The Best Riding Lawn Mower Brand Available At Home Depot, According To Users

When it comes to riding mowers, a handful of brands typically come to mind as the most reliable. While you may try to save some money by going with a no-name or budget brand for cheaper things like hand tools or smaller equipment like hedge and string trimmers, you're not going to want to skimp on a riding mower. You'll likely spend at least a few thousand dollars on one, so you'll want to make sure you're getting a quality-made machine that's worth the investment, especially since — in addition to helping keep larger lawns looking sharp — there are several other ways you can use your riding lawn mower around your property.

Availability is another important factor concerning which riding mower you go with. Some brands may not be available at the retailer you're shopping at — for example, most Ryobi products are exclusive to Home Depot, but the hardware chain doesn't carry Husqvarna mowers. So, if you're buying your riding mower at Home Depot, your options are limited to just a handful of brands, like Ryobi, Murray, and Cub Cadet.

According to user reviews, the best of the brands available at Home Depot is Troy-Bilt. However, availability once again comes into play here — as Troy-Bilt riding mowers are currently not available from Home Depot in some parts of the U.S. Here's a closer look at what users love so much about Troy-Bilt riding mowers and which other top-rated brands are options if you can't get your hands on a Troy-Bilt. More information on how these mowers were evaluated can be found toward the end of this article.

According to users who've left feedback on Home Depot's website, Troy-Bilt offers not one but multiple riding mowers that are better than the competition. Three of its products — all part of its Mustang series — have a strong customer score of 4.6 out of 5, based on hundreds of user reviews. Plus, its Super Bronco mowers also have solid, if not as high, overall user scores. (However, Troy-Bilt Pony riding lawn mowers aren't rated as highly as either of these lines.)

Of the three highest-rated Troy-Bilt Mustang mowers, the one with the most users weighing in is the Troy-Bilt Mustang 42-inch 22 HP V-Twin Kohler 7000 Series Engine Dual Hydrostatic Drive Gas Zero Turn Riding Lawn Mower, with 87% of surveyed customers recommending it. It sports a steel deck with anti-scalp wheels and is powered by a hefty 22-horsepower, 725 cc twin-cylinder Kohler engine. As a zero-turn mower, it's highly maneuverable, and its 3.5-gallon gas tank allows riders to cover a lot of ground before needing to refuel. It also works with optional attachments like a rear bagger, mulch kit, or garden hose for washing off grass clippings and other debris.

In addition to its powerful engine and high-quality cut, Home Depot users rate the mower highly because it's relatively easy to assemble and operate, which makes it a solid choice for first-time drivers making the transition to a riding mower. Its value is also singled out — the model currently sells for $3,427 at Home Depot. Some users do express frustration that it doesn't come with an hour meter, though, or that you may need to sync the drive handles before using them for the first time. But even these complaints are usually part of overall positive reviews.

Even if you're ordering online from Home Depot, some products don't seem to be currently available in certain parts of the country. For example, while Troy-Bilt is the highest-rated riding mower brand on the retailer's website, it doesn't show up as an option if your location is set to Southern California. If, for whatever reason, Troy-Bilt mowers aren't available in your area, there are still other solid options you can find at Home Depot, though.

Two brands with Top Rated badges on Home Depot's riding mower page are John Deere and Cub Cadet. The John Deere Z370R Electric 42-inch 3.2 kWh Battery Dual Electric Zero-Turn Riding Mower actually has an overall customer score as high as Troy-Bilt's Mustang models — 4.6 out of 5, with 91% of customers recommending it. However, that score is averaged from a smaller base of customers (around 90), so it's a little less reliable than Troy-Bilt's scores that have hundreds of users weighing in. Those who have bought and used John Deere's Z370R, though, are very happy with its power and comfortable ride. It's also especially appreciated because, unlike the Troy-Bilt Mustang mowers, it's fully electric, which makes it quieter and better for the environment.

The Cub Cadet Ultima ZTS1 42-inch 22 HP 7000 Series Zero Turn Riding Mower has a solid 4.5 out of 5 overall customer score, with users noting it's especially great for hilly and uneven terrain thanks to its stability and steering wheel design. The Ultima ZT3 60-inch FS Series Zero Turn Mower is also rated 4.5, though that's averaged from only a few dozen users. Those who have bought it appreciate the power under its hood — it's one of the Cub Cadet lawnmowers with a Kawasaki engine.

To determine which brand available from Home Depot is the best for riding mowers, user ratings derived from the retailer's website were used. After all, who knows better what's worth getting at Home Depot than dedicated Home Depot shoppers? Troy-Bilt is considered to be users' favorite option for riding mowers because three of its products have the highest average customer score (4.6 out of 5).

One other riding mower — John Deere's Z370R — also has a score this high, but Troy-Bilt is considered the better overall brand in this category because it has multiple mowers with this score and because its scores are averaged from a greater pool of customers. The more users weighing in on a product, the more reliable the customer score generally is, as any fake or outlier reviews made in bad faith (whether positively or negatively) won't affect the average as much.

Troy-Bilt is the highest-rated riding lawn mower brand on Home Depot's website in most locations around the U.S., but depending on where you live, you may not see the brand show up in your search. Not only are Troy-Bilt riding mowers not available at certain brick-and-mortar locations, but they're also unavailable for shipping to certain addresses, such as those in greater Los Angeles. If you do wish to buy a Troy-Bilt riding mower from Home Depot, you may need to find a location further out from where you live where it's available to buy.