Picking a 42-inch zero-turn gets confusing fast when four mowers share the same size but not the same job. In Toro's 2026 TimeCutter lineup, the big differences come down to comfort, deck type, and how much abuse your yard puts on a mower.

Main Street Mower walks through each model by price, features, and buyer fit. The shop also notes that its showroom inventory, plus trimmers, accessories, and other lawn equipment, is available through the Main Street Mower online store, with orders shipping direct from the showroom. If you're trying to sort out which 42-inch TimeCutter makes sense, the comparison below clears it up.

All four machines are 42-inch Toro TimeCutters, and all four carry a 3-year warranty. That shared badge can make them look closer than they are. Once you get past the matching deck width, the lineup splits into three groups: the fully loaded MyRIDE model, the two mid-range 22 hp models, and the entry-level single-cylinder mower.

Price also tells part of the story. The least expensive machine starts at $3,199, while the most expensive model lands at $4,499, with a promotional price of $4,199 mentioned in the video. The gap is not about mowing width. You're paying for suspension comfort, engine choice, and deck durability.

This quick table shows where each mower fits.

| Model | Engine | Deck | Main difference | Price 

75747 | 22 hp twin-cylinder Kohler | 42" fabricated, 10-gauge | MyRIDE suspension and top trim | $4,499, or $4,199 promo at the time of the video || 

77404 | 22 hp Briggs & Stratton | 42" fabricated | Heavy-duty deck without MyRIDE | $3,699 

77401 | 22 hp Briggs & Stratton | 42" stamped | Same core mower as 

77404, lower deck cost | $3,499 

75748 | 15.5 hp single-cylinder Briggs & Stratton | 42" stamped | Lowest-cost model for smaller, cleaner yards | $3,199 

The short version is simple. If your yard is rough, the MyRIDE model has a clear comfort edge. If your yard is sandy or full of roots, the fabricated deck deserves serious attention. If your lawn is small, smooth, and well kept, the least expensive mower can still be the right one.

Main Street Mower starts at the top with the 75747, and it's easy to see why. This is the 42-inch TimeCutter for buyers who want every major feature Toro offers in this size. It uses a 22 hp twin-cylinder Kohler engine, a 10-gauge fabricated deck, and Toro's MyRIDE suspension system.

The Kohler engine gives this mower the strongest engine setup in the group. Meanwhile, the fabricated deck is the tougher deck option in the lineup. It is built for longer life and better resistance to the kind of hits that come from roots, rocks, and rougher yards.

Then there's MyRIDE, which is the feature that separates this mower from everything else here. The whole point of the system is to isolate the operator from bumps. In the video, the presenters show how the platform moves and explain why that matters in real mowing. When a yard beats you up, you slow down. When the seat and platform absorb that shock, it's easier to hold a steady pace and keep mowing comfortably.

They also say MyRIDE has been the most comfortable setup in the comparisons they've seen, and that matches the way this mower is positioned. If comfort matters to you, the 75747 is the easy one to notice.

The 75747 is the "no regrets" model in this lineup. It gives you MyRIDE comfort, a 22 hp Kohler, and the heavy-duty deck in one mower.

At $4,499, the 75747 is the most expensive 42-inch TimeCutter here. Still, the price comes with more than a nicer seat. At the time of the video, Toro was offering a $300 promotion, which brought this model down to $4,199.

That matters because this mower starts to overlap with used commercial mower pricing. Main Street Mower makes a fair point on that comparison. With a used mower, you may not know the machine's history, service record, or how hard it was run. With this one, you get a new machine, a 3-year warranty, a known starting point, suspension, and the heavier deck.

For buyers who mow a rough yard, deal with back or hip fatigue, or want the most complete version of the 42-inch TimeCutter, the 75747 is easy to justify. Main Street Mower lists the Toro TimeCutter 42" fabricated deck MyRIDE 75747 on its site with the full model details.

If the 75747 is the fully loaded version, the 77404 and 77401 are where many buyers will land. Main Street Mower says this part of the lineup makes up the bulk of its sales, and the reason is simple. These two give you a strong 42-inch zero-turn without pushing into MyRIDE pricing.

Both mowers use the same 22 hp Briggs & Stratton engine, and the presenters speak highly of it. Their take is that it is quiet, efficient, and dependable. Beyond the engine, these two also share the same transmission, frame, and seat. So when you're comparing them, you're not choosing between two completely different mowers. You're mostly choosing between two deck types.

The 77404 keeps the heavier fabricated deck and drops MyRIDE. That saves $900 compared with the 75747 and puts the price at $3,699. For a lot of homeowners, that is the sweet spot in the lineup because you keep the 22 hp engine and the tougher deck.

The 77401 trims another $200 off the price, landing at $3,499. It does that by switching to a stamped deck. Main Street Mower lists both the Toro TimeCutter 42" fabricated deck 77404 and the Toro TimeCutter 42" stamped deck 77401, which makes it easier to compare them side by side.

This is the real decision point in the middle of the lineup. The presenters say the stamped deck on the 77401 cuts beautifully, and on a clean, well-kept lawn they even give it the edge on cut quality. If your grass is thick, smooth, irrigated, and free from hidden hazards, that stamped deck can make a lot of sense.

