Ten top ride-on garden tractors for autumn

More people than ever are buying ride-on garden tractors this year. The choice is massive and they can used throughout the year thanks to the ever-increasing attachments that can be used with them.
So it’s still not too late to buy one as they will not only keep the larger lawns in trim but can be used throughout the year and with a leaf clearer are especially useful for keeping lawns, drives and paths leaf free once the fall gets under way – and that won’t be that long.
Here are our ten top ride-on lawn tractor buys for the autumn which can save you hours of work whether by walking behind a conventional mower of by moving dead leaves and composts around the garden in a garden trailer.

First is the MD 3-in-1 Ride-On Mower a great little fun machine, easy to drive and the ideal machine if you’ve never owned a ride-on before.
There are three ways of discharging the clippings, either discharging them to the rear, to the side or collecting them in the 160 litre grass box. It is especially good at dealing with wet grass.
A 12.5 hp Briggs & Stratton engine gives you the power, uses little fuel and is quiet in running.
There are six gears – five forward and one reverse – and it has a really tight turning circle of just 30 cm.
The cutting width is a useful 75 cm but it can still get through a garden gate.

It costs £1249, comes delivered within three to five working days (we’ll tell you when to expect it to arrive) and has a two years manufacturer’s warranty.
Another great low cost garden tractor is a new model from MTD, their LT5 96SD Lawn & Garden Tractor.
And you can even buy an optional snow plough with this one!
This is a side discharge machine designed to deal with the rougher areas as well as conventional lawns but has the maker’s shift-on-the-go transmission so there is no stopping between gear shifts.
There are five forward and five reverse gears and the speed can be varied through these gears.
The engine is 420 cc giving loads of power enabling it to be used with many garden attachments to make it a true year-round machine.
The steel body adds to the overall strength and durability; large wheels give it a more solid feel.
Delivery is free within three to five working days, and there is a two year maker’s warranty.
It costs £1199 compared with the maker’s recommended price of £1799.
But there is a whole host of attachments including mulch plug, twin bag clippings catcher, and as a special offer you can buy a MD 38 towed leaf sweeper for only £150 when you but this machine.
Other special prices are available on a towed steel tipping trailer and that snow plough blade. Well, you never know!

Another great little machine is the WOLF-Garten Expert 76E Ride-on Mower.
This is the perfect machine for a larger lawn with a tight turning circle and a 76 cm cutting width and six speed gear box designed to let you change speed by pressing a foot throttle, much like your own car.
This gives the driver great control around the garden. There are five cutting height options from 38 to 95 mm and a built-in deflector means you can remove the grass box if the grass is extra long or wet.
The engine produces 11.6 hp and the floating mower deck gives a consistent cut by allowing the machine to follow the undulations of the ground.
A steel chassis gives great strength and an adjustable steering column gives added comfort.
It costs £1299, £200 less than the manufacturer’s recommended price, there is a two year manufacturer’s warranty and it is delivered free within three to five working days.

The Mountfield 1430M Lawn Tractor is a great innovative machine with twin blades and an 82 cm cutting width designed to give a really smooth cut and excellent collection of clippings even in the wet.
It also has an audible alarm which beeps at you when the grass box is full.
The engine is smooth and quiet giving plenty of power and has an oil pump for better efficiency and to give the mower a longer life.
Also the piston moves I a cast iron liner and the crank cse has been designed to minimise vibrations.
It has a six speed box – five forward and one reverse – and a good sized fuel tank.
Controls like the cutting height and grass box emptying lever are all easy to reach and the padded seat is spring mounted and fully adjustable.
Heavier wheels won’t dig into the grass and give better stability and there is a headlight if you want to keep working when it gets a bit murky.
There is also a deflector kit and mulch plug to give you more cutting options.
And there is a range of optional extras all at keen prices like a tow bar, steel trailer, roller, towed leaf sweeper, broadcast spreader and dethatcher to make this a really versatile machine.
Delivery is free within three to five working days, there is a two year manufacturer’s warranty and it costs £1399, £200 off the recommended retail price.
The MD Master Cut Lawn & Garden Tractor

