Thread: Petrol vs electric mowers

I have a 40 year old Rover Craftsman with Briggs & Stratton 4 stroke, which I bought second hand about 20 years ago.
It starts first time every time and seems happy with an oil change every 3 or 4 years. I gave it a birthday a couple of years ago with a new plug and air filter .

However it is HEAVY and I have to lift it down 5 stairs when I mow and I have a nature strip that is about 100 metres long and steeply up hill which means I am almost horizontal pushing it. It has now broken one of the handle mounts out of the baseplate which I have fixed with big washers.

So I am really considering a Ryobi 2x18 V electric as they are light and should go long enough to do my small backyard and the footpath. I have 1x5aH battery at present and a drill, impact drill (fan bloody tastic) , a vacuum and a blower. So I have to buy the mower and at least one more 5AH battery.
Just on Ryobi Quality my original drill recently fused after about 16 years . The chuck was so worn it would not hold a 1MM drill. It also took out one of my 2.4AH lithiums at the same time with Joseph Lucas smoke. I immediately went out and bought another one as I think they are terrific.
Regards Philip A

Honda.

My Sister bought a cordless mower a couple of years ago and she Loves it.
It came with 2x batteries one does the back lawn and the other does the front lawn.
When she has finished the job she charges both batteries up ready for next time.

My yard is 3-4 acres, Hence the Ride on Mower.

Another consideration is the lifespan of electric vs petrol, particularly the availability of parts. I suspect a petrol mower will have a longer lifespan. I reckon batteries will be hard enough to get 10 years down the track, and a fixing the motor virtually impossible (another one for the throwaway society?), whereas a decent petrol mower will probably be cheap enough and easy enough to be repaired for many years to come.

Originally Posted by weeds

Honda guaranteed to start first pull (cannot think of its actual name)......the kids can start it...it stops as soon as they let go of the handle.

There is a good thread on myswag where a professional lawn mower and switch 100% to cordless...

We have a honda brush cutter, first pull my ass!

Originally Posted by Vern

We have a honda brush cutter, first pull my ass!

The thread is for mowers not brush cutters....and Honda have a guarantee first/start mower. It has never not done it in four years

My hind brush cuter is nearly always 2 or 3 pulls max.

Yes its a mower thread, but you never said mower in your post😉

Ryobi has had compatable batteries for the 18V for about 20 years now, first as NiCad now Lithium.

I don't know about the future but if the past is to go by, then it should be OK.

Regards Philip A