Electric lawnmowers vs petrol

This is a bit of a hot debate online, so let’s start getting our teeth into this one.

First things first, the power of a lawn mower determines the quality of the cut. That’s a fact. Where low powered lawn mowers may struggle and give an ugly or untidy finish, a high-powered one may make all the difference. This then leads to the question; what type of lawn mower gives better power output and why?

There are three basic types of lawn mowers; push, electric and petrol powered, so let’s start understanding these different types.

Petrol

The petrol lawn mower is great for large uneven surfaces. When using this type of mower, the optimal power for blade rotaries is usually pinned at a 4bhp to 5.5 bhp. This is, however, dependent on the width of the mower, i.e. the wider the mower the more the power needed to make a good cut. This type of lawn mower may, however, prove to be rather thirsty with the need to add petrol every now and then. This may also be a challenge in terms of expenses compared to other power sources, such as electricity. That said, you can really feel the difference in power when compared to most electric off-the-shelf mowers, and you don’t have to worry about charging batteries or plugging it into a power outlet.

Electric

This type of lawnmower is used in similar instances, however, they are generally are better used over larger areas than the petrol lawn mowers. They are clean and easy to use giving great power output. Electric lawn mowers, however, face a number of drawbacks. It does not give enough power output to work on long grass. It is therefore recommended for more frequent grass cutting (about every two weeks) it is also quite heavy making it challenging to push it while working. All these factors make it generally slower and deliver a poor cut compared to its petrol-driven rival. That said, if you only have a relatively small garden with a tiny area of lawn that needs mowing every once in a while, then it may be more convenient for you to get an electric lawnmower and plug it into your wall, rather than filling it up with petrol, or worse, leaving it in the shed with a tank full of fuel all year round.

Given the pros and cons of both these lawnmowers, we would recommend petrol lawn mowers. This is of course in the case where there is no compelling reason to use an electric lawn mower, but in any case, it does depend on your garden, the amount of time you have on your hands and of course your budget. If say, you have a brand new Bedford lawn that grows very quickly, either of these lawnmowers will deliver a nice tidy cut, but the moment you start thinking about requiring more power, or a longer mowing life, then petrol is probably the answer for you.