There was virtually no difference in fuel usage.

Here are the averages for each machine:

Eco Plus lawnmower - FUEL: 1.8 litres per cut - TIME: 3 HOURS

Smart Rider lawn tractor - FUEL: 1.75 litres per cut - TIME: 1.5 HOURS

Craftsman Garden Tractor - FUEL: 1.9 litres per cut - TIME: 30 MINUTES

Who would have guessed that a garden tractor uses essentially the same amount of fuel as a little lawnmower to cut the same area - and in one sixth the time!

And the noise is over sooner too, because after 30 minutes you’re sitting on the patio sipping a beverage.

If you’re thinking about trading up to a lawn tractor while the sales are on this fall, here are some key considerations. 

The Craftsman Professional 26HP Kohler Pro 54'' Garden Tractor was equipped with a side-discharge 54-inch deck.  It can chew through grass that’s at least 8 inches tall without any apparent effort.  It’s a riot to ride (12K/hour top speed), has cruise-control, a cup holder, a 12-inch turning radius and endless power on hills.  You can also equip it with snow-blowing, harrowing, tilling and hauling attachments. It has headlights for cutting after dark and an adjustable seat to account for different leg lengths. And a reserve fuel tank in case you run out of gas on the back 40.  List price: $3500

The mid-size Smart Rider arrived set up with a mulching deck (30 inches wide).  It moves along at a good clip with its 12-horsepower engine, and rarely gets bogged down in heavy grass.  At only 30 inches wide it easily manoeuvres through gates and between plants or trees.  It's also got great visibility because the engine is mounted behind the driver's seat.  List price: $1100   

The Eco Plus mower sported a mulching deck (22 inches wide) and a keyed electric ignition to make it incredibly easy to start. List price: $400

Mulching mowers are way more easily overwhelmed by long grass.  This means that you can’t ignore the grass till it’s 8 or 9 inches tall.  Well, you can, but you’ll have to cut in half-swaths so as not to stall the engine and that doubles the mowing time (and fuel usage). It will help to cut twice a week instead of once a week (but your seasonal fuel consumption will be higher of course).   If fuel conservation is your main goal, convert the mulching deck to side-discharge with the included kit. 

One other thing to consider if you go for a hot little lawn tractor or its big brother the garden tractor; your machine will need occasional maintenance and you can’t just throw a 400-pound unit into the trunk and drive it to the small engine repair place.  Sears offers onsite service for a reasonable fee and they're very prompt.  So unless you have a flatbed trailer, you’ll probably need that option.

Thanks a million to the helpful teams at Sears and Husqvarna for the opportunity to run this experiment.  Ride ‘em if you got ‘em, baby!