Ten top ride-on mowers and garden tractors to suit all types of challenges

This is the time of year when lawn and garden tractors really come into their own as the grass is growing quickly and there are a host of jobs to be done in all quarters.
For many of you, a ride-on mower with a rear engine is quite sufficient to cope with a good sized garden, not only keeping a large lawn in trim but tidying up rougher areas like small paddocks and orchards.
In general terms these have less power.
But a lawn tractor has more uses throughout the year and has the power to tow more garden devices like trailers and leaf sweepers and can prove a great help throughout the whole year not just when the grass is growing.

The simplest little ride-on is the McCulloch LRV 2-in-1 Ride-on Mower, a great little machine at a really good price.
It’s easy to drive, easy to manoeuvre through garden gates and the like and has a cutaway design which lets you mow more accurately. The height of cut can be set to between 38 and 102 mm.
It has a Briggs & Stratton tried and trusted engine and a key start to make firing it up easier.
Three forward and one reverse gears, a cutting width of 66 cm and side discharge (a collector is available as an optional extra) all contribute to making this a great value little ride on.
Plus there is a mulching kit for recycling the clippings back to the lawn.
This mower at just £899 is £200 less than the manufacturer’s price, is delivered free within three to five working days and has a one year maker’s guarantee.
Another great little machine which represents outstanding value for money is the MTD-Lawnflite 76SD Mini Rider.
A perfect choice for anyone buying their first ride-on mower, it has a 76 cm cutting width and 46 cm turning circle.
It is easy to drive around obstacles on the lawn like small trees and through gates and it has Transmatic transmission making it easier to control the speed through the foot pedal.
You can either mulch the clippings or discharge them at the back but you can buy a large grass box for £180.
There are five cutting heights and because of the way it is designed it is possible to mow right to the edge of borders and paths.
The cutter deck actually floats so that it can better follow the undulations of the ground.
An 11.6 hp MTD engine provides the power and there is key start to make it easier getting underway.
This machine costs £1119, compared with the maker’s price of £1269, it arrives delivered three within three to five working days and there is a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
Next comes the MTD 125-96B Lawn & Garden Tractor, an excellent and really versatile machine with shift on the go transmission making it a top value purchase.
There are a host of optional extras for this garden tractor, which has a Briggs & Stratton engine and gives plenty of power to use the attachments like trailers, rollers and sprayers. You can even buy a snow plough to go with it.
It has side discharge and the change on the go transmission gives a much smoother ride through the five forward and five reverse gears.
Large wheels give excellent manoeuvrability.
This machine costs £1199 compared with the recommended price of £1799 and, as a special offer, buy this machine and you can purchase a steel tipping trailer for £99 and a towed leaf sweeper for £150 – just think of the time that will save in the autumn!
Delivery is free within three to five working days and there is a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
We think our own machine, the MD 2-in-1 Ride-On Mower (CJ30RM12) is another well-priced machine with plenty of power and easy to drive.
You can either cut and collect the clippings in the 160 litre grass box, even when it’s wet, or mulch them and return them to the lawn. Power comes from a 12.5 hp Briggs & Stratton engine which sips fuel and makes little noise.
There are six forward and one reverse gears.
Cutting width is 75 cm, enough to cope easily with medium sized lawns yet small enough to get through most garden gates.
But as another special offer you will receive absolutely free of charge £100 worth of garden tools from leading company WOLF-Garten.
Delivery is free within three to five working days, there is a two year maker’s warranty and to price is £1249.
WOLF-Garten is a major European of quality garden machinery and their WOLF-Garten Expert 76E Ride-on Mower is a cracking little machine with a very tight turning circle and a 76 cm cutting width and six speed Transmatic transmission making it very manoeuvrable and easy to drive.
This means you speed up just by pressing the foot pedal – no need to stop to change gears.
There is a very large 200 litre grass collector – a deflector means you can remove the box if the grass is too long.
The five cutting heights are between 38 and 95 mm and the power comes from a 11.6 hp ThorX engine.
The floating cutting deck means that the blades follow the contours of the ground to give a better finish.
A steel chassis gives great strength and a longer life and the steering column is adjustable to make driving more comfortable.
This machine costs £1299, £200 less than the manufacturer’s price. There is a two year maker’s warranty and delivery is free within three to five working days.
Next comes a machine from one the country’s favourite brands.
