If you are a green gardener, and you want to cut your lawn quickly, you’ll want to know what the best eco friendly green lawn mower is.
Some choose to use a push reel mower, but if you want a powered model that saves you energy, time and effort, you can choose between two options:
- A cordless battery model
- An electric model
Below we outline two options by Greenworks below which minimise your carbon footprint, and help you keep the environment cleaner and healthier.
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Best Eco Friendly Green Lawn Mower
Cordless – View the Greenworks Cordless 20 Inch Mower on Amazon
Electric – View the Greenworks Corded 20 Inch Mower on Amazon
Best Eco Friendly Green Lawn Mower: Reviews
GreenWorks 25302 G-MAX 40V Twin Force 20-Inch Cordless Lawn Mower
What’s Good About It?
No gas or pull cords – has an easy button start up
Very light and very quiet compared to a gas mower
Batteries are 40 volts in this model – but there are also higher 60 and 80 volt models available
Has a battery switchover feature where the mower automatically starts using the second battery once the first battery is depleted of energy – Battery 1 has a capacity of 4Ah, while battery 2 has a capacity of 2 Ah
Estimated you will get up 70 minutes run tim on two fully charged batteries on light grass, and around 45 minutes on heavy thickness grass
Deck size/cutting width is 20 inches – but there are also 16 inch and 19 inch model decks available
Has 5 adjustable mower positions for cutting height – you use a lever to adjust the height between 1-3/4″ to 3-3/8″
Smart cut technology – adjust power relative to the thickness of your grass to maximise run time
Has dual blades
4 Year tool warranty, 2 year battery warranty – directly through Greenworks (check this with third party sellers)
Discharge of grass is 2 in 1 – mulching, or rear bag to catch the grass
Compatible with the G-MAX 40V Li-Ion System of over 25 tools in the Greenworks range
What’s Not So Great And Could Be Improved?
Some people find the 40-45 minute run time on thick grass to not be enough
Some find the 1-3/4″ minimum cutting height to not be short enough
Some users have found that not all the mulch/clippings get caught in the bag – you will have some minimal picking up to do
Like all cordless tools – this tool is not the cheapest tool you can buy, compared to say an electric corded mower – but, it does have the benefit of being cordless
What Accessories Might You Need?
None really – you may want to buy replacement batteries in a year or two if the current batteries start losing their charge
Where Can I Check It Out?
View the Greenworks Cordless 20 Inch Mower on Amazon
GreenWorks 25022 12 Amp Corded 20-Inch Lawn Mower
What’s Good About It?
Very affordable
Quiet and no gas motor starting
12 Amp electric motor – but can get 10 Amp and 13 Amp electric models too
20 inch wide cutter/deck – but can get 16, 18 and 21 inch wide cutters too
3 cuttings discharge options – either direct mulching out the back, out the back into the bag, or out the side
7 adjustable positions of cutter for grass length cut – 1 1/2-Inch to 3 3/4-Inch heights
Weighs only 56 lbs
4 Year tool warranty directly through Greenworks (check this with third party sellers)
What’s Not So Great And Could Be Improved?
Some users think the lower blade setting isn’t as low as they’d like it to be to cut their lawn short
Like any electric lawn mower – you’ll need to manage the electrical cord while you are using the mower
What Accessories Might You Need?
- Extension Cord – US Wire 74100 12/3 100-Feet SJTW Yellow Heavy-Duty Lighted Extension Cord (on Amazon)
- Extension Cord Reel – Bayco K-100 150-Foot Cord Reel (on Amazon)
Where Can I Check It Out?
View the Greenworks Corded 20 Inch Mower on Amazon
Best Eco Friendly Green Lawn Mower: Buyer’s Guide
What Is An Eco Friendly Green Lawn Mower?
A mower that ideally creates zero carbon footprint while it is in use. Examples are:
Electric Mowers
Cordless Mowers
Push Mowers
Should not be confused with a mower or cutter for curating golf or bowling greens.
What Is An Eco Friendly Green Lawn Mower Used For?
A cordless mower has a limited run time compared to an electric mower – so keep in mind the size in acres of the lawn you need to cut.
