Quick Answer: The Grasshopper 400 Series MidMount (440 EFI) is the best all-round pick in Grasshopper’s current lineup for most buyers, starting at $18,955 MSRP with a 61” or 72” DuraMax steel deck and a 993cc Vanguard Big Block EFI V-twin. Buyers who need better sightlines around obstacles and want access to Grasshopper’s 10-implement attachment system should look at the 700 Series FrontMount (725K), starting at $18,550 with a 61” deck and 25 HP Kohler Command Pro V-twin. Tighter budgets fit the entry 100V Series (125VB), from $8,760, and professional crews running the widest decks get the 900 Series FrontMount (940 EFI), from $23,985. All prices are current Grasshopper-published MSRPs, excluding tax, dealer fees, and options — per the manufacturer’s own site.
Grasshopper isn’t just another zero-turn brand name — it’s the company that invented the category’s dual-lever steering in 1973 and has been family-owned since its parent, Moridge Manufacturing, was founded in Moundridge, Kansas in 1958. Despite being referenced sitewide as the reference point for front-mount decks, diesel zero-turns, and true PTO-driven snow blowers, Grasshopper had never gotten its own dedicated comparison here — so here’s how its two current lineups, MidMount and FrontMount, actually break down.
Grasshopper zero-turn mowers, compared
| Model | Best for | Platform | Deck | Engine | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 Series (440 EFI) | Best overall | MidMount | 61", 72" | 993cc Vanguard Big Block EFI | from $18,955 | ★★★★★ |
| 700 Series (725K) | Best visibility & attachments | FrontMount | 61" | 25 HP Kohler Command Pro | from $18,550 | ★★★★½ |
| 100V Series (125VB) | Best budget | MidMount | 41", 48" | 724cc Briggs & Stratton CXi | from $8,760 | ★★★★☆ |
| 900 Series (940 EFI) | Best for pro crews | FrontMount | 61", 72" | 993cc Vanguard Big Block EFI | from $23,985 | ★★★★★ |
1. Grasshopper 400 Series (440 EFI) — Best Overall
Grasshopper 400 Series MidMount, 440 EFI
- Grasshopper's top MidMount tier, with a 61" or 72" DuraMax all-steel deck (5.5" deep, 6-bolt spindle mounting, 1/4" through-hardened MARBAIN blades) and a 993cc air-cooled Vanguard Big Block V-twin with electronic fuel injection and electronic throttle control, per Grasshopper's own spec page.
- Rated to cut up to 7.2 acres per hour, with a 12-gallon fuel tank and a G3 hydrostatic transmission (21cc piston pumps, Parker wheel motors) good for a 1,000-hour fluid-change interval.
- Warranty: 3 years unlimited hours for commercial use (parts and labor years 1-2, parts only year 3), or 4 years/800 hours for residential use covering parts and labor — see our zero-turn mower warranty guide for how that compares against other brands.
2. Grasshopper 700 Series (725K) — Best Visibility & Attachments
Grasshopper 700 Series FrontMount, 725K
- Moves the 61" deck out ahead of the operator for a clearer sightline trimming under fences, shrubs, and low branches than any MidMount can offer, per Grasshopper's own FrontMount product pages — the 25 HP Kohler Command Pro V-twin (roughly 747cc) is the most consistently reported engine spec across current dealer listings.
- Ships standard with PowerFold, a powered deck lift that raises the deck to near-vertical for cleaning and blade changes and adjusts cutting height from 1.25" to 5" without repositioning hitch pins — folded up, the footprint matches a MidMount's.
- The only Grasshopper platform that can run all 10 FrontMount implements (PowerVac, Snowthrower, Coreless Aerator, V-Plow, Rotary Broom, Dethatcher, Dozer Blade, Turbine Blower, Edger, Shielded Sprayer) versus just 2 on MidMount — see our zero-turn mower snow blower attachment guide for how the DriftBuster thrower in particular only bolts to this platform.
For how Grasshopper’s diesel FrontMount configuration (the 725DT) compares against Kubota and John Deere’s diesel lineups, see our best diesel zero-turn mower guide.
3. Grasshopper 100V Series (125VB) — Best Budget
Grasshopper 100V Series MidMount, 125VB
- Grasshopper's entry tier, with 41" or 48" deck options and a 724cc Briggs & Stratton CXi engine — current dealer listings run close to the $8,760 manufacturer MSRP, with some sub-$8,500 pricing on the 41" configuration.
