If your yard is around 1/2 acre or larger, you may be able to save a lot of time and effort by using a riding mower or lawn tractor. These machines enable you to cover wide swaths of ground quickly and efficiently, reducing the amount of time you spend working in your yard so you can increase your time enjoying it.

Choosing the right mower or tractor is a matter of assessing your lawn size and power requirements, as well as the type of transmission and special features you’d like to have.

Consider the following questions when deciding on your ideal machine:

• How big is your lawn? What size cutting path do you need?

• Are there trees or other obstacles that you have to mow around?

• What type of terrain will you be mowing on flat, hilly, smooth or rugged?

• What other tasks will you use your mower or tractor for?

With a wider assortment of models and features, today’s mowers and tractors offer more selection and options than ever. When choosing a tractor the size of your yard, the type of transmission you prefer and whether you will need attachments should first be considered. If you have a yard that presents heavy-duty challenges, such as slopes, hills and uneven ground, you may want to consider a mower with a more powerful engine.

Look for comfort features such as high-backed, adjustable seats, rubber foot pads or floor mats, adjustable motion-control levers or padded steering wheels. Features like headlights provide greater visibility when mowing at dusk or on cloudy days.

Riding Mowers & Lawn Tractors
Standard tractors are geared for mowing large lawns and pulling lightweight attachments such as rear baggers and carts. In addition to handling the cutting chores on lawns larger than 1/2 acre, lawn tractors can perform a number of other useful functions such as seeding and fertilizing your lawn.

Garden Tractors
ideal for big yards and heavy-duty tasks, garden tractors offer more power and feature heavy-duty transmissions for accepting ground-engaging attachments. Garden tractors are a step up from lawn tractors and depending on your mower's capabilities, you may also be able to perform light or heavy hauling and shrub removal.

Zero-Turn Riders
Zero turn mowers provide superior maneuverability, speed and control for large flat lawns with many obstacles.  Zero turn riders offer dual lever controls and cut lawn maintenance time by as much as half compared to standard riding tractors.