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Electric vs. Gas Mowers: Pros and Cons

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Electric lawn mower technology has advanced in recent years, and newer models are quite good.

But are electric lawn mowers really better than gas?

Here, we'll cover the electric mower vs. gas mower debate. There are benefits of staying with a gas lawn mower, and there are benefits of using an electric mower.


Pros and Cons of Electric Lawn Mowers


Whether you decide to go electric vs. gas, there are 14 pros and cons to consider:


Pros of Electric Mowers - Reasons to go electric:

  1. Regulations - You might have to go electric based on where you live. In certain places like California, new gas mowers are not sold anymore (regardless whether you agree or disagree with CA's decision). Info on California gas ban here and here.
    For example, California residents often can't order a gas mower, as most places won't ship gas mowers to California anymore.
  2. Compatibility - Your other yard tools are on the same electric platform and you want cross-compatible batteries.
  3. Noise - Electric mowers are quieter.
  4. Cleanliness - Electric mowers are cleaner - no gas spills or oil leaks.
  5. Lower maintenance. Electric mowers have no oil changes needed, no messing with the choke, carburetor, spark plugs, nor air filters.
  6. Storage - many electric mowers are foldable and store upright.
  7. Maneuverability - Since an electric engine has fewer parts, electric lawn mowers usually weight less than a gas mower, and are easier to maneuver.

Cons of Electric Mowers - Reasons to potentially stay with gas:

  1. Run time - Battery life is the biggest complaint with electric mowers, causing shorter run times, and the need to switch batteries during a mow.
  2. Repairability - A gas engine is much more repairable than an electric engine. People still repair their gas mowers from the 90s and 2000s. Will you be able to repair an electric mower 10-20 years from now?
  3. Performance - Gas mowers can perform better when cutting thick or wet grass, due to higher blade RPM than electric equivalents. High blade speed prevents leaving patches of uncut grass behind.
  4. Power - Low RPM mowers are also less effective at pushing the grass into the bag with enough force to fill the bag, as it doesn’t have the suction that gas mowers had for sucking up scattered leaves.
  5. Electric mower blades tend to be made with thinner metal to accomodate the lower RPM.
  6. Replacement parts - Electric mower blades are a bit harder to find depending on the brand.
  7. And as one Redditor said, "Biggest con is haters and boomers in my neighborhood either giving me shit about it or people stopping to ask about it."

Set on a Gas Mower?


If you end up deciding that an electric lawn mower is not for you, consider getting either:


  1. A POWER-LESS rotary or reel mower, such as this one (no gas, no batteries required).
  2. A good quality gas mower, such as the SENIX 125cc.

Then, buy all your other lawn tools on the same electric platform.


Up next:
Things to consider when buying an electric mower
Tips and tricks when using your electric mower.






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