Box Store Riding Mowers in 2024

[wag123]

Greetings BITOGers,

It has been a long time since I have posted here, but always get good insights. The search feature doesn't seem to come back with too many recent discussions on this topic.

I'm looking for a box store riding mower. I have a .6 acre property in MA, most of it grass. Front is meticulously maintained: fertilized 3-4x per year, pre emergent, spot sprayed for an emerald green appearance, ~4k sqft. The rest in the back is just kept "good enough" green grass with only invasive weeds addressed, keep stuff like clover, fertilized 2x per year so that I have to cut it less. Current mower is a 21" Toro Super Recycler with a B&S engine which has given me no trouble over the past three years of ownership. I enjoy cutting the front lawn with my Toro, but the back takes just long enough with the push mower that I find it a chore, especially with a toddler at home that I'd rather spend two hours more with on weekends.

So, I'm considering a riding mower. At first the 30" rear engine mowers looked like a good fit, since I have a few trees in the rear of the property, I could get around more easily. But the back yard is uneven, which I've heard they have issues with, and I've heard these models are problematic in general. They're also not much cheaper.

I'm not interested in buying used, I don't have a truck, and am not looking to problem solve. I want something easy and convenient, since my alternative is to just pay landscapers. Money isn't an issue but I don't feel the desire to overpay for more than I need for a basic residential mower. I will use it to cut grass in the spring and fall (back yard is not irrigated and goes dormant in the summer). I will also get the leaf bagger and bag leaves in the fall, and might also get a small trailer to move bags of leaves, sticks, etc. for curbside collection. Nothing more strenuous than that. I have a B&S/Snapper snowblower and small driveway for the winter. Being able to fit into a 10x10 shed easily is a priority.

So, I'm wondering a few things:

• How important is single cylinder vs. V-Twin for this use case?
  • I will take care of the mower, do maintenance, store with ethanol-free in the winter, etc.
  • I baby my equipment, keep it clean, won't push it.
• Is anything as basic as the 36" MTD/Craftsman with an 11.5hp enough for this?
• Is it worth it to step up to a 42" John Deere S100 for $400 more?

To give an idea on my philosophy toward mechanical equipment: I drive a 2017 Camry I bought CPO. I value reliability over durability/performance/etc. I'm looking for something that will take care of me if I take care of it, not the best stats or features. Not looking for ZTR, commercial, or anything like that. I'm very busy with my job and other things at the moment, just looking to get up and running.

Thanks!

skyactiv's advice is very good. The Toro Timemaster would be ideal for your situation and would be my choice if I were in your situation. You can use it on your entire lawn. It has a B&S engine on it. Additionally, it would be easy to haul in the back of an SUV or pickup when it needs to go to the shop. Owners appear to be highly satisfied with the Timemaster (if this carries any weight with you).
One other thing to consider, if you have a fenced-in area in your yard you likely have a 36" gate that the mower will need to go through.

 

[LDB]

I like Cub Cadet and John Deere. I don't have or need one, I just like those brands. Good luck with your search.

 

[LDB]

Some Home Depots rent a Toro TimeMaster. That might be worth renting to see if it works out.

View attachment 218979

Wow, what a deal! Rent it for 4 weeks for only half of what it costs to buy and own forever. Talk about a bargain!

 

[4WD]

skyactiv's advice is very good. The Toro Timemaster would be ideal for your situation and would be my choice if I were in your situation. You can use it on your entire lawn. It has a B&S engine on it. Additionally, it would be easy to haul in the back of an SUV or pickup when it needs to go to the shop. Owners appear to be highly satisfied with the Timemaster (if this carries any weight with you).
One other thing to consider, if you have a fenced-in area in your yard you likely have a 36" gate that the mower will need to go through.

Just keep in mind they all last 10 years plus - and think about what kind you want 9 years from now …

 

[Lubener]

Thanks all, so many great replies. A few points to address some questions/ideas raised so far:

Grass square footage: This is about 4k on the front, 8,500 in the rear. The rest is either the house, driveway/landscaping, or some areas in the front/rear that are covered by tree canopy without grass. I'm planning to do some hardscaping in the back that will cut another 1k sqft of that grass in the next year or so.

Cut frequency: I do cut in the summer, but it slows quite a bit, depending on heat. In 2022, I think I cut the back once all of July and August. Last year may have been once every 3-4 weeks.

