Our #1 Pick

Grasshopper Zero-Turn Mowers: Why They Top Our List

Overview

Grasshopper Company has built front-mount zero-turn mowers in Moundridge, Kansas since the 1960s, and that front-mount heritage is the whole story. Where most zero-turns hang the deck between the wheels, Grasshopper puts it out front, a design choice that changes what the machine can see, reach, and do. For Illinois property owners who want one machine that mows in July and clears snow in January, that difference is the pitch in plain terms.

What sets Grasshopper apart

Four things do the heavy lifting, and none of them are marketing fluff:

• Front-mount deck versatility & sightlines. The deck rides ahead of the operator, so you can see exactly where you're cutting and push it into ditches, under fences, and around beds and playsets that a mid-mount has to circle. It floats over contours instead of scalping them.
• The DuraMax deck. Grasshopper's fabricated decks are built for consistent cut quality and a long service life, with a design that clears and discharges cleanly in the tall, wet spring grass Illinois is known for.
• The all-season implement ecosystem. Pull the deck and mount a snow thrower, dozer blade, power blower, or dethatcher. One machine becomes a year-round tool, useful in a state with real winters.
• Build longevity & serviceability. Heavy-duty frames, accessible service points, and a dealer parts pipeline mean these machines are made to be kept and maintained, not disposed of.

Our rating, by criterion

Editorial scores on our six-criteria methodology, disclosed as opinion.

Model lineup

Grasshopper organizes its range by deck position and duty. Confirm current model numbers, deck widths, and engine options with the dealer before buying, we don't publish specs we haven't verified.

• Front-mount series, the flagship platform; best for versatility, sightlines, and the all-season implement system.
• Mid-mount series, a more conventional layout for buyers who want Grasshopper build in a mid-mount package.
• Residential vs. commercial, duty ratings scale from prosumer homeowner use up to daily commercial operation.

Honest tradeoffs

Naming these is what makes the praise land:

• Premium price. Grasshopper is not the cheapest way onto a zero-turn. The case for it is total cost over a long ownership horizon, not sticker price.
• Bought through dealers, not big-box. You won't grab one at a warehouse store. That's a feature for service and setup, but it means planning a dealer visit.
• Front-mount storage footprint. The out-front deck asks a little more of your shed or garage than a compact mid-mount.

Who Grasshopper is best for

Property owners who want one machine for many jobs and plan to keep it a long time; year-round users who'll actually mount winter implements; and buyers who value dealer support over a decade of ownership. If you mow a flat quarter-acre and never touch snow, a simpler mower may serve you fine, and we'll say so. For the Illinois acreage owner who wants to mow, plow, blow, and dethatch with one machine, Grasshopper is exactly the pitch.

Where to buy in Illinois

Grasshopper is sold through dealers, which is a feature: you get setup, demos, service, and parts support that a big-box purchase can't match over a 15-year ownership.

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Compare Grasshopper head-to-head

Related: winterizing (or not) a front-mount machine · our full rankings.