The average American homeowners mow their lawns for around four hours weekly. Zero-turn mowers are one of the most common mower types that they use to keep their lawnmower in top shape. These powerful machines are known for their ability to navigate even the tightest obstacles because of their maneuverability.
However, it’s imperative to note that as zero turns have their advantage, they also have disadvantages. This article will educate you on the downsides of zero-turn mowers. You’ll get a detailed explanation of these disadvantages and how to improve them.
Disadvantages of Zero Turn Mowers
This section will examine the cons of zero-turn mowers and how to improve them.
1. Steering Zero Turn Mowers Is Harder to Master
One of the biggest challenges new users of zero-turn mowers face is steering. It’s harder to master the control because it uses two-hand levers.
You’ll have to push the levers forward for the machine to go front and backward to reverse. To turn right, you’ll need to push the right lever to the front while keeping the other in a neutral position and do the same for the left lever to navigate to your left.
Mastering all these controls can be hectic if you’re buying a lawnmower. The reason is that most of us are used to steering wheels that we find in cars or other types of vehicles. It doesn’t take too long to master the controls, but you can’t buy it and start driving immediately without some basic lessons.
2. Steering Zero Turn Mowers Is Harder to Master
Another disadvantage of zero turn mowers is that it’s incompatible with many accessories. With a lawn tractor, you can use many attachments like the front blades, snow blowers, and other front and rear equipment.
As for zero turns, the accessories that you can use with it are limited. A lawn tractor is a way to go if you want a machine that does more than just mowing.
3. Zero Turn Mowers Are Expensive
Zero-turn mowers earned their name because of their maneuverability, which makes them faster to mow lawns. You won’t need to spend too much time trying to turn at the end of each pass, thus making you do more in less time.
If you want to buy a machine with these premium features, you might need to spend more than you would for most other lawnmower types. The electric models are more expensive, but your gas-powered models will work fine. If you’re on a budget, the secret is to go for low-horsepower models.
You can get a decent machine that’ll work fine for your residential property at a fair price. However, you can purchase the latest models with powerful HP if you have some dollars to spare.
Another important aspect is the cost of maintaining the machine. You’ll spend more money on repairs and replace damaged parts on a zero-turn than most other mowers types, and we haven’t factored in the insurance costs yet.
4. Zero Turn Mowers Have Reduced Tractions.
Another significant disadvantage of using zero-turn mowers is that you get reduced traction. This reduced traction makes mowing through grassy knots, rough terrains, and other obstacles difficult. The problem is worse if you are on a wet lawn. You’ll only understand why most experts advise against mowing wet grasses when you try to do it with a zero-turn.
Although you can use your zero-turn mowers to mow hills if you learn, they work best on flat ground. The main reason they’re not good on slopes is the reduced traction. It’ll be harder to control the machine in case of an accidental skid. As a rule, you should avoid using zero turns on slopes over 15 degrees.
If you have a hilly section in your yard, the best thing you can do is explore other lawnmower types. You could get a garden tractor because they have good traction on their tires and will work on hills better than a zero-turn. Alternatively, you can invest in a slope, push, or auto-mower.
5. Zero Turn Mowers Don’t Have Brake Pedals.
As a first-time user, It might be shocking to take your mower home only to discover that there’s no brake pedal! Zero-turn mowers don’t have brake pedals because their braking system is part of the control levers.
You must put the control lever in a neutral position to stop the engine. Even if you put it in a neutral position, it won’t stop the machine immediately; it’ll only slow down before coming to a stop. That is how it works, but it might take some time to get used to if you’re buying the machine for the first time.
For beginners, the best thing to do is to minimize speed at first. Take your time to master the controls, and you’ll be able to manage maneuverability and speed in no time.
6. Zero Turn Mowers Consume Fuel
Gas-powered zero-turn mowers notoriously gulp more fluids than other mower types. If you want to spend time on your lawn, you’ll need at least one fuel refill.
You can purchase a gas-powered model if the idea of using fuel doesn’t appeal to you. Remember that electric-powered zero turns are more expensive than fuel-powered ones. However, they don’t have spark plugs, air filters, or transaxles, meaning you can save more on maintenance.
7. Zero Turn Mowers Cause Environmental Pollution
When using gas-powered zero turns, they emit nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere. This chemical pollutes the atmosphere and can be dangerous to you using it.
The more gas-powered lawnmowers on the planet, the higher the chances of our ozone layer depleting. Ozone layer depletion could lead to global warming and other serious problems.
Once again, an electric-powered zero turn will work magic in his aspect because they don’t have emissions. You only need to charge the battery when you use the mower.
It’s a common misconception that electric-powered mowers can’t mow large yards due to their battery power. While it used to be so, most modern electric mowers have powerful batteries that can mow up to three acres after one charge. You should note that you’ll need to pay more for a stronger-powered electric mower.
8. Gas Powered Zero Turns Are Noisy
If you want to mow lawns with less noise, a zero-turn mower is one of the worst ways to do it. These machines can make up to 100 decibels of sound, which isn’t beneficial for your hearing. However, you can protect your ear by wearing headphones.
While the headphones will protect you, the potential disturbance of your neighbors is another cause of concern. Most cities have legislation against mowing at a time that disturbs your neighbors. You can check with your local ordinance for the legal time to cut your grasses. A good rapport with your fellow homeowners can also help.
Zero Turn Lawnmowers vs. Lawn Tractors: Disadvantages
Two main types of riding lawn mowers are zero-turns and lawn tractors. Lawn tractors have their pros and cons, just like zero turns. So it’s difficult to say which one is better as they beat each other in different aspects.
Some of the cons of zero turns are also applicable to lawn tractors. For instance, gas-powered lawn tractors are also equally threatening to the environment as their lawn tractor counterparts. Lawn tractors are also loud; you should use a hearing protector when working with them.
Aside from these differences, some others are specific to lawn tractors. One of those is their inability to cut through tight spaces. Their wheel and steering system demands you to turn at the end of a pass, leaving some small sections uncut.
However, you can reverse to cut the spaces. The problem is that a zero-turn would’ve cut the section and moved to other blades for all the time it’ll take a lawn tractor to maneuver.
Should You Buy a Zero-Turn Mower?
Whether or not you should buy a zero-turn lawn mower depends on the requirements of your lawn, and if you have flat ground that only needs mowing, both machines can do the job perfectly. However, it’s best to invest in other machine types if your yard has obstacles or slopes over 15 degrees.
The amount that you have to spend can also influence your purchase decisions. As hinted earlier, you can get a lawn tractor for less than you would a zero-turn. However, you won’t regret buying a good zero-turn mower for your yard.
Conclusion
These are some of the disadvantages of zero-turn mowers. If you understand the downsides of these machines, it’ll help you make better purchase decisions.
Whether you’re buying zero-turn mowers or not, you should note that every type you purchase has advantages and disadvantages. For instance, working with a walk-behind mower is harder than riding mowers because of the physical effort involved. If you want to go for an Automatic mower, it’s the most expensive machine among all types of mowers.
The best thing to do before buying any machine is to conduct adequate research. Good research will let you know the pros and cons of the mower and if you can deal with it. Consumer review sites are honest places to get product reviews.
