Troy Bilt, John Deere
One of the biggest responsibilities of living with a lawn is keeping it looking lush. And if your property is a decent size, a traditional push mower just won’t cut it (pun intended). Then a ride-on lawn mower (also called a garden tractor) comes in handy. These mowers are ideal for typical home lawns of 0.75 hectares and up.
Depending on the brand and model you choose, most offer optional attachments, such as a mulch kit, a collection option for collecting grass clippings and leaves, the ability to easily spread seed and aerate your lawn, or a detachable snow plow (or snow blower). ) making your investment something you can use all year round.
What is the best riding mower of 2024?
Our team of lawn and garden experts has put together this collection of some of the best riding mowers around. How much horsepower and cutting width you need depends on your landscape. For a lawn of 0.75 to 1 acre, a riding mower with a 30 to 42 inch cutting deck should be fine. For larger lawns you need a wider mowing deck.
Overall the best riding mower for most gardens: John Deere S170 riding mower (48 inch cutting deck)
Lowe’s
Category: Lawn tractor | Mowing deck: 48 inches | Cutting height range: 1 to 4 inches | Current: Gas | Fuel tank capacity: 2.4 gallons | Horsepower: 24HP | Transfer: Hydrostatic | Forward speed: 5.5 mph | Mulch kit: Optional | Model number: S170 | Popular accessories: Toe-in wagon, trailed spreader, snow blower, snow plow, wheel chains, collection solution
Ideal for lawns up to two hectares, the John Deere S170 is an affordable ride-on tractor that relies on three steel blades. And it offers useful features such as cruise control. The tractor runs on a 24 hp engine with hydrostatic transmission. This allows the operator to change speed and direction without taking a foot off the platform.
For comfort, the tractor has an adjustable 15-inch seat with lumbar support and a 14-inch steering wheel. For more traction and easier handling, there are two larger rear tires. Plus, you don’t have to worry about running out of gas, thanks to the digital fuel gauge. There’s even a small storage compartment and a cup holder.
Optional accessories include a complete grass catcher that can be attached to the tractor. There is also a mulch cover that eliminates the need to bag, rake or dispose of grass clippings. To expand the tractor’s features, an optional eight-cubic-foot rear toe box, 130-pound drag spreader, 44-inch snow blower and 46-inch front snow plow are each sold separately.
Best electric riding mower for most gardens: Greenworks Crossover Z (42-inch deck)
Amazon
Category: Zero turn mower | Mowing deck: 42 inches | Cutting height range: 1.5 to 4.5 inches | Current: 60V electric (battery operated) | Fuel tank capacity: Electric (uses 4 8Ah batteries) | Horsepower: 24 hp equivalent | Forward speed: 8 MPH | Model number: 7409302
A zero-turn riding mower, like this one, is a standard riding mower that uses two steering levers instead of a steering wheel. It provides a turning circle that is essentially zero, as the two drive wheels can turn in opposite directions.
Suitable for lawns up to 1.5 hectares, the Greenworks Crossover Z uses four 8Ah batteries to power the mower in a manner that is 4x quieter than a petrol mower. There’s an adjustable seat for comfort, along with 11-inch front wheels and 20-inch rear wheels that provide a smooth ride and traction on hills (up to 15 degrees incline). Optional accessories can be attached to the front or rear of the mower. To adjust the cutting height, there is a single lever with seven positions.
Although this is a battery-powered mower, it offers the equivalent of 24 horsepower and can haul up to 200 pounds – all without using gasoline or oil. In other words: no emissions or exhaust air are created.
The mower comes with four 8Ah batteries and two 10 amp dual port chargers. These can charge the batteries in about 90 minutes. With a set of fully charged batteries you can mow up to 1.5 hectares while driving at a speed of up to 13 km/h. Another advantage of a battery-powered mower is that in this case you save more than € 4,600 over its lifetime, because you do not have to purchase gasoline or oil.
