The BEST Mowers to Buy and What to Avoid at The Big Box Stores This Year!
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- Опубликовано: 27 сен 2024
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My name is Bre. I took two years of small engine repair at the local college. When I left school, I fell into a wonderful job at a local small engine shop where I worked the counter for a couple years. In 2010 my husband and I opened up our own small engine shop in central Arkansas where I am able to work alongside my family and best friends. We see over 2,000 pieces of small engine equipment every year, and answer 1,000's of small engine questions. We specialize in brands such as Briggs and Stratton, Kohler, Echo and Shindaiwa, but work everyday on MANY other brands like Stihl, Husqvarna, Honda, Craftsman, Remington, Red Max, Troy Bilt, Scag, Bad Boy, Hustler, World Lawn, Poulan, Mantis, Etc.. Hopefully, my experience I share, will save you Time, Money and Frustration in the future!
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Although very informative, these videos are for entertainment purposes. Please use all possible safety precautions when repairing and operating your small engine equipment.
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I have a question is it possible to put a ztr deck on a regular riding mower?
Hi love your videos how important is it to have serviceable transmission ona zero turn?
I have to admit everybody’s keeps telling me to get a Bad Boy Maverick and you’ll never regret it. I’m starting to believe it, considering how many reviews I’ve seen!
Great Video!! I was waiting for you to mention one thing, I noticed on the Bad Boyz. On the Avenger and the Maverick the front casters are different. The orange color changes to black when going to the Maverick, I assume a stronger made caster. 🤷🏼♂️ Very knowledgeable video and well delivered!!!
Can you do one but for dealers? Big box store items tend to be the lower end of the range. Great vid!
I retired as an OSHA fatality investigator and have done a couple of deaths involving zero turns. ROPS systems are so important that I would never mow on any type of slope or by any ponds without one. My last death investigation was a young man mowing an apartment complex that had a small pond in the center of the buildings. The employee ended up having the bank of the pond cave in, causing the mower and him to flip over in the water. Even though the water was just over 2 feet, the mower pinned him under the water, causing him to drown. The other fatality was an employee mowing a slope, and upon turning around at the top of the slope, the mower slid sideways down the slope, causing it to flip over several times, crushing the guy. If either one had a ROPS (Roll Over Protection System), both would have not died.
I ran a zero turn once on a hill and never again. If you loose tractoion you could ride it to the bottom, verses a tractor that can usually steer.
I also have wheel weights front and back with ag tires to keep stable.
@willyck948 The case where the employee was crushed flipping down the hill , he had started mowing earlier than normal, and the grass was covered with morning dew. He lost traction. Both accidents involved commercial mowers.
Accidents happen, weather you are on the job or not, (a rubber room job). You sound like you are involved with a class action law suit here, pleading your baby sitter case.
Sorry, but I am discovering, if we want to live our lives free, we have to use our own brains and reject the baby sitters.
By the way, when I see OSHA and "facility", I am thinking a factory, (as a manufacturing expert myself), not some apartment buildings lawn.
The over reach of the baby sitters has grown. Is it OK with you, if we "grow up" with out your expertise? it is wasted profit now. Sorry again, I am a free market man.
@@willyck948 I saw a guy on YT mow up a hill until the front wheels came off the ground on his zero turn, and he did a 180 (reversing one wheel) with the front end still in the air and pointed the machine down hill and continued mowing. Mowed the entire side of the length of the hill like that.
My son was at Arkansas Tech in Arkansas. He was mowing near the creek and it caved in. The mower landed on him pinning him under water. Thank the Lord I had him in the gym for 2 years and he’s as strong as a grown man. He blew his shoes out pushing and got out. He had a broken shoulder, slap tear in shoulder, dislocated knee, and tore the ligament that holds the knee cap. The company he worked for didn’t have work comp, so still working to get medical and lost wages. Looks like he will get about 8k. For a 15 year old to not be able to walk or use his arm for 6 months was terrible
35 years ago I purchased a Gravely G series garden tractor.
1200 lbs / 50" deck moved by a single cylinder flathead 12 hp Kohler Magnum. Still makes a beautiful cut and never lacks power. Seems like all these home owner jobs are just selling a big hp engine with some lightweight sheet metal wrapped around it!
I wouldn't trade my Gravely for anything new these days!
Well, you did buy a garden tractor and these are, apples to apples, just mowers if they come with anything nearly as small as 12HP. Frankly I haven't had too many issues with thin metal on my 25 year old rider except, finally the deck has started rusting out, and although the cast iron front axle beam is fine, the wheel knuckle to axle welds have broken a couple times, but nothing a DIY weld job couldn't fix.
@@stinkycheese804 While yes, there is a big difference between a true garden tractor and a riding mower, is it not peculiar all the riding mowers come with such large engines? Is the design of the transmissions and or the drive of the mower decks that inefficient they need a twin cylinder 22hp on a 50" cut 500lb rider? In the 70s we had a MTD 42" cut lawn tractor and I know it was built a good bit heavier than today, and it had a 7hp Brigs. That was all and it cut heavy grass no problem. I'm guessing it's "horsepower wars" going on these days for the marketing and sales. At least the engines should never wear out before the rest of the tractor...
