Most homesteads need a sturdy mower, a garden tiller and maybe a way to clear snow from driveways. But buying and maintaining three or more engines can get expensive. Many of us dream of owning a standard tractor with various attachments, but tractors, too, may be out of reach unless you farm for a living.

The solution may be a two wheeled, walk-behind tractor that can accept a wide range of attachments, allowing you to buy and maintain just one powerful, high-quality engine to perform a variety of tasks. Two leading walk-behind tractors, the DR Field and Brush Mower and the BCS Walk-Behind Tractor, start at less than $3,000 ? far less than a riding tractor, and less than several separate machines.

Both are great products that any landowner could use with pleasure. Neither is inexpensive, but their longevity makes them a far better value than multiple pieces of less-expensive equipment that do the same work. Here are a few of the features that make them so useful.

The DR Field and Brush Mower 15 horsepower Pro:

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• A Kawasaki V-Twin Pro gas engine that leaps to life at the touch of an electric starter
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• A 26-inch-wide brush mower that never falters through rough, overgrown areas
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• A 42-inch finish mower with two swiveling front caster wheels for tight turns
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• A mower deck high enough to prevent bent or dented blades
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• A 6,000-watt generator attachment that DR says will simultaneously power a refrigerator, freezer, well pump and home heating system
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• A 30-inch snow thrower and 42-inch snow blade
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• Attachments are easy to mount and dismount
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• A lockable differential (a gearbox that sends power from the engine to the rear wheels; when it's locked, they turn at the same rate) for safety on slopes
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• A deadman safety feature that cuts off the engine if the operator loses control
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