is ideal for all types of ground maintenance and is especially efficient when tackling longer areas of rougher grass including paddocks and orchards thanks to its side discharge.
A mulch plug and grass box is available for dealing with more formal lawns.
It has been designed to combine the clutch and brake in one foot pedal and has six forward and six reverse gears.
It also has a pivoting front axle to give a more even cut and gives a more comfortable ride.
It also has a very tight turning circle and disc brakes to give better control and has steel construction to give a real solid feel when driving.
Twin headlights make working in the murk easier and the step-through design makes it easy to get on and off.
You would normally expect to pay £1999 for such a machine but we have it for sale for £1599.
As well as the mulch plug and grass collector there are special prices on a steel tipping trailer, towed roller, leaf sweeper, broadcast spreader and dethatcher, only available when you but this machine.
Delivery is free within three to five working days and there is a two year manufacturer’s warranty.

There are a number of special offers on the Lawnflite 603 R Lawn Tractor a machine which has a clever ‘direct collect’ system which has a turbo fan and a heavy duty cutter blade which literally throws and blows cuttings into the grass box.
This prevents leaving clumps of grass behind and is very effective when dealing with wet grass.
Suitable for areas up to two acres it is very good for manoeuvring around flower beds and has an off-set deck to give better visibility. Plus there is an infinitely variable foot throttle transmission to give better control.
It costs £1599, over £225 off the manufacturer’s recommended retail price.
Plus there is a free 20 litre steel jerry can and £100 worth of WOLF-Garten hand tools also completely free.
Delivery is free within three to five working days and a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
Other special offers include a free steel tipping trailer and free lawn roller and lawn tractor cover. See the web page for full details.

Now a machine built for those with a larger lawn to care for.
The Al-Ko 12-74H Edition Lawn Tractor has hand-operated hydrostatic transmission and has a 74 cm cutting width.
German engineered and Briggs & Stratton powered it has a ‘Hi-Lift’ blade to give a strong airflow through the cutting deck to enhance grass collection, and there are six cutting heights.
It has a sturdy front bumper in case of those little accidents and there is a large 220 litre grass box to minimise emptying and let you keep mowing for longer.
The mower costs £1649, and that’s £100 off the manufacturer’s recommended price.
Delivery is free within three to five working days and there is a two year maker’s warranty.

The MD Shuttle Lawn & Garden Tractor is a real top notch machine which collects grass clippings at the back of the machine and gives a really smooth cut.
Designed to change gears on the go and allowing you infinite speed control by combining clutch and brake pedal.
It has a pivoting front axle to absorb bumps and to give a more even cut without scalping the odd bits on uneven lawns.
It too has a ‘Hi Lift’ cutting blade for better collection and the design of the deck allows for wet grass to be collected without clogging.
The grass box simply tilts and lifts off the back of the machine with the ned for recourse to the tool box. In a similar fashion the tool box can also be removed without tools.
The all steel body and engine hood contribute to a longer working life and keep the noise down.
The manufacturer’s recommended price is £2099, but we have it for sale for £1699. It is delivered free within three to five working days and there is a two year maker’s guarantee.
Plus when you but this kit you can buy other attachments for special prices, like a mulching kit, deflector for use when cutting longer grass, steel tipping trailer, steel roller, towed leaf sweeper, broadcast spreader and a dethatcher.
And finally a machine made to tackle a variety of tasks on a small estate.

The MD Estate Lawn & Garden Tractor has a really large grass box for when the machine is used to mowing or grass cutting and again it will really pack in the clippings even when they’re wet without clogging.
It has a Briggs & Stratton engine and seven forward and seven reverse gears and the cutting deck is easily adjusted to change cutting heights.
The driver’s seat is sprung and adjustable and the disc brakes are very responsive.
This lawn tractor represents excellent value for money at £1999, £500 less than the recommended price.
There is free delivery within three to five working days.
But to get the best out of this machine there are a number of attachments all at special prices, like a mulching kit, rear deflector for longer grass, steel tipping trailer, steel roller, leaf sweeper, broadcast spreader and a dethatcher.
With autumn on the way the lawns still need regular trimming but the big clear up is just around the corner and that’s where a good garden tractor comes into its own.
Autumn is one of the most important periods for the keen gardener, so keep an eye on our site for the latest in gardening equipment.