I’ve been mowing my lawn with an electric lawn mower for nine years. The original mower lasted less than 3 mowing seasons and, thankfully, that particular company is no longer in the electric mower business. I’ve experienced both the good and the bad in these mowers and now know what I’ll never buy again and what I’m looking for when I’m ready to replace my current machine.
Electric mowers are designed as either corded or cordless. The corded mowers have the advantage of being extremely lightweight. Some are around 50 pounds. The disadvantage is having to drag an extension cord around the yard with you. I mow a small lot (about 2000 square feet) with a corded mower and have learned how to maneuver without getting tangled in the cord or running over it. I’ve only run over the cord once in nine years!
Cordless mowers are powered by a rechargeable battery. The obvious advantage of a cordless model is not having to use a cord. The disadvantages include the increased weight. Some may weigh nearly 100 pounds. In addition, the battery life can be affected by tall or wet grass. Most batteries last for about one hour of mowing, but this goes down in adverse mowing conditions. After a few warm, rainy days during which the grass grew fast and tall, I’ve watched my neighbor who mows with a cordless electric mower have to do the yard in shifts, waiting for the battery to recharge. In general, these rechargeable batteries last about two years before they need to be replaced.
The big advantage of either design is not having to deal with gasoline, oil, spark plugs or filters. You simply turn it on and go. In addition, they are much quieter than gas-powered mowers, don’t pollute the air and are inexpensive to operate. Except for occasionally getting the blade sharpened or brushing grass debris from the deck, electric mowers require no regular maintenance. The disadvantage is that electric mowers are only suitable for small yards. I can do my yard with a 100-foot extension cord connected to an outside outlet to do the back and to an outlet in the garage to mow the front. If your grass is short, mowed regularly and you’re a fast mower, a cordless mower is appropriate for a yard of less than 1/3 acre (about 15,0000 square feet) or one hour of mowing time.
Finally, experience tells me that you should purchase an electric mower with the widest mowing path available. My first was only 15 inches and I felt like I mowed forever without making any progress. My current model has a 19-inch blade and that’s the minimum width I recommend to anyone who needs to mow a full yard.
With those basics in mind, here are the five electric mowers I would recommend:
1. Black and Decker Cordless 19″ 24V Cordless Mulching Mower Model# CMM1200 . The 24-volt battery gives this mower enough juice to mow up to 1/3 of an acre. It comes with a mulching blade and a bagger. It charges completely in 10 hours and up to 60% in 4 hours. Like all cordless mowers, grass conditions will effect the battery life while mowing. It ways 76 pounds and features one-touch height adjustment. It is covered by Black and Decker’s 2-year warranty. This is the mower for the homeowner who has a moderate size yard and wants to transition from a gas-powered mower to electric. Sears carries the CMM1200 for around $500 .
2. Black and Decker Corded 19″ Electric LAWNHOG™ Mulching Mower with Rear-Bag Model# MM875 . This would be my choice if I was buying a new mower this spring. It includes one-touch height adjustment, a 12 AMP motor to make sure there’s plenty of mowing power, mulching blade, bagger and optional side chute, and weighs just 52 pounds. It’s ideal for the homeowner with a small yard who can easily mow with at 100-foot power cord. This mower comes with Black and Decker’s 2-year warranty. This mower can be purchased at Sears for around $250 . While at Sears, compare prices with the Craftsman electric models, also manufactured by Black and Decker.
3. Homelite 20″ Cordless Electric Mower Model# UT13122 . This mower has a steel deck, 24-volt battery, mulching blade, bagger, side chute, and LCD power level display. The 20-inch deck gives plenty of mowing width, but the weight of 97 pounds may make it unappealing to some homeowners. In addition, the deck is not listed as rust-proof. However, for the homeowner who feels more comfortable with a mower that looks more like a traditional model the steel design and large wheels are a bonus. It comes with a 2-year limited warranty from Homelite and can be purchased at Home Depot for a little over $300 .
4. Homelite 20″ Corded Electric Mower Model# UT13120 . This mower also comes with a steel deck but is not rust resistant. It weighs in at a more manageable 52 pounds while still including the nice wide 20-inch cutting path, mulching blade and bagger. Like its Black and Decker counterpart, it has a 12-volt motor. It’s priced a little lower than the B&D; model at just over $200 at Home Depot and come with a limited 2-year warranty.
5. Neuton 19″ 36V CE 6.2 Battery-Powered Mower . This mower doesn’t even try to look like a traditional gas-powered machine. It comes standard with a bagger, mulching plug and side chute. The battery is removable for recharging and the company offers an extra battery for sale for around $100. It mows up to 1/3 acre or 1 hour like the Black and Decker. The battery takes 12 hours to recharge and the company says it should last 5 years with proper care. One of the pluses for this cordless model is that it only weighs 69 pounds. Base price is around $470 and with an accessories package of extra blade, trimmer attachment and spare battery for around $200. It can be purchased online at neutonpower.com.
Overall, I like the Black and Decker machines because of the well-known brand name, the reliability and the ease of availability. The Homelite mowers come in second. The Neuton has its fans, but if you run into problems you probably won’t find a local repair shop who can help you.
