Ride on lawnmower guide
Discussion
Ok so we import/distribute/retail garden machinery. A couple of members that know what I do and have asked me for advice suggested I put a post up to assist anyone looking a new ride on as the weather picks up.
What size of tractor do I need. Theres no absolute answer to this, the smallest 25" machine will cut 2 acres, if you have the time. Generally standard domestic 'tractor' shape machines start at 30" and go to 50", with 40" being the most popular.
I would look at engine brand and size as well, obviously the big names ie Briggs, Honda and Kawasaki are the ones to look for. On the smaller 30-33" machines 350cc is ample, 36" and above I tend to recommend one of the bigger units. 500cc minimum but also a V-twin cylinder if possible. Similar to a v8 in a car, these are more relaxed, lower reving and generally under less pressure. They also have an oil pump/filter so are more suitable for slopes.
How is the grass collected. Theres 3 main ways, straight up between the back wheels, up a pipe on the side or it is a mulch machine which I'll look at later.
The side pipe machines are very often discounted due to their poorer performance in wet grass, but they have 2 big advantages that are often overlooked. The bins on the back can be lifted off and tipped over a fence/into a trailer or they can be lined with bin liners.
Generally tho the straight thru collection is the most popular due to its more compact nature and its wet performance.
Mulch machines generally are either out front machines or zero turns. We do well with both but make sure you buy the correct machine, the front decks leave a lovely smooth fine finish and are very manoeuvrable, the zero turns are faster, generally come with a fabricated deck and are more robust but do not leave as good a finish. They suit people who have a large area, but not all set out as fine lawns, they will handle longer rougher grass and can also side discharge. Also if you choose to mulch you need to cut more often.
Brand. Generally it is good to go with something that has a dealer near you for servicing and parts for when the worst happens and you catch a tree root or break a belt. GGP would be one of the biggest uk brands, imagine very loosely vw/seat/skoda/audi. Mountfield, Stiga, Atco, Alpina, Castelgarden etc are all manufactured by GGP in Italy (33" machine and a couple of others are Chinese made). The are different colours and slightly different spec eg Stiga would be considered the Audi of the group hence gets led lights etc. They are a solid choice and have good parts back up.
Countax are still made in the uk, I liken them to Bristol, made in an aircraft hanger by a small workforce, expensive, latest ones not as well built as their reputation would suggest but have followers that will buy literally nothing else. We sell a few, they need a very good pdi before they go out, but customers are generally happy with them.
Husqvarna are generally spot on, reasonable price and performance. Ford/Vauxhall. Good parts availability. Some build issues the last couple of years but they are on top of it now. Market leaders on front decks and robots. Possibly leaving the tractor market soon.
John Deere, well made machine but the biggest complaint is poor in even damp conditions. May not be an issue to those in the south but up around Scotland it could be a factor. Can be improved with high lift blades and some other mods.
Ariens, UK's fastest growing zero turn machine and a solid choice if you want a zero turn. Go for the ikon range tho as you get the fabricated deck as standard along with a twin cylinder kawasaki for less than £500 more than the standard zoom.
Alko, probably my top choice. Made in Austria, superb in damp/wet conditions, even the 36" comes on a 656cc v twin briggs and they are very well put together. They also have an offset deck with no timing belt which is a good thing, timing belts keep the blades in check but if you hit a root and knock the timing out it has to be reset which is tricky at home. With Alko I tend to think Volvo. The t20 is the range topper at £3600 but they go down to £2100.
When buying a machine the dealers wont have a massive margin, under £500 is the norm so do not be expecting loads off, but ask for some extras, does it come with a mulch plug? Battery charger for the winter? Cover? Tow kit for small trailers/aerators/scarifiers etc? Generally these are low cost to the dealer and can be worked into the deal. Some are offering finance, some various length of warranty etc. Also check if the dealer collects it for servicing, can be an issue for those with no trailer, I know dealers who charge £3 per mile.
Hopefully this was useful to someone, any questions just ask.
