I think I'd have to agree about using a riding lawn mower if only mowing one acre.
As to the size of the tractor, Here's my experience on the two tractors I've owned, one of which is a dx24, previous years model from one of the tractors your considering.
Case DX24 - 60" mid mower, loader, & post hole auger.
When purchasing my first tractor 2 years ago - One of my main concerns was having a tractor small enough to get into tight places in the yard and light enough to mow without damage. I put 240 very hard hours on the tractor doing loader work, clearing, mowing, drilling, etc. The tractor was an excellent machine and I could not have expected more for its size. I had no mechanical problems at all. It didn't take me long though to figure out that I was asking my tractor to do more than it was intended to do. It also needed more pushing power and lift from the loader for the type of work I was doing. Small bites at a time were key for the loader in packed dirt and lifting a full heaping bucket of damp dirt was difficult. I soon found myself wanting a bigger tractor. I planned to upgrade to a dx29 until the dealer talked me into a dx33. I could not have been happier and owe my dealer big time.
Case DX33 - 72" mid mower, lx114 loader, quick attach bucket & pallet forks, post hole auger
This tractor makes by dx24 feel like a toy. I could not believe the difference in power. This is the tractor I should have bought in the first place. Plenty of power for loader work, plenty of lift for the loader as well as pallet forks. The 72" mower deck makes mowing my 4 acres a snap. It's still not overwhelming in size (although it did feel huge going from the 24) and I can get into all of the tight places that I was able to get to with my dx24. (sometimes not quite as easy though). I've put 84 hours on the tractor so far and couldn't be happier.
Final thoughts. When I bought the dx24 I was considering this or a Kubota BX23. I went with the dx24 due to the larger size and thought I was buying more than I needed. I soon found way more uses for the tractor than I imagined and ended up back at my dealer to upgrade to the 33. Happy hunting.
jk
As to the size of the tractor, Here's my experience on the two tractors I've owned, one of which is a dx24, previous years model from one of the tractors your considering.
Case DX24 - 60" mid mower, loader, & post hole auger.
When purchasing my first tractor 2 years ago - One of my main concerns was having a tractor small enough to get into tight places in the yard and light enough to mow without damage. I put 240 very hard hours on the tractor doing loader work, clearing, mowing, drilling, etc. The tractor was an excellent machine and I could not have expected more for its size. I had no mechanical problems at all. It didn't take me long though to figure out that I was asking my tractor to do more than it was intended to do. It also needed more pushing power and lift from the loader for the type of work I was doing. Small bites at a time were key for the loader in packed dirt and lifting a full heaping bucket of damp dirt was difficult. I soon found myself wanting a bigger tractor. I planned to upgrade to a dx29 until the dealer talked me into a dx33. I could not have been happier and owe my dealer big time.
Case DX33 - 72" mid mower, lx114 loader, quick attach bucket & pallet forks, post hole auger
This tractor makes by dx24 feel like a toy. I could not believe the difference in power. This is the tractor I should have bought in the first place. Plenty of power for loader work, plenty of lift for the loader as well as pallet forks. The 72" mower deck makes mowing my 4 acres a snap. It's still not overwhelming in size (although it did feel huge going from the 24) and I can get into all of the tight places that I was able to get to with my dx24. (sometimes not quite as easy though). I've put 84 hours on the tractor so far and couldn't be happier.
Final thoughts. When I bought the dx24 I was considering this or a Kubota BX23. I went with the dx24 due to the larger size and thought I was buying more than I needed. I soon found way more uses for the tractor than I imagined and ended up back at my dealer to upgrade to the 33. Happy hunting.
jk