Craftsman R110 36-inch 11.5 HP Manual Drive Riding Lawn Mower

The Craftsman R110 is a purpose-built compact riding mower aimed squarely at homeowners who want to escape walk-behind maintenance without paying for a full-size lawn tractor. With a 36-inch single-blade cutting deck, an 11.5 HP single-cylinder engine and a manual 6-speed gear transmission, it is sized to handle properties up to roughly one acre and tight enough to weave between trees, planters and garden beds.

The 6-speed gear drive uses a foot-clutch operation similar to a manual car: select a gear, release the clutch and the mower moves at a constant speed. While not as effortless as a hydrostatic transmission, gear drive is also the most reliable, simplest and least expensive system to maintain — there is no fluid to flush and no expensive transaxle to replace down the road.

The compact 36-inch deck has a smaller footprint than 42- or 46-inch tractors, so it stores in a single bay of a one-car garage. A pivoting front axle absorbs uneven terrain to keep the cut consistent, and a five-position deck lever lets you fine-tune cut height between 1.5 and 4 inches. Side discharge comes standard; a mulch kit and rear bagger are available separately.

If your yard is bigger than a push mower can comfortably handle but you do not need a full lawn tractor, the R110 is the lowest-friction way to step up.

Key Specifications

• Cutting deck: 36 in, single-blade
• Engine: 11.5 HP single-cylinder OHV
• Transmission: 6-speed manual gear drive
• Cut height: 1.5–4 in (5 positions)
• Discharge: side (mulch kit / bagger optional)
• Recommended yard size: up to 1 acre