Lawn Mowers - What are your experiences with gas vs cordless electric?

[Buff]

Well, my dad really feels like he needs to buy me a new lawnmower. I have a herniated disc in my back so he came over to cut my lawn while I was at work. I haven't seen the damage yet but he called me to tell me that he needs to buy me a new lawnmower... and that the trampoline needs a new leg. I really don't know what he did but the lawnmower won't start anymore and the blade is all bent to hell in a handbasket.

I pretty much only mulch when I cut the grass, but I don't really like the hastle of dealing with oil changes and the extra maintenance that a gas mower needs. Now a gas power lawnmower can easily mulch. I know that electric mowers mulch too, but I want to know people's experiences with electric mowers and mulching. Are you happy with the job it does or is the gas powered mowers that much better?

This mower used to belong to my dad, he bought it 18 years ago when I worked at Canadian Tire and told him that he needed to get a gas mower instead of his electric mower. That electric mower was probably 15 years old at that time, and it struggled immensely with longer grass. Electric mowers are much more powerful these days but would I be happy with one when I mulch? I pretty much only mulch. What are your experiences with mulching with a cordless electric mower? Is it worth it or should I just stay with gas?

[undercoverbrother]

I thought it was too dry in southern Alberta to mulch effectively.

[troutman]

I bought the Black and Decker SPCM 1936. I don't have a big yard to cut. We only used it once so far, but it cut and bagged nicely. Plenty of charge for my lawn.

2014 Best Electric Mower Comparisons and Reviews
http://electric-lawn-mowers-review.toptenreviews.com/

This 19-inch, 36-volt cordless electric mower is more than capable of creating an enjoyable mowing experience for everybody. This is Black & Decker's first self-propelled mower. It has the ability to bag, discharge or mulch grass clippings, and it does so better than most of its top competitors. On top of the great features, this mower is so easy to use you'll never detest having to cut your grass again.




I think I paid about $100 less than the site suggests at a Home Depot sale.

[Buff]

The grass needs to be dry to properly mulch so the mulching blades can do a better job of cutting down the clippings into smaller pieces so they can "disappear" into your grass.

[Sliver]

I like the power of a gas mower with a Honda Engine. Are electric powerful enough to mulch? My gas engine will mulch absolutely anything into dust, including pine cones. I can't imagine going back to bagging clippings...seems to add a giant unnecessary step, plus I think it's better for the environment to leave the clippings to decompose where you cut them instead of bagging them to be hauled off by a garbage truck.

[killer_carlson]

I have an electric. I've been caught half way through a cut a few times and been unable to finish until it charges, so it looks goofy, but whatevs.

One thing you should know about the rechargables is that they are heavy and they don't self propel. If you aren't a big person and have a large lawn, you may want to think twice on them.

[dsavillian]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I like the power of a gas mower with a Honda Engine. Are electric powerful enough to mulch? My gas engine will mulch absolutely anything into dust, including pine cones. I can't imagine going back to bagging clippings...seems to add a giant unnecessary step, plus I think it's better for the environment to leave the clippings to decompose where you cut them instead of bagging them to be hauled off by a garbage truck.

You can get electric mowers that have enough power to mulch, yeah.

We recently bought a Ryobi 40V cordless and I really like it.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-16-...112A/203362211


Pros

• Really quiet. I can cut my grass at 8am on a weekend and not wake my neighbors.
• I don't have to buy gas.
• Really light and easy to use.
• Push button start. No more struggling to start the mower and looking like an idiot!
• No maintenance! No oil changes!

Cons

• Will require a battery charge if you have a large lawn or are cutting longer grass. I have a standard "new home" lot size, so I can do the whole thing on one charge, but your mileage may vary.
• Charge time. If your battery runs out, you have to charge it to continue. My model came with 2 batteries though, so it's not a huge deal for me.
• Power. Obviously less power than a gas mower, not by much though.

All and all, I'm really happy with the electric. If I keep my grass at a reasonable length and don't cut when it's really wet, I never have to worry about running out of juice mid-cut.

I wouldn't want one if I was on an acreage, but I think it's fine for city use.

[Erick Estrada]

Buy a good Honda gas mower and you will never have to think about buying another lawnmower again.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Popular Mechanics did and article a while back on elec vs gas lawn tools (I freakin LOVE Popular Mechanics) and it was quite interesting.

For those interested:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home...-tools#slide-4

[You Need a Thneed]

I've got a lawnboy commercial gas mower that's about 20 years old now. It has a magnesium deck, it needs virtually zero maintenance, and is so light that there is absolutely no need for it to be self propelled. No problems starting it, even after sitting in the cold shed all winter.

Lawn boy doesn't even make a magnesium deck mower any more. The aluminum ones would have to be at least a couple of pounds heavier.

