There are no Lawn Tractors that come with a true vacuum. You have to get into Garden Tractors to find that type of attachment. The very best unit out there is made by Ingersoll, a name you probably never heard of. Originally, this line of tractors was made by J. I. Case, the same company that competes against John Deere in both construction and agricultural machinery. The Case/Ingersoll tractors are extremely well-made but they come at a price that is appropriate for the quality. However, excellent used Ingersoll tractors can be bought for less than $3000.00. The beauty of these tractors can be found in their patented hydraulic drive system that not only propels the tractor but also allows the owner to use attachments that are powered with hydraulic motors. The Hydra-Bagger is one such attachment. It uses a vacuum made from heavy guage steel that has a suction fan spun by a hydraulic motor. It pulls leaves, clippings, twigs and anything else that the blades on the high-lift deck pick up and spit toward the discharge chute and then propels those items into a three-bag bagger that is mounted on the rear of the vac mount. If your property is really large, then perhaps a Hydra-Vac would be a better choice. This is almost the same as the Hydra-Bagger but instead of the triple bags, you pull a utility cart that collects all the debris. I suggest that you use the link below to visit the home site of Ingersoll so you can discover more about this brand. If you then go to e-Bay and conduct searches under "case lawn mower" and also "ingersoll lawn mower", you will often find a large variety of older Case and Ingersoll garden tractors, as well as a wide variety of attachments and parts. There are some other brands that use belt driven vacs that are mounted down by the deck but they don't come close to what the Case/Ingersoll line can do. If you want more information, then ask right here and I will reply. Here is a link that might be useful: Ingy

Colorblind - If your husband owned a lawn service, he must know that a residential unit cannot compete with commercial. Residential units have lower blade speed for safety reasons. I have a Massey Ferguson (aka Simplicity) with a 50" deck and a turbo bagger. It also has a 20HP mower. It has plenty of power and cuts well, but the commercial units cut better. I used to have a Deere LT150 with a bagger that cut very well. My neighbors' landscaper uses an Exmark with a 60" deck. He does bag it and it looks AWESOME when he is done. Much better than mine :(. My other neighbor has a Toro spin steer (possibly residential cost about 3 grand). Cuts very well and he mows once a week with NO BAGGING. That appears to be a great model. I drove it once and did not feel comfortable, so I bought another tractor. Even a used commercial unit might be a good option. I swear the higher blade speed makes even a crappy lawn look better. My next unit will be a commercial or I will pay a service.

There is a BIG difference between a bike and a mower. That difference is the two spinning blades under the mower. Those blades can cut up small sticks. What is to keep them from cutting small arms and legs that accidentally fall off the mower and get run over. For that matter large arms and legs are also easily cut. If you want to give them a ride, get a small trailer, turn off the blades, and pull them through the yard. If you have a wooded part, mow trails through the area. The when you are given the kids rides take them on the trails through the woods.

Tough one. I'd go with renting, $500 per year and someone else has the issues of maintenance, dealing with storing gas, etc. Unless you're "mechanically inclined," going with a used machine will also cause you to buy a trailer to haul to the repair shop. As Tom asked, do you want to do other things, tow a trailer, etc.? Do you have a place to store it inside? When I was younger I sneered at the thought of renting, had to own everything. Now, things I only use a couple times a year, I rent. e.g. Pressure washers, log splitter. I don't have to store them, deal with ethanol in gas, etc. Something else I noticed, never bought "cheap," but things that were seldom used, "blink your eyes" and they're 4-5 years old and you're trying to find parts. You didn't mention if you 2.75 acres is level or hilly, also, is it smooth like a lawn, or rough which the machines with light frames and small wheels don't like. $1500 is a little bit above entry level, but not much, definitely an LT, not a GT which you'd want if you have hills. I'm not sure you could mow 6" high, definitely not 10". Good luck, Ev