How Much Do Electric Lawnmowers Cost To Charge?

Author
Recent Posts

Willie writes on small engine repair, landscaping, and lawn care. He owned a professional lawn care business in Alabama for almost 10 years.

Factors That Influence How Much Electric Lawn Mowers Cost To Charge

The Price of Electricity in Your Area

Where you live might have an effect on how much electricity you use to charge your mower. The price of electricity varies with every state (source).

For example, residents in West Central states like Louisiana and Texas pay an average $13.49 per kWh for residential electricity. On the other end, states such as Massachusetts and Maine spend more than $0.23 per kWh.

The prices of electricity are different across every state because of several reasons, including:

Presence of power plants in the state
Prices of local fuel
Electricity pricing regulations
Taxes

Luckily electricity prices are not putting a stop on the electric lawn mower market. In 2021 alone, 37% of mowers sold were electric, and the number grows every year by more than 6% (source).

The Model of the Mower

Electric lawn mowers come in three types: push, self-propelled, and riding. Push mowers consume less power than self-propelled and riding because you use some of your energy to move them.

Whereas the other two are more automated and can work on tougher terrains that take up a lot of power. Therefore, you’ll need stronger batteries to operate them, leading to higher costs to charge.

The Voltage of the Mower

Most electric lawn mower batteries use volts ranging between 36 and 120. A higher voltage model can provide sufficient power to clear your lawn, making it suitable for large yards. On the other hand, a lower voltage mower is enough to work on a small yard. The higher voltage models will take longer to charge, resulting in higher costs.

The Method Used for Grass Cleanup

Mulching involves leaving the grass clippings on the lawn to decompose and provide the ground with nutrients. Whereas, with bagging, you place the cut grass in a bag leaving your yard looking clean and neat.

The bagging process uses more power than mulching and therefore requires stronger batteries to accomplish. Therefore, you can expect the charging process to take longer and cost more.

The Specified Battery Type From The Manufacturer

Mowers use different batteries depending on how they were manufactured. You can find the details of what battery to use in your instructions manual. Using the right batteries can enable your mower to run effectively without any issues and also last longer.

I’ll go over the two cordless electric mower batteries commonly used in the sections below.

Lithium-Ion Batteries vs. Lead-Acid Batteries

Mower batteries typically have voltages running between 12-120 volts of power. Those with higher voltages are more powerful and run for longer periods, resulting in more grass getting cut before the energy is drained.

Lithium-ion batteries have a high energy store, and their charge lasts longer as compared to lead-acid batteries. This makes them more suitable for use in advanced mowers. They’re also more expensive and durable, lasting up to five years.

On the other hand, lead-acid batteries are less expensive but take longer to charge than lithium ones and have a shorter lifespan of about three years. On top of that, they’re heavier, which makes them less commonly used today as people prefer to use lightweight mowers. Ideally, you can use these batteries in smaller mowers that don’t need lots of power to run.

How Long Do Electric Lawn Mower Batteries Last per Charge?

Determining how much electric lawnmowers cost to charge is important, but knowing how long they last each charge is just as important, if not more so. If your mower is expensive to charge, you’ll want to ensure the charge lasts an adequate amount of time. So, how long do electric lawn mower batteries last per charge?

Electric lawn mower batteries can last for about an hour per charge. However, this depends on the manufacturer, the height of the grass, and how you use the mower. Mowers that have batteries with a higher amp per hour will last longer and also use less power, mulching the grass than bagging it.

Therefore, before you buy an electric lawn mower, you’ll want to consider several factors, including not only how much they cost to charge or how long a charge lasts but also your personal preferences. This can include the type of mower you need (standing or sitting). I’ll go over this more in the next section.

What To Consider When Shopping for an Electric Lawn Mower

Here are some factors to think about before you buy an electric mower:

Size of your lawn: Electric mowers are designed to tackle different-sized lawns, and you’ll have to determine how big yours is to buy the right one. Bigger lawns require mowers with more powerful batteries of 80 volts and above to run an entire mowing session. Whereas, you can mow smaller yards with a 40-volt or less battery on a single charge.
Type of mower: Since there are three types of electric mowers (push, self-propelled, and riding), you need to pick one that suits you. To do that, you’ll have to decide whether you prefer some level of comfort. This where a riding mower comes in, or an easy-to-use tool like a self-propelled one. You should only choose push mowers if you don’t mind using some of your energy to push them.
Price and warranty: You should consider your budget before buying an electric mower to avoid overspending. Just make sure that it has all the necessary features you desire. Moreover, the mower should come with a good warranty of more than a year to get free repairs and to replace damaged parts.

