Please help me purchase a new mower to mow 1/2 acre. I have specific requirements.

[Alaska_Guy]

Hi everyone,

I am a new member here, I have been reading on the forum for a bit but figured I would join and post as I have some special requirements and not sure what to buy. I have a polaris ranger for towing/plowing duties. I am specifically looking for a good mower. I used to own a toro power driven push behind and it bogged down a lot during bagging/mulching. I was not happy with my toro. I have 6 bad discs in my back, i just tore my shoulder and my bicep is out of alignment due to the tear. So I need an electric start. I am leaning towards a ride on mower because if I can't mow due to my injuries I would like the wife to be able to mow.

Here are my requirements.

1. Electric Start
2. Power driven
3. Wont bog down under load/tall grass.
4. Terrain is very flat in front of house 1/4 acre, I have 12 trees in the back yard 1/4 acre, but they are grouped into bunches of 3, so they are easy to mow around. Very slight grade in the back yard. Nothing a regular push behind power mower couldn't climb.
5. Lawn tractor or driven lawn mower with speeds.
6. Mow in reverse, don't want to have to rake due to my injuries. Shoulder should be good after this lawn season.
7. Looking to spend $1000-$2000

I don't have any lawn tractor dealers here so I am stuck to Lowes or Home Depot. I am very mechanically inclined so I can do all maintenance and care.

Appreciate you for reading my post and looking forward to your expert advice for my current situation.

Thanks again!

I also am open to used.

I found this Cadet for sale locally... It's over priced, but if I could get him down to $1000 would it be worth it or go with something new?

riding lawn mower

John Deere EZ Trak 225 Lawn Mower

 

[SeniorCitizen]

How are you going to make a lawn tractor mulch ? Next question - How are you going to make a lawn tractor mulch tall grass without bogging down ?

 

[Ric]

How are you going to make a lawn tractor mulch ? Next question - How are you going to make a lawn tractor mulch tall grass without bogging down ?

Good questions The LT 1042 he posted isn't going to do what he wants. It would be alright for a basic lawn but I don't think it would meet his special requirements. For the money he is wanting to spend his requirements are going to be hard to meet.

 

[Alaska_Guy]

Ok, how about some helpful criticism then? I don't know anything about these larger machines... I know a push mower will mulch, I assumed the riding type would do the same? How about a machine that I can put a bagger/double bagger on instead of mulching....

How would something like this fair?

Ariens A19A42 42 in. 19 HP Briggs & Stratton Automatic Gas Front-Engine Riding Mower-960460061 - The Home Depot

John Deere D110 42 in. 19 HP Hydrostatic Front-Engine Riding Mower-BG20708 - The Home Depot

Shop Husqvarna YTH22V46 V-Twin Hydrostatic 46-in Riding Lawn Mower with Briggs & Stratton Engine and Mulching Capable at Lowes.com

Push Mower - Honda 21 in. Variable Speed Self-Propelled Electric Start Gas Mower-HRX217HZA - The Home Depot

I did find a local John Deere and Kubota dealers.

 

[Ric]

Ok, how about some helpful criticism then? I don't know anything about these larger machines... I know a push mower will mulch, I assumed the riding type would do the same? How about a machine that I can put a bagger/double bagger on instead of mulching....

How would something like this fair?

Ariens A19A42 42 in. 19 HP Briggs & Stratton Automatic Gas Front-Engine Riding Mower-960460061 - The Home Depot

John Deere D110 42 in. 19 HP Hydrostatic Front-Engine Riding Mower-BG20708 - The Home Depot

Shop Husqvarna YTH22V46 V-Twin Hydrostatic 46-in Riding Lawn Mower with Briggs & Stratton Engine and Mulching Capable at Lowes.com

Push Mower - Honda 21 in. Variable Speed Self-Propelled Electric Start Gas Mower-HRX217HZA - The Home Depot

I did find a local John Deere and Kubota dealers.

I wasn't trying to criticize but with 6 bad discs in your back and a torn shoulder/bicep the last place I would want to be is on any type of mower. I don't think a lawn tractor will meet your requirements, a garden Tractor maybe. Something like the CC XTI 50 inch cut with the Kohler 25 HP may do what you want and would ride a whole lot better but your talking more money, I think there running between $2600 to $3000 depending on where you buy. I'd also look at the Kubota dealer and see what they offer. I'd stay away from the others.