However, the fabricated deck on the 77404 is the safer bet when the yard is rougher. Sandy soil, exposed roots, rocks, old stumps, and cypress knees all raise the odds of deck damage. That matters most in places where lawns look green on top but hide a lot of hard contact underneath.

Main Street Mower gives a useful rule of thumb here. If you've owned mowers for years and never worn a hole in a deck, a stamped deck may be fine for you. If you're new to mowing, new to the property, or unsure what the soil and obstacles are like, the fabricated deck is the safer move.

This side-by-side makes the trade-off clearer.

| Feature | Fabricated deck, 10-gauge | Stamped deck | Durability | Better for sand, roots, rocks, and harder impacts | More vulnerable in rough conditions || Best yard match | Lake lots, sandy lawns, rougher ground, less careful operators | Smooth, manicured lawns with cleaner conditions || Cut quality claim in the video | Strong cutter, heavier-duty build | Said to cut beautifully, and possibly better on ideal grass || Price difference here | Adds $200 over the stamped version | Saves $200 over the fabricated version | Repair downside | Higher upfront cost, but tougher | Lower upfront cost, but easier to damage |

The repair cost is what makes that extra $200 worth thinking about. In the video, they say a replacement deck runs close to $1,100, and that is before spindles. They also add that spindle replacement often comes with the job because of the way the hardware threads into them. So if your yard throws abuse at a mower, the lower-cost stamped deck can become the more expensive choice later.

If your lawn has sand, roots, stumps, or cypress knees, the extra $200 for the fabricated deck can save a much bigger repair bill later.

Main Street Mower also gives a clear grass example. If you have lush St. Augustine with irrigation, the stamped deck is a reasonable fit. If you have a patchier Florida lawn where sand shows up the moment someone rolls around in the grass, the fabricated deck is the smarter buy.

The 75748 is the least expensive mower in the group, priced at $3,199. It uses a 15.5 hp single-cylinder Briggs & Stratton engine, a 42-inch stamped deck, and a slightly lower seat. It keeps the same basic TimeCutter idea, but it strips back power and heavy-duty features.

For the right buyer, that is fine. Main Street Mower describes this mower as a good fit for someone with a smaller, manicured yard who wants to move up from a push mower and save money. They also mention older homeowners with neat garden-like properties as common buyers for this machine. In their words, it's the kind of mower that works well for someone who mows often, does routine service at home, and doesn't ask the mower to do more than it should.

The shop jokes that this is the "father-in-law special," but the point lands. If the yard is pretty, mowing is frequent, and the machine won't be pushed hard, the 75748 can last a long time. They also say they owned one before and it performed well for years.

Another detail worth knowing is cut height. In the video, they say this mower adjusts from 1.5 inches up to 4.5 inches, which gives it a useful range for standard home lawn care.

This mower is not meant to stretch beyond its role. Main Street Mower is clear about that. It is not the right choice for larger properties, thick fertilized grass, patchy sandy lawns, or jobs that ask the mower to pull extra weight.

They draw a line at about three-quarters of an acre. Go past that, and this model starts to look undersized for the work. The same is true if you plan to haul a small cart, mulch heavily, or use a bagging setup. A single-cylinder 15.5 hp mower can handle regular mowing on a nice lawn, but it is not the one to buy when you already know the workload will grow.

This is also the wrong mower if you tend to let grass get overgrown between cuts. Frequent mowing suits it. Thick, tall growth does not. If you fertilize hard and your lawn gets dense fast, move up to one of the 22 hp models.

The cleanest way to shop this lineup is to start with your yard, not your budget. A smooth, irrigated lawn asks for one kind of mower. A rough, sandy lot asks for another. Once you know what the yard demands, the model choice gets a lot easier.

If comfort is the top priority, the 75747 is the one to look at first. That is the mower for buyers who feel every bump, mow rough ground, or simply want the most complete 42-inch TimeCutter Toro sells.

If you want the most balanced choice, the 77404 is hard to ignore. It keeps the 22 hp Briggs engine and the fabricated deck while dropping the cost of MyRIDE. For many homeowners, that mix of price and durability will make the most sense.

If your lawn is smooth, well-kept, and free from deck-killing hazards, the 77401 is the cheaper middle model with the same core mower underneath. You save $200, and on ideal turf the stamped deck may even be the deck you prefer.

If your yard is smaller and you mow often, the 75748 can still be the right buy. Just keep its limits in mind, because this is the model that punishes overbuying land or underestimating grass growth.

A 42-inch deck does not make these mowers interchangeable. The right pick depends on how rough your lawn is, how much power you need, and whether comfort matters every time you mow.

For many homeowners, the 77404 will be the easiest model to live with because it keeps the stronger deck and the 22 hp engine without pushing into MyRIDE pricing. Still, the 75747 is the easy choice for comfort, the 77401 makes sense on cleaner lawns, and the 75748 has a real place on smaller, tidy properties. When you match the mower to the yard, you give yourself the best shot at years of trouble-free mowing.

Links to Main Street Mower

• Shop online: Main Street Mower
• YouTube: Main Street Mower on YouTube
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