Compact power for small yards, Toro Recycler 22 SmartStow keeps mowing simple

Toro's Recycler 22 SmartStow promises clean cuts, easy storage and a surprisingly refined feel for homeowners with smaller lawns. How the compact walk-behind mower performs between wet grass, uneven edges and tight garage spaces.

Reviewed: ad hoc news Lifestyle & Consumer desk. Edited and checked on 2026-06-19, 08:42. Details in the imprint.

With the Toro Recycler 22 SmartStow you roll a compact red mower out of the garage that looks almost modest at first glance, then quietly chews through a small suburban lawn with surprising confidence. The handle feels solid, the deck feels sturdy, and the cut line stays pleasingly even.

What the Recycler 22 offers

The Toro Recycler 22 SmartStow is a 22-inch gas walk-behind mower for homeowners who want one machine to mulch, bag or side-discharge without fuss. Its stamped steel deck uses Toro's Recycler design, which keeps clippings swirling longer for finer mulch.

The model is offered in both pull-start and electric-start variants in Toro's US lineup, with a front-wheel-drive self-propel system aimed at typical smaller yards. The 22-inch cutting width hits a sweet spot: large enough to cover ground, compact enough to thread between beds and trees.

Handling, storage and everyday feel

On a fresh Saturday cut the mower's self-propel drive pulls forward with a steady, controllable pace, not the jerky lunge cheaper mowers often show. The handle controls feel direct, and the mower responds quickly when you feather speed around tight corners.

When you are done, the SmartStow party trick comes in: the handle folds, the mower tips back, and suddenly the red deck stands vertically against the garage wall. That upright storage can save up to around 70 percent floor space according to Toro, a real relief in narrow single garages.

Cut quality and flexibility

In dry grass the Recycler deck leaves a clean stripe, with mulched clippings barely visible unless you go hunting for them on the soil surface. Even when the lawn is slightly damp, the cut stays convincing, though like any gas mower it can clump if you push into heavy, wet patches.

Height adjustment is handled via individual wheel levers on many Recycler 22 variants, giving several steps from a shorter, tighter cut to a more forgiving high setting for stressed summer lawns. The clip-on bag feels light enough to carry when full, but its fabric sides still hold shape at the frame.

Where it falls short

The trade-off for the compact deck and gas engine is noise and smell: during a longer mow you notice the exhaust, and the drone is clearly louder than a modern cordless machine. For noise-sensitive neighborhoods or very small patches, battery might simply feel more pleasant.

And while SmartStow storage is a clear plus, it relies on the mower being kept in reasonably clean condition. If you tip it up with a thick layer of wet clippings caked under the deck, you will quickly feel the mess on the wall and floor.

Pricing and availability

In the US, Toro positions the Recycler 22 SmartStow as an upper-mainstream residential option, above bare-bones entry mowers but below heavy-duty commercial decks. Depending on engine and start system, street prices at US dealers often sit in the mid-hundreds of dollars.

The mower is sold primarily through North American dealers, big-box retailers and Toro's own channels rather than in Germany-focused distribution. For German consumers, availability is limited, with import and service logistics making local purchase less straightforward than for European brands.

Company context and stock reference

For Toro, the Recycler family is part of a broad consumer and professional portfolio that also spans ride-ons, zero-turns and irrigation systems, giving the group a diversified lawn and landscape footprint. Shares of The Toro Company (US8910921084) trade on the New York Stock Exchange in US dollars.

Key facts on the Toro Recycler 22 SmartStow

• Product: Toro Recycler 22 SmartStow
• Manufacturer: The Toro Company
• Category: Lifestyle/Consumer lawn mower
• Launch: Recent model years within Toro's current Recycler line, offered in multiple engine variants
• RRP / Price: Typically mid-hundreds of US dollars in the US market, depending on configuration
• Availability: Primarily North American dealers and selected retailers, limited direct availability in Germany
• Target group: Homeowners with small to medium lawns wanting a compact yet capable gas mower
• Highlight / USP: SmartStow vertical storage combined with Toro Recycler mulching deck

This article was AI-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information without guarantee; prices and availability may change at short notice. No investment advice, no buy or sell recommendation. Stock-market transactions involve risks up to total loss.