Finding a small mower to replace old faithful

Gary Dymski | Home Work

July 27, 2006

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I have enjoyed the use of an 18-inch, rear-bag, gas-powered lawn mower for 24 years. The machine, like the owner, has become tired. As a senior with a small yard, I have searched long and hard to either rebuild my mower or find another 18-inch mower. The new 21- or 22-inch models are too heavy and too large for my property. An electric model with a cord is not an option because of the layout of my property. Any ideas?

David Denfield, Albertson

Have I got options for you. First, Black & Decker makes a cordless electric mulching mower, the 19-inch CMM1000. It bags in the rear - but you probably won't use it much with the mulching action - and it's light, 76 pounds (probably about the same weight as your machine). A 24-volt rechargeable battery handles yards up to 1/3 of an acre. The unit sells for about $450 at Target, Wal-Mart, Lowe's and Home Depot stores. I haven't used the machine, but according to several online reviewers, it's quiet, durable and a good buy. Most of the reviews were thumbs up. The only drawback might be the battery: It needs 16 hours to recharge to full power. Once recharged, it lasts about 45 minutes to an hour. Visit blackanddecker .com.

Another cordless electric option is the Sunlawn EM-1 mower by Reel. It's about $375 at ReelPushMowers.Com. It also has a 24-volt rechargeable battery and is just a little smaller, with a 16-inch cutting width. At about 35 pounds, the unit is light enough to operate as an old-fashioned push mower when the battery wears down.