Quick Answer: The Simplicity Courier 52 (52 in. deck, 23-25 HP Briggs & Stratton PXi or 21.5 HP Kawasaki FR651, around $5,849) is the best all-round pick in Simplicity’s current US lineup for 1-2 acre residential lots. Smaller yards or tighter budgets suit the Courier 36 (around $3,799), and larger properties wanting a heavier build should look at the Courier XT 52 (around $6,599) or Courier XT 61 (around $7,699), which add a 25 HP Briggs & Stratton Commercial Series V-twin and an 8.5 mph top speed. One thing worth knowing before you shop: Simplicity’s bigger, more commercial-looking models — Citation XT and Cobalt — are no longer sold new in the US. Briggs & Stratton discontinued them in September 2023, so the listings you’ll find for those names are used machines only.
Most brand pages on this site compare three or four current tiers. Simplicity is different: its entire active US zero-turn catalog right now is two series, Courier and Courier XT, split mainly by deck size and engine. That’s a meaningfully smaller lineup than it had a few years ago, and it’s the kind of gap a buyer researching “Simplicity zero turn mower” won’t necessarily notice until they’re deep into a used listing for a model that stopped being built.
Simplicity zero-turn mowers, compared
| Model | Best for | Deck | Engine | Top speed | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courier 36 | Best for small yards | 36" | 23 HP Briggs & Stratton PXi | 6-8 mph | ~$3,799 | ★★★★☆ |
| Courier 52 | Best overall | 52" | 25 HP Briggs & Stratton PXi or 21.5 HP Kawasaki FR651 | 6-8 mph | ~$5,849 | ★★★★★ |
| Courier XT 52 | Best step-up | 52" | 25 HP Briggs & Stratton Commercial CXi (724cc V-twin) | 8.5 mph | ~$6,599 | ★★★★½ |
| Courier XT 61 | Best for larger properties | 61" | 25 HP Briggs & Stratton Commercial CXi (724cc V-twin) | 8.5 mph | ~$7,699 | ★★★★½ |
1. Simplicity Courier 36 — Best for Small Yards
Simplicity Courier 36
- The narrowest and least expensive deck in Simplicity's current catalog, sized for gated lots and tight side-yard access rather than open acreage, per Simplicity's own product page.
- Ships with a 23 HP Briggs & Stratton PXi V-twin and a 6-8 mph top speed — in line with other entry-tier residential zero-turns in this deck class.
- For how a 36" deck compares against other brands' small-yard picks, see our best zero-turn mower for a small yard guide.
2. Simplicity Courier 52 — Best Overall
Simplicity Courier 52
- The top of the standard Courier series, available with either a 25 HP Briggs & Stratton PXi or a 21.5 HP Kawasaki FR651 V-twin depending on the specific unit, per Simplicity's current spec sheet.
- 52" deck suits most 1-2 acre residential lots without stepping up to the heavier-duty Courier XT's price.
- For how this size and price compare against other brands covering the same acreage, see our best zero-turn mower for 2 acres guide.
For a wider field of fabricated-deck residential zero-turns at a similar price, see our best residential zero-turn mower guide.
3. Simplicity Courier XT 52 — Best Step-Up
Simplicity Courier XT 52
- Moves up to a 724cc Briggs & Stratton Commercial Series CXi V-twin and an 8.5 mph top speed, a real step above the standard Courier's 6-8 mph, per Simplicity's own Courier XT launch materials.
- Despite the "XT" naming suggesting a heavier commercial machine, Simplicity's own current warranty terms still treat it as residential-first — see the warranty section below before assuming XT means commercial-duty coverage.
- For how 52" decks in this faster, pricier tier compare across brands, see our best zero-turn mower for the money guide.
For a broader commercial-grade field at a similar or higher price point, see our best commercial zero-turn mower guide.
4. Simplicity Courier XT 61 — Best for Larger Properties
Simplicity Courier XT 61
- The largest deck Simplicity currently sells new in the US, pairing the same 25 HP Commercial CXi V-twin as the Courier XT 52 with a wider 61" cut, per current dealer listings.
- Still well short of the 72" decks and 35+ HP engines the discontinued Cobalt LE used to offer — see the section below on what Simplicity no longer sells before assuming this is the brand's ceiling model.
- For how a 61" deck stacks up for 4+ acres, see our best zero-turn mower for 4 acres guide.
For the full field of large-deck machines built for daily commercial duty, see our best commercial zero-turn mower guide.
What Simplicity no longer sells (and why used listings are confusing)
Search “Simplicity zero turn mower” and you’ll still find plenty of listings for the Citation XT (25-28 HP, 52”/61” decks, originally $9,349-$9,899) and the Cobalt and Cobalt LE (28 HP up to a 37 HP Vanguard Big Block, 61”/72” decks, originally $11,699-$18,699). None of those are current production. Per Briggs & Stratton’s own September 19, 2023 announcement, the company discontinued Simplicity’s and Snapper’s lawn tractors and four zero-turn models across the US and Canada, citing a multi-year decline in the tractor-mower category — and told dealers it would move those customers to a Ferris zero-turn equivalent instead, since Ferris is a sibling brand under the same Briggs & Stratton/KPS ownership.
That leaves every Citation XT, Cobalt, and Cobalt LE listing you’ll find today on TractorHouse, AllMachines, or MachineryPete as used stock — real machines, but not something a dealer can order new. If the bigger deck and higher horsepower of those discontinued tiers are what you actually need, our best Ferris zero-turn mower guide covers the models Briggs & Stratton itself now points former Simplicity commercial buyers toward.
One name, three sibling brands — but Simplicity didn’t go to Daye
Simplicity isn’t an independent company. It bought Ferris in 1999, and Briggs & Stratton acquired Simplicity (along with Snapper) in 2004, putting all three brands under one parent. Briggs & Stratton went through Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020 and was bought out of it by KPS Capital Partners, whose brand portfolio today still lists Briggs & Stratton, Simplicity, Snapper, Ferris, and Vanguard together.
When Briggs & Stratton licensed Snapper’s residential 360Z line to China’s Daye North America starting in October 2024 — covered in our best Snapper zero-turn mower guide — Simplicity was not included in that deal, the same way Ferris wasn’t. Both brands continue to be built and sold through Briggs & Stratton’s own dealer network, even as their commercial-tier models took a different path: Ferris absorbed the customers Simplicity’s discontinued Citation XT and Cobalt left behind, rather than Simplicity getting a Daye-style relaunch of its own.
The bottom line
For most residential buyers, the Courier 52 is the right pick in Simplicity’s current lineup — enough deck and engine for 1-2 acres without paying for the Courier XT’s commercial-style V-twin. Smaller or gated lots do fine with the Courier 36, and larger properties wanting more speed and a heavier build should look at the Courier XT 52 or Courier XT 61. Just don’t go shopping by the Citation XT or Cobalt name alone — those tiers are gone from Simplicity’s new-model lineup, and Briggs & Stratton’s own transition plan points those buyers to Ferris instead. See our zero-turn mower warranty guide for how Simplicity’s 3-year consumer/90-day commercial term compares against every other brand covered on this site, or our best zero-turn mower guide for the full field.
Last updated: October 2, 2026 — current Courier and Courier XT deck sizes, engines, and pricing verified against Simplicity’s own current US product catalog and dealer listings; the Citation XT/Cobalt discontinuation verified against Briggs & Stratton’s September 2023 dealer announcement; ownership history verified against KPS Capital Partners’ public brand portfolio and Briggs & Stratton’s own 2024 Daye North America announcement.