Lawn & Garden Tractors
Lawn and garden tractors from Cub Cadet, Stiga, Mountfield, Honda, Stihl, Cobra, Snapper and Simplicity, plus battery tractors from EGO and Toro. Prices start at about £1,400 for a compact lawn rider. The collection also includes zero-turn mowers; for those, see our zero-turn guide.
Still deciding between a tractor, a mini-rider and a zero-turn? Start with our ride-on buying guide. The guide below is for when you've settled on a tractor and need to choose the right one.
Garden tractor buying guideRider or tractor, deck size, collecting, drive, engine, slopes and FAQs
1. Lawn rider, lawn tractor or heavier garden tractor?
- Lawn rider (mini-rider): a 61 to 76cm deck with the engine at the back. Small, nimble and easy to store, for up to about half an acre. See the Cobra LT62 and LT74 or the Cub Cadet LR range.
- Lawn tractor: an 84 to 107cm deck, front engine and a collector at the back, for half an acre to two acres. This is where most buyers end up: the Cub Cadet LT range, Mountfield, Stiga Estate, Stihl RT and Cobra LT tractors.
- Heavier-duty garden tractor: stronger frames and transmissions for bigger areas, more hours each season and heavier towing. Look at the Cub Cadet XT Enduro series, the Honda HF 2417 and HF 2625, Snapper RPX and the Stiga Estate 9102WX.
2. Deck width
As a rough guide, 84 to 98cm suits half an acre to an acre, 102 to 107cm one to two acres, and 117cm upwards beyond that. Trees, beds and narrow gaps push you towards a smaller deck. Measure your gate and shed door before you choose.
3. Collect, side discharge or mulch?
- Rear collect: the tidiest finish, picking up clippings and leaves as you go. On Cub Cadet tractors, an R in the model name (NR92, OR106, PR95) means rear collect.
- Side discharge: quickest on long or rough grass, with nothing to empty. Cub Cadet models with an S (NS96, PS107) and Mountfield models marked SD are side discharge.
- Mulching: cuts clippings fine and returns them to the lawn. Honda's Versamow tractors let you collect, mulch or do a mix of both, and the HTE models empty the collector from the seat.
4. Manual or hydrostatic drive?
A manual (five-speed) gearbox costs less: you choose a gear and go. A hydrostatic drive changes speed with a foot pedal, like an automatic car, so you can slow down round trees and speed up on open lawn without stopping. It's worth having on almost every garden. The Mountfield 1538M, Stiga Estate 384M and Cobra LT108MSL are manual; most other tractors here are hydrostatic.
5. Single cylinder or V-twin?
A single-cylinder engine is fine for most lawns up to about an acre. A V-twin, such as on the Cobra LT108HS2L and LT102HR2L, runs more smoothly and has more power in reserve for wide decks, collecting wet grass and towing. It costs more, so buy one if your lawn is large or your grass is often long.
6. Slopes, wet ground and towing
On wet or sloping ground, four-wheel drive keeps you moving: the Stiga Estate 9102WX is the one to look at. Every tractor has a maximum safe slope set by the manufacturer, so check it against your steepest bank before you buy. Garden tractors are built to tow trailers, sweepers, spreaders and scarifiers; tell us what you'll tow and we'll check it against the model's rating.
7. Battery tractors
Battery tractors are quiet, produce no fumes and need no fuel or engine servicing. The EGO TR3801E-B (98cm, direct collect) and TR4200E (107cm, side discharge) and the Toro eRS3200DC (81cm, rear collect) are the options here. The trade-off is the cost of the battery packs and planning your cut around a charge.
| Your garden | Where to start |
|---|---|
| Up to half an acre, tight spaces | Lawn rider (61 to 76cm) |
| Half an acre to an acre, fine lawn | 84 to 98cm rear-collect hydrostatic tractor |
| One to two acres | 102 to 107cm tractor, V-twin if grass is often long |
| Over two acres or heavy towing | Heavier-duty garden tractor, 117cm and up |
| Wet or sloping ground | Four-wheel-drive tractor |
Why buy your garden tractor from us
We're a family-run, authorised dealer at Island Road, Westbere, near Canterbury. Every tractor is prepared and checked in our workshop before it leaves, and we deliver UK-wide, setting machines up and showing you round them in our local area. After you've bought, our workshop handles servicing and repairs. Call us on 01227 711100 or visit the showroom to sit on a few before you choose.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a lawn tractor and a garden tractor?
The names overlap. In general, a lawn tractor is built mainly to cut grass, while a heavier-duty garden tractor has a stronger frame and transmission for more hours, bigger areas and heavier towing.
What does hydrostatic mean?
The tractor changes speed smoothly with a foot pedal, with no gears to select. It makes mowing round obstacles much easier.
Do I need a V-twin engine?
Only for large lawns, wide decks, regular collecting in wet grass or towing. A single-cylinder engine suits most gardens up to about an acre.
Can a garden tractor tow?
Yes, garden tractors are built to tow trailers and lawn-care attachments. Check the model's towing rating, or ask us.
Do you deliver and set up tractors?
Yes. We deliver UK-wide, and set up and hand over machines in our local area. Every tractor is checked in our workshop before it leaves.
