The Best John Deere Lawn Tractors of 2022

• Updated on: 2025-04-06
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Pushing a lawn mower can be great exercise, but not everyone wants to spend every Saturday morning mowing a large yard. To avoid a weekly time-consuming mow, riding mowers and lawn tractors can help. Both types of lawn-cutting machinery make quick work of mowing, but lawn tractors are typically the more heavy duty of the two, and they come with the ability to use attachments such as utility carts, aerators, and even snow blowers. John Deere lawn tractors are also available in various sizes to suit a range of lawn-care needs.

Deere & Company, whose roots date back to 1836, has a well-earned reputation for making some of the highest-quality agricultural equipment. Its consumer-size lawn tractors resemble the highly recognizable John Deere tractor, sporting classic green bodies with bright yellow seats and trim. Ahead, learn more about the lawn tractors manufactured by this brand and find out why the following machines are among the best John Deere lawn tractor options on the market.

Top-of-the-line John Deere mowers and lawn tractors are not inexpensive, but they can be a wise purchase for those looking to invest in high-quality yard-care equipment. Choosing the best John Deere tractor for lawn and landscaping involves considering yard size, engine power, and the type of attachments owners want to use.

Lawn tractor engines are measured in horsepower (hp), and the larger the engine, the more powerful the machine. John Deere uses a variety of engine sizes in its lawn-tractor offerings. Engines produced specifically for John Deere may be made by Briggs & Stratton or other manufacturers, but they are often listed as “John Deere–branded engines.”

They range from a 17.5-hp Briggs & Stratton engine in their compact S100 lawn tractor up to a 24-hp Briggs & Stratton engine in their S180 model. In their high-end specialty, the X500 Select Series, buyers can find a couple of higher-power options, including the X590, which is fitted with a 25.5-hp Kawasaki engine.

In addition to engine size and type, John Deere makes it easy to put all that power to use by implementing hydrostatic transmissions in most of its machines. This type of transmission converts the power generated by the engine into fluid power that drives the shaft. Hydrostatic transmissions are valued because they conserve energy, operate quietly, and reduce wear and tear on moving parts.

On lawn tractors, deck size indicates how quickly the user can cut the grass. John Deere lawn tractors feature deck sizes ranging from 42 to 60 inches. Compared with some push mowers with deck sizes as small as 18 inches, it’s easy to see how the larger decks on lawn tractors will cut much wider swaths and significantly reduce the time it takes to mow a lawn.

In addition to deck size, mowing height is a consideration. Most lawn tractors can be adjusted to cut as low as 1 inch or as high as 4 to 5 inches. On some models, mowing height is adjusted with a hand lever. In contrast, some of the pricier models come with a hydrostatic dial that allows the user to adjust the height in inches, and then the deck automatically adjusts to suit.

In general, riding mowers and lawn tractors are well suited to cutting large lawns such as yards with 1 to 3 acres or more of grass. Depending on the speed at which the user operates the lawn tractor, the yard can be mowed in a fraction of the time it would take with a push mower.

Still, not all yards are suitable for mowing with riding mowers or lawn tractors. If the yard is small or there are many trees and other obstacles to navigate, a large riding machine may be too cumbersome. Plus, it may be too wide to fit through a yard gate.

Steeply sloped terrain can also be a hazard for a riding tractor, which tends to tip if the user is mowing along the side of a steep slope. However, the risk is reduced by mowing either going up or down the hill rather than sideways. When considering mowing on steep or rough terrain, always follow the manufacturer’s safety guidelines.

All John Deere lawn tractors are powered by gas or diesel engines, such as the 2.4-gallon gasoline engine in the S100 model. The company offers higher-capacity tanks on some of its larger models, such as the X570, which has a 4.4-gallon tank.

Larger fuel tanks provide longer runtimes and the extra power that is necessary for operating attachments. They’re most often found on bigger lawn tractors that use fuel more quickly as well. Larger tanks also translate into less-frequent fill-ups, but they also require storing more gasoline in a garage or shed.

John Deere’s residential lawn tractors are designed to maximize user comfort and include such features as Twin Touch forward and reverse foot pedals that allow the user to change the machine’s direction. This is a user-friendly way to control the movement of the tractor compared with what was available on older models that required stopping the machine and then using a hand-shift gear to change directions.

All of John Deere’s basic lawn tractor models come with power steering, a feature that may be missing on some less-expensive brands. In addition, the standard John Deere seat is a two-part seat and backrest that allows air circulation between the two, won’t hold water, and may be less likely to rip as one-piece seats can be prone to do.

Some of the larger John Deere lawn tractors can be fitted with agricultural-type attachments that expand their versatility. Users can opt for a special-order backhoe attachment or a front-end loader that simplifies digging and moving dirt or compost. These attachments are installed at the factory before the tractor is delivered.

Standard attachments that will fit most John Deere lawn tractors include an adjustable chute that ejects grass clippings, a sun shade for protecting skin from sunrays, a rear bagger for collecting clippings, and more. Attachments are available for using the machines during any season of the year. If the goal is to find the right option that provides mowing capability only, John Deere also makes some of the best John Deere riding mower options.

Selecting the best lawn tractor from John Deere’s dozens of high-quality machines was no easy task. This respectable brand produces a wide range of mowers and tractors. We stuck with basic lawn tractors for our list and didn’t include riding mowers or zero-turn-radius (ZTR) mowers. Those looking for a quality lawn tractor are likely to find a model that suits their needs in our lineup.

John Deere manufactures some of the best-selling lawn tractors, and any of the models we’ve chosen for this lineup are among the best options for a variety of mowing and landscaping needs. Still, the John Deere S140 Lawn Tractor, our best overall pick, tops the list for a quality lawn tractor for the typical sizable residential yard. It features a 42-inch cut and comes with a 22-hp engine.

Our budget model, the John Deere E120 Lawn Tractor, is still a pricey prospect for many, but it comes at a slightly lower cost while providing features found on some of the more-expensive models.

In choosing the tractors for this lineup of John Deere-specific lawn tractors, we focused on what we felt were among the most common residential yard-care needs. We selected models from a range of prices because no two yards—or budgets—are identical.

We looked for models that offered standard John Deere features, such as hydrostatic transmissions and easy-to-see fuel gauges that make mowing more user-friendly. Then, we hunted down models best suited to specific needs such as the need to mow tight radiuses around multiple trees or to cut closely along the edge of a fence or structure.

The result is a lineup with an array of John Deere lawn tractors within a range of power levels and price tags. Still, each of the chosen models is suitable for use with multiple John Deere attachments to extend each one’s versatility.

Buying a lawn tractor is an investment in the landscape. Numerous manufacturers make lawn tractors, but the John Deere name has become synonymous with high-quality machinery and agricultural equipment. Those looking to buy their first John Deere lawn tractor will probably have a few questions.

The best tractor depends on an individual buyer’s needs. Models in the 100 Series, from which we’ve selected multiple picks for this lineup, are most likely to be sold at local home improvement stores. Still, models in other series are just as durable, although some may have to be special-ordered from the company or through a local John Deere dealer

Choosing the best John Deere lawn tractor will depend on individual needs, but our best overall pick, the S140, offers a good combination of power, dependability, and price.

John Deere uses a variety of engines in its lawn tractors, including Briggs & Stratton and Kawasaki. However, because some of these engines are manufactured explicitly for John Deere, they may be listed as “John Deere–branded” engines. Users can google the engine model number to find out its manufacturer.