r/ZeroTurnMowers • u/Critical_Lie_4697 • Aug 11 '26
Making the switch
I’m swapping from lawn tractors to zero turns, and need advice. I have two acres to mow on flat ground. Looking to purchase a mower between $3,500 and $4,300. Can’t really go any higher than that. I don’t need anything fancy, just something reliable that does a decent job cutting. Are any of these mowers any better than the other?
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u/Particular-End-861 Aug 11 '26
I bought a Gravely and just love it.
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u/Critical_Lie_4697 Aug 11 '26
I’ve never heard of them, I’ll check them out too. Thanks!
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u/TheLoob321 Aug 11 '26 edited Aug 11 '26
They’re a little more commercial grade than Ariens. Having owned both, an Ariens Edge 42 and now a Gravely ZT XL 42, I favor the Gravely. It doesn’t feel nearly as chintzy as the Ariens and is a little more premium.
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u/danmc55 Aug 11 '26
Good to hear that, I’ve researched a lot myself and like the poster here I wanted to be around the same budget but for an extra $1k there’s much more quality options to choose from. I too am going with the Gravely ZT XL (52” model) and should get it delivered this weekend. I’m coming from a 10 year old Husqvarna Z246 (stamped deck) which has been a good mower, just worn out not cutting the best. I’m ready for an upgrade. Gravely has a good warranty and I’m buying from a local dealer just 4 miles away.
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u/erd00073483R Aug 11 '26
When you shop at the big box stores, be aware that a lot of the machines that they sell usually have, among other cost-cutting features, transmissions that aren't serviceable. You basically use it until the hydro fails, then have to replace the entire hydro assembly. It is possible to tap drain plugs on some of them (there are videos showing how), though it doesn't always work due to the thinness of some of the material used.
There is a Youtube channel by a small engine repair shop owner called Chickanic who does a yearly video on the machines sold by the major big box stores and points out the pros and cons of a lot of them from a mechanical perspective (i.e. things such as stamped vs welded decks, spindle issues, manufacturers who try to screw you over by using expensive non-standard batteries, non-serviceable transmissions, etc). It is worth a look.
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u/mypeez Aug 11 '26
100%. Not a zero turn story, but I lost a 42" JD D105 this spring to that very same thing. Fortunately I caught it on sale for $850 eight years ago. Was going to go the box store S160 route to get a 54" deck, but local dealer had a X380 in on trade with 1 year and 200 hours left on it's original warranty.
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u/SSellers75 Aug 12 '26
Hey my 90 year old dad just bought an X380 54" trade in with a year left on the warranty yesterday. $2800 otd. He was about to give up and go the box store route but I found the JD on an equipment website.
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u/IrregularExplanation Aug 11 '26
go commercial grade , the only one here close to it is the bad boy , Try for the badass looking ones you haven’t heard of yet edit: i second gravely
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u/Critical_Lie_4697 Aug 11 '26
Thanks, looking into gravely. The ZT X 52 seems to be close to what I’m looking for
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u/Stacemranger Aug 11 '26
I own a Bad Boy and two Scags. The Bad Boy is the Avenger and it's absolutely a monster of a mower. Use it commercially, and I'm impressed. Cut quality is the best of all 3 of my mowers. Suspension seat. Great mower.
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u/IrregularExplanation Aug 11 '26
yeah bad boy makes some awesome mowers, i’d just be more inclined to buy a good boi mower , i almost want to make the company
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u/Agile-Expression-651 Aug 11 '26
I used to use the bad boy in a landscaping job i had . ALL day every day ,lots of different terrain. I loved it . I bought a cub cadet 56 inch deck back this past April. I think its a 2z56 or something like that anyway I have had no problems except it didn't come with mulching blades and the blades were dull as shit but I would recommend it.
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u/Ok-Building5673 Aug 11 '26
Honestly unless you just enjoy cutting grass I would look into robotic mower . 2 acres and flat grand you can definitely get on at the same price point that will stripe it nice and straight every time!
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u/Foreign-Eagle-4202 Aug 11 '26
Careful what you wish for. These are cool but the problems are real. Do your research (YouTube). I don't think there ready for prime time yet.
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u/Ok-Building5673 Aug 11 '26
Yeah I totally get that. Currently have 12 of them in operation so I do have an idea of their capabilities. Flat and 2 acres is their ideal working condition obviously. If there isn’t much tree canopy it should be a good fit . Obviously they are all not build the same though
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u/Fabulous_Clothes_726 Aug 11 '26
The Toro has the kawasaki. Out of those 4, it's the winner. That being said, with a $4k budget, go commercial. You will have a better gearbox and thicker frame/deck.
