Advice on small riding mowers

[DMF13]

So I now have a larger yard. I went from just under 1/4 acre, to just over 2/3 of an acre. Plus the little yard had a large patio, and was landscaped in a way that eliminated a lot of space from mowing. Using my 25+ year old, 21" push mower was quick and easy with the tiny yard, but now it's a royal pain, and taking way too much time with the larger yard.

I now have a shed, that sits about 8" off the ground. I have been considering getting a small rider, that I can get into the shed, without building a ramp. I figure something small, like this: https://www.troybilt.com/equipment/t...er-13a726jd066
. . . could be muscled into the shed, by lifting one end up into the shed, and then shoving the other end in.

However, I know nothing about these things. What brands should I consider? Do I need to spend more to get a "hydrostatic" transmission? Any other things to consider?

The yard is almost completely flat, and while there are some obstacles, I don't want to go "zero-turn," as all of them are much larger/heavier, meaning it won't fit in the existing shed.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[randyho]

The Toro TimeMaster may be the droid for which you're looking.

[TC215]

I just bought a 42” Cub Cadet XT2, and am very pleased with it.

https://www.cubcadet.com/equipment/c...s/xt2/features

Edit: Skimmed too fast and missed the part about needing to go in the shed, so the Cub Cadet probably wouldn’t work.

[willie]

I had a John Deere that worked nicely. Lowe's and Home Depot sell many brands. Find out who repairs them and ask them if there are certain models to avoid.

[SJC3081]

For $3000 you can get a budget zero turn that is far superior to a ride on style mower.
https://www.mowersdirect.com/Husqvar...SABEgKJ9PD_BwE

[ratter75]

The run of the mill Deere (D140?) from the big box stores will do the job. All the components are so lightweight (read:flimsy) that hoisting it probably won’t be a big deal. In lieu of building a ramp, a short piece of plywood that you can stow when not entering/exiting would work fine too.

I mow 6-8 acres twice a week. I own and have owned better equipment for the job than the Deere but it does the job on the cheap and maintenance has been painless.

ETA: the Troy-Bilt you posted will do the job just fine as well. Check on parts availability, how much of a pain oil changes are, etc. before pulling the trigger. If it all checks out, go for it.

[littlejerry]

I've got a Husqvarna built Craftsman that I bought in 2015. I believe the deck is ~42 inches. It's got a Briggs V-twin and hydrostatic transmission.

So far no major issues. The throttle cable came loose around ~18 months which made it hard to start(wasn't actually going to full choke). The drive belt started slipping after 2 years of use. Our 1/2 acre is on a pretty decent slope and I would "stall" if I gunned it going uphill.

Other than that I change the oil and plugs every year-ish. The bagger kit was pretty flimsy and fell apart after 3 years. I replaced the hardware with larger bolts/washers/nuts and it's still usable.

My situation was similar to you. Moved from a small 1/4 acre to roughly a 1/2 acre, but the new yard is all grass and it's that thick zoysia stuff. First mowing I had to refill the gass tank twice on my Craigslist push mower. I also had to do a ~50% overlap on my passes to keep the damn thing from stalling in the thick grass. Now I can mow the front and back in about 30 minutes if I'm really moving.

I'm happy with my Husqy and Briggs combo, but I think there is a lot of luck involved in the consumer grade lawn equipment.

I also recommend getting a small trailer. Super handy for moving mulch, rocks, firewood, etc across the yard.

[Hambo]

I'm not sure what brand my zero turn mower is, but it comes with two guys and a weed trimmer. Best grass cutting investment I ever made.

[camsdaddy]

We have a snapper rear engine that works great.

[LittleLebowski]

I broke three riding mowers on my five acre property before I threw in the towel and bought a Cub Cadet 50” zero turn with Kawasaki motor and welded (not stamped!) deck. That was about three years ago, I only wish I’d made that purchase sooner. It’s more durable than consumer grade riding mowers and the amount of time you get back (because of its speed) is well worth it.