Lawn mowers

[WebSnyper]

Anyone got decent recommendations for brand/model if one was going to start looking at riding type (possibly venturing into zero turn, etc, but not decided yet) mowers and what features, etc to look for? I've been a self propelled push mower guy for decades.

I've only owned one old used riding mower like 15 years ago that I bought from a broken home sale and then turned around and sold like a season later when I moved from that house, so my riding mower knowledge is very very low. We moved at the end of 2019 and I've currently got about 0.6 or so of an acre to mow and it seems significantly larger than the previous house's 0.4 acre lot. Either I'm just getting old or one of the surveyors was lying. Time to step up to something easier.

I'll be looking at a couple of dealers here in the Hendricks county area and will be buying from a place that services and sells and not a big box store for that and other reasons.

What's INGO's recommendation?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Anyone got decent recommendations for brand/model if one was going to start looking at riding type (possibly venturing into zero turn, etc, but not decided yet) mowers and what features, etc to look for? I've been a self propelled push mower guy for decades.

I've only owned one old used riding mower like 15 years ago that I bought from a broken home sale and then turned around and sold like a season later when I moved from that house, so my riding mower knowledge is very very low. We moved at the end of 2019 and I've currently got about 0.6 or so of an acre to mow and it seems significantly larger than the previous house's 0.4 acre lot. Either I'm just getting old or one of the surveyors was lying. Time to step up to something easier.

I'll be looking at a couple of dealers here in the Hendricks county area and will be buying from a place that services and sells and not a big box store for that and other reasons.

What's INGO's recommendation?

I have just under an acre (0.88 I think) and I have a John Deere lawn tractor. I love it. I use it for more than just mowing. I can either hook my garden cart to it for hauling sticks and branches to the fire pit, or pulling a de-thatcher, broadcast spreader or even hook it to my 5'x8' utility trailer to haul mulch around to all the flower beds (we have a BUNCH). If I had major acreage, I'd probably look into a ZTR, but for me, the tractor works great. I also like that it has a hydrostatic transmission.

 

[Brandon]

I have a John deere and take care of my mothers Hustler s.d.

She has 2 acres and i have half an acre. Id much rather have the hustler/ztr vs any rider.

I am not bad mouthing Jd as it has been reliable and does what it does well. The ztr makes things quicker.

 

[4651feeder]

Became a ZTR convert over a decade ago, cause I don't think mowing is an event that should occupy a good deal of one's time. Like Brandon Hustler was the most recent choice here. Other opinions may vary.

 

[maxwelhse]

For that size of lot, I'd personally have a hard time coming up with ZTR money. If you don't have a boatload of trees, and have a fairly normal lawn, I'd think a ~$1500 rider of pretty much any style would be fine. Use it for an hour a week during mowing season for a decade with only basic care, junk it, repeat. If 10 years gets you close enough to the finish line that you wouldn't want to mow it yourself anymore anyhow, then even better.

Features? I won't own a manual transmission tractor. Must be a hydrostat. I'd also look for the tightest steering radius possible at whatever price point/construction tickles your fancy. If you want to do more than cut grass, the criteria changes a ton. Hard to plow with a ZTR and I think most have pretty low towing capacities. My garden tractors can, and have, pushed cars around.

 

[kickbacked]

I have a hustler personally and have experience with toro, grasshopper commercial units. I like hustler the best.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

For that size of lot, I'd personally have a hard time coming up with ZTR money. If you don't have a boatload of trees, and have a fairly normal lawn, I'd think a ~$1500 rider of pretty much any style would be fine. Use it for an hour a week during mowing season for a decade with only basic care, junk it, repeat. If 10 years gets you close enough to the finish line that you wouldn't want to mow it yourself anymore anyhow, then even better.

Features? I won't own a manual transmission tractor. Must be a hydrostat. I'd also look for the tightest steering radius possible at whatever price point/construction tickles your fancy. If you want to do more than cut grass, the criteria changes a ton. Hard to plow with a ZTR and I think most have pretty low towing capacities. My garden tractors can, and have, pushed cars around.

Yep. For a large lot, ZTR. For an acre or less, a ZTR is overkill IMHO, especially if you have other tasks that your mower can be used for. We laid out our flowerbeds and mulched around trees such that I almost never use my self-propelled mower. Really it's only been a backup if the rider is out of commission. I've had my JD since 2006. Even trimming around the couple of trees that don't have flowerbeds/mulch under them is easy with the hydrostat transmission on the Deere.

