In my attempts to write electric lawn mower reviews, I came across many factors, but only a few mowers that had it all…. What information should a good review offer you and how can you find out what is the best electric lawn mower for you? Is it a corded one with a long cord length or one with plenty of power? Maybe a cordless mower? What are the differences? Do electric lawn mowers have ability to mulch? Read on and you will find links to electric lawn mower reviews, articles, how-to’s and much more here on gardeningpowertools.com – everything that I believe you need to purchase your perfect electric lawn mower.
By the way, there is a lot to tell you about electric lawn mowers, so I decided to split up the information. The rest of this page will be dedicated to corded electric mowers with its own TOP 5 Listing at the end of this page, while I expand on the cordless electric mowers on this page.
Table of Contents
About Electric Lawn Mowers
When I first started researching on electric lawn mowers I expected to find information going back to the last decade at most. So, imagine my surprise when I discovered the first ever mention of a corded electric mower dating back to the 1930’s!
Seems, much before the electric mower was commercialized, inventors have had a go at converting conventional power and garden tools from gasoline based engines to electric motor powered units. A farmer by the name of C.C. Stacy inadvertently discovered that electric motors could power a conventional mower. Unfortunately for him the blade design he used wasn’t capable of cutting through grass and his invention sat gathering dust until half a century later. Finally, technology has progressed far enough to deliver sufficient power to rotate blades at speeds capable of making a clean slice across the stem of a plant. Today, electric mowers are more than just a novelty – they are the ideal family mower for small to mid-sized properties.
What Is the Best Electric Mower?
As you probably know electric mowers exist in two versions: corded and cordless mowers. Well, many times people ask me, “ Matt, what is the best electric mower?” and I tell them this little story: Once upon a time there was…….just kidding folks.
To be honest there isn’t really a “best” electric mower, it all depends on what preferences you might have. In my humble opinion a corded mower has one BIG plus and that´s your mower will never ever lose its efficiency as the mower stays connected to its power source while mowing (your electricity supply). You will never find yourself stuck because the lawn mower’s batteries ran out, leaving you with a half manicured yard. On the other hand, you do have to handle the cord and the lawn mower at the same time and avoid running over it. Personally, I do not mind taking care of the cord as I mow, but not everybody feels comfortable with it.
A cordless mower too has its positives, such as complete freedom to go wherever you want to mow without the handicap of a fixed line, as there is none. And if you plan your cutting tasks a little ahead of time, you can fully charge the battery to assure you at least have 30 minutes of power. Very clever people buy an extra set of batteries and then laugh at those who didn´t think of that and ended up with a half finished lawn. (believe me, that only happens to you once…..)
Corded vs. Cordless Mowers
Well, to cut a long story short, here´s a quick overview of what could be the best electric lawn mower for you. Although I personally like corded mowers better, I won’t dare telling you what to buy though, you might as well decide for yourself!
Corded Mowers
Pros
- Constant power supply
- Power density stays constant during mowing
- As long as mower is plugged in, the machine mows evenly
- No batteries, no additional replacement costs
- Less noise pollution
- No localized emissions
Cons
- Limited freedom to move around as the mower is connected to a cord
- While mowing you have to take care of the mower and the cord
- Possibility of running over the cord
- Most cords are too short to cover complete garden
- Extra cost for extension cord
Cordless Mowers
Pros
- No cord to take care of while mowing
- Hassle free manouver
- No risk of accidentally trudging over the cord
- Eco-friendly
- As silent as they come
Cons
- You have to charge the battery before mowing
- Limited cutting time
- Extra costs for replacement batteries (some brands include an extra one)
- If your battery runs out, bad luck!
- Battery loses density power during mowing
Tips on How Not to Run over the Cord…
While on paper an electric mower sounds enticing and frankly easier to handle as opposed to a gas mower, one of its biggest cons is the cord. Not knowing how to manage the cord and keep it away from the front of the mower will lead to accidents ranging from snapping the cable, power surge in the motor to your own electrocution! So, here’s a quick look at cord management for your new electric mower.
