Zero turn lawn mowers are simply faster than your standard ride along mower: their engines (usually) have more horsepower that can propel them to speeds upwards of 15 (!) MPH, versus your standard ride-along mower, which will top out at about 6 MPH.
But the horsepower alone isn’t what makes zero turn mowers necessarily faster. No siree. They also provide a host of other features that can, quite literally, chop (pun) your mowing time by a third.
Let’s Talk About Turning
Particularly in yards with wide-open, grassy spaces that are best cut in rows, zero turns present an obvious advantage. As opposed to having to do the awkward K-turn with your ride-along like you just turned down the wrong street, zero turns allow for a seamless, 180 degree turning motion. This allows for not only a quicker cut, but a more precise one, too, as the turning radius of zero turns inhibit cutting overlap.
POV, Obstructions, and the Cutting Deck
Transitioning from a ride along to a zero turn feels a bit like going from an SUV to a go-kart. Zero turns are lower leveled, which enables you to have a much clearer view of any potential obstructions and trim lines ahead. While a zero turn likely won’t eliminate the need for high-precision tools like the weed whacker, it will definitely reduce time spent having to use them, as the point of view of a zero turn coupled with the cutting deck allow for an extremely close cut.
Can you Drive a Shopping Cart or Row a Boat?
When transitioning to a zero turn, there’s sometimes the worry of having a steep learning curve. They do, after all, look somewhat alien to drive. But the levers—which enable turning—function somewhat similarly to the rows of a boat or the handle of the shopping cart. In short, if you want to turn left, push the right lever forward, and vice versa.
Fund your Zero Turn Purchase with Your 401k
If this blog post has sufficiently convinced you to invest a chunk of your 401k into a zero turn mower, we think that’s great (just kidding; don’t do this). Zero turn mowers are not for everyone, but for homeowners with the right yards and applications, they can cut your mowing time by nearly a third. How would you spend the extra time?
