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Looking for a riding mower here's my yard specs
1.5 acres, slight grade, some landscaping, well irrigated.

I have looked at so many mowers I can't figure out what I want. I think I want something in the 20hp range, no bagging but I want to mulch, price is a huge concern, but I don't want to buy something that will die in two years. So far I'm in between a Craftsman and Husky. I've looked every where for used tractors but they all want the same price as a new one.

What do you guys suggest?

depends on your price range. i have about 3 acres of mowable grass and wore out my troybuilt (mtd) 20 hp in about 7 years. well, lets say my boys wore it out. anyway, it just started falling apart and after multiple bandaids, it wasn't worth it anymore. i did a lot of research and decided to spend a bit more. i got a simplicity regency 22hp, 46" deck and it is a totally different machine, as it should be. if you are easy on the tractor and maintain it, the mtd $1500 versions are ok, but not nearly the tractor of a simplicity. my simplicity was right at $3k with a triple bagger and delivered. no problems in 4 years and it takes a beating now that my boys made trails all over our property.

Buy by the pound.

I have about the same yard specs as you do. I am on my 2nd 20hp Craftsman. The first one run for 10 years before the transmission went. This one has run 5 years with just normall maintainance. It has a 46 inch mulching deck with a bagger.

I on the other hand have had good luck out of the $1000 riding mowers/tractors. Of course I only have about 1 ac. but I have only had 2 mowers the last 20 yrs. , a Murray for about 8 years and a John Deer. The Murray actually was still running quite well but the deck was rusted out so I sold it to a neighbor for a pittance and he used it to pull around a small cart/wagon to feed his cows. The JD is a bit nicer but has actually given more small problems than the Murray did. the Kohler engine is still going strong though. Both are 11hp - 14hp units. Do some math and you will find that the 48" mower will only save you only a few trips back and forth across the avg. lot over say a 40" unit. The time spent mowing is trimming around trees picnic tables etc and in the turns. Also a lot of extra HP only helps if you are cutting high grass which doesn't really occur if you mow regularly. You can generally only go so fast w/o bouncing which produces a poor cut. I say get a 12hp wheel horse for $1200 use it for 8-10 yrs and get an new one that's only about $150 per year.

My Husky w/46" deck/Kohler engine handles 2 acres just fine. Check your area mower/repair shops for a used/trade-in and if you go used, look for one with a sturdy, welded deck.

Remember, the JD you buy at Home Depot/Lowe's is not the same as a JD you buy from a JD dealer, there's a reason for the huge price difference between the "official" JD lines and the seemingly cheaper versions at Home Depot/Lowes.

I have a Craftsman garden tractor, 26 hp Kohler. The garden tractor is built heavier than the lawn tractors and will hold up considerably longer. It's worth the extra money in the long run. It must be made by whoever makes Husky as most of the parts are interchangeable. I've had it about 7 years and it's been flawless so far. I have the hydrostatic transmission. The 3 spd is more powerful but if you aren't cutting thick heavy stuff, the hydro is much easier to use, especially around landscaping where you have to back up a lot.

I haven't tried mulching a lawn with it. I did buy a set of mulching blades but don't even think about it in heavy weeds. It'll be clogged up all the time. They should work fine on a lawn, though.

Avoid anything with a TuffTorque K46 transaxle. Google it as it is nothing but trouble. I have a Deere that has one and the mower looks new but the transaxle is shot. Unless you want to play transmission repairman in your spare time, it is cheaper to trash the mower and buy a new one.

EDIT: RUN away from a used unit with the K46. You fire it up in the lot and drive in circles and it seems GTG. The mower is nice and shiny and looks great. You get home and after 5/10 minutes of mowing and the mower won't move.

The line about a Deere from Home Depot being different than a Deere from the dealer is just plain wrong. If Home Depot sells a Deere L118 and the dealer sells a Deere L118, they are the same machine. The Deere dealer will carry the higher end mowers that Home Depot will not ($$$) but their cheaper line is the same as the ones at the big box stores. I bought mine at the Deere dealer instead of Home Depot.

For my next mower, I am thinking about going super cheap. It is hard to get away from the K46 transaxle without spending lots of money or going super cheap and getting a manual transmission. It also hurts less to trash a cheap mower than an expensive one. It goes against my grain, but I may just do it.

I have the Snapper version of that Mower!!!!!I have been using it for 3 years has 240hrs on it Now!!!!! Still running the original belts and blades. Nothing but a couple of oil changes. I am mowing 2.5 acres of uneven Ground.

Craigslist is your friend.

I have a Toro GT series mower -

My requirement for buying a mower is that it have a Kohler engine as opposed to a B&S. I'd also get one with a Kawasaki engine but few if any are in my price range.

It has a 50" deck with a hose washout, it does NOT have the hydrostatic transmission. I've had it 8 years now mowing a 1 acre spot. I change the oil in the spring and keep a battery tender on it in the winter. Also throw in a bit of Stabil.

I've yet to have to do anything to it and I have over 400 hours on it now.

I think I paid $1900 for it new.

But I do agree with Rancho Loco - go out on craigslist. I'd rather had a very good used mower than a basic new mower.

unfortunately it's not, every one I have found on Craigslist withing a reasonable distances is only a couple $100 less then a new version or trashed out, I have been checking Craigslist every day since January, at one point I found more horse drawn mowers than riding mowers.

Much like the "chainsaw" threads go. With TLC most will be ok. We have a low end Craftsman heading in to it's 15th season. It mows 1-2 acres a week. Mountain land turned yard/field so it's not a super smooth job. It's had a couple of belt replacements and blades only beyond the annual oil change and spark plugs.

You realize craigslist prices are about 200% of where you start bargaining, right?

As for thrashred, thats how I went.. John Deere 185 with a blown hydro.. Ebay' d one for cheep, found a mulching kit cheep, and I've got a great 48" mower for about $400..

EPA APPROVED green machine (ladies version shown)
Zero emissions
No gas to buy or mix
No spark plugs to foul & change

DELUXE Mountain EDITION
Same features as above with advantage of wide knobby tire for traction and fifteen speeds!

My legs are burning just looking at that contraption.

Fixt

I bought the Husky a YTH22V46, I found a great deal today for 15% off and couldn't find it cheaper anywhere else. I did looked up alot of stuff about the K46 trans axle and it seems the problem is with any auto and heat. The new versions have a fan and require cleaning of the heat sinks and fins and as long as it is kept clean and able to cool is a pretty durable transmission, and is serviceable if you are willing to take the time. My problem with buying a thrashed one is I have a 22 month old and a 5 month old and barely have enough time to take a crap let alone rebuild a mower right now, I need something I can get on and go this season.
Last year we were in a different house with a small lawn I could mow in 10 min with a push mower that I had found and combined with 3 others I had laying around, this year with our new house the lawn is going to be a beast.