# Best entry level riding mower?



## daganh62 (May 4, 2018)

Im looking into purchasing an entry level riding lawn mower. I have about 13,000 sq. Ft to mow so doing a reel mower is out of the budget unfortunately.


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## TigerinFL (Mar 29, 2018)

you want a riding mower or a zero turn?


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## daganh62 (May 4, 2018)

Riding i don't think i can afford a zero turn


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

daganh62 said:


> Riding i don't think i can afford a zero turn


What's your price limit?


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## daganh62 (May 4, 2018)

1300


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

That's going to put you around a 42" deck but if you're looking at entry level JD, Cub Cadet, or Husqvarna models you'll be closer to $1500.

What size deck were you thinking?


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## Alan (Apr 23, 2017)

I had an Ariens (42" cut) from HD and it fell apart-granted I used the hell out of it, but its durability was lacking. I ended up selling it on CL for $200 after about 6 years of use. It was entry level and far from the best in my opinion.


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## daganh62 (May 4, 2018)

pennstater2005 said:


> That's going to put you around a 42" deck but if you're looking at entry level JD, Cub Cadet, or Husqvarna models you'll be closer to $1500.
> 
> What size deck were you thinking?


I'm not real concerned with deck size 42 inches is good. I just don't want to break my back pushing a mower all summer.

That being said are motorized reel mower self propelled or push? If they are self propelled i might by a used one


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## Sbcgenii (May 13, 2018)

After what I have witnessed with my 42-72 mower decks I would get an older rider with 30" deck if your yard isn't dead flat.

I just googled a picture for you and they still make them. A guy at work was just throwing one away the other day and I really wanted it. Just didn't have space or time for it.
https://m.lowes.com/pd/Troy-Bilt-TB30R-10-5-HP-Manual-Gear-30-in-Riding-Lawn-Mower-Mulching-Capable/50119601?cm_mmc=SCE_PLA-_-SeasonalOutdoorLiving-_-RidingMowers-_-50119601:Troy-Bilt&CAWELAID=&kpid=50119601&CAGPSPN=pla&store_code=1532&k_clickID=c4a46341-e3c2-4405-8a3b-0ee80715e331&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI--2J8Lyz2wIVhSJpCh0U6QC9EAQYASABEgJYOfD_BwE


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## Alan (Apr 23, 2017)

daganh62 said:


> That being said are motorized reel mower self propelled or push? If they are self propelled i might by a used one


I have a TruCut C27(the reel is powered and it is self propelled as well) and I mow 25k sq. ft. (front ~9k/back ~16k) with it. I may not cut it all the same day though.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

daganh62 said:


> pennstater2005 said:
> 
> 
> > That's going to put you around a 42" deck but if you're looking at entry level JD, Cub Cadet, or Husqvarna models you'll be closer to $1500.
> ...


I dot't know much about reel mowers. If you're considering a rotary mower however the 30" Toro TimeMaster. It has the personal pace system which is awesome. Obviously not a rider but under a $1000.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Toro-TimeMaster-30-in-Briggs-Stratton-Personal-Pace-Self-Propelled-Walk-Behind-Gas-Lawn-Mower-with-Spin-Stop-21199/300234121


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## TigerinFL (Mar 29, 2018)

I got a husqvarna for the wife at the last house we had. she loves mowing but just can't handle a zero turn.

we got the one with the heavier orange deck from an independent hardware store. that thing was a tank and never had an issue with it.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

TigerinFL said:


> I got a husqvarna for the wife at the last house we had. she loves mowing but just can't handle a zero turn.
> 
> we got the one with the heavier orange deck from an independent hardware store. that thing was a tank and never had an issue with it.


I have a Husqvarna as well and it's been nearly flawless for five years.

But the OPs budget is $1300 so that limits his/her options quite a bit at least as far as riding mowers go.


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## TigerinFL (Mar 29, 2018)

yea if I were him I'd just sit back and wait if he could. every summer when the heat really kicks in you get a few Chuck's & A Truck Landscaping that cannot handle the hot and start selling off their equipment.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

$1300 budget, I'd go with a good quality walk-behind like the Toro Time-Master. 30" cut, good self-propel. But cutting 15k of Bermuda, you'll likely need to cut more than 1x a week if you are going for a superior lawn like most of the guys/gals here.

$1300 buys a lot more mower on the used market than new. You could pick up a good deal on something of better quality that's maybe 3-5 years old.


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## massgrass (Aug 17, 2017)

If you're not in a rush, I would recommend checking if any of your local Home Depots have a "clearance" section for returned mowers and periodically keeping an eye on their inventory. I saw a bunch of lightly or never used Honda, Toro, etc. models (ZTR, 21", lawn tractor) at some pretty attractive (30%+) discounts last year. Some hadn't even had oil or gas put in them, so I have no idea why they were returned.

At one HD, this stuff was kept inside the garden center. At another one, this stuff was sitting out near the contractor entrance. Stuff seemed to turn over pretty quickly, so it's worth checking out on a regular basis. When I last checked in April, they only had returned snow blowers out, so it might take a little more time for returned mowers to show up.


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## Sam23 (May 2, 2018)

If you can save up a little more money and increase your budget to $1500 you would get a better mower. In the likes of CubCadet, Husqvarna, Craftsman or John Deere. At $1300 you will be looking at Troybilt, Huskee and Murray.


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

Look into 26" greensmowers. I mow 13.5k mostly with a JD220B (10k) and the rest with a 20" TruCut. IMHO you won't get a satisfactory cut with any rotary compared to a reel.


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

J_nick said:


> Look into 26" greensmowers. I mow 13.5k mostly with a JD220B (10k) and the rest with a 20" TruCut. IMHO you won't get a satisfactory cut with any rotary compared to a reel.


Truer words were never spoken. Then there comes the levelling...


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## wardconnor (Mar 25, 2017)

This is my opinion. Any Entry level riding mower like you are considering will be all about the same. I have owned several of them to flip and I have learned that they are all basically the same machine with different paint. The engines are pretty well all Brigggs. The frames are the same. The decks are pretty well the same and even the transmissions are close to being the same. They are all not completely identical but you get my point.

I have owned 2 Poulan Pros and I originally thought that they were junk but later realized that they are just Husquvarna machines branded as Poulan. They were good machines that cut just fine for me. I have not had much experience with MTD though. I did have a super old MTD that was a piece of crap so I got rid of that, but that was super old so that does not count.

I think that you will be happy with whatever rider you get. The only real differences will be whether or not it will be manual transmission or automatic hydro tranny. Then there is the cutting width. With the width I am a believer that the wider you go with those decks the less quality of cut you get. More room for error with deck and contour of land.

IF you can stomach the money for a automatic hydro tranny then get that. They are much better and easier to use.


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## Cory (Aug 23, 2017)

FWIW I really liked my poulan pro when I got it but a year later it has some grinding noise I can't figure out what it is, the thing squeaks like crazy when turning even though I have greased all the fittings, and the forward and reverse peddled gets stuck and the problem is getting worse. I think it's the transmission because sometimes I have to push the break/clutch in order for the forward/reverse peddle to be come unstuck. Needless to say, for $1399 I wish I would have bought something else.


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