Zero-Turn or Stand-On: How to Choose the Right Mower for Your Business

2/11/2025

Whether you’re new to the commercial landscape industry or a seasoned pro, you know that having the right equipment lineup is critical to your business’ success. “As your business grows, it’s important to grow your equipment with it. From zero-turn mowers to stand-ons, Kubota is uniquely positioned to serve all your needs,” says Tom Vachal, Kubota Senior Turf Product Manager. And while you may have a go-to model (or dare we say favorite), operations both small and large should utilize a mix of mowers to meet the needs of the terrain, pursue new opportunities that come with fleet growth, and increase overall productivity.

Z400 Series Zero-turn Mower

Kubota’s lineup of Z400 Series zero-turn mowers are designed for both commercial landscapers and residential users, giving a professional finish to any job. The Z400 Series meets the market demand for speed and performance required by landscape professionals at an attractive price. This makes it a great place to start as you build and manage your fleet.

The Z400 Series lineup consists of mowers with decks ranging from 48-, 54- and 60-inches. The new Z412 and Z422 models feature notable comforts with 6.5-inch-wide smooth pneumatic front caster tires that soak up bumps and minimize impact to turf. All Z400 Series models are equipped with an exclusive Hydro-Gear ZT-3600 transmission, built for durability and ease of maintenance to minimize downtime and maximize work efficiency.

The Powered Grass Catcher for the Z400 Series 54- and 60-inch steel-welded mower deck zero-turn models leaves no debris behind as it easily takes on top-level mowing performance to reduce time on the job.

SZ Series Stand-on Mower

While a Kubota zero-turn fits many cutters’ needs, Kubota’s SZ Series stand-on mowers allow you to dial in your performance to best suit the jobsite’s conditions and grow the number of opportunities your business can pursue.

The SZ Series stand-on mower lineup includes 36-, 48-, 52- and 61-inch cutting decks with adjustable cutting baffles on the SZ22NC-48-2, SZ26NC-52-2, and the SZ26NC-61-2 models, allowing operators to adjust the performance of the cutting deck. Cutting conditions can vary greatly by region and climate, and more adjustability ensures landscapers can configure their SZ Series mower to provide the highest quality cut possible across a range of conditions.

As with all Kubota equipment, operator comfort and safety are paramount. Adjustable controls, an ergonomic cushion pad and large operator stations provide a comfortable and an intuitive experience for operators across the entire SZ Series line of mowers.

The Case for Both Mowers

As your client roster grows, so do the variety of property sizes, terrain types and jobsite conditions. Ensuring you are well equipped to take on any job starts with having the right equipment on your trailer, and an all-Kubota lineup offers the right equipment and the right programs for sales and service support. In fact, Kubota has added more flexibility to its fleet program, to offer solutions to contractors that will better suit a wide range of changing needs. “In addition to saving money, customers who use Kubota’s fleet program are able to work with one dealer for all their equipment needs, simplifying their process significantly and allowing customers to grow at their pace with the same brand. From the start, diversifying with a Z400 Series zero-turn and a SZ Series stand-on mower will give you the flexibility and confidence to handle just about any situation you might face while on the job,” Vachal says.