When you check out the shelves at the mower store, there are as many electric lawnmowers as gas. Now, as good as it is to have lots of options, it can make choosing a new lawn mower even more difficult. So, how do you decide whether an electric lawn mower is right for you? Well, the first step is to understand the pros and cons of electric lawn mowers.
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Pros and Cons of Electric Lawn Mowers (Overview)
Electric lawnmowers are a popular design that provides an alternative power option to gas-power and manual. With motor and battery technology advances, electric lawnmowers have become a real contender for an alternate power choice. Here are the pros and cons of electric lawnmowers, which set them apart from the competition.
Pros
- Quieter to Operate
- Less Maintenance Than Gas-Powered
- Lower Maintenance Costs
- Light Weight
- Less Pollution
- Less Expensive Entry Models
- No Need to Store Fuel & Oil
Cons
- Shorter Running Time
- Limited Operation Distance
- Restricted To Small/Medium Lawns
- Cords Are an Obstruction
- Less Powerful
Types of Electric Lawn Mower Cordless & Corded
Electric lawnmowers are available in two designs: corded and cordless. Corded lawnmowers need electricity delivered via a power cord connected to an outlet. In contrast, a cordless electric lawn mower relies on a battery to provide the power. So, there are a few differences when it comes to electric power.
Corded lawnmowers are essentially tethered to the outlet with a limit of around 100 feet. While you can extend the power cord, this can lead to issues such as voltage drop and increased current. These problems can cause overheating, reduced power, and long-term damage to your lawn mower. The upside to corded is you always have power.
On the other hand, cordless lawnmowers have the freedom to go anywhere. On the downside, they are limited to the life of their battery. So, your mower might run out of battery power before you finish mowing your lawn.
Pros and Cons of Electric Lawn Mowers (A Closer Look)
So, what’s so great about electric lawnmowers, and why have they become so popular? Well, let’s look at the pros and cons of electric lawnmowers and find out.
Pros of Electric Lawn Mowers
Let’s begin by going over the pros of electric lawnmowers and see how they outshine the alternate options.
Quiet to Operate
The first thing I noticed, which you probably will too, is how quiet electric lawnmowers are. For years, I’ve been used to the roaring of my old gas lawn mower engine and the smell of exhaust fumes. I’ve often disturbed my neighbors’ BBQs with the sound of my gas mower cutting up and down my lawn. I’ve stopped annoying my neighbors since getting an electric lawn mower, plus I can also mow outside of restricted times. No more waiting until 7 a.m. before starting my lawn mower.
Less Maintenance Than Gas-Powered Lawn Mowers
If you take care of your electric lawn mower, you can pretty much get away with just a bit of maintenance. For example, regular maintenance tasks include cleaning your electric lawn mower, lubricating, and replacing motor bushings occasionally. You definitely don’t have to learn basic mechanics or know how combustion engines work. So, no oil changes, carburetor cleaning, or stale gasoline.
Lower Maintenance Costs
Another plus of less maintenance is less maintenance costs. Typically, electric lawnmowers only need replacement bushes. Now, your electric lawn mower might still break down and need repairs, but from a servicing point of view, there is much less to consider. For example, to service a gas lawn mower, you need a spark plug, air filter, fuel filter, and change the oil. When it comes to the servicing requirements for big gas lawnmowers, you might even need to change multiple spark plugs and filters and worry about items like drive and cooling fluids.
Light Weight
Most of the structure of electric lawnmowers is made of plastic instead of metal. Also, the electric motor is significantly smaller than a gas-powered engine. The benefit of this is electric lawnmowers are very lightweight, making them easy to maneuver.
Less Pollution
Electric lawnmowers are generally deemed less polluting than gas-powered alternatives. This isn’t to say that they don’t produce any pollution because electricity must come from somewhere, typically from a power outlet or a battery charger. But, as carbon footprints go, the electric lawnmower is the more environmentally friendly option.