Best riding mower for less than an acre: Toro TimeCutter zero-turn mower (42 inch cutting deck)
Lowe’s
Category: Zero turn mower | Mowing deck: 42 inches | Cutting height range: 1.5 to 4.5 inches | Current: Gas | Fuel tank capacity: 3 gallons | Horsepower: 15.5 hp | Cylinders: Single | Forward speed: Up to 7 MPH | Mulch kit: Optional | Model number: 75748 | Popular accessories: Mulching kit and grass catcher
This gas-powered zero-turn riding mower with rear-wheel drive is ideally suited for lawns between one and two hectares. For a smooth ride with plenty of traction, it uses two 11-inch front wheels and a pair of 18-inch rear wheels. It doesn’t have cruise control, but offers a nice selection of optional accessories, including a leaf bag and a mulching kit.
The mower uses manual steering and comes with a low back seat. Although it is easy to avoid obstacles, Toro recommends using this mower mainly on flat surfaces. It offers three main speeds: for mowing, towing or trimming. The mower uses a Briggs & Stratton 15.5 HP 500 cc v-twin engine as an engine. This model comes with a three-year, unlimited-hour residential warranty.
Best riding mower for two to four hectares: Cub Cadet XT1 LT50 (50 inch deck)
Cub Cadet
Category: Riding mower | Mowing deck: 50 inches | Cutting height range: 1 inch and larger | Current: Gas | Fuel tank capacity: 3 gallons | Horsepower: 24HP | Transfer: Hydrostatic | Forward speed: Up to 5.5 MPH | Mulch kit: Optional | Model number: 13AQA1TLA10 | Popular accessories: Grass catcher, plough, mulch kit, snow blower, luggage rack, sun hood, dumper, leaf collection system, sprayer
Designed for lawns between two and four acres, this ride-on lawn mower offers power, a wide (50-inch) cutting deck and uses three 17.9-inch steel blades to keep your grass at the ideal height. You can even choose from 12 cutting height positions using an electric power take-off (PTO).
Driving the XT1 LT50 is easy using the standard steering wheel and push-button cruise control. You get a very responsive steering system with a 16-inch turning circle. The mower delivers 24 horsepower through a 725cc twin-cylinder Kohler CARB engine that uses a hydrostatic transmission, so there’s no need to shift gears. Just press the accelerator and off you go.
The mower is equipped with an adjustable and padded 15-inch high-back seat. The most desirable thing about this mower is its expandability and versatility when you add one of the many optional accessories ranging from a mulch kit and collector to a snow blower and leaf collection system.
Best riding mower for up to 3 hectares: Troy-Bilt Super Bronco 54K XP riding lawn mower (54 inch cutting deck)
Troy Bilt
Category: Riding mower | Mowing deck: 54 inches | Cutting height range: 1.5 to 3.75 inches | Current: Gas | Fuel tank capacity: 3 gallons | Horsepower: 24HP | Transfer: Hydrostatic | Forward speed: 5.5 MPH | Mulch kit: Optional | Model number:KT735 | Popular accessories: Mulch kit, snow plow, wheel chains, snow blower, rear collector, tow vehicle
Powered by a 24-horsepower twin-cylinder engine, this riding mower uses a hydrostatic drive system and offers a large 54-inch cutting deck. This makes it ideal for lawns up to three hectares. It is also particularly good at chopping grass and weeds that are up to 3.75 inches high. The mower has a turning radius of 16 inches, making it easy to maneuver, especially around obstacles.
A great feature is the built-in trailer hitch on the rear of the mower, which allows you to attach a variety of optional accessories, including a rear cart with a payload capacity of 10 cubic feet (800 pounds). Other built-in features include cruise control, a comfortable (and adjustable) high-back seat, headlights and a cup holder. Another useful feature is the deck wash. Simply connect a standard garden hose to quickly clean the underside of the mower and prevent the build-up of clippings and debris.
CBS Essentials offers an extensive library of articles on all things lawn and outdoor living, including an overview of the five best propane grills in 2024, the five best wood pellet grills in 2024the five best charcoal grills in 2024the six best smart grills in 2024 And best ideas for a spring patio makeover.
