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…”

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!