Small tractor vs zero turn

[panhandlehunter]

You don't need a zero turn. It's nice to have but it doesn't take a long time to mow with a cheap riding mower either. Unless you want to spend several thousand dollars on a zero turn mower. It takes me about 3-4 hours to mow close to 3 acres with a riding lawnmower. If you're only mowing one acre, it'll take an hour and a half at most. You'll get far more use out of a tractor with a front end loader. They're worth their weight in gold.

[Deer716]

I have just under 6 1/2 acres that we are getting bulldozed tomorrow and plan on building on. I plan on using my zero turn to keep it cut vs buying a tractor. Yeah tractor would be nice but in my case if the land is cleared I think a zero turn would be enough to keep it cut. However if for any reason I need a tractor or equipment my buddy lives 40 miles from there and has almost every piece of equipment I could possibly need so I would just borrow it.

[bphillips]

The reason I went with a mower is you always need a mower. You can rent a tractor for projects much cheaper. That's exactly what my Kubota dealer told me unless I was going to use a tractor for daily or even weekly projects. He stood to gain more from the tractor sale also as it was about $20k more than the mower I bought.

[Deer716]

The reason I went with a mower is you always need a mower. You can rent a tractor for projects much cheaper. That's exactly what my Kubota dealer told me unless I was going to use a tractor for daily or even weekly projects. He stood to gain more from the tractor sale also as it was about $20k more than the mower I bought.

X2

I went in not sure what to get and he recommended the zero turn. Kubota as well.

[rocky]

You can mow with a $ 2000 lawn mower, but you can't shred, disc, move downed trees, dig post-holes, till, or move dirt with a $ 10,000 Zero Turn mower.

[Ironman]

Zero turns will flat mow some property QUICK. I have a zero turn and a 60hp tractor. I want a small tractor too. A little 25-30hp tractor would be very handy.

[Tbar]

I have both......

Tractor with 72" finish mower and a shredder. The zero turn is nice around the house. The tractor has multiple uses but the mower only has one. Only down side to the tractor is if the ground is too wet/soft.

[gusman]

My 2cents buy a tractor and a riding lawn mower. .

[rocky]

I have both......

Tractor with 72" finish mower and a shredder. The zero turn is nice around the house. The tractor has multiple uses but the mower only has one. Only down side to the tractor is if the ground is too wet/soft.

This makes me jealous.
I have 15 acres, and have resisted buying a tractor until I have the place paid for.
I acquired a Zero turn mower in a trade, and have a good riding lawn mower, but a good 35ish HP tractor with a fel and implements would make my little farm complete.

[Dejashoot]

Both. I wouldn't know what to do without one of the other. Mowing takes 1/2 the time with a ZTR than a tractor. Mower won't move dirt, push trees or pull your stuck ZTR out of a ditch.

[expressfish]

one of each

[Mike D]

I evaluated the same thing for my property. I decided I'm going with a zero turn. For the cost of a tractor I can pay someone to shred 2 maybe 3 times a year a LOT cheaper.

For any light tractor needs my neighbor will let me use his.

[Big Todd]

I have 13 acres and keep about 5 acres mowed including yard and perimeter fence, the rest is solid brush. I went commercial grade Hustler zero turn last year and love it. The thing is a beast! I knock out 5 acres in about 4-4.5 hours depending on time of year and how thick it is.

[SaltwaterSlick]

We recently moved to our new property... just under 50 acres, mostly pasture and lawn so lots of "mowing"... I bought both. I can't imagine not having the tractor and FEL... I got front forks for it too. It's all John Deere and takes about a minute to drop the bucket and attach the forks. I also have various implements for the 3 point hitch with the quick change iMatch adapter... changing implements also takes about a minute... The JD ZTR920 is a mowing son of a gun! But mowing is all it will do. With the tractor, I don't pick up anything hardly ever now that's over about 10 pounds... I go get the tractor... Cooler full of meat out the truck and in the barn with the tractor... Load of concrete out the truck and to the side yard where they were laid down as pavers... after the tractor dumped the extra dirt to build up the area and smoothed it out with the tractor and land plane... and on and on it goes... As others have said, if you can, get both. But you will use that tractor WAY more than you'll use the mower. At least that is the case around our place... The side benefit to the ZTR is my wife took one ride around the driveway and came back and told me, "This thing is more fun than a go-cart! How do i make the blades work?"... I don't even get to mow... I can just say that the yard could use a cuttin' and she's off and mowing... Don't know how long that will last, but it's pretty awesome for now!

Besides, check out my new avatar... THAT'S what I REALLY bought it for!!

[Pkripper]

Tractor would be much more versatile for future projects.