@@lcee6592 Of course it's marketing, but at the same time, if the choice isn't that of stepping down to a lower quality (make) engine, I don't mind running one at lower RPM and particularly with the air cooled lawn mowers, having that be gentler on the oil. If you think about it, if it is the same general engine design, it doesn't cost that much more for them to make the crank, pistons/rods, cylinder, etc a little bigger compared to all the other overhead expenses.
Plus, with the larger engine, it has a larger *alternator* (all else equal), which in my case, allowed to get quite a bit of light out of LED pods to replace the pathetic factory incan headlight bulbs... not nearly as much as if it had a proper, modular alternator bolted on like you find on better lawn tractors, but still enough to power substantially upgraded LED lights.
@@stinkycheese804One thing about the giant overpowered engines: If they are single cylinder, you start to get an enormous kick every time the cylinder fires. These engines are the same block as the lower hp model, just bored and stroked to a larger displacement. That big jolt of power (ok, torque) can cause excessive vibration, break engine mounts, etc.
I think 16 hp and up should be twin cylinder.
@@the_mowronI have a ancient Briggs 14 HP twin that is sooo smooth
One thing you left out about the dealer is that your riding mower will be properly assembled and adjusted correctly.
Thankfully I had worked in the equipment field for about 8 years and had no problems correcting the issues on my brand new mower I purchased from a big box store. This was my first and last time to purchase power equipment for a big box.
Thanks for all the great videos.
The John Deere’s at the big box stores are actually (supposedly) set up by the dealers! It voids the warranty if anyone but the dealer even takes them out of the crate! Big box store employees aren’t allowed to service them at all! And most of the others are almost fully assembled at the factory! A third party assembler might have to put on a seat or steering wheel, but that’s it for service.
Guess I'm keeping my 54 yr old Gravely 566! That thing is gonna outlive me!
then new GRAVLEY is not the same mower. It had a factory defect and GRAVLEY would not fix it. Gave it away and bought a BADBOY.
I use to live in Orangeburg, SC, it is home to a plant making Riding Lawn Mowers. The Last I heard its name was Husqvarna. They made all the different Brands from Craftsman, MTD, and most of the others. All of them go down the same assembly line, switching for different models and names. All body panels were punched and painted there. Different models would use specific parts and thickness of steel. People would be amazed that the same people assemble all the riding lawn mowers.
I think most of these mower companies buy their assemblies from a company like you are talking about. they then just assemble them into a complete mower.
There is a company near me that does the same for cars! They stamp out parts for Kia, Mercedes and I think Toyota. Floors, doors, fenders ECT. Big place!
Same with a lot of other things built here and overseas. I worked at a shop making annular cutters and they got packed in many different boxes, like snap on, mac, matco, mac, and hougen (hougen actually manufactured them in MI)
Not sure but I beleive it was American Yard Products,then electrolux and now Husqvarna. They manufacture 917 source craftsman,Poulan,weed eater,lately Snapper(now back and owned by Briggs and stratton) and others... But never John Deere or MTD owned brands
I've got a snapper rear engine rider from 1990 that I bought used for $300 seven years ago. Works great and I bet will outlast anything nowadays! 😊
my craftsman rider is one year newer ..
TY for Sharing
Hang onto it, they aren't selling snapper tractors in the U.S. anymore.
I worked at Snapper a few months in 2010 when they were built in Georgia before they moved.
I retired My 2005, 28 inch Snapper, to my Vacation home lol only lawn about 3 times
This is truly an education! Thank you , Bre! It i s hard for a consumer who may only buy one mower like these in a lifetime to know which on to pick. Just like cars, picking the wrong one may turn into a money pit.
It's impossible to buy only one of the bad ones because they don't last.
@@bluenetmarketing Meh, my MTD built has lasted 25 years and still mowing strong. Sure it has needed a few minor repairs along the way, but total cost was MUCH less than if I had splurged on some $2500+ mower. Granted, I am thinking in terms of what they cost 25 years ago, SO, yeah, it might cost closer to $2500 in today's money.
Granted I am not mowing commercially, not 100's if not 1000's of hours per season. Keep the hrs/year in mind when deciding on what to invest in.
donjohnson might have hit the nail on the head with the statement, "just like cars", in that if you are thinking in terms of every little lost bolt requires hauling it to someone to repair it, yeah that would add up. Fortunately mowers are not that complex, to the point where I would not tackle putting a new engine in a modern automobile, but I would on a mower.
@@stinkycheese804 I bought a used 11 year old Troybilt for $275 and put $100 into it in parts. It's been running for another 3 years with minor tinkering required. Used can be the best solution as long as you can do the mechanical maintenance work. Most men can, and even some women.