Electric: I've thought about it, but they're expensive for relatively new technology. The replacement battery cost for riding mowers specifically is what tips me away from them. I've been lucky with my EGO 56v gear for string trimer/blower/hedge trimmer so far, but I've heard enough early battery failures across the board that make me wary of something that needs multiple $300+ batteries to run. If I get a gas rider for the back, I may eventually get an electric EGO push mower for the front so I can do it in the early AM.

Larger push mower: I've thought about this, especially as I try to hardscape away some of the grass in the back (I really want a nice large square of grass in the back with everything else hardscaped/garden area). I've thought about the 30" Time Master, but since it's so close in price to the smaller MTD tractors (like the Murray MT100 or Craftsman T100), I go back to thinking about the other things I can do like fill a trailer full of leaf/stick bags, bag up leaves with an attachment, etc... Then I think for a few hundred more, should I get the Deere, and now I'm at the S100/S120 or a 42-inch Cub Cadet

For the issues with single-cylinder motors: Is this a function of the environment they're run in? Assuming I got the 11.5 in the Craftsman or 13.5 in the Murray, if it was only run to cut the grass and not pushed too hard (thereby not overheating), would the issues be less likely to occur?

Reading your last sentence, if you maintain your grass, either the Craftsman or Murray will work fine for you. You don't need anything bigger as others suggested. As long as you don't let accumulated grass collect on the engine, you won't overheat the engine.

 

[odie]

Have the J.D. D130 with the 22 H.P. twin cylinder and 42" deck . Purchased it about 11 years ago from LOWES and now has 510+ hours . Mow up to 2 acres and has 35 degree grades . Use 5w-30 P.P. synthetic most of the time . Has the original battery .

 

[smc733]

skyactiv's advice is very good. The Toro Timemaster would be ideal for your situation and would be my choice if I were in your situation. You can use it on your entire lawn. It has a B&S engine on it. Additionally, it would be easy to haul in the back of an SUV or pickup when it needs to go to the shop. Owners appear to be highly satisfied with the Timemaster (if this carries any weight with you).
One other thing to consider, if you have a fenced-in area in your yard you likely have a 36" gate that the mower will need to go through.

The rental is a good idea, one use should tell me if I can feel the time savings enough to be happy. I do have a fence and 36 inch gate, so I was planning to use my 21" push mower on the front. But, theoretically with the Timemaster, I could do both with one mower and maybe even sell the Super Recycler.

 

[4WD]

Here is my .02

I had a v-twin Husqvarna that was just ok. Unfortunately, one of the connecting rods decided to break on the 22 hp B&S Intek. Picked up a lightly used Craftsman T110 from a family friend. I also usually don't buy used but the price was right, and I needed a mower. I have 10 acres but usually only mow maybe 3 or so with the riding mower, the rest with the brush hog. Even mowing 3 acres regularly, is probably consider commercial use as far as riders go. I must say that I actually prefer this T110 and would buy again. The single cylinder B&S 17.5 is a torque monster in the lower gears. I just finished mowing 2' tall field grass that was very thick. I am always amazed on how well this mower does.

For what you described, A geared single cylinder sounds like it would fit the bill for you. Good luck!

Doesn’t Lowe’s still sell a Craftsman that’s a similar mower/engine ?

 

[jeepman3071]

Do yourself a favor and dont buy from the big box store or buy anything Cubcadet unless you plan on learning how to buy expensive replacement parts and do major repair work on them.
I have a Husqvarna rider I bought from my brother with only 25 hrs on it. I have had it for around 8 yrs and in that time have had to repair it numerous times including removing and cleaning/servicing the hydrostatic trans.
The box stores cut corners to cut the price. At 350 hrs only this Husky is well worn and I have to really baby it to cut about 5/8 acre of lawn.

+1

The box store mowers used to be a decent option for just cutting grass on a small flat property and you could get around 10 years out of them. Now they barely make it through warranty on most of the brands. The Deeres are probably the least problematic from my experience, but they might last 5 years instead of the normal 2-3 I see from the others. Just pure bottom of the barrel garbage, they aren't worth the headache, and I always steer my customers toward something heavier duty that is used instead of a new junk box mower. I mean I've seen decks broken off from poor welds, snapped front axles, plastic transmission failures, HUGE problems for almost brand new mowers.

The "cheap" Sears Craftsman LT1000s from 10-20 years ago are still way above anything in the store today. You can still find those cheap on Marketplace if you are on a tight budget.

