Zero Turn vs. Riding Mower | What’s The Difference?

Americans’ love for their lawns is well-known, and who wouldn’t appreciate a lush, neatly trimmed green lawn? It will not only enhance the value of your house but can also be a stage for kids to play, family time, parties, and cookouts. It takes a lot of time and effort to properly mow and maintain lawns though.

Some outsource this job to a professional landscaper who does a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly maintenance job. For people who like to mow their own lawns, you have a choice of a variety of machines that can cut grass efficiently without putting a toll on the operator physically. For small lawns, walk-along mowers are more than sufficient. If you have a slightly large lawn, a ride-on mower makes much more sense.

This is where the confusion begins for most homeowners as there are two popular types of ride-on mowers in the form of tractor-style Riding Mower and Zero Turn Mower. Both these mowers allow you to sit comfortably and steer the mower with ease. However, there are several differences between these two grass-cutting machines along with their unique set of pros and cons. In this Zero Turn vs. Riding Mower comparison guide, we will explore the basic operation of these devices and try to understand which type of mower best suits your needs.

What Is A Riding Mower?

A Riding Mower is a type of ride-on lawnmower that provides an efficient and comfortable solution for mowing large areas of grass. Unlike push lawn mowers, which require manual effort, riding mowers are usually engine-powered and allow the operator to sit while mowing. At first glance, a riding mower looks like a mini tractor. Hence, they are also known as Lawn Tractors.

The main components of a typical riding mower are a frame (to provide structural support), an engine (the main source of power), a transmission (to transfer power from the engine to the wheel and the cutting deck), a cutting deck, and a seat. Riding mowers also have steering wheels and pedals (similar to a car).

Coming to the main job, the cutting deck is a horizontal platform equipped with rotating blades that cut the grass. Most lawn tractors allow you to adjust the height of the deck so that you can control the length of the grass.

In addition to mowing, many riding mowers come with attachments that increase their functionality. For example, you can add baggers for collecting clippings, snow plows for winter use, or even carts for hauling materials around the yard.

What Is A Zero Turn Mower?

Over the years, several manufacturers have developed different types of highly efficient grass cutting mowers and one such type is the Zero Turn Mower. This type of lawnmower is designed for exceptional maneuverability and efficiency. Unlike traditional riding mowers that require turning the entire machine to change direction, a zero-turn mower can pivot on its axis, allowing for sharp turns and precise cuts.

Zero-turn mowers are particularly popular among professional landscapers and homeowners with large and complex lawns (with a lot of obstacles), thanks to their ability to cut quickly and efficiently while navigating around obstacles with ease.

The magic behind the operation of a Zero Turn Mower lies in its unique steering system. Instead of a traditional steering wheel, zero-turn mowers have two individual steering levers. Each lever controls the rotational speed and direction of one of the rear wheels. By moving the levers independently, the operator can effortlessly turn the mower in any direction, even a full circle.

The mower’s rear wheels are powered by hydrostatic transmissions, which use pressurized fluid to control wheel rotation. This system allows for precise control over the speed and direction of each wheel.

Zero Turn vs. Riding Mower: Differences

You can easily choose between a zero-turn mower and a riding mower if you understand their differences in terms of some key parameters.

Ease Of Use

Let us start with the basics. If a lawn mower is easy to use with a minimal learning curve (in terms of control and general operation), you won’t feel it like a chore and postpone the job. Riding Mower has a slight edge in this regard due to its ‘car-like’ controls including a steering wheel, foot pedals, and a shifter (most lawn tractors have only forward and reverse). This familiar setup makes things easy, especially for beginners with little to no practice. Sadly, you cannot ask for a test drive before making a purchase.

On the other hand, zero-turn mowers use lap bars or levers to control the wheels independently. This control method requires a lot of practice to master the movements of the machine (press both levers forward to move forward, pull them backward to go in reverse, and press one forward while pulling the other backward to turn left or right).

But once you overcome that initial learning task, you will appreciate its strong maneuverability, precision, and speed (spoiler alert!).

Maneuverability

One of the main differences between a zero-turn mower and a riding mower is their maneuverability i.e., how easy (or difficult) it is to move, steer, or direct the machine. Zero Turn Mowers are way ahead in terms of maneuverability compared to Riding Mowers.

The combination of the dual-lever design and the independent transmission to both rear wheels in a zero-turn mower allows you to have great control over how the mower moves and in what direction it goes.

The term “zero-turn” refers to the mower’s ability to rotate around its axis without moving forward or backward. This feature becomes possible because each rear wheel operates independently. By moving one lever forward and the other backward, the mower can spin in place (to make a 180-degree or 360-degree turn), creating a true zero-degree turning radius (similar to a military tank). This capability is very useful when cutting around obstacles such as trees, flower beds, and garden paths. The tight turning radius is also helpful while navigating narrow passages and small corners. You can navigate very close to the edges and cut the grass without needing additional trimming.

Unlike zero-turn mowers, riding mowers use a more traditional steering mechanism, similar to that of a car. In the case of a rear-driven mower, the engine drives the rear two wheels while the steering controls the front two wheels. As a result, the turning circle or radius of a riding mower is much wider. If you miss a patch or spot, then you have to take several more turns with a lawn tractor.