What size of tractor do I need. Theres no absolute answer to this, the smallest 25" machine will cut 2 acres, if you have the time. Generally standard domestic 'tractor' shape machines start at 30" and go to 50", with 40" being the most popular.
I would look at engine brand and size as well, obviously the big names ie Briggs, Honda and Kawasaki are the ones to look for. On the smaller 30-33" machines 350cc is ample, 36" and above I tend to recommend one of the bigger units. 500cc minimum but also a V-twin cylinder if possible. Similar to a v8 in a car, these are more relaxed, lower reving and generally under less pressure. They also have an oil pump/filter so are more suitable for slopes.
How is the grass collected. Theres 3 main ways, straight up between the back wheels, up a pipe on the side or it is a mulch machine which I'll look at later.
The side pipe machines are very often discounted due to their poorer performance in wet grass, but they have 2 big advantages that are often overlooked. The bins on the back can be lifted off and tipped over a fence/into a trailer or they can be lined with bin liners.
Generally tho the straight thru collection is the most popular due to its more compact nature and its wet performance.
Mulch machines generally are either out front machines or zero turns. We do well with both but make sure you buy the correct machine, the front decks leave a lovely smooth fine finish and are very manoeuvrable, the zero turns are faster, generally come with a fabricated deck and are more robust but do not leave as good a finish. They suit people who have a large area, but not all set out as fine lawns, they will handle longer rougher grass and can also side discharge. Also if you choose to mulch you need to cut more often.
Brand. Generally it is good to go with something that has a dealer near you for servicing and parts for when the worst happens and you catch a tree root or break a belt. GGP would be one of the biggest uk brands, imagine very loosely vw/seat/skoda/audi. Mountfield, Stiga, Atco, Alpina, Castelgarden etc are all manufactured by GGP in Italy (33" machine and a couple of others are Chinese made). The are different colours and slightly different spec eg Stiga would be considered the Audi of the group hence gets led lights etc. They are a solid choice and have good parts back up.
Countax are still made in the uk, I liken them to Bristol, made in an aircraft hanger by a small workforce, expensive, latest ones not as well built as their reputation would suggest but have followers that will buy literally nothing else. We sell a few, they need a very good pdi before they go out, but customers are generally happy with them.
Husqvarna are generally spot on, reasonable price and performance. Ford/Vauxhall. Good parts availability. Some build issues the last couple of years but they are on top of it now. Market leaders on front decks and robots. Possibly leaving the tractor market soon.
John Deere, well made machine but the biggest complaint is poor in even damp conditions. May not be an issue to those in the south but up around Scotland it could be a factor. Can be improved with high lift blades and some other mods.
Ariens, UK's fastest growing zero turn machine and a solid choice if you want a zero turn. Go for the ikon range tho as you get the fabricated deck as standard along with a twin cylinder kawasaki for less than £500 more than the standard zoom.
Alko, probably my top choice. Made in Austria, superb in damp/wet conditions, even the 36" comes on a 656cc v twin briggs and they are very well put together. They also have an offset deck with no timing belt which is a good thing, timing belts keep the blades in check but if you hit a root and knock the timing out it has to be reset which is tricky at home. With Alko I tend to think Volvo. The t20 is the range topper at £3600 but they go down to £2100.
When buying a machine the dealers wont have a massive margin, under £500 is the norm so do not be expecting loads off, but ask for some extras, does it come with a mulch plug? Battery charger for the winter? Cover? Tow kit for small trailers/aerators/scarifiers etc? Generally these are low cost to the dealer and can be worked into the deal. Some are offering finance, some various length of warranty etc. Also check if the dealer collects it for servicing, can be an issue for those with no trailer, I know dealers who charge £3 per mile.
Hopefully this was useful to someone, any questions just ask.
