You don’t have to sell me on a zero-turn riding lawn mower. As someone with a half-acre yard, I’ve been mowing with zero-turn lawnmowers since I bought my house. They’re speedy and make maneuvering around my yard's many trees and obstacles easier. I’ve even used them to mow the slopes in my yard (with lots of care).
However, I’ve been using gas-powered zero-turn riding mowers – and to be honest, gas-powered machinery isn’t my favorite. Sure, I like that they’re powerful and seemingly have an endless fuel supply, but they’re loud, emit exhaust, and require much more maintenance. You can understand why I was excited to try a battery-powered zero-turn riding lawn mower – the John Deere Z370R Electric ZTRAK Mower.
John Deere is well-known for its quality mowers, and the Z370R Electric ZTRAK Mower reflects the brand’s reputation. I tested a 42-inch deck version of this battery-powered riding lawn for a few weeks, mowing my half-acre yard so easily that it quickly became one of my favorite products ever tested. This John Deere goes up to 7 mph, is comfortable to sit in, and even charges my phone while I mow. I loved how the handles and the unique charging design were very responsive.
Keep reading to get my full take on the John Deere Z370R Electric ZTRAK Mower and how, despite the high price tag, I’d still tell you to run to your nearest John Deere dealership to put in an order. In the meantime, check out our full guide on the best riding lawnmowers to see how they stack up against their competitors.
I have been evaluating household products since 2020. I have tested a wide range of items, including vacuums, coffee machines, mattresses, gardening tools, hot tubs, and more. In a review, I tested the John Deere Z370R Electric ZTRAK Mower in the backyard of my 104-year-old home in the Dallas, Texas area.
John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower: Key specifications
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Row 0 - Cell 1 |
| Model no | Z370R ZTrak |
| Power source | Battery |
| Cutting width | 42 or 48 inches |
| Maximum cutting speed | 7 mph |
| Dimensions | 75.4 x 50.4 x 43.3 in |
| Cutting heights | 11; 1.25-4.5 in |
| Rear and front wheels | 11 inches, 18 inches |
| Lawn size | 2 acres |
| Warranty | 3 year or 200 hour bumper-to bumper; 5 year or 200 hour battery |
John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower: Price & availability
Even among riding lawnmowers – zero-turn or otherwise – the John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower is expensive. It is sold at $6,399 through Lowe’s and local dealers, like United Ag & Turf and Storm Lawn & Garden LLC (at least in Dallas, where I live).
While I love everything about the John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower, I think it’s priced slightly high, and that may have more to do with the John Deere brand name or the warranty. It comes with a five-year or 200-hour battery warranty, which means John Deere will replace the battery within that time if it should fail. After that, it's unclear what the price of a replacement battery would be, though I imagine it'll be cheaper than buying a new mower. You're also saving a lot over the years on maintenance, which is not a major financial requirement for this mower.
John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower: Setup
The John Deere Z370R Electric Ztrak Mower was delivered to my house through a John Deere dealership. I didn’t have to do anything except schedule the delivery date and time. The riding mower was completely put together when it arrived. It was even fully charged, so I could start mowing right away.
Those ordering this riding mower will undergo the same seamless delivery process.
John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower: Design
There are two types of riding mowers: zero-turn mowers and lawn tractors. While lawn tractors have a steering wheel and function like a car in terms of maneuverability, a zero-turn lawn mower utilizes two handles to turn effectively at zero degrees. The John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower is a battery-powered zero-turn lawn mower.
You can’t see the batteries of this mower or even remove them. They’re built into the mower. You don’t have to remove the batteries to charge them. This mower does not come with a separate charger. There is a three-pronged outlet on the backside of the mower where you plug an extension cord when you’re ready to charge.
Even more exciting is that the batteries are encased so that neither water nor dust can harm them. You can spray the mower from top to bottom with a garden hose; no damage will ensue.
