John Deere E1: Best Riding Lawn Mower Overall
Reasons to avoid
This machine makes quick and easy work of cutting any size yard, and it easily navigates terrain other mowers may struggle to traverse. It features a front-mounted V-twin engine that produces up to 26 horsepower and can reach speeds up to 5.5 miles per hour. The fuel gauge sits in plain view as you mow so you know exactly how much gas you have left.The John Deere E180 has an impressively wide cutting path of 54 inches. You can adjust the blades to 11 different height positions, anywhere between 1 inch and 4 inches, and it has a turning radius of 18 inches. These features make it easy to customize the cut to your lawn so it looks just the way you want.
The machines hydrostatic transmission is pedal-operated, so you dont have to take your hands off the steering wheel while you drive. This John Deere mower also has a cruise control that lets you set the speed you want to mow at. Both of these features limit distractions, so you can focus on your lawn and not the lawn mower.
A great value rider lawn mower
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Selecting The Right Size Riding Lawn Mower
You want to ensure that you are purchasing the correct size riding lawn mower for your property.
If you buy a lawn mower that is too small, you wont get the job done on a single tank, and you will likely get very frustrated.
A small electric mower will be able to handle one acre or the equivalent of one hour of work.
If you buy a lawn mower that is too large, you will be wasting valuable storage space as well as finding it difficult to maneuver your riding lawn mower on smaller pieces of your property.
The deck size is important because its how wide of a path it cuts.
Here is a general guide for knowing what size riding lawn mower to purchase. Figure out the size of your property.
- Less than ¾ acre: Invest in a push mower or best battery powered lawn mower instead of a riding lawn mower.
- ¾ acre 1 acre: You need a mower with a deck size between 30 and 42
- Between 1 2 acres: Choose one with a cut deck ranging from 42 to 52
- 2 3 acres: Deck size ranging from 50 to 54
- 3 5 acres: Between a 54 and 62 cut deck
- Over 5 acres: Cut deck of at least 60
In addition to your property and lawn size, consider your size. You may need an adjustable seat, especially if more than one person in your household will cut the grass.
What Are The Top Rated Zero Turn Mowers
Husqvarna, Ariens, and Toro are the top-selling zero-turn mower brands on a national level. Both of these brands have a large network of local dealers that perform service on them. As mentioned, these are also two of the brands that qualify for Home Depots white glove delivery service.
Together, these three brands make up the bulk of the markets best residential zero-turn riding lawnmowers.
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How Do I Take Care Of A Riding Mower
Keeping your riding mower in good working order is essential to ensure it operates at its best, and one of the most essentials parts of this is simply keeping it clean. Ensure the mower deck is clear of grass and leaves, take a look under the hood to brush off any debris, and do a general check of the outside, ensuring wheels are free of twigs and hazards.
You can avoid too much wear and tear on your mowers moving parts by using a grease gun to keep them lubricated while keeping your mower topped up with oil will ensure a good performance too.
Youll want to carry out an annual change of your spark plugs and air filter to keep your mower running at its best, plus you should keep an eye on your riding mower belts to ensure the correct tension.
You can do all of this maintenance yourself with some know-how, but you may prefer to find an experienced local dealer who can do it instead.
How Cr Tests Lawn Mowers & Tractors
To get you ratings and reviews of the latest models by early spring, our testers travel to Florida to conduct tests in late winter at grounds we specially prepare each year. We plant 1,800 pounds of grass seed . We cut 500,000 square feet of grass in three modesmulching, side-discharging, and bagging a total of 3,000 pounds of clippings. We mow both level turf and slopes to get a feel for each and every model. We also review the convenience features on every model we assess.
The Overall Score for each model in CR’s mower ratings incorporates all that performance data, along with predicted reliability and owner satisfaction ratings from our latest member surveys. The surveys leverage data on more than 78,000 lawn mowers and tractors that members purchased between 2010 and 2020.
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Our Top Pick For The Best Riding Lawn Mower
Our top pick for the best riding lawn mower is the Husqvarna YTA24V48 Tractor Mower.
With air-induction mowing technology, it improves grass lift and delivers a superior cut. Plenty of special features such as the choke less start, 48-inch cutting width, and 24 HP power output make this a machine worthy of the top of the best lawn mowers list.
Before you set out to buy your shiny, new gardening best friend, there are a few gardening and mechanical specifications to look out for. So ask yourself these two questions:
How Can I Prevent Scalping
When mowing your lawn, you might find that you cut chunks out of the high points, resulting in a bare patch in your grass, known as a scalp. Scalping usually occurs on uneven terrain and can leave your lawn looking unsightly.
Avoid scalping by adjusting the cutting deck height before you start mowing. If you have an adjustable height cutting deck, then raise and lower the blades as you go for the cleanest cut and no scalping.
