{TOP 10} Best Riding Lawn Mowers Under 2000 Reviews

We’re a little ways into April now, which means that the full effects of Spring are taking their toll. Tall grass, busy bumblebees, blooming flowers, tall grass, allergies, warm weather, tall grass…did we mention tall grass? Because there’s A LOT of it this time of year! But what if we’re too poor to buy a riding lawn mower? Can we just buy a push mower to take care of the lawn?

Honestly, that would be the easiest thing to do.

But before you do that, why not first see if there’s any riding lawn mowers in your price range?

Riding Lawn Tractors As Listed Off By Their Type

You might be asking, “What’s the point of knowing the difference between the different types of riding lawn mowers? What does it have to do with pricing?” Oh, but friend! That’s just it. The type of lawn mower means everything to price-range!

You see, the price of a riding lawn mower normally correlates with the overall function and mechanical prowess possessed by the machine. In other words, different transmissions and builds can drive the price up quite a bit. Still confused? No worries; scroll down and read more!

Garden Tractors

Whether they be big and bulky or small and compact, standard lawn tractors are both the most common and the most popular type of riding lawn mower on the market. They’re known to be very reliable and accurate in terms of cutting; plus they are a lot faster than rear-engine riders. However, they tend to be slower than zero-turn mowers. Counteracting the lack of speed is the fact that these mowers are specifically built to be tanks…as in they are sturdy and strong.

We do not have literal lawnmower tanks, guys.

I know, for shame.

Whether they be big and bulky or small and compact, standard lawn tractors are both the most common and the most popular type of riding lawn mower on the market. They’re known to be very reliable and accurate in terms of cutting; plus they are a lot faster than rear-engine riders. However, they tend to be slower than zero-turn mowers. Counteracting the lack of speed is the fact that these mowers are specifically built to be tanks…as in they are sturdy and strong.

We do not have literal lawnmower tanks, guys.

I know, for shame.

Rear-Engine Riders

Small in stature, rear engine riders are highly recommended for small yards. Whether your lawn has narrow passes or loads of trees, this amazing mower can chop up grass like no tomorrow better than zero-turn mowers or standard lawn tractors. This is due to the superior bottom blades typically found on rear engine riders. Pretty cool, huh?

However, there are three reasons why people tend to steer clear of rear engine riders. For one, they’re pretty slow. In fact, they’re much slower than standard lawn tractors. Two, they are much better for smaller lots, as they tend to struggle with big yards. Three, they don’t work well with attachments.

Zero-Turn Mowers

Also known as the fastest riding lawn mowers on the market, zero-turners have excellent maneuverability and are typically run with hydrostatic transmissions. They are extremely thorough and can cut with just as much grace as they can run. If rear-engine riders and standard lawn tractors had children, their children would be zero-turn mowers. The best of both worlds and MORE are promised with these machines.

Unfortunately, none of the mowers on this list will be a zero-turn mower.

Why?

Because these models usually range well over $2000.

How Likely Am I To Find A Riding Lawn Mower That’s Within The Range Of $2000 Or Less?

I’m not gonna lie to you, ladies and gentlemen.

It can be pretty difficult to find a quality lawn mower for $2000 or less. Most of the time, you won’t find riding lawn mowers that are not only affordable, but also good enough quality to put to work on your property. Most of your “top dog” models are sold up to $4000. That’s insane for those of us on a budget!

However, it’s much easier find a riding lawn mower that’s $2000 or less than to find one that’s–say—less than $1000 or even $1500!

Best Riding Lawn Mowers $2000 Or Less

Comparison Chart

Product	​Our Rating	Type of Mower	Horsepower	Cutting Width	Image
Husqvarna LTH1738	#1 ​ Editor Choice	Garden Tractor	17 HP	38”
​Craftsman T150	#2	Garden Tractor	19 HP	46”
Husqvarna YTH18K46	#3	Garden Tractor	18 HP	46”
Troy-Bilt 382cc	#4	Rear-Engine Rider	15 HP	30”
Husqvarna YTA24V48	#5	Garden Tractor	24 HP	48”
Husqvarna YTH1942	#6	Garden Tractor	19 HP	42”
John Deere E110	#7	Garden Tractor	19 HP	42”
Craftsman T135	#8	Garden Tractor	18.5 HP	46”
Craftsman T225	#9	Garden Tractor	19 HP	46”
John Deere E130	#10	Garden Tractor	22 HP	42”

Best Riding Lawn Mowers $2000 Or Less

Product Previews

  1    Husqvarna LTH1738

Coming in at number one on our list of top ten best riding lawn mowers for $2000 or less is none other than the Husqvarna LTH1738. Representing the grass-cutting giant known as Husqvarna, this lovely lawn tractor makes its grand entrance on our list of high quality merchandise. It not only takes home the gold for best riding lawn mower for $2000 or less, it also takes home the honorary award for best riding lawn mower for the money. And it’s easy to see why!

First of all, it’s got a 17 HP engine, which is pretty fast for a lawn mower. In fact it’s so fast that it could take you on a wild ride if you aren’t careful! But it’s easy to see how you’d get carried away by the majesty known as the Husqvarna LTH1738. With the simple start-up and gazelle-like maneurability, who wouldn’t get a little excited?

Best of all is the easy assembly.

With instructions as clear as a sunny day, you’ll be ready to rock and roll before you can even say the word “Husqvarna”!

PROS

 – Powerful engine
 – Fast, Easy assembly
 – Smooth handling
– Excellent maneuverability
– Easy start-up

CONS

 – Might run too fast without the proper adjustments
  2    Craftsman T150

Our second highest rated riding lawn mower for this list is the Craftsman T150. It should be known that the Craftsman brand has always been rivals with the Husqvarna brand, as several different reviewers/customers have made comparison pieces on the two. Nowhere is this rivalry more obvious than this list right here, ladies and gentlemen. How, you ask?

Once you get further into this list, you’ll see!

The Craftsman T150 has a wide turn radius, which makes maneuvering around all those trees in your yard a super-snap. This sexy lawn tractor also has a 540cc engine. Can you imagine all the grass you can demolish with that kind of power? Overgrown greenery stands no chance against the Craftsman T150!

The only downside with this machine is the fact that it releases noxious fumes with each cutting job it does.

So if you’re one for protecting the environment, this isn’t the mower for you.

PROS

 – Easy maintenance
 – Strong engine
 – Cuts perfectly, Wide turn radius

CONS

 – Not environmentally friendly
  3    Husqvarna YTH18K46

Third place on our list goes to the Husqvarna YTH18K46. Considering that a Husqvarna mower has already claimed the number one spot on this list, you can probably tell that this brand’s got the market covered on affordable lawn tractors. And what a brand to reign supreme! They’ve got the others outclassed regardless of their price range!

Much like the Husqvarna LTH1738, this bad-boy can tame the shrew known as your overgrown grass with no trouble at all. It handles like a majestic swan going for a swim on the river and it can maneuver around trees and potholes with the finesse of a cat. The only downside to the Husqvarna YTH18K46 is the fact that it’s not very good at climbing up slopes. So if you have a particularly hilly yard, you might want to try one of these other models.

PROS

 – Smooth handling
 – Excellent maneuverability
 – Easy start-up, Strong engine

CONS

 – Isn’t very good with hills
  4    Troy-Bilt 382cc

For the number four spot, we have the Troy-Bilt 382cc. A thing you’ll already notice about this entrant is that it’s the only riding lawn mower on this list that isn’t a standard lawn tractor. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen. This lovely mower is our first, and only, rear-engine rider to be featured on our list of the best riding lawn mowers for $2000 or less!

Now, if you look back on our brief overview of the different types of riding lawn mowers, an advantage that rear-engine riders have over standard lawn tractors is the fact that is has faster working blades. Yes, the standard lawn tractor is faster movement-wise, but it can’t hold a candle to these babies and their fast blades. The Troy-Bilt 382cc is a force of nature that can handle hills and uneven terrain with ease. Just watch out for Bermuda grass or loose rocks. Those can get caught in the mower’s blades!

PROS

 – Extremely durable materials
 – Blade is adjustable
 – Handling is smooth and easy
– Powerful engine

CONS

 – Rough terrain prone to scalping
  5    Husqvarna YTA24V48

Number five on our list is the Husqvarna YTA24V48. Being yet another representative for Husqvarna, this majestic lawn tractor is almost just as good as the Husqvarna YTH18K46. It’s got the same speed advantage, smooth handling, powerhouse engine (though the Husqvarna YTH18K46’s Kawasaki engine is a bit stronger), and easy as pie start-up. If it weren’t for the earlier model’s superior maneuverability, this baby would be much higher than number five on this list!

PROS

 – Fast
 – Smooth handling
 – Easy start-up
– Powerful engine

CONS

 – Isn’t very good with hills
  6    Husqvarna YTH1942

Coming in at number six on this list is the Husqvarna YTH1942. This is the fourth and final Husqvarna model to appear on this list, ladies and gentlemen. Four out of ten isn’t bad, if I do say so myself! But just because it’s number six on this list doesn’t mean this mower is unimpressive.

Oh no, friends.

This little mower ain’t a slouch, that’s for sure!

The Husqvarna YTH1942 is one of the lightest lawn tractors on this list, coming in at only 479 lbs. That may sound heavy at first, but keep in mind that most riding lawn mowers are usually around 500 to 600 lbs–more expensive brands sometimes weighing over 700 lbs! But don’t let its light weight fool you. This lawn mower can still pack a powerful punch to the unwanted grass in your yard.

Just be mindful of the seat switch, as it’s a bit sensitive and might unexpectedly jerk you around if you press into it.

PROS

 – Lightweight
 – Smooth handling
 – Easy start-up
– Powerful engine

CONS

 – Sensitive seat switch
  7    John Deere E110

The number seven spot on our list of top ten best riding lawn mowers for $2000 or less is the John Deere E110. Ah, good ol’ John Deere; a classic household name for lawn mowers and tractors! Chances are very, very high that most people immediately bring up John Deere whenever the subject of lawn mowers is brought up in a conversation. And yet, you never see them place on any online lists. Why is that?

Easy; because they are mostly sold in actual John Deere stores.

But there are a few models available online at discounted prices. The John Deere E110 is one such model that certainly brings honor to its brand. One thing that truly stands out about this riding lawn mower is the fact that is has its own patented oil change system. With most mowers, changing the oil can be a real hassle, taking up a large chunk of your time. But with this system, it’s takes little to no time at all.

Just uncork, drain, recork. You’re good to go then!

PROS

 – Smooth handling
 – Easy oil change system
 – Strong engine

CONS

 – Isn’t very good with hills
  8    Craftsman T135

Coming in at number eight on our list is the Craftsman T135. Remember when we said earlier that Craftsman and Husqvarna are rivals and that their rivalry is very clear after looking at our list? Well, have you noticed that both brands have multiple entrants that have been featured? That’s right; both Craftsman and Husqvarna try to release mowers that are within a reasonable budget so that poorer customers won’t feel singled out.

The more you know, ladies and gentlemen!

As for this particular mower, it’s a lot more friendly to the environment when you compare it to the Craftsman T150. However, the glaring issue that brings it down to number eight on this list is the fact that its parts can break quite easily if the mower isn’t taken care of. There have been several customer complaints bringing this issue up, but most of them seem to neglect to bring up that the parts conked on them after a prolonged period of not cleaning up the mower. Lawn mowers are like cars, you guys. You can’t just expect it to clean itself!

PROS

 – Easy maintenance
 – Strong engine
 – Cuts perfectly

CONS

 – Parts may break if not routinely cared for
  9    Craftsman T225
While Husqvarna seems to have greatly outclassed Craftsman on this list, the second-place brand has still claimed three out of ten entries. That’s not bad for second place! Craftsman has still proven to be a good brand within its own merit. And claiming the number nine spot on this list is the Craftsman T225.Much like the other two Craftsman mowers on this list, this baby brings all the same flair and charm to any yard. It’s remarkably fast for a standard lawn tractor and it cuts with the fury that rear-engine riders bring. It’s also super easy to take care of! If it weren’t so loud, it might be higher on this list!

PROS

 – Fast
 – Easy maintenance
 – Strong engine

CONS

 – Noisy
  10    John Deere E130

Last but not least on our list is the John Deere E130. As it’s a part of the same series as the John Deere E110, most of the same perks that came with the earlier model comes with this one as well. It’s still got the super-special-awesome oil change system, which gets you through what would be a grueling process in little to no time at all. And on top of that, this standard lawn tractor is just a damn good mower to own.

Don’t let the number ten slot fool you folks.

John Deere’s still got it!

PROS

 – Smooth handling
 – Easy oil change system
 – Strong engine

CONS

 – Struggles with tall grass

Concluding Thoughts

And with that, ladies and gentlemen, we reach the end of this list. We’ve seen ten beautiful riding lawn tractors that can shine a light on both your day and your overgrown yard. Just when you thought you couldn’t get a quality lawn mower for $2000 or less, we’ve proved that you most certainly can. And our number one pick for the best riding lawn mower for the money is the Husqvarna LTH1738.

As the top dog from Husqvarna, this lawn tractor can cut grass like nobody’s business. It has Grade-A maneuverability and handling. And when you wanna get the job done quickly, you can kick things up a notch and go very fast. It’s practically like driving a sports car!

Now if you don’t want a standard lawn tractor, you can alternatively purchase the Troy-Bilt 382cc. This model’s a rear-engine rider, and can arguably cut your grass at a faster pace. This is due to the fast moving blades that make rapid work out of any unwanted weeds in your lawn. It might be a bit more expensive, but it’s still less than $2000!

Which model are you planning on getting?