Husqvarna yth18542 Review: Close-Up Look at This 42-inch Ride-On Mower

This article focuses on the Husqvarna yth18542 riding mower, what it has to offer and what its drawbacks are.

By reading here about this Husqvarna 18.5 hp riding lawn mower, you’ll gain insight into how this machine works, what you can do with it, and whether it would be a good investment for you.  

At the start, you’ll see a chart of the main pros and cons of this mower, followed by a list of its product feature highlights. Then you’ll read in-depth information about each feature and any reported problems we discovered. 

Husqvarna Riding Mower Pros and Cons

Product Highlights

This mower is designed for residential landscapes with large open lawn areas to mow, and it is also beneficial because you can match it with a variety of towable accessories.

This ride-on Husqvarna mower is easy to use, and it has plenty of power for quickly mowing and mulching an expanse of grass or bagging up the debris and collecting it in a bin accessory.   

• 18.5 HP Briggs and Stratton engine 
• 42-inch cutting width
• 16-inch turn radius
• Maintenance-free hydrostatic transmission 
• Simple forward and reverse operation 

Husqvarna yth18542 Review

This Husqvarna hydrostatic riding lawn mower is compact and powerful for keeping a large residential landscape well-maintained.

It is easy to maneuver around objects and turn around in a tight space, and there are a wide variety of accessories like collection bins, cargo trailers, and lawn care tools that you can purchase separately to use with this mower.

With this ride-on lawnmower, you can keep the grass looking fantastic and use it to clean up and beautify planting areas and other outdoor features. 

For example, if you live in an area with snow, you can hook up a snow plowing blade or a snow thrower to keep your driveway and parking areas accessible and free of snow and ice buildup.

You can also use this mower to tow lawn care attachments like aerators and dethatching equipment to invigorate your lawn and keep it lush and green.

– Easy-to-Use

If you haven’t ever driven a ride-on mower, you might be a bit intimidated about operating equipment like this. However, navigating this machine is straightforward, and most newcomers get a feel for it with a few minutes of practice.

An automotive-style key turns on the battery-powered ignition, and once the engine starts up, you set the engine speed with a throttle lever on the dash, disengage the parking brake, and then use a foot pedal to move the mower back and forth. 

Beyond that, a lever on the right side of the operator seat raises and lowers the deck. Thanks to the spring-assisted device inside the mechanism, you can do this with one hand.

To activate the cutting blades, you pull a button on the dash and press it back in to turn them off, and they shut off automatically under certain conditions for safety.

The headlights come on automatically when you start the mower, making the machine more visible to cars and pedestrians and shining a light ahead when working in low-light conditions. 

– 16-Inch Turn Radius and Broad Cuts 

The tight turn radius of this mower is a benefit for mowing around objects like garden sheds, raised planter boxes, and lawn furniture. In addition, when mowing large expanses of lawn, the tight turnaround capacity saves time when you reach the end of a row of mowing and need to go back for another pass.

The two blades under the deck shear a swath of grass 42-inches wide with each pass, and since you can safely move along at several miles per hour speed in many situations, you can mow a vast area in a bit of time. 

– Multiple Accessories 

You can also do more than mow with this machine. With optional accessories, you can collect cut grass and leaves from the lawn, improve the health of your yard, move heavy items like large potted plants, compost or gravel around in the landscape, remove hazardous ice and snow or spread out a pile of dirt with a scraper blade. 

The most popular accessories for this mower include:

• Bin collection systems
• Swivel dump carts
• Tow-behind spreaders
• Dethatching and aerating tools 
• Lawn rollers
• Lawn sweepers
• Scrapers and blades 

– Reported Problems

There have been some buyer reports of problems with this mower, including broken parts, difficulty with warranty service, and low traction for getting up hills. In addition, this mower is not designed to operate on steep slopes, and it does best on primarily flat ground that is not too soft or can get stuck. 

You can read about the warranty issues toward the end of this article. Any components that fail or are damaged when the machine arrives should be reported immediately to the manufacturer for warranty service.

It’s also crucial to note that this lawnmower requires regular maintenance of the engine, cutting blades, drive belt, and deck. In addition, using the correct fuel and oil and storing the machine properly are vital for keeping it running and safe to use.

Product Features Breakdown

– Engine

This mower is powered by a high-quality Briggs&Stratton Intek engine that gets high fuel efficiency and produces low emissions. The 18.5 HP engine has plenty of power for hours of mowing or towing accessories on primarily flat terrain.