@@stinkycheese804 You said a mouth full when you stated it was 25 years old, back when MTD actually made a good unit. A lot of the old Sears units were good machines. Like someone else mentioned, the bean counters got involved, but in their defense the consumers bought the cheapest thing they could find, and wonder why it didn't hold up. It's still that way. I talked to my local Deere dealer last week and asked him what happened to all the 700 series mowers. About all they have is the X300 series with the non serviceable transmissions. He said, "I can't sell them, too high priced". Can't argue that, but millennials would rather buy a hot tub than a good mower that will last for years. 🤥🤥
@@stinkycheese804it’s really annoying when people state their 25-30-40 year old so and so is great. No problems. Of course not! NOTHING is made as good as it was 30 years ago. This is 2024, a time when EVERYTHING is made as cheap as possible with as big a price tag as possible. We are here to try and figure out which is the best cheaply made product in 2024. I don’t have a Time Machine to bring back a MTD made 30 years ago.
I bought a used Bad Boy Magnum MZ 5 years ago with 75 hours on it and really love it. I have 3.5 acres and that thing is a game changer. Great video Bre. Thanks and stay safe.
I was looking at a bad boy, however my dad's gravely won't cut grass over about 6"without leaving strips behind. His has a Kawasaki and so the bad boy, I was wondering if they didn't have enough RPM. His is brand new with new blades. I can't be spending I can't spend $4,000 on something that won't cut. I was just curious how your bad boy was in that department?
I purchased a cub cadet zt1 54 4 years ago and I mow 4 rough acres once a week. No issues at all. It's a beast.
I had a Bad Boy MZ Magnum zero turn... what a piece of junk! Constant problems and service. I got the Cub Cadet LT54 to replace it. Not a stamped deck on that model. Seems to be good so far. Much happier with it than the expensive and constant downtime of the BB garbage zero-turn!
@@keoniwalaka8858Kohler engine too, correct? The one she showed had an mtd in it
Funny are local mower shop owner always said Bad boy mowers are junk.
I have the same Cub Cadet but it is almost two years old and going in the shop for the second time in three months due to a leaking hydrostatic transmission. I wouldn't buy another mower with these garbage unserviceable hydros MTD uses in their residential zero turns.
@@robtankbuster5215well that guy is an idiot. What’s wrong with them? Because they have the best build quality out of all zero turns, they do not make stamped decks at all, even the smallest residential mowers have 7 gauge decks. Move up to the commercial mowers and you can get one with a 3 gauge deck.
The motor options are the same as damn near every other zero turn brand, so how are they junk?
Thank you for this video. Shortly after watching it I went to my local Husqvarna dealer and purchased a new TS248XD (my first riding mower ever at age 56) and while I spent more than I thought I'd have to before watching your video, I know this is well worth it and feel very comfortable with my mower for years to come. I appreciate your help!
I bought my JD from the dealer. Same price as Lowe’s but like you said I had instant service from John Deere. Mine has 300 hours on it and I have had no problems. I keep it well maintained. Love your videos.
My push JD JS28 (I think) lasted 13 years.
I bought my X300 from the JD dealer in 2010. It now has 750 hours and still purrs like a kitten but I also keep it maintained very well. Has a kW engine on it.
My 2000 LX 277 is entering its 24th season. I bought it used in 2003 from my JD dealer to get a larger (48) deck than my 1990 LX 176 (32) deck to take an hour + off my mowing time. The JD mowers at the dealers are more robust with better engines and heavier constructed decks. I have it serviced by my dealer every year and am looking for many more years of service. The only complaint is that the plastic body parts , hood, and bumper get brittle with age and crack.
Which model did you get?
900 hours on my x300 17 years old still running strong
I purchased a Bad Boy Maverick for my wife and she absolutely loves it. We upgraded to the best suspension seat they offered and got the Kawasaki engine.
I'm looking at a bad boy. However my dad's gravely is having issues cutting grass over 8 1/2 in tall. And I was apprehensive because they both have the same engines. Have you witnessed anything like this with your bad boy? I know you're supposed to cut your grass before that, but sometimes it gets out of hand if it rains and you're not able to.
@@MrFordguy73have a Mz rambler cuts like trash anything kindve thick needs two or three passes
Thanks. That's helpful
@@connerewings5865 that's exactly how his is doing, I'm not sure what could be the problem, but it makes me not want to purchase one. Thanks.
@@MrFordguy73 I couldn’t really speak to that. I got the mulch kit for her mower. So we really don’t let it get above 5in before we cut. The motor is strong, I suspect it would handle tall grass reasonably well if it did not have the mulch kit.
I must'a been lucky. My Craftsman lasted 17yrs (bought in 2004). It was a pain keeping it going at times but, I managed. I had to call a repair guy once toward the end and all he seemed to do was put new gaskets on the valve covers. Didn't fix the problem at all for $250. I then had to figure out what was wrong and fix it myself. It was running extremely loud like it had no muffler on it. I learned thru youtube, the valves needed to be adjusted. Bought feeler gauges and I'm sure it wasn't perfect but, it sure sounded more normal and lasted another 2yrs. I have roughly 5 acres to mow.
