Electric Lawn Mower

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

need a new lawn mower. the old craftsman has seen its last days. contemplating an electric mower (cordless) rather than gas. read a lot on line about pros/cons and seems like they have come a long way in the past few years. I like the idea of not messing with gas, oil, pull cord, etc. but I'm still a bit skeptical about performance. anyone here have first hand experience?

[NorthSideSox72]

I had TWO, and have some info for ya.

 

First for comparison sake for you, our lot is a corner lot about 60 by 120, average house footprint, but a lot of garden landscaping. Overall not a very big lawn, but not small either.

 

With a relatively small lawn, decided to give the electric a try - got a battery-power one from Home Depot, I forget the brand. Had a 30 day return policy, so I thought, might as well try. Price same as similar gas mower, less noise, no gas/oil, cheaper to run. Worked great first year - usually finished the lawn with about 30% of the battery remaining. Cutting job was OK, not the best I've seen, but just fine for me. Quiet, charged quick, lived up to expectations.

 

Went to charge it back up after the first winter, did what you should do with stored batteries - ran it down a little, then fully charged it. Well, it did about a quarter of the lawn before it died. Figured it was the winter, so I charged it full again, let it sit, charged it full yet again, then tried it. Was even worse. Batteries were trashed after sitting for one frickin' winter. And of course, the mower has a 2 year warranty... except the battery, which is 1 year. Missed it by a month.

 

Bought a new battery. Worked great at first, seemed just as good as it was when new. Later in the summer, started having trouble finishing the lawn. Did some interwebbing, says to keep the battery plugged in over the winter, so I did that.

 

Next spring? Dead again, battery barely worked. Also by this point, after just two years of use, a couple plastic parts started acting funny, just not a quality build. Since the mower itself was still under warranty and it had other flaws, I managed to trade it in for a different brand electric, this one a Black and Decker (Home Depot was pretty good about this). That one I returned in a couple weeks because it couldn't finish the lawn on even the first shot!

 

Finally gave in and bought a gas Honda mower, which has worked fantastically for 2 years.

 

It's a great concept, but the batteries - both the OEM ones and the aftermarket ones from a different manufacturer - just don't last. I don't recommend it.

 

ONE NOTE - These are the battery powered ones. Plug-in ones may be fine, I don't know, but those weren't practical for me.

 

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

I had TWO, and have some info for ya.

 

First for comparison sake for you, our lot is a corner lot about 60 by 120, average house footprint, but a lot of garden landscaping. Overall not a very big lawn, but not small either.

 

With a relatively small lawn, decided to give the electric a try - got a battery-power one from Home Depot, I forget the brand. Had a 30 day return policy, so I thought, might as well try. Price same as similar gas mower, less noise, no gas/oil, cheaper to run. Worked great first year - usually finished the lawn with about 30% of the battery remaining. Cutting job was OK, not the best I've seen, but just fine for me. Quiet, charged quick, lived up to expectations.

 

Went to charge it back up after the first winter, did what you should do with stored batteries - ran it down a little, then fully charged it. Well, it did about a quarter of the lawn before it died. Figured it was the winter, so I charged it full again, let it sit, charged it full yet again, then tried it. Was even worse. Batteries were trashed after sitting for one frickin' winter. And of course, the mower has a 2 year warranty... except the battery, which is 1 year. Missed it by a month.

 

Bought a new battery. Worked great at first, seemed just as good as it was when new. Later in the summer, started having trouble finishing the lawn. Did some interwebbing, says to keep the battery plugged in over the winter, so I did that.

 

Next spring? Dead again, battery barely worked. Also by this point, after just two years of use, a couple plastic parts started acting funny, just not a quality build. Since the mower itself was still under warranty and it had other flaws, I managed to trade it in for a different brand electric, this one a Black and Decker (Home Depot was pretty good about this). That one I returned in a couple weeks because it couldn't finish the lawn on even the first shot!

 

Finally gave in and bought a gas Honda mower, which has worked fantastically for 2 years.

 

It's a great concept, but the batteries - both the OEM ones and the aftermarket ones from a different manufacturer - just don't last. I don't recommend it.

