# Gas or Electric Lawn Mower?



## menorton (Mar 14, 2021)

Hello!

This is my first post on this forum. My wife and I are about to close on our first house, so I get to now pretend that I am an adult. After years of appt living and housing renting, I now have the privilege of buying all the lawn care and lawn care accessories a man could hope for. First on the docket is what type of lawn mower to buy. I live in a typical suburban house with a medium size yard; the front is around 2000sqft and the back is maybe 1000. Being that I live in Northern Va, my grass is probably Tall Fescue.

The question I mainly have is gas or electric? I like the modern conveniences of electric mowers - cheaper, lighter, quieter, swapple battery ecosystem. Also in the favor of electricity is that if I stick with a vendor (Ego, Ryobi) I can use these batteries in the edger/weed whacker/blower/snow pusher. But the huge, and I do mean huge, red flag is that I am reading these batteries only have a usable life of like 2-3 years. Each one of these damn things is like $180-$250 bucks. Times two that's basically the cost of a new mower every few years. Surely these last longer than that?

As for gas, I could go get a nice Toro, but then I have to deal with always having oil/gas on hand and all the loud noise and fumes that go with it. And I'm tied to gas for my edger/weed wacker too, some of which don't really need gas for my needs.

My yard isn't terribly big and I would be mowing twice a month from Mid March to maybe Mid September, so about 6 months. I'm fine with all aspects of electric other than the battery replacement. What is your alls experience with these?

I have more follow up questions, but I'll keep them aside until there's a thread consensus about the batteries. I'll update this post as needed down the line.

Thanks!


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## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

menorton said:


> My yard isn't terribly big and I would be mowing twice a month from Mid March to maybe Mid September


🧐 twice a month?


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## menorton (Mar 14, 2021)

Yessssir. I've lived in Nova for most of my life and twice a week in the summer is all we did


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## Lawn Noob (Jul 26, 2020)

I have a stihl electric that is pretty nice. It's not cheap though...


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## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

Ok, well I can't criticize the electric ones, but I would be concerned about the performance trying to cut grass that has been growing for ~15 days. I went with gas because even if my grass gets overgrown, I wanted the power to finish my whole lawn.

I cut my lawn every 5/6 days in the summer; I'm not using plant growth regulator.


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## Retromower (Jan 28, 2021)

menorton said:


> Hello!
> 
> This is my first post on this forum. My wife and I are about to close on our first house, so I get to now pretend that I am an adult. After years of appt living and housing renting, I now have the privilege of buying all the lawn care and lawn care accessories a man could hope for. First on the docket is what type of lawn mower to buy. I live in a typical suburban house with a medium size yard; the front is around 2000sqft and the back is maybe 1000. Being that I live in Northern Va, my grass is probably Tall Fescue.
> 
> ...


Its really a matter of when you want to pay. An electric has more of an upfront cost but has a lot less maintenance than gas does.
I used to use all gas equipment but now use all electric and would never go back to gas. I like with electric that theres no gas, no oil, no air filters, no spark plugs, no winterizing and no real hassles that go along with gas. I just keep the batteries charged up and Im good to go.
About the batteries, they are expensive but you should get 3-5 years out of them. Compare that to what you would have spent on gas, oil, spark plugs and air filters over that time. Also, the price of batteries keeps coming down. Just a few weeks ago I picked up 2 Ryobi One+ 4ah batteries for $80. That would be enough to run my mower on for the next 3-5 years. Compare that to gas and I guarantee you will spend more than $80 to operate a gas mower over the next 3 years.
You can certainly spend more if you want to move up to a 40v or bigger, especially if you want the higher capacity batteries but even still, if you are spending $75-$100 a year on gas and maintenance on your gas mower, its a break even proposition. Even your higher capacity 40v batteries arent more than $200.
Compare that also to the notion that lets say you have 4 or 5 different gas powered pieces of lawn equipment and you have the maintenance costs of all those. Then compare that to the same thing with all electric equipment, where the tools have almost no maintenace and you can have a couple batteries that power everything. The real savings in electric equipment comes in when you can have all of your tools that run on the same thing.
Take me for example, Im invested pretty deeply in the Ryobi One+ line and I have 6 of their 18v 4ah batteries and their 6 battery super charger. I have a Ryobi mower that runs on 2 18v batteries, as well as a Ryobi string trimmer. I also have a Ryobi hammer drill, impact driver, random orbit sander, shop blower and circular saw. All of these tools run on the same batteries.


