Zero Turn or Finishing/Grooming Mower?

   / Zero Turn or Finishing/Grooming Mower? #1  

nehilow

New member
Joined
Apr 20, 2012
Messages
4
Location
Opelika, AL
Tractor
John Deere 5300
I'm really looking for some good advice and then direction on a particular brand of mower.

I have about 2 acres to cut now with the potential to inherit another 2+ acres when my in-laws move into the pasture in the next year or 2. I really have 2 questions:

1. zero turn, traditional riding or finishing/grooming mower for use with my 53 hp John Deere tractor?

2. I'm leaning towards grooming/finishing mower, so what size and brand is recommended?

I've got mostly open cutting with a few terraces to cut over along with a handful of fruit trees.
 
   / Zero Turn or Finishing/Grooming Mower? #2  
That's a big tractor for two acres! You must have more but only mow the two. Given the description of your mowing, I would go with a traditional riding mower. How much do you want to spend? Sorry to hear your in-laws will be passing. And welcome to the forum.
 
   / Zero Turn or Finishing/Grooming Mower?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Yeah, about 36 acres total, 20+ pasture. Ha, the in-laws didn't pass, but are actually moving in next door once they retire in the next year or so. So, I'll probably inherit another yard to mow once they finish building.
 
   / Zero Turn or Finishing/Grooming Mower?
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Looking to spend around $2k or less but I would rather save more and end up getting a more quality machine if that's the route I need to take.
 
   / Zero Turn or Finishing/Grooming Mower? #5  
Depends on you priority,
1) Sticking to your budget: A finish mower or garden tractor will do a nice job, but it will take you considerably longer than a zero turn especially for up to 4 acres. A good commercial zero turn will cost you way more than 2K.

2) Time: Zero turn hands down. The tractor plus finish mower will take longer and you will spend lots of time trimming.

I personally have a tractor and brush hog for my fields (about 25 acres), and a commercial zero turn for my yard (about 12 acres). A garden tractor was simply not an option for me. I mowed for half a summer with my tractor and 7ft finish mower. It was comfortable and my woods mower provided a fine cut, but it took me about 7.5 hours to mow and about 3 to trim it all out. Now I can do it in a little over 4 with almost no trimming time.

I am a firm Kubota supporter. I have a ZD 331 which I bought used for 7500. I also tried one of their gas mowers when I demoed the 331. It also worked great, but I really wanted diesel (saves a fortune over time due to its low fuel consumption) and a 72" deck. I would think one of the smaller models in the 23-25 hp range would work fine for you. A new one would cost about 7K though - a used one would run 4-5K or so.

Most would say this is overkill, but I tend to go bigger and I have not regretted it yet. My mower is incredible, certainly the right choice for me - and I should never have to buy another one.
 
 
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