Gas vs. electric lawn tools: Which are better?

Cars aren’t the only things getting a major electrical upgrade. Electric-powered lawn tools that can help you keep your yard looking tidy without harming the environment are also hot commodities.

Gas-powered lawn tools spew out the same harmful pollutants as cars. In fact, some gas lawn mower and leaf blower engines produce far more pollution than driving a car or truck for the same amount of time! Like car emissions, the pollutants from lawn care tools can irritate the respiratory system and cause a wide range of health problems, including cancer. 

Let’s take a look at how electric yard tools stack up to the competition. 

Electric makes cents

Electric mowers and lawn tools tend to be more energy-efficient than their gas counterparts. This is because electric motors are more efficient than combustion engines. They convert a much higher amount of electrical energy into mechanical energy while losing less energy as heat (the same applies to electric vs. gasoline cars).

Electric lawn tools are more expensive to purchase than gas counterparts, but since they’re more energy-efficient, you’ll save money over time by going electric!

Clean air, cleaner earth

Just like electric vehicles, electric lawn tools don’t produce any tailpipe pollution. This prevents exposure to all the toxic fumes produced from burning gasoline to mow your lawn or blow leaves. Getting rid of your gas-powered lawn equipment is a great way to help improve your local air quality, too.

Electric tools also have a smaller carbon footprint. Lawnmowers, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers and other gas-powered landscaping tools emitted 30 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2020, one recent report found. That’s roughly seven times the carbon dioxide emissions of an average coal power plant! 

Even if you — like most of the country — get your power from a mix of renewable and fossil fuel sources, plugging your mower or leaf blower directly into the wall or charging the battery will almost certainly lead to less carbon emissions than burning gas to get it going.

If you use solar panels to power your home, your yard work will have an even smaller impact on the environment.

Clean, don’t scream

Lawn care equipment can be notoriously noisy. In fact, the sound produced by leaf blowers is capable of traveling up to 800 feet away! Noise pollution has been shown to increase the risk of hypertension and noise as loud as leaf blowing can damage hearing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Thankfully, electric leaf blowers are far less noisier. From 50 feet away, electric blowers are only half as loud. Electrifying your tools can prevent you from harming your hearing — and help you score points with the neighbors.

Break a sweat, not your back

If the health, climate, and noise benefits aren’t enough, here’s another perk: Electric lawn gear is typically easier to carry!

Corded tools are the lightest because they don’t have the added bulk of batteries. Battery-powered tools are often a little heavier but still lighter than gas-powered equipment.