I have a 2003 Craftsman Gt 5000 I've been mowing 5 acres with purchased from Sears.Motor blew after 20yrs & I bought a good engine out of a John Deere & changed the shaft & it's like new again. Better to keep it going than buy this junk today lol.
@@michaelrobinson2048 I got a 2002 GT5000 of season for $1500 at sears I cut 5-7 acres for ten years then move to 1 acre cut it up till 2020 would still be using original engine but left cover off and water got in engine. Bought used 26 professional B&S did a valve job and reseal. Its up and running again. I know it is Overkill for 1 acre with the 56in deck but so what cheaper and will ou last any new riding lawn mower. Engine cost me $250
My John Deere ZTR is 17 years old now. Belts and maintenance only. I did remove the irritating spindle guards to ease cleaning grass clippings. I’m not recommending removing a “safety device” but I did it assuming the risk and I’m the only person operating it.
Very happy so far
I got a Hustler 72” Mower with Kawasaki 1000 motor, and I love it and would not go nowhere but hustler !
An epic tour de force! Should be mandatory viewing for those in the market. Very comprehensive and illuminating. Thank you!
Bought a Troy Built shift on the go 17 hp single rider some years back, lasted 7 years mowing 1-3 acres, a 250 hour machine. Now have a Walker Mower 0 turn w/2700 hours with lots of life left. Chickanic your a peach!
it's amazing they have built something that is designed to be thrown away at 250 hours. meanwhile there are still 40+ year old IH cub cadets that have been rebuilt that are still working.
Bought an Ariens home tractor in 1988, still kickin today , got my money's worth over and over.
I've had a JD LX 280 since 2005. Only serviced it, replaced belts, original battery after 10 years, blades, it has a kawasaki engine and I'm still using it today💪
I bought a Kubota Z421 (?) in 2018. It's a tank and I love it. No problems.
You are so right with the welded deck. My Husqvarna rider has a welded deck and it's taken a real beating. Grease the spindles every year and never had a problem
I have GTH 52XLS with welded deck. It is durable, but it is also a pain. I mow 5 acres and half way through, I have to maintenance the deck. It collects dirt and grass like nobody's business. I have scraped two, 5 gallon buckets full, especially if there is any moisture present during mowing. I would be happy with a pressed deck,IMHO.....
@@napollard You are right! Welded is durable but a terrible pain when I remove it to do a thorough cleaning. I usually have to chisel away the buildup.... sheesh.
Thank you for presenting a great video. I am in the market for a Husqvarna 54 inch zero turn, eventually.
There are so many options for the homeowner. This video makes some very good comparisons. Around here, we have the usual. Then there are local companies selling Kubota products. They have one that looks like the standard rider but has a high or low dump grass catcher! Great video Bre!
This Lady is a top-shelf, lawn equipment reviewer person. Thank You ma'am for this info❗️
I’m in the market for a zero turn, never owned one before and want to save hours on my tractor with just mowing. I appreciate your videos more than I can put in to words
I have the Bad Boy 42" from two years ago. That was the last year they offered the 42 with the Kohler twin cylinder 725. You can only get that size in single cylinder now. Fits through a 48" gate, easy to get on a small trailer, solid steel deck. 5 gallon tank lasts half a year or more. Easy to service and clean. Love it. Only wish it came with larger rear tires. Easy fix though.
My 2016 46" XT1 is still tunning strong, no issues. Over 150 hrs. Kohler powered VTwin
Luv your stuff
Bought a D130 Deere in 2011 from a dealer. (Not the closest one)For $100 more than the Next model down got a bumper and the bigger engine. Value for the dollar.
Properly set up and delivered. Been happy ever since 😊
Thanks for the awesome post. We learned more in that short video than all of the shopping that we have done lately.
Not buying a mower for awhile but learned what to look for. I went to a dealer for my first exmark zero. What I learned on that one was it has a stamped deck with putty style weld patches. When goes I have the knowledge on what to look for.
I've been working on machines for about 5 years now. And I have to say it is SO refreshing to see someone else care about quality in mowers. I also once had to work on one of those Chinese troy-bilt engines and just taking the carburetor off was very annoying.
Thank you Bre! As a shade tree mechanic and doing my own small engine repair, I still learn stuff from you.
I prefer traditional lawn tractors vs zero turns. I could really use your opinions. My Scotts/JD is 23 years old, ran like a champ, but its time for a new one. Thanks!
I moved from Seattle to rural south central KY about 13 years ago. That driving video at the beginning looks exactly like where I live. I love it out here.
Cub Cader XT2 2016, mow 1arcre with ditches and slopes 3x week + fall leaves clean up. Steering is going slightly wonky but everything else bulletproof with regular maintenance.
