The aptly named Dixon mowers company has been in the forefront of zero-turn radius machines for some time. After a recall of nearly 30,000 machines in 2002 due to possible leaky gas tanks, Dixon is at it again with well-designed models for both commercial and consumer use. As a side note, if you believe that you might have one of these older models, feel free to contact the CPSC or the Dixon hotline at 877.288.6673.
The evolution of Dixon mowers from the ZTR models to the 4423 / 4415 and other upper-grades has received excellent consumer reviews. One characteristic of each review seems to be the company’s patented Z-drive technology, which throws hydrostatic drives out the window. With a gentle, and somewhat natural flow, you can control where and how fast the mower goes all from a comfortable seat. Other reviewers were happy about the Dixon’s ability to get close around trees and other yard items that might usually need a trimming. While we don’t think you should throw away your weed eater or yard trimmer yet, the Dixon might make it possible for you to get away with no weed eating but about once per month.
Another category that pleased the average Dixon consumer was the placement of the deck. While it isn’t underneath you, as with other riding mowers, it sits just in front of your person, making it easy to view the edges of your mowing perimeter. Again, these mowers have uncanny speed capabilities, so it might be a good idea to check into a roll bar or even a possible governor control switch should you absolutely trust your teenager or adolescent to drive the machine. This might prove especially necessary if you live on anything other than flat land. While there have been some complaints about its uphill climbing ability, others have voiced no concerns. With any zero-turn radius mower, you’re going to have to be especially careful on steep grades.
The newly designed fusion blades also make driving a Dixon no sweat. The blades easily keep up with the potential speed of the machine. The blade height is easily adjusted and they don’t need sharpened as often as regular blades—the company recommends once every season for residential and more for commercial users.
The price on the lower-end machines range from $1900.00 to over $4,000.00 new. You can find deals online, as well as free delivery. Give yourself some time to get used to the machine, and in literally no time, you’ll have mowed your acreage without any problems.