Electric lawn mowers

[Jaxcat]

After moving to FL, I bought an all-electric lawn mower for the first time. I've had it a year now - here's my feedback:

Pros:
1. No maintenance - don't have to contend with oil/gas mixture
2. No storage required for oil and gas
3. Easy start - no multiple pulls
4. Batteries - even after a year of use, no measurable degradation of battery life; they last 30-40 minutes on a single charge and take a couple of hours to recharge
5. Minor point but much quieter than a gas mower

Cons:
1. Really just the one: underpowered. Every single swath of cutting leaves a few blades of grass uncut. Not just in the overlap but in the middle of the swath. We have a pretty thick lawn of St. Augustine grass and every swath there are blades missed. I had a similar lawn in Houston with a gas mower and NEVER had this problem. The all-electric also gets bogged down/struggles in grass shorter than the gas mower ever did. All but one of my neighbors have electric mowers and have the same complaint, so I don't think it's brand/model specific. The one who has a gas mower does not have this problem. And I've tried to remedy this by making narrower cuts, walking slower, raising the cutting blades - nope, still a blade here or there uncut about every 3-4 feet. So, when I'm done cutting the yard, I can look at it and see a few uncut blades sticking up all over. Picky, yes, but still a bit exasperating.

Overall, the experience has been positive. I would probably not buy a gas mower when this electric one craps out. But, they are NOT just as good in my experience. It does the job reasonably well but not as good as a gas mower.

Any others with the same complaint?

[BlueHeaven]

I can't chime in with my own experience, but my neighbor had one for a bit and it would leave the same results for her as it does for you. She's back to a gas mower now. Dad bought a nice Kobalt mower from Lowes. Nice mower that came with two big batteries. He used it once and got rid of it. It's all personal preference but give me a gas mower over electric.

[Matt Dillon]

I can't chime in with my own experience, but my neighbor had one for a bit and it would leave the same results for her as it does for you. She's back to a gas mower now. Dad bought a nice Kobalt mower from Lowes. Nice mower that came with two big batteries. He used it once and got rid of it. It's all personal preference but give me a gas mower over electric.

Same here. Perhaps I'm just old-fashioned but I don't want any elect. powered lawn maintenance equipment. Everything we owned is gas powered.

[Pete Hogwallop]

I brought an electric this year and wouldn't go back to gas. The noise level is one of the biggest reasons I got it. I love how quiet it is. I wish all my neighbors would get them instead of those Zero Turn B12 bombers they all use on 1/3 acre lawns. 🙂

Mine came with 2 batteries and they each charge in about 30 minutes. Usually only one of them is dead after almost an hour of mowing.

I love not dealing with gas and I think it cuts as good as my previous gas powered one.

I have a Greenworks, by the way.

[Catsrock]

Bought a Craftsman from Lowes. Liked it. Battery went caput in around 3 years. Craftsman had quit making the battery. No one made an aftermarket equivalent. Threw away the mower in nearly perfect condition. Useless. Thanks Craftsman. Thanks for warning me Lowes.

[Matt Dillon]

Bought a Craftsman from Lowes. Liked it. Battery went caput in around 3 years. Craftsman had quit making the battery. No one made an aftermarket equivalent. Threw away the mower in nearly perfect condition. Useless. Thanks Craftsman. Thanks for warning me Lowes.

The Craftsman name used to mean something when they were aligned with Sears. I don't know a lot about Craftsman products now, but I don't think they're nearly as good as they used to be.

[BlueHeaven]

The Craftsman name used to mean something when they were aligned with Sears. I don't know a lot about Craftsman products now, but I don't think they're nearly as good as they used to be.

They're not. Can't speak for their tools, but the lawn equipment is not made to last like they used to.

[Old School]

Does anyone have any first or second hand experience with those electric mowers that are like Roombas and go out to mow lawns on their own?

[Pete Hogwallop]

Does anyone have any first or second hand experience with those electric mowers that are like Roombas and go out to mow lawns on their own?

Not me. And I'm morally opposed to those. I love getting out of the house, away from the wife, and getting a little exercise. And the ice cold beer I drink in the garage after. I don't want robots to take that away from me. It's practically Un-American.

[Jaxcat]

I brought an electric this year and wouldn't go back to gas. The noise level is one of the biggest reasons I got it. I love how quiet it is. I wish all my neighbors would get them instead of those Zero Turn B12 bombers they all use on 1/3 acre lawns. 🙂

Mine came with 2 batteries and they each charge in about 30 minutes. Usually only one of them is dead after almost an hour of mowing.

I love not dealing with gas and I think it cuts as good as my previous gas powered one.

I have a Greenworks, by the way.

I've got a Greenworks, also. It does a reasonably good job but the missed blades just gets under my skin. But, it's getting harder to find gas powered mowers anymore. Think my local HD only carries one. I'll buy another electric when the time comes and get some therapy to deal with the uncut blades.

[Catsrock]

Not me. And I'm morally opposed to those. I love getting out of the house, away from the wife, and getting a little exercise. And the ice cold beer I drink in the garage after. I don't want robots to take that away from me. It's practically Un-American.

Cold beer I’m my garage too for anyone who wants to do my weed-eating. Zero turn is all me though. 2.5 acres (not 1/3rd acre) 😁

[Jeffky62]

After moving to FL, I bought an all-electric lawn mower for the first time. I've had it a year now - here's my feedback:

Pros:
1. No maintenance - don't have to contend with oil/gas mixture
2. No storage required for oil and gas
3. Easy start - no multiple pulls
4. Batteries - even after a year of use, no measurable degradation of battery life; they last 30-40 minutes on a single charge and take a couple of hours to recharge
5. Minor point but much quieter than a gas mower

Cons:
1. Really just the one: underpowered. Every single swath of cutting leaves a few blades of grass uncut. Not just in the overlap but in the middle of the swath. We have a pretty thick lawn of St. Augustine grass and every swath there are blades missed. I had a similar lawn in Houston with a gas mower and NEVER had this problem. The all-electric also gets bogged down/struggles in grass shorter than the gas mower ever did. All but one of my neighbors have electric mowers and have the same complaint, so I don't think it's brand/model specific. The one who has a gas mower does not have this problem. And I've tried to remedy this by making narrower cuts, walking slower, raising the cutting blades - nope, still a blade here or there uncut about every 3-4 feet. So, when I'm done cutting the yard, I can look at it and see a few uncut blades sticking up all over. Picky, yes, but still a bit exasperating.

Overall, the experience has been positive. I would probably not buy a gas mower when this electric one craps out. But, they are NOT just as good in my experience. It does the job reasonably well but not as good as a gas mower.

Any others with the same complaint?

Petroleum for me and huge lover of coal too 👍