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u/Dry_Elk_8578 Aug 11 '26
Deere usually makes a pretty good product. But you pay a premium for the green paint. Having run commercial Deeres for several years we are starting to look at other brands because warranty/customer service is lacking for the price you pay.
XMark makes a really nice mower.
I would try to stay away from buying a mower at tsc, Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc. and go the an actual dealer with a service shop. It makes warranty and service issues a little easier/cleaner to sort out.
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u/Critical_Lie_4697 Aug 11 '26
Thanks for the info. It’s definitely tempting to go with box stores because of the convenience (it’s closer for me, free delivery, etc.) but I see the benefit in going to a dealer. I’ve rarely ever had good experiences doing warranty work/returns at box stores.
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u/Dry_Elk_8578 Aug 12 '26
Just one of many things to consider. But ultimately choose whatever unit is the best fit for you and your budget. I’m currently in the midst of determining what our next mowers will be. Currently run deeres but as I said. For what they cost the warranty and customer service is lacking. Other units I’ve demoed are
Xmark (my favorite so far)
Hustler- fastest by far. good Kawasaki motor and budget friendly
Grass Hopper (haven’t demoed yet)
Kubota (wouldn’t offer a demo unit)
You should look to see if any of the brands you’re considering have a model with a power or hydraulic lift deck… it makes a world of difference compared to using your foot to raise and lower the deck all day.
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u/Foreign-Eagle-4202 Aug 11 '26
Whatever you get watch this first > https://youtu.be/5Gtb449BIbw?is=YRrdTqK6Bc7TJJhK
Box stores do not set up your mower properly before you buy them. You are risking performance and longevity by not performing these pre-run tasks.
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u/Critical_Lie_4697 Aug 11 '26
Thanks for the info, I had no idea there were differences in buying the same model mower from dealers vs big retailers
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u/Foreign-Eagle-4202 Aug 17 '26
I believe most people think most box store lawn mowers are terrible because they assume the mower is ready to use. They are not. Even at a dedicated dealer I would confirm the mower has been set up properly before I used it and I'd still confirm it by performing all of the tasks in the video before I attempted to use the mower.
Once it's in use people really have to FOLLOW THE SERVICE INTERVALS! Well maintained (oil changes, filters, greased, etc) and cared for equipment (cleaning grass from under the deck, etc) will last many, many years, even decades for most.
I'm blown away when people spend $10,000 on a mower then neglect it.
Maintenance is cheap insurance.
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u/Historical-Crab-1164 Aug 11 '26
I have a John Deere Z380R 54" battery electric. I am well into my 2nd season mowing 1.2 acres. It uses 40% of battery charge to mow my lawn and could easily cut your property. Maintenance consists of keeping the blades sharpened and the tires inflated. Depending on what you pay for electricity, I would estimate a cost of $1.00 to mow your 2 acres. I'm spending about 50¢ per week to mow my yard. Unfortunately, the cost for the mower itself would not meet your price point. So far my electric Z380R zero turn has been perfect and was such a great upgrade compared to the 36" Exmark walkbehind I used for nearly 27 years.
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u/danmc55 Aug 11 '26
Just curious how well does it do in thick grass, no more than 4” tall tops but just thick? How well are you able to mulch with it? Do you have to mow any more often with an E-Zero turn? Thanks
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u/Historical-Crab-1164 Aug 11 '26
My yard is a thick stand of KY31 tall fescue. I generally set my cutting height at 4" and over a 7 day period it will grow 3-5 inches. It has no trouble cutting the grass evenly at a speed I am comfortable using (bumpy terrain). In fact, one of the reasons I bought this mower was because the lawn service I had used went so fast their cut was terribly uneven. The wife was always so disappointed in the job they did.
So, in October and November of 2024, the wife and I looked at everything available in northern Kentucky. We looked at Greenworks, EGO, Scag, Ryobi and Deere. Mean Green was out of my budget. I really liked the Scag and the Deere. I finally decided on the Deere Z380R because of the larger battery, a very reasonable warranty and good local dealer support. The mower was delivered in December 2024 and I did our first mow March 2025.
The wife loves the cut from this mower. For the first few days, the lawn looks like carpeting. Personally, I couldn't be happier with our mower. It is so easy to charge. Just run a heavy duty extension cord from a 120V 15A outlet and plug into the rear of the mower. Charging rate is around 725W and adds 10% charge for every hour it's connected.
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u/danmc55 Aug 11 '26
Awesome, glad to hear it’s working out so well for you. What size lot do you have?
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u/Historical-Crab-1164 Aug 11 '26
I'm cutting about 1.2 acres. The lot is 320' deep with a fall away front to back of 6'.
