Advantages and Disadvantages of a Cordless Electric Lawn Mower

Cordless electric lawn mowers have been described as the lawn mower of the future because of many “green” and “environment friendly” features. But is it really worth the money? I highly recommend reading the following, before buying a cordless lawn mower:

• This type of lawn mower no longer has wires or cords that are plug in an electric outlet. They are powered by batteries which allow the freedom of movement. However, batteries need charging usually after an hour of mowing. This can be a distraction if your lawn has a wide area. But if your lawn can be mowed in an hour or less then this cordless electric lawn mower is the ideal one for you.
• With battery-powered lawn mowers, there is no more messy oil and smelly gasoline. You are now working safely with no pollutants emitted. There are also no air filters and spark plugs to bother with.
• The cordless electric mowers are cheaper than the gas-operated ones. The cost of electricity to recharge the battery is minimal compared to the high cost of gasoline, oil, air filters and sparkplugs.
• Though manufacturers claim that the cordless electric mowers are environmentally safe this is not really the case. The source of electricity is likely to be generated by sources other than hydroelectric dams. Coal-powered plants still supply much of electric power and they cause pollution.
• Electric lawn mowers do not have much power than the gas-powered mowers and also can not tackle uneven lawns. They are poor in cutting tall grass so mowing is needed more often if your lawn grass grows fast.
• Recharging of lawn mower batteries can take from 8 to 16 hours with only an hour of operation. As the battery gets charged often, its operational life gets shorter. You need to replace the batteries after so many hours of operation.
• The mowing width of the typical electric mower blade is not as long as a gas-powered mower which means you have to do more mowing.
• Cordless electric lawn mowers may not have so many models to choose than with gas-powered mowers.

Be sure to determine what you and your lawn needs before heading for the store to purchase a cordless electric lawn mower. Check Consumers’ Reports about brand and models. Check what brands and models is available including if there is a service center. 

Below are questions that you need to answer when you are looking for a cordless electric lawn mower:

• Does the mower have both mulching and bagging modes? Mowers that mulch clippings and return them to the lawn to add their nutrients to the soil should be a high priority. Those that bag the grass are useful if you occasionally want to use grass clippings for mulching your garden.
• Does the mower have a gauge that tells you when the battery charge is getting low?
• Is the battery easily removable so a second battery can be installed to finish mowing when the first battery becomes low on power?
• What does the warranty cover, and how long does it last?
• How long does recharging take and how long does a battery typically last before it must be replaced? What does a new battery cost?