TECH KNOW TIDBITS Cut the cord, make lawn mowing easier during hot summer

BY BRENDA EGGERT BRADER

Battery-powered lawn mowers offer great advantages for smallersize lawns, are quiet running and pleasantly lightweight while kind to the environment.

“The best mowers come with plenty of features to make your lawn-cutting experience as enjoyable as possible,” according to BuyersGuide.org

“You want to be able to adjust the blade height to tailor your mower to your preferences. A walkbehind mower offers more ease if automatically powered, some offer mulchers and grass-catcher bags, all attached to the mower. But the batterypowered motors do also come in riding varieties.

Since batteries offer a limited run time, these types of mowers are best suited for small- to medium-sized yards. Most run for 45 to 50 minutes at a time. Since they provide less torque than gas-powered mowers, they may not meet the challenge of tall or thick grass.

“However, they are an ecological choice since they have zero carbon emissions. Like corded electric mowers, they’re lightweight, quietrunning and cost-saving. They also offer the ultimate maneuverability since you are not connected to a cord,” according to Buyers’ Guide.org

“I liked the mower for its convenience of no gasoline,” said Denny Brader of West Melbourne.

“I liked the charged battery, the fact it was quiet, and it did a good job cutting the lawn. Storage was a breeze as it collapsed and stood up taking less room. But it didn’t last. After two years it started to fail, not only its electrical parts but it became undependable, quitting when mowing even though the battery was fully charged.”

The battery-powered mowers may be ideal for those with limited strength or mobility since it doesn’t require as much muscle use as other push mowers, according to Consumer Reports

Mowers range in price from a couple hundred dollars and up for an automatic driven push mower to several thousand dollars for a large riding battery-operated mower that runs on many batteries at once. The mowers are readily available in area stores or online. SL