I once had a neighbor who refused to use a gas lawn mower. She said it was because she hated the fumes from the motor, and she was doing her part for the environment. I would see her get out her extension cord and carry it along with her. A few years later, she gave it up for a gas powered mower and braved the fumes. Deciding between the two designs is always a personal choice based on many factors, including the following:

Noise: Electric mowers definitely have the advantage here. Gas involves combustion, and with that comes high noise levels. Electric mowers are still noisy, but not incredibly loud like their gas counterparts.

Pollution: Once again, electric wins out. Gas mowers have no catalytic converter to remove the many pollutants that spew from a working motor.

Power: Gas wins this one. Motors come in different sizes, but there is only so much current coming through the wall socket. For this reason, electric mowers run less efficiently and often less effectively as a result.

Ease: I never could figure out how my neighbor never ran over the cord with the lawn mower. It looked so uncomfortable to use, and you are limited in how your extension cord runs. Gas belches out fumes that can be a little nauseating, but at least you have the comfort of going anywhere you want without worrying about getting the cord wrapped around something.

Cost: Electric wins over gas here as well. You can buy many types of electric mowers for between $100 and $200, but gas mower can range from the $150 for a small one to several hundred for larger, more powerful version.

Ultimately, the decision on the specific type of lawn mower is yours. Figure out which characteristics are most important to you and then choose accordingly. You can always change your mind later on, just like my neighbor did.

Related posts:

1. Yard Work: Push Versus Riding Mowers
2. Lawn Mowers for Under $500 Dollars
3. Easter’s Over; Be Careful In The Lawn

Green grass also signals a not-so-pleasant fact of spring: mowing the lawn. I don’t mind mowing the grass in the beginning of spring, but by the time summer comes around, I am spending a few hours a week mowing the grass, being eaten by bugs and sweating like a pig.

When it comes to mowing the lawn, there are three types of mowers you can use: push mower, self-propelled and riding mower. I grew up with a riding mower because we had four acres of land to mow, but since I moved to the “city,” I have made due with a push mower because my yard is considerably smaller.

The two types of walk-behind mowers differ by only one thing. The push mower must be pushed, while the self-propelled moves on its own and you simply direct it where to go. Anyone who has used a push mower knows that it’s much more difficult than it sounds.

When I bought this house, it was the first time I really got to mow a lawn in a long time, so I was pretty stoked. Then I started to mow it with the push mower. After about 10 minutes, I decidedly hated mowing the lawn.

Self-propelled mowers are pretty sweet. They move themselves, and you just have to keep up and steer it. Self-propelled mowers are more expensive, but they are well worth it. I would have one right now if it weren’t for that whole more expensive part.

A riding lawn mower is like the Cadillac of mowers. They are made for larger yards where a walk behind mower may take hours to mow and it would be exhausting. I love riding mowers, but if you have a small yard, then the investment just doesn’t make sense. You also need to have some decent turnaround room or you might bump into things.

Walk behind mowers take less gas then a riding mower, but required more manual labor. A riding mower makes mowing easy and somewhat fun, but they are expensive and need a larger mowing area. For now, I am going to stick with my push mower, even thought I hate it.

It’s a decent workout for me, even if it does make me smell stinky… I mean manly.

Related posts:

1. Lawn Mowers: Gas Versus Electric
2. Lawn Mowers for Under $500 Dollars
3. Cutting the Grass: Motivating Yourself For The Task

Well my roommates and I decided to try saving a few bucks every month and promptly alerted our gardeners that we would not be needing their lawn mowing services until further notice. I am starting to think it was the dumbest way to save a few dollars. Turns out this lawn upkeep thing is much harder than I anticipated.

First things first, we needed to purchase our own lawn mower! We all pitched in and decided we could not afford or want to invest in a model worth more than 500 dollars, just in case this ended up being a short term money shaving theory.

So here are some lawn mowers I found for less than $500 dollars:

1. Poulan-Pro Lawn Mower

My first choice is this 21 inch high wheel, bagged, push mower from Poulan. Has 5 different height settings so you can spare your back and adjust the level of the handlebars to your optimal setting. Has an attached bag to collect the lawn debris and a 6.0 torque engine.

Plus it was $378.09 but is on sale now for: $266.64 (you save $111.45)

(click on image or link to shop or browse)

2. The Black & Decker Cordless Mulching Mower

This model has a 24 Volt Sealed Lead Acid Battery for Trouble-Free Cutting of Up to 1/3 Acre Homesites (grass conditions will effect run-time). Well here is a list of features:

- Rechargeable Battery Recharges to 60-70% in 4 Hours and to 100% in 16 Hours

- Hassle-free Starting With the Flip of a Switch

- One-touch Height Adjustment Adjusts All Four Wheels With the Touch of a Button
Folding Push-handle Has Adjustment Which Folds Down so Mower Stores in Less Space.

-2 Year Warranty and No Assembly required

Price $399.95 (but has a Free shipping coupon)

(click on image or link to shop or browse)

3. Black & Decker Mulching Electric Mower from Ace Hardware

Well first of all it’s electric, because who could afford a “gas” mower right now? Cuts a width of 18 inches, mulches your lawn debris and expels on the side. There is no side bag attached but I think the “mulching” feature pretty much takes care of that. I personally would like to collect and dispose of the debris but I may be wrong. The Black & Decker electric mower has a single lever height adjustment feature and a lifetime warranty for the deck.

Price $209.99

(to purchase, shop or browse click on the link or the image)

4. Black & Decker Electric Mower

Last but certainly not least is the Black & Decker Electric Mower!  Lightweight and easy to maneuve, this model is also electric. The one lever height adjustment lets you adjust all four wheels at once.

No gas, No tuneups, No oil … makes it super easy to maintain and start!

Price $159.99 

(click on image or link to shop, browse or purchase)

Well I hope these options prove useful to you if you are in the market for a new lawn mower or are planning on buying one for the first time like I was.  Happy Humpday Everyone!  

Related posts:

1. Lawn Mowers: Gas Versus Electric
2. Yard Work: Push Versus Riding Mowers
3. Green Living: Eco-Friendly Gifts