 

ONE NOTE - These are the battery powered ones. Plug-in ones may be fine, I don't know, but those weren't practical for me.

great info. that is exactly my fear. just like any other battery-powered device (cell phone. laptop, etc.), my fear is that it would start out fine but quickly lose capacity over time. didn't realize it would be that quick though!

[NorthSideSox72]

great info. that is exactly my fear. just like any other battery-powered device (cell phone. laptop, etc.), my fear is that it would start out fine but quickly lose capacity over time. didn't realize it would be that quick though!

Neither did I. I have a battery-powered trimmer and lots of other battery-powered tools that have lasted for years just fine.

 

[Iwritecode]

I use an electric mower for the lot at the campground my trailer is on. Its corded though. It works ok but it’s a really small area. Gas mowers seem to do a better job overall.

[StrangeSox]

I need a new mower this year and I've been tempted by the cordless ones. Glad to hear some first-hand feedback confirming what I worried about.

[NorthSideSox72]

I need a new mower this year and I've been tempted by the cordless ones. Glad to hear some first-hand feedback confirming what I worried about.

Yeah, I really wanted it to work. It was so quiet, cutting was fine, easy to push, no gas or oil to deal with. But the battery and charging technology just isn't good enough for it to be practical, it appears.

 

[EvilMonkey]

OK, I have a brother in law that uses a battery mover for the last few years and i recalled that he had nothing but positive things to say. So I emailed him and here is what he said:

 

I have a Black & Decker CM1936. It runs off a battery that has to be charged. It takes about 12 hours for a full charge and lasts about 1 hour in normal grass. If the grass is higher or wet it might only go about 45 minutes. I never had a problem finishing my lawn on a single charge. That is my front, side, and all around the back. I’m very happy with how it works and you don’t have to worry about gas or oil. The battery is about the size and weight of a car battery. In 3 years I’ve had no problems and the battery holds its charge.

 

 

[Jenksismyhero]

What's this problem with gas and oil? Admittedly my cheap Toro mower is all of 3 years old, but I spend about 10 minute each year cleaning the air filter and lubricating a few things and it's good to go. I probably should change the oil this year. Haven't done that yet and I think it's recommended annually.

[StrangeSox]

Small two-stroke engines are particularly bad polluters (no real emissions controls or requirements). They're also loud and smelly. Plus it sucks when you go to cut the grass and realize you need to run to the gas station first.

[NorthSideSox72]

OK, I have a brother in law that uses a battery mover for the last few years and i recalled that he had nothing but positive things to say. So I emailed him and here is what he said:

 

I have a Black & Decker CM1936. It runs off a battery that has to be charged. It takes about 12 hours for a full charge and lasts about 1 hour in normal grass. If the grass is higher or wet it might only go about 45 minutes. I never had a problem finishing my lawn on a single charge. That is my front, side, and all around the back. I’m very happy with how it works and you don’t have to worry about gas or oil. The battery is about the size and weight of a car battery. In 3 years I’ve had no problems and the battery holds its charge.

 

Glad it worked for someone. Maybe my lawn is just bigger or harder to cut, but that doesn't explain the batteries failing to survive a winter.

 

What's this problem with gas and oil? Admittedly my cheap Toro mower is all of 3 years old, but I spend about 10 minute each year cleaning the air filter and lubricating a few things and it's good to go. I probably should change the oil this year. Haven't done that yet and I think it's recommended annually.

 

Not a huge problem, just a pain to have to get gas for it, check oil and add. Plus the are louder, you breathe in fumes, etc. None of those things are the end of the world, but it was nice for a while to not have them.

 

[JPN366]

Use weed and grass killer, problem solved. Grass is the devil.

[StrangeSox]

I agree that grass lawns are probably one of the stupidest things we do as a society.

[Jenksismyhero]

I agree that grass lawns are probably one of the stupidest things we do as a society.

 

What's the alternative? Bare earth or concrete? No thanks.

Edited April 10, 2014 by Jenksismybitch

[NorthSideSox72]

What's the alternative? Bare earth or concrete? No thanks.

Some places, like in the southwest, the towns actually forbid grass lawns. Or require use of grey water only. People xeriscape instead.

