The Top 10 Commercial Mowers of All Time

One of the most common questions we receive is “what is the best lawnmower?” “What should I buy?” Well, the best mower is the one you are sitting on – if it’s running and earning money for your company, chances are it’s better than the dream model that isn’t cutting lawns….right?
Reality aside, we will take a stab in a no holds barred, Top 10, Hall of Mower Fame. Although ProParts Direct is a leading parts retailer, our parent company, Turf Depot has nearly 75 years of retail experience in the lawn and garden industry. We didn’t take this assignment lightly, in fact, it’s become a hot topic in the office!
It’s important to note that our unofficial lineup is based on our experience and not scientific study. Our Top 10 Commercial Mowers are the mowers that have helped shape our industry.( Literally)
Here we go...
10. Toro 48 T-bar (30197 I think) The Toro T-Bar is a classic. Before hydros you had belt drive and before belt drive, well you get the point. The T bar gave you the steering control of a hydro but at the belt drive price. Many landscapers would die for this machine. The machine could take a beating and with minimal adjustment, be back in the field. In its heyday, the T-Bar was the go-to mower for many landscape crews.


9. Walker GHS48 – Walker loyalists are probably upset that the beloved GHS48 only made the nine spot. Walkers are great machines, offering one of the best cuts money can buy. They helped put the Kohler EFI engine on the map. Only down side you have to pull engine to replace spark plugs.
8. Stc52a-23Ka – If you’re a Scag fan, the Tiger Cub is the machine. Scag, showing its true colors, built a solid machine. At the time, it had a high price tag compared to other machines. The bottom line is that Tiger Cub was a professional machine for professional landscapers. What more can be said?

Scag Tiger Cub 52" Rider

7. Toro52 Grandstand with 19hp"- Join the revolution! Innovation, innovation, and more Innovation! The Grandstand is the newest mower on our list. The warranty on the grandstand alone makes it a worthy contender. First fold up platform. Toro nailed it!


6.TT5217KAC – Exmark had some golden years. This walk behind offered the finest from Exmark with ECS handles, Floating deck, electric start and the Famed Ultra-Cut deck. Exmark must have been drafting engineers out of MIT early these years. The equipment in this time period established Exmark as a leader in the mowing industry.
5. Wright Stander fixed deck 52 (mid 2000's) – Wright stander hit a niche market hard and well. This fixed deck 52 was the answer for hills and maneuverability. Moving weight over the drive tires allows this machine to grip hills like a new set of Goodyear tires. Some may say this machine put the nail in the coffin for Great Dane.


4.Snapper SW 30 – Most will scoff at this pick if they have had a Snapper Pro for a while. Although the Snapper Pro walk behind was known to have some issues with the bearing in the transmission. This mower ranks at #4 because of its great price point! Hydro drive, floating deck, electric start, and horsepower make it a must have. At a time when walk behinds are pricier than some riders this is a great mower.
Now for the TOP 3...
3. M48-15Ka – Exmark’s metro line of walk behind mowers offered the ECS handle system that basically said to every other brand put up or shut up. At a 48” cut this walk behind was comfortable to use and you didn’t have the shakes after a full day of operation. Good design, great mower.

2.Swz52A-17Ka – This is Scag’s offering in the walk behind arena. This machine was virtually bullet proof. Extremely well built with 10 gauge steel through its frame and a Kawasaki Engine. This was a cold hard commercial mower. It is not uncommon to see these beasts roaming the CT and NJ Area.


1.LHP5223KA – This classic from Exmark set the standard on commercial riders. The first machine to have a catching system that worked. It was a nimble machine that had the right power and offered an excellent cut. It helped put Exmark on the map so much it had a 10 year run.
Do you think your mower should be on the list? Agree or disagree? Why not join our conversation online? (Links to facebook) … Follow us for our “Top 10 Snow blowers of all time”

The opinions and views expressed at or through this website are the opinions of the designated authors and do not reflect the opinions or views of Turf Depot or clients,divisions or companies. or the opinions or views of any other individual.

3 Tips for Lawn Equipment Parts

Now that its “Officially” Fall – I wanted to repost this article. If you are shutting down a machine (or starting one) for the season, chances are, you will need parts.  Before you shop at propartsdirect.net, run out to your machine and grab the exact model and serial number. 

Knowing where to find the model and serial number on your lawn equipment is important for a variety of reasons. When addressing issues with your machine, the first question is always a model/serial request. Warranty work, insurance claims, and replacement parts all start – and stop with this information.


 1 – The engine that powers your machine has a separate serial and model than the actual unit. For example; Your Ariens snowblower has a model number (eg 920014) and unique serial number found on a sticker below the handle bars. The engine sitting on top of the unit has its own model and serial number. Unless you have issues with the engine, you will always shop for parts with the unit information.

2- When buying new equipment, make sure to record the model, serial, date of purchase. There is nothing more frustrating than traveling to your lawn and garden shop only to discover that you can’t be helped without this information. Its also not a bad idea to keep track of common replacement parts, like blades, skids, or oil. (HINT: use your phone to snap a photo and email to yourself.) This allows you to quickly search the internet for a specific item and get the best price.

 3- Learn where the ID plate is on your machine. Most newer equipment has a large, easy to read sticker along the side, under the seat, or attached to the side of the machine. Commercial grade equipment will have an engraved plate attached. There are apps and great web resources available to track this information but there are no shortcuts when it comes to knowing your equipment.

Late Summer Lawn Mowing tips

Here it is the middle of August. You are tired of mowing all season. If you are like me between the rain and humidity every time you had to mow the grass has been long and it has been a lot of work. Like me you probably cannot wait for the first snow fall so you can be relieved of your mowing duties. Well here is some quick tips so you can coast to winter!

Always use a sharp blade; tearing grass invites trouble. A sharp blade will cut quicker but will keep the grass looking even.

Raise the deck to about 3.5 inches until the final mowing of the season. The long look is in!

Don't cut off more than one-third of the height in one cutting. So you don't have to bag. Who wants to stop every 5 minutes to dump out a heavy bag of grass?

"Don’t feed it, feed it" if the “grass” (or whatever combination of grass and weeds your lawn contains) is thick and green. A green, vigorous lawn doesn’t need fertilizer, and all you’re doing is causing yourself more mowing.

Well this may not be the approved Horticultural method. It certainly is the approved method of the guy who has other things to do. Your lawn will survive and be around for next year. If you are looking for more tips stay tuned. You can spend your time either reading about what to do with your lawn or actually mowing it. Watch for our tips on how to carefully place your snow in your neighbors driveway with your snow blower.

Special thanks to awaytogarden.com for the idea.

Article written by Edward Proulx
Senior Lazy Man's Consultant
ProParts Direct Staff www.propartsdirect.net