Poll of the Day > What do you think cheap push mower, self prop, reel mower or a battery powered?

(+) Yeah! (+)

When I moved into my current place two years ago this was the first place where I had a yard that I was responsible for mowing. Its not that much of a yard so I don't need anything fancy. I don't have a shed or any actual closet space to store anything so I ended up getting a CORDED cheap mower a little Sun Joe. in the summer I literally kept it in the kitchen by the table and in the winter I put it in the bedroom in the corner, Its got me through two mowing seasons, but I just can't deal with that damn cord anymore. Having to wrestle around moving it out of the way constantly doubles the amount of time it takes to mow the yard than if I was just able to go with it. Not to mention I don't know if it'll survive another year. It's had a couple times where the grass was just a bit too wet and it clogged the blade area and nearly burnt up the engine, it wasn't acting all that great at the end of last years season.

Unfortunately as much as I try and convince the grass outside that Winter is still here.. the grass is growing, flowers are starting to bloom.. I'm going to have to mow very soon. I've decided that I'm getting a different mower without a cord.

Cheap gas powered push mower. I see the cheaper ones range form 125-200. I've never dealt with one before Oiling, gas. This becomes and issue with storage I thought maybe getting a waterproof cover and a bike chain and chaining it to my stairs outside.
https://tinyurl.com/wtl3n2g

Self propelled push mower is an option but add probably at least 100 bucks to the price.. storage issues, gas and oil.
https://tinyurl.com/tfqqdkt

The cheapest option would be a reel mower, they aren't all that large so I might even be able to just hang it prop it up in the laundry area in the kitchen out of the way. They seem to range from 70-120 bucks. No gas or oil to mess with and with that eco friendly. However it's me out there pushing it around, I don't want to be out there in 105 heat index summer day working harder to cut the grass. I don't want a stroke, and I've heard they don't cut as good as a powered mower having to go back over spots, and can get jammed up. Video reviews seem to make it look easy but some written reviews scare me lol.
https://tinyurl.com/um5m4ud

Then there is battery powered mowers. I would have to keep it inside like my corded one so I'd be in that same boat for storage, just always in the way and they are far more pricey like 299 and up. But no dealing with gas or oil, just charge the battery and I just take it outside and start mowing.
https://tinyurl.com/vyjyl7e

Vegan Mower
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbkimfFgYU8

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Dont get self propelled for a small yard. When we moved from a house with a big yard to one with a small yard the self propelled was a pain in the ass with all the additional turning and small areas. Got rid of it and got a cheap push mower, way better experience.

Battery powered sounds cool but I tend to avoid battery power tools because battery replacement usually isnt worth it with the high cost. But maybe mower batteries last longer these days, I dunno.

Honest thought, not a jab I promise.

I wonder how many people voting push mower have used one.

Freaking sucks. I've had to stop and clean ours so much, gets stuck, and I've laid down in the yard just drained with near nothing done. Multiple times even with our tiny yard.

I mean yeah I'm disabled af, but even our more able bodied people here have issues with cleaning and sticking.

i've used a push mower but not in any intense heat. best option though if you've got barely any space. maybe you'll get lucky and a neighbor will see you struggling and you can borrow theirs for the summer ahha

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I use an old-fashioned mechanical push reel mower. No gas, no mess, good exercise. Of course, the lawns I usually mow, mine and two neighbors, are small and I don't let them get overgrown.

When I took care of a friends lawn while she was out of town, large and overgrown, I had to first cut the overgrowth with a cordless weedeater before my little mower could handle it. Old neighborhood, nice houses, her neighbors had lawn services, I wondered sometimes what her neighbors thought of a woman pulling up in a BMW convertible, taking an old-fashioned push mower out of the back seat, and mowing her lawn by hand.

The disadvantages are that the cut is a little uneven, and twigs, pinecones, etc., will jam the reel, so it's wise to rake first. If the grass is too tall, you need to cut it down with a weedeater before mowing. Huge advantages: small, light, easily transportable, easy to store, gentle on the lawn, no gas can to mess with, no noise or smell, good exercise.

