I run macdon, have operated a H_B, but only watched deere. H_B has a great knife and knife drive, but it is a heavy header, and unless you tilt the table way back, then you can't see the knife in the center. Macdon is lighter, and has a nice canvas tightening system. The new flex draper is great, but a lot of coin. The guys that run deere in our area seem happy, but they never had any other colour, just started out with JD's, and they keep trading for them again and again.