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Q: What Would Cause A Riding Lawn Mower Not To Start
A: Despite how much you might take care of your mower and how carefully you ensure that its always in the best shape possible, sometimes things just dont work like you want them to. There is a variety of reasons this might happen, so if your mower does not start on a day youve set aside for a substantial cut, make sure you go over these easy-fix methods before you panic.
- Disconnected, dirty, or loose spark plug – remove the spark plug from the mower and give it a quick clean. If its disconnected or loose, then reattach.
- Blocked air filter – you must clean it, or, if this is a few years of build-up, you might need to replace it altogether.
- Fuel isnt reaching the engine – give the side of the carburetor a quick knock or tap to help encourage the flow of the fuel.
If none of these methods work, then you should check your manufacturers warranty and organize replacement parts. You may have to save your big day of mowing for next week.
What Important Factors Should You Consider When Buying Riding Lawn Mowers
Durability and comfort
As you try to determine which riding lawn mower is the best one for you, durability will come to mind. These machines are quite expensive, so its important to choose one which will last for a long time. Choosing a durable mower made of high-quality materials will also ensure its reliability and longevity, so you dont have to purchase another one after just a short period of time.
Comfort is also an important factor to look out for no matter what the size of your lawn is. The good news is that the new models come with comfort-oriented features and all you have to do is choose the ones that appeal to you.
A common feature for the comfort of users is the seat. Some models have high-back seats, mid-back seats, bucket seats, and even roomier ones which are perfect for those with a larger build. The comfort level is essential if you want to use your mower for long periods of time. Since riding lawn mowers should make the task easier, comfort is key.
Transmission
Just like cars, lawn mowers have varying transmissions. With such machines, you would have a choice between three main types of transmission systems namely automatic, hydrostatic, and manual. Automatic and manual transmissions are just like those in cars. Manual transmission only needs gears to change manually while an automatic transmission only requires the gas pedal.
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The Most Common Lawn Mower Problems To Know About
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Lawn mowers arent always problem-free, says Consumer Reports. As a matter of fact, nearly 30% of riding lawn mowers are likely to develop problems or break during the first five years of ownership.
The most commonly reported problem among riding mowers had to do with the mower belt, affecting 13 percent of riding mowers, explained Martin Lachter, a senior research associate at Consumer Reports. Another common lawn mower problem owners often complain about is related to the lawn mowers bag not filling or attaching to the mower correctly.
Fortunately, Consumer Reports incorporates ratings for brand reliability into its Overall Scores for riding lawn mowers and zero-turn mowers. Not only does that make finding a reliable riding lawn mower easier, but it also makes shopping for the best lawn mower for your lawn care needs an even more manageable task.
What Size Mower Should I Get
It’s up to you how big of a mower you’re comfortable handling or paying for, but the general rule of thumb is, the larger your lawn, the wider you probably want your mower deck to be. This is because the wider your deck, the more grass you’ll be cutting with each pass, and the fewer passes you’ll need to finish the job.
This formula gets a bit more complicated if your lawn has steep inclines, or numerous objects to maneuver around, like gardening beds, trees, or landscaping features. In these cases you might want to consider a smaller deck that can more easily get around these obstacles, and can actually allow you to complete your job faster than a wider mower.
This can be a lot to think about, which is why Blake mentioned the importance of consulting with an experienced outdoor power dealer, explaining that “whether you have one acre or 20, let your dealer help you with size so you don’t buy too small or too big, since you want your choice to last you for years.”
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Select The Mower Steering Type
As you can see from the reviews above, zero-turn mowers come with two basic steering types. The most common is called Lap Bar steering. Lap bar steering uses two laterally placed arms to steer the direction of the mower.
The second choice involves the more traditional Steering wheel of the sort that you would find on a regular riding lawn mower or vehicle.
Lap bar steering offers greater maneuverability and sharper turning, but mowers equipped with this type of steering dont handle well on hills or sloping yards. This is due to the front floating wheel design, vs. the Steering wheel design, which links steering directly to front tractor tires
Mowers with the traditional steering wheel, on the other hand, can handle hills much more effectively, but theres a slight trade-off when it comes to nimble steering.
The right choice for you will depend heavily on the slope and terrain of your yard.
Ryobi 38 Inches 100 Ah Battery Electric Rear Engine Riding Lawn Mower Ry48111
Ryobi has yet again impressed us with another powerful lawnmower of 48 volts. It is powered by lead-acid batteries of 100Ah, which offers a run time of near about three hours. It has a beasty outlook and comes to an exotic color combination of balk and green. It helps the user to mow their lawn smartly without sweating even a single drop.
Basic Features
It is equipped with a two-blade deck of thirty-eight inches and offers twelve-position manual deck adjustment for getting a clean and level cut on the lawn. It provides a Quite Cutting feature that emits 70dB of noise during cutting sessions. This way, you would be able to work quietly without disturbing neighbors.
