Rotary Cutter - Rankings for 5' Medium duty Brush Hogs? (2025)

How would you rate these 3 brush hogs? I can get these 3 for about the same price.

All rated for 2" dia cutting, all have 65hp gearboxes, all have slip clutches.
Seems they all have different areas they rate slightly better than the others, just not sure which matter more.

Bush Hog BH215 (10 year gearbox warranty)

Rhino TW25 (7 ga sidewalls)

Woods BrushBull 60.30

Woods BB60.3
Rhino TW25
Bush Hog BH215

Woods; greaseable quick remove blade pins. 4" blades, 2nd heaviest

Rhino; heaviest, 65lbs more than BH, 48lbs more than Woods, but only uses 3" wide blade

Bush Hog; best warranty, but lightest weight.

So I would by Woods. I have an older BrushBull BB72. My only complaints are, no quick change blade pins, and the Woods yellow paint faded very quickly. I don't know how the other colors Woods offers hold up. I also have an older Bush Hog 297 and the red paint still looks new.

Based on the can opener thread I would check to see what size blades they come with and definitely check reviews on each mower.

Seems some come with 3/8" thick blades that bend easily and others come with 1/2" thick hardened blades. You would want the thick hardened blades.

TractorGuy said:

Based on the can opener thread I would check to see what size blades they come with and definitely check reviews on each mower.

Seems some come with 3/8" thick blades that bend easily and others come with 1/2" thick hardened blades. You would want the thick hardened blades.

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These all come with 1/2 thick blades, Woods, BH have 4" wide and Rhino has 3" wide.

Zebrafive said:

Woods BB60.3
Rhino TW25
Bush Hog BH215

Woods; greaseable quick remove blade pins. 4" blades, 2nd heaviest

Rhino; heaviest, 65lbs more than BH, 48lbs more than Woods, but only uses 3" wide blade

Bush Hog; best warranty, but lightest weight.

So I would by Woods. I have an older BrushBull BB72. My only complaints are, no quick change blade pins, and the Woods yellow paint faded very quickly. I don't know how the other colors Woods offers hold up. I also have an older Bush Hog 297 and the red paint still looks new.

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Thank you! just the input I was looking for. I had noted the weight and blade differences, but they all give and take in different areas.

Zebrafive said:

Woods BB60.3
Rhino TW25
Bush Hog BH215

Woods; greaseable quick remove blade pins.

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Not sure this is a good thing!! Woods Rotary Cutter Blade Replacement Slipper Clutch Adjust and Repair - YouTube

Zebrafive said:

So I would by Woods. I have an older BrushBull BB72. My only complaints are ... the Woods yellow paint faded very quickly... ..I also have an older Bush Hog 297 and the red paint still looks new.

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Again, they all have pluses and minuses, which is more important??

JethroB said:

I suspect most mowers that are stored outside die of rusted out top decks.

Corners collect rain, chafe, and moisture. Keeping the top clean goes a long way.

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Mowers stored outside should be covered with a permeable cotton tarpaulin. If you buy 18 ounce canvas no need to apply bungee cords. A leaf blower is wonderful at blowing debris from a mower and the tractor.

I have purchased 18-ounce tarps from Chicago Canvas for years.
https://www.ebay.com/str/chicagocanvas/Canvas-Tarpaulin-18-oz/_i.html?_storecat=1664612016

JethroB said:

I would also consider the top decks exterior bracing design too. I suspect most mowers that are stored outside die of rusted out top decks. Corners collect rain, chafe, and moisture. Keeping the top clean goes a long way.

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My OLD wood rotary cutter has been sitting outside uncovered all it's life, more than 20 years, and NO the top deck is not rusted out... YES it does look like a clapped out piece of chit, but it's been really abused and tortured, and it's still a good cutter, ready for work right now!

Actually I have three Woods cutters and ALL of them sit outside uncovered, and although one in only a couple years old, NONE of them have rust holes in them...

SR