Good lawn mowers for a good sized home yard

[JC_Tremor]

It was between Hustler and Scag due to maintenance and parts availability, sales place just up the road. Got a scag liberty z with kohler engine, 48" deck. Should suffice for my property. Thanks for the insights everyone.

 

[BadRock]

This is what I'm using for a couple of acres. Does great, pretty fast and turns tight. EFI saves a ton of fuel.

XT2 LX46 EFI - 13AZA1CN010 | Cub Cadet US

Find parts and product manuals for your XT2 LX46 EFI . Free shipping on parts orders over $45.

www.cubcadet.com

 

[purduesd]

I own a 2 year old 61" Scag Tiger Cat 2 with the EFI kohler. Its a great machine. You don't need a 61" but even still it a smaller deck/ motor on the TC2 may push your budget a bit. They also sell a couple less over built models so check those out.

-Before that i had a 48" 2004 Scag tiger cub that was a great mower too.

Scag's Velicity 2 deck and deere's z-track decks have the best cut and discharge out there.
I cut my front yard at 5"

Our local deere dealer sucks and i preferred the softer ride of the scag. (even with a z-track that had rear tweels.)

edit* looks like you found your mower already, congrats!

 

[PapaRaptor]

It was between Hustler and Scag due to maintenance and parts availability, sales place just up the road. Got a scag liberty z with kohler engine, 48" deck. Should suffice for my property. Thanks for the insights everyone.

Scag is a great machine! with maintenance it will last you 5000 hours.

 

[Driftwood]

Someone suggested John Deere, but I believe they're overpriced.

No different than cars. Some brands cost more. Higher quality = higher price.

Every penny of my John Deere Z960M (72 inch mower deck) was well worth it. Tractor is a grass cutting beast! I can't imagine trying to cut my 5.5 acres with anything smaller.

 

[Backwoodsrider]

I bought a JD X350 last year at the Deere dealer. It was around $4k give or take CDN. It works well.

 

[PapaRaptor]

No different than cars. Some brands cost more. Higher quality = higher price.

Every penny of my John Deere Z960M (72 inch mower deck) was well worth it. Tractor is a grass cutting beast! I can't imagine trying to cut my 5.5 acres with anything smaller.

John Deere has different grade machines. The contractor grade machines are top notch. I believe the low end mowers you pick up a discount chain stores are lower quality and priced to compete with the other residential mowers.

 

[BR549]

I've had my Dixie Chopper 10 years with zero issues. It's a 27HP Generac 60" cut with a engine oil cooler. I think the biggest thing to look for on any small engine is they need an oil cooler. Makes no difference how fast we can mow if your oil is getting to hot when it's 100 degrees outside...Plus I love being able to mow about 3 acres in less than an hour....

 

[Backwoodsrider]

John Deere has different grade machines. The contractor grade machines are top notch. I believe the low end mowers you pick up a discount chain stores are lower quality and priced to compete with the other residential mowers.

Last year when I was at McLaren Equipment (JD Dealer), they said the mowers at Home Depot and Lowes arent JD. They are a licensing agreement with some company that can use their colour and name. The said they refuse to work on them cause they're junk.

 

[Driftwood]

Last year when I was at McLaren Equipment (JD Dealer), they said the mowers at Home Depot and Lowes arent JD. They are a licensing agreement with some company that can use their colour and name. The said they refuse to work on them cause they're junk.

I'd never buy a John Deere tractor from Home Depot or Lowes, always heard those are knock offs. I buy my tractors from a real John Deere dealer, especially since I need something fairly large.

 

[KevinN_63]

I'm looking at Scag as a brand as there is a local Kubota place that sells the brand. I'm looking for a zero turn mower but don't necessarily need one. Any brands or specific mowers that you've had few or no issues with? Someone suggested John Deere, but I believe they're overpriced. Ideas? I'm not one for lawn maintenance but it looks like I'll soon have to be.

I have a Scag Tiger Cat, 19hp Kawasaki engine with 48” deck. Have mowed 1 acre about 35 times a year for 10 years with no issues. Awesome mower, well worth the money. Takes 50 min to mow with a bunch of trees. Look at buying after the mowing season is over and you will save money. It’s like anything else of high quality; buy once, cry once. 2 neighbors have Kubotas, no issues with them either.

 

[plethoragreen]

I haven't myself had a need or researched but a buddy of mine moved into a new place with a fair amount of land and just bought one of these. Seems like a decent price for what you get if it proves to be reliable.

 

[Backwoodsrider]

I was also told by my Deere dealer those knock offs at Lowes or Home Depot have plastic drive gears in the rear end and stip super easy. He said pulling a lawn cart / trailer will strip the rear end out quick. He said spend the extra $1400 and get a real Deere that will last a 20 30 years+ so that's what i did. I like my X350.

 

[PapaRaptor]

I was also told by my Deere dealer those knock offs at Lowes or Home Depot have plastic drive gears in the rear end and stip super easy. He said pulling a lawn cart / trailer will strip the rear end out quick. He said spend the extra $1400 and get a real Deere that will last a 20 30 years+ so that's what i did. I like my X350.

Pretty much the same as Gravely movers. My brother and I have the commercial zero turn machines. 25 hp Kawasaki engines they are grass cutting beasts. My father purchased a "Gravely" from a discount hardware store for less than half the price of ours. It has a crappy little under powered engine, whimpy deck, blades and belts. does not have the larger commercial hydro pumps. smaller plastic front caster wheels, tiny narrow rear drive wheels. It has lower cutting speed, and it's hard to control with the undersized pumps and engine.

The name brand commercial tractors have large air and oil filters and thick wide drive belts, heavy gauge steel decks, thick re sharpenable blades. The units are designed to last 5000 hours. The residential" el cheepo " models are designed to last 1000 hours but most customers that purchase them have a postage stamp sized flat yard and don't even put 25 hours on per year.

 

[MTTremor]

Hustler 72" Steel deck

 

[Patriot]

Happy with my diesel X785...

 

[TexasTremor]

Happy with my X785...

View attachment 5756

that is a nice mower!

 

[Frozenfoot]

I would look into the Ariens Apex or a gravely hd zero turn both have 3100 commercial hydro gears with kawasaki engines both around 5k new.

 

[PapaRaptor]

Lost my Dad last December and just picked this up from my Mom. Dad got it in the 80s it's all metal minus the steering wheel and knobs on the levers.
20 hp air cooled 48" deck. I had to do a bit of wrenching on it added a new battery, aired up the tires. Cuts grass awesome. I use a Zero turn but have been mowing with this. Takes me about 30 min longer but I have great memories when I drive it.

 

[Sludgemonkey44]

Lost my Dad last December and just picked this up from my Mom. Dad got it in the 80s it's all metal minus the steering wheel and knobs on the levers.
20 hp air cooled 48" deck. I had to do a bit of wrenching on it added a new battery, aired up the tires. Cuts grass awesome. I use a Zero turn but have been mowing with this. Takes me about 30 min longer but I have great memories when I drive it.
View attachment 5817

I’m willing to bet that beauty will outlast that zero turn too. That’s a solid machine right there. Probably has more than 5 grease fittings on it too. (Unlike everything new with sealed “lifetime” bearings that never last.) Love that it reminds you of your old man too. Things like that are truly priceless.