I have had the pleasure of running several different brands and have found they are all good mowers. Each brand does have some features that make them a little different. I actually don't have experience with gravely, and just a little experience with dixie chopper (enough to know their slogan is a lie). One guy in our area uses dixie chopper for his business. I don't have a favorite brand, however, I do have a list of mowers you could call favorites. The scag cheetah is one of them. I do like the turf tiger and the tiger cat though. I have found that the velocity deck cuts wet grass and clover extremely well compared to other brands. I also like the ferris is3200 and is2100, the hustler super z and xone, exmark laser z, snapper pro s200xt and s150xt, country clipper boss and charger, john Deere 900 series, and the new kubota ztr mower line. Have you looked into the new z700 series kubota mowers? They are awesome machines as well. The z726 is a great mower.