Riding Mower around $1500 - John Deere vs Cub Cadet vs Husqvarna

I like the new cub cadets.

I sell all three (depends on location for JD). Cub Cadet at that price point is a better buy.

JD and husqvarna went to a composite general transmission to save money. Cub cadet stayed with the hydro transmission.

Most independent dealers run 0% even Cub Cadet, Husqvarna, and JD and they are not as strict on the credit score.

I do sell gravely and for $1,000 more the zero turn is over priced. I can sell a person a Cub Cadet, Husqvarna, or residential JD for $200 less each size. The quality is tit for tat because there is really no money to cut quality. At this price point it all about which one feels better and which dealer will service you.

I bought one of the new Cub Cadet XT1s recently based mostly off of Johnnyrockets' recommendation. I've only used it 4x so far but I'm extremely satisfied with it. Extremely comfortable and does a great job. I have less than half an acre which is pretty much flat.

My service centers service over 300 units at one location and other three avg 200 units per month. I do have one location that is 100% service center that does 600 units a month for extended warranty companies.

Lawn tractors
Lower end ones Poulon, Craftsman low end etc are 300 hour units.

Cub cadet, JD, husqvarna, and snappers upper end last around 400 to 500 hours. On a residential lawn 1 hour a week times 52 weeks a year that is a good amount of time. I seen some still running at around 10 to 12 yrs old.

Some commercial units I seen guys trash big dog, bad boys commercial, and scaggs destroying them in less than a year. Some of it right unit for right job and also how you take care of a unit.


99.9% of the 10% of the people who have consistent problems with these units is either bad from the start or they use them for field cutting and try to cut on the lowest setting. These units all brands are only designed to cut 10" high at a time. This reduces the life especially when some are banging against rough field grass on 2 to 3 acre lots. Just too much for these units.

Residential zero turns the same way. My father has a 10 yr old 42" Ariens/ gravely which he cuts 1/2 acre of residential grass. The only thing I have done is change the oil and blades 1 time. Again, he is not cutting that much.

My brother in law has destroyed this year alone Gravely commercial unit, big dog commercial unit, and I cannot recognize the scagg I sent him. He cuts 3 acres, does not take care of his stuff, and tried to shade tree mechanic a minor repair which turned a into a major repair. No matter what I give him he will destroy. After I took his Scagg back I told him he really needs a tractor with a bush hog.

I have a Cub Cadet that is 11 years old now. It's been OK on my 1 acre lot. I bought it at Lowes, all of the ones sold at big box stores are either MTD or Yard Machines made I think.

If you want something sturdier, go to a dealer. I replaced it a couple of years ago with a use commerical brand used one. Best move I could have made. I use this one now for just mowing the property behind mine that I take care of, and hauling my wagon.

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Any recommendations for a riding mower around $1500? I was looking at John Deere, Cub Cadet and Husqvarna

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I'm in the same market. Any help would be appreciated.

Can anyone tell me the difference between the Hydrostatic transmission and the automatic transmission?

Cub Cadet XT1 42" cut is what i'm currently looking at

For that kind of money, you could buy several goats. You would never have to mow again, and it would be more eco friendly. I'll never go back to machine mowing.

Where did you buy your Husq from? I was thinking of going with that over the cub cadet Seems like they are almost the same though and its more preference. If I go the $1900 route, probably gonna go with the JD