1. Troy-Bilt 420cc Riding Mower
Everybody wants a clean and well-cut lawn, but nobody wants to do the work. By using the best riding lawn mower or best lawn tractor, you can significantly cut down on the amount of work needed to take care of a big lawn. A riding lawn mower is also known as a lawn tractor and it is definitely a great investment for your lawn.
While the initial outlay can be a lot, the amount of time and energy saved on mowing your lawn is priceless. Hiring a professional to mow your lawn is expensive and riding a tractor around in your yard is quite fun. Since investing in the best riding lawn mower or the best lawn tractor can be very expensive, we urge you to do thorough research on the different features of each lawn tractor such as deck size, HP, speed, transmission type, body type, accessories, warranties, comfort, and durability.
Best Riding Lawn Mower | Best Lawn Tractor
- Troy-Bilt 420cc OHV, Riding Lawn Mower, 30 Inch (Top Pick)
- Husqvarna YTA18542, 18.5 hp Tractor Mower, 42 Inch
- Poulan Pro P54ZX, 24 HP Zero Turn Radius Riding Mower, 54-Inch
- WORX WG794 Landroid Robotic Lawn Mower
- Yard Machines 420cc 42 In Riding Lawn Tractor
#1. Troy-Bilt 420cc OHV 30-Inch Riding Lawn Mower
For those of you who want the best riding lawn mower or the best lawn tractor and don’t really want to pay the big bucks, the Troy-Bilt 420cc Mower is the perfect one for you. This is the perfect-sized mower for homeowners who have a medium-sized lawn, so between ¼ and ½ acres. This riding lawn mower features a 420cc engine (about 15 HP) with a 6-speed manual transmission, which allows it to top speed at 4.25 miles per hour.
This is towards the low end of lawn tractors, but hey you are talking about an entry-level riding lawn mower. Besides, you don’t really need all that speed, unless you are trying to race or really need to hurry and mow your lawn. The Troy-Bilt 420cc has a 30-inch cutting deck and 5 adjustable height levels, which is pretty standard and enough to handle a medium-sized lawn in one sitting. And because of the small-sized cutting deck, you can go into those small nooks and passages you wouldn’t be able to access in a bigger mower.
It has an 18-inch turn radius, so not as tight as a zero-radius mower, but then again you aren’t paying that kind of price. It also has a dual-circuit alternator, which recharges the battery faster. The seats are extremely comfortable and cushioned and fit small children to large men. The mower deck is made of 14 gauge steel and we find it to be pretty tough. It certainly doesn’t pretty cheap. It comes with a 2-year warranty and is delivered to you half-assembled. All you need is about 30 minutes of work including putting on the steering wheels and seats and you are ready to go. Finally, just put oil in its 1.3-gallon tank and let it rip with the key starter. In terms of the best bang for the buck, the Troy-Bilt is probably your best bet.
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#2. Husqvarna YTA18542, 18.5 hp Tractor Mower, 42″
Husqvarna is a solid manufacturer of lawn mowers and their 18.5 HP Pedal Tractor Mower is the best riding lawn mower or the best lawn tractor if you want a solid mid-range gadget. This riding mower features an 18.5 HP auto transmission motor. The engine is made by Briggs & Stratton, a great engine manufacturer. In terms of deck size, it has a 42-inch cutting deck made of 13 gauge steel, so pretty sizeable.
It cuts really well with little to no hiccups. With the air induction mowing technology which draws air from the top and bottom, airflow is improved within the deck so your engine doesn’t overheat and you get nice clean, and consistent cuts. The cast iron front axle also creates nice balance and stability.
The deck height adjustment is easy to change and transitions smoothly. This riding lawn mower comes loaded with features like headlights for mowing in the dark, an auto-off safety mechanism if the driver leaves the seat, anti-scalp wheels, nice comfortable seats, a cup holder, driving in reverse, manual blade engagement, and a deck wash port. Also, the Husqvarna can be equipped with mulch, seed, and fertilizer spreaders, and towable accessories. The list goes on. As you can tell, with the Husqvarna you definitely get a premium lawn tractor as opposed to more of an entry-level vehicle like the Troy-Bilt 420cc.
It comes with a 3-year warranty and 5 years on the frame and chassis/front axle. Overall, this lawn tractor is very well-built and extremely durable. Ok, it is not a zero-turn mower, but you aren’t paying that kind of price. It is the best riding lawn mower or the best lawn tractor if you want something in the mid-power range with a respectable deck size.
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#3. Poulan Pro P54ZX, 24 HP Zero Turn Radius Riding Mower, 54-Inch
Poulan Pro P54ZX is the best riding lawn mower or the best lawn tractor if you want a zero-turn mower. For those of you who don’t know what a zero-turn mower is, it is basically a riding lawn mower that can make extremely sharp turns and essentially spin in place. They are the crème of the crop of lawnmowers since they can cover a lot of hard-to-reach places.
