When my four-year-old gas mower bit the dust, I went to Home Depot in search of another gas mower in the $150-$250 range. I found quite a few deluxe mowers in the neighborhood of $400-$600 and some really cheap looking models that were closer to my price range. The only other mowers they had were some strange looking Black and Decker Lawn Hogs that ran on electricity. Hah! I couldn't imagine mowing my lawn while tethered to the house with an extension cord. What kind of weirdo would buy something like that?!!

As I was headed out the door toward Lowe's, I started reconsidering. Every Black and Decker tool I've ever owned has been wonderful. This company doesn't make junk. They wouldn't go through the trouble of engineering and selling a lawnmower that wasn't any good. Also, since I have two kids and live in Fresno, which seems to be the athsma capital of the United States, I'm definitely interested in doing my part to reduce air pollution. A sweaty, sneezy trip to the gas station in the middle of my lawnmowing chore definitely gets old, and I'm sick of losing my hearing and getting hand cramps from the vibration of my gas mower. Maybe an electric mower wouldn't be so bad.

My wife suggested we go home and check Epinions, and afterward I decided to go for it. (There were reviews for other Lawn Hog models, and I was mainly interested in what people had to say about the concept of an electric mower.) The next day we went back to Home Depot and bought the Hog, and I'm proud to say that within fifteen minutes of pulling into the driveway, I had the Lawn Hog assembled, plugged in, and ready to mow.

I was especially impressed by the ease of assembly. You just have to put the handle together with wingnuts and snap it onto the frame. (I was stumped by a couple of mysterious "shroud covers," and after puzzling over the tiny picture in the manual, I'm still not sure I installed them right). This mower isn't whisper-silent, but it's dramatically quieter than a standard gas mower. The noise level is roughly equivalent to a standard box fan set to medium. You just move an orange lever up to the handle to start the mower...no more primin', yankin' and cussin'. It's a deadman switch, so let it go and the mower shuts off. So simple! No more gas, oil, spark plugs, fumes, or smoke. This mower is so incredibly light, it only requires about as much effort as using a vacuum cleaner. Mowing the lawn on a hot Fresno day with my gas mower left me sweaty, cranky, and exhausted, but with the Lawn Hog, it was actually fun! In fact, the first day, my wife mowed the front yard. It was the first time she had ever mowed a lawn, and she said it was easy and fun.

There are so many benefits to this lawnmower. Easy starting, easy to push and maneuver, practically no maintenance, low noise level, and inexpensive price ($180) are the key reasons I really love this mower. The only issue is that you need to get a 100' medium-duty extension cord. I thought I would be bothered by this, but in reality, it's about the same as using a vacuum cleaner. I quickly learned to put the cord in the special holder so it won't pop out, and I simply whip the cord over to the part I just mowed so it's out of the way. I got used to the cord really fast and I don't consider it a problem at all. I have a standard front and back yard in the 'burbs, and 100' was more than enough to get my entire lawn. If lawn size had been an issue, there is a rechargeable battery-powered Lawn Hog available for a couple hundred bucks more. Also, this model doesn't come with a rear bag (although it is available as an option) but this a mulching mower so in my case I didn't really need a rear bag.

I'm very happy with this lawnmower and I'm glad I took the plunge and got an electric. I have absolutely no regrets. By the way, this mower is one of the cutest on the market. My three-year-old daughter calls it a "bug lawnmower." The mailman, ice cream man, neighbors, people driving by, etc. all stop or crane their necks to see this unusual mower, and I'll bet there'll be more than a few of my neighbors pushing their own Lawn Hogs by summer's end.

UPDATE (April 2003): No problems at all. This lawnmower is definitely a keeper. I would recommend that anyone who chooses to buy an electric lawnmower should make sure they get a heavy-duty extension cord. The Lawn Hog itself is tough-as-nails but the cord will take some abuse. (Remember that you have to buy the cord separately.) One more note: People with a lot of trees on their lawn might not want a corded mower.

Recommended: Yes