Need a lawn mower: self propelled or riding mower

[some_guy]

My yard is 1/2 acre and relatively flat. I used lawn maintenance company in the past but this year I want to cut my own grass. So I need to buy a new mower. I narrowed my search down to $700 21" Honda GCV190 self propelled mower from Home Depot and $1900 48" Husqvarna V-Twin Hydrostatic riding mower from Lowes. Will 21" Honda push mower be too tiring to use for 1/2 acre? Likewise, is 48" riding mower overkill for 1/2 acre? I'm also concerned about maintenance on the riding mower. What's general average lifespan of a riding mower and how often do things break? I figure push mower will be lot simpler to maintain and pretty much bulletproof. If I buy the 48" riding mower, I will also have to build bigger door gate to the backyard. So that's another project I have to deal with. What would you recommend?

Borrow or rent a self-propelled mower and do the lawn and see how it is for you. Though you better do it soon for I suspect your grass is way long by now.

 

[tcG]

Do NOT get a riding lawnmower. Your shoelace will get sucked into the blade and your leg will get chopped off.

 

[EliteRetard]

Do NOT get a riding lawnmower. Your shoelace will get sucked into the blade and your leg will get chopped off.

That's why you ride naked...duh.

 

[Tweak155]

That's why you ride naked...duh.

FINALLY, someone with common sense around here.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Again, I still struggle to believe that anyone mows a 9/10 acre lawn with a push mower. See the picture I put in above. That's an insane number of hours spent each week just mowing the lawn.

I tried it. Twice exactly. lol. Went to Lowes and loaded up the Troy bilt $1000 rider they sell and it's been happiness ever since. The guy at Lowes told me they sell more of that single model than all of the others combined and even then he never sees them returned for repairs. I just grab my headphones and a cold Dr Pepper and sit my lazy ass on the mower.
I paid $900 & it included a tow behind cart. Best $900 I've ever spent.

 

[ponyo]

I ended up going with mid-grade 21" Honda self propelled that was on sale at Home Depot for $400. I took it out of the box this morning and was cutting grass in less than 5 minutes after opening it. It took me about two and half hour to cut front and back. It wasn't that bad and I wasn't too tired. It helped the weather was cool this morning after yesterday's rain. I think the self propelled is going to work out ok and the mower was much better than the push mowers I used as a kid. The horrible experience with those push mowers as a teenager is what had me concerned. Thankfully push mower technology have improved over the years. Thanks for everyone's input.