 

[HoughMade]

I have a bad feeling about this.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I have a bad feeling about this.

A Farmall (or whatever brand you have) would definitely be overkill for a .66 acre lot.

 

[shadow64]

About 5 years ago I switched from a tractor to a zero turn and I would not go back. There is a slight learning curve for zt but by the second time I cut my time in half . Mine is a simplicity I have had no problems with it . It is a overkill for my yard .55 acre but a real time saver I cut my neighbors yard also and still finish faster than when I used the tractor .

 

[DoggyDaddy]

About 5 years ago I switched from a tractor to a zero turn and I would not go back. There is a slight learning curve for zt but by the second time I cut my time in half . Mine is a simplicity I have had no problems with it . It is a overkill for my yard .55 acre but a real time saver I cut my neighbors yard also and still finish faster than when I used the tractor .

I can cut my yard (.88 acre) in about 45 minutes. I'm good with that. Again, if all I had to do was mow then I might consider a ZTR. I just like having the versatility. Just depends on the needs of the individual I think.

 

[maxwelhse]

Yep. For a large lot, ZTR. For an acre or less, a ZTR is overkill IMHO, especially if you have other tasks that your mower can be used for. We laid out our flowerbeds and mulched around trees such that I almost never use my self-propelled mower. Really it's only been a backup if the rider is out of commission. I've had my JD since 2006. Even trimming around the couple of trees that don't have flowerbeds/mulch under them is easy with the hydrostat transmission on the Deere.

Ehh... I'd slightly differ in that if one had to mow around a small forrest on a tight lot, a ZTR would pay off quickly. For mowing acreage, which is a problem I hope to have, a compact tractor with a tow behind would be my choice. For trimming, RoundUp is king. Scorched Earth!

I'm beginning to wonder about the speed advantage of ZTRs being praised here though. A few of my neighbors have the small ones (suited for the 1/2-2/3 acre lots we all have) and nobody is done in like 20 minutes. With a 44" deck on my ancient tractor that is getting pretty tired in the HP department, it takes me about an hour to mow. Cutting that half wouldn't make a big enough difference to me to warrant the cost jump to a ZTR. Shopping at the bottom end of the market, the prices are pretty much doubled.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

This is the kind of "riding mower" that I used to cut our yard when I was growing up here. (although this one in the pic looks a lot better than what we had) So the JD has been a HUGE improvement!

 

[chocktaw2]

About 5 years ago I switched from a tractor to a zero turn and I would not go back. There is a slight learning curve for zt but by the second time I cut my time in half . Mine is a simplicity I have had no problems with it . It is a overkill for my yard .55 acre but a real time saver I cut my neighbors yard also and still finish faster than when I used the tractor .

Been 15 yrs since I switched to ZTR. I cut my time in half also. I have however found out a way to cut that time in half also.

 

[chocktaw2]

Been 15 yrs since I switched to ZTR. I cut my time in half also. I have however found out a way to cut that time in half also.

I just mow half of it!

 

[WebSnyper]

About 5 years ago I switched from a tractor to a zero turn and I would not go back. There is a slight learning curve for zt but by the second time I cut my time in half . Mine is a simplicity I have had no problems with it . It is a overkill for my yard .55 acre but a real time saver I cut my neighbors yard also and still finish faster than when I used the tractor .

I see the old guys in my new neighborhood zipping around on them crazy fast. It's amazing how fast they can mow, and I'm still out there pushing... old guys are smart. That's how they got where they are. I want to be a smart old guy... currently I'm just old.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I just mow half of it!

 

[maxwelhse]

This is the kind of "riding mower" that I used to cut our yard when I was growing up here. (although this one in the pic looks a lot better than what we had) So the JD has been a HUGE improvement!

View attachment 132293

This is the kind of riding mower that I used as a kid...

It's also exactly the same riding mower I use as an adult.

 

[shadow64]

I see the old guys in my new neighborhood zipping around on them crazy fast. It's amazing how fast they can mow, and I'm still out there pushing...

that’s what I do !!

 

[chocktaw2]

But, you have to admit, I can be funny.