This zero-turn radius mower features a 24 HP Briggs & Stratton engine with a top speed of 6 MPH. It is equipped with the dual hydro EZT drive transmission system with an electric clutch and there is a 54-inch three-bladed steel deck that thoroughly ensures all grass is consistently cut. This cut height can be adjusted from 1.5 inches to 4 inches. With this mower, you can cut grass up to 2.8 acres per hour, which is a pretty astounding rate.
We find the engine hydraulic pump motors very durable and the steering system quite responsive. The blades are sharp cutting and tearing through anything without damage including rocks in the grass. It can handle inclines and declines as well and navigates easily through trees and bushes. We like the seat as it is nice and comfortable and sits up high. Overall, this is a great riding lawn mower for those who want a zero-turn. The only thing we could have asked for is a bit higher speed, but generally speaking, 6 MPH is good enough for most big lawns.
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#4.WORX WG794 Landroid Robotic Lawn Mower
While this is technically not a riding lawn mower, we want to put this on our list because it can replace your lawn mower. This is a robotic mower that can be programmed to automatically cut your lawn. The Landroid is useful because it navigates narrow passages and cuts evenly and precisely even on angled slopes of up to 20 degrees. All this is done with zero emissions.
This robotic unit is rated for 1/4 acre or less and you set it up by first installing tracking wires along the perimeter of your yard. It runs on 28V rechargeable batteries and you can use it every day. We like how this unit is quiet enough to run overnight or early in the morning so that it doesn’t bother you or your neighbors during your sleep.
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#5. EGO Power+ZT4204L 42-Inch 56-Volt Lithium-ion Cordless Z6 Zero Turn Riding Mower
This is a 42-inch riding lawn tractor that strikes a good balance between price (quite expensive but worth every penny running on batteries), size, and performance. With its wide cut area, it will help you mow large yards. The EGO Power Machine has a nice and comfortable mid-back seat which really helps make your lawn mowing experience easy on the back.
We like that it includes a good sizeable battery to give you the power to drive your riding mower up small hills and ridges. Also, because it runs on battery, there’s no pollution around you. This means no noise, no exhaust, no smoke, no bad smell, no need to replace the oil and dump the old oil, etc. All in all, you just need a plug at home to recharge the battery and off you go.
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More Info on the Best Riding Lawn Mower
The first thing to figure out is deck size, HP, and speed, you have to determine how large of an area you want to mow. Generally speaking, a lawn tractor is suited for big yards, so at least ¼ acre. Let’s just say if you can mow your entire yard in under 30 minutes, there is no reason for you to get an expensive lawn tractor unless you are really lazy or have lots of money. The size of the lawn kind of determines the size of the cutting deck. For lawns all the way up to an acre, we recommend using anywhere from a 30 to 40-inch cutting deck. For yards in the 1 to 2-acre range, go with a 40-50 inch cutting deck, and for 2+ acres, go with a 50+ inch cutting deck.
Next, you need to figure out HP and speed, which for all intents and purposes are correlated. You can have horsepower ranging from mid-single digits all the way up to 30 HP. This correlates to a max speed range of 3 to 8 Miles per hour. The only time you need to seriously consider a high HP and speed lawn tractor is when you have lots of uphill terrains and coarse grass. Otherwise, most entry-level riding lawnmowers with 3-4 HP and going 7 MPH are good enough to cut flat grass at a standard pace. While the best riding lawn mower or the best lawn tractor most likely has high HP and speed, we don’t think these are features you should pay a huge premium for.
You can also pick a transmission type: manual, automatic, or hydrostatic. Manual transmission is like that of a car: you have to use a stick to manually shift gears in the transmission. The automatic transmission shifts gear for you automatically, as the name implies. This allows for a much smoother ride and is less jerky than a manual transmission. Then you have hydrostatic transmissions, which use fluid to transfer power between the engine and wheels.
In a zero-turn lawn mower, two hydrostatic transmissions are placed together, each controlling a separate rear wheel. Because of this, one wheel can go in reverse while another can go forward, which causes the mower to spin in place. This creates super tight turns and ensures that you cover all of the grass on your lawn. Because of this, zero-turn mowers cost more than the best riding lawn mower or the best lawn tractor with manual or automatic transmission.
Finally, after taking into account engine size, speed, deck size, and transmission type, you need to think about accessories and warranty. Many of the best riding lawnmowers and the best lawn tractors have the ability to lay down seeds, fertilizer, or mulch. You can even have the clippings sent to a bag that is attached to the side. Some riding lawnmowers and lawn tractors come with sun and snow shades or snow blades to plow through snow. Finally, you should look for riding lawnmowers that come from a reputable brand and one that offers a few years of warranty. Lawn tractors are not cheap investments, so you need to make sure you protect them as much as you can.
