6 Best Tractor Supply Rotary Cutters

That first look at a field you’ve just bought can be daunting. The grass is waist-high, thorny vines are creeping in from the woods, and you know your lawn tractor isn’t going to make a dent. This is the moment every new property owner realizes they need a serious tool for a serious job. A rotary cutter, often called a bush hog, is one of the most fundamental and useful implements you’ll own, turning overgrown messes into manageable pastures. This guide will help you walk into Tractor Supply and choose the right one for your small tractor, ensuring your first year is about progress, not frustration.

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Choosing Your First Rotary Cutter for Small Tractors

The most important decision you’ll make has nothing to do with the brand name on the side of the cutter. It’s about matching the implement to your tractor. An oversized cutter is not just inefficient; it’s dangerous, putting immense strain on your tractor’s components and compromising its stability, especially on uneven ground.

Before you even look at cutters, know three things about your tractor: its Power Take-Off (PTO) horsepower, its total weight, and its 3-point hitch category (likely Category 1 for compacts). A 25 HP tractor might handle a 4-foot cutter in light grass, but that same cutter will feel like an anchor in thick brush or on a steep incline. The goal is to run the cutter at the full 540 RPM speed of the PTO without bogging down the engine.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking wider is always better. A 4-foot cutter running at the proper speed will produce a cleaner cut and get the job done faster than a 5-foot cutter that forces you to crawl along in a low gear. The right match means you can work efficiently and safely, which is the foundation of all successful work on a small farm.

CountyLine 4 ft. Rotary Cutter: A Reliable Start

For most people with a sub-compact or small compact tractor (around 18-30 HP), the basic CountyLine 4 ft. cutter is the logical starting point. It’s the workhorse you see on small properties everywhere for a reason. It’s affordable, parts are readily available, and it does exactly what it’s supposed to do: cut grass, weeds, and light brush up to about 1 inch in diameter.

This is the perfect tool for routine maintenance. Think of it for keeping a few acres of pasture clipped, maintaining trails through the woods, or clearing a new garden spot once the bigger stuff is gone. It’s a simple, no-frills machine that gets the job done without a huge upfront investment.

The key feature to understand on this model is its shear-pin protection. Instead of a complex clutch, a simple, soft bolt is designed to break if you hit a stump or large rock. This protects your tractor’s expensive gearbox from catastrophic damage. It’s a minor inconvenience—you’ll want to buy a bag of extra shear pins and keep them in your toolbox—but it’s an effective and low-cost safety system perfect for a first-time owner.

King Kutter 4 ft. Rotary Cutter for Compact Tractors

Side-by-side with the CountyLine model, you’ll almost always find a King Kutter 4 ft. rotary cutter. Functionally, it’s designed for the exact same purpose and the same class of tractors. The choice between the two often comes down to availability, price, and a close inspection of the build quality.

While the spec sheets might look identical, take a moment to look them over in the store. Check the quality of the welds on the deck and A-frame. See how the tailgate is attached and how thick the metal feels. Sometimes one brand will use slightly heavier bracing or a more robust-looking gearbox, which can make a difference over years of use.

Ultimately, for a beginner doing general-purpose mowing, you can’t go wrong with either the King Kutter or the CountyLine. They are both proven designs that will serve you well. Pick the one that looks better built on the day you’re there or the one that happens to be on sale.

CountyLine 5 ft. Rotary Cutter for Tougher Jobs

Stepping up to a 5-foot cutter is a significant jump that requires a more capable tractor. You should generally have at least 30 PTO horsepower, and preferably more, to run a 5-foot model effectively. That extra foot of width makes a huge difference in open fields, reducing your mowing time by about 20% compared to a 4-foot model.

This is the right choice if your primary task is maintaining several acres of relatively open, flat pasture. The increased efficiency is a real time-saver over the course of a season. If you have five acres to mow, that 20% savings adds up quickly.

However, the extra size comes with tradeoffs. A 5-foot cutter is heavier, putting more strain on your tractor’s 3-point lift. It’s also less nimble, making it harder to maneuver in tight spaces, around trees, or on narrow trails. Before you commit to the larger size, consider if the open-field efficiency is worth the loss of agility elsewhere on your property.

