Lawnmowers--Electric vs Gas

AprilH81

I've only owned gas mowers and never really had a problem, but it is annoying to have to have a gas can and remember to get it filled up when you start to run low.  Our current home has lawncare provided by our HOA so I sold my old mower 4 years ago.

We close on our new home in 2 more weeks and we will need to purchase a new mower and  trimmer and I saw that they now have electric versions of both.  They are a little more expensive, but not very much more all things considered.  We will be on 1/4 acre but it is a large house and I would guesstimate it would take about 45 minutes to mow the lawn.

Does anyone have any experience with electric mowers (or trimmers for that matter)?  Pros?  Cons?

ohannabelle

I love love love my electric mower. No gas cans, no problem starting it up, and it's lighter weight than gas. (I have some nasty carpal tunnel and tendinitis going on, so the last two issues really matter to me.)

It's so easy to push that it's just like vacuuming the lawn. I will never go back to gas.

SmileDamnit

I have a Black & Decker electric mower & trimmer and like both just fine. The mower is kind of heavy, but it works well for our medium sized yard. I just charge it the night before and it holds power fine for both front/back yards. FI doesn't love it, though - he prefers gas, though he can't give a good reason why. 

cupcait927

I have no opinon on the mower since I'm not the party responsible for that in my house. FI bought a gas powered mower and was seriously SO EXCITED to mow the lawn for the first time at our new house yesterday. Whatever floats your boat, FI. I didn't even know they had electric lawn mowers until your post but I can see why there would definitely be an advantage.

As far as the trimmer goes, definitely go electric. FMIL and my father both have electric trimmers and heavily advised against us getting gas ones. They both said that the gas trimmers just have way more power than we'd need for our yard and end up being more expensive in the long wrong. We bought a black and decker electric trimmer with a battery included for $50. FMIL suggested just buying a second battery (like $20) in case we have more than 20 mins worth of trimming to do.

AprilH81

ckel24 said:

I have no opinon on the mower since I'm not the party responsible for that in my house. FI bought a gas powered mower and was seriously SO EXCITED to mow the lawn for the first time at our new house yesterday. Whatever floats your boat, FI. I didn't even know they had electric lawn mowers until your post but I can see why there would definitely be an advantage.

As far as the trimmer goes, definitely go electric. FMIL and my father both have electric trimmers and heavily advised against us getting gas ones. They both said that the gas trimmers just have way more power than we'd need for our yard and end up being more expensive in the long wrong. We bought a black and decker electric trimmer with a battery included for $50. FMIL suggested just buying a second battery (like $20) in case we have more than 20 mins worth of trimming to do.

No matter what we will be getting an electric trimmer.  Even though DH will be doing the yardword, I need to be able to use the stuff if he breaks a leg or gets sick.  I used to own a gas trimmer and I could only get it started about 1 in 50 times.  I can use a gas mower, no problem, but I could never get the trimmer started.

wandajune6

I don't have opinions on any of this myself as FI takes care of all lawn work. However, we're looking at replacing our gas mower and FI is vehemently opposed to electric. He has a laundry list of reasons, though I can't remember what they are!

cupcait927

I'll have to ask FI his opinion. I have a feeling he's going to be pro gas for some vague reasons, despite this being the first lawn mower he's ever bought.

Maggie0829

We don't need a mower since we live in a neighborhood where the grass cutting is done for us.  But my parents have an electric mower.  They have a super tiny yard so that is why they went that route. If they had a bigger yard like we used to have (1/2 acre) then a gas mower would be needed.

AprilH81

Maggie0829 said:

We don't need a mower since we live in a neighborhood where the grass cutting is done for us.  But my parents have an electric mower.  They have a super tiny yard so that is why they went that route. If they had a bigger yard like we used to have (1/2 acre) then a gas mower would be needed.

I think we are on the border of having a yard that a 36 volt electric mower can handle on one charge.  The most likely models are about $100 different (gas being cheaper) but with purchasing the gas, maintenance, etc. after a few years the electric would be cheaper in the long run.  

