Riding lawn mowers help you out by giving you a spot to sit and a wider cutting path compared to push mowers. However, a decent riding lawn mower can cost thousands of dollars, which is a big spend over a walk-behind mower that costs a few hundred dollars. If you're looking to spend your money wisely and still want to choose a reliable riding lawn mower, it's worth knowing that there's only one riding lawn mower under $5,000 approved by Consumer Reports. Unlike larger riding mowers or lawn tractors, a rear-engine rider houses a smaller engine behind the driver's seat. These types of riding mowers have less power and smaller cutting decks than full-size riding mowers, so they're usually recommended for yards that are a half-acre or smaller.