The Mountfield 1430M Lawn Tractor is a departure from other similar machines as it has twin blades to give a smoother and better cut but still at an affordable price.
The twin blades also give better collection of the clippings.
It has an 82 cm cutting width with heights from 25 mm for the smarter country lawns to 80 mm for the rougher areas.
Another handy feature is the audio alarm which sounds when the grass box is full.
Mountfield’s own 7500 series engine gives loads of power and
is engineered for a longer life. There are five forward and one reverse gears and the deck is electronically engaged.
It is designed with several comfort features so it can be driven for longer periods and there is a 240 litre grass box, unusually large, which can be emptied from the driver’s seat.
Also when purchasing this tractor you can buy a steel tipping trailer for just £99 as well as other optional extras.
This mower costs £1399, £200 less than the manufacturer’s recommended price, and delivery is free within three to five working days. There is a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
Another machine with a really top spec at a keen price is the MD Sprint Lawn & Garden Tractor designed for dealing with grassy areas of around two acres.
There are also a wide range of attachments for this tractor which makes it a true labour saving device around larger gardens.
A Briggs & Stratton engine provides plenty of power and it has a variable speed change through its seven gears. The engine produces less vibration and is quieter when running and it is comfortable to drive too as it has a spring assisted seat.
The grass collection is excellent due to the clever design of the deck and a fan to blow the cuttings into the box.
But remove the box – when you are cutting rougher areas and there is a deflector flap to move the grass to one side.
Twin headlights make it possible to mow when it gets a bit murky.
Normally you would expect to pay £1899 but we have this great little tractor on sale for £1499.
Plus there are special offers on a steel trailer, roller, leaf sweeper, broadcast spreader and dethatcher obtainable when you buy this garden tractor.
There is free delivery within three to five working days and a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
Another machine offering amazing value for money is the MD Master Cut Lawn & Garden Tractor, a machine with loads of power with an extra wide cutting width for those of you with larger areas of lawn and grass to keep under control.
It is especially handy if you have not only lawns to cut but orchards, paddocks and longer grassy areas.
To cater for this, cut grass is discharged to the side but there is also a mulch plug available and a grass box for the lawns.
The drive system combines clutch and brake in one foot pedal and there are six forward and six reverse gears so you can mow at the speed which suits you best.
The front axle pivots to even out uneven ground and give a better cut.
Steel construction, twin headlights and large wheels give a real sturdy feel to this garden tractor.
There are special prices on a grass collector, mulch plug and steel tipping trailer, delivery is free within three to five working days and there is a two year maker’s warranty.
This garden tractor is just £1599 – you would normally expect to pay £1999 for such a machine.
Lawnflite is a company with a great reputation for manufacturing top notch garden machinery and their Lawnflite 703 R Lawn Tractor is full of excellent features.
Made for lawns up to two acres with a 92 cm cutting width it has a unique Direct Collect system for dealing with the cuttings in a really efficient way, wet or dry.
The grass box can be simply removed in seconds and it has a seven speed highly advanced Transmatic Drive for a smoother ride.
It has an amazing 46 cm turning circle contributes to really great manoeuvrability.
There are a host of optional extras, some only available when you buy this tractor.
The price is £1749, £250 less than the manufacturer’s price. But as an added incentive you receive £100 worth of WOLF-Garten hand tools absolutely free which you can chose from a catalogue.
There is free delivery within three to five working days and a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
And finally there is a really tough machine at an amazing price.
The MD Estate Lawn & Garden Tractor is designed for large lawns and grounds not only to give an excellent finish to the lawns but to be a real workhorse with a wide range of tasks.
It gives an excellent finish to lawns with a special ejector chute which can cope with even wet grass.
A Briggs & Stratton engine gives plenty of power and is engineered for a longer life.
The cutting height can be adjusted by a special lever for raising or lowering the cutting deck.
There are seven forward and seven reverse gears, strong disc brakes and a very tight turning circle. Both clutch and brake are combined in one pedal.
This machine has been designed with larger gardens and grounds and challenging conditions in mind and offers unrivalled value for money.
A steel tipping trailer can be bought for just £99 when ordering this machine plus there is a mulching plug for £89 and a rear deflector for £119 which are also available.
Delivery is free within three to five working days and there is a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
This garden tractor costs £1999, and that’s £600 less than you would expect to pay for such a machine.