Gas vs. Electric Lawn Mowers (2024)

Your unique situation affects the best electric mower or best gas mower options for you. Once you know what to keep in mind, you’ll have a great starting point for your final choice.

• Yard size and terrain: How big is your yard? Is it flat, hilly or filled with dips? These factors matter when weighing the differences between a gas vs. electric lawn mower.
• Budget and cost of ownership: What is your initial, upfront budget for a new machine? And over time, what kinds of ongoing and intermittent costs are within your budget? These two types of lawn mowers have different initial and long-terms costs associated with them.
• Personal preferences and needs: Do you have a homeowners association, or do you live in a city with an ordinance that may dictate your choice? Maybe you prefer features that are unique to one type when comparing a gas vs. electric lawn mower.

Exploring the variety of lawn mowers on the market is helpful before learning gas vs. electric lawn mower differences and similarities.

• Push mowers come in three varieties: gas, electric and motorless. All push mowers operate by being pushed, though gas and electric ones have a power source to rotate the blades. Motorless push mowers are usually reel mowers, which means the blades rotate around a horizontal axis. The blades of a push reel mower rotate as a result of being pushed.
• Self-propelled lawn mowers can be gas or electric. Most use rotary blades, which revolve around a vertical axis, though there are gas-powered reel mowers as well. Self-propelled mowers move on their own once engaged, with the user steering it as needed.
• Traditional riding lawn mowers allow a person to sit on the machine while cutting a lawn. They turn like a rear-wheel drive car, with the front wheels changing direction and the rear wheels in charge of propelling it. They are generally controlled by the user with a steering wheel.
• Zero turn lawn mowers are a specialized riding or stand-on mower. Most are controlled with two steering levers, each one controlling a different rear tire. They have pinpoint, precision turning.

Power output and cutting ability:

• The best gas mower options result in even, precise grass cutting. Some electric lawn mowers can match them, but not all. As a group, gas lawn mowers are better at cutting. Similarly, gas mowers have more horsepower. This affects their ability to get through thick grass, wet grass or lots of weeds easily. Gas lawn mowers are generally twice as powerful as electric mowers.

Fuel source and refueling options:

• The fuel source for gas lawn mowers is, as the name suggests, gasoline. You must have enough gasoline in the mower or readily available for a refill, depending on how much grass you need to cut. Electric lawn mowers are either plug-in or battery-operated machines. Battery-operated mowers will need their batteries recharged, while the plug-in variety will run as long as you have electricity.

Portability and maneuverability:

• Besides being able to push your lawn mower around a yard, your machine may need to be lifted in order to store it or move it to a new location. When comparing any gas vs. electric lawn mower, the lighter of the two is the electric one. It is easier to both handle and store an electric lawn mower, as a result.

Electric lawn mowers are an excellent choice for a number of reasons, and they have some advantages over gas lawn mowers.

• The best electric mower machines operate more quietly than the best gas mower options. This can be especially important for the user’s ear health, as well as for affecting others around you. Being quieter is also safer because the user can hear their surroundings better.
• The way the engine runs also affects their environmental impact. Because they don’t use fuel, they don’t have emissions. This advantage makes electric mowers more environmentally friendly on a local level when comparing gas vs. electric lawn mower choices.
• The best electric mower options also charge more quickly than in the past, and they operate with the same power no matter how much charge is left.
• Being lighter than gas mowers, electric lawn mowers are easier to push and maneuver. Additionally, they’re often able to be stored vertically.
• Because electric lawn mowers don’t need oil, gasoline, air filters and more, they require less maintenance than gas mowers. They don’t need winterizing either.
• Electric lawn mowers usually just have a “Start” button instead of pull starting, making it much easier to begin cutting your lawn.
• With so many communities requiring electric mowers, the technology and batteries are constantly being updated.

Gas lawn mowers have been around longer than electric ones, so the best gas mower choices have several advantages over their electric counterparts.

• Gas mowers are more powerful, so they cut through tough weeds and thick or wet grass easily. Their power also helps mulch clippings finely, reducing leftover grass clumps.
• The average yard is about a quarter acre. While the best electric mower machines can run long enough to cut the average yard or more, gas mowers have longer run times. This is an advantage for handling much larger yards. If the fuel does run out, it’s easier to refill with a pre-filled gas can than it is to stop and wait for a battery recharge.
• Cutting grass to be even and carpet-like is something most gas mowers do well.
• With gas mowers, there’s no need for replacement batteries or long cords. When mowing hilly yards, the power source is used up more quickly. Gas mowers are a better option for uneven terrain, as a result.
• Any replacement parts are generally more affordable, in part because of how long gas mowers have been on the market.
• The best gas mower options last longer than most electric mowers, with a lifespan of up to 10 years. There are also more gas mower servicers available for any repair or maintenance needs.

Maintenance is a key element in the gas vs. electric lawn mower discussion. Both electric and gas mowers need regular cleaning and blade sharpening.

Regular cleaning:

• To clean your mower, you’ll need a water hose, a tool to scrape grass off of the machine’s mowing deck and a leaf blower or compressed air. You should also wipe it down with a cloth and wear work gloves while cleaning. You can use a lawn mower maintenance kit to help you, but also make sure you read any instructions from the manufacturer before you begin.

Maintenance:

• From time to time, gas mowers also need to be refilled with fuel, the oil level and oil filter need to be checked or changed, and spark plugs need to be inspected or replaced.

• Electric mowers generally only need their blades sharpened periodically, but they should also be cleaned on a regular basis. Electric mowers will also need a new lawn mower battery between three to four years, on average.

Winterization and storage:

• Gas lawn mowers need to be winterized before they are stored away for the season. Many steps are involved, so you should consult your user’s manual to complete them properly. The most common step for all gas mowers is draining the fuel before storage. For electric mowers, you should remove the lawn mower battery and store it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Store either type of mower in a cool, dry place, keeping it away from any appliances with a pilot light.