5 Best Mulching Blades for Zero Turn Mowers 2024

Mulching blades are one of the most beneficial pieces of equipment for a zero turn mower. These mulching blades cut up and shred leaves, grass clippings, and other yard debris into small pieces so they can be easily digested by earthworms and other organisms in your lawn’s soil. This makes them good at reducing the amount of trash you produce as well as fertilizing your lawn with nutrients that would otherwise have been wasted.

Finding the best mulching blades for zero turn mowers, there are several factors to keep in mind such as blade size, material type, weight, dimension, durability, blade shape (curved vs straight), and the number of blades. In this post I’ll go over some popular mulching blade options as listed below:

Best Zero Turn Mower Blades

On top of my list are these blades which are made in the USA by a brand named Maxpower.

These blades really outrank the Gator blades in terms of their performance and design.

Uniquely, these work just like a universal mulching blade for many mowers.

By the same token, these mulching blades have serrated teethes which are curvy and draw more air streams towards the deck of the mower. This feature makes this blade the best mulch produce for many zero turn mowers.

Using these blades, you will not face clogging in the discharge chute as they reduce the grass clippings to dust.

Unlike many other mowers that leave clumping of grass due to less performance offered by regular blades, these blades just chop grass right, so you won’t worry about clumping of grass anymore.

Coming at a cheap price is another thing to mention here, I haven’t seen such a cheap thing that delivers quality 10 by 10.

The weight of these blades is a bit more than normal but that’s not a defect it’s a fly effect that leads to less revolution and smooth running of your zero turn mower.

The mulching quality of these blades doesn’t stop only at the grass, but they are also effective mulchers for grass and leaves. They mulch them from larger sizes to 1 or half inches.

The thickness of these blades also made them 50% more superior compared to the regular blades.

In short, with a perfect mounting hole and easy install feature, this blade design really beats all the blades in the market.  They are sharp, aggressive, durable, thick, fast, smooth, and promising for your zero-turn mowers.

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Equally important another blade for toro 42 zero turn lawn mower is this rotary mulching blade. Actually, it is a replacement for Oregon 96-396.

Manufactured by Rotary Brand, this blade is lighter than Oregon so if you want to mow at a fast speed with less vibration, this blade is the right choice.

Dimensionally these blades are 21 inches long which fits just right for a 42 zero turn mower.

The great thing about this replacer is that it can be used as a mulcher even without a mulch plate on your mower due to its easy mounting circular hole and design.

The cutting teeth and suction power of this blade make it best for mulching leaves and grass without clumping.

Likewise, the curved design of this blade causes the repetitive cutting of grass which means the grass clippings produce are just like fertilizer being added to your lawn.

Not to mention, after using this blade you won’t see any trails of clippings left behind so you can finally get rid of blowers that you previously use to disperse clippings on the lawn.

Sometimes you come across horrible clumping problems with mowers like Toro Timecutter but this blade has really solved the clumping problems for you. Your efforts to dispose of the grass pile is brought from zero to none by this blade.

Coupled with great design and performance, using this blade you won’t need a bag anymore for your zero-turn riding mower.

Finally, I would say using this blade you will get rid of bags, unclogging the chute, grass trails, and stripes.

The downside you can say is this blade is not good as the Gator blade as the Gator blade mulches better than that. But if you are looking to replace your original old blades then this blade is worth a shot.

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That’s another rotary blade I found to be best for my Cub Cadet. It fits a 54-inch deck just like OEM.

Comparatively, these blades are universal types in the list because these blades fit many Cub Cadet models including new and old ones.

With a six-point star hole and curvy design, these blades are damn easy to install.

Using over many passes you will see these blades don’t nick or bang up. Which confirms their high durability and consistency with your mower.

Uniquely, the cutting edge of these blades is sharp and stays sharp over many passes, so you don’t need to sharpen them more often.

Working not only on dry grass but these blades also work on wet grass (<1 inch tall). To make it work properly you need to use a file to rub off its protective coating.

Furthermore, these mulching blades are sand soil lovers. They work well on sandy soil and rush the grass into small pieces out of the mowers deck.

