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A lawn tractor is a necessity if you mow more than an acre, and you would be hard-pressed to find a better overall value for large yards than the John Deere S160. I tested one for a few weeks this summer, mowing my lawn and an adjacent field, and towing different implements as well. Considering cut quality, engine power, towing ability, maneuverability, and operator comfort, I thought the performance was outstanding for the price.
The John Deere S160 features a 24 horsepower engine, hydrostatic transmission, and 48-inch 3-blade cutting deck. It is first and foremost a riding lawn mower, but equipped with a drop-pin towing hitch and a 500-pound towing capacity to take on a heavier workload. I tested it in my yard, which includes a variety of mowing obstacles, and in an adjacent field that we cut monthly. I also used it to tow a couple of heavy accessories: a dump cart loaded with firewood and a 36-inch barrel-type core aerator filled with water.
I really liked how this mower moved through the landscape. It navigated smoothly around mulched tree rings as small as 36 inches in diameter and curved edges of landscape beds. After mowing two perimeter laps, it made beautiful straight-line passes across the yard with nice tight end turns within the perimeter lap zone.
A traditional strength of lawn tractors over zero-turn mowers is slope handling, where the S160 is only modestly capable. It was designed for flat and gently sloping yards, up to 13-degrees (about 23 percent, or 2.3 feet elevation change per 10 linear feet). I mowed a few spots that are closer to 25 degrees, and it did fine, although it lost traction when I started from a full stop on the steep parts. For the towing test, I stuck to the more gradual grades, and it had no problems. If you live in the hills, this mower may not be your ideal choice.
The S160 benefits from John Deere’s wealth of mower expertise. A 48-inch stamped steel side-discharge deck with three 17-inch blades makes up the cutting system. At full throttle, the blades achieve tip speeds in the 17,000 to 18,000 RPM range. This is a nice upgrade over the John Deere S130, which uses two 22-inch blades that turn at a slower 16,000 to 17,000 RPM. The trio of shorter blades in the S160 deliver more cutting power with less vibration and noise. Not only that, but the deck is made of thicker steel and includes four anti-scalp wheels instead of two.
The height-of-cut ranges from 1 inch to 4 inches, in quarter-inch increments. The cut was super clean in the yard, at 2.5 inches, as well as the field, at 4 inches. Strong airflow spread the clippings evenly over a wide area. One negative point is that those who prefer to mulch their grass clippings will have to purchase the mulching cover separately. An integrated mulch plug with mulch/discharge functionality would be a nice improvement.
Comfort matters when you’re sitting on a mower for an hour or 2 every week. This one makes that experience something you will look forward to. Large 20×10-8 rear tires and an adjustable 15-inch two-part seat with spring suspension cushion the ride, while the 2.4-gallon gas tank ensures plenty of mowing time. I averaged 2.75 hours of operating time between fill-ups.