By Tony Carrick | Updated 9:51 AM, October 9, 2020

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For yards larger than half an acre, push lawn mowers cannot cut grass. These lawn mowers are too small to mow the yard in a reasonable time. Unless you like to spend most of your Saturday mowing time, you need a riding lawn mower. The riding lawn mower is equipped with a powerful engine and a wide mowing deck. Compared with standard push lawn mowers, you can cut large yards faster.

For people living on large plots of land, riding lawn mowers are an invaluable tool. But there are so many different types of lawn mowers on the market with a wide range of prices. How do you know which one is right for your yard? Learn how to determine the best riding lawn mowers for your property and why you should choose these lawn mowers.

Read on to learn about three types of riding lawn mowers: rear-mounted engine, lawn mower, and zero-turn lawn mower.

The engine of the rear-engine lawn mower is located behind the driver's seat. They are usually smaller than lawn tractors or zero-turn lawn mowers. The operator drives a rear-engine lawn mower with a small steering wheel. These lawn mowers have a narrower mowing deck (approximately 30 inches), so they are ideal for small yards of 0.5 acres or smaller. Most have shift gearboxes, which can make them jerky. They are the cheapest and most compact of the three riding lawn mower types, making them ideal for families with little storage space.

Lawn tractors are the most common type of riding lawn mower. Its front is equipped with an engine, giving it the shape of a tractor. The operator uses a steering wheel similar to a car to drive the tractor. Most lawn tractors have a hydrostatic transmission that allows the driver to adjust the speed smoothly. Lawn tractors have a wide mowing deck with a width of 54 inches and two blades, which makes them ideal for large yards of one acre or more. The turning radius of lawn tractors is wider than other lawn mower types, so it is difficult to use on smaller fields. They also take up a lot of space in the garage or storage room.

The zero-turn lawn mower is equipped with an engine at the rear. Their name comes from the two steering rods that control the rear wheels. This design allows the driver to make sharp turns, making it ideal for bypassing trees and other obstacles. They also provide a higher top speed than lawn tractors or rear-engine lawn mowers. The zero-turn lawn mower is equipped with multiple cutting blades and the cutting width is similar to that of a lawn tractor. It is an excellent choice for lawns with many trees, landscape areas and other obstacles. They are the most expensive of the three tractor types.

Riding lawn mowers vary greatly in size, power, and cost, which can make it difficult for you to determine the best option for your yard. Read on to learn how yard size, horsepower, fuel type, and other key factors determine which type of riding lawn mower suits your needs.

Consider the size of your yard to determine which type of riding lawn mower is suitable for your property. If you have less than half an acre of land, a rear-engine lawn mower will work best. The rear-engine lawn mower is smaller, allowing you to move through smaller yards more efficiently. For yards larger than half an acre, check out lawn tractors or zero-turn lawn mowers. If you have a lot of obstacles in your yard, it may make sense to invest in a zero-turn lawn mower that can navigate around trees, gardens, and flower beds faster than a lawn tractor. For sloped sites, consider a lawn tractor equipped with a high-horsepower engine or a zero-turn lawn mower, which can cope with climbing.

Similar to electric vehicles, electric riding lawn mowers are becoming more and more popular. Instead of using gasoline engines, they use battery-powered engines and "refuel" through a standard 120-volt socket. Compared with similar products powered by gas, they have many advantages. In addition to being more environmentally friendly, they also require less maintenance. There is no need to change oil or replace spark plugs, batteries, air filters and transmission belts, thus saving a lot of maintenance costs. They are also cheaper to run because you don’t need to buy fuel to power the electric lawn mower. Electric lawn mowers are also much quieter than gas lawn mowers.

The main disadvantages of electric lawn mowers are power and longevity-a larger yard cannot be mowed on a single charge. The usage time of the electric lawn mower is limited to about one hour, which is enough to mow about 1 acre. Obstacles such as dense grass, slopes and flower beds require more effort and drain the battery faster. For thicker lawns, you may not get the same cutting quality as a gas powered lawn mower.

Cutting width refers to the width of the cutting area of ​​the lawn mower. The wider the cutting width, the shorter the time required to mowing the lawn. A deck with a trim area of ​​30 to 40 inches can adequately handle half an acre of lawn. Yards ranging from half an acre to 2 acres require 42 to 48 inches of mowing deck, while large lawns of 3 acres or larger require 50 inches or wider mowing decks. Avoid using lawn mowers that are too large for your lawn—for example, installing a 50-inch wide lawn mower in a yard less than half an acre can be troublesome to operate.

The amount of horsepower you need depends on the width of the cutting table. For lawn mowers with a maximum 42-inch header, look for an engine with at least 14 horsepower to provide enough power for the header and drive wheels. For cutting tables from 42 to 46 inches, a 14 to 16 horsepower engine would be the ideal choice. Lawn mowers with 46-inch to 54-inch headers require 18 to 24 horsepower engines.

