What Are Electric Lawn Mowers?
Every spring, millions of people across the country pull their old, gas-powered lawn mowers out of their garages and sheds and are met with an all too familiar feeling — the mower won’t start. It’s always something with the oil, or the gas, or the spark plugs, or any other part of the mower that didn’t survive the winter. That doesn’t always have to be the case, however, as electric mowers come into prominence.
In today’s world of ever-advancing technology, electric lawn mowers — both corded and battery-operated — have become more and more popular with consumers all over the country and abroad. These environmentally friendly mowers are certainly all the rage. But what are they and how do they compare?
Electric lawn mowers work in the same way that gas-powered mowers operate, but use a power cord or battery in place of a gas motor. They still cut grass, they still make noise, and they’ll still jam up if you try to push them too hard after not cutting your grass for a few weeks.
Here are just a few of the most popular electric mowers.
The Best Electric Lawn Mowers (Corded)
If you have a smaller yard or an extremely long extension cord, then buying a corded electric lawn mower isn’t a bad idea. You might lose out on some of the freedom of the cordless or gas-powered mowers, but finding those types mowers at these prices isn’t the easiest of tasks.
Greenworks 16-Inch 10-AMP Corded Electric Lawn Mower
There are a lot of fancy and powerful electric lawnmowers out there, but sometimes you just need something simple and cheap to get a relatively small job done. That’s where the Greenworks line of electric lawnmowers come in.
The company offers a 16-inch corded model that will cost you around $100 on Amazon and comes loaded with features that will make cutting your grass a breeze:
- 10-amp electric motor
- 16-inch cutting deck
- 5 height adjustments
- 7-inch rear wheels; 6-inch front wheels
Black+Decker 20-Inch 13-Amp Corded Mower
Black+Decker is one of the premier names in the lawn mower industry, and so it was only a matter of time before the power tool behemoth introduced an electric model.
If you’re looking for a nice electric mower with a decent amount of power and a wide cutting deck but don’t want to commit to the price of a cordless option, then this Black+Decker offering is the mower for you. For around $190, you can get all of these features:
- 13-amp electric motor
- 20-inch cutting deck
- 7 height adjustments
- 13-gallon nylon grass collection bag
Scotts 20-Inch Steel Deck 12-Amp Corded Electric Lawn Mower
Scotts is mostly known for its premium grass seeds and turf builders, but you can add electric lawn mowers to the list of products after taking a look at this 20-inch steel deck mower.
For a little more than $180, you can take this efficient and powerful electric mower and cut through just about anything between the mower and a finished job. This mower is also loaded with features:
- 12-amp electric motor
- 20-inch steel cutting deck
- single-point cutting height adjustments
- 3-in-1 mulch, side discharge, rear bagging system
- foldable handle for easy storage
Sun Joe Electric Lawn Mower
Sun Joe is a relatively smaller lawn and outdoor tool company that specializes in developing innovative tools to keep your home looking nice all months of the year. The company’s dedication to high quality and energy efficient power tools is really seen here in this electric lawn mower.
Coming in at around $137, the Sun Joe electric lawn mower won’t require any maintenance (no oil, gas, or tune-ups required) besides cleaning grass and other debris out from around the blade. Here are just some of the features:
- 13-amp electric motor
- 17-inch steel cutting deck
- 7 height control positions
- removable mulch bag
If these corded options don’t do anything for you, there are also plenty of battery-operated electric mowers available for purchase.
The Best Electric Lawn Mowers (Cordless)
If you have an urge to be more environmentally friendly and have a little extra cash, then buying one of the following cordless electric mowers should be the route to take. These mowers aren’t as cheap as the corded or gas-powered models, but they can and will meet your lawn care needs.
Black+Decker 20-Inch 60-Volt Cordless Mower
One of the major issues with the cordless, battery-powered lawn mowers is the battery itself. This Black+Decker cordless electric mower has a workaround for the problem with a two-battery system that allows the user to quickly switch out one battery for the other to continue mowing.
With the inclusion of two lithium batteries, a powerful motor, and the Black+Decker stamp of quality, this mower comes in at a premium price of $382 on Amazon. It’s worth it though, as the two batteries are more than enough to mow the average yard without any disruptions. The mower comes loaded with the following:
- 2 60-volt lithium batteires
- 20-inch cutting deck
- 6 height adjustments
- 3-in-1 mulch configuration
Worx Cordless 14-Inch Mower
If spending close to $400 on a lawn mower isn’t you thing, you can always go with this cordless option from Worx. For a little more than $240, you can have most of the perks of the Black+Decker model for a fraction of the cost.
This 14-inch mower is equipped with patented intellicut technology that delivers power on demand, which can save the battery power for when it’s need the most. And unlike other models, this Worx mower comes with a dual battery charger, so you can charge both batteries simultaneously after each mow. The mower also features the following:
- 40-volt electric motor
- 14-inch cutting deck
- 3 height adjustments
- foam-padded handles for a comfortable grip and reduced fatigue
Makita 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Mower
Makita is not as common a name as Black+Decker or Scotts, but the company’s 18-volt lithium-ion battery-powered cordless mower is something that you should really know about.
Don’t be frightened by the $550 price tag on this monster of an electric mower; it’s worth the price. With a total of four batteries (the mower only runs on two; the other two are included) and an 18-volt electric motor, this mower is going to stand the test of time. You won’t have to worry about the batteries dying thanks to the extra set, so you’ll be able to mow your yard and your neighbors before you even think about recharging. Here are some of the other features included:
- 18-Volt electric motor
- 18-inch steel cutting deck
- 10 height control positions
- 4 batteries
How Do They Compare To Traditional Gas Mowers?
There are a few different factors to consider when deciding between an electric and gas mower.
If you’re concerned with maintenance, the battery-operated and electric mowers will require far less maintenance than their gas counterparts. Besides the occasional cleaning and blade sharpening, there’s not much else. No more oil changes, no more fuel line flushes, and no more figuring out the proper gas mix.
The electric mowers also don’t have any exhaust emissions, so they are inherently more environmentally friendly than standard gas mowers. If the environment is a major concern, then electric is the way to go.
Is there anything that the gas mower can do better than the electric mower? Well, yeah, and this may be a major point for people who have reservations about making the transition. Despite not ranking well in the environmental friendliness and maintenance departments, gas mowers give you the freedom of the battery-powered and corded versions without the drawbacks.
Battery-operated mowers can typically only run for about an hour on a full charge, so unless you have multiple batteries ready, you’re going to have to finish bigger jobs in segments. The corded mowers can keep going and going, but you’re going to be tethered to an extension cord. They typical gas motor (that’s in good condition) is going to be able to run for a few hours before it needs to be refueled, so the gas engine has the upper hand there.
To decide which is the better option depends on your wants and needs from your mower. If you have a small yard and don’t mind being tied to a cord or battery with a short life, then electric is the way for you.