Pick an Extension Cord Designed for Lawn Mowers
1. You may not know this but there are extension cords specifically designed for lawn
mowers. Unlike typical extension cords these don’t come with multiple sockets, rather just a single socket and are coated with toughened polymer, fitted with thick wires capable of handling heavy duty load. Such cords don’t easily get entangled either making them easier to mow with.
2. Match the Amp of the Mower with the Extension Cord
Extension cords come with a gauge number. The rule to remember here is, lower the gauge of the cord, greater is the power it can handle. Typically, electric mowers draw between 6 to 12 Amps, you should buy a cord that matches with the power requirements of your mower to prevent overheating of the cord and internal damage.
3. Start From the Point Closest to the Power Outlet
Always begin mowing your lawn from the point closest to the power socket powering your mower. This ensures that the cord extends behind the mower as you move away rather than falling in front of it.
4. Use Handle Clips to Elevate the Cord
Typically mowers come with one or two handle clips that hold the cord elevated and away from the motor. If you feel the need to add in more clips, do so to prevent the cord from ever coming close to the deck or the motor. Position the clips such that the cord falls away behind you and from the height of the handle.
5. Leave a Small Pool Behind You With Your Free Hand
Hold a small pool of cord behind you in your free hand that can freely extend forward as the mower moves ahead. This helps untangle the cord much before it is needed by the mower and also keeps the cord raised above the deck at all times.
6. Do Not Revisit a Patch Without Clearing the Wires First
Eventually you will find a few patches improperly mowed the first time around. Refrain from immediately mowing over these areas until you have completed one entire round of your lawn. Shut down the mower, collect the cord and then restart, visiting those patches that need a second approach.
What to Look for in Electric Lawn Mower Reviews
In my months of researching, trying out multiple electric corded mowers, I was trying to zero in on factors that mattered the most. Something I realized early on is that manufacturers already knew the ingredients to bake the best electric mower recipe. So what stops them from producing the best mowers? Economics! More precisely, the economics of demand and supply.
Unlike gas mowers that are the de facto investment and hence garner a greater demand, the electric mower’s market is more concentrated and segregated to family homes, folks who have a desire to go green and such. This lack of ‘high enough’ demand is why the market is flooded with hundreds of models from every brand that excels in some areas, but flops in others, all in the name of being affordable. Why am I explaining all this? Because in my research I finally came across the magic formula that helped me compile my personal TOP 5 best electric lawn mower reviews. Like I said before, it is actually a combination of many things, but most important of all, it is the ultimate user experience and since family homes are the target audience for electric mowers, I decided to reduce the stringency of criteria in my electric lawn mower reviews to the following few.
Ease of Use
Forget everything else about a mower, with electric corded mowers, ease of use depends entirely on two things – the cord length and the ability of the mower to avoid the cord! Weight, maneuverability, handle height adjustment – all these ergonomic factors are almost always present in corded mowers because they happen to miss a massive engine eating up space, weight and unbalancing the mower. What truly matters is whether you can keep the cord untangled at all times and if it is long enough for your lawn. Only then do other things factor in.
Height Adjustment
How many height positions are on offer? Moreover, I found that unlike gasoline mowers, electric variants are mostly plastic. If the height adjustment lever and mechanism is plastic, one has to be really careful not to damage it accidentally. The next feature to look for is whether the lever controls all wheel heights simultaneously or are there individual controls for each.
Motor Power
Along with the size of the deck and blade arrangement, the motor power plays an important role. With electric corded mowers, it is measured in terms of maximum current or Amperes. Greater the Amp, more is the power and thus greater the RPM (speed) of the blades. Remember that more RPM ensures less resistance against grass, debris, small roots and stems.
Cut Quality
With gasoline and cordless mowers, the cut quality can vary. As a cordless loses charge, its cut quality deteriorates. Because of the vibrations in a gas mower, the cut is more serrated than smooth. With corded electric mowers, the lack of engine vibration, loss of charge all ensures a perfect cut all the time. Question only remains therefore is whether it achieves the same quality regardless of the cut height and the life of the mower.
Maintenance
Electric mowers typically need no maintenance other than annual sharpening of the blades, spraying of non-stick oil inside the deck and occasional replacement of the blunt blades.
