Back in the day, the process of getting a lawn mower was a rather straight forward process. Much gas (also back in the day) merely being a choice between “leaded” or “unleaded”, with mowers, you pretty much had two choices: powered or unpowered . . . or, should I say “manpowered”, since that is precisely what people did . . . got out and pushed! Nothing more than calories, leg muscles, and elbow grease making that baby go. Not so anymore. I’d imagine that a lightweight, or even self-propelled mower, let alone one that you would ride, would barely have been dreamed of. I know I sure didn’t . . . and I was six when I got started on that all iron behemoth push mower.
Now, not only do all of those types exist (along with even super lightweight, unpowered mowers – talk about coming full circle!), but all those types are actually starting to be old hat, and the next big thing in residential yard mowers are zero turn mowers. Not surprising why, either; the advantages are many.
In a nutshell, they are:
- Larger Cutting Decks
- Greater Efficiency
- Greater Maneuverability
- Greater Ease of Control
Here, we will go into greater detail on each point.
* Zeros usually have larger cutting decks, due to their zero turn orientation, thus shrinking cutting time, which can be a real boon to people on the go. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why both landscaping pros and homeowners both alike enjoy zeros.
* Zeros are much more efficient. As you might guess from the title, zero turn lawn mowers work within their own footprint. But, more importantly, so do you! Ergo, you’re not having to swing out and orbit the mower, bumping into obstacles like trees, shrubs, and bushes (mailboxes) in the process. JUst the alleviation of that aggravation alone may well be worth the investment for some.
Not only that, they can also get into all sorts of tight spaces, without having to backup, or tearing up any of the other landscaping, such as your wife’s victory garden, for instance, or that made in china “antique” sundial that she said gives the yard so much character. (And let’s not forget the Garden Gnomes.)
* Zeros are much more maneuverable and are easier to control. Do you remember that arcade game back in the day: Battle Tanks? It operated on two joysticks that worked in tandem? Well, Zero Turn Lawnmowers have the same advantage. The Zero turn radius mower allows you to pull a 180 in tight spaces, just like the game. Can we say “turn on a dime!?!” You now have at your disposal a very simple, straightforward, comprehensive control right at your fingertips, and, again, because you’re not stuck having to orbit the mower, but in fact are working on it’s axis, and it working within it’s footprint, you virtually can’t get stuck, finding it unwieldy to manage at perhaps the worst possible time.
In all honesty, if I have to get up in the morning and mow the lawn before I get to sit down and watch the game, I don’t want to have to go through that kind of hassle in the morning. I want my mowing experience to be as user friendly as possible. Zeros definitely deliver on that criteria.
* And last, but not least, zeros are a whole lotta fun!! Hey, just sayin’ . . .
Finally
Now, as with all things, there are pros and cons. In our next upcoming article, we will look at the concerns and considerations when purchasing a zero turn mower to make sure it’s an ideal fit for you and your needs. Still, if it’s in the budget, and you are looking for an idea way to enjoy your mowing experience with minimal hassle and time investment, zeros are definitely a good place to start looking.
