Electric lawn mower?

GhostOfTomJoad

GhostOfTomJoad

500+ Posts
I'm looking to get rid of the 10 year old, hand-me down Sears gas mower my dad gave me awhile ago & replace it w/ something more enviro-friendly. I've been doing a lot of research & right now it seems like the Black & Decker Lawn Hog electric (corded, not the battery unit) is quite a lot of mower for about $200. It mulches, is quiet, no gas, oil, exhaust, etc. It shouldn't have any problem w/ my lawn (about 115' x 65' w/ a few trees in front & a large deck in back).

Anybody have any experience w/ this particular mower or electric mowers in general? Thanks for the tips.
 
its a pain in the ***....always having to watch where the cord is...having to go in a certain direction due to being attached to the cord...just use gas....1 person using electric isnt going to make that big a difference.
 
I understand the challenge of mowing w/ something that's plugged in (sage advice, unpainted
tongue.gif
), but I'm really curious to hear from someone who has owned/operated an electric mower, preferably for a few years. My wife has some concerns about the durability. I'm really intrigued about the possibility of not inhaling exhaust fumes for 30-45 minutes while cutting the grass.
 
I had one a couple of years ago and hated it, for the reasons addressed above. You have no idea how much of a hassle a cord on a mower is until you use one, and don't even think about going light on horsepower.

If you get electric, pay the $$$ and get a bigger battery unit, else stick with gas ... the corded mowers aren't close to worth the hassle.
 
You can trade in your old gas mower for a discount on a new Black & Decker electric one at the Round Rock Home Depot this weekend.

The Link

According to the link. the mower you're looking at is only $140 after your trade in.
 
GOTJ - my parents have used an electric mower for about seven years now - when I was still in HS, I mowed our yard with it. There are pros and cons, just like anything else. The thing is light - my little sister (15 years old) now mows the lawn, because the mower is so friendly. You are far less tired after you're done. The mower is quiet - I could carry on a conversation with someone across the yard AS I was mowing. The mower is extremely enviro-friendly, as has already been discussed. Durability hasn't looked to be a problem - our backyard is hilly and quite rocky, but that little mower just keeps plugging along. Most of the cons have already been discussed, most notably the downside of having to drag a cord along when you mow. I've found that a little planning helps to mitigate that annoyance, tho - if you mow in back and forth strips (as opposed to big loops), the cord stays on one side of the mower and is fairly out-of-the-way. Additionally, plan to mow the yard in sections, to minimize the amount of cord-moving that you have to do. It's really not too bad, and for me, the benefits of less exertion and earth-friendly were big winners.

Oh, and I hated the mower with a passion when we first got it. I refused to use it - I'd just drag out the old gas mower. But I grew to like the thing, and now I'll probably buy one of my own, provided my yard isn't too big once I buy my house.
 
Thanks for the tips, especially about the rebate @ HD this weekend for trading in an old gas mower. I've decided that I'm indeed gonna be mowing with a cord. My wife really did a lot of research, too, and she's really sold on the positive environmental impact of switching to an electric mower. In the big scheme of things it might not make a huge impact on Austin's air quality, but maybe I'll feel like it will in my backyard.
 
I got one recently, and you are going to make a difference in Austin's air quality. Mowers pollute more than several cars, as stated. They are awful in the pollution department (gas mowers, that is). Austin is about to be a failing air quality city like Dallas, Houston, El Paso, Longview, Beaumont. The more people get cordless mowers, the better for Austin's chances of avoiding increased regulations regarding air quality.
I was worried about using the cord, and I have a fair-sized yard, so I got a cordless one. It works great, is fairly quiet (you can mow early on weekends without having the neighbors throw large items at you), and starts instantly. No more cussing and yanking the starting rope eighteen times every time the mower gets hot-hurray! The cordless is fairly large, and not real light to push, so this may be a consideration. The wife thought we should get the corded unit, but I thought it would be too irritating for the size yard we have, plus I can't even vacuum without shredding the power cord indoors. It's the only way to go, unless you need a tractor for acerage.
 
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