The Road to Electric
May 8th, 2006 
by Susan Harris
Oh, it’s
been a long haul for me and my Sears gas-driven lawnmower. Bought used in 1985 and serviced only once, it’s not only served my needs but those of several of my neighbors. Yes, here in Crunchy Takoma we share mowers and power washers and spreaders and mulch deliveries and lots more stuff I don’t know about in the child care department.
But back to what’s really important, the mower. Our relationship began to crumble last spring after I replaced the railroad-tie steps leading to my back lawn with huge but rough boulders. They’re gorgeous and oh, so naturalistic, but I had to carry the damn mower as I was going up and down, so I began to get a bad attitude toward mowing. Like whining about having to do it. And I’d always loved that clean new look you get from this simple act, which takes me only 30 minutes for the front and back lawns combined, thanks to gradual turf reduction over the years.
So recently I let my fingers do the walking and ordered this little guy, a 13-inch electric mower made in China under the terribly unsexy brand name of Yard Machines, for $120 delivered to my door. I know cords are supposed to be a pain but I was willing to give it a try for my small lawns.
THE RESULTS Wherein I discovered what a different experience mowing electrically really is, different in good ways. Working with such a lightweight machine is a pleasure, and most of all, there’s the quiet. Now, I’ve never been bothered by the sound of a gas mower myself but it’s always been frustrating, in the hot, steamy days of high summer, to have to wait till 9 a.m. to do my mowing, when the air is cool and I’m ready to go at 5:30. With this guy being so quiet, I can mow whenever I want to.
And then there’s the nice result of reducing the pollution I cause while I’m here on Earth. I read recently that thanks to legislative inaction in this area, gas mowers produce 90 times the pollutants per gallon of gas as a 2006 car, which is much worse than I imagined back in my bad-old pollutin’ days.
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May 9th, 2006 at 2:47 am
Way to go Susan. It sounds like a great alternative to the heavier gas-powered mowers. Do you need a long extension to do your yard?
May 9th, 2006 at 3:42 pm
That is exactly what I need! Could you please give me info as to how to order it?
Thank you!
Nancy
May 9th, 2006 at 5:21 pm
I got a reel mower a couple of years ago. I like it, but it would work better if I didn’t have a St. Augustine lawn because the blades of grass don’t stand up straight. I also miss the ability to grind up leaves and leave them on the lawn that I had with my mulching mower. That said, I love the quiet whirring of my reel mower and the fact that the only energy it requires is mine.
May 10th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
I’d love the ordering info too - My fiance (appointed mower at our house) absolutely hates the smell and noise of the gas mower - he’d love an electric, but we though they’d be prohibitavely expensive. We’ve got an old-fashioned non-power mower, but it’s really not that effective on our huge lawn…
Thanks!!
May 11th, 2006 at 7:13 am
I have one of these. It is a good machine. The bagger fills up quickly, though. Although, I feel like I’m vacuuming with that cord that I constantly have to move out of the way. Do make sure you get a grounded outdoor extension cord in a bright color.
One other note, keep an eye on the wheels. No matter how tight you make them, they have a tendancy to get loose and fall off. Especially if you drag it around backwards to get it from one part of the yard to another.
But all in all, a very nice alternative to gas powered.
May 11th, 2006 at 11:08 am
I have a reel mower and I love it.
June 15th, 2006 at 1:38 pm
We recently bought a Neuton and it’s wonderful:
http://www.drpower.com/twostepInquiry.aspx?X=1&name=Neuton_Mower_G&src=AW45300XE22C3309