 

[Alaska_Guy]

How about the John Deere EZ Trak 225? I called the guy and he says its basically new, nothing wrong with it and he would take $1500. I looked online and it looks about $600 for a bagger unit and around $100 for a mulching blade setup. This still keeps me around my $2000 budget.

I really just don't know enough about these machines to make an informed decision as to weather this Zero Turn unit would be reliable and do what I want.

Thanks again!

 

[Ric]

How about the John Deere EZ Trak 225? I called the guy and he says its basically new, nothing wrong with it and he would take $1500. I looked online and it looks about $600 for a bagger unit and around $100 for a mulching blade setup. This still keeps me around my $2000 budget.

I really just don't know enough about these machines to make an informed decision as to weather this Zero Turn unit would be reliable and do what I want.

Thanks again!

The 225 is a real light weight ZTR. It runs the EZT drives which are the low end drives from Hydro Gear and there not serviceable because there a sealed unit. It's a pretty low quality machine, the frame is 1 1/2 X 2 inch and it has one of the cheaper B&S engines and if your worried about bogging down, bagging and mulching it's not the machine. I think it would end up costing you more than it's worth. As far as any machine being reliable or not depends on the conditions that you'll use the machine under.
I'd look for a ZTR with at least the 2800 drives which are serviceable and a 20hp engine, Kawasaki engine would be my first choice, Kohler my second. Something along the lines of a Toro Titan or maybe a CC Z Force with the Fab deck.

 

[Alaska_Guy]

I looked up those cub cadets and they are about twice my current budget. Though they look like good machines I just can't justify the cost. Our mowing season here is "maybe" 6 months, so that means I should get double the life expectancy compared to the lower 48 where you may get 10 months of mowing? From the sounds of it I am not going to get every want on my list for the $2000 I have to spend.

So with that...

Where is my $2000 best spent? If there is a better option for $2000 I am all ears. Providing units that cost more really doesn't help as I can't afford a higher priced unit. I do know the cadet is a 3 year no questions warranty and the dealer here services them. I also have a John Deere shop locally. Considering the new John Deere 235 EZ Trak is $2600, $1500 for a used model with 200 hours sounds like a pretty good deal.

Craftsman Zero Turn - Craftsman mower
John Deere EZ Trak - John Deere EZ Trak 225 Lawn Mower

Cub Cadet with Koehler engine - Cub Cadet XT1 Enduro Series LT 42 in. 18 HP Kohler Hydrostatic Gas Front-Engine Riding Mower-LT42 - The Home Depot

Honda HRX electric start push mower - Honda 21 in. Variable Speed Self-Propelled Electric Start Gas Mower-HRX217HZA - The Home Depot

 

[Ric]

I looked up those cub cadets and they are about twice my current budget. Though they look like good machines I just can't justify the cost. Our mowing season here is "maybe" 6 months, so that means I should get double the life expectancy compared to the lower 48 where you may get 10 months of mowing? From the sounds of it I am not going to get every want on my list for the $2000 I have to spend.

So with that...

Where is my $2000 best spent? If there is a better option for $2000 I am all ears. Providing units that cost more really doesn't help as I can't afford a higher priced unit. I do know the cadet is a 3 year no questions warranty and the dealer here services them. I also have a John Deere shop locally. Considering the new John Deere 235 EZ Trak is $2600, $1500 for a used model with 200 hours sounds like a pretty good deal.

Craftsman Zero Turn - Craftsman mower
John Deere EZ Trak - John Deere EZ Trak 225 Lawn Mower

Cub Cadet with Koehler engine - Cub Cadet XT1 Enduro Series LT 42 in. 18 HP Kohler Hydrostatic Gas Front-Engine Riding Mower-LT42 - The Home Depot

Honda HRX electric start push mower - Honda 21 in. Variable Speed Self-Propelled Electric Start Gas Mower-HRX217HZA - The Home Depot

With the mowers you listed the Cub Cadet XT1 would be my first choice, The Honda would be second both would be good mowers. The other two I wouldn't touch because they both run the B&S engines. secondly you don't know how they have been taken care of and you could be buying someone Else's problem.

 

[Alaska_Guy]

Ric, thanks!

Here is the yard in question. My only concern with the riding mowers is the distance between the trees. The lady at the dealer suggested the cub cadet as well and said I may need a cheap mower to do small sections, or just get the Honda as you described.