Are Electric Lawn Mowers Worth It?
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Many of us grew up using some form of gasoline-powered lawn mower (click here for our descriptive review). We’re used to the roaring rage and the powerful thumping of their four-cylinder engines. Maybe you’ve never used an electric mower before. Perhaps you’re a new homeowner or a recent high-school graduate just out on their own, or someone who’s looking for something a bit different than your typical gas mower.
Why Should You Even Consider an Electric Mower?
Are cordless electric lawn mowers or battery lawn mowers worth it? It really depends on your needs. First off, electric lawn mowers are a whole lot more reliable and easier to maintain than most gas mowers. This is because they have fewer moving parts under their hood.
As long as you understand an electric machine’s limitations, give it a steady flow of power, and clean it once or twice a year, then it should always start on command. These types of machines are also a heck of a lot quieter than gasoline-powered tools. They produce very little noise pollution and won’t tick off your neighbors.
isn’t too hard to operate. The only two things you have to remember are 1) to mow in a simple grid shape and 2) don’t mow backward! On the other hand, a cordless lawn mower has only about an hour’s worth of charge, so it’s best for smaller lawns.
Both types of mowers above, and all electric mowers in general, have much less horsepower than a gas-powered machine.
How Much Horsepower do Electric Lawn Mowers Have?
An average gas-powered lawn mower can churn out an average of two to four plus horsepower, whereas most non-gas mowers struggle to run about one horsepower consistently. This means they can’t tackle yards that have been allowed to grow for more than one or two weeks.
Even with their limitations, non-gas mowers are great, easy to use, clean on the environment, and oftentimes a lot cheaper to operate than your traditional type of tool. An electric lawn mower is supposed to maintain your lawn regularly. Many non-gas mowers just don’t have the power to cut super tall grass and will stall if you attempt to.
If you buy an electric mower, expect to have to mow your lawn once every week or so in the summer and wet months.
How Much do They Weigh?
On the plus side, non-gas mowers are extremely light, and many of them are comfortable and ergonomically designed. The elderly, partially disabled, and men and women who aren’t quite as strong as others, will likely be able to operate a corded or cordless mower even if they can’t bear to run a gasoline-powered one.
Most non-gas lawn mowers are also very easy and cheaper to repair. However, gasoline mowers are notorious for sometimes being cranky or disobedient and not wanting to start for one reason or another.
Are Electric Lawn Mowers Easy to Fix?
Electric mowers are easy to fix – unless you need a battery or engine, in which case you’re likely best off just buying another machine. All in all, electric mowers are worth it for those who live in suburban areas with small lawns or people who need to mow less than ¼ of an acre of land.