When I bought my Husqvarna rider, the one I bought had a welded 54" deck, cast iron or steel spindles and an electric locker. It is one of the bigger and more expensive ones they have. It is NICE.
I don't know what year or model yours is but when I looked at mowers a couple years ago the reviews on Husqvarna were worse than Craftsman
It's two years old. It is well built, runs good and I have had ZERO problems with it. Everything is right and tight! I know a couple other people that have never had problems with theirs either. Maybe some people got one with a problem, but that does not mean all if them are bad. Just like with cars and trucks, there are always going to be problems with some.
@@geraldhandy2589 I have to wonder whether there are better built models within a brand. Some people have a great experience with their new Craftsman mowers while I've replaced a battery and the deck belt within the first 2 years. Are they all MTD now?
@@Dojo-v6m You can't fault the maker or assembler of the machine. All they do is assemble the units from parts made by a number of sources. The maker of batteries will have a bad one from time to time, same as the maker of the belts and other parts. That's the way it goes with mowers, cars and trucks, tractors and basically everything.
@@geraldhandy2589 Yea, I agree with you. The reviews on my Craftsman commonly mention bad belts though so it makes me wonder if Craftsman chooses to put cheap belts on. I put an aftermarket belt on and I'm curios to see how long it lasts
Love my 2022 Bad Boy Avenger. Thing is built like a tank!
Thank You Bre!
You dont know how much those of use out here in the wilds appreciate all that you so willing give to us!
Living my best La Vida Loca here in south eastern Arizona
Excellent insight and dead on with my experiences in over 30 years in business. Thanks for providing information that real time consumers can evaluate based on their budgets and needs.
I really like my Grasshopper, I had never heard of them but after researching, they are solid, had it for 2 yrs so far, mow 4 acres of grass and a few forest trails, It starts and cuts great every time I use it.
after using up a craftsman rider from Sears and later a cub ltx 54" I finally broke down a few years ago and went to a local tractor etc dealership and invested in a Husqvarna TD 354 with a Kawai engine and a tuff turf 66 transmission with a locking differential ( I have some hills as I am on the east side of a catskill ridge) at the time the Husqi was twice as much as a cub or JD (3700.00) but they offered 3 year 0% finance 3 year) I paid it off in 2. The welded deck transmission leather seat and Kawasaki engine and large garden tractor tires were well worth the money and it is still running strong. Bonus is supporting a local small business rather than a faceless large box store
This video provides a valuable service to future buyers.
Great video/info! I bought a Bad Boy a couple years ago with the Koehler engine. They are definitely well built mowers that are easy to service. I also liked that the owner was previously deep into the NASCAR world, which in my mind explained the design and ease of access to important things without having to dismantle the machine.
As a almost professional 😅 l take your advice very seriously.. l went to the dealership for my zero. I took your advice on the weed wacker and I am very grateful. I thank you for the education.
I bought my Craftsman 42" rider in 1997. For 20 years I cut 4 lawns a week that were 80'x183'. I have NEVER had any thing so wrong with the engine or transmission. I performed the right maintenance tasks on it every year. I never bought a starter for it either. I did buy tires once, but that wasn't that necessary. Best machine I ever bought. I know now after listening to you, I would not buy a new Craftsman! I'm down to just cutting my own lawn now, and if anything happens to the mower, I'll just hire somebody to cut the grass. 🙂
As always thank you from Country hick Missourian. Just so many people so much. So grateful
Bought a Bad Boy ZT Elite 54” w/ Briggs 28HP a month ago from dealer 3 miles away. Love it.
Another thing to note about zero turns is that they basically get compared by the equal transmissions and engines. My ZT Elite has Hydrogear 3100s and that’s the same as the Toro Titan Max. I paid $2000 less for the BB and essentially got the same mower.
I am shopping for a zero turn. I found the Spartan is made by one of the original owners of BB. Very similar and less money.
If anyone buys the John Deeres with the 2 cylinder engine with their gimmicky quick oil change (it's like $70+ per oil change), get the conversion parts to convert it back to a standard oil filter and oil drain plug. You'll need parts AM131611 and MIU13767 plus the standard filter AM125424. There are videos on YT that show how to do it. It will save you a fortune and probably make your engine last longer since the quick change leaves a lot of dirty oil in the engine. If you are buying a rider, buy a John Deere. Do not buy anything MTD makes.
I did that and put a valve on it that I can lock makes it really easy to change oil
Don’t buy a John Deere from a box store. They are crap, just like the other brands. If you want a real JD buy one from a dealer that was built in Horicon Wisconsin. With the proper maintenance they will last you lifetime.
@@marksayers4105 Nothing wrong with John Deere built in Greenville, TN.
@@ITOLDUDAGreenville makes the zero turns, correct?
I just bought a new Husqvarna Z242F zero turn mower 24 inch deck with a Kawasaki 21.5 engine. This is my first zero turn I've ever owned. I currently have a Husqvarna YT 42DXLS model that works well too. 🎉
We use Cub Cadet zero turns for my lawncare business and have never had any issues with the spindles. The Kohler 7000 series is a great engine and very reliable with proper maintenance.
