Riding Lawn Tractor VS Zero-Turn Mower

One of the most common questions we receive from new lawn tractor buyers is, "What's the difference between a Riding Lawn Tractor and a  John Deere Zero-Turn Mower?" You asked, and we have the answer.

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Property owners and managers know that the more land you have, the more problems tend to pop up. Taking care of a big yard or property can eat up a lot of time and effort, especially if you don’t have the right equipment. Fortunately there are plenty of options to keep your lawn under control, like lawn tractors and zero-turn mowers. Both bring specialized benefits to your yard, so deciding between these two comes down to what works for you and your property.

At Mid-State Equipment, we understand our customers want to have well-maintained properties, and we aim to provide dependable and affordable equipment for just that purpose. We’ve put together this quick guide with some of the advantages and disadvantages to these styles of riding mowers. Read on for more information or head into one of our seven locations throughout Southern Wisconsin for a look at our stock of riding mowers.

Lawn Tractors

Lawn tractors are true workhorses when it comes to lawn management. They’ll give you all the advantages of a riding mower with the uncanny power of a larger farm tractor. This means you’ll get a mower that’s easy to operate and will last a good long while. Lawn tractors are an affordable option for anyone who has a lot of grass to cut, and their intuitive design help keep operation as simple as can be. They also bring a bit of extra utility, and some even come with PTO so you can hook up attachments like you would to a larger ag tractor. Haul a cart, sprayer, spreader, or other gardening attachments to make your garden and lawn work that much easier.

Lawn tractors are a slow and steady affair, at least compared to zero-turn mowers. They make good time on big fields or pastures that are best tended to by wide, straight sweeps, but they aren’t going to save you when faced with irregular yards with lots of obstacles. Lawn tractors are easy to operate, but they aren’t agile, so stay away if you have a property or lawn with rocks, trees, or other obstructions that could get in the way.

Zero-Turn Mowers

The hotrods of the mower world, zero-turn mowers have an effective turn radius of zero, so you can end a run and simply turn into the next without additional repositioning as you would need with a lawn tractor or other riding mower. This also makes them wonderful for mowing around the kinds of obstacles that get in the way of lawn tractors. Big fields and uneven spaces with obstacles are easy for a zero-turn mower on account of their speed, and best of all, you’ll get a professional-looking cut every time!

Zero-turn mowers aren’t all fun, though. They’re best used to keep grass from getting out of control, not bringing in an already-overgrown field. Any growth over six inches won’t just give your zero-turn trouble, it could do damage! So if you need to take down that heavy brush, tall grass, or anything else that isn’t under six inches, consider a beefier brush mower. Zero-turn mowers are best suited for lawns that’ll see regular upkeep at a weekly or bi-weekly rate. The controls, which tend to be two handles in a tank-style configuration can take a bit of time and effort to master as compared to the familiar steering wheel on a lawn tractor.

Both lawn tractors and zero-turn mowers bring speed and accuracy to all your lawn care projects. Whether you need something to maneuver around an obstacle-filled field or a utility mower to get you from project to project on your property, Mid-State Equipment has a mower for you. We’re a family-owned business, so we take a lot of pride in providing our customers with integrity and respect. Visit one of our seven locations throughout Southern Wisconsin and let our family show yours the true meaning of customer satisfaction!