The zero-turn lawn mower I tested has a 42-inch deck, though it can also be ordered in 48 inches. Both are effective sizes for mowing medium-to-large yards. The deck can be raised between 11 positions (1.25-4.5 inches) with a foot lever and a dial.
There is a 20-inch-tall, padded seat with armrests. It’s quite comfortable. On the left side of the seat is a cup holder. There is a storage compartment with a USB-C port to charge your devices on the right side and a screen with icons, a height adjustment lever, a mower engagement switch, a light switch, a power button, and a mode switch. The light switch turns on the front and side LED lights, while the mower engagement switch turns on the blades. A key pin must be inserted in the power button to turn the machine on.
The mode switch allows you to switch between the different modes on the screen – bagging mode/high blade speed/full travel speed, high mode/standard speed/full travel speed, and low mode/standard blade speed/limited travel speed. It also has icons to notify you when the battery needs attention, of a temperature alert, when push mode is in effect, and provides an hour meter reading.
Rather than checking the battery status on the side screen, it’s better to look at the status display on the deck between your feet. It uses green bars to indicate battery life. Those bars turn red if there is diagnostic trouble and amber as a warning of diagnostic trouble.
The handles double as motion control levers and the brake. When the handles are pulled outwards, the machine is in the park. Pull them together, and the mower is engaged and can move forward or backward with the push or pull of the handles.
One last thing to note – this zero-turn mower can mow on slopes, though John Deere suggests only mowing on 13 degrees or fewer hills. Admittedly, I mowed on steeper inclines, but I know that comes with risks, and I only did it once (I’m very adept with zero-turn mowers) to see how well the machine handled hills.
John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower: Performance
I test many products, and some yard tools are far more complicated than necessary. That’s not the case with the John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower. Honestly, I didn’t even read the instructions before I used it the first time because the design itself is logical. This is something I love!
I always kept the pin key in the power button so it wouldn’t get lost. I pressed the power button to start the mower until I heard two beeps and saw the battery screen light up between my feet. From there, I pulled the handles in and pushed them forward.
This riding mower emits no noise when at a standstill. Moving the mower forward without the blades emitted a 70-75 dB sound rating. The sound increased to 80-91 dB when the blades were engaged, which is not very loud for a riding lawn mower.
As someone with half an acre, I put the speed on High Mode to mow as fast as possible. The 42-inch deck helped considerably because I could mow more yard patches at a time.
What I noticed right away about the riding lawn mower is that the handles are very sensitive. I didn’t have to extend or pull my arms very far. With a slight push or pull, the mower would already be turning in the direction I wanted to go.
With zero-turn capability, I got a super close cut on the side of the deck that didn’t have the discharge chute, especially when cutting around the driveway, trees, garden beds, or my firepit patio. My yard has many obstacles, and it took much less time to cut with this zero-turn mower than with a tractor with an 18-inch turn capability. I do not doubt that in my front yard, which has very few obstacles, I was going at the maximum speed of 7 mph.
While I don’t usually use a riding lawn mower on the slopes of my yard as a safety precaution, I did make two passes, vertically, on a slope in my yard just to see how the John Deere mower would do. It did as well as I expected and didn’t slip at any point. I probably would take the safer route and not do this in the future, but if my push mower ever broke down, it’s nice to have this option.
The mower cut all the grass and weeds in my yard with precision. Everything appeared even. I would usually lower the deck to 2 or 2.25 inches, depending on how low I wanted the grass to be. Lowering and lifting the deck with the foot pedal and the rotate dial was easy.
I rarely looked at the mower’s screen (on the right side) while I cut. There seemed to be no reason to. I paid more attention to the battery screen between my feet. The battery never dipped below half a charge after mowing my yard. I usually charged my phone while mowing and didn’t notice any impact on the battery.
While I didn’t need the LED lights because I never used the machine in low-light situations, they were in working order and a nice option. I was very comfortable sitting in the high-back seat and loved how I could spread out my feet. I’m only 5’5”, so I imagine it would be a comfortable sitting situation for someone taller.