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## Retromower (Jan 28, 2021)

ionicatoms said:


> Ok, well I can't criticize the electric ones, but I would be concerned about the performance trying to cut grass that has been growing for ~15 days. I went with gas because even if my grass gets overgrown, I wanted the power to finish my whole lawn.
> 
> I cut my lawn every 5/6 days in the summer; I'm not using plant growth regulator.


I wouldnt be concerned about it, especially with some of the newer 40v or bigger brushless models. My Ryobi is a 36v brushed model, which is a lot less powerful than brushless ones and I used it last fall for mulching leaves and it didnt bat an eye at it.
Cordless technology has come a long way, especially in the last 5 years or so.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

Where are you hearing batteries are that short lived?
I have only owned an Ego leaf blower a few months so I can't confirm or deny on lawn equipment, but I do drive an electric car and a lot of folks have a lot of wrong ideas about those. All kinds of folks I talk to think the batteries only last a few years but are shocked to hear my 100k mile almost 7yo car is only down 8.5% in range over that time.
Now granted a car has much more sophisticated battery management, but the point is some folks are misinformed and not ready to see electric as a viable option.

Disclaimer, I am not a green freak, more of a gearhead who appreciates options.

I am looking at a battery mower, because even though I have a lawn tractor and almost an acre I appreciate the exercise and chance to listen to a podcast some push mowing offers. Battery is just a little more peaceful.


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## menorton (Mar 14, 2021)

I read that batteries are short lived from people that have used them. Theres several posts/threads about the batteries don't last more than a few years. Especially over in Reddit


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## WarTide (Jul 8, 2020)

I mow ~4,000 sqft with a Snapper 60v electric. Also use it around the tight areas that my rider won't fit. Picked it up on FB Marketplace for $75. It will run for about 1 hr before it needs a charge. Been going strong 3 seasons. It's probably my favorite mower of the 2 pushers I have.


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## dsc123 (Mar 22, 2020)

Electric AND autonomous: https://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/robotic-lawn-mowers/models/automower-115h/967951105/


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## menorton (Mar 14, 2021)

Retromower said:


> Its really a matter of when you want to pay. An electric has more of an upfront cost but has a lot less maintenance than gas does.
> I used to use all gas equipment but now use all electric and would never go back to gas. I like with electric that theres no gas, no oil, no air filters, no spark plugs, no winterizing and no real hassles that go along with gas. I just keep the batteries charged up and Im good to go.
> About the batteries, they are expensive but you should get 3-5 years out of them. Compare that to what you would have spent on gas, oil, spark plugs and air filters over that time. Also, the price of batteries keeps coming down. Just a few weeks ago I picked up 2 Ryobi One+ 4ah batteries for $80. That would be enough to run my mower on for the next 3-5 years. Compare that to gas and I guarantee you will spend more than $80 to operate a gas mower over the next 3 years.
> You can certainly spend more if you want to move up to a 40v or bigger, especially if you want the higher capacity batteries but even still, if you are spending $75-$100 a year on gas and maintenance on your gas mower, its a break even proposition. Even your higher capacity 40v batteries arent more than $200.
> ...


This is a great post. Thanks for bringing up the 18v Ryobi. I don't really have any power tools to speak of, so now is the time to invest in an ecosystem. Running all of them on the same set of few batteries is very appealing, especially if the cost is only $80 after a few years (for a 2 pack at least). However, that 2pack price doesn't exist anymore at Home Depot. Its now $130 for that two pack.

I'm liking the push 18v Ryobi, but I see there is an HP and Non-HP version. There are HP and Non-HP batteries. I called Ryobi twice, and while the reps are good, there does seem to be a lack of resources available to them. The first rep said there HP batteries were worthless (aka no additional benefit) for mowers since there is no HP line of mower, just an HP line of power tools. However, the newest model of mowers is HP. So now I wanted to know the difference between HP and Non-HP mower, and the woman I talked to didn't know. Specifically, what is the run time difference especially since marketing screams "More Power. Longer Runtime. Longer Motorlife". Both have a listed run time of 40 min. She wasn't able to provide me a clear answer.