Nevertheless, to cut costs most brands do use inferior quality components in their electric models, which eventually need repair. Hence, the warranty matters a lot with electric mowers, which is another thing I scrutinize here.
Cost Effectiveness
Some brands tend to sell their units cheaper than others while others ride on the goodwill in the market. I try to justify the price tag set on every electric mower against its feature set, warranty and performance letting you know for sure if it is worth the price or if you should wait for a discount on it. En general, in cordless mowers, the higher its price, the better its battery quality.
TOP 5 Corded Electric Lawn Mower Reviews
The Top 5 below is dedicated to the most powerful corded electric mowers. If you like to check out cordless models, please click here. Finally, I have tested every mower on this website, so make sure to click on the links to read my detailed electric lawn mower reviews to see how each of them performs.
1. GreenWorks 25112 13 Amp 21-Inch Corded Electric Lawn Mower Review
If you’re even mildly familiar with the challenge of handling a heavy, bellowing mower, the GreenWorks 25112, 13 Amp, 21-inch lawn mower will first of all make you heave a huge sigh of relief. This new-age corded mower runs on an incredibly powerful 13 Amp Electric Motor, and has a rock-solid 21 inch stainless steel deck for impeccable grass cutting. It’s sleek, lightweight and foldable structure belies its sheer versatility, be it in terms of rear bagging, side discharge or mulching to nourish your lawn with natural manure. Though not self-propelled, its two 7 inch front-wheels and 10 inch back-wheels are strategically aligned, for effortless dragging.
Ease of Use
Assembly-wise, theGreenWorks 25112, 13 Amp, 21-inch lawn mower is literally a dream-machine with no complicated parts or confounding assembly-line of screws and bolts! Straight out of the box, with the mere unfolding of the handle and adhering the discharge bag, this lawn mower is all ready to breeze through your lawn. However, please do remember that there is one grey area- knowing how to handle the cord. For starters, you ought to know that the length of the cord you purchase is inversely proportional to its gauge. So for a 100 feet extension cord (which I use), it needs to be a 14 gauge, and if you need a 150 feet one, the 12 gauge one is required. It is no doubt a hassle initially, to make sure the cord stays behind you and doesn’t get to the front. But trust me, you’ll get used to it as you keep mowing. Otherwise, the sheer ease of maneuvering this lightweight machine (especially the wheels are angled bang-on and run butter-smooth), makes up for the fact that you need to pay heed to the cord hanging behind! Here is a really neat instruction video by Greenworks on the cord retainer for extra easy usage of you mower without any troubles.
Cut Quality
A common complaint that many consumers (including me in the past) have had with GreenWorks, is that the blades aren’t sharpened to the fullest when the shipment is received. I’ve been told by Customer Care that this is in fact, a safety feature. And especially in case of this GreenWorks Corded Mower, it hasn’t been a problem at all, because the cut quality was surprisingly great. As an experiment, I used it to snip through different varieties of turf grass-patches of Perennial RyeGrass, Zoysia and even some rough Bluegrass. The cutting was fairly uniform. In fact, the final look of the lawn clearly reflected that it was mowed by a seasoned professional (which it was!) An important tip I’d like to give you, is to make sure you wipe the 21 inch stainless steel deck dry, prior to storing it in your garage after a mowing session. The reason is simple of course- to avoid any chances of rusting and improve longevity of the blades!
Height Adjustment
As far as the height leveling of the GreenWorks 25112, 13 Amp, 21-inch lawn mower is concerned, you can chose from a cutting level as deep as 3.75 inches, to one as low as 1.75 inches. There are a total of 7 different heights that you can chose to mow at, depending on the height of your grass, topographical conditions, presence of thatch, weather conditions etc. For instance with cool season grasses, it wouldn’t be a wise decision to mow it too short unless it’s Early Fall. Whereas in the case of warm season turf grass, wait till Late Spring before you decide to go on a massive cutting spree!
Motor Power
One of the best aspects of mowing your lawn with the GreenWorks 25112, is that this corded gizmo will save you on a lot of time and effort, trying to ‘doubly or triply’ go through lush patches. Unlike several other flimsy, low power mowers, this one will just charge through thick and thin with amazing unstoppability. The phenomenal 13 Amp motor will definitely not make you want to reach out for a mask or a pair of ear muffs, but it does its job at superlative efficiency. Way to go GreenWorks, for coming up with this awesome lawn maintenance machine!
