Do you want to have a great looking and well-trimmed yard, but hate the idea of doing all that edging and cutting manually? The answer to your problem may lie in the world of zero turn lawn mowers. Zero turn lawn mowers are riding mowers that can turn right around, 180 degrees, within in its own body length. It can in reality go right around in a complete 360-degree circle.

They were originally designed for industrial applications. Zero turn lawn mowers with their great maneuverability, allowed landscape contractors and golf course maintenance folks to cut right up against and around obstacles without ever having to get off the mower and do any trimming.

These mowers operate like a bulldozer or tank in the way they can turn right back on themselves. Even though bulldozers and tanks use treads to control their movement, and a zero turn lawn mower uses its rear wheels, the principle is the same. By varying the amount and direction of drive power applied to each wheel, you can control the movement of the machine.

For example, if both rear drive wheels on the mower are moving forward at the same speed, the lawn mower will go forward in a straight line. If one wheel moves a little slower than the other, the lawn mower will roll in the direction of the slower going wheel. And if you want the mower to roll in half circle, just make one wheel turn backwards as the other moves forward.

Normally zero turn lawn mowers have two rear drive wheels linked to hydrostatic transmission, which is what transforms the engine's power into hydraulic pressure. This in turn moves the mower and controls its course. The mower's engine powers a pump that exerts pressure on hydraulic fluid, and the pressurized fluid helps to drive the wheels. In early versions of zero turn lawn mowers, the operator controlled the speed and the direction of the mower by moving a pair of levers. Newer mowers use a joystick, handlebars similar to a motorcycle, or even a steering wheel to provide control.

They were initially made for industrial applications where reliability and up time are important characteristics. Mower manufacturers assert that very rarely do they have any service related problems with the hydraulic pumps. Just like an ordinary lawn mower, properly maintaining the engine and keeping the mower deck clean should guarantee that a zero turn mower provide many years of service. The convenience of a zero turn lawn mower comes at a price.