Anyone use an electric lawn mower?

[Roundybout]

My wife and I have a house with a pretty small backyard, 1,200 square feet, and an even smaller front. 
 

I’d like to get an electric mower for regular maintenance. The backyard turf is pretty thick and lush, so I need something with a lot of torque. 
 

I don’t want a gas mower because I think the maintenance required is overkill for the amount of lawn I’ve got. I like electric, I’ve got an older Kobalt electric mower made by GreenWorks that’s been good for now, but the batteries are shot and you can’t get new ones anymore. 
 

Does anyone have an electric mower they’d particularly recommend? I’ve had my eye on a RYOBI 20-inch electric mower, and I’ve also looked at the new Honda offerings. 
 

I don’t need a self-propelled mower, and I really don’t need anything beyond a 21 inch deck. 
 

Many thanks in advance. 

[Draconator]

Half joking, half serious. Get one of these if you want ease of maintenance, and a decent workout. 

 

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-14-in-5-Reel-Lawn-Mower/5015366801

[Augie]

53 minutes ago, Roundybout said:

My wife and I have a house with a pretty small backyard, 1,200 square feet, and an even smaller front. 
 

I’d like to get an electric mower for regular maintenance. The backyard turf is pretty thick and lush, so I need something with a lot of torque. 
 

I don’t want a gas mower because I think the maintenance required is overkill for the amount of lawn I’ve got. I like electric, I’ve got an older Kobalt electric mower made by GreenWorks that’s been good for now, but the batteries are shot and you can’t get new ones anymore. 
 

Does anyone have an electric mower they’d particularly recommend? I’ve had my eye on a RYOBI 20-inch electric mower, and I’ve also looked at the new Honda offerings. 
 

I don’t need a self-propelled mower, and I really don’t need anything beyond a 21 inch deck. 
 

Many thanks in advance. 

 

My son has/had an electric mower. He got a little more than a year ago. When it died recently, he paid someone to come out and tell him they are basically disposable now, like TV’s. 

 

It’s quite possible he got a cheapo model (that would fit his style) but I suggest you look into reviews about durability. Not trying to discourage, just offering a bit of experience. Good luck! 

 

EDIT: He says the guy who came to look at it said water had apparently gotten into it, which is apparently a common issue. Worth knowing if it’s easily avoided. He kept it in the garage and never used water on it.  🤷‍♂️

 

.

Edited 18 hours ago by Augie

[Mr Info]

We have a yard similar in size to yours. I have been using an EGO mower for a couple of years. Not home currently so cannot provide model number. Very dependable and great that I don’t have to wear any noise suppression ear devices. We do not use the self propelled mower selection because it depletes the batteries much faster. But our property is rather flat so it’s not required. I also purchased a trimmer that can use the same EGO batteries. Batteries can be expensive. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Mr Info

[Wacka]

Not a thought growing up. Yard was 200x80 and one of the smaller lots on the street. Riding mower- ~1 hour to cut lot and push mower for trimming- ~1 hour for that.

Edited 17 hours ago by Wacka

[CookieG]

On year 4 of a 20"  Ryobi.   Best investment   I made in yard care (except maybe the cheap electric chain saw I bought at Harbor Freight.) My lot is about 1/3 of an acre.  

 

Battery times are still kinda low, you might only get 25-30 minutes out of it.  But knock off batteries have really come down in price.  I bought one last year and it was about $40 or so as an extra batt. 

 

Mine does fine in relatively high grass,  and since it mulches, I haven't raked my front yard in 2 years.  (I used to have about 20 bags over the season).  If you keep up on it, it can be done.  IT has a one lever height adjustment.  

 

Its light weight, I fold up the handle and keep it in a small shed, but that takes a good 30 seconds to extend the handle. But to be warned, there are a number of plastic parts that can break pretty easy.

 

Mine came with a 3 year warranty on the battery and 5 years on the mower.  Last summer my original battery went, but I still had a few months left on the warranty. Ryobi sent me a replacement batt in a few days. I didn't even have to send back the old one.

 

 Now, the "extended warranty" from Home Depot was/is worthless.  I was told when I bought it that the warranty wouldn't begin until the manufacturer warranty ended.  Yeah, no.  I took the battery back to Home Depot first, and was told the warranty ended a year ago.  After some arguing, she brought the "Ryobi rep"  to the front and he freely admitted that he didn't know anything about their warranty.  So deal with Ryobi directly and tell Home Depot where to stick their extended warranty.

 

IDK, I charge the battery, plug it into the mower when charged, press the button...and it starts.  I had a lifetime of saying "will my gas mower start? Did I leave the gas in too long?    Do I have to tear apart the carb again?"  

 

I don't miss that. 