Fuel tank capacity is an important factor to consider, because you don’t want to stop multiple times while mowing the lawn to refill the fuel tank. An ordinary riding lawn mower can hold about two gallons of gas, while a larger lawn mower can hold three to four gallons of gas.

When you buy a riding lawn mower, please note that some models offer dual engines, while others use single engines. The single-engine lawn mower uses a single cylinder, while the twin-engine uses two cylinders. The twin-engine lawn mower provides more power, allowing it to handle wider lawns and sloped yards. Twin-engine tractors can also handle other tasks, such as plowing snow and trailers. Single-engine lawn mowers are less powerful, but also consume less fuel.

A brushless motor is a motor without brushes-its components generate less friction than standard brush motors. This reduction in friction results in a more efficient operation of the motor. With brushless motors, 85% to 90% of the energy generated is used to power the lawn mower. The efficiency of brushed motors is 75% to 80%. Electric riding lawn mowers use brushless motors to maximize the efficiency of the battery, extend the life of the battery before it needs to be recharged, and transfer more power from the motor to the wheels and blades.

Advances in battery technology have made battery-powered riding lawn mowers possible. Although the operating time depends on many variables, including terrain and lawn type, you can usually use a 75 Ah battery for approximately 1 hour of mowing, which is enough to cover an acre before it needs to be charged. It takes up to seven hours to fully charge the battery.

The seat of the riding lawn mower is designed to make the task of mowing more enjoyable. They feature thick padded seats with high backrests to provide support and comfort, while larger models have padded armrests with cup holders. Some riding lawn mowers are also in spring coil shock absorbers under the seats or built into the frame of the mower.

The control varies with the type of riding lawn mower. Both rear-engine riding lawn mowers and lawn tractors use the steering wheel for control, while zero-turn riding lawn mowers use two levers. Push or pull the lever to control the speed and rotation. Push the two levers forward to increase the speed. Pulling the right control lever makes the tractor turn to the right, while pushing the left control lever makes the tractor turn to the left.

The rear-engine riding lawn mower has a gear system. As with manual transmission cars, the operator must change gears to adjust the speed of the lawn mower. These gear changes will give the lawn mower a jerky feeling. The lawn tractor has a throttle to adjust the speed. Since most lawn tractors have a hydrostatic transmission, the speed changes are much smoother than that of a rear-engine riding lawn mower.

The riding lawn mower includes a lever for engaging and disengaging the mowing table and a lever for changing the height of the table.

All riding lawn mowers use pneumatic tires to provide traction and shock absorption. Most riding lawn mowers use turf tires. Turf tires have enough tread to provide traction for gripping the lawn, whether it is on flat ground or slopes, but the tread will not be so large that the tire will damage the lawn. Tire options include lug tires with deep grooves and aggressive angles for maximum traction. These tires can damage the turf, but can be used to replace lawn tractors, such as plowing snow or pulling a trailer.

The average weight of a riding lawn mower is between 300 and 600 pounds, and the average weight of a lawn tractor is about 450 pounds. The rear-engine lawn tractor weighs about 300 pounds, while the zero-turn lawn mower weighs about 500 pounds.

Most riding lawn mower seats have a safety feature that releases the blade when there is no pressure on the driver's seat.

This list includes riding lawn mowers with powerful engines, wide lawn mower decks, and durable structures from some of the most prestigious mower manufacturers.

Cub Cadet XT1 LT has a lot to like, making it an excellent all-round riding lawn mower. Let's start with what's under the hood: a powerful 24-horsepower two-cylinder Kohler engine, enough to power its 50-inch cutting table or handle tilt. The engine and deck dimensions make this mower suitable for lawns up to 1.5 acres. The hydrostatic transmission enables smooth speed changes, while the shorter wheelbase enables an impressive 16-inch turning radius. Thanks to its three cutting blades and 12 easily adjustable cutting heights, the cutting table can provide sufficient cutting force. A 3-gallon fuel tank ensures that you do not need to refuel, even for large operations.

Other features that make Cub Cadet XT1 unique include a cruise control function that maintains a constant speed for perfect cutting and the SmartDeck jet cleaning system, which allows garden hoses to be connected to the lawn mower for powerful cleaning of the interior.

This lawn tractor from Troy-Bilt has a powerful motor and ample mowing deck, and its cost is lower than other riding lawn mowers. Troy-Bilt Pony is equipped with a single-cylinder engine and a 42-inch mowing deck, suitable for 1 to 1.5 acres of lawn. The double-blade deck provides ample cutting capacity. Although Pony does not include a hydrostatic transmission, its seven-speed mobile transmission is smoother than other manual transmission lawn tractors. The 18-inch turning radius allows easy maneuvering in the yard, and the 1.36 gallon fuel tank capacity provides enough fuel for medium-sized lawns.