- The step-up 125V configuration in the same 100V Series swaps in a 747cc Rehlko Confidant engine on 48"/52"/61" decks — Rehlko is the new name for Kohler's engine division after Platinum Equity acquired a majority stake in September 2024, not a different or unfamiliar manufacturer. Same engines, suppliers, and service network, just a new badge.
- A direct alternative to other brands' sub-$10,000 picks already covered in our best zero-turn mower under $5,000 guide and best residential zero-turn mower guide.
For the broader field of entry-tier zero-turns across every brand this site covers, see our zero-turn mower brands guide.
4. Grasshopper 900 Series (940 EFI) — Best for Pro Crews
Grasshopper 900 Series FrontMount, 940 EFI
- Grasshopper's top FrontMount tier, sold in 61" and 72" extra-deep (5.5") deck configurations with the same 993cc Vanguard Big Block EFI V-twin as the 400 Series MidMount, plus a larger 14.4-gallon fuel tank for full-day routes.
- Carries the same 10-implement compatibility and standard PowerFold deck lift as the 700 Series, aimed at landscaping crews who need the widest FrontMount deck available alongside attachment versatility.
- For how this compares against other brands' widest commercial-grade decks, see our best commercial zero-turn mower guide.
MidMount vs. FrontMount isn’t a trim level — it’s two different machines
Grasshopper sells two genuinely separate zero-turn platforms, and the naming doesn’t make that obvious. MidMount is the more compact, conventional layout, with the deck centered under the operator. FrontMount pushes the deck out ahead of the machine for better visibility trimming around obstacles — and per Grasshopper’s own site, it’s also the only platform that can run the brand’s full 10-implement catalog (PowerVac, Snowthrower, Coreless Aerator, V-Plow, Rotary Broom, Dethatcher, Dozer Blade, Turbine Blower, Edger, and Shielded Sprayer). MidMount supports just 2 of those implements — PowerVac and Edger. Every current FrontMount ships standard with PowerFold, a powered deck lift that raises the deck to near-vertical for cleaning, blade changes, and cutting-height adjustment (1.25”-5” without repositioning hitch pins), and folds down to roughly a MidMount’s footprint for storage. If attachment versatility beyond mowing and vacuuming matters to your property, that’s a platform decision to make before comparing specific models — not something you can add later.
A 1969 original, still family-owned
Grasshopper’s parent company, Moridge Manufacturing, was founded in Moundridge, Kansas in 1958 building portable grain dryers; the first Grasshopper zero-turn mower reached the U.S. market in 1969, and the company says it’s been family-owned since that 1958 founding. Grasshopper’s own timeline credits it with several category firsts: the industry’s first zero-turn with swing-out, dual-lever steering in 1973; the first diesel-powered zero-turn in 1983; and, in 2000, the first to offer both FrontMount and MidMount mowers with that same dual-lever steering. The only CPSC recall on record is from November 2001 — 174 units of the old Mid-Mount Series 225/52 for a fuel tank that could leak gasoline, with no injuries reported and a free fuel-tank replacement as the remedy. We found no recalls for any current Grasshopper model as of this writing.
The bottom line
The 400 Series MidMount (440 EFI) is the best overall Grasshopper pick for most buyers who don’t need FrontMount’s attachment ecosystem. Buyers who do — or who just want better sightlines trimming around obstacles — should look at the 700 Series FrontMount (725K), budget-focused buyers fit the entry 100V Series (125VB), and professional crews running the widest decks get the 900 Series FrontMount (940 EFI). Whichever tier you land on, Grasshopper isn’t sold on Amazon — buy through its authorized dealer network — and remember that MidMount vs. FrontMount is a platform decision about attachment compatibility and visibility, not a simple budget-vs-premium trim choice. See our zero-turn mower brands guide for how Grasshopper compares against every other brand covered on this site.
Last updated: October 22, 2026 — model lineup, deck sizes, engine options, and MSRP pricing verified direct against Grasshopper’s own site (grasshoppermower.com), with engine displacement and HP cross-checked against current dealer listings (Oakboro Tractor, Birkeys, 2M Equipment) where Grasshopper’s own pages didn’t list horsepower. Company history and timeline verified against grasshoppermower.com’s own “about us” and timeline pages. CPSC recall verified against the commission’s November 2001 announcement; no newer Grasshopper recalls found as of this writing. Rehlko engine rebrand verified against Rehlko’s own September 2024 announcement and multiple trade-press reports of Platinum Equity’s majority-stake acquisition.