Best riding/walk behind lawn mower

[ArmyJerry]

Bought/building a new house in WillisTx, will have an acre and a halfof grass to cut, I dont think my 30 year old Snapper push mower will be the best tool for the job. The chain saw thread demonstrated how many landscapers we have here on the hide, looking for a big walk behind or riding mower, thinking 48inches or less. Any input/guidance is appreciated.

 

[dgswen]

48" Wright Stander line

 

[MikeeBooshay]

Welcome to Texas Jerry!

Can't help you with the lawnmower part, but suspect if you look in the back of the trailer of the typical lawn service, you will get some answers there also. You'll likely have to buy it at a professional outlet rather than the homeowner grade stuff sold at the box stores.

 

[wtopace]

If you are looking at riding mowers, I would definitely recommend zero-turn, you'll cut your mowing time in half. Also, take a look at Hustler, they have high-quality USA built machines that seem to last forever. My family has been using a Fastrak SD since 2010 without a single problem. I'm actually planning on getting their new smaller Raptor model next year for myself.

Hustler Turf ? Zero Turn Riding Lawn Mowers and Tractors

Welcome to Texas!

 

[Mark williams]

Toro z mower would fit you well. If your going to bag your clippings, walker lawn mowers are really good as well.

 

[diverdon]

Commercial & Residential Zero Turn Mowers | Snow Removal | Grasshopper

The best are not going to bee the cheapest.

 

[Dtarget]

Do get a zero turn. For a similar yard, I ended up with a Gravely ZTXL 42" (~$4k OTD). Spent over a year looking at mowers. IMO the ZTXL line has the best construction and features for the money. It is between pro and homeowner.

It helps to know your budget. I was not impressed with the Hustler Raptor for the price.

Shown with what it replaced.

 

[diverdon]

Yeah the Gravely is a pretty good mower and it is probably less than half the grasshopper.

 

[tansinator]

I cut about the size lot you described. I run a Scag 48 in walk behind with sulky. I had a zero turn before. I actually like the walk behind better. Go belt driven. Lawn mowers will break and belts are cheaper then hydraulics. My Scag just turned 6 years old and I just had a $86 clutch adjustment. Other than that, just normal maintenance; filter, oil and sharpen blades. When I bought mine, the dealer said whatever you get look for a Kawasaki mower, they last forever.

Eddie

 

[Niles Coyote]

What ever you do don't buy a craftsmen, my father did and it has had nothing but problems, in and out of service centers that were a joke... I talked him into a Kabota and now he loves mowing his acreage, moving dirt with the bucket and chopping down the 20 years of growth that cropped up after I moved out with the brush hog... LOL, now he has his eye on the tiller implement.

 

[mtrmn]

Once you go zero-turn you'll chunk rocks at anything else. Gravely was my first and it lasted 12 yrs. Still have it as a backup, but just bought a John Deere Z920m (48") and it makes my Gravely residential look like a toy. Kawasaki engines are worth the extra $ if you can afford it. If I hadn't decided to get the JD, next choice would have been a Ferris for a little more than half the $. Got about 5 acres to mow....

 

[hondo1312]

I bought a "retired" scag 48" walk behind with the Kawasaki motor from a rental shop back in 2005. It's still running strong with minimal maintenance. I think I paid $800 for it back then. It's been a great mower for residential use.

 

[Guest]

Best in the business is the eXmark Lazer Z. Heaveir gauge steel deck and higher spindle rotational speed then the competition and Kawasaki engine. Look on the trailer of all the big landcape companies, you will find eXmark Lazer's and walk behinds.

Buy once cry once. Mine is going on 8 years old and runs like day one. The high spindle rotational speed allows you to cut in rain as well. Change oil regularly and keep those blades sharp and it will last a lifetime of residential use.

 

[bacamike]

I mow commercially and use Hustlers but I will say most guys around here are using eXmark.
I don't really see much difference between the two except price.

 

[ncbowhnter]

Hustler puts a beautiful cut on a yard. I would also look at Exmark and Gravely. Had a Toro that was great too. You Definitely need Zero turn. It really depends on your budget. I purchased a riding JD from a JD dealer years back and never had a problem with it. Go through a local dealer. Don't go the Big Box Store route.

