Lawn Mowers: Cordless and Electric Lawn Mowing Machines
(Page 2 of 5)
April/May 2005
By Scott Hollis
Emissions and spills from gas containers and tanks also contribute to soil and air pollution. According to the California Air Resources Board, portable gas containers account for about 87 tons per day of smog-forming reactive organic gasses in California alone, which are equal to the heat-trapping emissions from about 1 million cars. California already has standards governing the containers that release these emissions, but they remain unregulated at the federal level. Using an electric mower eliminates the use of any fuel container.
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Electric mowers are much kinder to our air — they have no exhaust emissions and don’t require a gas can susceptible to evaporation and spillage. Generating the power to run electric equipment does produce pollution at the power plant. However, that process is more efficient than it is in small gas engines. Furthermore, power plants must meet federal and state pollution-control regulations.
Easy Maintenance
Electric mowers eliminate the cost of oil changes, spark plugs, air filters and tune-ups. In terms of energy cost, electric mowers use only about $5 worth of electricity each year — a significant savings when compared to the amount of money spent on fuel for a gas-powered mower. And beyond replacing the battery (which can be recycled) every five to seven years and occasionally cleaning and sharpening the blade, there’s little, if any, maintenance. The best thing you can do to keep your electric mower in fine form is to charge it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Brill Accumower ASM380
This 29-pound, electric, reel-type mower produced by Sunlawn sports 15½-inch-wide cutting blades and a string trimmer accessory. The blades provide a clean cut, and the optional grass catcher lets you collect the clippings. If you live in an urban area, have a small yard (under 3,000 square feet) and need something light, this mower is ideal. The Brill reel mower costs about $295 for the basic mower and battery, and $419 for the package deal, including the grass catcher and string trimmer.
Be sure you follow Sunlawn’s recommendations and cut the grass often (not more than about an inch at a time — reel mowers aren’t designed to mow taller grass or weeds). Cutting height settings range from about a half inch to about 1½ inches.
The 24-volt battery charges overnight, and switching the 3-pound battery between the mower and string trimmer accessory is a snap. The battery charge lasts for 20 to 40 minutes, depending on your lawn’s height and thickness, so if you want to use the mower and trimmer during the same charge, then you’ll have to work fast or have a small area to cut. The mower also can be used without the battery so you can finish your mowing even if the battery runs down.
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