Well what you are looking for is a Lawn Tractor, not Riding Lawn Mower. Best Bang For the Buck is the Sears Craftsman model 28856. It is a 42 inch deck, hydrostatic Drive, 24 HP twin cylinder and cost $1700. Other Brands to look at are Top Rated Cub Cadet and John Deer but they will be much higher price.

The Catskills get a lot of snow. Do you plan on using any attachments to deal with the snow? Will you garden till with the machine? Do you have a trailer to haul firewood, dirt, etc.? Or do you just need something to cut the grass with? I ask these questions because a basic lawn tractor in the 42" range is the minimum you need if all you want to do is mow. The bigger the deck, the faster the chore will go but it may not be as nice a cut as the 42". Are you looking for a well manicured yard or is it weeds you want to keep down? How severe is the slope because a heavier transmission usually found on garden tractors rather than lawn tractors will do better depending on the slope. What is your budget? Since this is a secondary residence would you be interested in buying used rather than new? Do you have a lot of trees and flower beds to go around? If so, a tight turn radius is something you should look for. You see, there are many factors to consider. It is really not as easy as it looks at first glance because all these questions have to answered before you go shopping. Having said all this, keep in mind a couple of things. Look for an auto type transmission rather than manual gears because most people prefer that. Don't worry too much about the motor but a twin is usually preferred for its smoothness. Motors are reliable these days and all will last a long time with good maintenance. Also keep in mind service and parts. I like Sears/Craftsman mowers because I think they represent the best bang for the buck but service can be a problem. They'll even come out to your property but it may be a month before they can get to you. If there is a John Deere dealer near by that may be your best bet because you can walk right in and parts are stocked; they have to be ordered at Sears. Sears is good but it is a pain to deal with service appointments at your house let alone a vacation home where you visit only occasionally. But if these service issues are not all that important then do look at Sears tractors. They are the most popular and would not be if they were junk. If you compare stats you will see they represent a better dollar value (at least initially) than almost anyone else. I recently bought a Craftsman Professional 42". I used it a few times to scalp my lawn and cut down some weeds and the 12" turn radius and overall performance and comfort were great. They are not making this model anymore and you can get a great deal on a 2010 at Sears right now. There will be a lot of people giving you different opinions and advice. The best thing to do is write down your needs and shop around. Try to test drive for comfort and ease of handling and then look for features such as the turn radius I spoke about earlier, cruise control, assisted PTO, etc. Good luck in your search and let us know what you decide to buy.

The X300 is a nice choice. For 2 acres with a 42" deck, I think I'd go with the Freedom 42 mulching deck. I picked up used GT series last year that came with the 42M deck. It does a incredible job with a nice cut. Even with taller grass that gets away from me now and then, raise the deck an extra 1/2" or slow down some and no problem at all. I've only got 3/4+ acres to mow, so a 42" works fine. Personally, I think bagging with 42" would be a lot of extra time than needed. 42" isn't all that big of a deck. An X320 with a 48" deck would be an option if bagging wasn't critical. It lists at the same $4K as the X300R rear bagger. I don't know how the mulching option works on the 48" deck, but I might look into that. You can bag with the 48", but with the powerflo requirement, that tractor becomes a bit like the lumbering beast you want to stay away from. If you would consider something other than bagging, I'd look at the Deere X300 with the Freedom 42" deck or the X320 with a 48" set up for side discharge or mulching. I think either would cut your time down more significantly and you'll see the greatest benefit from purchasing a lawn tractor. I guess if you have spent 4-6 hrs in the past, then any rider will be a big improvment.

