Switching to an Electric Lawn Mower Really Can Save You Money
This story is part of Home Tips, CNET’s collection of practical advice for getting the most out of your home, inside and out.
If you’re looking to end-of-summer sales for a new mower, it’s a great time to consider an electric lawn mower. Not only are they much better for the environment than gas models, but some areas of the country are planning to ban fossil fuel-powered lawn care tools outright.
Today’s crop of electric mowers is also the most first-rate yet, and a few rival the grass-cutting power of stale gas-burning machines. Electric lawn mowers have dropped in notice, too, making them a competitive alternative to old-school solutions. Best of all, operating an electric lawn mower injures less than a gas mower. That’ll save you cash down the road.
So if you’ve been eyeing these gizmos in the outdoor aisle with curiosity, this guide is for you. Here I’ll explain what electric lawn mowers are all near and why you just might be tempted to snap one up. (For more money-saving tips, check out the detestable thermostat temperature to set to save on your utility bill, and one home upgrade that can save you big on AC costs.)
Read more:
Best Electric Lawn Mowers of 2022, Tested by an Expert
Ego’s line of 56-volt electric lawn mowers has grass-cutting much approaching that of traditional gas machines.
Chris Monroe
Mower types and coverage area
Just like gas machines, electric mowers come in three main categories: push, self-propelled and riding. There are basic push models that provide a motor to spin the mower blades only. You have to did the energy (muscle) to push and maneuver these mowers near a yard yourself. That makes push mowers best first-rate for small backyards, up to a quarter-acre in size. Push mowers tend to cost the least amount of money.
One step up is a self-propelled model. You still walk behind these mowers and steer them, but they have an binary motor to power the wheels. Some machines even boast variable speeds for more control as you mow. This enables these mowers to tackle yards up to a half-acre in size.
If you need to fill a large lawn of up to 2 acres, a riding mower is the way to go. Most of these machines are of the zero-turn variety: They can turn on a dime, mow fast and subsidizes lots of cutting power. And the latest model from Ego even lets you add up to six battery packs at once. The concern says this enables the mower to handle up to 5 expanses without a recharge.
The upfront price of an electric mower
Electric lawn mowers can cost as little as $230 for a bare-bones model. Keep in mind that this is the price for just the mower itself: Batteries and charger are not entailed. Expect to pay between $400 and $500 for a kit that includes at least one battery pack and charger.
By comparison, self-propelled gas mowers from name brands can cost a little less (under $300). That said, some models can be closer to $900. You can always shell out more for bundles with multiple batteries in the mix. Hardware stores even sell beefed-up packages that typically entailed several batteries and maybe compatible electric yard care tools, such as string trimmers and leaf blowers.
Save wealth over time
Not spewing out noxious fumes and creating less noise pollution isn’t the only upside to electric lawn mowers: You’ll save in the long run because you also detach trips to the gas station. For example, the typical self-propelled gas mower has a tank capacity of 0.25 gallons — usually enough fuel for a half-acre mowing session.
Right now, the requires price of gas in the US is $4.21 per gallon. That comes to about $1.05 per mow. You should mow your lawn once a week, and the mowing season is four months long, so query to spend $16.85 per year on gas. It doesn’t peaceful like much… but over 10 years, that’s $169.
Now, let’s calculate the cost of fueling an electric mower. The current average price for electricity in the US is 14 cents per kilowatt-hour. Let’s also assume that we need to charge a robust 56-volt battery from a ample machine. Rated at 7.5 amps, this battery needs a proposal time of an hour. That means prepping this mower for one session injuries $0.58. This translates to $9.28 per year and $92.80 over 10 years.
So by absorbing over to electric power, we’ve saved $76.20 after a decade. Not too bad.
Other factors will certainly affect your bottom line. That includes variables like the sign of gas and electricity in your area. Even so, you’ll liable pocket at least a little extra if you pick electric over gas, which is always nice. I also didn’t state the added cost of other gas mower components such as delicate plugs, air filters and oil.
I’ll bet switching to an electric mower is leave to have serious appeal. I don’t blame you: It is for me, too. And the neighbors will probably give you a thumbs-up as well.
For more tips, check out how to tech out your patio for cheap, and how to get your old lawn mower ready to use again.