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If you are willing to work with it. A gas powered weed eater will work. Had to use it on the ranch for the yard when the riding mower needed a new fuel line and was waiting for it to come in.

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Move to a place where you don't have to mow. Seems like the easiest solution.

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We have about an acre total of yard to cut. I use a Troy-Bilt self propelled I got for $240 several years ago. Dang thing is a workhorse and the self propelled option is heavenly on a hot day. My vote: Self propelled all the way if youre using a push mower.

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grass lawns are a waste of space

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weed whacker
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Don't do the reel mower.

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I used to mow 4 acres with a push mower. It's not too bad. It's not fun, by any means, but it's nothing to get over dramatic about. We are in Louisiana, so those 100+ temps outside and the humidity can really work on you. I use a Zero turn now on my new land (9 acres give or take).

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TheWitchMorgana posted...

grass lawns are a waste of space

What is better? Sow it with wildflowers instead? Or pave it for more off-street parking?

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dancer62 posted...

What is better? Sow it with wildflowers instead? Or pave it for more off-street parking?

A girl I went to highschool with is into lizards and bugs so she replaced her lawns with rocks. Her HOA gave her hell for it, some how she got them to be okay with it.

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I have a half acre and used a cheap push mower for the first 5 years, no real problems. Just make sure to drain the gas and oil before winter (you can use stabilizer, but draining does make it last longer) and clean it and maybe replace the spark plug and/or air filter once a year. Sounds like a lot, but probably only takes about 20 minutes or so.

Reel mowers sound good in theory, but you usually have to mow twice as often as with a push mower and sharpen the blades regularly (which compared to the above is NOT FUN).

Battery power works for smaller yards (mine is actually too big for most of them to do in one run). Main thing is replacing the bateries can get expensive, and it is also possible they stop selling the battery type you have, meaning you would need a whole new mower.

I have a self-propelled now, and I like it but it does have a lot of extra stuff to deal with. Plus it is a lot heavier then a standard push mower, which is probably not what you are looking for if storage is at a premium.

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https://www.irobot.com/terra
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Id say a push mower for a small yard. I sometimes wish I knew what it was like to have a small yard. (Especially the last couple days.)

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Having a self-propelled mower can make it much easier if your yard has a slope or tight spaces.

It can allow you to stand next to the mower and hold down the self-propeller, if it's in a space where you can't fit behind the mower due to fencing, buildings, landscaping layout, etc. Definitely worth the extra $100 imo.

For the majority of the properties I mow (my place and a friend's) which are 2+ acres each, I use a Hustler Super-Z zero turn mower. It has a 60 inch deck, Kawasaki 852cc 27hp engine, hydrostatic drive, and a top speed of 14 mph. Takes me about 60 to 90 minutes to mow each property.


For the small areas where the huge mower can't fit or steep slopes where it's too dangerous to drive a 1500+ pound mower, I use a Cobalt 80-Volt battery-powered mower. It runs surprisingly long on a single battery, and it shares batteries with a bunch of other tools like chainsaws, string trimmers, snow blowers and cultivators.


For areas that have thick or heavy weeds (like ditch weed), I use a good old-fashioned American-pattern scythe. It slices through hemp like a hot knife through butter. One year the hemp completely took over the barnyard so I purchased my scythe and cleared the whole thing in about 45 minutes. Thick woody stems that were way beyond what a string trimmer or even the giant lawn mower could handle. With the right blade, you can also use a scythe to mow grass. A single swipe can cut a 6 foot swath much, much faster than a string trimmer and with much less physical effort than you would think. A scythe blade and an aluminum snath (handle) runs about $200-250, about the same as a cheapo gas-powered trimmer.

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Well it really depends on what sort of vegan you have. Newer models tend to be really loud and can be a bit difficult to get working but, once broken in, they're submissive. However there do tend to be annoyances regardless like excessive whining and demands to remove meat from your diet. The upsides, however, are undeniable since they clean up after themselves and can clip a small lawn with relative ease and you don't even need to do anything if the circumstances are right.

