We’ve all been there. It’s Saturday afternoon, the heat is beating down on your neck like a mad drummer in the middle of his drum solo…sweat pouring off your head, searing your eyes…hands awkwardly yet aptly moving through the steaming, broken down heap of steel on your front lawn that, at perhaps the worst time imaginable, has decided it doesn’t want to run anymore. But wait! Amidst the oil, the grease, the smoke, and the frustration, you spot it…the one part that’s playing antagonist in your weekend lawn-drama. With the skill of a master mower technician you rip this little terror from the machine - you step back, sure, proud, glowing with the satisfaction that you’ve found the problem.
Great, now what? Where do you find the replacement lawn mower part? A question asked too many times and answered too few. This is the great mystery for many-a-mower owner - “Where can I find lawn mower parts?” There’s always the dealer that you bought your mower from - but like many “dealers” we find that they’re too slow, too costly, and too insensitive to the time-sensitiveness of your ‘broken down’ situation…after all, you have a half-mowed lawn at home, one half a clean and crisp 1/2″ uniformed greatness, the other half a shaggy, messy excuse for grass. So where then? Look no further! Below we offer a handy list of where to find lawn mower parts for many of the major brands. Wash your hands, toss that little antagonist into the garbage. (Get the part number first!) Do a little surfing - a few clicks and you’re on your way to an expedited, overnighted solution to your lawn mower parts problem.
Parts
411web - Lawns
BCS America
Becoparts
Cheap Mower Parts
Cheap Mower Parts Online
Discount Lawn Mower Parts
Greenshoes: Lawn and Garden Supplies
HyperParts.com
HyperParts ATV and Lawnmower Replacement Parts
Jacks Small Engines
Mfgsupply.com
Outdoor Distributors
Partstree.com
Replacement Commercial Parts Warehouse
Zacm Company
Manufacturers
Briggs & Stratton
Bush Hog
Cub Cadet
DR Trimmer Country Home Products
Gravely Commercial Mowers
Honda Equipment & Mowers
Husqvarna Robotic Auto Mower
Hustler Turf Equipment
John Deere
Lawnboy
MTD Products
Murry Lawn Products
Scag Power Equipment
Simplicity Mowers
Small Engine Advisor
Snapper
Swisher Mower & Machine Company
Toro
Troybilt
Walker
Wood’s
Toro, along with John Deere, Snapper, and Cub Cadet, are amongst the most popular makers of all types of lawn mowers. From push behind to riding, zero-turn to lawn and garden, Toro offers a comprehensive line-up of lawn steel to tackle your mowing jobs.
Starting with their Z series zero turn mowers, the Toro TITAN Z model is as durable as one could ask for from a mower. The 2″ tube steel frame construction, which is a full 1/2″ wider than most other frames on the market, is a testament to just how serious Toro is about putting together an effectively durable piece of equipment. Along those same lines, the 1/4″ steel -reinforced deck, fitted with 3 fully welded blades, will most likely cut through anything your lawn can offer it….weeds, twigs, stumps, fell trees (okay, probably not the stumps or trees!)
Toro mowers are “for people who are proud of their lawn” - evident at first glance by the striking candy apple red paint job these babies get out off the production line. But more than just a pretty coat of paint and a good top-cote, Toro mowers now offer some of the creature comforts most look for in their next new car purchase – things like an automatic transmission and cruise control found on the new Toro LX series mowers. Other items like soft touch steering wheels, rubber foot rests, and handles to easily get on and off your mower add to the general usability of each Toro mower.
Perhaps in an effort to mount some momentum on the mower market, and to help to bury the 2002 recall of the Toro Zmaster Z100 riding mower (13,000 models recalled due to an exhaust problem) Toro mowers have certainly been retooled and geared towards becoming the ultimate choice in riding lawn mowers.
Touting the fact that they were the first company in the United States to offer a rear-mounted engine on a mower, Snapper mowers certainly hold a place of distinction in the riding mower industry. Despite the fact that the company has shifted control and names numerous times, it seems that regardless of who bought who and when, or who owns what and how, the product is consistent – flexible, durable, and of that certain “Snapper-esque” quality.
From it’s origin as Southern Saw Works in the 1800s, selling the country’s first self propelled mower, to its recent buyout by Simplicity Manufacturing, the Snapper label has been offering innovative mowing solutions to homeowners, farmers, and commercial users alike for over 100 years. A characteristic of Snapper riding mowers is that they’re manufactured towards flexibility, or multiple applications. Some Snapper mowers have the ability to not only simply cut and discharge the grass from the side, but also to bag the clippings, as well as the option to mulch!
The rear-mounted engine models offer a compact design that lets you feel like you’re in a racy little sports car, zipping through your mowing chore in no time at all – responsive steering, through the handy “tower control” style steering system, allows maneuvering on non zero turn models that rivals some of the top zero turn mowers offered today.
If you’re concerned about storage, no sweat! The rear engine model can be stored on end! That’s right, no concerns over oil leakage, gas spillage, or other unwanted garage disasters…upright storage can be your best friend if space is tight but you still want that Snapper parked in your garage. Not shirking their duty to offer a powerful along with flexible and storage-friendly mower, Snapper fits each of the mowers with a quiet-yet-impressive Briggs and Stratton engine, something that has now become one of their unspoken trademarks. The 13hp Intek over-head valve engine on the RE200 is built to last, helping to take away the often common headache of break-downs and repairs for other mower engines.
So, why a Snapper? Well, we’re not saying that Snapper makes mowers to end all mowers…not at all. Snapper mowers do however offer some of the many things that simply spell out a great product: user friendliness, easy storage, can be used for multiple things, a nice 2 year warranty…not bad at all!
