When it comes to picking the best riding lawn mower, many aspects need considering. These issues include, but are not limited to the yard size you plan to mow, your budget and the yards incline. Some riding lawn mowers can be better suited for different grass types, so having a clear image to what you wish to mow can help when it comes to making your choice and ensuring you make the right decision.
So now that you know what you will be using your mower for, let us take a look at the riding lawn mower reviews and see which one can help keep your yard looking fantastic.
1. Troy-Bilt: Premium Neighborhoods Riding Lawn Mower 420cc OHV 30 -Inch
The Troy-Bilt neighborhood mower is ideal for generally even terrain and small to medium sized yards. This mower can travel at speeds up to 4.25 MPH and have a six -speed transmission making this mower quick without being too fast; ideal for people new to mowing or parents who wish to have their kids mow and not worry about them trying to make a go-kart out of their new mower.
The 30 -inch cutting deck features manual take -off for quicker and easier blade engagement. Along with five different adjustable deck cutting height features that will allow you to cut to your perfect specifications; along with a wide deck to give you a width as if you were using a push mower. This mower has an 18 -Inch turning radius giving you quick clean turns. Some other features include key start, a compact size for easy storage, and light weight of just over 300 pounds.
Troy-Bilt knows just what features to add to their mowers from simple things like fuel sight along with a 1.3 -gallon gas tank allowing you the easy way of checking your fuel. To more sophisticated features like offering a two-year limited warranty to show you the durability and quality you should expect from this mower. They provide extensive coverage with pride knowing you will experience little to no issues owning this mower.
There are many other great features and aspects of this mower, but the mid -back seat has to be one of the best. This position will allow you to mow with ease and remain comfortable while doing so. The Mid –back design gives you just the support needed to help relieve back stress while mowing.
This mower was built to provide clean, yet powerful performance and with over 75 years of experience in this market, Troy-Bilt knows what they are doing.
2. Raven: Hybrid Riding Lawnmower MPV7100
Utility Vehicle, Red/Black, and Power Generator This mower is much more than a simple rider; this mower can indeed be called a utility vehicle. The Raven hybrid riding mower is every real lawn enthusiasts dream mower. Many of the great features you will find on other mowers won’t even come close to the advantages of features like the onboard 7100 -watt power generator that this Raven mower has to offer. This utility vehicle brings the portable generator to a whole new level. Having the built-in power generator is what gives this riding mower its hybrid capability so you can now use both power or gas. However, if you choose to mow with gas, you will enjoy the fact it comes with a slightly larger gas tank than your average riding lawn mower allowing you to operate for an estimated 12 hours on a single tank.
The Raven weighs a whopping 870 pounds with an excellent towing capability that includes a towing capacity of 550 pounds and storage bed to help get tools to the work site. This riding mower is far from your average lawn mower and indeed designed for those with larger yards or even someone with a lawn care business. It offers travel speeds up to 17 MPH and a 14 -inch turning radius.
More aspects of this riding mower include the 46 -inch removable deck specially designed for its enhanced vacuum, discharge, and mulching. Offering off -road style suspension and shocks this riding mower can help you mow almost any terrain type.
The Raven hybrid riding mower can take you from multipurpose vehicle to mower and yes even to a generator in merely moments. If you’re looking to purchase a real working machine and not just another mower, this is the workhorse for you. Putting other mowers to shame with its many capabilities, you won’t be disappointed with what all you can accomplish using the Raven hybrid.
3. Husqvarna: 24 HP Yard Tractor, 48 -Inch YTH24V48
This Husqvarna riding mower has many great features to offer from its 48 -Inch cutting width to the remarkable cruise control feature. It gets the nickname yard tractor because of how beautiful, and professionally it cuts your grass. More great features Husqvarna put on this rider would also include the electronic engagement for efficiently engaging the blades and faster hydrostatic pedal transmission for smooth forward and backward movement. Making a perfect shift every time so your lawn mowing is a soft and enjoyable ride.
If lawn care is a priority to you, this mower will be an excellent choice due to many attachments you can purchase along with it. Everything to even a mulch kit for effective lawn fertilization. This Husqvarna model even includes the air induction mower technology to help improve the airflow with the deck making a consistent and clean cut every time.
Mow with care while bringing the power with the 24 horsepower Briggs and Stratton beautiful V -Twin engine offered on this model. Quality performance is what this extremely lightweight; compact riding mower is all about. Weighing a mere 200 pounds and being capable of mowing large or small areas with ease makes this rider the perfect choice for any household.
You will find it easy to move flat to gently rolling terrain. Enjoy performing your lawn care tasks while setting on the extra soft seat with dual armrests. So set back and relax while you mow with ease using the cruise control. This Husqvarna model would be perfect for anyone new to owning a best riding lawn mower or only looking for a low maintenance model.