 

[jeepman3071]

The rental is a good idea, one use should tell me if I can feel the time savings enough to be happy. I do have a fence and 36 inch gate, so I was planning to use my 21" push mower on the front. But, theoretically with the Timemaster, I could do both with one mower and maybe even sell the Super Recycler.

The Timemaster is also a much better built machine than any box store riding mower.

 

[jkasch]

I purchased this Toro TimeCutter online from Home Depot during peak Covid hysteria in May of 2020. It was setup and delivered by a local independent OPE shop with their "For Service Call ....." sticker on it. It's been totally trouble free and a joy to operate. In 2021 the price jumped from $2,500 to $3,500 and it now ships with a B&S instead of the Toro branded 22.5hp 708cc motor. Overall, a good experience/purchase.

Toro TimeCutter 42 in. Briggs and Stratton 22 HP V-Twin Gas Dual Hydrostatic Zero Turn Riding Mower with Smart Speed 77401 - The Home Depot

Tackle everything on your Honey-Do list and still make it in time for all the Summer fun with Toro's 42 in. Time Cutter. The mower's compact design makes for easy storage and features like a step-through

www.homedepot.com

 

[odie]

Have the J.D. D130 with the 22 H.P. twin cylinder and 42" deck . Purchased it about 11 years ago from LOWES and now has 510+ hours . Mow up to 2 acres and has 35 degree grades . Use 5w-30 P.P. synthetic most of the time . Has the original battery .

Original battery : Remove wires during winter storage .

 

[jkasch]

That's the brand battery Lowes sells. I've had good luck with them. Looks like a July 2020 date.

 

[Exhaustgases]

Box stores do not make or manufacture any of the lawn mowers. So there is no such thing as a BOX STORE mower, it is a point of purchase.
The John Deere is made by and warranty serviced by John Deere, I suppose other brands will be warranty serviced by their respective dealerships as well.
The normal reason for a Box store choice is that it is usually way closer than the regional dealership. That was my reason.
I've had no special problems with it because it came from a Box store.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Getting away from the riding mower topic, there are two rows of lawn mowers at my Home Depot, mostly Dewalt and Ryobi but what caught my eye was the gas powered Toro Recyler with electric start but also a Toro 60 V electric mower. Enjoy.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I used to mow a few neighbors lawns plus our own growing up in the country - typically a couple acres, not flat, lots of trees and things to go around. Since your 0.6 acres is already broken into two pieces I think your seriously underestimating how much time the rider is going to save you, unless you do go zero turn. Your likely talking going from 2 hours with your current to 90 minutes at best. IMHO.

Maybe you can rent one to try it once?

 

[odie]

That's the brand battery Lowes sells. I've had good luck with them. Looks like a July 2020 date.

Forgot about the replacement battery . ASTRO_GOUY pointed it out in a different thread . The original battery went for 7 years , bought the D130 in '13 .

 

[Lubener]

Box stores do not make or manufacture any of the lawn mowers. So there is no such thing as a BOX STORE mower, it is a point of purchase.
The John Deere is made by and warranty serviced by John Deere, I suppose other brands will be warranty serviced by their respective dealerships as well.
The normal reason for a Box store choice is that it is usually way closer than the regional dealership. That was my reason.
I've had no special problems with it because it came from a Box store.

He means bought in a box store. I think he knows better than thinking the box store builds mowers.

 

[blkwtr]

I noted in your original post that you wanted a mower to bag leaves in the fall and to pull a small trailer. I'm wondering how this could be accomplished with a self propelled walk behind mower.

 

[blkwtr]

42'' JD will have the option for a bagger also. I use my bagger for fall leaves and sucking up winter junk in the spring. I don't bag grass clippings. My old 17 hp single works great for that. Bagger is worth the money just for fall pick alone and it basically vacuums the lawn of sticks and pine needles also. My '90's JD L100 was a cast off that I resurrected with tires and a deck rebuild. It has a dealer sticker on it, so I know it isn't a box store unit. It's not a hydro either, manual trans.
I do a little less than an acre, it's about time, push mower eats a lot of that up and is less versatile. A 42'' will handle trailers just fine also.
Well maintained it will last for decades, and as we age it's smarter not harder.

I also have a John Deere L100 bought in 2005 at Home Depot. It also has a dealer sticker. It has 1800 hours of mowing and towing and still runs strong. The 6 bushel bagger fills up pretty quick so I also have a 17P trailer to haul off the leaves.