Tired of throwing money in lawn tractors. I had a good one (42" CubCadet) until the engine lost compression. My current $400 used JD needs $200 in parts.

I can either replace my current lawn tractor with another one or get a zero turn. I've wanted a zero turn but the prices are intimidating.

We mow our 1 acre lot weekly 8 months a year and the church 1/2 acre a few times a year.

Any suggestions on a brand? I'd like to get a used Toro except there has to be reason why they're selling it.

Skag

I've done well with two Deeres the last 20 years. Both with Kawasaki engines that have given zero trouble.

Skag, Badboy, Dixie Chopper, ect. What dealer is close to your home? That matters what you purchase.

👍🏻

I e got a Toro Z Master 3000 52” with less than 60 hours for sale

Can’t speak about others but the John Deere that came with my place when I bought 4 years ago has been flawless and easy to maintain. One word of warning…make sure the mowing deck is wider that your rear footprint. I’ve had a couple serious gashes in the left rear tire trying to stay close to fences and gates.

I have a Toro SS. It's 13 YO now. Has given me zero issues. I have a Kawasaki engine. Cub Cadet and Toro are the same. My neighbor bought a Cub Cadet and it was identical to my Toro. We got them at Tiger Cub in Whitesboro. He gave me $200 trade-in on a 12 YO JD That had a cracked deck, He also delivered and hauled the old JD off. Good folks, a Toro and Cub Cadet dealer. They also do service.

I like my Gravely, I don't have Skag money.

Been happy with my Exmark (Toro). Make sure you get a Kawasaki engine.

A lot of the yard guys down here like the Badboy mowers you get at TSC.

My Gravely has been flawless for almost 20 years!

I had a gravely, now I have something else. The gravely was a better mower hands down. 1 acre you can get by with a smaller zero turn and buy a quality unit.

The Kawasaki motors are king, but the Kohler is not junk. I sold my gravely to someone on here with hundred of hours on it and it ran like a champ.

https://saffordequipment.com/product/gravely-zt-x-42-zero-turn-mower/

I bought a small John Deere zero turn brand-new this past year. I needed something small and nimble to get in between trees and boulders, yet also bigger and more efficient than a push mower. I should have got a bigger deck for my steep slopes and fat a-word. I tore one up on the very first day. Rolled it down the hill trying to side-hill, that hurt. I don’t recommend tumbling down the hill with a mower to anyone 🤣. I broke the belt and bent the blade on a stump in the high grass same day.

Took it with me to Lowe’s for help and they just let me return/exchange it 👌. They were great to deal with. And i was worried about what else i might have half-broke waiting to fail on me.

So i went ahead and paid for the maximum warranty at Lowe’s for future problems on the new one.

For 14 years I kept up with 7 acres with a riding mower. We moved and I got a zero turn as part of the deal. I was a fool for not upgrading sooner.

I can cut 1/2 acre yard in 20-30 minutes and I just have a small 48” Husqvarna. Kawasaki engine and stamped desk at a minimum. Then you can jump to slag or gravely if you have deeper pockets.

Hustler with Kawasaki has been good for me

I’ve had good luck out of bad boy and skag. Had a commercial grade cub cadet and it wasn’t horrible but it seemed underpowered compared to the other two.

I have a Gravely Pro-Turn with Kawasaki engine. Love it and highly recommend. I too was a garden tractor guy for far too long.

Have a Kubota Commander that will be ten years old in May. Keep two sets of blades. Swap and sharpen every 25 hrs. Finally going to have to replace battery this year, be the first repair or part replaced since new other than filters and such.

Best advice I can offer is keep it out of your pool.

The Bad Boy will work great for that size and use.

Check out Mowhawk. They are a new company and are made in Texas!

https://www.mowhawk.com/

Happy with the bad boy. Upgraded from a Kubota that had a smaller deck. Both Kawasaki engines, bad boy is 38 hp. It will mow 3 acres in 1.5 hrs

One of these posts where folks recommend what they have or what they want.

Just get one with the Kaw motor and know whether you want one with serviceable hydros...the serviceable are typically either top end of residential or commercial.

My suggestion, if you have steep slopes...stick with a lawn tractor. If I die on mine, it will be because I rolled/flipped in in my bar ditch. Once the front wheels get heading down hill...the bottom is about the only thing that will stop it. Good luck.

Enjoyed our Grasshopper - easiest cleaning mower ever. But they aren't cheap either. Thankfully my partner on our property and I could split the cost.

I`ve had a Hustler Fastrak 54 for 7 seasons happy so far. No repairs in 270 hrs. I`d look at them, Gravley`s and Bad Boy`s when I buy another one. ZT-3100 hydro gear pumps (minimum) if you are going to mowing a lot and a Kawasaki motor. Entry level ZTR`s have crappy uncomfortable seats. I always say to buy a ZTR with a nice seat and you`ll be happy with it.

Side hills are the enemy. I’ve upgraded to an ATV tire and it no longer slides down hills sideways.

I had a Hustler with the Kawasaki motor and never had a problem.

Yep. Kaw engine, welded deck and most of the hydros are the same mfg now.

I have a Kubota Z422 54” - Kawasaki motor has been great. Had to have a HST replaced under warranty around the 1 year mark. Hoping that was a fluke - it’s otherwise been a great mower.

This is what I’ve had for 5 years now, been good no issues. It’s been to the ranch and mowed senderos 2x before I bought my tractor. The wife keeps telling me it’s not a tractor. I feel like with a lawnmower I always feel like it’s not to big it’ll cut that…haha.

I will say I like the zero turn but there are two places a lawn tractor wins, in sand and on hills/slopes.