To keep the grass and weeds down around our Christmas trees, we needed to pick up a mower. I looked at used lawn tractors, and even considered getting a finish mower for the tractor, but decided to get a zero-turn mower because it would be easier to navigate around the trees and it cuts considerably faster than a lawn tractor or a 3-point mower.
I chose the Ultima ZT2 over the ZT1 models because of a few key features. First, I could get the Kawasaki engine on this model, which some people told me may be a more durable powerplant. Second, the Ultima ZT2 has a heavier-duty transmission. Its still a residential transmission, but the same upgrades could be found on more expensive RZT mowers from Cub Cadet in previous years and the reviews are pretty good from what I’ve seen. Lastly, the ZT2 has larger wheels and tires than the ZT1, so I’m was hoping that would provide a better ride and better traction for our farm application.
Cut Quality
Where we use this mower is pasture grass and weeds, and we only cut about once a month if we can get away with it. So, most of the time, we’re not really looking for a quality job – we just need to keep the grass and weeds from taking over our Christmas tree seedlings! I’ve used it a few times on a residential lawn, and the cut is as good, if not better than our old push mower.
Durability
We’ve put about 50 hours on the mower in our first season and have had zero issues with the mower so far. Since we’re using the mower in a more rugged (farm) environment, I will not be at all surprised if we develop issues as the hours add up. I would think on smooth residential lawns, this mower would be quite durable.
Keep in touch with us on our Youtube Channel, and we’ll certainly do more videos about this mower in the future.