The fuel tank holds 2.5 gallons of gas, and the mower can travel up to 3 mph at top speed, getting lots of work done between stops for refueling. 

– Hydrostatic Transmission

The foot-operated pedal hydrostatic transmission control lets you go forward or backward depending on which direction you press it, leaving both hands available for controlling the steering wheel at all times while you’re moving.

Part of the rugged construction includes the transmission housing is under the mower and made of tough steel to protect it from damage.

Four anti-scalp wheels are attached to each corner of the deck to keep it from bottoming out when going over bumps and low spots in the terrain. In addition, the transmission is factory-sealed, so there is no routine maintenance for this component. 

– Cutting Deck

Sin a blast of wind that holds grass blades upright when the cutting edge zips by, producing an even and clean cut. In addition, you can raise and lower the deck with the adjustment lever on the right side of the seat, moving it into six positions from 1.5-inches to 4.5-inches above the ground surface.

This level of adjustment makes it possible to mow grass to the optimum height for the grass species and growing conditions in your yard and raise the deck when cutting tough weeds or overgrown grass.  

Another advantage of this mowing deck is engaging the blades while going in reverse if necessary. Mowing while backing up is not as safe as trimming while traveling forward, so this feature is only used in certain situations.

For this reason, the manufacturer has built in an additional step you need to take to activate the blades in reverse. However, having this reverse mowing option is a significant convenience that can help in crucial situations. 

– Ergonomics

The comfortable vinyl seat has a 13-inch high back and plenty of padding to keep you comfortable for longer mowing sessions. In addition, the steering wheel is also padded with soft-grip material that keeps your hands comfy while you drive, and you can readily move the seat forward or backward to accommodate your legs.

Additionally, the convenient step-through design makes the seat accessible from either side of the machine. 

– Maintenance and Storage

It is not advisable to leave the machine unprotected outdoors for long periods and to protect it from UV light and moisture. UV light exposure can cause the paint and upholstery materials to fade and crack.

So, if you don’t have room in your garage or tool shed to store this mower, you can buy a fabric cover to keep it out of the elements when storing it outside.

– Size and Weight

The overall dimensions of this mower are 70-inches long, 50-inches wide at the outside of the wheels, and 41.4-inches high. As you can see, this mower takes up a much bigger footprint of storage space than a walk-behind mower.

This mower weighs 490 pounds, making it a lightweight mower compared to some larger ride-on models. The relatively low weight makes it easier to store and transport this machine, and the lower weight also results in better fuel efficiency.

However, the low weight gives this mower less traction for getting up slopes, making it most suitable for primarily flat terrain. 

– Warranty

The mower comes with a 3-year warranty, but components may not all be covered under the main contract, and separate warranties may apply to the engine and other parts. Reading all the warranty information before you buy can give you essential information that might affect your buying decision, which applies to any product. 

In addition, knowing the warranty provisions also helps avoid actions that could void the contract, like improper use. Finally, following a regular maintenance schedule and using the recommended replacement parts reduces the chances of breakdowns that the guarantee may not cover.

Therefore, it is highly beneficial to read all the warranty information and the owner’s manual and follow the instructions there for care, maintenance, and how to get warranty service if you need it.

FAQ

Does Husqvarna yth18542 mower have cruise control?

Yes, the Husqvarna yth18542 mower is equipped with cruise control for convenient and easy operation.

What is the turning radius of Husqvarna yth18542 mower?

The turning radius of the Husqvarna yth18542 mower is approximately 16 inches, providing excellent maneuverability and agility.

What is deck size on Husqvarna yth18542 mower?

The Husqvarna yth18542 mower features a 42-inch cutting deck, which is perfect for efficiently mowing large lawns or fields. This size provides a good balance between cutting capacity and maneuverability.

Conclusion

This Husqvarna yth18542 review revealed the most critical features, specs, advantages, and drawbacks of this ride-on lawnmower.

In addition, it’s also important to say that the mower needs minimal assembly when it arrives, and getting it out of the crate is usually more work than hooking it up and starting it once you unpack it.

Hooking up the battery and filling the oil and fuel tanks are the only tasks needed before turning on the engine and starting to mow. 

This mower is a reasonable option for buyers with large properties and lots of grass to mow on primarily flat terrain. It’s also a benefit for people who want additional accessories for clearing snow, improving lawn health, or moving heavy items around in the landscape.