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re: Does Craftsman make a decent riding mower?
Posted on 6/18/25 at 12:13 pm to TimeOutdoors
Posted on 6/18/25 at 12:13 pm to TimeOutdoors
Craftsmen is just a rebrand of something else.
1
Posted on 6/18/25 at 2:31 pm to Canon951
How small? The Deere 300 series is worth buying used as most wear parts are top notch but they never came smaller than 42” except a couple years 38” special order. It’s also extremely comfortable compared to anything you can get at a general retailer.
Posted on 6/18/25 at 5:48 pm to Dallaswho
quote:
How small?
I only have about a half acre, but my age and health is why i'm considering a small riding mower. I was actually looking for the smallest thing I could find to ride, but 2k is insane for a mower that is not quality built.
Posted on 6/19/25 at 10:13 am to Canon951
Not no !!!!
HELL NO !!!!!!
HELL NO !!!!!!
Posted on 6/19/25 at 12:25 pm to FreddieMac
quote:
My riding mower is a Craftsman 42" from 1997. Still going strong
Mine is a 2003 model. 42" deck. Still running.
Kohler engine
Posted on 6/19/25 at 1:09 pm to Dingeaux
A 20+ year old Craftsman is not comparable to today's Craftsman
Posted on 6/19/25 at 11:32 pm to Canon951
Do you have hills?
If you have elevation you need something with a better transmission than you’ll get on a Lowe’s/HD grade mower.
If your property is fairly flat and not too big you might be able to get away with it.
If you have hills I’d look at something moderately used like a John Deere X300 or X500 with the engine in good shape, because they have upgraded transmissions that won’t melt with repeated use on a slope. Might talk to a dealer / repair shop as sometimes they get trade ins they’ll make you a deal on.
If you have elevation you need something with a better transmission than you’ll get on a Lowe’s/HD grade mower.
If your property is fairly flat and not too big you might be able to get away with it.
If you have hills I’d look at something moderately used like a John Deere X300 or X500 with the engine in good shape, because they have upgraded transmissions that won’t melt with repeated use on a slope. Might talk to a dealer / repair shop as sometimes they get trade ins they’ll make you a deal on.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 4:47 pm to Canon951
I have had both a Craftsman and a John Deere both from Lowes and the John Deere was twice as good as the Craftsman. Granted, I was mowing a small pasture (about 2 acres), but the craftsman was extremely light duty. I pretty much had to change out deck bearings every year.
ETA: If you are talking about very light duty work like a small city lot, I think it would work, however.
ETA: If you are talking about very light duty work like a small city lot, I think it would work, however.
This post was edited on 6/22/25 at 9:35 pm
Posted on 6/22/25 at 1:57 pm to Canon951
No.
Craftsman, as others have stated, it made by MTD. They manufacture for a lot of 'name brand' mowers.
They are lower-end mowers sold by the Big-Box retailers, Lowes, Home Depot among others.
Skip the Big Box retailers and go to a dealer. Yes, you will pay more on the front end but will be better off in the long term.
At the heart of a mower is the engine.
For decades, Briggs & Stratton was the gold standard of small engines. They then went for the made in China crap and their quality went to crap.
The mower deck of the big box retailers are stamped sheet metal while the deal mower decks are fabricated welded metal. Also the pulleys on dealer mowers are better quality and the bearings in the wheels are better quality along with wheel spindles.
I like Cub Cadet mowers, Toro used to be rock solid along with Snapper.
IDK about their quality now.
Craftsman, as others have stated, it made by MTD. They manufacture for a lot of 'name brand' mowers.
They are lower-end mowers sold by the Big-Box retailers, Lowes, Home Depot among others.
Skip the Big Box retailers and go to a dealer. Yes, you will pay more on the front end but will be better off in the long term.
At the heart of a mower is the engine.
For decades, Briggs & Stratton was the gold standard of small engines. They then went for the made in China crap and their quality went to crap.
The mower deck of the big box retailers are stamped sheet metal while the deal mower decks are fabricated welded metal. Also the pulleys on dealer mowers are better quality and the bearings in the wheels are better quality along with wheel spindles.
I like Cub Cadet mowers, Toro used to be rock solid along with Snapper.
IDK about their quality now.
Posted on 6/22/25 at 2:44 pm to Reubaltaich
quote:
I like Cub Cadet mowers
MTD owns the Cub Cadet brand. While MTD also produces other brands like Troy-Bilt, Yard Machines, and Bolens, Cub Cadet is a distinct brand within the MTD family
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