Maintenance
Having been a landscaping enthusiast for years, I’ve always stuck to facts, solid research and provided my customers with holistic info. You see, GreenWorks Mowers may have certain faltering in terms of the blades needing to be sharpened after a while, the mulching not as fine as expected etc. But I’d go with these beautiful models any day, as opposed to traditional, heavy duty gasoline mowers. The reason is simple. The maintenance hassles are close to zero, and almost all of the models (including this one, the GreenWorks 25112, 13 Amp, 21-inch lawn mower is covered by a 4 years- materials, parts and workmanship warranty. No messy fuel mixing, no motor greasing, no overheating and no pull cords that get defunct with time.
Cost Effectiveness
Adjudging the cost-effectiveness of any given lawn mower is a complicated task. That’s because you need to think of all cost components like initial investment which includes the selling price, cost of add-ons (like cord reel and extension cord in this case), maintenance-related costs, fuel or electricity cost, cost of batteries in case of cordless mowers etc. Thankfully in case of the GreenWorks 25112, you can instantly rid yourself of battery replacement and fuel costs. On a rough estimate, the electricity costs you somewhere around 9 cents an hour (going by the stats of the 13 Amp Motor drawing in 120 V power). So you cannot help but marvel at the fact that you’ve partaken an attractive deal!
2. Greenworks 25142 10 Amp 16 inch Corded Electric Lawn Mower Review
Compact and easy to maneuver, the Greenworks 25142,10 Amp, corded 16 inch electric lawn mower definitely cuts a pretty picture as opposed to a bulky machine chugging down your lawn. Built with a powerful 10 Amp Motor and a sturdy 16-inch cutting deck, this electric lawn mower has especially been designed for small to mid-sized lawns and narrow spaces. Its 5-height adjustable blades ensure fast and even cutting, while you could chose to mulch or bag the trimmings based on your specific requirements. No more lawn maintenance fiascos, no more precious time whiled away. This GreenWorks Marvel does a neat job and lets you bask in much-deserved leisure during weekends!
Ease of Use
I kid you not, but the GreenWorks 25142 happens to be amongst the few reliable electric lawn mowers that can be assembled in as less as 10 minutes! That’s because the machine is already pre-assembled, and all you need to do is to screw on the handle and the rear bag. To tell you the truth, I was kind of flummoxed with how light and compact this mower was, and whether it’d be of any good. But hey, guess what? Looks can be pretty deceiving! The 6-inch front wheel and 7-inch rear wheel provide the ideal ‘forward-pushing’ balance. It also helps you easily wade through those tricky, uneven patches, like the narrow strips bordering the sidewalk or next to flower beds. Of course you’ll have to buy a good quality extension cord (I got the 100-feet Coleman Cable from Amazon) and for beginners, it can be quite irritating when the cord comes in the way of the machine. But slowly, you’ll understand the knack of keeping the cord behind you as you mow along! Another point I’d like to bring to your notice is that the discharge bag is small, and gets filled up after every 15 to 20 minutes of going on a ‘mowing-spree’. However, detaching, emptying and re-attaching it, is pretty much a piece of cake!
Cut Quality
I’d have preferred a tough stainless steel cutting deck. But owing to its lightweight construction, the 15-inch cutting deck off the GreenWorks 25142 is made of high-grade plastic. Nevertheless, it yields fantastic cut quality; the trick is to start with the highest setting, and adjust the lever for height adjustment as you go along the way. With a regularly pruned lawn as mine, the medium-setting works fine. Of course with the parts where there’s prominently thick grass and weeding needs to be done, you’d still require the highest setting, and sometimes even pass it through the area twice to get a neat finish. But at least the tedious job of after-sweeping or leaf-blowing is done away with, thanks to the excellent suction and passing over of cut grass shreds to the clip bag. If the soil quality and weather conditions permit, it’s so much easier to switch over to the ‘mulching function’ which this GreenWorks mower does very evenly and doesn’t leave ugly clumps behind!