 

[EvilMonkey]

What's the alternative? Bare earth or concrete? No thanks.

I wouldn't mind decking over about half my back yard. My WALLET would, but I wouldn't.

[Jenksismyhero]

Some places, like in the southwest, the towns actually forbid grass lawns. Or require use of grey water only. People xeriscape instead.

 

Well that I can understand. But in the midwest, not sure what your alternative is. And if you let it go it looks like crap which drops your property value and the value of the homes around you.

[StrangeSox]

What's the alternative? Bare earth or concrete? No thanks.

 

Non-grass lawns and other landscaping. You can use all sorts of plants like clovers, thyme, low-growing flowers, etc. The idea of a watered, fertilized and manicured grass lawn didn't really take off until the 50's.

 

Well that I can understand. But in the midwest, not sure what your alternative is. And if you let it go it looks like crap which drops your property value and the value of the homes around you.

 

Yeah, not wanting to be the neighborhood weirdo is the reason we haven't done this yet. But if it's well-done its way less maintenance and looks nicer, at least imo. My backyard is getting more and more filled with clover, which I'm 100% fine with. Stays as low or lower than grass, gives nice flowers a few times a year and attracts bees and other insects. Better than a lawn which is actually a pretty barren landscape. clover also naturally pulls nitrogen back into the soil, so you don't have to spread fertilizer everywhere.

 

edit: lots of older homes, like say the cathedral district in Joliet or the older parts of Urbana, will have fully landscaped front yards like this instead of grass:

 

Edited April 10, 2014 by StrangeSox

[NorthSideSox72]

I know a retired couple with a cabin up in SW Wisconsin. They have 7 acres, but for the area right around their house, they just chopped out the smallish trees, and then they just mow the ground cover down to lawn length. Looks almost like normal grass. Most of the acreage they just leave as forest though.

 

[Jenksismyhero]

Non-grass lawns and other landscaping. You can use all sorts of plants like clovers, thyme, low-growing flowers, etc. The idea of a watered, fertilized and manicured grass lawn didn't really take off until the 50's.

 

 

 

Yeah, not wanting to be the neighborhood weirdo is the reason we haven't done this yet. But if it's well-done its way less maintenance and looks nicer, at least imo. My backyard is getting more and more filled with clover, which I'm 100% fine with. Stays as low or lower than grass, gives nice flowers a few times a year and attracts bees and other insects. Better than a lawn which is actually a pretty barren landscape. clover also naturally pulls nitrogen back into the soil, so you don't have to spread fertilizer everywhere.

 

edit: lots of older homes, like say the cathedral district in Joliet or the older parts of Urbana, will have fully landscaped front yards like this instead of grass:

 

 

I would think that unless you're building from scratch, trying to change a grass lawn into something more natural is going to cost more than just mowing it 20-25 times a year. Even if you let the clover try and take over it's difficult to do naturally, and when it's a gigantic patch it just looks bad (at least in my yard it does).

 

Although right now my lawn looks awful. I had a grub problem 2 seasons ago. Dug up lots of little patches in my yard and planted new seed, so the grass is a different shade of green. Hopefully that works itself out over time. I've also got a big patch about 6 feet square where a big tree used to be before we moved in. The prior owners sodded it over when we bought the place, so it looked perfect, but after a few years the ground has settled and the gigantic root that they did not burn out or take out (they did it the lazy way) is basically at ground level, meaning no grass will grow. I've tried dumping more dirt on it and planting grass seed, but only parts of it took and the part that did, again, is a different shade. Add to that my nice 10x10 section where the dog had to do its business for the last 3 months. Totally burned yellow/brown. Luckily this is all in the backyard, but it's a little embarrassing when we have big bbq's in the summer. Hopefully I can get it all taken care of before the first one.

 

So yeah, lawns are not much work and can look nice.

[iamshack]

Non-grass lawns and other landscaping. You can use all sorts of plants like clovers, thyme, low-growing flowers, etc. The idea of a watered, fertilized and manicured grass lawn didn't really take off until the 50's.

