electric mowers vs gas mowers

The best electric lawn mowers are almost silent and perform as well as most gas mowers in most lawns, but gas units can be best in large lawns with thick and long grass or with tough weeds…

Electric vs. gas mowers: noise and environment…

Electric mowers are quiet and better for the environment. Some communities are even encouraging their members to replace traditional gas units with new electric mowers, to reduce the noise load and the environmental negative impact.

Anyway, the eco-friendly side of electric mowers is rather relative. It depends also on the type of power they use. Only by using photovoltaic (solar) electricity or a solar panel to charge their electric batteries they become truly eco-friendly. Otherwise, the pollution is produced upstream, at the power plants using fossil fuels…

Battery for Electric Mowers Besides, most electric mowers use lead-acid or NiCad batteries which raises serious environmental concerns both in their disposal and production (electric battery disposal is an important concern, since batteries have to be replaced every couple of years or so…).

Electric vs. gas mowers: the type of lawn

Since gas mowers have more horsepower they are better for larger lawns with tough weeds and tall grass.

Electric vs. gas mowers: ease of using and mowing

Electric mowers are extremely easy to use, and have less maintenance requirements than gas units. They require periodical blade sharpening, and little more, contrary to gas mowers.

Gas mower engines require regular oil changes and tune-ups, and gasoline storage has always some risk (not to talk of the environmental impact of gasoline spills).

An element that can also be considered when assessing both electric and gas mowers is their cut width (the larger the cut width the less the time required for mowing). While most electric mowers cut an 18 to 20-inch swath, gas mowers cut on average a 21- 22-inch swath.

There is, anyway, significant differences and features within each type of mower, that should also be considered.

Electric vs. gas mowers: the price issue

There isn’t a clear pattern concerning the prices of gas mowers versus those of electric units. Prices differ a lot with brands, and the features and the particular model. There is a wide range of prices within each category, even for the same brand (see, for instance, at Amazon.com: Black Decker Mower Prices and Reviews). For a larger selection, involving other brands, see also at Amazon.com: Electric Mower Prices and Customer Reviews).

Electric mowers vs. gas: the type of electric mower

Corded electric mowers can be a source of potential problems on lawns with obstacles and trees.

For ease of use prefer today's cordless models. Newer models run longer per charge than older models and are much more flexible (to recharge, just plug the unit to a 120-volt outlet: something that takes between 4 and 16 hours, depending on models and manufacturers).

Electric vs. gas: the type of gas mower

If you want or need a high-speed gas mower, you can reduce its noise and emissions by choosing a new and more energy-efficient model. Choose a unit with a four-cycle OHV engine. It’s a bit more expensive but you will be paid with lower operating costs, and the mower will last longer.

Choose also a low-emission unit: new gas mowers should now meet (in North America, since 2012) the EPA standard emission limits, but some units may exceed these standards, reducing even more the emissions and lowering the running costs.

What to buy: electric mower vs. gas mowers

As said before, electric mowers can be better than gas mowers for average and well-kept lawns. Their quietness is a huge advantage, and they are better for the environment.

Anyway, the quality of lawn mowers varies sharply. And you should consider it, and their features. Honda has the best rated brands in gas mowers, while some models of Black and Decker have the best ratings in electric mowers, but there are other very well-rated brands. See, the links below (Amazon.com) for customer reviews on some of these mowers: Electric Mower Customer Reviews, Gas Mower Customer Reviews, Customer Reviews on Honda Mowers, Customer Reviews on Black and Decker Mowers.