What Is the Best Riding Lawn Mower for the Money?

If you’re in search of the best riding lawn mower for the money, then look into the models offered by John Deere, Toro, Ryobi, Lastec and Cub Cadet. Some of these are on the inexpensive end and others are pricier. But, they all come with features and specs that fit their corresponding price tags.

This means that even though some of the riding mowers discussed here will be quite expensive, they have a host of features and conveniences that are worth the money. Likewise, for the ones with a cheaper price tag, they have the most features you could get in that type of model.

Quick Overview of the Best Overall Riding Lawn Mowers

1. Best Overall Riding Lawn Mower: John Deere E120
2. Best Riding Zero-Turn Lawn Mower for the Money: Toro TimeCutter 75754
3. Best Small Riding Lawn Mower for the Money: Ryobi RY48110
4. Best Largest Riding Lawn Mower for the Money: Lastec WZ400
5. Best Luxurious Riding Mower for the Money: Cub Cadet ZTX4 54

Best Overall Riding Lawn Mower for the Money: John Deere E120

John Deere’s E120 is a great riding lawn mower for the money. It can handle large flat yards with an 18-inch turn radius to maneuver around obstacles. It comes with a 42-inch wide cutting deck and the height is adjustable up to an inch.

Plus there’s a potent V-Twin engine. The engine has a 656cc displacement and 20 horsepower, complete with cruise control. It can reach a speed of up to 5½ mph and is a solid piece of machinery for about $2,000.

Best Riding Zero-Turn Lawn Mower for the Money: Toro TimeCutter 75754

The TimeCutter by Toro is a riding lawn mower refined in its design for the average homeowner. It has a 54-inch cutting deck width with a 10-gauge forged iron deck. It has a V-Twin engine with hydrostatic transmission, 24.5 horsepower and 708cc displacement.

Although around $4,400 brand new, it comes with a host of features and a construction built to last. It can achieve a speed of up to 7 mph. The operation panel gives you the most in controlling speed and direction with a refined touch.

Best Small Riding Lawn Mower for the Money: Ryobi RY48110

Not only is Ryobi’s RY48110 the best compact riding lawn mower for the money, it’s also fully electric. It comprises a 48-volt battery that can run for two hours straight. This means it’s eco-friendly and low maintenance. This makes it ideal for those who aren’t mechanically inclined.

It comes with a 38-inch cutting deck width with 12 adjustable settings. But, you have to adjust the height manually. This can be a downer considering the $3,000 price tag it comes with brand new. However, it has rear engine maneuverability to reach a max speed of 8 mph with a 16-inch turning radius.

Best Largest Riding Lawn Mower for the Money: Lastec WZ400

The largest riding lawn mower best for the money is Lastec’s WZ400. It comes with a cutting deck width of 61 or 73 inches that’s fully adjustable.

This is ideal for huge patches of land that have hills, valleys and other challenging contours. It has 49 horsepower with a Kohler Command Pro diesel engine. Of course, the price starts at around $11,000. But it can reach a max speed of 10 mph and a displacement of 45cc.

Best Luxurious Riding Mower for the Money: Cub Cadet ZTX4 54

The Cub Cadet offers a premium and superior luxury-style riding lawn mower for the money. It’s is the ZTX4 54 that offers commercial-grade engineering and design while having all the bells and whistles of a plush ride.

The engine is a Kohler 7000 series with 24 horsepower and a displacement of 725cc which reaches a speed of up to 8 mph. It has hydrostatic transmission and an adjustable height on the 54-inch wide cutting deck. The whole machine costs $6,200.

Comparison Table of All Riding Lawn Mowers for the Money

The table below displays all of the riding mowers mentioned above. Compare and evaluate each one to see which will be best for your purposes.