The Toro TimeMaster lawn mower claims to cut your mowing time in half. But how accurate is this claim in real-world use? As a professional landscaper or homeowner with a large lawn, saving time on mowing can really add up over an entire season. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at how much time the Toro TimeMaster can actually save you.
Page Contents
Toro TimeMaster Key Features
The Toro TimeMaster stands out from other walk-behind mowers because of its dual blade cutting system. It has one standard blade that spins vertically to cut grass like a normal mower. But it also has a second blade that spins horizontally to essentially “mulch” the grass clippings into smaller pieces as it cuts. This dual blade system is what allows the TimeMaster to achieve faster cutting speeds.
Here are some other key features of the Toro TimeMaster mower:
- 30” wide dual-blade cutting deck
- Briggs & Stratton 223cc engine
- Personal Pace self-propel system
- 3-in-1 cutting options (mulch, bag, side discharge)
- 7 cutting height positions from 1.5” to 4”
- Rear bag capacity of 10 bushels
With its 30” wide cutting deck, brisk ground speed, and dual blade system, the Toro TimeMaster does have all the hallmarks of a fast, time-saving mower.
Toro’s Time Savings Claims
The main marketing message Toro pushes is that the TimeMaster can “cut your mowing time in half.” Some more specific claims include:
- Mow an acre in just 27 minutes
- Mow up to 12,000 sq ft per hour
- 33% faster than a standard 22” mower
Toro has produced several popular marketing videos showing the TimeMaster racing against and beating traditional single-blade walk behind mowers in head-to-head cutting tests.
The half-the-time claim is certainly bold. But Toro likely arrived at it by comparing the TimeMaster to a basic, non-self-propelled 22” mower cutting at a slower speed. The actual time savings versus a comparable 30” self-propelled mower may be a little less than half. Nonetheless, the TimeMaster does appear capable of cutting at least 30% faster than many standard mowers.
Real-World Time Savings
To find out just how much time the Toro TimeMaster can save in actual yard mowing conditions, we’ll compare it to other common mower types and estimates:
TimeMaster vs. Push Mower
When up against a basic, non-self-propelled push mower, the TimeMaster can indeed come very close to cutting time in half. Here are some estimates:
| Mower | Mowing Speed | 10,000 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Push mower | 2.2 mph | 90 minutes |
| TimeMaster | 3.2 mph | 52 minutes |
For a 10,000 square foot lawn, the TimeMaster takes about 45% less time than a standard push mower plodding along. So Toro’s 50% time savings claim holds up well compared to a push mower.
TimeMaster vs. Self-Propelled Mower
When compared to other self-propelled mowers, the TimeMaster still mows faster, but its advantage is decreased.
| Mower | Mowing Speed | 10,000 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Self-propelled | 2.8 mph | 70 minutes |
| TimeMaster | 3.2 mph | 52 minutes |
Against a capable 30” self-propelled mower, the TimeMaster delivers about 25% faster mowing times. That’s still a significant improvement, but short of the promised 50% reduction.
Time Savings for 1 Acre
Toro specifically claims the TimeMaster can mow 1 acre in 27 minutes. Most standard mowers will take about 45 minutes to mow 1 acre. So for a 1 acre lawn, the TimeMaster does appear to have close to 50% faster mowing time, saving around 18 minutes.
Factors That Impact Time Savings
While the Toro TimeMaster certainly mows faster than regular mowers, there are some important factors that can affect just how much time it saves you:
Yard Conditions
If your yard is perfectly flat and wide open, the TimeMaster will achieve maximum mowing speeds. But real-world conditions like hills, slopes, trees, gardens, and obstacles will force the mower to slow down frequently. So for a very complex yard, the time savings may decrease.
Grass Length and Thickness
Trying to mow extremely tall, thick grass may bog down the TimeMaster and reduce its speed advantage. For maximizing time savings, keep grass a consistent and manageable length for your mower.
Mowing Pattern
The route you mow can also impact time savings. The most efficient patterns involve making longer continuous passes back and forth across the yard. More start-stop mowing, like mowing around flower beds first, decreases efficiency. So plan the best mowing pattern.
User Operation
The skill and experience of the user is a significant factor. Someone very familiar with the TimeMaster and capable of operating it at full speed continuously will see the most time savings versus an inexperienced user.
Conclusion: It Can Cut 30-50% Off Mowing Time
Considering all the evidence, the Toro TimeMaster does generally save 30-50% off mowing time compared to a standard walk-behind mower. The biggest time savings come versus slower push mowers, while the advantage is less pronounced against comparable self-propelled models. Perfect yard and usage conditions can result in 50% faster mowing. But due to real-world factors, many users find the TimeMaster saves them 30-40% of mowing time, which is still substantial.
For homeowners tired of spending their whole Saturday mowing, or for landscaping pros who need to cut more yards each day, a 30-50% reduction in mowing time with the Toro TimeMaster can make a significant difference over the course of a mowing season.
The dual-blade cutting system allows the TimeMaster to achieve noticeably faster mowing speeds. And while the 50% time savings claim may be slightly exaggerated, this mower still represents a major upgrade over even other self-propelled mowers for mowing large areas efficiently.
If saving time on lawn mowing is a priority for you, the Toro TimeMaster is worth the investment. Just make sure to operate it in the most time-efficient ways to maximize the time savings you’ll gain over a standard mower.