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[Shop-talk] best residential mower

Subject: [Shop-talk] best residential mower
From: scott.hall.personal at gmail.com (Scott Hall)
Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:24:29 -0400
References: <CC4CC38B66B94D96962D8AAF03560BB8@OwnerPC>
For 1.5 acres are we talking about a push mower, or do you want the 
$12,000 Deere with finish mower attachment driven off the p.t.o.?  :-)

I keeeeeeeeeeeeed.  I've got a Husky from Lowes I use for ~4 acres.  The 
Deere from the Deere dealer was nicer but was also $1200 more 
expensive.  It wasn't worth it to me.

Someone here said that if it says Deere on the side, Deere made it, and 
not American Yard Products (who I suspect make every lawn tractor sold 
in the U.S.).  I don't know if that's true, but the Deere from the Deere 
dealer was nothing like the Deere from Home Depot, and the price 
reflected that.  I can't speak to reliability in dealer vs. box models 
or brands, but the Husky has been fine with the exception of a deck 
mounting bracket that vanished and had to be replaced.  Other than that, 
it's fine, which is the nicest thing I can think to say about it's 
reliability.  Essentially, get the cheap one, because they'll all break 
about the same.

I'll say this though: mine is a 48-inch deck.  It's got three blades.  
Avoid this arrangement if you have an option (the dealer Deere was a 
44-inch deck, if memory serves, but it had two blades).  Ultimately, you 
want the longest blades you can get, not the biggest deck.  Two 22-inch 
blades are far preferable to three 16-inch blades, to which I can attest 
from hard experience.  My blades must be perfectly razor sharp to cut, 
and I still end up cutting the yard twice.  As far as the hydrostatic 
drive, etc., I've had no issues.

I had a Snapper before that, and I'd still say get the cheap mower.  It 
was no better than the Husky.

My future plans for the yard are this: multiple Roomba-esque robotic 
mowers, a used professional mondo-deck tractor or ZTR, or an actual 
tractor with a finish deck.  I think for 1.5 acres, I might be inclined 
to get a push mower, but a tractor might make it more comfortable.  I 
wanted the tractor until I got them, and not they just seem to low on 
the cost/benefit scale to repeat.


On 9/20/2011 8:25 AM, john niolon wrote:
> My 10 year old Cub Cadet is starting to be more trouble than I want... seems
> every week or so it's costing me money...
>
> for a 1.5 acre suburban lot... what do ya'll consider the best residential
> lawn tractor and ZTR mower...
>
> don't want to put out mega bucks on a commercial and don't want a box store
> pos..  but need something that will last longer than the warranty...

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