Personally I'd recommend a vegan model so long as it's not west-coast based. Those tend to be the more problematic ones.

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dancer62 posted...

What is better? Sow it with wildflowers instead? Or pave it for more off-street parking?

Xeriscaping.





Bonus: Having a yard full of cacti makes keeping proper social distancing a snap!

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That looks like a video game lol

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captpackrat posted...

Xeriscaping.





Bonus: Having a yard full of cacti makes keeping proper social distancing a snap!

I like it! I have a small wildflower garden, and I'm gradually improving my lawn.

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captpackrat posted...

For the small areas where the huge mower can't fit or steep slopes where it's too dangerous to drive a 1500+ pound mower, I use a Cobalt 80-Volt battery-powered mower. It runs surprisingly long on a single battery, and it shares batteries with a bunch of other tools like chainsaws, string trimmers, snow blowers and cultivators.

Interesting. I have been hesitant between a portable electric or gas powered weed wacker. Dealing with a corded electric weed wacker has been annoying. Any particular reason you chose an electric lawn mower over gas?

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InfestedAdam posted...

Interesting. I have been hesitant between a portable electric or gas powered weed wacker. Dealing with a corded electric weed wacker has been annoying. Any particular reason you chose an electric lawn mower over gas?

Almost zero engine maintenance is required for an electric mower. Gas mowers have carburetors and spark plugs and air filters and motor oil and whatnot. And you have to maintain a supply of fresh gasoline. A battery mower eliminates all that fuss. The only maintenance is sharpening the blades and cleaning the deck, which you have to do with a gas mower too. If you run out of power you just pop in a spare battery and toss the other one back on the charger, no need to run to the gas station.

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Maybe a push one for a small yard. I know my family had very small yards and would use a weed whacker. That might be better... Idk...
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If you have a smallish yard, maybe under .2 acres, you can pretty easily go with a battery operated mower. I bought one for my smaller place. Super light, easy to use, never need gas. Having a spare battery is useful just in case though. But if you do go electric, I would say don't bother with self propelled. Its gonna kill the battery more quickly and for as light as the things are, you really don't need it.

I should also note that the electric mower I bought was a Ryobi that used the same 40v battery on all their lawn tools so I also have their blower/trimmer/edger/whatever tool too. Works great.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lclhsvN6EeA

I've always just used a corded electric mower. I never had any serious problems with the cord. The most annoying part is looping up the cord when you're done to store it away neatly.

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dboy11368 posted...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lclhsvN6EeA

Scythes are awesome. That one appears to be an European scythe, which is thinner and lighter than the American scythe, but it's hell to sharpen. They're made of softer metal, so instead of grinding them, you have to use a hammer and anvil to peen the edge. They also have a straight snath, while American scythes use a crooked snath.



Modern American-pattern scythe blades come in three lengths. Grass blades are super long (30 inches/76 cm) and narrow and work best on grass or light weeds (dandelions, clover, etc). Brush blades are fairly short (20 inches/51 cm) and thick and are best for brush and woody weeds (hemp, blackberry, etc). Weed blades are in between the two in both length (24 inches/61 cm) and thickness and work adequately on both grass and brush but work best on thick weeds (thistle, burdock, etc). The blades are sharpened with a grinding wheel; they're made of hardened steel so peening would cause them to crack or break.


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Lol peening

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I'd say either the gas powered or self prop mowers. Both are easy to use and the oil and gas things really aren't that hard to take care of.

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I got an electric plugin mower and it works great. Gotta deal with an extension cord but its relatively quiet and really lightweight

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I really like my gas-powered self-propelled lawn mower even though I have a small yard (I have a steep slope to deal with in my front yard), but after using a few battery powered lawn tools, I kind of wish I would have gotten a battery-powered lawn mower that uses the same battery as all my other lawn tools.