It breaks my heart about Craftsman. When I was a kid we had a Craftsman garden "tractor" from the 70's that had an electric 3-point on it for a disc & blade, fully welded deck, etc. My dad always kept a service agreement on it & every year he would get the service guys to come out in the fall to go over it & that thing ran for over 30 years. I still have all my Grandpas, Dads & my Craftsman hand tools from before it was all crap. RIP Craftsman.
Those days are over,we’re lucky we still have somewhat of a country.
If a person isn't mechanically inclined, they shouldn't buy from a big box store.
Buy from your local lawn implement dealer. There's reliable ways to find the good ones.
Craftsman has been nothing but a name for a long time now.
Yeah I remember my grandfather had a craftsman mower for YEARS and this was back in the late 80s early 90s
Why don’t people just look. There are only three manufacturers of these cheap residential mowers,at my last check. They are all crap.
If you can buy a professional grade mower buy it and keep it serviced,it will save you in the long run.
I don’t really think she has a clue.
On point, and yes the Bad Boy mowers are the best bang for the $!!!! Nailed it Bre.
In 1988 I was Dept. Manager over lawn & garden for a Lowe's. They claimed if someone bought the Taskforce 12 hp 38" cut lawn tractor (MTD) selling price $888, they made $50. If it was sold on the Lowe's Low Payment Plan (didn't have their own credit card then) they made $400 on it. That low payment plan didn't take up any space in the warehouse.
Also while there was when Briggs & Stratton came out with the V-twins and went to product demonstration at a Holiday Inn, those engines sounded good.
Still love my 2014 Husqvarna PZ5426FX. Still runs perfectly. Best spindles ever. Never had to replace with over 550 hours on this zero turn.
Bought this machine used in 2018 with 310 hours on it. I have 4.2 acres to cut with some rough terrain and on a hill. If you take care(service it per specs) of this machine it will take care of you.
When I first bought the machine I had areas with heavy grass that was 3 1/2 feet high. The machine powered through without any problems at all. In 5 years and an extra 240 hours, this machine has never let me down, except when I had to replace the blade switch (which to 5 minutes).
The only things I’ve had to do is change plugs, oil, lube, replace blades and replace the blades (PTO) switch (All standard upkeep.) It still looks and operates like new. Highly recommend.
As they say you get what you pay for.
Good video! Thanks! I have found the JD rider has a very good tractor but the decks fly apart in just a few years (3-4). Actually had a spindle drop to the ground while mowing! Thin steel and brittle as well.
I have a Huskvarna rider that the left rear seal keeps failing. Has been replaced 3 times over 8 years. Also the hydrostatic trans seems weak and does not want to pull a incline. Plus the pedal has major issues! The mower is best for flat yards only! So far the HV zero turn is been good. No issues and is dealer bought!
Love how you skip right over the ego junk! I don’t waste my time with that either lol! Good video Bre!
Eco you mean?
@@henryhill3778 Echo makes great equipment. Ego battery equipment is junk. 👍
Why is it junk? I’ve had an Ego mower for three years, no problems at all. No problem with the leaf blower either. No maintenance except sharpening the blades.
@@cdipierro I think this video sums up the quality of their stuff pretty well. HOW LONG DOES THE EGO 615CFM BLOWER BATTERY LAST
ruclips.net/video/_3B_DapIJXA/видео.html
@@GarageGear Meh, so you had one experience and drew a conclusion from that. OK. Well, I've had my own experience and have not had any problems with the batteries or the tools. And I know lots of people personally who have had the same experience. And it may be that the gear doesn't exactly live up to the advertising, but that's not a new thing. My original point was that, for the average person with a modest yard, the Ego mowers work just fine. I have no problem with ICE mowers, but I'd just rather not be bothered with the maintenance or the gas smell if I don't have to. And the Ego mower folds up and stands on its side so I can tuck it into the corner of my garage, taking up very little space. It just works for me.
My friend bought a John Deere compact tractor for his farm. He let me drive and I was shocked to see it was made by Mahindra or Kubota tractor.. why pay for the JD name.
ITS NOT THE SIZE OF THE DECK! ITS HOW YOU USE IT!
I just bought a ZTXS4 54 Zero turn 26 hp Kohler 7,000 Pro series & it’s Fracking BEAST!!!
I had a husqvarna rider 15 years ago and it literally drank gas. I've switched to a Ariens and I'm very happy with it, reasonably priced, starts great! I have a 3/4 acre lot with a steep hill in the far back
Your hair looks wonderful in the wind!❤
I bought an exmark 42 in zero turn mower with the exmark brand motor with 24 hp and its been a super really good mower i bought it 2018 and used it to cut big lawns and haven’t had any issues with it. Only done maintenance and changed the battery. No spindles or anything has changed in it.