A good rule of thumb is that a cordless mower will last you about 45 minutes for thicker grass, and up to 70 minutes for very thin grass.
Electric mowers are obviously limited by the length of the cord or extension cord/s you have hooked up to the mower.
So when weighing up what size lawn eco friendly mowers can be used for – think of these factors.
How To Choose An Eco Friendly Green Lawn Mower – Which To Buy?
You’ll likely make the following considerations when choosing an eco friendly green lawn mower:
1. Decide if you want a push reel, electric/corded, or cordless battery operated mower
2. Decide on the voltage if you want a cordless mower, and the Amperage if you want a corded mower
3. Decide on cutting deck width (how wide you want the cut to be)
4. Decide on the depth of grass length cut you want – and make sure the mower cuts to that depth
Features To Look For In Eco Friendly Green Lawn Mowers
Refer to the features we listed above for each model – electric and cordless – for an idea of the features unique to each type
Eco Friendly Green Lawn Mower Accessories & Extras
For a cordless mower there isn’t any really – maybe you get an extra set of batteries.
For a corded/electric mower – you’d definitely want at least one extension cord, and maybe a cord reel to keep you cord organised.
10 Tips For Choosing An Eco Friendly Lawn Mower
Below we have compiled a useful short list of things to look out for when choosing, or buying a lawn mower that leaves a small or no carbon footprint.
Some tips you could apply to gas mowers in general, but some are specific to environmentally friendly lawn mowers – like corded and cordless mowers.
1. Be aware of the different types of eco friendly green mowers
Gas mowers are traditional lawn mowers, and it’s fair to say that the gas itself and the burning of the gas isn’t good for the environment.
When it comes mowers that leave little or no impact on the environment, your choice are:
Electric lawn mowers
Cordless lawn mowers
Push reel mowers
You can read our guide here on eco friendly electric/corded, and cordless mowers.
2. Check whether they actually carry a carbon-free guarantee
Whilst the above types of mowers are usually for conservationists, actually check what guarantee the company gives you in the product description.
Something along the lines of ‘this lawn mower leaves zero carbon footprint’ should be stated by the company – or a similar environmental guarantee.
3. Check the deck size/blade cutting width
Lawn mowers come in different widths in terms of the width of the blade.
16, 18, 20, 21 inches are all common widths that you find on a mower.
4. Check the range, and number of cutting depths
The cutting depth is usually adjusted with a lever on the side of the mower.
Check both:
- The minimum and maximum depths of cut
- The total number of cutting depths it offers
5. Check how the cut grass is discharged from the mower
There might be one, two or three ways the mower offers to help you discharge cut grass that has passed through the blade:
Side discharge
Back with no bag discharge – leaving mulch on the ground
Back with bag/catcher discharge so you catch the mulch in the bag
Tips Specific To Cordless/Battery Operated Lawn Mowers
6. Volts is important on the cordless battery operated models
Generally, the more volts the batteries, the more powerful the mower. But, also check the maximum Amps in the batteries.
Batteries could come in 40, 60 and 80 volt models.
7. Check if there are separate warranties on the mower and the batteries
Usually there will be separate warranties on the mower itself, and the batteries.
Another tip with warranties – if going through a third party seller, get in writing if and how that will effect your warranty, and enforcing it if required.
8. Check how long – as an estimate – the batteries will last you on both thin and thick grass
Instead of asking the surface area of grass a cordless mower can cut, instead look at how long the batteries last and your cutting speed (along with the thickness of your grass, and go from there.
As an example, the batteries might last 45 minutes fully charged on thick grass, while on thin grass they might last up to 70.
Tips Specific To Electric Lawn Mowers
9. Amps is important on the electric corded models
Generally, the higher the amps, the more powerful and bigger the engine.
10. Consider getting at least one extension cord and potentially an extension cord reel to manage the cord
You’ll be able to do very little with a corded electric mower without an extension cord to extend your range.
Get at least one extension cord, and consider getting a cord reel to organise the cord.
Best Eco Friendly Green Lawn Mower: Resources
1. https://www.greenworkstools.com/
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