Husqvarna vs John Deere Riding Mowers
Want to know who the clear winner is between Husqvarna vs John Deere mowers? This article is a robust comparison of the two popular lawn mower brands.
In this review, we evaluate metrics like price, engine type, safety features, cutting width, cutting height, comfort, durability, and special features.
Ready? Let’s dive right into it:
Husqvarna Riding Mowers
The Husqvarna Group is a Swedish company that manufactures outdoor power products such as mowers, garden tractors, and cultivators.
Husqvarna riding mowers have Briggs and Stratton, or Kohler engines.
Riding mower models include the YTH24K48, YTH24V48, YTH22V46, and YTH24V54. They have a hydrostatic transmission type, with a cutting width between 38 and 54 inches. These mowers are designed to cater to residential and commercial needs.
Features
Convenient Control
Most Husqvarna riding mowers have pedal-controlled hydrostatic transmission systems so that speed and direction are changed with foot pedals, while both hands are on the steering wheel.
The gauges and controls are also placed within reach of the driver’s seat.
Comfort
Husqvarna riding mowers offer comfort with soft, adjustable, sliding seats and cup holders for your drinks.
Easy to Operate
Most Husqvarna mowers are easy to start using their automatic choke. You just need to turn the key to get the machine started.
Wide Range of Attachments
You can do more with a Husqvarna riding mower thanks to their wide variety of attachments. The riding mowers can be attached to graders, spreaders, snow blades, brooms, dump carts, and others.
Reinforced Cutting Decks
The cutting decks are protected with steel reinforcement bars on the edges. This improves the mower’s durability.
Collection, Mulching, and Discharge
Husqvarna riding mowers can bag, mulch, or side discharge. This allows you to choose the cutting method you prefer per time.
Pros:
- They are useful for thick grass and hilly areas
- They offer optimum comfort
- Some of the riding mowers are automatic
- They are very durable
- They have a powerful operation
- They can mow in reverse
Cons
- They are expensive
- They may scalp the grass
John Deere Riding Mowers
John Deere is an American company founded in 1837. Known for their excellent customer service, they are famous in the heavy equipment industry. The company has sold millions of outdoor equipment such as tractors and mowers.
Features
Customization
John Deere allows you to build your mower according to your taste and requirements.
Innovative Designs
The John Deere company is known for its exceptional mower designs
3-way Discharge System
The riding mowers have systems for mulching, bagging, and side discharge.
Speed
John Deere riding mowers are powerful and fast machines designed to work on large acres.
Attachments and Implements
John Deere mowers can be used with other implements such as tillers and box scrapers. This increases their versatility
Pros:
- Very comfortable
- Of top-notch quality
- Easy to operate
- Built with good tuff-torq transmission
Cons
- Attachments of some models are sold separately
- They are expensive
- They have a small fuel tank
Husqvarna vs John Deere Riding Mowers
Below is a head-to-head evaluation of both riding lawn mower brands:
Price
Husqvarna and John Deere riding mowers go for about the same price, ranging from 2000 to 3000 dollars.
Most John Deere mowers cost a little more than Husqvarna ones with similar features.
Engines
The main difference between Husqvarna and John Deere riding mowers is their engine type. Husqvarna mowers run on Kawasaki, Kohler, Briggs and Stratton, and Yamaha engines while John Deere mowers are powered by V-twin engines.
Also, John Deere riding mowers have an overhead engine valve (OHV) which is absent in Husqvarna mowers. This provides an efficient and productive mowing trip. However, they differ from Husqvarna, having available power of only 20 to 25 horsepower.
Turn Radius
The turn radius feature of a riding mower determines how easily you can reverse and do a U-turn. The smaller the turn radius, the easier it is. Husqvarna riding mower has a smaller turn radius than John Deere.
Fuel Tank
John Deere has a much smaller tank than its Husqvarna counterpart. While using John Deere with its 2.1 gallons capacity compared to the 3.5 gallons of the Husqvarna, more refills will be needed.
Husqvarna takes the lead here as fewer refills save time and energy.
Cutting Speed
John Deer mowers cut with a greater level of precision than their Husqvarna counterparts.
Yet, Husqvarna riding mower blades make up for their lack of precision in speed.
Both brands have equally efficient mulching, bagging, and side discharge systems.
Cutting Height
Husqvarna wins this, as it has 6 various height settings, unlike John Deere which has only 3. This allows flexibility and ideal mowing of grasses.
Comfort
Husqvarna and John Deere mowers have the technology to ensure a comfortable riding and mowing experience.