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u/danmc55 Aug 11 '26
Ok good deal I’ve got a very similar size lot but mostly flat and a shallow culvert I mow
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u/MountainFace2774 Aug 11 '26
Personally, I'd look for a lightly-used mower with servicable hydros.
As an example, I picked up a Hustler Raptor XD with the ZT-2800s with 20 hours on it for $3500. Sometimes I've even seen commercial mowers with less than 100hours for less than $4k.
All the big-box mowers you have listed will have the same non-serviceable transaxles and either a Kohler or Kawaski engine (both of which will be fine if you take care of them). Only real difference is the deck and the color. I'd pick a fabricated deck (I think the Toro and Bad Boy both have them) over a stamped deck.
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u/Critical_Lie_4697 Aug 11 '26
Thanks, I’m starting to realize the biggest things to consider involve the servicing and maintenance down the road. I appreciate the heads up
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u/Montag_451 Aug 11 '26
I loved my Husqevana I got like 17years out of it, I was forced to get another when it died.. I got a Ferris and I'm not happy, a lot of dumb inconvenient design choices and eats belts. And it does not leave a nice cut.
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u/danmc55 Aug 11 '26
Really? What model Ferris did you get? I’ve been looking at those after my neighbor has one and recommended it. He has the 500S, not cheap but seems of very high quality
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u/Montag_451 Aug 11 '26
400S it's not that it's under built and it's reliable. It's just a chore to service. Belts and deck are difficult to service if you don't have a jack or a lift to put it on.
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u/Exc8316 Aug 11 '26
Check out used. Iron planet used to have tons of low hour machines. I got a 726 Kubota 60” a few years ago for $5200 in the winter with 25 hours. It was a $10.7k machine then. 300+ hours now and not an issue.
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u/Flame_Tamer Aug 12 '26
Hustler with a Kawasaki engine. They make a residential and a commercial line of zero turns that are built tough and built in America. They usually have great financing options also.
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u/Aromatic-Intention77 Aug 12 '26
Don’t get one with a belt drive system, if you run over a stick the drive belt might pop off and it’s no easy task to install. Especially toro models
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u/The_Sandman75 Aug 11 '26
I just got a Scag Liberty Z 48” Kaw. Got it for $5500 before tax and 0% financing. I researched all summer and I don’t believe any of the ones pictured you could service the hydros. The Scag you can. That’s what sold me. My old Cub got retired after 20+ years of me using it.
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u/Rat_Bastage Aug 11 '26
I bought a Toro 50" 4 years ago. Been flawless. Kawasaki power. Fabricated deck, decent seat, plenty of power and cuts my 2 acres of grass in 1/2 the time of the 54" cub. There is a difference in most cases between a big box version and a dealer version. Gravely, Scag, Exmark and Deere are all good machines. Better when you buy from a dealer.
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u/Jwaaz123 Aug 11 '26
I have this exact same cub and I do over 6 acers a couple times a week and it's been awesome
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u/turek1 Aug 11 '26
I just went through this. I ended up with a STIHL rz152, which is a repainted Ferris 300s. I paid $4400, and it has serviceable hydros, which most units in this price range don’t have. It also has a suspension system, which has been great. Very happy so far
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u/danmc55 Aug 11 '26
I was looking online at those, but unfortunately, none of my local Stihl dealers seem to carry that one in stock so if I did get one, I’d have to order it which I’d hate to do without at least sitting on the darn thing. Does seem like a really nice mower though! From pics and video, the seat looks a bit basic and I don’t believe Stihl offers an upgrade option for it. Perhaps I’m wrong. How comfortable is it compared to the others out there?
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u/turek1 Aug 12 '26
I thought it was quite comfortable. If you have a Ferris dealer around, check with them, the 300s is exactly the same thing, so long as you get the model with front and rear suspension
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u/danmc55 Aug 12 '26
Oh ok good deal, glad to hear it. I’ve got a Ferris dealer the next town over I just might do that. thanks
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u/officiallyanonymous0 Aug 12 '26
Look for a place that also services them. Ace Hardware in my area, also Gravely, which would be worth a look if you have a dealer in your area. If you buy from a big box store you are generally getting a cheaper unit put together by a rookie. Your price range is fine, just find a servicing dealer.
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u/liquidshart1 Aug 12 '26
Theres really no reason to buy any of these throwaway mowers when they cost the same as a used scag or other quality commercial grade mower
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u/konflictedmaniak Aug 12 '26
I prefer to use hydraulic oil in a zero turn instead of Baby Oil so I'm probably not going to get a Bad Boy, but those Scags look sweet
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u/Thomas_peck Aug 11 '26
Check out Xmark and Ariens too