Cordless Electric Lawnmower Options

Best Overall: EGO Power + LM2150SP 21-Inch Lawn Mower (Link To Amazon)

This self-propelled mower delivers power that exceeds that of a gas machine with its 56-volt lithium battery. It’s because of that powerful battery that the mower can run for an hour on a single charge. Also, since it’s self-propelled, you can cut the grass on your lawn without exerting much energy and at your desired speed.

Pros

Multi-blades: It has three blades that you can use interchangeably depending on the type of grass you have to cut. These include the mulching blade (which comes installed on the mower), the high lift bagging blade, and the extended runtime blade. This makes it ideal for effectively clearing yards of all kinds with short to tall grass.
Different height settings: You can adjust the mower’s deck height between seven different positions for it to work on various terrains. The height settings range from 1.5-4 inches (3.81-10.16 cm). Besides that, you can also adjust the handle to a comfortable mowing height.
Long warranty time: The mower comes with a five-year warranty enabling you to get free repairs in case of defects on it and routine maintenance. However, you must have bought the tool from an authorized EGO retailer to enjoy these services. Moreover, the warranty will become void if the damage to the machine comes from self-modifications and renting it out.

Cons

Expensive: This machine is quite costly. However, with its high performance and several great features, you’ll get your money’s worth. That said, its price may still put you off, considering there are other good and cheaper mowers on the market.

Best for Small Yards: Greenworks 40V 16 Inches Cordless Electric Mower (Link To Amazon)

The push mower is very eco-friendly with no emissions and is quiet to use compared to gas. It uses a 4.0Ah battery that can last for 45 minutes, enabling you to clear the grass in your small yard. Moreover, the battery has a quick recharge time of two hours, so you don’t have to wait long before you can use it.

Pros

Easy to assemble and use: You can attach the handle with just a few bolts to push the mower around as well as fix the battery without any trouble. With a lightweight body and a deck of 16 inches (40.64 cm), you can easily maneuver the mower across your lawn and up hills. Also, it can quickly crank up when you push the start button on its handle.
Low maintenance: Since it doesn’t use gas or oil, you won’t have to tune it up and clean any messy oil spills. All you have to do is sharpen the blades from time to time on top of washing the body and removing debris from the underside after use. If there are any loose nuts and bolts, you should tighten them.
Versatile: The mower has a single lever that you can adjust to five different height positions. These range from 1-1/4 inches to 3-3/8 inches, making it possible for you to cut grass in all environments or on different terrains. What’s more, you can choose between mulching and bagging the grass after trimming it.

Cons

Short battery life: With a run period of 45 minutes, the battery power may drain before you finish mowing your lawn. However, you can opt to have two or more batteries so that you can swap the dead one for a charged version as you mow. Besides, the battery charge can be enough to cut grass in a small yard.

Best for Big Yards: EGO Power+ ZT4204L 42″ Z6 Zero Turn Riding Mower (Link To Amazon)

This riding mower can cut grass up to two acres using a single charge. It’s designed to operate on different terrains, including steep hills, with its zero-turn radius, making it easy for you to steer around obstacles.

With gas mowers getting banned because of their high emission rate, this mower is a great alternative for tackling large yards. Additionally, if you’re someone who struggles with push mowers (or even self-propelled mowers), having an electric riding lawn mower is an excellent idea.

Pros

Long battery runtime: The battery is powerful enough to run for up to two hours without compromising the power. This means that you can mow your yard on a single charge. Besides, you can effectively cut the grass and mulch or bag it depending on what you want on this strong battery.
Extremely fast charger: This mower comes with four 10.0 Ah batteries and the fastest charger in the industry.
Includes three different driving modes: This mower allows you to choose between control, standard, and sport modes.
Comfortable seat: It has a padded seat that’s suitable for long mowing sessions as it absorbs any shocks. This makes mowing enjoyable rather than a stressful chore.
Faster speed: This mower allows you to reach up to 7 mph speed when mowing, and 8 mph in travel mode.

Cons

Expensive: The mower is quite expensive, just like all riding machines, because it’s faster and easier to use. However, the many benefits that this riding mower offers, such as comfortable seating and fast charging, make it worth the cost.

Conclusion

Cordless Electric mowers cost little to charge as compared to how much you would have to pay for fuel and its ever-increasing prices to power a gas machine. The amount you pay can depend on the watts of the battery and how much your electricity costs.

This price is worth paying, considering that these mowers are pollution free and need less maintenance. Moreover, they can effectively cut grass just like gas-powered mowers.

Recommended Reading: