Craftsman  28 In. Briggs & Stratton 12.5 Hp Riding Lawn Tractor Non CA

I bought one @ the outlet store and ordered the mulch blade. Mower started right up and cuts pretty good. I received the mulch kit and as others here have said, the blade was not sharp at all. I hand sharpened it and it does mulch up the grass pretty good. I notice that it doesn't cut well in tight turns, it sort of pushes the grass over a bit. (Hence only 4 stars) It does well on straightaways, so perhaps I just have to learn some cutting tricks. Others complain about the safety features, but I don't have any problems with the blade engage, etc. I would like to have the bagger attachment, but can't afford it right now. All in all, I am pretty happy with this mower. In it's size, which I needed a smaller cut width because of gates and also because I only have about 1 acre to cut, it is the best choice. This is a Snapper and this style and drivetrain has been around for quite a few years. Plus it fits in the garage and the tilt up feature will be good for winter storage.

This is the, "worst" product Sears has ever put their name on. Shifts very hard, hard to operate, the only grass catcher that will fit, is impossible to operate, it tore after 2 uses, and it is very expensive. Engaging the blade is a pain in the ****. Very aggravating, battery cover will not stay on. Don't wast your money.

Bought my mower Jan. 2010. Clutch Assy. has been replaced twice and needs to be replaced again. Mower is great on level ground but once the clutch assy. has a little wear will not climb the slightest incline.

This Craftsmen tractor is perfect for intricate landcapes

For a small ride on this is a good bet. If you have an acre or so this does the job. Easy to manuever and fun to ride.

I have had this mower for a bit over 2 years. Basically it has been quite serviceable for the price. My principal complaint is the rough ride. Not until checking some other mowers did I realize the seat is not mounted on springs; hence the rough ride. Availability of parts/service may be a problem. Many parts are available from Snapper dealers.

I owned an antique Sears 3-in-One Rider for 16 years which was very reliable and replaced it with this Snapper model. It's been like going from a turtle to a hare. The engine starts and runs beautifully every time, the frame is heavy duty and I really appreciate the handy oil-change spout & easy battery access. It also pulls my loaded utility trailer like a champ with energy to spare. The dynamics of the new machine, however, are very different with lightning-fast responses and 25% more power. I have to be very mindful about getting too close to fences or tree trunks as the wheel sometimes grabs and the machine will start climbing before I can brake whereas the older mower would just stop. For safety I don't mow higher than 2nd gear because it's easy to lose control. My yard is complex and hilly and the frame length is longer & center of gravity higher on the new rider which has limited some of my movements and forced more time with the weedwhacker/trim mower. I had 3 immediate problems: the steering was too stiff, the rear tire had a gash and the vinyl discharge chute cracked and exploded apart on the first use. Since there are no lube ports the Sears technician applied WD-40 to 3 points on each wheel post which helped the steering and recommended NOT rinsing the frame but blowing it clean or wiping with a damp rag to avoid rusting the joints. He also suggested inflating the tires to 30 psi all around (manual says 15 and 12 psi front to back) but the higher pressure tends to cause sliding on turns which adds to the out-of-control feeling. I'm still experimenting to find the right balance. He also replaced the tire, chute and installed the mulching kit. I was very impressed with Sear's effort to satisfy me. As for the controls, the stiff blade height lever has loosened some in 2 months and I've gotten used to the blade control stick. I do like the safety features with the automatic blade stop and reverse lock-out and feel they are really required on this unit. I remain concerned about the quality of the discharge chute and mulching cover, though, hence only 4 stars. I may try fortifying them with a metal liner since I have lots of pine cones and can't avoid them all. Overall, a very nice machine, just don't overdrive it.

If you think a larger lawn tractor is overkill for your size yard, this smaller time-tested design may be perfect for you. Mows very well and starts easy. Unlike larger tractors, can be pull started if necessary. Front chassis twists to conform to the yard so cut is straight and smooth and not prone to scalping. Highly recomend the mulching kit. This mower is made by Snapper (their's is red), so parts are available at any dealer.

I purchased this mower about 3 weeks ago and have used it twice with good results. The only hitch so far is that it was the floor demo model and was delivered with a dead battery. The salesman however, personally delivered a fresh battery the same day and it started right up with no further issues. The bagging attachment was back ordered and just arrived today so I have yet to use it. Regardless of the battery problem which was quickly resolved, I anticipate that this mower will be of great assistance to me in the coming years. Even though my yard is small, I am getting too old to do the push mower thing especially in the heat and this machine eliminates most of that work. As we all know, most Sears branded merchandise is made by other companies and this mower is no exception but that's a good thing. The design has been around many years and is proven as is the Briggs engine. The only design flaw that I've noticed is that it is almost impossible to engage the cutting blade because the lever is nearly out of reach and requires considerable effort. I may try to attach something to the lever to make it longer but even if not, blade engagement is something that only needs to be done a couple of times during a cutting. If that's all that ever turns out to be negative about this mower, I'll be well satisfied. For someone in their later years, this may just be a way to reduce the effort required to mow that grass especially in the heat of summer. It fits through my standard size gate with ease.

Great rear engine tractor, actually made by Snapper & branded Sears and painted black instead of the Snapper red. This engine does NOT have the the electronic needle valve and fuel solenoid that 99% of all riding tractors have today. I had Toro Z380 zero turn previously, had nothing but problems with carburetor dumping fuel in the oil, every time the electronic needle valve & fuel solenoid went bad. Got tired of it after 2 years of lightly being used, pushed it to the curb with FREE sign on it. People were just about fighting to get it, I was glad to get rid of it! My previous Snapper just like this Sears RE rider is still running fine after 8 years, my son has it now. Trust me, you just can't beat this mower for a small to medium yard to cut ... very easy to maintain yourself and clean. This same mower was $400 cheaper than the same Snapper brand. I highly recommend this product.