Gas Lawn Mower vs. Electric Lawn Mower: Which Has Better Energy Efficiency?

You will likely be spending more money on your energy in the summer, both due to increased cooling costs as well as landscaping costs, including lawn maintenance. With this in mind, it is important to trim your energy costs wherever possible to make these increases less painful.

But what is the most energy efficient way to mow your lawn? Should you get an electric lawn mower, or should you get a conventional gas-powered lawn mower?

Electric

Electric mowers are good for the environment because they don’t create greenhouse gas emissions, like their gas-guzzling counterparts. In the long-term, you will likely find that an electric lawn mower is actually cheaper than a gas lawn mower. This is because many of the little costs that will make a gas mower expensive over time (such as purchasing gasoline, spark plugs, fuel filters, oil, etc.) are eliminated or greatly reduced. Even though electric mowers are more expensive initially, you will save money over time with an electric mower, making them a solid investment.

However, they do have their drawbacks. There are two main varieties of electric mower—corded and battery-powered, each of which raise a different obstacle. Corded models have a limited range, which makes them impractical if you have a large lawn. Battery-powered mowers, on the other hand, generally don’t have a long battery life, usually requiring a recharge after roughly an hour. This, too, can make mowing a large lawn troublesome.

Finally, electric mowers simply aren’t as powerful as gas mowers. So, if you expect to cut especially thick grass, opt for a gas mower.

Gas

Gas mowers are known as the reliable, go-to option for many families’ lawn care needs. The main advantages of choosing a gas lawn mower are their familiarity, the availability of parts and trained maintenance professionals, and their cheap initial price. As mentioned above, the little costs can make gas mowers more expensive in the long-run; fuel costs, while ultimately not that high, as well as spark plugs and other maintenance do add up over time, though you’ll experience it in a less painful way, since it will be spread out over a long period of time.

Which should you choose?

So in the end, which kind of mower should you go with?

It depends on your financial situation and lawn care needs, but here’s a good rule of thumb to follow: if you have an incredibly small or incredibly large yard, stick with a gas mower. However, most sizes in between could benefit long-term from an electric mower. The rationale is: with a small yard, it will take a long time to notice the actual savings of having an electric mower, while a larger yard will be a hassle with an electric lawn mower.

Looking to learn more about the subject? Find out more about the pros and cons of electric and gas lawn mowers here.

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