"I bought a Z445 riding mower four years ago and have had problems with it's performance since it was new. It runs well, but it cuts the lawn horribly. It is never a clean cut. I ordered it with the mulching kit and it leaves a mess every time. Row after row of unmulched grass forms along the side of the strip I just cut. It looks like cornrows after each pass! My entire 2 acre lawn is always covered in rows and clumps of grass piles! I go over it several times and it just disperses the mess to another side of the mower. I have told this to the selling dealer and all they do is suggest blades. I have gone through several sets of mulching blades, and the current set that I bought at the local John Deere dealer is awful. It has left a mess just like always since they were put on near the end of last season. I even only cut 50% of the width of the deck! The other 50% I often keep on the previously mowed section to help this pathetic machine try to cut and mulch! Is there no help for this? Am I just stuck with a horribly performing and very expensive machine?"

"Into my 5th season mowing 3 acres at 239 hrs. So far, so good. It starts every time with original battery, is serviced (not babied) by me as specified, and has not failed me yet. This mower is heavy (1128#) and high (6') yet nimble and quick. Biggest problem is it blows cuttings forward and into my face if the wind isn't right. It's top heavy and sensitive on slopes. And its 7.5 gal fuel cell will last about 6 hrs."

"I have had this for four grass seasons. Replaced battery in beginning of third year."

"Carburator fell apart the day they delivered it. Had to fight to get it fixed, worked for about 2 cuttings then the carb acted up again. Took it back in they said cannot find anything wrong with thats the way they run. Again took it in and the problems seemed to disappear on the ride to town. Ran good for 5 cuttings and to town again. The problem is in the carb but the dealer doesn't seem to care, they keep telling me it is out of warranty. Been 2 years and maybe they will fix it but I doubt it. Thinking about going back to a tractor."

"I will cut to the chase and sum it up like this: If your done playing around and wasting your time with lawn tractors then it is time to buy a John Deere Zero Turn mower. This machine is designed to mow grass, it does not play, therefore you will have a lot more time to do other things. I mow 4 acres in 2 hours, no joke. Don't tell a John Deere rep, but knowing what I know now I would have paid more for mine. I've owned this 4 acres for 32 years so I have tried a lot of different equipment. Needless to say the search is over."

"An excellent mowing machine. Very big with the 54 inch deck. Cutting performance is outstanding it is heavy built with 1/1/2 by 2 in tubing and can withstand a few bumps. the engine is a bit loud (27 hp Briggs), but that is to expect as there is no top engine cover as that is where it pulls air from. My only complaint is the deck wash system is kind of a joke it doesn't clean very well but that's a minor detail. "

"I have 5 Acres of lake front property that I had been mowing with a MTD Yard Machines 48" tractor. I spent every weekend mowing instead of being on the lake in my boat. The Yard Machines mower just didn't have the horsepower or deck size to handle the task at hand. In order to take the family out on the boat, I would have to hire a team of commercial lawn care professionals and we all know how expensive that can be. Of course they had Zero Turn mowers and finished the job in no time. I noticed that they had SCAG, Toro, and John Deere. I went over and began asking questions about which mower they liked, which one was the most dependable etc. Everyone pointed to the John Deere. I spent several months during the winter researching Toro, Cub Cadet, SCAG, and John Deere. It really helps to put everything in a spreadsheet so you can compare each units standard features, options, price etc. The bottom line was after reading hundreds of reviews, going to various dealerships to look and ask questions, that the John Deere Z445 was the best mower for me. The Z445 54” High capacity deck is the unit that I went with and I would encourage you if you are considering to purchase a new Zturn mower to look at this model as well. Lots of items found on the JD commercial line are found on this high end residential model. The quality of construction is obvious and the extra reinforcing steel around the mowing deck means this unit will be able to withstand the demanding landscape of my property. Obviously John Deere is confident this unit will hold up as they are the only ones who provide a 4 year limited-300 hour warranty in a residential model. Buying a quality Zero Turn mower is no easy task but if you carefully research, ask questions and spend time carefully looking at each brand then it will help you in making your final decision. For me it was the John Deere Z445 54” w/High Capacity Deck. I’m looking forward to mowing with the JD Z445 this summer but even more so with spending time in my boat on the lake. Thanks John Deere for giving me my weekends back!"

"Purchased in July of 2009 to mow my 3 acre lawn. Obviously I don't have a long tern ownership experience, but I can elaborate on what I've learned about this machine so far. First, I purchased it at Valley Ag in Harrisburg, PA. Great experience. To this point, the only problem I've had with it was that one of the anti-scalp wheels came off on it's third use. But that was simply a loose bolt and easily fixed. This model, as with all the JD residentials, does not have a front suspension. Makes for a rough ride on rough areas of lawn. But considering the difference in price compared to the commercial version...I've got no issues with that. I test drove Hustler, Some TSC brand, Cub Cadet, the JD commercial line, Toro, Skag, and a few others. All the big commercial names (Skag, JD commercial, etc.) were out. It basically came down to Hustler and the Z445. The JD was about $1000 cheaper than the Hustler (although Hustler is still cheap for the quality you get). The Kawasaki 25HP engine was a big seller for me. Lots of power. The Z is roomy and makes a great cut at fast speed for a residential mower. It's a different deck than the all welded commercial units, but I have a big open yard and I've never seen it look so good after being mowed. The deck is easily cleanable. The fluids are easily changed. Bottom line is that I'm thrilled so far with this unit. Highly recommended."