We all know it. The yellow. The green. It’s a household combination, backed with years of customer loyalty and pride in American craftsmanship: it’s John Deere. From large commercial and agricultural machinery all the way down to little chippers, John Deere has been a household name in the machinery world for over 170 years, dating back to when John Deere himself fashioned a polished steel plow that would allow farmers to dig cleanly-cut furrows into the often difficult, sticky midwest soil. 170 years, this is quite a time line of success. So today, when a company like John Deere manufactures anything, we listen. And John Deere riding mowers are certainly worth listening to.
Currently offering 6 different lines of riding lawn mowers, John Deere is highly competitive in the mower market. Their EZ Trak Series “zero turn” mowers are among some of the best available (don’t miss our article on zero turn mowers), while their highly responsive iTorque Power Systems, touting v-twin engines in the Select x300 and Select x500 series models and high horsepower ratings on the Select x700 series models, are surefire winners.
With many positives, the skeptic may ask “How did they stack up against some other major brands, like Toro, Snapper, or Cub Cadet?” Fair question, and one we certainly won’t skirt away from! An avid consumer was able to test drive a 700 series John Deere model in some pretty trying conditions, and was pleased with the outcome, compared to some other top brand names:
“This…mower is a very nice machine. I test drove other machine(s) in this category, i.e. Toro, Exmark, Bobcat. The John Deere was the smoothest and nicest cutting machine I drove. I also test drove it in some really deep grass in a field next to the dealer and it never clogged up…” (source)
A testament unto itself. Amongst some of the more consistent positive reviews are the John Deere Riding Mowers’ smoothness, and quiet operating levels. Other consumer reviews report that replacement parts for the John Deere models are seldom required relative to other riding mower brands, and the overall value of their purchase has been quite high.
So if you’re in the market for a new riding lawn mower don’t overlook that classic paint job, the timeless logo, and the well known and highly sought after craftsmanship and reliability of John Deere riding mowers!
Fast is not fast enough. Close is not close enough, we want more. Well, all of you avid riding lawn mower enthusiasts out there have probably, if you’re anything like us, heard of this wonderful new term coined “zero turn mowers”. That’s right, if you’re one who always wants things to be a bit more, these zero-turning beauties are your ticket to lawn-mowing salvation!
Cut from similar molds as commercial-grade mowers from years past, todays zero turn models offer the efficiency and precision of commercial-grade models, but also come with the comfort and ease-of-use found on other non-commercial riding mowers. Easy operating features, like those found on the Snapper Yard Cruiser - a single joystick style control - is a big selling point for some consumers. For others top-speed matters, like the 7mph on the Cub Cadet Zero-Turn Rider 365L. Whatever your fancy, the fact remains….as with anything….more gadgets equals more strain on the pocketbook. While it’s true that the whirring blades on zero turning models like Husqvarna’s GT180 could probably give you a finer shave than your honed straight-razor in the medicine chest, this precision comes with a hefty price tag: around $4,000 to saddle up your very own zero turn lawn steed every Saturday afternoon.
So, the burning question: “Do I need a zero turn mower?” To be honest, when words like hydrostatic transmission, 18 horsepower, and Pivoting Rear Axles are thrown around, we get pretty excited, so don’t look at us to be your devil’s advocate when waffling back and forth on whether to pickup a zero turn…by all means! Closer cut? More power? More speed? While close is never close enough, and fast is never fast enough, zero turn mowers are pretty near to attaining both!
The best. Interesting concept. What’s best for one is horrible for another, what’s horrible for one, could be just-the-right-fit for the next…so what’s the best riding lawn mower for you? Before we can answer this question, a few variables must be determined.
Your Lawn
First and foremost is the size of the lawn, or lawns, you need to mow. Are we talking a small patch of grass, where maybe you fire up your new beast and plod along, calling it a good days work after 5 or 10 minutes? Or are we talking acres, rolling hills, hours of endless puttering knocking down the evermocking green blades of grass that are your bane? The best riding lawn mower is wholly dependent upon your needs.
The ‘Feel’
Once you determine your application, your lawn, the next step is brand. There are household names that tout ‘the best riding lawn mower’ all day long. But how can we know for sure? John Deere, Toro, Snapper, all Giants in the quest for Kingship amongst the Lawn Mowing populous. While each offers similar ends, the small details matter. Do you like the feel of the John Deere mower, or do you nestle nicely into the Toro’s seat, the contours, the welcoming grip and ride that could make your Saturday afternoon chore a true pleasure? Or will it be the Snapper’s snarl, the growl of the Briggs & Stratton humming at your back making you feel like the Lawn King? Personal preference is key – don’t be shy when shopping, saddle up to these babies and see if you can really get comfortable in the driver’s seat, because in the end the best riding lawn mower for you will be the one that feels right.
Mower envy is a viscous creature. Maybe your neighbor hunkers down on his green glowing John Deere every Saturday, with steely eyes steadily staring you down knowing full-well that your walkbehind Snapper, throwing black smoke and sputtering, is on it’s last limbs….maybe he does this, and maybe it eats you up inside. We understand. Name is huge. Who to buy? Who makes the Best Riding Lawn Mower, from a mechanical standpoint?
While all major manufacturers like John Deere, Toro, and Snapper, have their High Points…like Snappers RE200 Ground Hugger Traction, simply too much to resist, or Toro’s LX Cruise Control feature, or even the John Deere’s 7-Iron Deep Deck mower, each major brand has many great features to offer the lawn mowing enthusiast.
So what’s right for you? If you’re still waffling, and can’t quite make the final decision don’t forget to consult our Buyer’s Guide to help you solidify your next purchase, so you can find the best riding lawn mower for your needs!
Hank Hill on his riding mower
John Deere Chopper / Riding Mower
Redneck Lawn Mower
Bike / Riding Mower
Monster Truck Mower
