A ride-on lawn mower can help you immensely with your outdoor chores, but picking the right one for your needs can be a little overwhelming. There are many different brands and models to choose from. You don't want to buy something ends up not being the one you need. While there are many brand names, John Deere, Honda, and Toro are among the top manufacturers. All three of these companies are well established, and are trustworthy. These three brands also have to widest selection of products and accessories, and replacement parts are not hard to find. All three companies have competitive prices, so it really comes down to which company best fulfills your needs.
There are two types of ride-on lawn mowers, the zero turn radius mower, or ZTR, and the lawn tractor. Both have advantages and disadvantages. If you have a relatively flat piece of land, but have a lot of obstacles like trees, shrubs, or planting beds, you may be better off with the ZTR. They are better able to get around these obstacles in one shot, because the motor sits more towards the back of the mower. While they have a powerful motor, they don't do very well on uneven yards. Because you have hand grip steering controls, they take some getting used to. While you can get accessories for them like bagging attachments, and mulchers, you don't have to variety of extras that you would find with a lawn tractor.
A lawn tractor mower has the motor up front, and this allows you to transverse a variety of different terrains. Usually these motors are more powerful, and you have a wide assortment of attachments. For an example, if you have a garden, then you can get a wide range of accessories that can help you in the garden, tillers, aerators, and utility trailers, just to name a few. They also have a number of different front attachments, plows, scooping gadgets, and leveling devices. You can also get cabs for them, to keep you warm and dry when it rains or on a cold day. They do take wider turns, and tend to be more expensive than a ZTR mower.
You need to decide which of these best suits your needs. If you do a lot of different kinds of yard work, then a lawn tractor may be a better idea. If you are just mowing a large area, one that is relatively flat, a ZTR could be a better choice. The next thing you need to consider when buying a ride-on lawn mower is the warranty that comes with it. Some brands offer a 1-3 year warranty, others come with a standard five year warranty. While you may pay a little more for a longer warranty, if you use your mower on a regular basis, you are going to be better off spending a little extra for the extended warranty.
When looking for a ride on mower, you really need to take the time and check out which one will work the best for you. You need to compare prices, attachment capabilities, warranty, as well as overall performance. Before you go into your local mower dealer or shop online, you may want to compare products online, using one of the many product review websites. That way you will have a better idea of what you want when you go to purchase one.
