Riding Mower or Zero Turn

[kroberts2131]

Figure its time for something non-political around here for my reading pleasure...........

We are building a house on a 1/2 acre lot and its mostly all back yard. The lot is basically 100' x 250ft, so long and narrow. I could push mower with my nice self-propelled mower but my time is kinda more valuable to me at this point in time. The yard is right on the line of too big to push, too small to drop 3k on a zero turn. I also mow my grandma's lawn for her about but she's old and doesn't care. I can mow it once every two weeks and she is fine with it. Her lot is about the same size.

I'm just not sure if I should go with a zero turn or a riding mower at this point. I can get a very nice rider for about 1000-1250. The cheapest i have found on a zero turn is 2500, give or take. What are the pro's and con's to each type? Zero turns are definetely 'cooler' and don't have the grandpa stigma like a rider does (according to my wife, i dont' care either way). I would obviously need a trailer to get either one to my grandma's lawn or keep my push mower over there but with her health, I don't see this being a long term issue. Either way, i'm likely just going to give pushing it a try the first few times once the grass turns green but have started casually shopping around.

 

[Cohiba]

Zero turn for the win!!!

 

[MacFromOK]

Whatever your wife will use...

 

[Uncle TK]

No bigger that your lot is, I would go with a john deere riding mower

 

[kroberts2131]

Whatever your wife will use...

Well, in that case, looks like i can just not mow at all!

 

[GLGAR]

My lawn is less than a acre that I mowed with a 46" rider. Up graded to a 48" Husqvarna zero turn, not a commercial model. Good cut and faster but rough riding and noisy, had to wear ear plugs and goggles to keep clippings out of my eyes and didn't like having both hands occupied to drive it. Had to be careful on slopes and it would also tear up the sod. Tried to like it for two years but finally sold it and went back to a 54" rider. Zero turns are great for large lots or lawn services but not for me.

 

[TerryMiller]

I'd say riding mower. Should you also have occasions to pull a small garden trailer or a sprayer of some kind, I found it handy to have a garden tractor. And, if you go with a John Deere, try to get one that was NOT purchased from one of the big box stores.

 

[kroberts2131]

My yard is flat as can be also so the slope part isn't a big deal. I think I want a zero turn but don't want to spend the money on when I can get a rider for so much less money.

 

[CHenry]

you should be ablew to cut 1/2 acre with a 48" rider in 45 min. tops. A ZTR is overkill for that small of an area.

 

[soonersfan]

Do you have trees to mow around? If yes, ZT without a doubt. If it's a flat piece of land without obstruction, a rider will do ok. Once you've owned a ZT it's hard to imagine going back. I used to have an acre lot. I could mow, weed eat, edge and blow in under an hour. I'd usually start about 40 min behind my neighbor (just to be a smart ass) and would finish 20 min before him. The second season he bought a zero turn. They literally cut your mowing time in half.