My mower history:
14 HP Craftsman rider...kept 14 years and gave to an older guy..still ran and cut...parts took awhile to get in. 5-speed.
21.5 HP Craftsman rider...12 years and still own and running well..just replaced carb and ignition coils. They run well and I use my 21.5 HP mostly for rough grass and ground. 5-speed.
1991 Cub Cadet. 23 years and still running well. Replaced ignition 1993.Replaced crankshaft 2011. New transmission in 1994. Cub service and warranty very poor. Would not buy another because of company policy. They sent me a check for $9 for my transmission that cost me almost $800.
2004 Kubota 23-BX.Still have and my favorite. Front loader and backhoe. One seal broke on a wheel and dealer fixed it free out of warranty.
2013 Walker MT26GHS. Love this machine but takes a lot of cleaning. 34 grease fitings and 15+ oiling parts. It is like driving a Starshiip compared to the others. Fun to drive. Not impressed with company responses to questions.:smile:
I purchased all these items new.
So, in my opinion, Craftsman are as good as any. I bought the Cub because I thought I was moving up to a better machine. For the cost, I could have bought 2 more Craftsmans.