love the vertical SpaceSavr design because it gives me far more space to maneuver. Those who only have a small shed or only half a garage to store their lawn mower will love this feature!

• Short on space? Check out these shed storage ideas

Additional features of this Troy-Bilt lawn mower

The SpaceSavr design isn’t the only feature that buyers will love about this lawn mower. In addition to a side discharge chute, the lawn mower comes with a rear bag to collect grass clippings. These are easy to attach.

I’m also a fan of the deck wash adaptor. It allows you to hook up the best garden hose to the top of the lawn mower deck. When you turn on the water, it rinses clippings from the underside of the deck ensuring that the blade lasts longer.

How does this Troy-Bilt lawn mower compare to similar models?

Let me be upfront and say that I have not tested any other lawn mowers (other than those I have owned). That said, I’ve done my research.

When comparing this lawn mower with other gas-powered lawn mowers that are about the same size, the Troy-Bilt TB260 XP SpaceSavr Self-Propelled Lawn Mower sits firmly in the mid-price range. Most lawn mowers this size can cost between $250–$500; this Troy-Bilt mower is $369.

While there are a ton of lawn mowers that have adjustable handles that let you store the lawn mower under a bench, there are far fewer lawn mowers that have a vertical storage feature. However, I found two that are comparable: the CRAFTSMAN M260 Vertical Storage 163-cc 21-in Self-Propelled Gas Push Lawn Mower and the Toro 22-inch SMARTSTOW High Wheel Push Mower.

In terms of price, the Troy-Bilt is the second most affordable among these three lawn mowers. Where the Toro and the Troy-Bilt have a 22-inch cutting width, the CRAFTSMAN mower only has a 21-inch cutting width. 

If you look over the specs and the features, the Troy-Bilt and the CRAFTSMAN lawn mower are very similar. Although the engine displacement is higher for the CRAFTSMAN, the Troy-Bilt has a wider cutting width, is five pounds lighter, and is cheaper.

There are some differences between the Troy-Bilt lawn mower and the Toro. The most notable difference is that the Toro is cheaper, and it has nine cutting heights versus six. They both have 11-inch rear wheels, which is great for uneven terrain.

• Checking out the competition? Browse our guide on the best cordless lawn mower.

Should you buy the Troy-Bilt TB260 XP SpaceSavr Self-Propelled Lawn Mower?

I would not hesitate to buy the Troy-Bilt TB260 XP SpaceSavr Self-Propelled Lawn Mower. This lawn mower is so easy to start, and it moves effortlessly across a yard. The vertical storage feature is a huge bonus for anyone who wants extra storage space or has limited storage space in their home. With this lawn mower, you can easily tackle small, medium, and some slightly large yards.

I should point out that on the Troy-Bilt website, the lawn mower has a 4.3 rating out of 18 reviews and on Home Depot it has a 4-star rating from 55 reviews. I believe this rating is fairly low. After my experience with the lawn mower, I would rate it at 4.7 out of 5 stars. I read through the reviews on both sites and found that the star rating was lowered by a handful of poor reviews that note small manufacturing or shipping mistakes. As with any product you buy over the Internet, mistakes on the manufacturing side happen on occasion, but these seem to be very few and far between. Most of the reviewers overwhelmingly rave about the lawn mower and I’m firmly in that boat.

The Troy-Bilt TB260 XP SpaceSavr Self-Propelled Lawn Mower is well worth your money and will make your lawn a favorite on the block.

• Looking for a full backyard arsenal? Check out our guide to the best strimmers

About this review and our reviewer 

Alex Temblador is a Dallas-based award-winning author and freelance writer that has covered home, design, architecture, and art in publications like Real Homes, Gardeningetc, Home & Gardens, Dwell, Architectural Digest, Artsy, Neighborhoods.com, Culture Trip, among many others. She recently bought her first home, a green Sears & Roebuck house that's over 100 years old, sits on half an acre of land, and features a stunning wraparound porch, original hardwood floors, pocket doors, and a butler pantry. Alex loves to test products for Gardeningetc, Real Homes, and Homes & Gardens buying guides and reviews which has helped to expand the richness of her first-time homeowner life. The Mixed Latinx writer can usually be found working or relaxing in her outdoor spaces. 

As with all our reviews, the Troy-Bilt TB260 XP SpaceSavr Self-Propelled Lawn Mower was tested first-hand in Alex’s backyard, using it just as you would so you know exactly what you are buying. The products are given to us free of charge and we test them for as long as possible before sending them back to the brand unless we are able to keep them. This means that we can continue to use the product which gives us the opportunity to return to our reviews for updating, so you can keep up-to-date with how it's fared over a period of time.