I just had my gas mower die on me. I'm reducing my landscape down to 20' x
20' due to my backyard being paved. All I left with is a small lawn area in front of the house and a side strip.Made me wonder, if my new mover might not need to so powerful or gas operated at that.
Anyone may the switch for Gas to Electric mower and if so, do you recommend?
Anything for me to look for in a new Electric Mower?
Thanks.
I first bought a gas mower at Home Despot. Took the box out of the car with great difficulty (heavy!), found the manual, read about gas, preparing the mower for winter storage, etc. etc. etc., put right back in the box and took the darn thing back. I wanted to buy a reel mower (would that work for you) but none were available at that time, so I got the smallest electric I could find (Black and Decker 18" mulching).
I see now they have the electrics with handles that flip so you can change directions easily; that adds maneuverability in small spaces. I wish I had it. Mine did not come with a bag to catch clippings, it was extra. It mulches really well. I see my neighbors leaving big clumps of grass on their lawn after they mow but that never happens with mine no matter how long the grass gets. The only way I can tell it's leaving anything is when I go onto the sidewalk to turn, and see green "dust" blowing out from underneath. Also my string trimmer gets great green gobs of grassy gook caked under it but the mower is always clean as a whistle for some reason.
Remember, with an extension cord, start close to the outlet and work your way out so the cord extends as you go back and forth. That way you won't have to worry about the cord getting in the way.
Oh, yeah, don't mow when the grass is wet ;>
Sue(tm) Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!
Great Note, Thanks.
I'm 49 yrs old, and I figure I might as well be lazy now. (Thanks for making me smile, though :-)
I have plugged Electrics before (do a google search with my name and mower) for my general thoughts 7+ years of experience with them.
In my area, the only choice is Black and Decker. I have had very good experience with their mowers (never bought small tools from them) and the following story illustrates it:
My two year old Black and Decker had a problem at the beginning of this season where I could not tighten the blade - it would freewheel, because an internal part was probably broken. After spending half a day trying to find the receipt, I went to the local Black and Decker store eager to present it. The guy just looked at the number on the unit as I wheeled it in and said it was under warranty, no need for receipt. They completed the repair under warranty and offered me a courtesy discount on some other stuff that I bought at the store. They even diagnosed a switch problem on an older electric that I shared with a friend for about five years (now 7+ years) and sold me the part to fix it. So they get an A for service.
Normally, Black and Decker gets a lot of bashing on their small power tool quality. I have been very pleased with their mowers and would recommend them without hesitation.
Roland
I use a push mower and I have a few years on you. It's more of a pain to get the cord, unravel it, and plug it in than pulling out the push mower. It only takes a few minutes to mow a small area and it's quieter and cheaper.
The push mowers of 2004 are NOT the ones my gramma made me use in the
60s/70s. Dull blades, steel and iron. Perhaps rusty.No, the new ones weigh about 2/3rd less, have better blades and gearing and are just generally not the punishment that the ones you're thinking of.
Hit your Sears and check them out.
400 square feet ain't a lot of work to push mow. It's silent and might take you an hour. get lazy when you're 69.
"NOW?" My Daddy bought an electric Sunbeam mower in about 1950 that had a flipping handle! We lived on an acre lot and I mowed about half of it. I loved it (compared to the self-propelled, but damn near impossible to start gas mower it replaced).
Dad bought two 100 foot extension cords. With a little planning and that flip handle it was still a long job, but a piece of cake.
But jeez Louise, Ralph, 20' by 20'? Surely they still make hand mowers! Getcher 49 year old (old?!) butt out there and PUSH!
--JWWells
Good idea. I have had both. Right now my lot needs a gasoline mower, but with a few more trees I may get it back to electric size.
The flip handle is a good thing. I don't have any advice about current models so I will not make any suggestions there.
With that size, you may want to consider battery power. Today's battery power tools are great.
Find a copy of Consumer's Reports from spring. They do a mower issue every year and it includes electrics. Read the whole story, not just the ratings. (the people who dislike CR generally only read the ratings). That will give you a good overview of what is available.
An hour??
Sue(tm) Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!
I went electric several years ago with a much bigger yard than yours. Doesn't cut quite as efficiently as gas-powered but not having to breath exhaust fumes is more than worth it. I have a corded electric. Starts instantly. Keeping the cord out of the way is a minor annoyance (I ran over it once and cut it) but I've had no maintenance costs, other than replacing the blade. Don't have to store gas or oil or get tuneups. I also switched from a gas-powered string trimmer to battery powered and I wouldn't go back to gas. The electric starts instantly and I can get three sessions around the yard before recharge. It cuts better than I expected and suffers none of the start-up problems I've encountered with various gas trimmers. Again, not polluting my backyard is a major benefit.
I love love loved my Black and Decker electric mower, even though it was corded (after the first use, you get the hang of managing the cord). It cut as well as my current gas mower, but in narrower swaths (18 or 19", IIRC). On the plus side, it was almost as light as a toy. Pushing it was a breeze, even on slopes. Unfortunately, my current half-acre was too much for it.
For a yard as small as yours, I would probably go for the push mower, but an electric is another easy option.
-- Jennifer
They suck. No power and you will cut the extension cord with the mower. Unless you have a tiny yard, get a cheap gas mover for $200.
Really? I always figgered they were the ones who'd already bought the items at the *bottom* of the ratings list!
Absolutely! This is one of the best reasons to read CR, even if ones own needs/desires are different from the 'average' reader.
--JWWells
I think you have a point there. :-)
According to William Brown :
We have one of the Lee Valley ones too. It's so easy to use, my son actually _wants_ to mow the lawn.
This is with the older/heavier LV one. The newest model is even lighter and almost zero rolling resistance. The blades don't actually touch each other...
[He's only doing the pool enclosure and one small patch outside. The other acre is with the lawn tractor...]I have a plug in mower, it is old and makes a lot of noise so I wear earprotectors, but it cuts fine. It is so nice to not have to pull and yank to get a mower going. Also so nice to just flip the switch to start and stop it. I bought mine used for $10
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