I used this John Deere mower soon after it rained, and the wheels got muddy. I was so thankful I could clean them without worrying about the battery getting wet. Honestly, this was one of my favorite elements of the riding lawn mower. It’s difficult to prevent water from spraying on the engine or the battery compartment when cleaning mower wheels, but I felt assured while cleaning the John Deere mower that I wouldn’t damage it. (And I didn’t!) Connecting the hose to the deck was similarly easy to do.
Whenever I was done mowing my yard and cleaning the John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower, I would back it into my garage and plug an extension cord into the backside of the mower. I prefer this charging design rather than storing a separate charger to charge the batteries.
John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower: Maintenance
Maintenance is minimal with the John Deere Z370R Electric ZTRAK Mower. Behind performance, it’s my second favorite aspect of this riding lawn mower.
Since this is a battery-powered riding lawn mower, you won’t ever be expected to fill it with oil or gas or remove either product before storing it away during the winter. No spark plug air filters or mower belts will need to be changed, and you also won’t have to grease any parts.
John Deere suggests cleaning the mower deck with the washout port after every use; I’d add blowing the debris and grass off with a blower, too. It doesn’t hurt to check the tire pressure, brake system, and safety interlock system every eight hours.
Check the mower deck level once a year and sharpen and replace the mower blades if necessary. If the battery fails, contact a John Deere dealership. You can’t do maintenance on it on your own.
John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower: User reviews
23 reviews related to this John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower resulted in a 4.3-star rating. The mower received two one-star reviews, which brought the average down. One person complained about delivery, and the other complained about the mower not starting after the third time. Beyond these two outliers, customers noted how responsive the steering is and raved about the minimal maintenance the machine requires. Most people liked how the mower cut, even if the responsive steering initially surprised them.
Would I buy the John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower?
| Attribute | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Starter Functionality | straightforward starting process with a power button and key pin system | 9/10 |
| Battery Performance | built-in battery system is well-protected against water and dust; can handle medium-to-large yards on a single charge without dipping below half battery life; charging process is convenient with a simple plug-in design | 9/10 |
| Cutting Performance | 2-inch deck provides excellent cutting performance; precise and even cuts across various terrains; zero-turn capability enhances maneuverability; adjustable deck height | 9/10 |
| Safety Features | key pin for power activation and a sensitive handle system that doubles as a brake; supports safe operation on slopes up to 13 degrees; users should exercise caution on steeper inclines | 8/10 |
| Transmission and Steering | zero-turn design with sensitive handles; ability to turn at zero degrees | 9/10 |
Buy it if...
Don’t buy it if…
How does the John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower compare?
John Deere has a variety of zero-turn mowers that can handle larger yards, even eight acres or larger. If you want something smaller, check out the Cub Cadet RZT-L42 Riding Lawn Mower, as it has a 42-inch cutting deck and can handle 1-3 acre yards. Take note that it’s powered by gas and thus requires more maintenance. The Ryobi RY48111 48-Volt Zero Turn Riding Lawn Mower is a better option for environmentally-minded homeowners who want a battery-powered lawn mower with zero-turn capabilities and an 8 mph speed.
Unlike the John Deere, the Ryobi utilizes a steering wheel, which might be more comfortable for users. However, it only has a 3 mph reverse speed, and customers complain that it’s not that comfortable to sit on. Lastly, the EGO POWER+ 52” Z6 Zero Turn Riding Mower is comparable in many ways in that it’s a battery-powered riding mower with less maintenance. Remember that it has a 52-inch deck and can mow up to 4 acres on a single charge. It also comes with a bagger. While you won’t have to remove the batteries to charge them, EGO does supply a charger you’ll have to use.
How I tested the John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower
I used the John Deere Z370R Electric ZTrak Mower several times to mow my half-acre yard. This included mowing around obstacles and up and down inclines. I tested everything from its cutting capabilities to how fast the mower can go and how well it turns. From the testing, I provided an in-depth review for potential buyers to consider.
Find out more about how we test.