Pony has a padded high-back seat and soft handles on the steering wheel to ensure comfort. Other features include LED headlights for mowing in low-light conditions, rear hooks for accessories, and an integrated cleaning port on the deck.

This high-performance zero-turn lawn mower has sufficient power and functions to work on large-scale fields. With its powerful 24-horsepower Kawasaki twin-cylinder engine, 3.5-gallon fuel tank and a huge 60-inch deck, Ultima can mow 3 acres or more of lawn. With its hydrostatic transmission, this zero-turn lawn mower can smoothly reach a speed of 7.5 miles per hour. The large deck is equipped with Cub Cadet's Aeroforce cutting system, which can perform top cutting and 15 height adjustments between 1 and 4.5 inches.

Thanks to the upholstered seat with armrests, suspension system, adjustable knee armrests and comfortable handles, you can mow the lawn comfortably. LED headlights allow you to work in low light conditions, and Cub Cadet's built-in SmartJet deck pressure washing system keeps the mower clean.

This riding lawn mower from one of the most well-known brands of tractors is perfect for medium-sized lawns. The 20-horsepower V-twin engine and 42-inch deck make this lawn tractor suitable for lawns up to 1.5 acres. The mowing deck adopts John Deere's deep deck design, which can raise the turf for better cutting. The deck provides various height adjustments ranging from 1 to 4 inches. The E120 has a turning radius of 18 inches and can be maneuvered well around trees and gardens.

The hydrostatic transmission and pedal speed control mimic the automatic transmission in a car, making this lawn tractor easy to operate. John Deere provides a comfortable cockpit thanks to 10 seat positions and large and comfortable seats. Maintenance with a riding lawn mower can be painful, but John Deere's 30-second oil change system makes oil changes easy. The cleaning port integrated on the deck facilitates cleaning to prevent the accumulation of grass clippings.

If you prefer to spend less time mowing the lawn and spend more quality time with your family, then you can consider Toro's TimeCutter. This zero-turn lawn mower is equipped with a powerful 22.5 horsepower engine that allows you to mow grass at speeds up to 7 mph. Coupled with its zero turning ability and 42-inch wide mowing deck, you can quickly complete the mowing job. This lawn mower is perfect for cutting lawns up to 2 acres, and the 3-gallon fuel tank allows you to complete the entire job without interruption.

TimeCutter offers some excellent additional features, including a convenient under-seat compartment for phones, keys, and items you find in the yard. Shock absorbers can improve ride quality, cup holders can hold your favorite drinks, and mudguards can keep you away from cut lawns and other yard debris.

Smaller yards do not require a large gas engine or a large cutting table with three blades. This smaller electric rear-engine riding lawn mower is more than enough. It is equipped with a powerful 50 Ah battery that can power three brushless motors for up to an hour or 1 acre of mowing. Its 30-inch mowing deck provides ample mowing width for medium-sized courtyards. The easy-to-read power indicator light lets you know the remaining power, and the battery is charged through a standard 120-volt outlet.

With seven depth positions ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 inches, you have many cutting height options. Convenient LED headlights keep the yard illuminated in low light conditions, allowing you to trim at night. This low-maintenance lawn mower does not require oil or spark plug changes; it only needs to be charged.

Larger sizes require a large lawn mower, which is what you can get with this zero-turn riding lawn mower from Toro. With its huge 54-inch deck, you don't need to spend an afternoon trimming the football field you call the backyard. This lawn mower can handle yards covering 3 acres or more. It is equipped with a powerful 24.5 horsepower dual gas engine that can reach a speed of 7 miles per hour. The fuel tank has a capacity of 3 gallons, allowing you to complete your work without interruption.

Mowing large lawns can also cause harm to drivers. With its luxurious high-back seat with armrests and Toro's MyRide suspension (which absorbs bumps on the lawn), TimeCutter can make those long mowing sessions more comfortable. Thanks to TimeCutter's tool-free oil change system, maintenance is easier. Other useful features include cup holders for long mowing and mudguards to prevent waste in the yard.

Mountain climbing requires a powerful engine, automatic transmission and a low center of gravity. Ariens Ikon XD covers all three aspects. It is equipped with a 23-horsepower engine and hydrostatic transmission, which can provide smooth speed changes and provide sufficient power for handling slopes. The 20-inch rear tires provide ample traction for climbing, and the zero-degree turn makes maneuvering on uneven ground easier.

Ikon XD also includes an impressive 52-inch mower with three blades and 13 different cutting positions, allowing it to mow large lawns of more than 3 acres. With a 3-gallon fuel tank, you don’t need to stop and refill. Ikon XD’s high-back seat and padded armrests provide sufficient cushioning for a comfortable ride. This lawn mower is designed for commercial use and is equipped with a No. 11 steel deck.

If you still have questions about riding lawn mowers, read on to learn the answers to some of the most common questions.

Use the following steps to start the riding lawn mower:

Ride-on lawn mowers require regular maintenance:

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