Is a Battery Mower Worth It?
Over time, you could save money over a traditional gas mower
Battery lawn mowers are the better environmental choice, but are they economical? Our interactive tool below shows these mowers often are, especially as prices have dropped and their batteries themselves have improved—meaning you don’t have to worry that your mower will poop out in the middle of the job.
Use this tool to see if buying and using a new battery-powered mower would cost you less than going with a gas model. You can adjust it based on the time it takes to mow your lawn, the cost of gas, and what type of mower you intend to buy.
We’ve used a five-year time horizon because we judge that, considering the continual improvements in battery technology, you may need to replace your mower’s battery at the five-year mark. Replacement batteries cost $100 to $250.
Depending on use, five years also represents the potential life span of some mowers, according to CR Senior Test Project Leader Misha Kollontai, who helped develop this interactive tool. After that period, maintenance and repairs become more likely but are harder to estimate.
Methodology/Assumptions
Calculations are based on CR recommended mowers. Usage assumes 30 mowing sessions per year. Gas mower calculations are based on a rate of 0.5 gallons of gasoline per hour of use and yearly maintenance costs of $21 for spark plug, motor oil, and air filter replacement. Battery mower calculations are based on the use of a 500W charger achieving full charge at 2.29 hours, at a cost of 14 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity. Charge time is calculated proportionally to usage.