[Barnes]

I have an electric and one thing that drives me crazy is because it's so heavy, the wheels will flatten the grass when you make a pass and when you come back around it's still flattened and doesn't get cut. A few hours later its stands back up and your lawn can look like you were drunk when you cut it.

[Cheese]

Depends on the size of your lawn.
I have a large lawn and a mulching gas mower is the only solution. I tried an electric (with chord variety) but it was too much of a PITA. My neighbor has a lawn similar to mine and uses a rechargeable electric and quite frankly it does not have even half the cutting power of my gas model. Got mine from Sears 8 years ago and have never had one problem with it. Change the oil, keep it clean and good to go every year.

[Jacks]

I'd never go back to an electric. Every year I pull out the 10 year old Craftsman mower and it starts on the first pull. If you don't want to mess with an oil change check Kijiji, there is probably someone in your neighborhood who does cheap services.

[undercoverbrother]

I have had a Briggs and stratton, Sears mower for 10+ years. I remember buying the floor model and taking it home on the C-train with me from downtown.

I have never ever had an issue with the mower or the engine.

[Buff]

Thanks for the inputs. I think I'm going with gas powered. I just can't convince myself that I'll be happy. I forgot that Sears sold lawn mowers. I should have remembered that. That will be the place my dad would want to go check out first.

Fortunately whether we take my car, his van or my wife's van, we'll have a vehicle capable of carrying the lawnmower, so we won't get the interesting looks that undercoverbrother most certainly received when he took his mower home.

[JeanLucPicard]

btw can the "SAE 30" oil be used in any (gasoline) lawn mower regardless of the lawn mower engine brand? I mean, you dont have to order the exact same container of oil that you got with your initial purchase of the lawn mower right?

[ken0042]

When I had my gas lawn mower overhauled a few years ago, the guy I took it to was able to tell me what I was doing wrong. He said by looking at the engine, I was pushing the "prime" button too many times when starting for the first time. I had an old mower many years ago where you had to feel gas in the prime button before it would start.

If your mower says push twice to prime, only push it twice.

Since then my only issue with my gas mower has been with transporting the jerry can.

[smoothpops]

I bought a corded electric mower from canadian tire under duress 2 years ago(my gas one broke and my lawn was starting to look like a wild field). it's got power, was cheap and its super light and easy to maneuver (which would be good for your back). sounds pretty good right? wrong. never buy corded. never. My lawnmower is going to be the death of me. Either i'm going to run over the cord and electrocute myself or i'm going to suffer a massive coronary episode from the stress of avoiding running over the cord, or from the anger it causes when it gets caught on something (at somepoint last year, im pretty sure the chord got caught up because of a leaf. A FU*&ing LEAF!!). learn from my mistakes, if you're going to go electric, get a cordless. as frustrating as running out battery power might sound, its nothing compared to having your lawnmower constantly succumb to the evils of a hung up cord which results in it coming a jerked halt. it's like when your earbuds get yanked out of your ears due to a wayward doorknob, but 10 times worse.

edit; im getting too angry just thinking about it, i have to go lie down now.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Huh. Informative thread.

I didn't know mulching was a real thing people did. How do you not end up with a lawn (& kids) covered in dead grass clippings?

I also didn't know people did that much work to maintain a lawn mower. I've never touched it other than putting gas in. I think it's almost 15 years old now.

[taco.vidal]

I was always skeptical about mulching mowers. My parents had a Craftsman that "mulched". Essentially it left small piles of grass here and there. When you walked on the grass after cutting it, your shoes would get covered with clippings.

A few years ago when I moved to a larger property I needed a new mower. I did some research and mulching mowers were getting great reviews. The decision came down to a Honda and a Toro. I chose the Toro because I flicked the Toro dealer better. The mulching of this mower is amazing. It will mulch in all conditions and all lengths of grass. I can run my had through the grass after cutting it and almost zero clippings are there. Its so convenient never having to bag and no issues for me with the lawn from mulching. When the blade starts getting dull, I can tell that it starts leaving behind evidence of clippings. Ive got a blade sharpener so its quick to fix but its not a big deal if you've got to take it in.
As for other maintenance, I haven't done a ton. Oil and plug every other year or so.
My old man has a John Deere mower that is probably 35 years old. I bet it hasn't had its oil changed in 20, only oil added and it still runs. I think the spark plug and filters on it have been changed every so often when it sputters but other than that it runs strong.

Originally Posted by Bend it like Bourgeois

Huh. Informative thread.

I didn't know mulching was a real thing people did. How do you not end up with a lawn (& kids) covered in dead grass clippings?

I also didn't know people did that much work to maintain a lawn mower. I've never touched it other than putting gas in. I think it's almost 15 years old now.