The Stovebolt Forums Forums The Front Office The Greasy Spoon Opinion on riding mowers.

I am looking to purchase a 42' rider what are recommendations.

I have a Cub Cadet. It works like it should.

Switched from a conventional rider to a ZTR about 5 years ago. No way would I go back. Mine is a commercial John Deere but both my kids have Hustlers.

My nephew and I have used john devere for 30 plus years. A little more money up front but we have found them to be almost indestructible. The one I have now looks like a pile of junk but just want die. We've used bigger JD tractors and they are tough.just be sure to buy the real deal and not the ones built for "mass marketing.

Two years ago next fall I bought a Hustler Raptor. Hands down the best mower I've ever owned. They are made in the USA. Mine does an excellent job of cutting the grass, even at full speed (9MPH). My Raptor is a 52". My brother bought a 42" and loves it. If you wait until Sept you can get a great year end deal. My brother bought his during mowing season, I bought mine in October. We paid the same price for our mowers. The only caveat is, there's a steep learning curve with the tiller bar ZTR. It's steep but not wide. It doesn't take long to master it. The local dealer was telling me he has a customer who drove his into the side of his house. The customer's wife gave him a hard time and got on the mower herself to show him how it's done and promptly drove into the house again. I spent 30 minutes driving around the back yard at low speed without the blades engaged, working my way around the different obstacles just to get used to how it works. My first couple of mow jobs looked like a drunk did them but after that it became a piece of cake. Like I said, steep curve but not a wide one. There are a number of brands of ZTR mowers, most are likely good mowers. My only personal experience is with Hustler and if I live long enough to need another I'll buy another Hustler. This is the mower I bought but not the place I bought it. I bought mine locally.

60 inch Dixie Chopper about 8 years ago. Very heavy duty commercial mower.
But it also comes with a heavy duty price tag.
https://www.dixiechopper.com/mowers/eagle

Don

I've used riding garden/lawn tractors to cut the lawn for decades. I bought a ZTR this Spring that uses a joy stick. I feel like I'm cutting the lawn sitting on a recliner chair. Extremely comfortable. It use to take me 4 hrs of lawn cutting, I can now cut the lawn in 2.5 hrs. and I don't feel beat up when I'm done. If you go the ZTR route, and you have slopes to cut, go with a unit that has a pivoting front axle assembly. I choose a Country Clipper unit. The ease of flipping the cutting deck up front to clean and change blades was the major selling point for me. I too, will never go back to garden/lawn tractors to mow the lawn.

Rick

First off, I would recommend bumping up to a 48” unless you’re space limited. The lawn tractors that are 48” and bigger tend br heavier built, bigger engines, tires, etc...

I bought a Husqvarna 52” a few years ago. It’s held up well. I wanted something that could tow a trailer and plow snow. It’s done a great job. Cub Cadets, Troy Bilt, John Deere D series, and Craftsmen GT’s are all pretty much the same as the Husqvarna, so it’s kind of a wash when you’re out looking. The decks on John Deere’s and the Husqvarna seemed to be a little better than the others though.

I bought a John Deere All Wheel Steer this year. WOW, what an animal. I will have to say, it can give any zero turn a run for the money. It’s cut our mowing time almost in half. However, buying used I’m finding out there is a bunch of wear items on these mowers that cause headaches.

John Deere X series. Those are the ones sold by John Deere, rather than the ones sold by the box stores. They are a bit more spendy, but well worth it.

This for my friend with Huskies. Her yard is heavily planted, so that is why specified 42". I have a Craftsman 30 " rear engine and my yard is a half acre and it takes 1 hr. to mow. It is 18 years old and other than changing the blade and fixing something I caused it has done me ok.