 

PS, If your batt won't charge, you might be able to reset it.  There are tons of videos on YT about how to do it.  The only tools needed are a no. 10 torx security bit and a paperclip.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

[ExiledInIllinois]

***** those batteries... Go old school:

[US Egg]

Been looking at them but waiting for my old gas one to call it quits.

…..Toro One Pull my azz!

[Roundybout]

4 hours ago, Draconator said:

Half joking, half serious. Get one of these if you want ease of maintenance, and a decent workout. 

 

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-14-in-5-Reel-Lawn-Mower/5015366801

I won’t lie, I’ve taken a good, hard look at this thing. 
 

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/lawn-and-garden/lawn-mowers/push-mowers/7006267

1 hour ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

***** those batteries... Go old school:

FIL has an old Black and Decker mower with a cord. It’s a pain to keep the cord out of the way, but it’s invincible out doing its job. 

[Just Jack]

4 hours ago, Draconator said:

Half joking, half serious. Get one of these if you want ease of maintenance, and a decent workout. 

 

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-14-in-5-Reel-Lawn-Mower/5015366801

32 minutes ago, Roundybout said:

I won’t lie, I’ve taken a good, hard look at this thing. 
 

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/lawn-and-garden/lawn-mowers/push-mowers/7006267

 

My wife and I, when we still rented a house, the lawn was so small that we bought a reel mower when the gas one died. We could do the entire yard in about 20 minutes. I'm not sure on the size, but it was inner city, so small. 

Edited 14 hours ago by Just Jack

[BillsFooteball]

I enjoy my ryobi! Battery length would be my only complaint 

[Roundybout]

8 hours ago, BillsFooteball said:

I enjoy my ryobi! Battery length would be my only complaint 

Seems to be a common problem. 

[Doc]

10 hours ago, US Egg said:

Been looking at them but waiting for my old gas one to call it quits.

…..Toro One Pull my azz!

 

If you bought a green "Toro"...

 

 

BTW, look here: bensbargains.com.  They have electric lawnmowers listed on sale occasionally.

[LewPort71]

I have an EGO 21" mower with self propelled system.  Much needed on the sloping lawn here in WV.

On many occasions the mower will stop for an over heating issue with the battery and I have to remove, then re-insert the battery.

The battery mowers are light and that is a plus.  As is the lack of noise.

The battery life and the high price of a replacement battery are big minuses in my opinion

But if your lawn is small and flat, I'd go with the reel style mower.

[Doc]

I was going to mention a robotic lawnmower but the good ones ain't cheap.

[NoSaint]

9 hours ago, BillsFooteball said:

I enjoy my ryobi! Battery length would be my only complaint 

ditto but have plenty of Ryobi gear so a few backup batteries 

 

Hearing it’s a thick turf - I definitely notice the struggle a good before before it goes out so I do my really thick section first and the average sections go fine through to the end. I’m normally right on the edge of 1 charge 

[The Jokeman]

I have been using an EGO battery operated Lawn mower for 7 or 8 years. No issues except for lawn marks on occasion or first cut of the season "clumps" but guess could happen with any lawn mower. My original battery still running but it only had a 3 or 5 year warranty when bought it. I've bought into their system so have extra batteries I can use from their snow blowers (I use their 2 stage) and leaf blower. I have a smaller one for the weed wacker but don't suggest it on bigger tools as just not enough juice to last. 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

It's been years since I used one at 'Bride the Second's' house, a postage stamp of a lawn in Crystal Beach.  I just signed into my Consumer Reports account, and there's an amazing amount of them that receive the 'CR Recommended' banner, in a wide price range.  However, there's not one listed that received the CR 'Best Buy'.  I don't know if that's something that CR has dropped.

*
EDIT:  The setup from years ago had two batteries with the mower, and a charger.  I would advise that second battery, so if the first dies, you're ready with the second.  Rarely is buying a second battery later cost efficient.

Edited 2 hours ago by Ridgewaycynic2013

[Toomstone.Part.Duex]

Had one of these bad boys when I was a kid.   Mowed the P's lawn (about 40x60) and a small front yard.  PITA part is the cord.   That thing ran for about 25 years till they got a gas mower 

 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Seeing the corded A.C. versions reminds me of my father and his Sunbeam electric hedge clipper in the 1960s.  The corner lot of the Buffalo house had a privet hedge along the entire perimeter, and a great certainty of every Spring trim was either one of his fingers or the trimmer cord was going to get sliced.  There was more electrical tape on the cord than in Niagara Mohawk.

*
As a thank you premium, a hardware chain gave a Black and Decker battery operated hedge trimmer with each lawn mower purchased.  "Great!" we all said, until we found that one of these battery operated units in 1970 got you about 20 feet of hedge trimmed before it died an ignoble death, and took a good 36 hours to recharge. 🤨