Who Makes Cub Cadet Lawn Mowers And Where Are They Manufactured?

For many outdoor DIYers, choosing the right lawn mower typically means shopping a trusted brand like Craftsman, or John Deere. But some brands, like Cub Cadet, which is the best riding lawn mower brand available at Tractor Supply, may fly under the radar. Cub Cadet is owned by powerhouse tool giant Stanley Black & Decker, who acquired Cub Cadet's parent company MTD Products, in 2021. Cub Cadet's lawnmowers are made in the USA.

In fact, Cub Cadet mowers have been manufactured in the U.S. since 1961, at company facilities in three different states: Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee. But the mowers themselves are actually designed at Cub Cadet's home headquarters in Valley City, Ohio. Despite their American roots, Cub Cadet lawn mowers are sold internationally, in Australia, Canada, Russia, and in several European countries, including France and Ireland.

Cub Cadet's U.S. selection of mowers currently totals around 58 options, for both riding and walk-behind models. They're built for a variety of uses, including residential and commercial, with the XT1 LT46 riding mower and the ZT1 50 zero-turn mower being two of the brand's standouts. When it comes to cost, Cub Cadet is fairly affordable, beginning around $400 for a basic push mower, and maxing out around $16,000 for the heavy-duty zero-turn commercial models.

Cub Cadet, which is one of the most reliable gas riding mower brands, was first introduced by International Harvester, a farm equipment manufacturing company. With a rugged box design similar to that of other riding mowers at the time, Cub Cadet quickly became a favorite with homeowners. The company's mowers were great for larger properties, thanks to their versatility, and were considered to be a very reliable brand as well.

A major moment in Cub Cadet's history came in the mid-1960s, with the model 123 tractor. This mower incorporated a new hydrostatic transmission, which didn't require the rider to use a clutch or shift gears while mowing. This was a major innovation, and set the stage for riding mowers to move away from the standard transmission setup. Today, hydrostatic transmissions, which aren't used in cars, are a staple of riding mowers throughout the industry.

Big changes came for Cub Cadet in 1981, when the brand was sold to MTD Products, a tool and garden equipment company. In the years that followed, Cub Cadet's innovation continued with the world's first 4-wheel steer zero-turn mowers, as well as zero-turn models offering a tighter turn than other mowers on the market.