Ride-on mowers and garden tractors have made life much easier for people with large lawns and it is at this time of year they are coming into their own.
So here are ten ride-ons to have a look at, all from leading manufacturers. Take your time looking through our list, as each one has individual attributes so you can pick the machine which suits your requirements more precisely.
And remember that lawn tractors have their uses through the autumn and winter as with the appropriate attachments they can be used to scarify the lawn, to roll it, clear leaves and, with a trailer, to cart all manner of soil, fertilizers, compost…you name it.
So the first machine is the Mountfield 827H Compact Lawn Rider, a neat little machine to get through most garden gates as it has a cutting width of 66cm.
Mountfield’s own 196cc engine provides the power, started with a key and with a 150 litre grass box.
Speed is regulated by the throttle pedal making it easy to navigate around obstacles and there are six cutting heights from 25mm to 80mm. You can buy a mulch kit if you prefer not to collect the clippings and a trailer hitch.
It costs £1399, £100 less than the maker’s recommended price and has a two-year warranty.
We deliver it free within three to five working days.
This next one is also from Mountfield and made to trim areas like orchards and paddocks.
Twin blades: Mountfield 1538 SD lawn tractor
The Mountfield 1538M SD Lawn Tractor, currently on special offer, will also mulch clippings so it can be used on formal lawns as well.
You receive the mulch plug for free as well as a tow bar, to extend its use in the garden.
The Mountfield engine is 452cc and it has seven cutting heights from 25mm up to 80mm.
It creates a powerful airflow under the cutting deck as it has twin counter-rotating blades.
There are five forward and one reverse gears and it has twin headlights so you can carry on cutting when it gets murky.
It costs £1399, £200 less than the recommended price and has a five-year warranty. We deliver it free of charge within three to five working days.
The next one is from the USA and for a limited period you receive a free tow/push trailer worth £199.
The Lawnflite 603 RT Lawn Tractor is also a very good collector of wet and damp grass as it has a high-lift blade which propels the clippings through a large exit chute into the grass box.
With a cutting width of 76cm it is suitable for lawns up to 4000 square metres in area and also has an offset cutter deck so you can cut right up to the edges of lawns and paths.
It drives much like an automatic car with no gears to change.
The free trailer can take 300lbs and has a polymer bed so it will not corrode.
It costs £1499, £220 off the recommended price and is delivered free within two to three working days. There is a two year maker’s warranty.
Back to Mountfield for the next one, it’s their 1530H Lawn Tractor, a machine with an 84cm cutting width with a 452cc engine and hydrostatic drive.
Twin blades cut to the full width of the machine and create a powerful airflow to make it an excellent collector of clippings even when it’s wet.
The grass box holds 240 litres and it has seven cutting heights from 25mm to 80mm. The cutting width is 84cm meaning it can tackle large lawns. When you’ve finished mowing you can plug the garden hose into the deck to clean it out.
Currently you receive a free mulch plug and tow bar. A deflector plate can be bought separately if you want to cut longer grass.
It costs £1799, £200 less than the recommended price and it has a five year warranty. Delivery is free within three to five working days.
The Lawnflite LG165H Lawn & Garden Tractor is a hydrostatic machine with large wheels to give good grip on muddy ground.
And with this one you receive a free garden trailer as well.
For formal lawns you can mulch the clippings but you can buy a grass collector as an optional extra if you prefer.
With a cutting width of 107cm it can tackle larger areas, say up two 10,000 square metres.
There are five cutting heights from 30mm to 95mm and again you can clean the cutting deck by attaching a garden hose.
The engine is from Briggs & Stratton, a 500cc one which give snags of power.
It costs £1799, £200 less than the maker’s recommended price and has a two year warranty and free delivery within two to three working days.
Top brand: Mountfield 1636M garden tractor
The Mountfield 1636M Lawn Tractor, on special offer, has a 452 cc engine with five forward and one reverse gears. With a cutting width of 92cm it is suitable for lawns up to 8000 sq metres in size.
There is a 260 litre grass box which can be emptied from the driver’s seat, cutting heights are from 25mm to 80mm and the deck is cleaned after use by clipping on a garden hose.
It costs £1799, £200 less than the recommended price and we deliver it for free within three to five working days. There is a five-year warranty from Mountfield.
Lawnflite’s 903 RT Lawn Tractor has an extra-wide 105cm cutting width so you can cut really large lawns more quickly.
Lawnflite’s Transmatic Drive makes using it a piece of cake and it is also at home on wet grass as the clippings are propelled into the grass box by the powerful air current in the cutting deck.
Another feature of this machine is the Fast Attach collector which can be removed without using the tool box.
You receive a free trailer, worth £199, with this lawn tractor, and there are also other attachments which can be bought at special prices.
It costs £1999, an exclusive special offer price and a saving of £200 on the recommended price.
Delivery is free within two to three working days and there is a two–year warranty.
Now one from a leading German manufacturer.
The Al-Ko T16-92HD Special Edition Lawn Tractor is made to tackle lawns up to 8000 sq metres and is powered by a twin cylinder Briggs & Stratton engine.
It is an excellent collector of wet grass thanks to its Hi-Lift blades and has a hydrostatic drive to make close control easier.
There are six cutting heights from 30mm to 90mm and a 92cm cutting width. Anti-scalp wheels on the cutting deck mean it can tackle uneven lawns without taking chunks out of them.
You receive a free 20 litre Jerry Can worth £29.95 when you order this machine.
It costs £2099, £500 less than the recommended price and is delivered free within two to three working days. There is a two-year warranty from the manufacturer.
And now, as they say, for something completely different.
The Toro ZS4200T Timecutter Zero-Turn Ride-On Mower will turn on the proverbial sixpence thanks to twin hydrostatic transmission which lets you control the speed of both wheels independently.
With a very wide cut it is the machine you need for bigger lawns with lots of trees or obstacles scattered around. The cutting width is 107cm and cutting heights are between 38mm and 114mm. It’s great for negotiating paths and borders too.
Clippings are mulched but you can buy a collection box if you prefer and the cutting deck is fitted with anti-scalp wheels.
The engine is from Kawasaki, 603cc giving bags of power and letting you mow up to 7mph.
The recommended price is £3249 but we are selling it for £2899. There are lots of extras including a sunshade and rubber floor mat as well as the twin bagger with blade kit.
There is a three-year warranty.
And the last one is from a top Italian manufacturer.
The Oleo-Mac OM125-23KH Garden Tractor with Electronic Grass-bag Emptying has a 125cm – that’s 50 in – cutting width and a 310 litre grass box.
And as the name implies, this box is emptied at the push of a button, a great help for those who find carrying grass boxes or twisting round in the seat a bit of a chore.
The engine is a Briggs & Stratton two cylinder 724cc model and the cutting deck has been designed to create a strong airflow to assist grass collection.
And it has an electronic dash board to give information on fuel levels, engine revs and so on.
This one will cope easily with areas up to 20,000 sq metres – or around five acres.
It costs £3799, £1200 less than the recommended price and is delivered free within three to five working days with a three year warranty.
These are just ten of the ride-ons on our site but you can see the full selection on these pages.
And please give us a ring on 020 3026 8712 if you would like our advice before purchasing.