Height Adjustment
Varying from 5/8 inches to 2-5/8 inches, the blades can be adjusted to 5 different heights based on how tall and dense the grass is. You don’t need to switch off the mower if you want to adjust the cutting height; it works on the basis of a single, push-based height-adjusting handle which works on leveling both the wheels simultaneously. So there are no complicated levers on this piece of lawn maintenance machinery to get irked about!
Motor Power
Honestly, the 10 Amp Motor does a fantastic job with small lawns (precisely because that’s what this machine has been designed for). My prized lawn measures about a quarter of an acre, has a major stretch of Kentucky Blue Grass, and Zoysia ‘filler’ grass in some crevices and outer strips. At its prime, Kentucky Grass can be really thick and difficult to mow, but the Greenworks 25142,10 Amp, corded 16 inch lawn mower has left me quite impressed. Heck, it doesn’t even sound like a lawn mower when in operation. (There’s a low purring which is almost inaudible.) Of course, you need to give it a 5-minute breather every 30-45 minutes to avoid overheating, and you might have to pass it through difficult areas twice over. But still, you might prefer that any day, as opposed to a commercial-style mower that shatters your ear-drums!
Maintenance
The most impressive aspect of purchasing any lawn mower from GreenWorks, corded or battery-operated, is its 4 years warranty period. Having seamlessly used this specific model for almost 12 weeks (every weekend), it’s hard to find fault with anything pertaining to maintenance. The only thing I can think of, is that I’ve noticed slight signs of wearing on the cushioning foam of the handle, which means it’ll need replacement after many more uses.
Cost Effectiveness
No matter how you prefer to decide the cost-effectiveness of a lawn mower, my experience with the Greenworks 25142,10 Amp, corded 16 inch lawn mower has taught me that good things come in small packages, and size doesn’t matter, period! I’m not denying the cons like troublesome cord-maintenance, low motor power to take on sprawling lawns etc. But one must keep in mind that the cost of battery replacement and fuel is done away with, for good! Obviously, if you need an electric lawn mower for bigger-sized lawns (more than half an acre), I’d suggest that you go ahead with the GreenWorks 25302 Twin Force G Max Lawn Mower instead. For anything smaller, the Greenworks 25142 model is ideal.
3. Sun Joe MJ401e Mow Joe 14 inch 12 Amp Corded Electric Lawn Mower with Grass Catcher Review
A smaller yard needs a lighter and easily maneuverable mower. The Sun Joe MJ401e Mow Joe, 14 inch, 12 amp electric lawn mower with grass catcher takes good care of small yards with its 14 inch cutting deck powered by a rather large 12 Amp motor. The blades are precision sharpened made from steel with a three position height adjustment to help cut closer to the ground or leave a small tuft behind. It comes with a 10.6 gallon hard top rear removable bag that comes off for easy disposal. This ETL approved walk behind mower also features a complete 2 year warranty package.
Ease of Use
Assembly is a breeze as the Sun Joe MJ401e Mow Joe, 14 inch, 12 Amp electric lawn mower with grass catcher comes almost preassembled. All you need to do is attach the blades and fold up, tighten the handles to get started. A word of caution before your first start-up, you will need an extension cord to manage an entire lawn without having to worry about cord shortage. And when you do purchase an extension, please go for a lower gauge cord, preferably 12 gauge as this is a 12 Amp electric mower and thinner the extension cord, the quicker your motor will burn out.
Once assembled and started up, the mower feels light to use, easy to turn with and definitely more reliable than a massive gas mower. However, do not get fooled by its tiny size, this mower can chop off branches and stray twigs into fine pieces. Using with the rear discharge hard top bag is quite easy and with 10 plus gallon of space available anyone with a small yard won’t have to empty the bag until the very end.
Cut Quality
Because of its smaller deck size you will end up with more passes than usual and that is why I suggest this push mower is only ideal for small yards. With larger yards, the necessity to travel more will inevitably result in poorer cut quality as you will want to finish up soon, especially on a hot summer day. Be patient with the mower, try not to speed things up and your yard will look perfectly manicured.
