BlessedMess
Silver Member
I have a Deere Z655 with 54" deck and ~23HP B&S that I purchased new last May for $5k. I cut around 3 acres +/- that previously included some hay pasture and is mostly level or gently sloping with a few short, steep slopes and ditch banks. Original blades, but I've considered the inexpensive mulching kit that has special blades and baffles... couldn't justify cost of bagging kit. Bottom line: Fast, fuel efficient and fun to mow with. Recommend it highly, and think it is worth upgrading from Z400 series for the high capacity deck and upgraded HST motors/speed (?), and downgrading from the Z900 series for non-commercial "prosumer" uses considering the cost differences. 5 year warranty is nice too -- have only used warranty once when a belt tensioner arm broke and left me stranded -- and still on original belts at 90 hrs.
Compared with my former/standby 46" Husqvarna residential lawn tractor with bagger, the Deere absolutely blows it away in speed, maneuverability and capability in thick/tall grass. The engine starts and runs well (much quieter than Kohler engine in the Husq), the twin HST mowers are very quiet and responsive (Z900 motors were much louder during my test drive), and the deck chews up and spits out everything it has encountered with even spread and no windrows even at full speed of 9mph. It is much lighter than the commercial units -- a concern when mowing lower spots in my lawn that get a little soft when the rain is heavy, plus when towing or the occasional pushing when things go wrong. I think the deck is actually the same as the Z900 series but without the rear anti-scalp wheels and green paint, and it is tough! The high back seat is also much nicer than the typical mower seat, but a suspension seat would still be ideal. Thinking about buying hitch/tow kit for aerator and wagon, and front weights to settle down the occasionally rough ride.
The downsides: smallish fuel tank and no fuel gauge, it doesn't have a seatbelt or rollover protection and will try to buck you right out of the seat in bumpy terrain at full speed, the tight location of the oil filter makes it a pain to change, and it will absolutely RUIN you when driving lesser mowers. And with any ZTR and lots of mowing, paying extra for ethanol free gas and keeping it in hand can be a hassle. Thinking about going propane for mass storage benefits, cheaper price per gallon, and also cleaner running engine... may be worth paying for factory propane configuration if available and/or ideal for your location. I don't know enough about the others to provide an educated comparison, but this Deere I recommend based on positive experience and maybe some ignorance of the competition.