Edited by irish boy on Thursday 18th April 15:55
Edited by irish boy on Thursday 18th April 15:56
Edited by irish boy on Thursday 16th April 09:08
Edited by irish boy on Thursday 16th April 09:09
Edited by irish boy on Wednesday 30th June 10:26
JWH said:
Hi - do you have any experience of the larger Cub Cadet tractors. I'm looking for something to mulch 1/2 acre of lawn and side discharge 2 acres of fairly rough paddock. My primary desire is toughness and reliability and the XT3 with the big 54 inch fabricated deck looks appropriate to me, any thoughts?
Nothing wrong with cub cadet, good well built machine. For that job I’d also be looking at a zero turn for speed/manoeuvrability etc. The commercial apex 52” with the Kawasaki would be the one, I supplied one this week to a customer doing pretty much what you are on 1.9 acres and he loves it. Similar price circa £4500+ vat with mulch and side eject kits.
https://www.ariens.com/en-gb/lawn-products/zero-tu...
Gearboxes can be a pain. I keep coming back to Alko but again we find them more reliable than the husqvarna or jd boxes
All alko gearboxes are Hydro Gear. The others use Tuff Torque and they can be plagued with issues between slipping and general failures. I believe Alko U.K. last year had zero warranty claims on the hydro gear. Just google hydro gear t3 hd, proper box.
All alko gearboxes are Hydro Gear. The others use Tuff Torque and they can be plagued with issues between slipping and general failures. I believe Alko U.K. last year had zero warranty claims on the hydro gear. Just google hydro gear t3 hd, proper box.
Edited by irish boy on Saturday 21st April 22:57
Edited by irish boy on Sunday 22 April 00:27
Wonderbadger said:
Thank you for the info, obviously hydro done properly is a great thing for ease of use so it's good to know Alko do a proper job. I'll do some more research on them. One more question though, from what I've seen it looks like their base model has a collector, which we would never use and would have to then pay extra for a mulch plug which would still be a compromise rather than a mulch only deck. Is there an I option to get the lower models as a non collecting mulcher?
Yes the T18 comes as a side eject or mulch only machine.http://www.al-ko.com/shop/uk/products/lawncare-equ...
Welshbeef said:
OP how about Kubota?
Good quality stuff, generally bought by commercial guys or clubs. Rare on private lawns due to price and weight. We anyone coming in with the requirements of either diesel or shaft drive we will generally sell them an Iseki. Made in Japan, generally as tough and rugged as they come. They also take the horse power rating from the blade rather than the output shaft meaning in reality they are 20% more powerful than the kubota, and they come with power steering.
They website is as bad as the product is good.
http://www.iseki.co.jp/english/products/riding/sxg...
acme said:
Morning Irish Boy.
Interesting thread as I need to get one soon ish. I'd never heard of Al-Ko before but your comments re the gearboxes made me look, any thoughts on their small Solo one? With half an acre the smaller ones seem adequate, and with experience of using this type as a kid I know they can do the job massively quicker than even a decent walk behind.
I too would be interested in your views on the Honda's as I'd also consider their equivalent small one.
Longevity is my key criteria, the one we had as a kid, Mountfield I think, was 14 years old when we moved and was still going strong with just one carb failure.
http://www.al-ko.com/shop/uk/products/lawncare-equ...
Thanks in advance.
Good little machine, small but reliable. It actually has a rope back up for starting which I haven't seen for a long time on any make. Very handy when you let the battery slide over the winter. Interesting thread as I need to get one soon ish. I'd never heard of Al-Ko before but your comments re the gearboxes made me look, any thoughts on their small Solo one? With half an acre the smaller ones seem adequate, and with experience of using this type as a kid I know they can do the job massively quicker than even a decent walk behind.
I too would be interested in your views on the Honda's as I'd also consider their equivalent small one.
Longevity is my key criteria, the one we had as a kid, Mountfield I think, was 14 years old when we moved and was still going strong with just one carb failure.
http://www.al-ko.com/shop/uk/products/lawncare-equ...
Thanks in advance.
Nothing wrong with Honda either, tend to be a bit slow but work well.
Good guide in the telegraph here too.....
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningequ...
Timmy40 said:
steveonts said:
Really helpful guide, thank you.
