The Troy-Bilt TB30 (mentioned above) is the best riding lawn mower with just enough power to tackle one acre of grass, and the best riding lawn mower for the money if on a budget. For any yard larger than an acre, invest in a lawn tractor, like the 42-inch Craftsman riding lawn mower (mentioned above). It will be fast and efficient. More expensive models and zero-turn mowers won’t be as helpful or efficient on smaller yards, so spending more is not always the best answer. And for anything smaller than one-half acre, a walk-behind mower is the most effective.