We recently purchased our first home and the backyard lawn was absolutely dead. I’ve been working to revive it for a couple months now and slowly, but surely, it has come back to life. So much so, that two weeks ago we decided it was actually time to buy a lawn mower.
Everything I was reading had a great big debate between gas and electric lawn mowers. Supporters of electric mowers talked about how eco-friendly they were and supporters of gas mowers talked about the power and utility. This is a world I absolutely never thought about. It never occurred to me that climate change battles happen in Lowe’s discussion boards.
We opted for a Task Force electric mower; not so much for the environment, but because we have 2 little girls and I don’t want to keep a can of gas and oil around in the garage where they spend a lot of time playing (we’ve arranged the garage so it’s more like a play room). On price, gas and electric were the same.
Anyways, this is my point- I’ve mowed the front and back lawns twice now with the electric lawn mower and I absolutely love it. I can’t tell a difference between this lawn mower and the one I used growing up to mow my parents’ lawn. The only big drawback is that it has to be plugged in while you use it, but it’s no different than a vacuum cleaner.
So, in the argument of more environment-friendly appliances and machinery, chalk up a point for the green team.
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Two of our neighbors have electric mowers. I had never seen one in person until moving onto this street, and my first thought was, “What IS that thing?” It looked as though they were either lazy or too cheap to buy a “real mower.” It looked annoying to deal with the long extension cord, but sounds like it isn’t a problem. I guess I was just ignorant to the whole “electric mower debate.” We have a gas powered motor that was given to us as a house warming gift, so I didn’t ever do research into them.
I do hate how our garage smells like gasoline now.
I just used an electric lawnmower for the first time today. While I was surprised at how powerful it was, the cord bugged me big time. It’s worse than a vacuum because a vacuum only requires one hand to operate, so the other is free to toss the cord wherever it needs to be. Also it starts to get ridiculous when you need to use an extension cord too. Gas all the way, unless your yard is micro.
Thanks for all the info, we may actually get one of these on your recommendation!
It’s also much quieter than a gas lawn mower. Not as quiet as a Prius, but it’s still relatively quiet. I know how much I hate it on Saturday afternoons when I hear a constant din of lawn mowers all around the neighborhood. So it’s great for noise pollution reduction too.
Just wait till you accidentally run over the plug and you’ll know why gas may be better than electric. That’s a difference between the mower and vacuum. Your vacuum won’t cut your cord to shreds and probably electricute you. The convenience of not having to get gas is probably worth the extra care required though.
I’m with Jason. I used to work with a landscape company and if our lines weren’t perfectly straight, we’d have to remow the lawn, even if all we were doing was making straight lines (not cutting any grass). You can’t get straight lines when you’ve got a cord pulling on one side, and resting on the lawn.
Maybe if they come up with a battery version. But then again, it will prob be touted like the Volt - 230 mpg. But then you find out that it costs $40K, and only runs 80 miles per charge, and it has to be plugged in every nights…..
There are cordless electric lawn mowers. But, from what I read, they keep their charge for only about 45 minutes. So they’re ideal for very small grass areas. Having to mow both the front and back yards, 45 minutes wouldn’t be enough. I am now scared to death of running over the cord while mowing. Thanks, Jason.
I had the same thought when I read this. I’m not opposed to electric in anyway, but I would be concerned about running over the cord (not too concerned about being electrocuted, though).
“So, in the argument of more environment-friendly appliances and machinery, chalk up a point for the green team.”
I feel like playing devils advocate.
Is this really more environmentally friendly? Is the environmenal impact of using a can of gasonline in your mower really less than the cost of using the electricity given the coal burning at electrical power plants?
The post states that they cost the same, although I would assume that the electric mower would be lighter? Does that mean that more aluminum was used to make the electric? If so, would the lighter material require more maintenance and have a shorter life-span, creating the need for a second lawn mower purchase in the future?
And on the issue of power. If you are concerned that every blade of grass be cut (doesn’t grass reduce the amount of carbon?), and you have to go over an area multiple times because the electrical mower is not as powerful, have you negated any environmental benefit?
Maybe I am just bored…
Yeah, I think you’re just bored now.
“but it’s no different than a vacuum cleaner.” Except vacuum cleaners don’t destroy themselves. Apparently I’m too late to the discussion for that to be funny.
This is pretty late, but you should probably say, “score one for the just as efficient, quieter, potentially safer team.”