Cheaper Entry Models
If you search around the internet, you’ll quickly start to find entry-level electric lawnmowers around the $100 mark, especially corded lawnmowers. This is simply because electric mowers are made of plastic, have lower requirements for structural strength, and don’t have an expensive gas engine. Now, this can quickly change as you pick better models, as ion lithium batteries can get costly quickly, especially if you have multiple batteries. But, as a general rule, electric lawnmowers are generally more affordable than gas-powered mowers to purchase and service.
No Need to Store Fuel & Oil
For some, not needing to store fuel and oil is reason enough to choose an electric lawn mower vs. a gas lawn mower. The fact that you don’t need to store flammable material or messy liquids can be a bonus for many of us, especially if you need to store your lawn mower inside your home. Many smaller homes or homes without specific storage locations may need to store the mower inside, which isn’t much of a problem if you have an electric mower.
Cons of Electric Lawn Mowers
So far, electric lawnmowers sound like a good choice. But there are a few cons that can make an eclectic lawn mower a bad fit for many lawns. Let’s go over these cons and see if an electric mower is right for your yard.
Shorter Run Times
If you decide to use a battery-powered lawn mower, you’ll need to consider the run time. This is how long the battery will last before it’s flat. Even though modern batteries will last a pretty long time, they won’t run all day. Therefore, a single charge likely won’t be enough if you have a large lawn, so you will have to wait between charges. Now, an easy way around this is to purchase a second battery. But these can be expensive. For example, Black & Decker batteries start at about $50, whereas a Honda battery can cost more than $150. So, if you need the extra battery life, check out the cost of a second battery first.
Limited To Small/Medium Lawns
You could have a box full of batteries all charged and ready to go, so if you have a large lawn, you could get it done without too much of a problem. But this isn’t very realistic. Most of us have one battery or maybe two at most. Also, you should only use your corded mower with its maximum length cord recommendation. So, a corded mower isn’t appropriate if your lawn is over this distance. Therefore, battery or corded lawnmowers are not the best option for larger lawns.
Cords Are an Obstruction
Mowing with a corded lawn mower can sometimes be a little awkward. This is because you are always trailing a cord behind the lawn mower. So, this means you have to be very careful not to mow over the cable. With planning, you can figure out the best route so the cable doesn’t get in the way. For example, if you start mowing close to the outlet and then move away from it, you are unlikely to run over the cord with each pass. But this is easier said than done.
Less Powerful than Gas Lawnmowers
Another con is that electric lawnmowers typically have less power than gas mowers, especially when comparing equal valve gas vs. electric lawnmowers. This isn’t to say they are all less powerful, but as a general rule, they are. So, if you have a lawn that is pretty tough to cut, like with quick-growing grass or grass that is often damp, then an electric lawn mower may struggle.
Corded Vs. Cordless (Which Is Best?)
Now that you know the pros and cons of electric lawnmowers, it’s time to figure out which type is right for your yard. The main difference between corded and cordless electric lawnmowers is the cord/batteries and the restricted/unrestricted scenarios they create. Here are my recommendations when picking between a corded vs. cordless electric lawn mower.
Corded Vs. Cordless Lawn Mower (My Recommendations )
Here are a few examples of different scenarios that might match your lawn. The “Best Choice” column is the decision I would make if I were going to pick between a corded and cordless lawnmower.
| SCENARIO | BEST CHOICE |
|---|---|
| Small Lawn | Corded |
| Medium Lawn | Battery/Corded |
| Large Lawn | Neither |
| Small/Medium lawn that takes a long time to mow | Corded |
| Section of lawn far from an outlet | Battery |
| Medium Lawn that is quick to mow | Battery/Corded |
| Lawn with trees and flower bed | Battery |
Electric Lawn Mowers Potential Problems
Before you head to the store to pick out a lawn mower, it’s worth looking at some of the issues associated with electric lawnmowers. Here are a few examples of the problems an electric lawn mower can have:
- Electric Lawn Mower Won’t Start
- Electric Lawn Mower Keeps Stopping
- Electric Lawn Mower Starts, Then Dies
If you run into one of these problems, you’ll need to diagnose the electrical system. This could include doing one of the following repairs:
Still not sold on getting an electric mower? Check out my blog on gas vs. electric lawnmowers to see if a gas mower is a better fit for you.