Learning the ropes with riding lawn mowers can seem nearly impossible Husqvarna does a great job building mowers to help ease some of that stress and confusion.
4. Poulan Pro: V -Twin Ready Start Pedal Control, Briggs 20 HP, Fast Auto Drive Cutting Deck, 46 –Inch 960420170 PB2OVA46
Poulan is known for many lawn care items we have all grown to love including their chainsaws; so when they are starting building mowers who wouldn’t want to at least take one for a test drive. The Poulan Pro comes with a v -twin 20 horsepower engine.
You can purchase many great attachments for the Poulan Pro that include but not limited to a mulch kit and amazing grass bagger: making this the best riding lawn mower for those who live in town. The 16 – inch turn radius will make making the turns around your driveway, sidewalks, and plants a breeze. With quick start features and the fast controlling automatic transmission, you will find yourself looking for reasons to mow your yard or even volunteering to help your neighbors out.
It may weigh 515 pounds, but you will find the Poulan Pro to be a very compact mower. Also, you will fall in love with the 46 -inch cutting deck that comes with a fantastic warranty; a ten-year warranty on both the belt and deck showing us just how much Poulan believes in their riding mowers.
The Poulan Pro comes with a 2.5 -gallon gas tank, 20 inch rear tires, 15 -inch front tires, and a 13 -inch middle back seat. You will find mowing all grass types and gently rolling terrain easy. Sadly though if you have massive ditches and uneven ground this may not be the right mower for you.
Poulan has been around since 1944 making tools to help us get the jobs done right; so why not trust them with making the perfect riding mower. Those many years of experience in this field should at least cause us to give their mowers a look.
5. Husqvarna: 26 HP Hydro Light Garden Tractor/Mower, 54 -Inch LGT2654
This massive 550 -pound riding lawn mower is classified as a light garden tractor due to all the features and capabilities it has to offer. You will find this Husqvarna to be the perfect fit whether you intend to start a lawn care business or only maintain your yard.
If you tend to bump things you will find that added bumper bar will allow you to bump into the occasional objects and not harm the actual mower, not even a scratch. Most find this feature perfect for those learning to use a riding mower or those who allow their kids to mow.
The model LGT2654 Husqvarna has an amazing 54 -inch cutting deck making it ideal for medium sized to larger yards; along with almost any terrain style. You will find mowing to be a cinch with the electric blade engagement and cruise control. Features that allow you to concentrate on where your mowing and your surroundings more than maintaining the perfect cutting speed. You will also find it has easy to learn controls.
Being hydro -static makes it feel like your riding in a car with its efficient and smoother shifting capabilities.
Not only is the ride smooth, but you will find it easy to maneuver around being its small compact size. Even with its small size, you will find it still leaves your yard with a quality cut every time. You’ll find the three blades and tons of power this mower has to offer to make mowing a breeze, and you can mow most anything down.
Don’t forget like most Husqvarna models you can purchase extra attachments to enhance your mowing experiences. Whether you are looking for the bagging features or fertilizer kits; they have an attachment to meet your needs, and this model takes them all even the towing packages.
Buying Guidelines
How To Choose The Best Riding Lawn Mower For Your Lawn Care Need
A lawn mower is the right of passage for homeowners. But choosing one feels like buying a car. Riding lawn mowers are not a cheap purchase. That fact is why knowledge is the best approach to picking the best one.
So many mowers on the market and choosing the best one for you can be challenging. What size are you needing? Will it turn around the area of your lawn? Questions that all deserve just the right amount of thought and still you are unsure.
You, as the consumer want to make sure you get the most mower for your dollar. But is that the best choice for you? Does size actually matter? And do you truly need a cup holder on a lawn mower? Is your yard flat or full of trees? Do you want an automatic or a manual? Question after question fills your mind so where do you begin?
Size of Mower Decks
Riding mowers on the market offer such a variety of sizes with options that delight prospective buyers. Don’t let that bulky size draw you to a mower that is for more than your lawn requires.
Mower decks in various sizes are available to allow lawn care easy whether you have acres or just a small courtyard.
Things to consider when choosing mower deck width.
Obstacles you have to mow around. The barriers of your lawn can be trees, shrubs, flower beds, or other areas of your yard. Do you have spots that prove difficult to maneuver?
The size of the area mowed. Are you mowing a small yard or acres?
Does your situation require bagging of the cut grass?
What is the size of a cutting path that will work for you?
Giving thought to those considerations feels dull when the reality is they are often forgotten. Purchase of a riding mower at times driven by the factor of price alone. Sure, you may be motivated to hop on the biggest, most brutal looking riding mower feeling that will do what you need. Bigger isn’t always the best answer.