Height Adjustment
Unfortunately, the Sun Joe Mj401e does not offer a multitude of options with height adjustment. Just the three basic heights that are high, medium and low. Even at high, you may feel that your grass is losing almost half of its height and this is true as this mower really does cut close to the ground. I don’t see why it needs a low setting because at low, the mower scrapes the ground clean!
Motor Power
No doubts on the durability of the motor. It is a 12 Amp beast that is powering a rather small mower. 12 Amp motors are usually seen on 20 inch decks, but this Sun Joe MJ401E carries a 14 inch cutting deck that I feel makes its 12 Amp motor an overkill. Nevertheless, it is good to see a massive motor on such a tiny machine as you know it will never disappoint you in terms of raw power. Just remember to use a thicker gauged extension cord with this mower.
Maintenance
Even though the entire body is plastic, the wheels are lightly constructed and the rear bag is a tad bit flimsy, we feel this walk behind electric mower does not need any maintenance. Leave it out in the open or keep it protected in your backyard shed, this mower will jump into action the moment it is started up. The only concern I have though is for the cutting deck which is minute compared to the motor powering it. Pushed hard against an obstacle the blades may bend or even crack owing to the awesome power flowing through it.
Cost Effectiveness
If cost is your priority and you happen to be blessed with a small yard, the Sun Joe 14” electric lawn mower is ideal. It isn’t large and it does look a bit futuristic, but underneath its petite exterior it packs a massive motor that manages to fool all.
4. Greenworks 25022 12 Amp 20 Inch 3-In-1 Corded Electric Lawn Mower Review
The Greenworks 25022, 12 Amp, 20 Inch 3-in-1 Electric Lawn mower is the number one bestselling electric lawn mower on Amazon and for a good number of reasons too. Reliable and simple, this mower packs in a sufficiently large 12 Amp motor that drives an equally massive 20 inch steel deck through any and all kinds of grass growth with ease. Add to this a total of 7 height positions and you can trim down anywhere from 3.75 inch to 1.5 inch. Everything about this walk behind mower is inspired by proper ergonomics. Adjusting the height is possible with a single lever that simultaneously lowers all four wheels. The handle folds up to help store the mower. Be it maneuverability, reliability or even cost of maintenance, this Greenworks electric lawn mower tops the chart!
Ease of Use
From the onset, you will find that this is a pretty easy mower to use. Before I get into all the praises for the Greenworks 25022, 12 Amp, 20 Inch, 3-In-1 Electric Lawn Mower, keep in mind that this is a corded electric mower so the cord is not going to get out of the way all by itself. Best way to get around this complication is to start from the closest portion to the plug point and move in a pattern such that the cord automatically unravels over mowed surface rather than coming in front of the mower.
As for mulching, there is a plug that goes into a slot inside the spring-loaded back door. That’s about it to start mulching. To side discharge or bag, remove this plug and attach the necessary accessory. Mind you, because of its superior quality, the side discharge bag and rear bag are expensive but they are incredibly good. Adjusting height is also a breeze with a single lever that locks in 7 different positions. And finally, the front 20 inch deck being made of steel is rather thin so you can get incredibly close to edges, pipes or any obstruction in your path.
Also Greenworks made some super handy instruction videos on how to use the cord retainer, install the mulching plug, etc. Take a look here.
Cut Quality
12 Amp motor with a large cutting deck, plenty of power and superior construction all translate to an amazing cut quality. Because you end up with lesser number of passes, more torque on the blades, grass or all variation get the same treatment, in other words you always end up with a level lawn.
Height Adjustment
Total of 7 heights to choose from ranging between 3.75 to 1.5 inches all adjusted with a single lever. Even at 1.5 inches you won’t be scraping the ground thanks to the thinner deck construction so when necessary give your lawn a tight crop without worrying about damaging the top soil.
Motor Power
12 Amp motor that garners a lot of positive review anywhere you read, that’s one major reason why I rate it so highly. Usually good mowers lack an equally powerful motor with the ability to handle more than just grass. Not this Greenworks push mower, it packs sufficient power and being electric is super silent.
Maintenance
Forget maintenance forever with the Greenworks 25022 electric lawn mower. Keep it in a shed, leave it out exposed to the environment or chain it to the ground through a tornado, this technological marvel will purr to life the moment you switch it on.