Tarter 4 ft. Rotary Cutter: Durable and Versatile

Tarter is another excellent brand you’ll find at Tractor Supply, often positioned as a slightly more premium or heavy-duty option. While its basic function is the same as the others, Tarter often emphasizes durability in its construction. This can be a smart investment if you know your land is more rugged than average.

Look for features like a thicker steel deck (e.g., 10-gauge vs. 12-gauge), a heavier, rounded-back design for easier maneuvering, or a more substantial "stump jumper" blade pan. These aren’t just marketing points; they translate directly to how well the cutter will hold up to hitting hidden rocks, stumps, and dense brush. A dented deck can affect cut quality and a bent blade pan can cause dangerous vibrations.

If your primary job is less about mowing a field and more about reclaiming one from nature, the Tarter is worth serious consideration. The slightly higher cost upfront can easily be offset by avoiding a single major repair down the road. It’s built for people who expect to be tough on their equipment.

King Kutter 5 ft. Rotary Cutter with Slip Clutch

This model represents a major step up in both performance and convenience, centered around one key feature: the slip clutch. While priced higher than shear-pin models, the slip clutch is a game-changer for anyone doing serious clearing work or mowing in unfamiliar territory.

Instead of a bolt that breaks, a slip clutch uses a series of friction discs. When you hit something too solid, the clutch "slips," allowing the blades to stop while the PTO shaft continues to spin safely. You simply back off, let the obstruction clear, and get back to work without ever leaving the tractor seat.

A slip clutch drastically reduces downtime and frustration. If you’re clearing a new property littered with rocks and saplings, you could break a dozen shear pins in an afternoon. With a slip clutch, you just keep going. For a hobby farmer with limited time, this convenience can be worth every penny of the extra cost.

CountyLine 4 ft. Heavy-Duty Rotary Cutter Model

Sometimes you’ll see a standard model next to a "Heavy-Duty" or "HD" version. The difference is in the steel and the guts. An HD model is specifically built to withstand more abuse than a standard-duty cutter designed for field maintenance.

"Heavy-duty" translates to tangible upgrades. The deck will be made of thicker gauge steel, making it far more resistant to dents and punctures. The gearbox will be rated for higher horsepower, and the stump jumper and blades will be more massive. This is the implement you choose when you know you’ll be cutting saplings at the upper limit of the machine’s rating (typically 2 inches) on a regular basis.

The decision is simple: if you’re maintaining existing pasture, the standard model is sufficient. If you are actively clearing overgrown land and expect to make regular, hard contact with obstacles, the HD model is a wise investment in longevity. It’s the difference between a tool designed for mowing and a tool designed for clearing.

Key Features: PTO, Slip Clutch, and Deck Thickness

Understanding three key terms will make you a much more informed buyer. They are the core components that determine a rotary cutter’s performance, durability, and suitability for your tractor.

• PTO (Power Take-Off): This is the splined shaft on the back of your tractor that powers the implement. Always match the cutter’s minimum horsepower requirement to your tractor’s PTO horsepower, which is always lower than its engine horsepower. Ignoring this is the fastest way to get an underperforming and frustrating setup.
• Slip Clutch vs. Shear Pin: This is the primary driveline protection system. A shear pin is a cheap, sacrificial bolt that breaks to save the gearbox. A slip clutch is a more advanced, reusable friction system that absorbs shock without breaking. For frequent, rough work, a slip clutch is a superior system that saves immense time and hassle.
• Deck Thickness: This is measured in gauge—the lower the number, the thicker and stronger the steel. A 12-gauge deck is fine for grass, but a 10-gauge or even 7-gauge deck on an HD model will withstand impacts from rocks and stumps far better. Deck thickness is a direct indicator of the cutter’s intended level of abuse.

Choosing your first rotary cutter is a foundational step in taking control of your property. The best cutter isn’t the biggest or the most expensive; it’s the one that is properly sized for your tractor and built for the specific tasks you need to accomplish. Before you head to the store, take one last measurement: the width of your narrowest gate. Sometimes, the most powerful tractor in the world is still best served by a 4-foot cutter that can actually get to where the work needs to be done.