Deck Width
Mower deck widths come in multiple sizes from the small 30 inch to a massive 61 inches that cover larger amounts of ground.
Lawns that are under an acre and have fewer obstacles will find a deck width of a recommended size of 30 to 42 inches. That width of mower deck provides excellent mowing and covers the ground with efficiency. For the lawns over an acre but under 2 or 3 mower decks around the 40 to 48 width prove the greatest choice. Mowing lawns or estates that are over 3 acres make choosing a deck over 50 inches in width a smarter choice. Those widths will make mowing easier and efficient.
Deck width is far more important than you might think. Cut the time spent mowing in half with the right decision on width. If you pick the larger width decks over a small size when mowing large lawns, it can alter the mower you choose.
A larger price tag comes with the larger riding mowers but completely worth it when you mow large areas. The time, money, and thought given to picking the best riding mower can mean less time mowing and more time having fun.
How Does the Mower Discard Cut Grass
Your thoughts on a best riding lawn mower are surrounding the ability to ride. That thought is followed by how wide is the cutting range. Have you thought about where the grass goes as the mower discards the clippings? Probably not the first thing on your mind, but it is a valuable point.
Side discard mowers make cutting taller grass easier with the lawn tossed to the side for easy raking later. But if you want to use a lawn clippings catcher, a mower with the capabilities is vital. Bagging your grass clippings will help you to keep weeds limited and avoids the need for raking. This bagger option will also work to help eliminate the leaves in the fall.
Just as important as bagging may be finding a mower that will mulch as you go. Often considered as an added feature the mulching mower will help you to keep a healthy lawn.
Engine Considerations
Riding lawn mowers are available with engines of different sizes. More power will come in the larger size. Smaller jobs in lawn care do not require the massive size of a large engine and that fact can lower the price of your riding mower. The size of the engine you need can also raise the price tag you must pay to get the machine you need.
Horsepower Options
Smaller power mowers are excellent if you are mowing the smaller areas. But if you find that you have now moved into the acreage of lawns, a larger power is the best choice. Yards of an acre or less are fine with the smaller 14 HP engine. This motor size will provide all the power needed. Stepping your engine size up to 16 HP for lawns of an acre or two is a wise decision. The larger engines of 18 to 24 HP are needed if you have a mowing need of over the two acres. A bigger engine will help to keep it the mower working longer with fewer problems.
Different engine horsepower is available in single cylinder and twin cylinder mowers. The larger twin cylinder offers a longer life, more powerful motor, cooler operation, and a smoother balance. This motor is the solution you will find for the larger jobs while a single cylinder provides adequate options for the small lawns.
In your search for the best riding lawn mower for your needs consideration of smooth, comfortable ride found in the twin cylinder may be the turning point in your choice. This little option can help you to turn lawn mowing into a better experience.
Different Speeds
Engine Added Features
Your new riding lawn mower can have multiple options with regards to speed. Advantages of mowers with multi -speed motors are as simple as the ability to slow down around trees or obstacles. Plus, making it possible to slow down around things and go faster when going down flat straight areas.
Changing speeds when you are mowing large lawns is part of the process. Taking those moments of speed change with as much ease and speed is the bonus of multi -speed mowers.
However, if you are just taking care of one of the small lawns spending the extra money on a multi –speed mower might not be worth the cost.
Transmission Differences
Automatic / Hydrostatic
These two transmission types are the same with the only difference being what works to change gears. The automatic transmission makes the use of belts while hydrostatic uses fluid.
Riding lawn mowers with an auto or hydrostatic transmission provide ease in changing speeds. As you mow, this type of transmission will keep you moving without having to change gears as you manipulate around the obstacles of your lawn.
The smoothness of slowing down with the simple touch of your gas pedal makes the use of an automatic transmission like driving a car. Not only will the manipulation of areas filled with obstacles be easier but automatic and hydrostatic transmission last longer. Less maintenance is often the biggest bonus of the auto riding lawn mower.
Manual
The difference in manual and transmission is apparent. It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out that fact, but there is a hidden difference. Price is the greatest difference when comparing riding lawn mowers. The cost of adding an automatic transmission to the mower can significantly increase the price tag. A subtle difference but one that carries an enormous amount of influence.
Should you spend the money to upgrade your mower to automatic or will manual work for your needs? One of the most important questions so looks at the reasons to choose a manual.
For lawns that aren’t quite as large, the manual works perfectly. Or yards that require little maneuvering around trees or other obstacles will find a manual transmission sufficient. You will find that choosing a manual transmission could save you valuable dollars. But there are a couple of issues to consider even when wanting to save money.
