A riding lawn tractor is an excellent investment for many home owners. While the size of your yard is definitely a consideration when deciding on a riding lawn mower, also important is the terrain. Improvements in riding lawn mowers over the years have made them much safer, but if your yard consists of a series of hills, it may not make economical sense to invest in a riding tractor.

If you do decide to purchase a riding lawn mower, you can be assured that your lawn work will go much quicker than you ever imagined. Quality tractors such as those by Murray and Craftsman make short work of most average-sized lawns. The large mowing decks and tighter turn radius of newer mowers mean fewer passes across the lawn. Other great brands to check out are Toro, Cub Cadet, Wheel Horse, Gravely, MTD, and Kubota.

If safety is a concern, you should be aware that the addition of roll bars and seat belts to many lawn tractors have greatly increased their safety rating. Another safety option, available on all riding mowers, is the automatic engine cut off. If your weight comes out of the seat, as it would in a roll over accident, the engine will shut down, preventing mower blade injuries.

The options available on riding mowers are virtually limitless. You can bag your grass clippings or mulch them. You can attach a variety of implements to your lawn tractor that will turn it into a snow blower, snow plow, garden tiller or a landscape drag. For areas that have slick grass or slight inclines, you can get chains for your tires.