Zero-turn radius mowers are the newfangled thing in mowers but really aren’t that new at all. In fact, Max Swisher’s original Swisher machine was named one of the top 100 inventions of the 20th Century by Popular Mechanics. But if that’s the case, why are they so hot right now? In short, they turn on a dime, cut mowing time by up to 70%, and reduce fuel consumption in half.

How do they work? Unlike regular lawn tractors, the front wheels swivel freely like on a shopping cart and the driver steers by controlling the relative speed of the rear wheels. And instead of a steering wheel, you have two levers.

Check out the Swisher site for more information. And if you’re in the market, remember this - Swisher brand mowers are about half the price of their competition and use generic, easily replaceable parts.

And here’s AZCentral’s take on it.