Kubota, John Deere, Ford, and Cub Cadet (in that order of preference) are the ones I've used while working for school boards and others. I also had to service the things as much as I could, oil changes, blade sharpening and the like. The Kubota had lots of power and didn't give me any grief, the JD and Ford were easy to service and get parts for, the Cub Cadet ran well but needed constant attention and lacked power (though it WAS small for the job). A couple of them had tire pressure issues so I learned early to install tubes the first time the tire had to come off the rim.

bobad is right, the mulching blade is better, but keep it sharp and balanced.

None of these machines were quiet and I found that hearing protection was necessary, especially while the mower was engaged. But don't skimp on horsepower, you might want to use the machine for hawling or plowing sometime.

Peace, Mooh.