"I live in East Texas, where it is hot and humid for much of the mowing season. I wanted a mower that could handle the heat, be reliable and take the abuse of mowing my grass areas. It's not smooth, and parts of it are fairly steep. I was very impressed with Scag and the water cooled Kawasaki engine on it. I found their spindles to be massive when compared to the others. The blades come off with one bolt and are very easy to remove. The front tires are sold and the seat is just amazing at how comfortable it is. I don't know what is the very best brand or model out there, but this is one of them. Dealer support is first class, and everything on it is built heavy duty. You won't go wrong with this mower."