Hey everyone, need your opinions on a riding lawn mower. I don't want to spend more than $1700. I have been doing a little research and it seems like they all have issues. Though some less than others. My dad bought a craftsman 4 years ago and it has been pretty good for him, no major problems. What do you think?

No one has an opinion on the different brands. Or no one likes there riding mower?

I believe Husqvarna is supposed to be a good one, and can be had below $2k. My brother had one and swore BY it...not AT it (LOL). I know their chainsaws are held in high regard. I haven't needed a rider, so I don't know personally (but I did use my brother's on his 2 acres many times, with no issues).

Thanks for the reply! I have looked at the husqavana but the reviews at lowes/sears did not seem all that great. It looked like some loved it but some did not. Though I am glad your brother has had good luck with his! I will keep it in mind. Anyone else?

Anything sold at Lowes/Sears/HomeDepot, etc is going to be the low end consumer model, if you want something better than that, take a look at the higher end models sold at a real dealer.

Happy with my Husqvarna tractor and snowblower.

Less than $2k from lowes. Will it out last the 4runner? Doubt it. But it gets the job done, going on four years.

As with most power tools, I'm sure you'll find that there are probably only about 4 or 5 genuine manufacturers of these, with everyone slapping their nameplates on someone else's product. I've always used Ryobi 18V tools for my home use (I realize they're only middle-of-the-road, but they work well for casual home projects), but I found that Milwaukee, Craftsman, Ryobi, and others are all made by one company--go figure.

I've got a 9 year old Home Depot 42.5" w/kohler engine rider....name escapes me, bright orange, they finally gave up and sell them in John Deere form now. It was relatively cheap, especially with the 10% discount. Currently needs a new gas cap. Beyond oil changes and the occasional plug as maintenance a cap is the first and only thing it's needed. I haven't even had to replace the battery yet (knock wood). I was skeptical but it was what I could afford. Been worth it for me.

Ya I realize in the price range and going to a big box store I am not getting high end stuff. I just have about 1/2 acre with a little hill to mow. If I get around 5 years out of it I will be happy. Thanks for replies everyone. I guess I will just pick one and hope it lasts for a little while!

I registered only to write a message here 13 years later.
I had a lawn mower from Toyota in 2015. I have not seen the same one in anyone else. I bought this lawn mower in the 1980s and it has not broken for 35 years. 35 years, Carl. The only difficulty is to get a good cover for her. I tried to find the best lawn mower cover on this site, but I could not find a suitable size. Well, I would like a waterproof cover. I found a waterproof cover, but it turned out to be a little smaller than I needed.

I had 2+ acres for 35 years and made due with an old Cub Cadet for 30 years and then bought a Deere …. what a difference!! I would recommend a Deere.

The HUSQ that we have was purchased, unfortunately, at Lowe's.
However, the exact model is ALSO available at our local HUSQ dealer, and in retrospect we definitely should have bought there.

The problems were with Lowe's, not the mower. Finding someone to answer questions, finding someone to take our money. Finding someone who could find us a key for the damn thing, finding someone who could get us the literature and deck cleaning kit for the mower, finding someone competent enough to help us load on to our trailer.

Basically, I hate Lowe's for a lot of reasons, the above among them.

I agree with your sentiment wholeheartedly, and definitely suggest finding a local dealer, besides that keeps the money local and you'll end up getting someone knowledgeable and willing to take the time to help you make the right decision.

Love our HUSQ, it handles our yard well, totes the little trailer full of fire wood, requires little maintenance.

A used John Deere with a Kawasaki engine is never a bad idea! I've had nothing but luck with my well maintained, Kawasaki powered JD.

I have to disclose I'm biased based on where I am employed but I'd say go Deere all the way. Service parts support is great so if you find one that is a little beat up and needing maintenance it is pretty easy to get it back up to snuff.

You can check this list hope you will get the right one that you needed.