They have conspicuous and easy-to-operate control panels. They also have lap bar panels that allow users to adjust the speed settings of the mower.
Most Husqvarna top rated zero turn mowers( such as Husqvarna MZ61, Husqvarna Z248F, Husqvarna TS 348XD, and Husqvarna Z254) have easily accessible controls, larger decks, footrests and quality chairs with arm and backrests.
Their automatic steering adjustments and automatic parking brake control keep the rider safe.
However, John Deere mowers take the prize with even more comfortable seats and a Comfort glide suspension. The Z300 model series also come with rubber floor mats.
Durability
In the long run, John Deere riding mowers appear to be the more durable of the duo.
Based on customer reviews, John Deere mowers have a lower chance of requiring repairs in 4 years than Husqvarna.
John Deere ensures durability with steel stamped decks, polypropylene hood, and polyeth polyethylene, depending on the model. Husqvarna gains point off their top-quality steel body and strong engines.
Safety
John Deere and Husqvarna employ mower designs that prioritize the safety of users.
They have speed control, warning lights, easy-to-use ignition switches, and parking brakes that don’t start until they are engaged.
Even so, Husqvarna zero-turn mowers take the crown in this category with their inbuilt parking brake mechanism.
The brakes engage to keep the machine stable when levers are swung out. When levers are turned in, they disengage, making the machine easy to start.
This ingenious mechanism makes leaving and entering the mower safer, as there is no chance the parking brake will be mistakenly released and the machine will drift.
Warranty
Both Husqvarna and John Deere mowers have a 2-year warranty. However, there are some exceptions as with Husqvarna’s hovering trimmer which has only a year guarantee.
The repair costs of a Husqvarna riding mower are estimated to be about 900 to 1500 dollars. This is more than the cost of repair of a John Deere, especially without a warranty on the Husqvarna.
Features To Consider Before Buying a Riding Mower
Cutting Width of the Mower
The cutting width of your riding mower must match the size and terrain of the lawn. If you have a large lawn, then you should consider a riding mower with a large cutting width.
However, if there are trees and bushes and the lawn is small, you want to consider a small mower that will fit through narrow spaces.
Rough and uneven terrains also need mowers with larger cutting widths.
Cutting Method of the Mower
Lawn owners collect, discharge or mulch cut grass. It is best to choose a mower that can do all three or the one you most prefer.
If you mow often, you may want to ensure your mower can mulch.
Collection saves time and keeps the lawn tidy. For wild, coarse grass not cut often, a side discharge may be needed.
Attachments and Accessories
If you want to make your mower more versatile and usable all year round, then you want attachments.
It is advisable to choose a mower that can be fixed with a variety of attachments.
Check if the riding mower can be attached to a trailer, spreader, snow blower, and other important accessories.
Transmission Type
For easy operation, you should choose a riding lawn mower with hydrostatic transmission over one with manual transmission.
A manual transmission mower stops the engine every time you change gears, while the hydrostatic transmission type offers smooth changes while driving.
For hydrostatic transmission mowers, the pedal-controlled transmission offers maximum comfort. Here, different pedals control the direction and speed of the mower. The alternative transmission type is a lever-controlled hydrostat.
Conclusion
A Husqvarna or John Deere riding mower could be an excellent choice, depending on your needs. John Deere wins with comfort, exceptional design, and reliability.
Husqvarna has an extra safety feature but struggles with comfort and reliability.
If you are looking at using the riding lawn mower for many years, many users swear by John Deere mowers. Nonetheless, you need to consider the top features we mentioned to pick a good mower that suits your needs.
Top Recommended Handy Tools for Troubleshooting & Servicing Your Lawn Mower
| Multimeter – This is useful for checking voltage, continuity & current to identify electrical problems in your mower | Filter Wrench – For loosening your mower’s filter. |
| Carburetor Cleaner – Choke and Throttle Body Cleaner for cleaning clogs & buildup in the fuel system. | Blade Balancer–Balances Blades After Sharpening. |
| Fuel Stabilizer – This stabilizes & cleans your fuel to reduce fuel system buildup | Battery Inflator – This helps to ensure your mower tires stay inflated to prevent steering or uneven cutting issues. |
| Socket & Allen Wrench Set – These tools are needed to service & troubleshoot your mower problems | Tachometer– Evaluates your mower’s engine performance and provides accurate data about the status of the engine |
| 12-Volt Battery Charger – This is useful for charging your mower battery. | Lawn Mower Blade Sharpener– Adjustable Lawn Mower Blade Sharpener for Right and Left Hand Blades. |