Different Types Of Terrains

Mowing uneven terrain with hills and slopes is quite challenging. Riding mowers perform better on hilly landscapes due to their lower center of gravity and larger, more stable tires. These features provide greater traction and balance and reduce the risk of tipping. With the simple steering wheel design, you will have better control of the navigation on inclines and thereby maintain direction and stability.

Conversely, the design of zero-turn mowers favors speed and maneuverability on flat surfaces but lacks the stability needed for hills. The independent rear-wheel control system, while a big advantage on level ground, can struggle to maintain traction on slopes. The chance of losing control or tipping over due to a lack of stability is much higher in the case of zero-turn mowers.

Both riding mowers and zero-turn mowers perform well on flat terrain. However, the ability to pivot in place, combined with high speed, makes zero-turn mowers ideal for large, level lawns.

If you have a curvy terrain with winding paths, garden beds, or irregularly shaped lawns, a zero-turn mower is a much better option, thanks to its speed, superior turning radius, and independent wheel control. The ability to make sharp turns and pivot quickly allows you to navigate curves smoothly without leaving any uncut patches.

Precision

Precision in lawn care means achieving clean, even cuts, especially around obstacles like trees and walkways without missing patches. The tight maneuverability of zero-turn (thanks to its ability to pivot on a dime) means they have a clear advantage over riding mowers.

An advantage of zero-turn mowers is their consistent speed while turning. Due to this, the lawn mower blades cut evenly across the entire mowing path. As you can adjust the direction of the mower without slowing down, the outcome is a uniform and smooth finish.

On the other hand, riding mowers, while effective for general mowing, cannot match the precision of zero-turn models. Their large size and traditional steering system limit their ability to make tight turns. Hence, you need to perform additional trimming around edges after initial cutting by a lawn tractor.

Zero-turn mowers typically have a wider cutting deck, which reduces the need for overlapping cuts. In contrast, riding mowers may require more passes to achieve full coverage.

Speed

Zero-turn mowers are generally faster than riding mowers. Most zero-turn mowers can easily reach 8 miles per hour (mph) while some models can go even faster (up to 10 mph). On the other hand, the speed range of lawn tractors is about 4 to 7 mph.

The speed advantage of zero-turn mowers is very valuable on large expansive, open lawns as it allows to minimize the overall mowing time. But faster doesn’t necessarily mean better. There is a good chance that the quality of the cut becomes poor with speed. So, even though they can achieve those fast speeds, you should restrict the speed of zero-turn mowers to improve the cut quality. This is better than performing multiple passes.

Lawn Size

If you have a large lawn, zero-turn mowers are much better due to their speed, agility, and wide-cutting decks. For example, if it takes 2 hours to mow a 1-acre lawn using rider mowers, you can finish the job in 40-45 minutes using a zero-turn mower. The case becomes even stronger for zero-turn mowers if the lawn has obstacles.

For many small-sized lawns that don’t require extreme speed or tight maneuverability, riding lawn mowers makes more sense. However, other factors such as the type of terrain also come into play. Even if the lawn size is quite large, getting a zero-turn mower is useless if it is a hilly terrain.

Versatility

Riding mowers are very versatile across a wider range of tasks. Their design supports a variety of attachments, including but not limited to snow plows, trailers, spreaders, dethatchers, sprayers, and lawn rollers. This means a lawn tractor is suitable for year-round use, from mowing in the summer to plowing snow in the winter.

Zero Turn Mowers on the other hand are not so versatile. Their main (and sometimes only) job is mowing. However, some models support various attachments that expand their functionality. These attachments include bagging systems, mulching kits, and aerators. Using these attachments, you can extend the operation beyond mowing lawns to other lawn care tasks.

Cost

Now coming to the important part of the Zero Turn vs Riding Mower comparison, their price. Both these machines are quite expensive but zero-turn mowers generally have a higher upfront cost compared to riding mowers.

For instance, the Husqvarna Z254F, a popular zero-turn model with a 54-inch cutting deck, costs around $3,999. Another model, the Cub Cadet Ultima ZT1 50, retails for approximately $3,599.

In contrast, riding mowers usually start at a much lower price point. The John Deere S130, a well-known riding mower, costs about $2,499. This model has a 42-inch cutting deck. Another popular riding mower, the Troy-Bilt Pony 42 is priced around $2,199.

Zero Turn vs. Riding Mower: Pros And Cons

Riding Mower

Zero Turn Mower

Zero-Turn Mower Or Riding Mower: Which One Should You Choose?

The choice between a zero-turn mower and a riding mower depends on several factors but the main ones are budget, lawn size, and type of terrain.

If speed and maneuverability are your priority, a zero-turn mower is the best solution.  You can use zero-turn mowers to cut large lawns quickly due to their high speed and sharp turning capabilities. The ability to pivot on the spot allows them to navigate around obstacles with ease.

However, zero-turn mowers also involve a significant investment. If you have budget restrictions, or if the lawn does not require the “zero-turn” capabilities of a zero-turn mower, a riding mower might be a more practical option. Their low cost and car-like steering system makes it easy for beginners.

Another area where riding mowers shine is uneven or hilly landscapes. Apart from mowing, you can also use lawn tractors for hauling things, plowing snow, and many other tasks with appropriate attachments.