Grasshopper vs. Exmark: Which Zero-Turn Mower Is Right for You?
Exmark is one of the most respected names in commercial mowing, with a cut quality that professional landscapers treat as a benchmark. Grasshopper takes a different path, front-mount decks and an implement system built for versatility and long ownership. If you're weighing a proven dedicated mower against a do-more machine, this is how the two line up.
At a glance
| Grasshopper | Exmark | |
|---|---|---|
| Deck type | Front-mount & mid-mount | Mid-mount |
| Cut quality | Excellent | Benchmark (landscaper standard) |
| Versatility / implements | All-season implement system | Mowing-focused |
| Best use | Year-round, many jobs | High-volume mowing |
| Price range | $$$ premium | $$$ |
| Warranty | Verify current terms | Verify current terms |
Where Exmark wins
Exmark's mid-mount decks are exceptional at pure cut quality and even discharge, refined over decades of commercial use. Its install base among landscapers is enormous, which means abundant parts, familiar service, and strong resale. If your job is high-volume mowing and nothing else, Exmark is hard to beat and deserves its reputation.
Where Grasshopper wins
Grasshopper's front-mount decks reach terrain a mid-mount can't, ditches, under fences, around obstacles, with clearer sightlines to the cut. The all-season implement system (snow thrower, blade, blower, dethatcher) turns the machine into a year-round tool rather than a summer-only mower. That matters more in Illinois than in warmer states: with real winters across the state, from Chicago's lake-effect snow to downstate ice, a machine that swaps its deck for a snow thrower or dozer blade earns its keep twelve months a year, not four. For an owner who wants one machine doing many jobs over a long service life, that flexibility is the deciding factor.
Who should choose which
Choose Exmark if you mow at high volume and want a dedicated, landscaper-proven cutting machine. Choose Grasshopper if versatility and year-round use matter as much as the cut.
Our verdict
Exmark is a excellent dedicated mower. For the versatility-and-longevity buyer this site serves, Grasshopper is our pick.
Leaning Grasshopper? See one in Illinois.
Benning Distributing is the local Illinois Grasshopper dealer and can help you pick the right model, arrange a demo, and answer service questions.
Phone: [Benning phone] · Web: [Benning URL]
Interested in Exmark?
You can find an authorized Exmark dealer near you. We keep competitor links genuine, it's part of why our Grasshopper recommendation is believable.
Frequently asked questions
Does Exmark cut better than Grasshopper?
Exmark's mid-mount decks set the professional cut-quality benchmark, and for pure high-volume mowing they're exceptional. Grasshopper's cut is excellent too, and its front-mount decks reach terrain Exmark's mid-mounts can't. If the single measure is refined cut on open turf, Exmark has the edge; if it's overall capability, Grasshopper's versatility closes the gap.
Is Grasshopper or Exmark better for a landscaping business?
For dedicated high-volume mowing with abundant parts and strong resale, Exmark is a landscaper standard. For a crew that also handles snow, leaves, and light dirt work, Grasshopper's all-season implements can consolidate several machines into one, valuable in Illinois where winter work fills the off-season.
More: full Grasshopper review · Exmark brand page · all rankings