How To Know Which John Deere Mower Is Right For You: Lawn Tractor, Zero-Turn Mower or Sub-CUT?
John Deere mowers are designed to make lawn maintenance more manageable. But with so many options of riding lawn tractors, zero-turn mowers and sub-compact tractors to choose from, it can be tough to figure out which John Deere mower is the right choice for you. However, once you consider these factors, the right mower — and best choice for your lawn care needs — will become more apparent.
First thing’s first: lawn size
As you begin your search for the right John Deere mower, it’s crucial to consider the size of your lawn. Property owners that have around 10 to 20 acres of land to mow will likely want a strong, highly capable compact utility tractor for the job. As for homeowners with lawns the size of four acres or less, a riding lawn tractor or zero-turn mower is a more suitable choice.
Slopes, hills, inclines, oh my!
Whether your lawn has a smooth, flat surface or rough, uneven surface can make all the difference in determining the type of mower you should use. Every mower has slope-operating limits, especially when you factor in lawns with steep slopes and hills. If your yard has characteristics like these, you may want to consider the more stable options, like riding lawn tractors and sub-compact tractors, over a zero-turn mower. Due to their design, zero-turn mowers can flip over if used on inclines higher than 10 degrees, which makes them a less desirable (and potentially dangerous) option for mowing rough, bumpy terrain. Conversely, for homeowners with flat surface lawns, the speed and precision of a zero-turn mower can make it the perfect choice.
Hands on the wheel…or handles?
Traditional controls
Climb in, start the engine, take the wheel and go. It’s that easy to get to work with riding lawn mowers. Steering them is as easy as driving a car. Also, like cars, acceleration is controlled with a gas pedal. If ease of use is essential to you, a riding lawn mower checks all the boxes. From the 100 Series to the X500 Select Series, the lineup of John Deere riding lawn tractors is full of options with various mowing deck sizes and features that make it easy to find the right one for your unique lawn care needs. Likewise, sub-compact tractors have steering wheels that make them simple to handle. Sub-compact tractors typically have more features and capabilities than traditional mowers, each of which is built to be user-friendly and easy to learn.
Controls that come with a learning curve
There will be a slight learning curve to understand how steering and accelerating work if you’re new to using zero-turn mowers. There’s no such thing as “hands on the wheel” with a zero-turn mower — they don’t have one. Instead, you steer with handles. Accelerating forward or moving backward in reverse is also operated by these handles. Steering with handles is no doubt unusual for first-time users, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll see how this is key to providing zero-turn mowers their precise maneuverability.
Maneuverability matters
Riding lawn tractors and sub-compact tractors typically take longer to mow than zero-turn mowers. That’s because they have wider turning radiuses than zero-turn mowers, which have a zero-inch turning radius. Therefore, turns made with riding lawn tractors and sub-compact tractors are less precise and accurate than zero-turn mowers. That’s why zero-turn mowers are the ideal choice for homeowners with walkways, flower beds and other landscaping features. Thanks to their precise maneuverability, they can move in and out of narrow spaces with ease, thus making them a suitable choice mower for cutting around tough-to-reach areas.
Time is of the essence
Zero-turn mowers can typically cut a lawn faster and more efficiently than other types of mowers. Plus, they move fast. More important, they mow fast. A John Deere Z700 Series zero-turn mower can mow up to 10 mph. If you’ve got a need for speed and want to knock out mowing jobs as fast as possible, a zero-turn mower is the way to go.
To-do list: just lawn maintenance or more?
Lawn maintenance made easier
The decision to choose a riding lawn tractor or zero-turn mower becomes even easier when you consider the world of possibilities provided by available attachments and accessories. Whether it’s a bagging system for cleaning up grass clippings or a MulchControl™ system for help spreading mulch, all kinds of options are available to serve all types of lawn care needs.
More than lawn maintenance: big properties demand bigger capabilities
If your property is big on acreage, you need a machine that’s big on capability to get all your jobs done right. For those with 10 acres of property or more, consider using a sub-compact tractor. These hardworking machines are designed for more than general lawn maintenance. Whether it’s landscaping, grounds care or lawn and garden care, John Deere sub-compact tractors are built to get the job done and then some. Plus, there’s a large selection of attachments that you can use to do everything from moving soil, hauling dirt to plowing snow.
