This website is about reviews of lawn tractors and zero turns but I have noticed that many of you are looking for your very first riding lawn mower. You really don’t know what size, what brand or what type you really need. Here is a list of articles that I have written on the different features of lawn tractors. These articles will help you decide what type to buy and the features that will make your lawn mowing the best experience for you.
From someone who was helped here: I’ve never done this, but I just want to give you a quick thank you for your website. I’ve never owned a lawn tractor and I’m in the process of buying one. It is super daunting, there are just way too many options. I found your reviews incredibly helpful! I try to be an informed consumer and utilize the internet as best I can. I gotta say, I trust your opinion more than anything else I have found on the internet! I spent quite a bit of time reading your reviews and they were all super helpful. Thank you! Amon
My Basic Philosophy About Finding The Right Mower For You It may seem arrogant for me to say, “perhaps this isn’t for you.” My goal here is to find the right mower for you. Unlike the small dealer who has 2 brands and 14 mowers on his sales floor I have access to all the mowers on the market and I really don’t care which one you buy, as long as it is the one that is right for you. I treat each one of you differently. Understand that I am working to delight you, not sell you what I have. Is that arrogant? Not to me. I know that the best or even the cheapest is not always the best for you. What is arrogant is when I drive across town or take time off of work to visit a dealership and that dealership assumes that you have come to buy one of the mowers they have in stock. Is it the best for you? Maybe, but there may be a better one for you sitting in a nearby warehouse. It is arrogant that I will tell you anything including berate my competition just to get you to buy what I have to sell. Adapted From: The humility of the artist by Seth Godin
Right Click on the links to open them in a new window.
I am going to start you out with a list of all the different types of riding mowers. Zero-turns are getting a lot of publicity lately and this article will help you decide if you need one: Lawn Tractor/Zero-Turn Types
Next I suggest you read about the different types and sizes of decks: What is the best deck for my yard
How Much Time Do You Have? Here is a chart that tells you how long it will take to mow your lawn: Acreage Chart
Transmissions: What is the difference between an automatic, hydrostatic or manual transmission? This article explains them: Lawn Tractor Transmission Types
Engines: Not all engines are built the same. There are different quality engines for different applications. Some brands use cheaper motors to keep the cost down. There are different grade engines for “WalMart Specials,” economy, homeowner, professional, and commercial applications. In addition the rating game for engines has changed: 2014 Tractor Engine Rating Standards
Zero Turns: You hear that a zero turn will save you time. It’s the latest fad. Do you really want one? 16 reasons why you may not want a zero turn mower
Did you know that only four manufactures make all of the lawn tractors for sale in the U.S? Here is a complete list who makes what: Who Makes What?
How To Get The Best Deals. Today buying a mower at a retail store or website is more than just going in and dropping your credit card on the counter. Most of the major retailers have loyalty programs that give you a better deal if you give them your email. In fact, many of the best deals by these retailers will be online through their websites. Here is an explanation of how a typical rewards program works: How To Get The Best Deals At Sears
Price:
Once you have figured out what is the best size and type of mower then determine how much you want to spend. There is a wide price range of mowers in every size. Here are 4 lists to help you get started
2015 Lawn Tractors under $1500
2015 Lawn Tractors over $1500
2015 Residential Zero Turn Mowers (R-ZTR)
2015 Landowner Zero Turn Mowers (L-ZTR)
Beware of Too Many Reviews
When you are out on the web reading reviews of mowers beware that usually only one person out of a thousand will write a review. Also be aware that a larger percentage of reviews will be from people who had issues with the mower. Many more people write reviews when they are upset than when they are happy with an item. My point is be wary of a seller that has hundreds of glowing reviews for a given mower. They may be giving people an incentive to write glowing reviews, may be using employees to write glowing reviews or they are taking old reviews and rewriting them for the new item. Also be aware that many of the negative reviews are operator error. (It won’t start because I left un-stabilized fuel in it all winter or I ran over a stick and it got stuck in the belts and they destroyed themselves) Please read the reviews on the sellers website with a grain of salt.
Beware of Negative Reviews, Negative Dealers, and Negative Neighbors:
It doesn’t do a lot of good to read the negative reviews and assume that a lawn tractor or zero-turn is bad. Why? Because there are millions of these items sold every year and usually thousands of each particular model. So if there are 2 or 10 or even 50 bad reviews that doesn’t mean that the product is inherently bad. Instead look at the percentage of bad verses good reviews. If there are 50 good reviews and 5 bad ones there is a better than good chance that the product is just fine. In addition, many of the negative reviews are from owners who are inexperienced, owners who had problems with an older model or customers that have “bone to pick” with the retailer or brand. I spend a lot of time reviewing reviews and if there is a product that has issues, a retailer or dealer that is not holding up their end of the customer service agreement – I’ll let you know. (Feel free to ask anytime about a certain brand or product)
OK! You are finally ready to read a review. I put together one comprehensive review that goes into every detail of a lawn tractor. If you read this review you will be able to use the information you learn to clearly decide which riding mower, lawn tractor or zero-turn is best for you: Yard Tractor Review