It is also equipped with powerful LED headlights, cruise control features, and a USB phone charger that makes mowing a convenient and efficient job as well. It can efficiently work on 2.5 acres of land without any break whatsoever.
Pros
- It has three brushless motors for offering superior power as well as performance.
- It can be easily charged through a standard power outlet of 120 Volts.
- It moves smoothly even when you are going downhill.
Cons
- It can only incline a maximum of ten to fifteen percent. If you try to tilt it more, it will spin the wheels.
- Some customers have reported that it does a poor mowing job.
Final Verdict
You can use it on your dumpy lawn without feeling even a tad bit of difficulty. You can charge it once, and it can perform heavy-duty tasks for long hours.
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Greenworks 2 X 24v 20
According to Aqsa Tabassam, a gardener and landscaper with over 10 years of experience, this battery-driven push mower is one of the best on the market. It boasts four-in-one turbo technology that is ideal for leaf picking and provides maximum power, she said. This model has a cutting width of 20 inches, making it ideal for medium-sized and large lawns. If you prefer, you can also purchase it as a self-propelled mower.
Husqvarna Ts354xd 26hp Kohler Lawn Tractor 960430290
This heavy-duty garden tractor by Husqvarna comes with unbeatable capabilities. It offers fast mowing anywhere and anytime, so that you can have the perfect result.
The best thing about using this lawnmower is that it provides maximum productivity with the nearly set need for maintenance. It is by far one of the most comfortable lawn mowers which you can use.
Basic Features
It features a Kohler 7000 series V-Twin engine of 26 horsepower that delivers the perfect torque and power that is needed for demanding operations. The high-back seats are not only comfortable, but they also come with armrests.
The commercial-grade and pedal-operated hydrostatic transmission, along with an electric locking differential, provides increased traction even on inclines as well as wet conditions.
Pros
- It comes with bright LED headlights, which allows the user to mow even in the dark.
- The ClearCut fifty-four inches fabricated cutting deck offers a ten-gauge steel construction along with welded reinforcement that provides better durability.
- Users can attach extra equipment like a snow blade or a blower to use this lawnmower for multiple purposes.
Cons
- It is expensive.
- Some customers have complained that they had received a damaged product at first.
- There is no cutout on the frame that allows the user to check the fuel left in the tank.
Final Verdict
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How To Choose A Riding Lawn Mower
Here’s what the experts we interviewed had to say about selecting and purchasing a riding lawn mower:
- Consider a zero turn mower: Blake recommends choosing a zero-turn mower, explaining that they “make easy turns, no shifting, and you control the ground speed.” This lets you finish quicker, and according to Blake, have “more time to fish or golf.” Zero turn mowers take a little getting used to and are a bit pricier, but they’re primarily what landscaping pros use for cutting lawns.
- Check the maintenance and warranty: Blake said the most important thing to ask yourself is, “the place you are buying your lawn equipment, will they be the place to help you in the future with service and parts?” As someone who spent a significant amount of time repairing decks, handling grease guns, and struggling with frustrating mower repairs, I can’t stress this point enough.
- Look at a lot of options: Since customers will have different priorities or features that mean the most to them, take the time to look at a range of options. Blake says, “take your time, read all the reviews and specifications, and your investment will pay with service and great looking yard.”
Best Lawn Tractor With Zero
Why We Like It
Exclusive to our list of top ten ridings lawn mowers is the ZERO-TURN RADIUS Troy-Bilt Mustang. This mower combines a powerful 22- HP Kohler brand V-Twin engine with the favored dual Hydrostatic Transmission but also includes the rare Zero-Turn radius steering. Oh, and it offers a zero-turn radius with a standard steering wheel not lap bars.
While its not the cheapest riding mower on our list, if you have a larger budget The Mustang is certainly one of the best to consider for nimble maneuverability and sloping yards or hills.
Specifications
- Kohler 7000 Series 22-HP Engine
- IntelliPower throttle adjustment
- Heavy-duty steel frame Lifetime frame warranty
- 3-year warranty on engine and parts
- Hydrostatic transmission
- Cons: No headlights
Our Take Away
In terms of having almost every riding lawn mower feature you could wish for the Troy-Bilt Mustang really does check the right boxes. In addition, this riding lawn mower includes DUAL hydrostatic transmission, meaning the steering wheel turns all 4 wheels, making it a great mower for Hills or Steep terrain. Overall, we think the Troy Bilt Mustang is one of the top-rated zero-turn mowers.
We were extremely impressed with this riding mower and can recommend it as one of the top-rated riding lawn mowers for any lot up to 2 acres large.
Troy-Bilt Best Riding Mower with Zero-Turn Radius Steering
Troy-Bilt
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