I had a Craftsman ride on for 23 years with no issues but belts need replacement. Annual maintenance at the end of the season is priority for any machine. What I will not buy is a JD at an elevated price tag with less features. I see Cub mowers at the local deal ship that have been mowing for 20 years that have been treated properly and still going strong. The Koehler 7000 twin is an excellent engine.
❤ WHAT'S A GOOD PUSH MOWER? ❤
These machines vary worldwide. I have a CC with a 24hp Kawasaki motor and 42" Fabricated deck comes with a 6 year warranty here in Australia.. It's a reliable beast it's got big wide tyres and everything. I love it I, need it , I'm a backyard star Yew !!
The Bobcat zero turns are the best. Kawasaki engine, excellent transmission, welded, robust deck. Well made all around. I've had one for 5 years and runs like the day I bought it. It's a beast.
my Husquavarna Z254F has been put to the test in my hands and ive just had a broken belt at the begining of the 3rd mowing season. its a good mower with a kawasaki engine❤ im happy with it thus far.
I have 2 mowers, a 1913 36’ walk behind Gravelywith a Kawasaki 14 hp and a John Deer S240 lawn tractor with a 19 or 20 hp Kawasaki 2016 model. Both have just under 300 hrs and I maintain them. Both are bulletproof. I cut lots of grass and love these machines.
Have a small (3/4 acre) yard. Bought our 1st rider, a Toro ZT 34 inch Timecutter w/ the 22 hp twin Briggs. It was $4k, but I looked at it as an investment. Got it from a local Toro dealer. Glad I "got lucky" and didn't buy the Home Depot Cub Cadet, that I first considered, after watching THIS !
I have a sato diesel ,4 wheel ,live hyd bought it new 50 years ago.had to but ft tires on it e times.i put a water pump on it . I use it ti plow snow drag fire wood and mow grass. It is a great tractor
Why didn't you show up the "stamp deck" on the john deer, I didn't know that I thought they were welded I'm gonna have to take a second look but, thanks for the mention.
Heck out the Yatka from Australia the designs are from big outfits, so that and bad boys are two
I mowed grass for a lawn care company and they only used Walker mowers and the Walker mowers lasted at least ten years. The Walker mowers are better on hills and very easy to do maintenance on. definitely easy to sharpen the blades.
I have a LTX1050 CC with a 22 Kawasaki engine 50 inch deck. I mow uneven terrain a little over an acre. I put this mower through a lot and it delivers. I do the normal maintenance . I would let chickanic work on my machines if I lived in her area . Always good information greatly appreciated.
My rider is a John Deere. My yard Powe tools are all Echo. And my normal power tools are Ryobi and Black & Decker. I think I've made wise decisions.
I’ve never bought a new ride on or push mower. I find them on “Craigslist Free Stuff” in my area. Usually they need alittle tlc. Oil change, new spark plug, replace fuel line and filters. Sharpen or replace mower blade. Valve adjustment on ride ons. Easy stuff for a tiny fraction of a new machine.
How about telling us now, not later.
2014 Bad Boy Outlaw with the 730 Kawasaki motor with 54" cut. Bought it from our local dealer. Only thing I've had to replace other than blades is the belt. Only because I backed into one of my wife's misplaced clay pots and it cut the belt. Love the beast. Cutting around 19 acres a week.
thank Bre in the late 70s early 80s i was a sales rep for dixon grasshopper and dixie chopper. of which dixon was the worst in the cone drive models. the dixie chopper was the design that started it all that everyone copied.. the first design dixie chopper was a dixon frame with a grasshopper hydrostat drive. and a 18hp briggs twin and a 50 inch deck made by gravely.. thanks for covering this info..
Burn your house down?! I've owned an EGO mower for ten years... No maintenance, no gas /oil and smell, no fires, original battery, no repairs! Great power. A bit closed-minded, Chickanic!
Like gasoline isn't flammable lol. I guess if your livelihood depends on inefficient polluting machines you're going to be inclined to badmouth the cleaner alternative that also happens to need minimal maintenance.
cleaner alternative? no such thing and far from sufficient
@@hu_bsoooo can you verify your power grid is nuclear? If not, your electricity to power your little golf cart came from inefficient polluting oil. Oh and if you think there isn’t a much higher likelihood of those lithium batteries catching fire than a gas tank catching fire, you haven’t been awake in the last decade.
Congratulations on getting a lucky one! Those new EGO mowers end up in the landfill on a regular basis. They never mow their first yard!
@@hu_b so how is it a cleaner alternative?
Great episode. I’d like to add one personal experience I had. Bad Boy had terrible customer service when it came time to answering questions. I was a cash buyer and never could connect with anyone to answer my questions. I bought an ExMark and have been extremely satisfied.
I bought a Bolens 15 horse riding mower back in 2011, and other than replacing belts, blades, and spindle bearings is still going strong.