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## Backyardigans (Nov 20, 2020)

I used to be a mechanic and although air tools are a great resource, I loved my cordless drills and battery operated equipment. I use them heavily and bruise them to a beating. 10 years later they're still in my collection and still operating well when needed. That being said... If your mowing two times monthly - you're not abusing the battery like many other folks who use it on a daily. Just like how you heard about not to over charge your cell phone overnight because it depletes the battery cells. While it is a higher cost up front. The convenience is what you pay for.. instead of the inconvenience of taking a gas mower for service or purchasing maintenance items and gas. Those take a huge chunk out of your time and day to get it done. Most battery cells now have been rejuvenated with new elements which perform better, hold longer charge, and last longer. As @BobLovesGrass mention Disclaimer, I am not a green freak, more of a gearhead who appreciates options. I am too one of those ppl.. I am lucky and privileged to have the best of both worlds. I wouldn't spend much time in deciding what you might want and just decide on what's convenient for you. Both electric and gas are great options and tools for your lawn care. But if you don't see your self ordering parts and servicing your mower every year- then I would go with electric while the upfront price is just a one time purchase and then forget about it and just charge! For gas mowers- I wanted a robust and heavy duty one that could handle anything that comes in my way and know for sure that it can get the job done so you can enjoy your time with the new home and family. Electric mowers do have a motor as well... Many are now brushless which helps with overheating and doesn't disintegrate the coils inside like traditional ones. So if the electric motor does go out.. Then you're probably just left with a pair of double AA batteries unless warranty is still in effect, plus you're most likely have too go through the hassle and process the warranty claim, shipping, downtime of now mower, etc...


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## PhxHeat (Oct 18, 2019)

I will start with, I have had/used an electric CORDED mower and string trimmer in the past with a smaller sized yard. Not battery, but still electric powered.

Yard size and regional location imo would be a huge determining factor. For a smaller yard, I might consider an electric option for a limited use tool. Where does one draw the line on which option is best . . . for me it'd have to be a fairly smaller sized yard of about 1,500 sqft or less. I would also greatly consider the type of grass and hoc when it came to choosing.

I think it also comes down to if you are willing to pay more frequently for replacement batteries/tools to have the convenience/simplicity of plug and play. Electric items still have wear and tear and outdoor environments don't make them any less so. And while an electric mower or string trimmer are typically a lot more quiet than their gas counterparts, I find the pitch of electric blowers/vacuums to be beyond absolutely obnoxious. Not too mention they must not work very well as it seems those who use them take 2 to 3 times longer than I do with my gas model covering more area.

I have multiple gas powered yard tools and wouldn't go back to/replace any of them with electric. Mostly because of yard size, and imo overall performance. Some of my gas powered items I bought new (8 yrs ago), While other items I have bought used are from the late 80s and early to mid 90s. I've seen people/neighbors using mowers their parents/grandparents bought back in the 50s, 60s and 70s. With basic maintenance that really isn't expensive or difficult to do, I know I'll still be using most of my gas powered items for years/decades to come. I've yet to see any electric corded/battery powered yard tool anything that can say the same thing. ..... and NONE that can come close to performing on the same level with the same usage or duration.

IMO, at the end of the day . . . if someone has a smaller area to deal with, wants basic plug and play simplicity, mostly maintenance free, and is ok paying up to buy new more often ... then electric may be the better option for them. For a yard that is a little to a lot bigger, I find the gas powered option to be the best option. I know with basic minimal fairly easy maintenance, a gas powered anything can be used for many many years or decades to come.

I think like many things, it comes down personal preferences based on practical application for their situation. One size, type, variety doesn't work best in for every situation.


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## gorgedude (Jul 5, 2020)

I ended up purchasing a gas Snapper last fall but I looked closely at the electric models, too. One of the "pros" I saw in the electrics was the ability to start and stop the blade easily. Some gas models have this feature but it adds another layer of complexity, maintenance and cost. I'm happy with what I have but I definitely saw some advantages to an electric.


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## Chocolate Lab (Jun 8, 2019)

Yeah, I got a Ryobi 40v when I bought this house. Really like it, the performance is fine, but the battery crapped out suddenly 33 months in. Warranty was three years, so they sent me another one... but it was refurbished, so it doesn't last nearly as long as the new one did. Contrast that with a good gas mower that could last 10, 15 years.

