Riding mower..what's better...Scott's or Murray?

[Ornery]

Ach, don't remind me about Consumer Reports! It was the purchase of that very mower that sealed their fate with me. At the time I was buying, 1986, CR had picked the Toro rider as the best. I headed out to see it and almost puked when I did. It actually had a chain running from the cheap gear box to the rear axle. It was the biggest POS I ever saw, yet it was their top pick!

There was no mention at all of the Wheel Horse I finally bought. Honda had a favorable mention, but was three times as expensive as their top rated Toro. Between that and their VCR picks I haven't even looked at CR since...

 

[Tiger]

Consumer reports is for people who can't pull the trigger.
My sister lives by the damn rag. Make a purchase not recommended by CR and she'll let you know about it.
Top two tractors:

Deere
Cub

The rest are pretenders.

Reel mowers do cut better but are a PITA to sharpen and totally impractical when it comes to doing more than your average yard.
Some will say, "Tiger, how about those golf course mowers, they're reels. Yep they are. They also cost as much as your house and are a maintenace nightmare.

 

[Farmall]

Instead of asking yourself which is better, why not ask yourself how much are you willing to spend on a lawnmower.
I agree that the JD, Cub, etc. are top of the line but who really needs them? It was a pretty easy decision for me to make what I was going to buy. I asked myself one question - Do I want to spend $3,000-5,000 or $1500 or less.

I have had my pos Craftsmen (made by Murray - I think) 42' - 16hp Kohler for over 3 years and I can't complain how it cuts the grass. I probably will have the mower for years, a little maintainance goes along way no matter what you buy. That sucker goes thru 3.5 acres every time we mow the yard. Now I live in the country so the prestige of the higher buck machine wasn't really a drawing card for me. It was more like I want the yard mowed for the lowest price that will get a decent machine.

 

[Green Man]

I have a 14 horse Simplicity garden tractor with a mower deck. It was built the year I was born, 1967. My dad bought it new and gave it to me when I bought my first house. There's no way a Murray would last that long. Buy something that will last.