Zero-Turn Mowers

Zero-turn mowers are fast but have imitations

Zero-turn lawn mowers (or ZTR mowers) are becoming more popular because they save so much mowing time -- cutting it roughly in half. That's because you don't have to go back and trim uncut circles of grass at the end of rows. Most owners say these mowers are also a lot of fun to drive. They're just for mowing, not for towing a cart or mounting other attachments, though some can push a snow blade. Bagging is not their strong point either because it's not easy to attach or remove the bag. Unlike lawn tractors, zero-turn mowers have the engine mounted in the back. Some owners prefer the rear-mounted engine because exhaust is blown away from the driver, and visibility is improved.

Reviews say that zero-turn mowers tend to slide around on slopes, however, so they're recommended only for relatively flat lawns. They're steered with two levers called tillers; each lever controls a wheel. One pedal drives forward and another in reverse, and driving takes some practice. However, owner-written reviews say it only takes about half an hour to get the hang of it.

The zero-turn lawn tractors discussed earlier -- the Cub Cadet ZTT 42 (*Est. $2,700) and the Craftsman Revolution 28933 (*Est. $3,000) -- are somewhere in between a lawn tractor and a true zero-turn mower. One advantage of zero-turn tractors is that they're controlled with a steering wheel. That said -- they don't mow quite as fast as a true zero-turn mower with the engine in the back. Among the latter, the Toro Timecutter Z zero-turn mowers and John Deere EZtrak mowers get the best reviews. Zero-turn mowers in both brands mow as fast as 7 mph. The Toro warranty is for two years; the John Deere for two years or 120 hours, whichever comes first.

For cutting the most evenly, top ranking is shared by the 42-inch Toro TimeCutter Z4200 (*Est. $2,700) and the 42-inch John Deere EZtrak Z225 (*Est. $3,000). The Toro comes with a 19-horsepower Kohler Courage twin cam engine, and the John Deere has an 18.5-horsepower Briggs & Stratton single-cylinder engine. Both engines have full-pressure lubrication. These mowers get top marks from owners reviewing them at HomeDepot.com. When comparing the two models, objective tests give the nod to the Toro for superior bagging and ease of use. It also has a higher maximum cutting height (4.5 inches rather than four inches) and uses a foot lever to change the height -- usually preferable to a hand lever as on the John Deere.

The 50-inch Toro Z5000 (*Est. $3,000) also earns good ratings from owners, but its three blades don't cut as evenly. Both of these Toro zero-turn mowers have deck washout ports, another plus.

The pricey 52-inch Craftsman Pro 28875 (*Est. $5,700), made by Bobcat, mows faster, with speeds up to 8.5 mph. It's powered by a 26-horsepower Briggs & Stratton ELS V-twin OHV engine, and it earns mostly positive reviews from owners rating it at Sears.com. They love the speed, but they say the seat lacks springs and gets very uncomfortable; several discuss ways they added springs to correct the problem. A few say they've had breakdowns and slow repair service under warranty -- but these aren't unique to this model.

At Lowes.com, the 50-inch Troy-Bilt Mustang XP (also known as the Mustang RZT) (*Est. $3,035, or CARB $3,105) earns a reasonably good average rating from owners reviewing it there. One owner says it had unspecified but multiple problems, but most are happy with it. It's powered by a 25-horsepower Kohler Courage V-twin engine. Like the other zero-turn mowers discussed here, it carries a two-year warranty.