Mowing the lawn isn’t a chore that most homeowners enjoy all that much, but if you want your yard to look neat and polished, cutting your grass regularly is just one of those tasks you have to get used to.

  WIth a zero turn mower, though, you can cut your mowing time in half and make an annoying yard chore a little more bearable. Not only does the mower allow you to cut your lawn more quickly, it also provides a closer, neat cut, so your yard looks picture-perfect.

  Because a zero turn mower is a costly investment, it’s important to choose the right model to suit your landscape’s needs. With the variety of options on the market, it can be difficult to select the right mower and features for your yard. At BestReviews, we can help you make sense of the many zero turn mower choices.

  We purchase all our own products, so our recommendations are always 100 percent unbiased. We also consult with experts and owners to understand real-world experiences and get deeper insight, and then conduct field research to ensure that they meet the top standards.

  Ready to buy a zero turn mower? Check out the product list above for our top recommendations. For general tips on choosing a zero turn mower, keep reading our shopping guide.

 

WHAT IS A ZERO TURN MOWER?
 

A zero turn mower is a lawn mower with a mowing deck that is in front of the mower, rather than underneath it.

  It’s called a zero turn mower because its turn radius is zero, which means that the mower can pivot on its back wheels to turn much more quickly than other types of mowers.

  Most zero turn mowers have four wheels, with two swiveling tires in the front and two large drive tires in the back. The wheels operate independently of one another, and the mower usually doesn’t feature a steering wheel. Instead, they usually have two levers that connect to the rear wheels’ motors.

  If you push both levers forward, the mower moves forward. If you pull them back, the mower moves in reverse.

  For a right turn, you push the left level forward and leave the right lever alone. For a left turn, you push the right lever forward and leave the left lever alone.