Need riding lawn mowe recommendation

[Gmfranklin]

I have a new home with newly laid sod. Front and back yards are fairly flat, but side yards are steeply sloped from front yard down to back yard. Looking for recommendation for a riding lawnmower, that mulches the grass and has a drain plug cleaner after finished for garden hose cleaning. Zero turns will not work for me

 

[Carscw]

I have a new home with newly laid sod. Front and back yards are fairly flat, but side yards are steeply sloped from front yard down to back yard. Looking for recommendation for a riding lawnmower, that mulches the grass and has a drain plug cleaner after finished for garden hose cleaning. Zero turns will not work for me

What type of grass did you lay?

The built in hose cleaner on the decks are just so people think they are doing something cool.
They really do not do a dang thing.

How big is the area you will be mowing?

If I was buying a new riding mower i would go with a cub cadet.

I bought one in April of 2013 was the best new riding mower for the price.
The cut was very good and very user-friendly.
Is one of the best riding mowers I have used for hills. Climbs hills good and holds its speed going down hills. I mow hills side to side and was very impressed of how well it would stick hills.

 

[SeniorCitizen]

The garden hose wash port will work reasonably well with a couple of guidelines to follow.

1) clean the deck immediately when finished mowing. If clippings are allowed to dry, forget it. 2) a piece of 1/4 or 3/8 etc. plywood that will fit between the front and back tires and a width slightly wider than the deck, like possibly 3 ft. x 4 ft. Drive over the plywood and lower the deck completely onto the plywood. Run engine at full throttle and PTO engaged until water has changed from green to translucent and you be done. Scrape loose any remaining.

I wouldn't own a mower with the infamous electric PTO.

 

[Carscw]

The garden hose wash port will work reasonably well with a couple of guidelines to follow. 1) clean the deck immediately when finished mowing. If clippings are allowed to dry, forget it. 2) a piece of 1/4 or 3/8 etc. plywood that will fit between the front and back tires and a width slightly wider than the deck, like possibly 3 ft. x 4 ft. Drive over the plywood and lower the deck completely onto the plywood. Run engine at full throttle and PTO engaged until water has changed from green to translucent and you be done. Scrape loose any remaining. I wouldn't own a mower with the infamous electric PTO.

I went years saying I would not own a mower with a electric pto
Then I got one on a trade and I now have put some on mowers that did not come with them.

 

[SeniorCitizen]

I went years saying I would not own a mower with a electric pto
Then I got one on a trade and I now have put some on mowers that did not come with them.

For you to convince me I need elect. PTO you'll have list several advantages. Just the convenience of a yellow knob to pull won't do it.:laughing:

 

[Carscw]

For you to convince me I need elect. PTO you'll have list several advantages. Just the convenience of a yellow knob to pull won't do it.:laughing:

I don't have to or feel the need to Convince you that you need a Electric pto.

Fact is you do not need one of you are happy with a manual pto.

I like it because the belt always stays tight so never have to worry about belt guides.

Easier to replace the belt because no belt guides.

Less moving parts.
No lever to trip over. If on the side.
No need for blade brakes on the pulleys.
In my opinion belts last longer. Have not done a study but I feel they do.


And all my knobs are black. I think only junk deere uses yellow.

 

[7394]

Carscw- Toro uses a yellow knob too, least the residential ones do..

I thought I would never have a electric PTO or even hydro drive.. Guess what, that changed.. I don't know what took me so long..

 

[Carscw]

Carscw- Toro uses a yellow knob too, least the residential ones do.. I thought I would never have a electric PTO or even hydro drive.. Guess what, that changed.. I don't know what took me so long..

My toro z480 has black.

Maybe the newer ones have yellow.

 

[Ric]

Carscw- Toro uses a yellow knob too, least the residential ones do..

I thought I would never have a electric PTO or even hydro drive.. Guess what, that changed.. I don't know what took me so long..

My toro z480 has black.

Maybe the newer ones have yellow.

The Toro commercial mowers use the yellow knobs also, both my ZM and GS have yellow. Cub Cadet uses black and yellow. You can buy the things in Yellow, Black or Red

 

[gfp55]

I have a new home with newly laid sod. Front and back yards are fairly flat, but side yards are steeply sloped from front yard down to back yard. Looking for recommendation for a riding lawnmower, that mulches the grass and has a drain plug cleaner after finished for garden hose cleaning. Zero turns will not work for me

To get back to the OP question,How big of yard do you have? How much do you know about riding mowers? Are you looking for a garden tractor, lawn tractor? What do you plan to use it for, just cutting grass? Will you be pulling a cart or trailer? As said earlier about deck cleanout ports, Some people like them, some don't. I have not had any luck, seems to me like more work then cleaning the with the old way. You can buy mulcher blades for any deck. Give us more infr on what you plan on doing with it to better match mower to job.