 

 

 

Yeah, not wanting to be the neighborhood weirdo is the reason we haven't done this yet. But if it's well-done its way less maintenance and looks nicer, at least imo. My backyard is getting more and more filled with clover, which I'm 100% fine with. Stays as low or lower than grass, gives nice flowers a few times a year and attracts bees and other insects. Better than a lawn which is actually a pretty barren landscape. clover also naturally pulls nitrogen back into the soil, so you don't have to spread fertilizer everywhere.

 

edit: lots of older homes, like say the cathedral district in Joliet or the older parts of Urbana, will have fully landscaped front yards like this instead of grass:

 

At some point in the next 3-5 years, I need to do this. I have a huge 1 acre yard and while I live in the middle of the desert, one would think I live in Eugene, OR with how green the grass is and the number of mature trees I have. We are on a private well, otherwise there would be major incentives provided by the municipality to switch to some other form of landscaping.

 

I feel horrible about this. We will use a million gallons of water this year. We probably spend $7000-7500 for it.

 

However, I'm not going to just let the whole lot turn brown and have all these trees dying and falling on my house.

 

The plan is to put in a pool next year, then the following year a new fence, and then probably some form of xeriscaping/drought-tolerant grasses the following year.

 

I literally get sick to my stomach watching the sprinklers though.

 

Edit: oh, and my parents live in the cathedral area of Joliet...some of the homes there are just gorgeous.

Edited April 10, 2014 by iamshack

[StrangeSox]

Some how I completely blanked on my neighbor's heavily landscaped yard:

That was last summer, when a lot of the landscaping was still struggling to recover from the drought we had the year before. But this cost him something like $30k to do. That's a lot of lawn mowers and gas.

 

[StrangeSox]

So, anyway, back to the actual topic, does anyone have recommendations on a decent self-propelled mower?

[Jenksismyhero]

This is basically what I have, but a version from 3 years ago. Not sure if anything has changed on it:

 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Toro-22-in-High...08?N=5yc1vZc5ap

 

I have a little less than half an acre lot with a decent sized deck and patio and a few trees. Takes me about 45-50 minutes to mow everything. I fill up my 5 gallon can of gas and never get through all of it in one season.

Edited April 11, 2014 by Jenksismybitch

[mr_genius]

I had TWO, and have some info for ya.

 

First for comparison sake for you, our lot is a corner lot about 60 by 120, average house footprint, but a lot of garden landscaping. Overall not a very big lawn, but not small either.

 

With a relatively small lawn, decided to give the electric a try - got a battery-power one from Home Depot, I forget the brand. Had a 30 day return policy, so I thought, might as well try. Price same as similar gas mower, less noise, no gas/oil, cheaper to run. Worked great first year - usually finished the lawn with about 30% of the battery remaining. Cutting job was OK, not the best I've seen, but just fine for me. Quiet, charged quick, lived up to expectations.

 

Went to charge it back up after the first winter, did what you should do with stored batteries - ran it down a little, then fully charged it. Well, it did about a quarter of the lawn before it died. Figured it was the winter, so I charged it full again, let it sit, charged it full yet again, then tried it. Was even worse. Batteries were trashed after sitting for one frickin' winter. And of course, the mower has a 2 year warranty... except the battery, which is 1 year. Missed it by a month.

 

Bought a new battery. Worked great at first, seemed just as good as it was when new. Later in the summer, started having trouble finishing the lawn. Did some interwebbing, says to keep the battery plugged in over the winter, so I did that.

 

Next spring? Dead again, battery barely worked. Also by this point, after just two years of use, a couple plastic parts started acting funny, just not a quality build. Since the mower itself was still under warranty and it had other flaws, I managed to trade it in for a different brand electric, this one a Black and Decker (Home Depot was pretty good about this). That one I returned in a couple weeks because it couldn't finish the lawn on even the first shot!

 

Finally gave in and bought a gas Honda mower, which has worked fantastically for 2 years.

 

It's a great concept, but the batteries - both the OEM ones and the aftermarket ones from a different manufacturer - just don't last. I don't recommend it.

 

ONE NOTE - These are the battery powered ones. Plug-in ones may be fine, I don't know, but those weren't practical for me.

 

I had the exact same problem. I would avoid battery electric mowers.