Ive got a meadow that I need to cut, previously used a small tractor with a flail topper attachment which was a nightmare. Too big for the job I reckon. Looking at a ride on to handle it now. These ride ons dont have any problem with brambles and saplings growing in the grass do they?
For that my friend you want an Orec Rabbit! Ive got a meadow that I need to cut, previously used a small tractor with a flail topper attachment which was a nightmare. Too big for the job I reckon. Looking at a ride on to handle it now. These ride ons dont have any problem with brambles and saplings growing in the grass do they?
http://www.fgmclaymore.co.uk/our-brands/orec/rabbi...
It is a serious mower.....£3.5k, but it's the proper job.
Edited by Timmy40 on Wednesday 25th April 15:56
If you are happy walking the dr field and brush mowers give you the best of both as they will handle 3" saplings but also can be fitted with a finishing deck for the good lawn areas. The biggest is 34"....
https://drpower.co.uk/index.php/products/field-bru...
dhutch said:
How big are peoples lawns with these motors, presumably 1000sqm (1/4 acre) upwards? Or do people have a ride one for a 200-400 sqm lawn? Just wondering.
Most people buying ride ons would be more than 1/4 acre. Don’t think I’ve ever sold one to as small as 200-400 sq m other than maybe the odd little 25” one.1/2 to 3/4 acre sites less the house would be fairly normal here in Northern Ireland.
500 Miles said:
What would you recommend for 22 acres with maybe 30% of that being hilly?
Also, how long do you think it would take? Any experience with robo mowers? I hear Edinburgh is using them for the parks now.
Thanks
We don’t supply any commercial stuff. The only think I’d have experience of that big is a 60” zero turn which is 6k off. We fit a good few robots but again Husqvarnas biggest one will only cut 5000 sq meters. I did do a big house last year that took 3 of them. Also, how long do you think it would take? Any experience with robo mowers? I hear Edinburgh is using them for the parks now.
Thanks
snowandrocks said:
Ordered an Apex 52 last week so hopefully it won't be too long!
Thanks though, sounds good and is actually also to replace a Countax with a 42 inch deck. Only got about 2 acres to cut so thought the 52 inch deck would do nicely.
Super machine the apex 52. Probably our biggest selling zero turn and at sub £4k the best value one on the market for the quality.Thanks though, sounds good and is actually also to replace a Countax with a 42 inch deck. Only got about 2 acres to cut so thought the 52 inch deck would do nicely.
snowandrocks said:
irish boy said:
Super machine the apex 52. Probably our biggest selling zero turn and at sub £4k the best value one on the market for the quality.
Sub £4k?! List price is almost £6.5k if you include the mulching kit. I got quite a big discount from my local dealer but not that much! Jobbo said:
Very apt timing - our new house requires a bigger mower and I found this thread a month or so ago. Thank you irish boy for the really useful advice; I would not have known anything about Al-ko previously and that's what I went for: https://www.gardenmachinerydirect.co.uk/shop/al-ko... - due to be delivered next week.
I'm hoping I've ordered the right thing. My wife demanded a collector because she hates the grass clippings being walked around the patio and house (as do I) and I don't want to mow often enough for a mulcher to work effectively. I did really fancy one of the Husqvarna out-front mowers, and 4wd would be useful with a few slopes round our garden, but the collector models are very expensive and seem pretty complicated with the augur feeding the grass box. Hence going for a traditional ride-on for simplicity, and hopefully reliability.
I really ought to have planned it in advance and found a bargain on eBay or at Brightwells.
You’ll be pleased with that, super mower.I'm hoping I've ordered the right thing. My wife demanded a collector because she hates the grass clippings being walked around the patio and house (as do I) and I don't want to mow often enough for a mulcher to work effectively. I did really fancy one of the Husqvarna out-front mowers, and 4wd would be useful with a few slopes round our garden, but the collector models are very expensive and seem pretty complicated with the augur feeding the grass box. Hence going for a traditional ride-on for simplicity, and hopefully reliability.
I really ought to have planned it in advance and found a bargain on eBay or at Brightwells.
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