 

[pmclaine]

From the sounds of it the Texans got thousands of choices come over the line just south of you daily. Just pick one and work it hard until they get locked in to the freebies and refuse to cut anymore. Than you'll just have to pick a new one.

 

[missed]

Gravely. I had a36" hydro walk behind now I have the big zero turn

 

[Switchblade]

For a walk behind, you cannot beat this McClane. I bought one in '86 and it was still going when I left for the Army in '97. My Pop sold it in 2011 and it only needed the blade sharpened, and the carb rebuilt...that thing would not die...ever.
When I grad school next semester and find myself a job, this is the first thing I am buying becuase bottom line is those damned garbage round things suck. Two since we moved here, and the second has had three issues to date.

25" Self Propelled 7 blade 7.0 HP Kohler Engine - 25" Front Throw Reel Mowers

 

[mtrmn]

1.5 acres. Pretty much any zero-turn mower will be through with that in an hour or less. You'll be volunteering to mow the neighbor's yard just so you can get more time in with the new mower.

 

[Maggot]

Cant advise on mowers, but congratulations on the new home. Texas may be a bit of a culture shock, but its a good place and lots of guns. Thanks for the excellent advice on my 'apology post'. Ive used it already.

 

[Foul Mike]

I have a Dixon mower that I bought last year. I have had no problems with and love it. We have a dealer close by and he is good to deal with. YMMV

 

[Xshot]

I love my GrassHopper diesel (Kubota) ZTR. Not cheap, but the commercial ruggedness and the power lift front mounted deck make it worth the money to me.

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

Two goats.

 

[shibby575]

Exmark or scag zero turns are the best. Buy a 60", you'll be happy later and if you move or decide to sell it for one reason or another, the retail is better, and you open your sale up to any commercial buyers.

 

[Maggot]

Two goats.

and if it all goes south you can eat the lawn mower or rent them out the the local mosque for Sat night fun time.

 

[Guest]

I posed a similar question here when I bought my new place almost two years ago. Someone recommended Scag, and I owe them a beer or three.
I bought a 61" Tiger Cat, but I'm mowing some 7 acres, when I go over all of it.
I had pros smooth, prep, and seed the acre immediately surrounding the house last Fall, so that's about a 40 minute job.
The rest of the place is still pretty rough, with lost of bumps, stumps, and rocks. The Scag has been flawless!
I can get on it at daybreak and mow thick wet grass, and it just sprays a heavy green mist out the discharge chute and keeps on ripping.

The "Velocity" deck dedicates one the blade nearest the discharge to one drive motor, while the other feed it.

With your 1.5 acres, you wouldn't necessarily need five feet of cut, and if the property is somewhat uneven you'll experience less scalping with a smaller width deck.

Go and see a Scag dealer before you commit to anything else. He'll show you how well thought out and how well built these tanks of lawn mowers are.
Look at the steel thickness, the finish, the features, and I'm pretty sure you'll have one delivered to your new place.

Good credit gets you 0% financing too if you need that.

SCAG POWER EQUIPMENT - Commercial Zero Turn Riding Mowers

 

[kansas]

Hustler. Then you can spend more time shooting.

 

[997/2man]

Dixie Chopper.


Hundreds of South Florida lawn maintenance companies can't be that wrong…

I've got a 60" and a really big yard. I count on about 35 cuts a year, give or take… I hate mowing.

 

[JMGlasgow]

Kubota diesel. They have several models of zero turns.

 

[John_in_WYO]

For a walk behind, you cannot beat this McClane.
25" Self Propelled 7 blade 7.0 HP Kohler Engine - 25" Front Throw Reel Mowers

That looks a lot like the Cooper self propelled reel mower my neighbor had in the late 60's. That style made his lawn look like a putting green.

For an acre and a half, the zero turn style gets my approval. The high blade speed allows you to mow at a higher ground speed.
My local tractor dealer let me borrow the one he uses around the dealership.

8.5 acres on a slow-ass 1999 Craftsman 50" garden tractor takes about 24 hours over three days. The ZT mower and the higher speed dropped it down to about 13 hours. Sure convinced me that the ZT mower gets it done in a hurry.

Then I went all out and bought a Kubota 4310 HST with cab and slapped a 6' finish mower behind it. Gets the acreage done in about 8 hours. Plus the bucket on front lets me move the snow to be able to get to the road... Gotta love Wyoming.