Would I get another one? Not sure. Helpful, huh?  But my yard is almost 10k sf, plus a 1k or so city owned area behind my back fence that we all keep mowed. A smaller yard might tip things to the battery one, but just know you might be shelling out another $80-100 every few years.


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## ScottW (Sep 16, 2019)

My mower and string trimmer are gas powered, but I bought them in 2008. Leaf blower purchased 2012, also gas. Battery powered wasn't really a thing back then, or at least nowhere near ready for prime time.

Lawn Boy 2-stroke mower is a 1996 or 1998 model year with the F-series engine. I perhaps slightly overpaid for it at $150 but that was 13 years ago and it has needed relatively little maintenance... it's on its 3rd spark plug in my tenure, third air filter (can often clean instead of replace), second primer bulb, I replaced the ignition coil once, the starter rope once, one set of wheels. Other than that, just gas/oil mix and regular blade sharpening, maybe shoot some grease into the zerks on the axle/trans every other year. I use about 5-6 gallons of fuel during a year, which I guess would be about $25 in gas/oil.

If this mower ever dies, I guess I'll have to build up that brand new Duraforce short block I have sitting in a box. :twisted:
Or maybe pick up a used super recycler, been curious to try one for cut quality.

The Echo string trimmer & leaf blower have needed almost nothing. I've replaced the air filter & spark plug once in each of them. The leaf blower has started to occasionally dribble a little gas while sitting on the garage floor, need to look into that one. Might be a deteriorated grommet where the hoses enter the top side of the fuel tank. Not really sure, but I am positive the fix won't cost me $100. 

Not sure if I would buy battery if I was buying today. The gas stuff I have has just been pretty darn reliable and running costs are a non-issue.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Every single person that has an electric mower in my neighborhood, both corded and cordless, I noticed two things:

1.) In 4 years here, all 4 of them have thrown at least one electric mower out
2.) In 4 years here, every time I've watched them try to use it, it bogs down on grass, and or cuts poorly or too low, versus its gas counterpart.

In my state, we have a lot of coal power plants, so if its to be environmentally friendly, if you're not on nuclear or solar, you're lying to yourself 

If its for convenience, I get that. But for reliability, you can't beat a honda engine on a mower.


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## Retromower (Jan 28, 2021)

menorton said:


> Retromower said:
> 
> 
> > Its really a matter of when you want to pay. An electric has more of an upfront cost but has a lot less maintenance than gas does.
> ...


Yeah, theres really no reason to go HP unless you have HP tools and batteries. Its also work noting that not all HP tools have the added terminals that take advantage of the added power of the HP batteries. Its a petty silly oversight on Ryobi's part, if you ask me.
I think that if you were looking to invest in a battery system, Ryobi is one of the best because of all that different tools and equipment that can run on the One+ battery system. You really could have a couple batteries and run all of your power tools and lawn equipment on them.
Ive got the Ryobi super charger that keeps 6 batteries charged up (but only charges 1 batter at a time) and have 6 of the 4ah batteries, so Ive got plenty of power to run all of my tools. You probably dont really need to go that far and get 6 batteries but I do a lot of woodworking in my garage and I like having enough batteries to run all of my tools without having to swap out batteries from 1 tool to the next. When Im working in my shop, I often am using my impact driver, hammer drill, RO sander, fan and work light. Not to mention I have my mower that takes 2 batteries and my string trimmer and shop blower that I use both for blowing sawdust and blowing grass clippings off of my walkway. As you can see, Im invested pretty deeply in the Ryobi battery system.


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## menorton (Mar 14, 2021)

Lots of good info in this thread. We got back from the house inspection a few days ago, and I asked the realtor and inspector what they think the sq footage of the front and back yard is.

Front yard: 800-1000
Back: 500-800

So you are looking at combined 1300-1800 sqft at most. According to google, even 2000 sqft is equal to 0.05% of an Acre. The Ryobi 18v is rated for 1/4 (.25%) of an Acre, so thats plenty of juice. Especially when the trimmer/edger comes with another battery. I also will need handheld power tools (if not this year then the next), so why not just go into the Ryobi line?

Home Depot offers a 90 day return. When we eventually close and move in, i'll get the Ryobi 18v and see how it performs. 16" is a bit small of a deck, and I would much prefer the larger 40v 21" deck, but the larger and more expensive battery isn't really worth it. Especially when all the handheld tool batteries I will buy in the future won't work here.


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