The Basics
The term "riding mower" has been used and abused to describe everything from any ride-on mower to a residential tractor. To differentiate, a riding mower is a rear-engine lawn mower on which the operator rides. By comparison, a ride-on mower with the engine in front is a lawn tractor or, if it can do more than cut a lawn, a garden tractor. (Lawn and garden tractors are reviewed separately.)
Among rear-engine riding mowers there are two types: conventional riders and zero-turn riders. Conventional riders are nimble but can take 4 to 28 inches (depending on the model) to turn 180 degrees--wasted movement at the end of each directional cut. A zero-turning-radius rider (ZTR) does just that: it turns around in its own track, wasting no movement. In addition, most zero-turn riders can move at up to twice the speed of a conventional rider.
The big operating difference between the two types of riders is in the steering system. Conventional riders have a steering wheel in front that allows the front wheels to turn within the radius dictated by the design. ZTRs have two steering handles that separately control the two rear wheels. Move one forward and the other in reverse and you've rotated the mower in place.
So why should you select one type of riding mower over another? Budget is one consideration with most conventional riders priced between $1,600 and $3,000 (MSRP); ZTRs start at about $2,600 and go up to $7,200 or more. That's a lot of money for an hour's use once a week. Of course, there's more of a fun-factor with ZTRs as most are enjoyable to drive, nimbly turning around trees. They're like bumper cars without the bumps. Another factor is speed: conventional riders have a top speed of about 4 mph while some ZTRs can cut as fast as 9 mph. (The world's fastest ZTR mower cuts at 15 mph and can mow a football field in less than 10 minutes!)
The truth is that the number of conventional riding mower models available is diminishing while the number of the zero-turn riding mowers is growing. ZTRs are the hot "new" thing in residential lawn care equipment (though they've been around commercially for about 50 years.)
With increased competition, riding mower manufacturers are improving design features and polishing product descriptions to increase market share. They want to sell more mowers, and they realize that consumers do more investigating before buying than previous generations have.
Warranties are standardized over most of the riding mower industry: two-year limited, meaning the warranty is limited to the parts and labor for defects in workmanship for that period. A few mowers have a three-year limited warranty, and some even have two-year full warranties that include pick up and delivery. Like most products, problems will occur during the first 90 days or, seemingly, just after the warranty expires. If you have concerns about the warranty, opt to buy your riding mower from a lawn equipment dealer that has a service department rather than from a big-box retail store. We've included important information about engine and transmission quality in our reviews to help guide your selection.
Five Key Questions
1. What's your lawn like? You need to know how big the area to be mowed is in square feet and acreage (there are 43,580 square feet in an acre). Additionally, the terrain and number and size of obstacles in and around the lawn is important to a smart selection. Hilly lawns may require an all-wheel drive model. Flat and smooth lawns allow for higher-speed mowing. Trees, shrubs, and statuary within the lawn require a nimble mower to reduce wasteful turns. If your lawn is long and doesn't have many obstacles, a conventional rider is an efficient choice. For lawns where lots of quick turns are required, a ZTR can cut mowing time in half over a conventional rider.
2. What do you want to do with the grass? All riding mowers have side-discharge chutes that send the cut grass out the right side of the mowing deck to be deposited on the lawn. Some homeowners prefer to bag the clippings in an optional bagger (side or side-to-rear) for further recycling (as compost) or for disposal. Others install an optional mulching kit that includes a plug to cover the side chute and one or more mulching blades. The grass clippings circulate in the mowing deck until they are cut to shreds and fall to the lawn to degrade and become mulch. Expert mowers don't agree on which is best, but many say that side-discharge models with sharp blades are sufficient for most home lawns -- and a lot easier to justify. Baggers can add up to 25 percent to the cost of your riding mower.
3. How much of a job do you want to make of mowing? Some folks like the exercise of mowing the lawn with a walk-behind mower, but two acres may be a bit much. Others need to get the job done and be at the golf course by 9 a.m. Some lawns require more frequent cutting than others, especially during the local growing season. Also, some homeowners don't have a handy spot to park a big mower and really need one that doesn't take up much space. You may want a narrower mower that can park in a shed and go through a standard fence gate. These are all considerations important to selecting the best value in a riding mower.
4. What else do you want it to do? Most riding mowers have one function: to cut grass. But you may have other jobs that can be helped by a powerful yard machine. Some mowers have a simple connection at the rear to pull a small utility trailer around. Others have a power take-off (PTO) connection that allows you to connect and power a small implement; nearly all PTOs on riders, like the mower blades, are belt-driven.
5. Last, but certainly not least: What is your mowing budget? Again, prices of conventional riders range between $1600 and $3000 with ZTRs starting at about $2600 and go up to $7200 or more. That's the initial investment. The on-going price of two-cycle fuel/oil mixture is higher than regular gas for four-cycle engines. Maintenance costs should be included, especially on lower-priced mowers that need more care. Longevity also is important; some folks know they will move to a new (larger? smaller?) home in just a few years while others will have an estate-size lawn for the duration. If you're thinking in decades rather than years, consider a better mower that won't require replacement so fast.
How to Shop
Shopping for a large-ticket item can be daunting, given the large breadth of models to choose from. If you know you probably want a zero-turn rider that will cut an acre of lawn in less than an hour, you don't have to bother looking at all the other confusing choices.
Some features that may be important to you include seat comfort, whether the mowing deck has rollers to minimize scalping the grass on uneven terrain, and how easily it is to read the fuel tank. Some tank levels are easy to read and others require guesswork. Placement of controls can also make a difference in your selection. At the very least, sit in the driver's seat and operate the primary controls before buying. Lawn equipment stores should let you get a demonstration and test ride the mower--especially for the price you're going to pay. Ask for a 30-day trial period to make sure you've selected the right mower.
Other features of riding mowers that may or may not be important to you include how easy it is to adjust the cutting height, how easy it is to mount and dismount the mower, how long it is expected to last, how noisy it is, how it gets rid of clipped grass, and the initial cost. Features that are important to one consumer may not be to another. That's why there are so many models from which to choose. Our reviews cover these and other features of popular riding mowers to make the decision easier.
Also important is where you shop. If you know what you want and don't need a lot of service, consider the big chain stores with the lower prices. However, if you're concerned about service after the sale, a lawn equipment specialist may be a better seller for you--some can match or come close to the box-store prices.
As for when you should shop, the newest models and a few sales are available early in the lawn year where you live, though March-May is the national lawn equipment sales season. For the best prices, considered uncrated or discontinued models very early or very late in the local season (just make sure you know whether it is a demonstrator or has been damaged in shipment). Off-season buying can get you up to a 25 percent discount--or a better machine than you had budgeted for. Sometimes a conversation with the lawn equipment manager will gain you advance notice on upcoming sales on the model(s) you want. It's worth a try.
Rear-engine riding lawn mowers make good sense for many homes with larger lawns. By taking some time to evaluate your own needs and the features of various models you can cut costs and mowing time as well as the grass.
