Might want to fold this into your considerations:

Repost of Slammer's Rules...

1. Carefully evaluate the size mower you need and buy at least one size larger.

2. NEVER buy a mower from ANYPLACE that will not let you test drive it or at least a similar model. Ergonomics are just as important as performance and capability.
(Vitally important!)

3. DO NOT base your purchase on price or brand name alone! Do proper research and find all of the available models that fit your criteria and haggle, save, or trade to get the right equipment for the job. Do not compromise!

If you follow these three tips you will end up a happy camper with just the right unit for the job. If you disregard this advice your gonna end up with One or the other of the following problems:

A. Buyers remorse. Stuck with a piece of junk or simply a unit inadequate for the task at hand.

Or..

B. A teed off spouse when you start shopping for another tractor just 3 - 6 months down the road because you didn't buy the right unit in the first place.

Now go forth and shop and try and have fun!

I vote for a John Deere rider with a hydrostatic transmission.

rcbe - thanks for posting these tips. All excellent points.

rdaystrom - that's what a family member has and is saying the same thing. If it's a rider -that's the one I'll get.

For a lot of years I mowed my yard with a walk behind; a Gravely 5240 convertible. I mowed more than 3/4 acre and it was only a 30" mower. Walking is good for you. You are able to kill two birds with one stone; get some exercise, and work done, with one fell swoop. So I think your first impulse to get a good walk behind, for the reasons you stated, is likely the right one. If you tire of walking you could get a sulky to go with it.

Will you have a need for hauling (you can't pull a trailer, aerator, spreader, etc. with a walk behind). If you are planning on putting in a swing set that means you have little ones, and if you are like me, I would rather spend time with them then mowing (they are only little once).

johntommybob - It's not the exercise I need as I get it all day long doing other things anyways.

The reduction in time to do the task at the most reasonable cost is what I'm after to do exactly what Metal is saying - to spend more times with the kids and not the yard.

That being said, I certainly don't mind walking it, just needs to cut the time down by 40-50% to make the costs worth it - whichever way I decide to go. Looking at the prices of some of the wide area walk behinds, it may be cheaper to get a John Deere rider.

Metal - totally agree with spending more time with the kids and not the grass. I could benefit from the aerator & spreader. Good points which I can't tote with the walk behind.

I was in the same position this spring. I don't have that big a yard (3/4+ acres to mow), but I didn't want to go back to a 21" walk-behind after purchasing a used rear engine rider back in 2000. I get enough exercise doing other things and the rider really cut down on the time. Rider needed replacement this year and whether I went wide area walk behind or rider, I wanted a quality machine. I thought actually a wide area walk behind would be cheaper, but that isn't how it looked to me after a while. The homeowner units like the 33" Cub Cadet are $1300 and they are clearly homeowner grade. Forget the commercial walk-behinds based on price and wasn't even going to think about buying a used commercial unit.

Also, I wanted to get something like the Cyclone Rake for fall leaf pickup. I looked at the quality walk-behind leaf vacs, but they are no cheaper than a cyclone rake. So, bottom line it didn't seem any cheaper to go walk-behind equipment and it was going to take me more time with those. At least for me, after the research, pretty clear a rider was the way to go. Got what I think was good advice to pursue a used John Deere GT series. Looked at quite a few and after some patience, found a very good condition low use GT225 and paid $1700. Given our rain this year so far here in northeast, the rider has been great, even with the 42" deck, I can get out when there has been a break in the rain and get the yard cleaned up nice in very short order. Tried to find a used Cyclone Rake, but only found two to look at and had to pass on both considering price, condition and cost used vs. new. So I'm probably going to order a new Cyclone Rake Classic before the end of the month and take advantage of the extra discount in case they don't extend into July.

I'm very satisfied going to rider route and I'm been amazed at how well I close I can cut with the JD. I almost don't need a push mower for trimming. I've got the 42" Freedom Mulcher on it and combined with a very light throttle on the hydro, I can trim very nicely around trees, landscaping, etc. A little extra deck width would be perfect (like the 44" what is it Piranha?), but the 42" works fine. Also glad I went the hydro route. I was considering the older GT242/262 for the gear drive (thought it would be tougher for pulling the Cyclone Rake), but I'm very glad I got the hydro for close in work and I have a lot of it. I'm counting on the Kohler Command 15HP and the K71B this fall and I think it will handle it with no problem.

So I'd definitely weigh the rider against the wide area walk behind option.

I would just like to say: The preceding posts represent just one example of how a bunch of serious, sober (uh, well maybe) well informed, and practical people can have a very good "brain storming" session, without "brand bashing". Good show gentlemen!
...........................................................
OK, SEND IN THE CLOWNS NOW :^)

With financial support from a family member, ended up with a John Deere X300.

A short time exploring in person yielded the realization the wide are walk behinds are too much and the JD with a "gift" of assistance was the best long term solution as it can tote things such as an aerator which - in today's world - we pay to have done.

Only time will tell how it works out but in any event, I've just regained a few hours of my life back with the kids.

Now, if I can only find a good weed trimmer....

Very good deal. With proper "TLC", it could end up belonging to some of your grandchildren someday. (but no point in rushing that, time flies too fast as it is).