Does the changing of gears require you to raise or lower the mower deck? In the pursuit of the perfect riding lawn mower, it would prove beneficial to see if that is the case. There are many options of manual transmission mowers on the market that do not require you to stop and lower the deck.
The Best Riding Lawn Mower Extra Features
You have spent plenty of busy time researching the different riding mowers and have decided the best model for your lawn. The reality of purchasing a riding lawn mower is the similarity to buying a car.
Browsing the car lots show you similar cars all carrying different features. Those various added bonuses offer potential luxuries that given thought. Riding lawn mowers are just as diverse as those automobiles.
Bonus Features That Increase Comfort
If you spend a lot of time mowing or just want to have the most comfort possible, there are options. Sure, they may seem more like things you want on a car, but certain bonuses can be worth consideration. Power Steering is not always available on every riding mower but could your job into a nightmare without the addition.
Cruise control.
Just as you would use cruise control on a long car ride, this makes mowing larger yards easier. Tilt wheels are a simple addition that can make operating the mower more comfortable. This specialized steering wheel is a huge bonus for those who spend a considerable amount of time gardening or doing lawn work.
Extra leg room is a bonus for a comfortable ride.
High back seat to help with support.
Armrest, simply a place to rest your arms may prove beneficial if you mow large areas.
Cup holder.
It might seem silly to think about a cup holder, but if you are spending a hot day mowing this could be a dream come true.
Bonus Features To Help Your Work
Added wheels on the mower deck. Those little deck wheels may not seem important but when mowing uneven terrain they can extend the life of the mower. Tow Behind Cart with dumping capabilities for working on your landscape or doing gardening. Aerator that will allow you to do the aerating of your lawn as you mow if you desire. Snow Blower turns your riding mower into a winter helper by removing snow from your driveway. Sweeper that can be towed behind the mower collecting debris from the lawn. This bonus feature can also be used to help with the task of raking leaves in the fall.
Bagger that will gather all the lawn clippings and smaller debris to be discarded or used in a mulch pile. Pull Behind Spreader that will allow you to fertilize or seed your lawn with greater ease. Chains. You can use tire chains on your riding mower for traction just as you use them on your vehicle in the winter.
The Smallest Details of a best Riding Lawn Mowers
A feature found on most riding lawn mowers is the hour meter. This simple device will remind you how much mowing time has passed since your last maintenance. While this may seem inconsequential, it is a valuable tool in keeping your mower running properly for a longer period.
Today’s pursuit of the best riding mower for you is full of options in garden tractors, automatic, manual transmissions, and tiny little features all designed with comfort in mind. Making your way through the fields of mowing machines can feel tedious.
Remembering what is important for your job is the basis of your search. Browsing through the versatility of all the added features and bonuses can be the secondary factors in making a decision.
In today’s world price tends to be the source that regulates most purchases but when you are in the market for a riding lawn mower, it might not be the first thing you should consider.
Conclusion:
How do you make the decision between that massive 24 HP mower with a 54 -inch mower deck and a small 32 -inch mower? So many mowers, so many choices fill the lots with riding mowers that could be just the one. You spent time figuring out what your mowing needs were. You spent time deciding what price you could afford. Now, spend time in seeking out the combination that fulfills those needs.
Buying the best riding lawn mower should always be a decision that you provide enough thought regarding. The size of your yard, obstacles, and added features are matters you will want to think about with a purchase that could last many years. Don’t let the beastly look of that lawn mower call to your desire for the biggest when you don’t need the bulk.
Mowing a yard the size of a flower bed doesn’t require you to have a large lawn mower. Many things should come into your consideration with your purchase of the best riding lawn mower. Simple issues like ease of changing blades, smooth ride, maintenance are factors that are as important as the size of the mower deck.
Just take a deep breath and look at your needs. As images of huge monstrous mowers fill your mind with visions, remember what it is you want to do with the mower. A larger lawn tractor may not be suitable for that smaller yard and only prove to be a waste of money. Don’t turn your lawn into a battlefield with a mower that overpowers the job. In this case, size most definitely matters.
Now that you have had the chance to look closely at today’s best riding lawn mowers and have a good clear image what you will aspect from your mower and attachments like blade size or having a bag attachment; let us wish you luck in making your perfect purchase.
Because when the day is over it all comes down to that moment you get to sit on and enjoy the luxurious feel of your new mower while admiring the job it helps you to achieve. Beautiful cut grass for everyone to admire, while feeling refreshed due to the time you saved cutting it.
Note: Riding mowers have been known to help save lives. During extreme heat being able to cut your grass in half the time and with less effort can contribute to reducing the risk of heat stroke. Always make sure to follow all safety precautions when operating a riding lawn mower. The rider is a wonderful way to lighten the lawn care load, but it has hidden dangers as well.
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