Watch: ride-on tractor lawnmowers on test

The machines that were tested are all aimed at the larger lawn area – all with at least 38-inch cuts and 18 horsepower on tap. The machines were all set up to be rear baggers. The test area consisted of a lawn that was sown last year and also a more mature lawn with heavy growth. The two different sets of conditions were to test the machines for both quality of cut in light conditions and the ability to cut and blow a heavier crop.

Kubota GR1600-II

• Manoeuvrability: This was something that the Kubota struggled with in comparison to some of its smaller competition – its extra length was noticeable in some of the tighter areas of the test. When cutting in open ground, it was very comfortable. Direction changes were done using a rocker-type pedal.

• Collector size: The collector box, according to the literature, is 370 litres, which is the biggest on test. However, we found this still became full quicker than most of the other mowers on the test. This is possibly due to the massive output of the machine.

• Fuel tank size: As this was the only diesel on test, comparison of the tank size is irrelevant but it was noticeable that the Kubota was slower to empty its tank than any of the petrol machines.

• Ease of emptying: The box emptying mechanism on this machine was the most complex on test, but with the inclusion of an assistor ram it was found to be very easy to operate.

• Controls: The main controls on this machine were easy to use. The ability to easily lock the deck in the raised position with a single lever was useful for manhole and foreign object avoidance. The steering was also the lightest on the test.

• Price/value: This machine was the most expensive we tested. In terms of value, the Kubota is probably good value if you have a very large area to cut or if you are contract cutting – either way you would need to be doing a lot of hours to cancel out the price gap to some of the other machines we tested.

John Deere X350R

• Manoeuvrability: The John Deere is a sizeable machine but did not seem cumbersome on the tighter bits of the lawn. Changing direction was easily done with the two-pedal hydrostatic system.

• Collector size: The box on the John Deere is 300 litres. In both the light and heavy cutting, the box was well filled with no blockages during the test.

• Fuel tank size: The fuel tank on this machine is a good size at 7.6 litres. On the test we mowed for approximately one hour and the tank still showed more than half full. This was on a par with most of the other petrol machines.

• Ease of emptying: The hopper emptying system on the John Deere is the extending lever full-box-lift mechanism that is on most machines of this size. The lever was well positioned to be reached from the seat and, once extended, gave good leverage for easy emptying.

• Controls: The controls on this machine were nicely laid out with all the essential items close to hand. The deck-lifting pedal at your left foot was quite difficult to push if it was required to lift the deck to avoid an obstacle quickly.

• Price/value: Being the second-most-expensive machine on the test, the John Deere compares well to all the others. If you have large area to cover and are a John Deere fan, this is the machine for you.

Karsit TC20/102

Manoeuvrability: The Karsit was very nimble for a big machine. The direction change was done with the two separate pedal system, with the brake and clutch on the other side. The steering on this machine was a little heavy at slow speed.

Collector size: At 300 litres, the collector box on the Karsit was the standard for this size of a mower. The blowing ability of the Karsit was very impressive, giving a very full collector in both light and heavy cutting.

Fuel tank size: The tank was eight litres in size and this machine was found to be thirstier than most of the others, presumably due to the fact that it was the highest horsepower on trial.

Ease of emptying: The hopper design on the Karsit is very different from all the other machines on trial. Instead of the hopper box moving, only the floor of the box rotates and releases the grass. This means that very litte force is required. The lever for opening the hopper is a little too far back from the seat, making it difficult for people with shorter arms to reach.

Controls: The controls on this machine are very straightforward and simple. Everything is where you expect it to be.

Price/value: This machine fits in the middle of the price range from this test. Given the power and ease of operation, it represents good value for cutting a sizeable area without the frills and expense of some of the other machines.

Viking MT-5112-Z

Manoeuvrability: The Viking is one of the larger machine we tested, mainly due to its sizeable grass collector. However, even with its size, this machine was very manoeuvrable. Direction change was controlled differently than in the other machines tested, with a lever similar to a shuttle lever on a larger agricultural machine. This was positioned on the dash and only a single pedal controlled the speed of travel.

Collector size: The box on the Viking was the second biggest tested and gave a decent amount of cutting time. In the heavier cutting, the box did not fill as well as some of the other machines. Despite that, this holds as much or more than the smaller-boxed machines.

Fuel tank size: At eight litres, the fuel tank of this machine is a similar size to all the others. During the test it was noted that this machine used less fuel than any of the other petrol machines.

Ease of emptying: The bigger box on the Viking means that there is more weight to be emptied. This, however, is countered by the smart use of a curved extending handle which allows for very good leverage. Despite the greater weight being tipped, good engineering makes it equally as easy to empty.

Controls: The height adjustment on this machine is the most straightforward, with a solid mechanical lever which is just moved between differing visible slots. The blade engagement is different to all the other machines – it is a rocker switch rather than a push-pull type.

Price/value: This machine falls in the lower to middle section of the price range. For this reason, we believe that with its comfortable ride and ease of use it is a good-value mower in this size range.

Honda HF2147

Manoeuvrability: The Honda – the largest uncut circle of any of the petrol machines on test – was noticeable as it was more difficult to work in small areas without driving on uncut grass. The forward and reverse setup was the two pedals at your right foot and was very responsive and easy to use.

Collector size: The collector on the Honda was slightly smaller than the average of the machines on test but it was not an issue as the machine filled it well whether in light or heavy grass.

Fuel tank size: The fuel tank on this machine is eight litres. We found that it used a similar amount of fuel to the other petrol engines.

Ease of emptying: The emptying system on the Honda was the standard extending lever type. The lever was very close to the operator – this made it very easy to open the hopper and discharge the grass.

Controls: The controls on the Honda were very user-friendly. The height adjustment was a handbrake-style with a release button to raise or lower the deck. Blade engagement was done using a pull-push switch on the dash – this was slightly obscured by the steering wheel in some seating positions.

Price/value: This machine falls in the higher to middle section of the price range. It is a very capable machine and would cut grass very well for a long time but is slightly outshone by some of the competition.

Husqvarna

Manoeuvrability: The Husqvarna was the smallest mower on the test. With its smaller cutting deck and smaller uncut circle, it was the most manoeuvrable of all the machines. The hydrostatic was the two-pedal system and was very user-friendly.

Collector size: The collector on this machine was a good size, following some issues getting it to fill at the start. Once it was working correctly, it filled very well and gave a decent amount of cutting time, even in the heavy lawn.

Fuel tank size: The fuel tank on this machine was 9.5 litres. We found that it used a similar amount of fuel to the other petrol engine machines tested.

Ease of emptying: The emptying system on the Husqvarna was the extending lever type. The lever was easily reached from the seat and provided good leverage to empty the grass.

Controls: The Husqvarna had the nicest seating position of all the mowers tested, with its chunky steering wheel and well-positioned lever for height adjustment and easy-to-see and engage blade switch.

Price/value: This was the cheapest mower on test but it was also the smallest cutting width on display. For a smaller area, the Husqvarna would be good value but against the larger rivals it just didn’t have the fire power.