Going Cordless: Silent, Electric Lawn Mowers
by
Gabby Hyman
All About Lawns Columnist
Cordless electric lawn mowers have come of age. While they can be expensive -- depending on horsepower and mowing efficiency -- they're quiet, easy to operate, and can help save money in gas and oil costs. If you have a relatively flat lawn of cool-season grasses, cordless mowing can be a great option, especially if you're an energy-conscious consumer.
Cordless mowers come in self-mulching/bagging models that can save you a lot of cleanup work. Because they're not self-propelled, they can be difficult to push uphill, but in general aren't any heavier than gas-powered lawn mowers. The mowers come in twelve, twenty-four and thirty-six volt models. Many twenty-four volt models provide an hour and a half of mowing on a single charge. Some models have a self-recharging mechanism built right into the mower.
Can Cordless Mowers Cut It?The reason many lawn and garden experts recommend cordless mowers for cool-season grasses (perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, and fescues) is because the texture of these lawns offer less resistance to cutting blades than warm-season grasses. As for energy use, cordless mowers often use less than $4 of electricity over a mowing year compared to gas-powered mowers, which can use upwards of $50 of gas to operate annually -- in addition to maintenance costs.
What you'll want to look for in a cordless mower is its cutting swath, which can vary from fifteen to twenty inches wide. The narrower the cutting deck, the longer it takes for a mower to do the job.
Currently, battery life on cordless mowers runs around seven years. They recharge through a wall socket in 8 to 12 hours. If you need to buy a replacement battery, expect to spend between $50 and $150.
About the Author
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for
Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems,
Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.
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