Knowing where to start can often the most challenging part of purchasing a lawn mower. You can find yourself saying on one hand, "I have a riding mower and should stick to what I know". On the the other hand, your best friend is telling you how much time they have saved mowing by switching over to a zero turn mower.
So what do you really need? We're going to break down the pros and cons of each so you can better decide what you need.
Terrain
Hilly
Riding mowers and zero turn mowers handle terrain differently. If the area you are going to be mowing on is hilly, you will want to lean towards a riding mower. They tend to have bigger tires and a better center of gravity that will hold traction and be safer on those steeper slops.
Flat
Flat terrain is perfect for both zero turn mowers and riding mowers but this is where you are going to see the time saving advantages of the zero turn. Unlike the slops we talked about previously, the zero turn can hold it's traction on flat ground.
Obstacles
Does you're yard have a lot of trees, landscaping, and other difficult to maneuver around obstacles? This is where the zero turn shines. Getting close to obstacles reduces the amount of time spent weed eating later on. However, if your yard has obstacles and steep slopes, it is recommended that you go with a riding mower for traction and safety.
Multi-functional
While mowing is going to be your primary chore of your new mower purchase, there are some other chores that you may want to accomplish. If you are considering doing more gardening, seeding, spraying, or hauling materials, you'll want to consider the riding mowers. They will come with strong hitch points and better center of gravity to do some of the heavy torque work that you'll be putting it through.
Don't get us wrong, there are lot of attachment options out there for zero turn mowers but they are primarily meant for mowing.
Cost of Ownership
With regular maintenance like oil and filter changes, grease points, and replacing blades, it's a tie between the two mowers. There are many different prices to make cost of entry easier for both types of mowers.
Saving Time
We're finally at the point that everyone wants to know. Hands down, the zero turn wins this category. They have faster speeds, better maneuverability, and cut down on the weed eating time that you would normally have. Although the time saving feature of a Zero Turn is very tempting, if you put a ZTR on steep terrain, it will end up costing you more time than you are saving.
