Most Reliable Gas Riding Mower Brands

CR surveys thousands of members to help determine which brands are less and more likely to have problems in the first five years of ownership

By Tobie Stanger

Updated by Yasmeen Khan

Updated May 13, 2026

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person riding John Deere Z330M-48 zero turn mower on lawn in front of brick house — (Almost) nothing runs like a Deere. John Deere once again sits near the top of our reliability rankings, though two brands fare better.

According to CR’s latest survey data of its members, Kubota earned exemplary reliability scores for lawn tractors, and Snapper got excellent marks for zero-turn-radius mowers. Meanwhile, John Deere received very good reliability scores from members in both categories.

In this article

Most Reliable Gas Brands: Lawn Tractors Zero-Turn-Radius Mowers
How CR Evaluates Mowers on Reliability & Owner Satisfaction Ratings

Most Reliable Gas Lawn Tractor Brands

Lawn tractors are your quintessential riding mower, with a big engine in front and a seat and steering wheel mounted over the cutting deck.

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Tobie Stanger

As a senior editor at Consumer Reports for more than 30 years, Tobie Stanger specialized in helping readers shop wisely, save money, and avoid scams. Her home- and shopping-related beats have included appliance and grocery stores, generators, homeowners and flood insurance, humidifiers, lawn mowers, and luggage. She also covered home improvement products, including flooring, roofing, and siding.