The perfect balancing and non-piling performance of these blades are off the chart. Unlike other mulching blades that produce grass piles on the left side of mowers, these blades just don’t produce any.

Compared to the local market blades that cost you twice the price as that of these blades, these blades are cheap yet qualitative.

The downside of these blades is the noise they produce which is louder than the original ones. Furthermore, these blades can’t bear the stress of hitting a hard object.

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Made for zero turn mowers with 54-inch deck size these blades also produce finer mulch after all.

If you have taller grass in your pasture, then these blades are really good at reducing it to desired size side by side producing the mulch that your lawn needs.

Running on taller grass will now not let your mower clog as it does previously because the copping potential of these blades is just great.

Unlike Gator blades these blades have straightened body with a sharp cutting edge which is very easy to sharpen again if gets dull.

The curved flaps of these blades are good enough to cut the grass clippings again and again under the deck of your mower and it feels good when you have an even and clean-cut lawn.

Other than straggler blades, if you observe the cut grass closely you will notice these blades give you an even cut which means the grass is cut evenly which will give visual consistency to your lawn.

They might need frequent sharpening which totally depends on the working hours your mower spends on the lawn.

Owing to the building material they are made of medium quality steel which means you can use these blades for a few seasons and may need to buy them again.

In essence, I would say If you wanted to buy a blade that specifically cut leaves and tall grass then choose this one as it really serves the purpose without clogging your lawnmower.

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Last on my list are these Gator blades because the Oregon brand is something I always rely on and let people know the quality of its cut and durability.

These blades are G5 which means they are the toughest production material by Oregon. They are of the right size, thickness, durability, and heavy-duty performance.

And these blades fit many zero turn mowers of 54-inch deck size of different brands like Craftsman, Poulan, and Husqvarna.

In the same light of the benefits that landscapers can have, these blades are thick and made of fused tungsten carbide material which makes these blades long-living and surviving many seasons.

In the first place on installation, I observed the high suction power of these blades that pulls the grass towards the cutting edges and slice them into pieces which ultimately produce a mulch that has always have been your dream.

Another thing to mention here is the perfect design of this material which is mainly comprised of perfect sharp serrated teethes.

Furthermore, using these blades for straight hours like 30 will not make them dull or less sharp which proves their high potential to work aggressively.

Once you order and receive them you will know they are a bit heavy and wider which doesn’t affect their performance at all.

More to add, they have an extended cutting length compared to your OEM (original equipment manufacturer) blades. This means you can reap more mulching benefits by making use of your mower deck more effectively.

Lastly, I would say try to install them the right way in order to get the mulching benefits for your zero turn mowers.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Blade Size

Blade size is ultimately going to affect the fitment.

A larger size will result in poor fitment and balance on the mower deck.

Where a smaller size will result in less cutting and poor mulching performance.

Material Type

The material type also matters as it decided the durability of the blade and gives you the idea of how often you should sharpen the mulching blades.

Material type should at least be steel and high-grade carbon.

The Gator blade has tungsten carbide material which is an awesome feature any mulching blade can have.

Weight

You should also consider the weight of the mulching blade as it directly affects the revolution per minute of the shaft of the mower.

Too heavy blade will consume your engine power and result in breakage of mower parts.

A light blade on the other hand will not give you the mulching results you want. Because it will move fast and encounter grass very little.

Dimension

Dimension of the blade includes length, width, and thickness. It must be perfect. A one-inch increase or decrease in dimension won’t really affect the performance of your mower.

Choosing the right dimension will greatly affect the cutting efficiency and the overall aesthetic of your lawn.

Durability

Durability depends on the material used and frequency of use.

If you use a blade frequently and aggressively on your lawn, then it is important to have a durable blade.

You can check the durability of a mulching blade by looking at its thickness and building material.

Blade Shape (Curved Vs Straight)

The blade shape is another important factor to consider before buying if your intent is to use it for mulching.

As regular blades are straight and don’t mulch at all. A blade with curvy flaps is something you should look for.

Having serrated teethes on your mulching blade is a plus sign that tells it will perform well after installation.

Number of Blades

The number of blades is another thing to consider.

Uplift your mower and check how many blades it needs to perform the mulching operations.

Usually, the number of blades varies from 1 to 3.

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