Lawn mower technology has come a long way since the days of grazing sheep and scissors-wielding servants. The New Big Thing is to trick out residential lawn mowers and tractors with features once reserved for commercial mowing machines. Even if you aren’t the type mesmerized by every new yard toy — and you know who you are — you’ll appreciate that you can cut your lawn faster and more evenly.
Tight Turns
Having to make wide turns makes mowing with a tractor take longer — so does having to manually trim around trees and flower beds that the tractor can't get close to. A tight turning radius saves time — and gas — by letting you turn in a smaller area and cut close to obstacles. If a super-tight turning radius is important to you, consider either of these options:
Zero-turn tractors swivel in place, so they can turn in a small area and maneuver in and out of tight spaces and around objects. Zero-turn tractors are suited to any size lawn, but aren't suited to hills or steep inclines, or if you plan to use snowblower-type attachments.
TURN TIGHT™ technology is unique to some models of Craftsman yard tractors and garden tractors. With a tight 6-inch turning radius, it's the current best-in-class technology. You can cut closer around landscaping, trees and other obstacles without repeatedly stopping to back up. You can also make tighter, faster U-turns, at the end of your straight rows, and move in and out of tight spaces more easily.
A Crisper Cut
You can enjoy new technology even if you opt for a standard lawn tractor. The latest thing is a redesigned mowing deck that makes a cleaner cut, preventing tattered grass tips that turn brown and make the lawn look dry. Look for one with gauge wheels that compensate for uneven surfaces to prevent scalping. Two gauge wheels do a good job — four wheels do a great job.
New lawn tractors have also been designed to be roomier, with more step-through room, more leg room, a wider and cushier seat that adjusts easily, and ergonomic controls.
Go Wide
If your yard isn’t big enough to require a lawn tractor, but mowing takes forever with a walk-behind mower, your salvation might be a wide-cut mower. At 33 inches, the cutting path is about a foot wider than standard mowers.
Assorted Bells and Whistles
If the latest innovation you remember was the push-button start, it might be time to go shopping. Walk-behind mowers now offer larger gas tanks, single-switch height adjustments, twin cutting blades, powerful engines — even a place to connect the garden hose so you can wash the underside without flipping the mower over. And the number of attachments available for lawn tractors has made them a year-round vehicle. Yard-toy lovers rejoice — you no longer have to suffer through the off season.
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