I recently purchased a new riding mower and wanted to share what I learned in the experience.

1) Bigger is better. The larger deck has made an enormous difference in the time I spend mowing a 2 acre lawn. I moved from a 42" to a 54". It used to take 1 hr 45 mins, now 1 hr 5 mins. Even though I have a fair number of trees, I found the 54 agile enough to navigate them. Normally, they recommend 46" for 2 acres, but I found 54" worked perfectly.

2) Increase the budget. A riding mower or garden tractor is a tool, and it is one tool that will be used regularly. The better the tool, the faster and better the job gets done. I increased my budget from about 1400 to 2000. The new mower, I believe, actually uses less gas because it is running for so much less time. I have not verified that, but I think there will be a fuel savings.

3) Adjust tire pressure when delivered. My "turf saver" tires were inflated to 20 psi for delivery instead of the 10 psi max.

My choice was between the Craftsman YT 4500 (54") and the Cub Cadet 50". Both were $2,000. The CC deck is smaller, but I believe the mower goes faster. The CC's were sold out at Tractor Supply, so I went with Sears as they have stood by their mowers in the past, at least for me.

I prefer the automatic transmission to riding the brake. Also the deck is removable to make blade sharpening easier.