Mostly if maintained most will serve you well. Some are definitely better than others
Wow, am I glad I listened to my father in law and bought a JD 210 way back in 1983, only has a 10 HP Koehler engine...still mowing strong. Well the seat is cracked and a little beat up.
Still riding my Craftsman 4500 with a Briggs 725 twin with cast iron cylinder sleeves , pressured oil system. It's 18 years old, change oil and filter plugs once a year... hose it off when im done...store it in my garage . One by one I have had to bypass all the idiot switches that failed... other than that it looks and runs great. I hear it the best engine you can get.
Love your videos, worked for the bigger of your big box stores the last 16 years. Still there. I Closed all the time at last store and open all the time now so I’ve either pulled in or pushed out these mowers literally 1000’s of times and you are spot on with your accessments. A lot of these machines fall apart before they leave the store. I will say this though and that is I purchased a Troy Bilt Pony with the 17 hp single cylinder Briggs with a promotional dump trailer in 2009 (2008 model) for $799 and have only changed a few blades. The only major problem was the steering shaft gear wore out and put a new carburetor on it. Never even changed a belt, but I blow off the deck every time I use it. I still have and use it. I guess you know we quit selling Troy Bilt when we started selling Craftsman. But like you said they and others are the same MTD mower just different branding.
Knock on wood, I have a 10 year old Craftsman G5500 (made by Husqvarna) with the 24HP B&S 724CC twin and 54" deck, and the only issue with it so far was the stupid digital keyless start button that I had to replace a few years ago. Now a days, I only bring it out now when I need to mow the ditch that is wet and has standing water as it is only about 1/3 the weight of my commercial Hustler Super Z Hyperdrive with the Vanguard 37HP EFI and 60" deck. Knock on wood, that mower has had zero issues since new and that was in 2018. Thanks for all your insight on different mowers. 🤠👍
The Cub ZT1 50 with the 23 hp Kawasaki has been great over the past 5 years. I think the 50 is a sweet spot. Lots of grass cut very few problems. Shopped and got a very good price.
Great review and I like the fact you went to the stores to see what is displayed. I have a 2014 LTX1042KW Cub Cadet with the Kawasaki motor and it is still running fine. I bought this tractor from a dealer, not a box store.
I think it really comes down to do you take care of it , I’ve had craftsman most of my life and never really had any problems But I take care of them .
We had a Craftsman LT for about 12 years before the drive belt broke and bound up the transmission. Bought a Cub Cadet 50" with the fabbed deck from our local Tractor Supply where we know the guys who put them together, so had no worries, and have loved it. I wasn't about to get a stamped deck and the Kohler has fired up every time perfectly. Also have their dual direction tine tiller for 10 years now and still goes like a horse. Also skipped the zero turns since we only have an acre to mow.
I had a cub cadet for 16 years and am now on a cub cadet 54" zero turn with a 24 hp kohler from tsc for the last 7. I have not done anything but change blades and oil in either one. My mom needs a new zero turn hers has 980 hours on a 42" gravely. Since Tsc has the 54" cub cadet on sale for 32,99.00, i recommended it to her
Still using my JD LX176 I bought new in 1992. Kawasaki engine and hydro-trans still excellent. Spent very little on it thru the years. I service it well and it is always parked indoors in my basement.
looked for a new lawnmower last year. went to a husky dealer for a specific model that had the Kawasaki twin with the 42 inch cut. That model was impossible to find, however they did have the Kawasaki twin in the 48 inch cut for about 1500 dollars more. Went with another mower brand that I had bought from before and have had allot of success with. So far no issues and it was allot cheaper, but time will tell. Keep on mowing...
This video is good timing. My 24 yr old Craftsman with the twin Kohler engine was bulletproof until the steering column broke a few days ago. I beat the crap out of it over the years, so I guess it was just a matter of time before something happened to it. I'm debating whether to get it fixed or buy something new. Thanks for the overview of the latest models out there.
That Toro was a good deal. It's extra price is because it has the "My Ride" system. The whole seating platform is isolated on it's own suspension. It's a must for a lumpy lawn.
Great video! I’m a bad boy fan! Have had several 0 turns. The torsion suspension is perfect for my land and the 1000cc Kawasaki motor pulls hard through the thick brush.
Craftsman t130 here. 18.5 briggs. I bought it for 300 about a year ago. Its about 5 years old but had never been used. Valves needed adjusted but its been a pretty decent mower. Very cheaply made.
I researched ZT mowers a bunch.
Bought a 48" SCAG "Liberty Z", with 21HP Kawasaki.
Fantastic homeowner machine ($4,400- 2021).
I purchased a Cub Cadet ZT1 54" 5 years ago put mulch blades on it mow 2.5 acres rolling ground and it takes anything I throw at it. I have mowed wet, tall, weeds and my neighbors 5 acres when he had a heart attack. I do solid maintenance and use synthetic oil never had a hitch or issue.
That is all ive heard about the Cub cadet zt1. Never heard about the bad spindals. I imagine she comments because people hit. rocks.