Tractor mowers are the middle ground of the riding mower category – not as fast and nimble as the zero turn mowers, but faster and more powerful than the rear engine mowers. Here we’ll look at the best of the two types of tractors.
Do you want to mow 1 or 2 or even 3 acres without breaking a sweat?
Yes?
Then a lawn tractor is for you.
There’s two types to choose from:
- Light-duty Lawn Tractor – Suited for mowing large lawns and light-duty attachments.
- Heavy-duty Garden Tractor – For mowing large lawns and heavier duty attachments to assist with garden/landscaping work.
The Best Riding Lawn Tractor Mower
1) Husqvarna YTH2042 42-Inch 540cc 20 HP Briggs & Stratton Engine Lawn Tractor
The best lawn tractor mower for most people is the single cylinder 20 HP by Husqvarna.
It has a top speed of 5.2MPH, which means you could mow 2 acres in 75 minutes. And with its hydrostatic transmission, you won’t have to worry about stalling, a clutch or braking – it’s like a forklift in that you just release your foot from the pedal and it comes to a stop.
It has a heavy-duty cast iron front axle, and incorporates Husqvarna’s Air Induction technology, which helps lift the grass as it’s being cut (kinda like how when you’re getting your hair cut the barber pulls your hair between their fingers to clip).
The Best Garden Tractor Mower
1) Husqvarna YTH23V48 48-Inch 724cc 23 HP V-Twin Lawn Tractor
This mower is considered garden-duty because it has a 23 HP 2-cylinder engine, instead of just one cylinder.
With that extra strength you’ll be able to attach things like snow blades to clear your driveway even if it’s dense deep snow.
Check out the 33 second video below to see the snow blade attachment at work:
This Husqvarna has a 48-inch deck to further increase overall lawn mowing speed over the light-duty above. All up it’s the same unit as the light-duty above just that for an additional few hundred dollars you’re getting a bigger engine and 6-inch wider cut width. So if you want that extra power and speed, this is a great riding lawn tractor to look at.
- See full specs here…
How to Choose Between Tractor Sizes
Attachements
The garden tractors have 2-cylinder OHV engines whereas the lawn tractors have single cylinders so if you want access to a wide-range of attachments you’ll want the garden-duty. The lawn-duty is only meant for light attachments like a trailer to put branches in or tow materials across your property.
Budget
In general, the lawn tractors are $1500 and the garden tractors $2000 and up. So your budget will play a big part in your decision. If you want to get attachments and not be limited, a garden tractor is your best bet.
You may also want to check out the rear-engine riding mowers if you’re looking for the most affordable option.
Terrain
Garden tractors have bigger wheels and more rigid axles – they can handle hard terrain like bumps and slopes. This is not to say the lawn tractor is bad, cause it’s not. Both will easily handle most terrain with ease.
Sources and Useful Links
1. Husqvarna garden tractor product page was used to review the riding lawn tractor and riding garden tractor features and engine types.
2. Flow chart buying page from this website was used to obtain classes of riding tractor to present the best of each type.
3. PED.com has a great overview of the different tractors available. It was my starting point.
4. Check out the zero turn mowers page if speed and agility are your main buying factors.
