Electric vs Gas Lawn Mower

Just a few years ago, choosing a lawn mower was immensely easier than it is now. Back then, the main and often the only variation was the label. Of course, electric lawnmowers did not appear out of the blue. They have existed for some time, but they were not even close to being used as they are now.

The development of electric mowers has taken place in the last ten years in parallel with the development of technology. However, which is best for you largely depends on your preferences. In the following, I will give you the specifications of both types of electric vs gas lawn mower. That way, you can easily compare them and decide which is more suitable for you.

Electric vs Gas Lawn Mower

Comparing these two types of mowers is a bit more complicated than you first imagined. For everyone to understand their differences, advantages, and disadvantages, some other types of mowers must be considered.

At this point, I will single out and explain the following three types for you-gas mowers, corded electric mowers, and battery-powered electric mowers. Each of these types has its purpose so it is very likely that not each of them will suit your needs. I will only briefly highlight some of the perks and downsides.

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What Characteristics Should You Focus on When Choosing a Mower?

You need to pay attention to a lot of things when buying a lawnmower. To make it easier for yourself, it might be best to follow the following list for easier orientation and quick decision making.

1. Power

This is extremely important. Wondering why? If you want to use your mower to arrange slightly more opaque areas, dense and long lawns, you will need a mower with a higher power. Manufacturers often express the power of the mower in torque. However it can also be expressed in cubic centimeters or horsepower. Even if the power is not expressed in the size that you are familiar with, with a little calculation you can, for example, estimate the torque of your battery-powered mower.

2. Usability

Neither yours nor my goal is to buy a lawnmower that will not be used often. When I’ve already invested money in it, I want it to serve me as much as possible and to pay off the price. So when buying a mower, look for one that is easy to use and that is lightweight. And even though everyone often thinks that this is exclusively a man’s job, often women mow as well.

3. Lawn Mower Operating Time

I think it is very obvious which type of mower is better in terms of the length of the internal operation. The mower that we turn on using electricity, i.e. the wire mower works as long as it is connected to a power source. However, if you don’t like messing with cables, you could try a gas mower.

And last but not least, the lawnmowers that have the shortest running time are battery mowers. This type of mower works on average between 30-60 minutes. Exactly how long the battery will last depends on the battery power, i.e. it’s AH rating.

4. Environmentally Friendly

The time has come that if we are at all socially responsible, we must take care of our planet and think how we will save it for future generations to come. If that criterion is kept in mind, the worst option is gas mowers. Through their work, they produce a large number of emissions and have a bad impact on the planet.

Slightly better solutions are battery-powered mowers. They do not produce emissions during their operation, but they again use some kind of energy to recharge their batteries. Ideally, a renewable energy source would be used to charge the batteries and thus reduce pollution. Also, people need to be made aware that they need to recycle batteries because they contain large amounts of lithium.

5. The Price of the Mower

What kind of mower you will own can largely depend on your budget for its purchase. If you want to choose the cheapest version, then your choice comes down to a corded electric mower. It is not expensive because it is mostly made of cheap materials. It also does not contain batteries that raise the price of the mower. Looking at the long haul, the most expensive option is a gas mower, precisely because it needs regular maintenance.

Now I want to single out something about each type of mower, list their advantages and disadvantages, and help you in your dilemma about which type is better for you- electric vs gas lawn mower.

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Electric Lawn Mower – Corded

If your mower budget is not large, you will probably opt for this type of mower. Its maintenance is very easy, all you need to do is clean it regularly and sharpen its blades. The lifespan of this mower is, well, we can say unlimited, as long as you have a power source.

With this type, there is no worry about how long your battery will last and whether you will run out of fuel. As for the difficulty of operating this mower, it is not too demanding in that sense, it is certainly much easier to use than a heavy gas mower.

However, this type also has its drawbacks — boring and long cable. You need to provide a socket or extension cord in every part of your yard that you want to mow. Of course, you also need to be careful not so the cord is not tangled or wrapped around the trees because you will slow down this way.

The most important thing to watch out for at all times is to never cross the cable with a mower, as this way you can cut the cable and expose the wires inside the cable. A very dangerous and undesirable situation. Don’t forget what the power source of your lawnmower is. Therefore, if you mow with a mower like this, do not do it in wet conditions if you want to avoid a catastrophe.

Battery Powered Lawn Mowers

This type of mower is also electric, however instead of electricity reaching the mower with the help of a cable, here is the source of battery energy. The battery used in this mower is simple for use since all you have to do is plug it in and charge it.

There is no need to go to the gas station, as with gas mowers, and you will also not have to worry about where to dispose it, as is the case with gas, a very dangerous substance. This type of mower is much cleaner to use than gas-powered mowers, so in this battle, electric vs gas powered lawn mower, a battery-powered mower wins.

You will certainly still have to sharpen the blades of your lawnmower and maintain it regularly, but it will certainly require much less time and effort than a gas lawnmower where you have to change the spark plugs and oil regularly in addition to all the above. As for the weight of the mower itself, it is much lighter than the gas one, but still not as light as the one with the cord.

What should be mentioned as a disadvantage of this type of mower is that the battery life is not eternal. You need to replace it approximately every two to three years. Moreover, the price of the battery can be very high if you decide on a quality brand.

Also, the battery life is limited to half an hour to an hour, which means that you will have to charge it very often. Plus the battery takes a very long time to charge. Also, you don’t always have more options when buying a battery. You can use only the same brand of the battery for one brand of mower.

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Gas Lawn Mower

The strongest of all three types of mowers are the gas mower. And not only the most powerful, but you will also be able to mow with it for several hours without the need to add gas, which will save you time. Compared to electric mowers, they are much more durable.

Although you may never do that, you will be able to work with this mower even when the weather is wet. The gas you need to for this mower to operate is available at all gas stations. Although at first glance it seems very attractive to get this type of mower, you must take into account that its maintenance is very difficult.

You must constantly keep in mind the level of fuel and oil, the condition of the filters and spark plugs. Additionally, you shouldn’t ignore the basic condition of the mower blades either. Since it is more powerful than electric mowers, it is much more dangerous. Therefore, injuries can occur more easily if you don’t use it carefully.

Final Thoughts

Consider everything I have told you so far about each type of mower. Then it would be best to make a table with all the advantages and disadvantages that I have listed. Thus, you can decide which is best for your needs.