How many HP tractor do I need?

If you are looking at a new tractor. Just be aware that over 25.5HP they usually start adding emissions systems like DPF or DEF injection. Unless of course they rolled back the Tier4 emissions with Trump's latest EO

 

That is just one of the reasons that I prefer and recommend older used tractors, plus just how many of those new tractors are going to be running in 50 or 100 years?!

 

Can't argue with what's already been said.
I went with a sub-compact tractor that has a belly mower and I have been pleased with it. It is a Kubota BX2370. It has rear & mid PTO, 3pt lift and front bucket. There are times I wish I would have gone to the B size but at the time this is what we could afford. Also, you will want a quick detach bucket. This allows you to swap out to grapple, pallet forks or any other QD item you can mount. The salesman talked me out of the QD bucket to save a few bucks, really wish I had that now.
With my little tractor I can grade a driveway with my box blade, run a 4' bush hog, a 4' tiller for the garden. The engine is just barely broken in with just under 500 hours on it.
Now if I can keep my son from wrecking more things on it and keep my wife from driving the tractor into the wall of the house.

 

Several years ago, I specifically sold an MX-100 and replaced it with a 5240 with higher hours, because the 5240 is mostly mechanical and the MX-100 is all electronic. The mice get into the deep guts of those things, chew wires, and nothing ever works right. All this newer needlessly complex equipment is going to be in the scrap yard long before the existing older stuff. I don't know what is wrong with simple mechanical machines designed such that they can be worked on by the average person. I guess the manufacturers lobby the government to make "safety regulations" that require them to build things in such a way that makes it too costly for the average owner to work on his own stuff, thus turning a one-time purchase into a years long scam allowing the dealer to extort repair bills that wouldn't otherwise be required.

 

As I have said, I have a John Deere 830 (35hp diesel) that was built in West Germany in 1973. It's 52 years old, going strong and will be around 50 years from now. For the record, I live in the country, grew up on a farm and I and my family have NEVER owned a front-end loader or a backhoe, and have NEVER needed either! Wouldn't have either if they were given to me...for FREE!

 

While your looking at tractors consider if you need it to run a generator. The 35 to 45 HP units that many are suggesting can run a higher capacity PTO generator than you would ever want to pay for separately. Smaller sizes will also be useable if you don't need one at the high end of what is possible for the tractor to run.

 

That was the plan, about an 18 kw which is plenty for my needs!