There are 6 major categories of zero turns lawn mowers, they are broken into 3 main categories and 3 sub categories of those mains.
The first main category is consumer grade, this category is basically a zero turn mower designed for use strictly for smaller residential yards. It is designed with components that are basically not as service friendly as the 2 main categories above it.
The second category is the mid level zero turn some people call this zero turn the semi commercial zero turn mower. This category is a step up from the consumer grade and some people do use this category for business use, although most manufacturers do not recommend it . This category is more serviceable like for instance the hydraulic system is completely serviceable and most of them have greasable spindles they also usually have a better quality engine.
The last main category is commercial this category is intended for commercial use but a lot of our customers who are residential purchase within this category also. This category is intended for commercial use or large estates, these mowers are where you will see the thicker gage metal, the full commercial engines, roll over protection, faster ground speeds and so on.
To understand the three levels of zero turns first you have to understand how a zero turn is made and what major components it is broken down into.
First we have the hydraulics which are the most expensive part of a zero turn lawn mower. They are what drive the unit, to replace them usually costs 47% on average of what the unit is worth. So as you shop for a zero turn the first thing you need to look out for is the hydraulic system, now the hydraulics have several levels of grades the first is the consumer grade which is non serviceable (no hydraulic filter) now this is not a bad thing because if you have under 1.5 acres of land you do not need any higher grade than this lets do a little math equation 1.5 acres of land for a consumer grade zero turn should not take you longer than 1.5 hrs (maximum), in most of the central US we do not cut our yards more that 31 times so 31 (cuts) x 1.5hrs =46.5hrs per year now this mower will easily last you 500hrs so you should get more that 10 years out of this consumer grade zero turn.
The second most expensive part of a zero turn lawn mower is the engine, there are several brands of engines that is a different how to section but what you need to know for this is commercial or consumer grade. Basically a engine manufacturer makes a engine for commercial (higher use of run hrs.) or consumer use (lower use of run hrs.) , usually engines will out last hydraulics. If a manufacturer makes a mower they usually pair a engine that will outlast the hydro system, plus engines are about half the cost of your hydro system.
The third most expensive part of a zero turn is the deck which consists of the shell and the spindles. The shell is either fabricated or stamped, now here is where it gets complicated and all the manufactures argue over because now we are getting to a component they actually make. Fabricated means that the deck is welded or put together from several pieces of steel , this does not necessarily mean it is better but it does look stronger. Most manufacturers are using the fabricated decks on their premier equipment, usually when you have a fabricated deck on something you also have a little bit better quality components on the deck also. Again every mower has their place so if you are cutting a one acre yard once a week and you are not using your deck to level ground the stamped deck will last you longer than the mower will (as long as you don’t hit anything real hard). The stamped deck is just that stamped out of a single piece of steel, usually this deck is made from a thinner metal that the fabricated deck.
The last component of a zero turn lawn mower is the frame, the frame is basically everything else it is the cables the frame the wheels and all of the metal besides the deck, this part of the mower the manufactures also make so you are going to see the most amount of features in this area or in the area of the deck (which means these two areas are going to be what makes a mower stand out from one brand to the other). The frame and its components are matched with the drivetrain and the deck so your frame will match the grade of mower you are choosing.
Below we have came up with a chart that better explains the different categories and sub categories. All of the sales staff at SLE Equipment goes through training based on what you have just read so don’t hesitate to contact us at 615-641-7720.
| Consumer Standard |
Consumer Premium |
Semi Commercial Standard |
Semi Commercial Premium |
Commercial Standard |
Commercial Premium |
| stamped deck |
welded deck |
welded or stamped deck |
welded deck |
welded deck |
welded deck |
| non-serviceable hydros |
non-serviceable hydros |
serviceable hydros |
serviceable hydros |
serviceable hydros faster ground speed |
serviceable hydros faster ground speed |
| standard seat |
upgrades seat from standard seat |
better seat than consumer grade |
better seat than consumer grade |
better seat than semi commercial |
usually some type of suspension seat |
| consumer engine |
consumer engine |
semi commercial engine or commercial engine |
semi commercial or commercial engine |
commercial engine |
commercial engine |
| aluminum spindles |
aluminum spindles |
aluminum or steel spindles |
aluminum or steel spindles |
aluminum, steel or cast iron spindles |
aluminum, steel or cast iron spindles |
How To Choose The Right Zero Turn Mower