Heather, I have a Craftsman DSG 6500 garden tractor that I really like. This is a garden tractor as apposed to a lawn tractor so it is able to use "ground engaging" equipment. It has a 54" cutting deck. I put a Johnny Bucket attachment on the front of it which acts like a front end loader so that you can use it to plow, move dirt, compost, etc. I have the manual transmission but the auto is easier to use. I use it to haul either with the Johnny bucket on the front or I have a dumpable cart that I haul around. You mentioned that you'd like it for a bigger place some day so this tractor would do everything you want and more. The tractor is right around $2200.00 give or take and for another $1000.00 you can get a 2-stage snow blower for the front which should help with your weather. I purchased the 3 yr. at home service agreement that covers pretty well everything for about $300.00 but I've never had to use it. This tractor is made by Husquvarna. My only concern is that if you have a dealer right in your neighborhood, that may be the better way to go. Craftsman 26 hp 54 in. Deck, DGS 6500 Garden Tractor Sears item# 07128750000 Mfr. model# 28750 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Availability of home delivery for this product varies by location Eligible For Store Pick Up Other colors available: Protect this purchase with a Protection Agreement see options Price Match Policy No Interest, No Payments until September, 2008, with your Sears Card. Sears Card. Add a Tractor Bumper (07124598) for Free. Offer ends 05-Sep-2007 See Details Overview Specifications Options Reviews(14) This is a Garden Tractor capable of using ground engaging attachments. Powered by a Briggs & Stratton 26 hp ELS (Extened Life series) V-Twin engine (includes oil filter) with overhead valves for cooler running and longer life. Match the speed with the job that needs to be done with our Extra Heavy Duty EZ Drive hydrostatic/automatic transmission . A 54" Precision Cut Plus deck system with four gauge wheels and more air flow for better cutting and bagging. Capable Of Using Ground Engaging Attachments Powerful 26 hp B/S Els (Extened Life Series) V-Twin Engine Exclusive 54" Precision Cut Plus Deck System W/ 4 Adj. Gauge Wheels Spring Loaded Deck Lift System Extra Heavy Duty Ez Drive Hydrostatic / Automatic Transmission Foot Pedal Drive For Added Convenience Large 23" Rear Tires Handy Cup Holder Wider Step Thru Area Automotive Type Slide Seat System 2 Year Limited Warranty __USERID__ Overall Rating 4.7 5 13 of 14 (93%) customers would recommend this product to a friend. Read all reviews Write a review Number of reviews: Number of reviews with ratings & comments:12 Number of reviews with ratings-only:2 Write an online review Product Reviews Product Reviews Review This Product Choose a sort order Featured Reviews First Buyer's Reviews First Staff Reviews First Top Reviewers First Date - Newest First Date - Oldest First Rating - High to Low Rating - Low to High Helpfulness - High to Low Helpfulness - Low to High Length - Long to Short Length - Short to Long FEATURED REVIEW Overall Rating: 5 5 April 28, 2007 By ChasfromBenld from Benld,Illinois Performance: 5 5 Value: 5 5 Features: 5 5 Reliability: 5 5 "I give this Tractor a 10 on scale of 1-10. The 26 HP Briggs and Stratton has plenty of power and very smooth operation, I love the hydrostatic drive. It is very convenient and simple to use. I have been mowing my property with a old mower and decided it was time to upgrade, This is my first experience with a Craftsman Garden Tractor. I can honestly say this is the best garden tractor I have ever owned. The price was right and the sales and delivery experience from Sears was outstanding. Prior to using this Tractor, I read and studied the owners manual, I work in the Heavy Duty Truck Industry and can honestly say this Tractor is put together really well. And you can get any part you need very easily from Sears. The Tractor came with an illustrated parts manual and every part used on the tractor can be ordered which impressed me greatly. I will be ordering both summer and winter accessories as this tractor can be used year round. I would expect this Tractor to last 20 years. Now I need to convince my wife to let me buy her one so we can have a his and hers tractor. :)" Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report Inappropriate Review) Overall Rating: 5 5 Upgrade from LT1000, August 21, 2007 By AFChief from Crestview, FL Performance: 4 5 Value: 5 5 Features: 5 5 Reliability: 5 5 "Had a great Craftsman LT1000 for 4 years without a problem, but needed something bigger that would take attachments. Researched different options and the DGS6500 met all the needs for a 1.5 acre yard, there is no greater capability for the price. Bought the scoop attachment for scraping and hauling, works great on flat surface but the mower deck can cause some drag on uneven ground. Starts easy, runs great, but I wish the reverse had better response, it's rather slow for going back and forth with a scoop. To get the full engagement you need to pull up on the accelerator pedal rather than press down on the reverse pedal--no reasonable adjustment option available. Relatively quiet for a 26 HP tractor with impressive power. Multiple attachment options avaialble--gets the job done, it's a keeper!" Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report Inappropriate Review) Overall Rating: 5 5 Little Workhorse, June 6, 2007 By Atliberty from Petaluma, CA Performance: 4 5 Value: 5 5 Features: 5 5 Reliability: 5 5 "This garden tractor is being used for mowing grass, lawn and field. It does well at all jobs. The only difficulty is if the terrain gets uneven and then I may need to push it by hand, I'm learning to use the reverse feature to get me out of certain situations. It seems to be very safe, easy to start, reliable and a little workhorse. I didn't buy the mulcher and don't think that my needs indicate it." Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report Inappropriate Review) Overall Rating: 2 5 WAS GREAT....AT FIRST, June 6, 2007 By thunderbolt from Virginia Performance: 5 5 Value: 2 5 Features: 5 5 Reliability: 1 5 "For the first 4 hours i loved this machine.at 4 hours the main drive belt came off front pulley.I called the service center,June 11th was as soon as someone could look at it,This was may 28th.The guy on the phone talked me through getting the belt back on track.Everything was fine untill it had 7 hours on it,the belt broke.I had to tow it to my shed.I went to the store Monday June 4th they got a guy to come out today the 6th to "fix it".He didn't have the belt with him.I have to wait 2 days for the belt to arrive then call them again.He said it was "to new" for him to have it,called the store 5 miles away they have it in stock,but can't have service people have it. I believe the belt broke because it wasn't properly set up at the store or the factory.Be sure if yout tractor has any problems go to store and make sure the service guy has the part .My problem is probly not the norm for this machine,I'm writting this to warn others incase it happens to them."