That is assuming they actually cut the grass.  Some of the cheaper models get bad reviews.

littlemushroom

It takes me about an hour to mow our yard, and my dad said that we most likely wouldn't be able to do the entire yard on one charge.  Also, many of the electric ones do not have the power to deal with slightly taller grass (since it can rain here for a week before I get a chance to mow, it happens rather frequently).  So we have gas for both the mower and the trimmer, but they both have electric start which is amazing.  The mower is also personal pace, so it is effortless to push.

mysticl

I loved my electric trimmer.  My advice is go with electric but make sure you get the ones that you charge as opposed to the ones that you have to plug in to use.  The cord may not reach everywhere you want it to go.

cupcait927

As far as gas mowers go and ease of use - FI just bought a huqvarna mower (got a fabulous deal on last year's model at Lowe's a few weeks ago) and it's self propelled. He said it's the best lawn mower he's ever used (mowed his parents lawn for years with a bunch of different mowers) - it's lighter than some other gas mowers and it maneuvers pretty easily. We have a little over half an acre so hearing what some others have said about electric, it sounds like it made more sense for us to go gas powered.

MrsAitch

Hopefully it's not some horrible sin to bump up a week old post, but I am so excited about our new lawn mower. We got one like this:

And it only takes about 20 minutes to mow our little yard with it. I want to mow it every day it's so fun. My husband is laughing at me and wonders how long I will feel this way because what kind of weirdo likes mowing the grass. I hated using my parents' gas mower when I was a kid--it was so loud and would make my hands HURT from the vibrations. And they used to have one that wasn't self propelled and it was so heavy.

Anyway if you have a big yard OP, maybe it'd be much, and you have to worry about sharpening it and probably should use it twice per week because if your grass is too long it will be a lot more difficult--but you don't have to worry about gas or charging it or waking up your neighbors with noise.

flyingfoxes

If I had to buy another mower, I would seriously consider electric.  I ditched my gas trimmer for electric, and like it SO much better.  I hate having to have gas around, and worry about oil, etc. 

AprilH81

MrsAitch said:

Hopefully it's not some horrible sin to bump up a week old post, but I am so excited about our new lawn mower. We got one like this:

And it only takes about 20 minutes to mow our little yard with it. I want to mow it every day it's so fun. My husband is laughing at me and wonders how long I will feel this way because what kind of weirdo likes mowing the grass. I hated using my parents' gas mower when I was a kid--it was so loud and would make my hands HURT from the vibrations. And they used to have one that wasn't self propelled and it was so heavy.

Anyway if you have a big yard OP, maybe it'd be much, and you have to worry about sharpening it and probably should use it twice per week because if your grass is too long it will be a lot more difficult--but you don't have to worry about gas or charging it or waking up your neighbors with noise.

**Stuck in the Damn Box**

DH wanted one of those...  LOL  I do think our yard is too big for one like that, but if DH wants it he can get it.  But if he gets one I'm NEVER mowing the lawn.  lol

AprilH81

MrsAitch said:

Hopefully it's not some horrible sin to bump up a week old post, but I am so excited about our new lawn mower. We got one like this:

And it only takes about 20 minutes to mow our little yard with it. I want to mow it every day it's so fun. My husband is laughing at me and wonders how long I will feel this way because what kind of weirdo likes mowing the grass. I hated using my parents' gas mower when I was a kid--it was so loud and would make my hands HURT from the vibrations. And they used to have one that wasn't self propelled and it was so heavy.

Anyway if you have a big yard OP, maybe it'd be much, and you have to worry about sharpening it and probably should use it twice per week because if your grass is too long it will be a lot more difficult--but you don't have to worry about gas or charging it or waking up your neighbors with noise.

**Stuck in the Damn Box**

DH wanted one of those...  LOL  I do think our yard is too big for one like that, but if DH wants it he can get it.  But if he gets one I'm NEVER mowing the lawn.  lol