The Craftsman YT 4500 54” Lawn Tractor ($2,000) is the company’s top-of-the-line residential mower for 2011. Sporting a 26 hp Kohler Courage V-Twin engine, a premium hydrostatic automatic transmission, and 54-inch cutting base, it’s got everything you’ll need to fight back suburbia. Its real game-changing feature, though, is Turn Tight technology. If the name didn’t clue you in, Turn Tight is a Craftsman exclusive steering system that gives the front wheels of the mower a wider range of motion without decking, well, the deck — allowing both the inside and outside wheels to take the same track around an object. The result is an 8-inch turning radius, making it the tightest turning residential tractor on the market. Practically speaking, that means there’s no need to pull out the push mower the next time the bird bath requires a trim. Also, if this particular tractor is overkill for your home needs, the good news is that many other lower models in the line also feature Turn Tight. Currently they’re only up for pre-order at Sears and won’t ship until May. So if you were hoping to ride off in the sunset while pulling a few donuts today, you’ll have to reschedule.