Cost Effectiveness
If you are on a tight budget but don’t want to skimp out with a cheap mower that will probably breakdown in its first tryst with an exposed root then this Greenworks mower is what you need. I am not saying that this is an affordable mower, there are a few cheaper than this model, but there are definitely many more much more expensive and not as good as the 25022. The mower is backed by a 4-years warranty.
5. Black and Decker MM2000 13 Amp 20-inch 3-in-1 Corded Electric Lawn Mower Review
The Black & Decker Electric Lawn Mower MM2000 boasts of dual ability and a powerful electric motor. You can mulch or decide to bag grass clippings for a cleaner lawn. Moreover, with a larger cutting deck of 20 inches, a special comfortable handle grip and adjustable handle height, it helps make mowing that much more bearable. Did I add that its gasoline free so less noisy and more environment friendly? Yes, I did and yet you won’t notice the change if you are migrating from a gas mower as this electric push mower packs all the features you would find on an expensive gas mower such as adjustable deck height, foldable design and a 2 year warranty backing.
Ease Of Use
The only reason I deduct a point here is because of the initial preparation necessary to get going. Before taking our four star rating seriously though, please read ahead. The Black & Decker MM2000 electric lawn mower comes in a big bulky package and needs couple of minutes assembling together. A word of caution before starting out, if you don’t want to spend your time after mowing scraping dirt and grass off the blades, use a PAM spray or Non-stick oven spray before using the mower. All that remains is to plug the cable in and switch it on. It roars to life, well purrs to be exact. Honestly, it is about five times more quiet than a competing gas mower and we believe it packs in equivalent power to that of a 7HP gas mower.
Covering ground is quick with the 20 inch deck and getting a perfect cut doesn’t take much calculations. However, at the lowest height setting, it will graze the ground and if you move over too thick of a growth, it may need couple more passes. As for the accompanying accessories, the rear discharge bag may at first seem oddly designed but to get it evenly filled to the brim, try our method (it took us couple of tries to get this right). Start by mowing with the bag attached and after a minute or so, remove the bag, shake it to get an even layer and restart. Now the bag will fill up perfectly.
Also being a plastic deck, it is thick so you won’t get too close to edges and obstacles in your lawn so be careful trying to force the mower around edges.
Cut Quality
Superior cut quality is what anyone wants with their mower and this Black & Decker MM2000 electric lawn mower provides just that. Ample height options between 1.25 inches to 3.5 inches, a power motor powering a sharp set of blades all ensure the ideal cut quality for your suburban lawn. This machine can mulch, bag or side-discharge which makes it a rather complete 3-in1 mower.
Height Adjustment
Height adjustments are easy and a single lever handles all four wheel adjustments in a jiffy. You have got 8 height positions to choose from ranging from 1.25 to 3.5 inches. Nothing much to complain here neither to exaggerate.
Motor Power
13 Amp is powerful enough and being corded, it won’t die on you like a battery operated unit will. Moreover, the motor being electric allows you to tilt the device to the sides to spray PAM over the blades in subsequent runs (not something you can manage with gas mowers!). Its Easy-Start button makes starting a piece of cake. This mower is corded and if you need an extension cord, you can find clear instructions on what cords to use at page 2 of the instruction manual.
Maintenance
Make sure to keep the blades sharp and over time they tend to dull out. Same goes for the accessories, because they are included free of cost, they aren’t exactly top notch so you will eventually have to change them.
Cost Effectiveness
The Black & Decker MM2000 mower falls in the expensive electric mower bracket although its construction and reliability does justify its cost. However, I feel it ought to give a bit more at its price range.
Last Tip: If You Have Tough Grass
By the way, if you think you have tough grass in your lawn, you’d better not go for an electric mower, you will need the extra power of the gold old gas mower or you might ending up regretting your electric mower purchase. And if you aren’t fit enough to push the mower all by yourself, a self-propelled mower might be a better option. They come in gas and electric versions!
Please notice that electric mowers, either corded or cordless ones, aren’t suitable for all types of yards. Check out here what lawn mower you should buy. And before leaving this page: Don’t forget to take a look at the best cordless electric mowers as well.
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