>>> BlackFriday Earthwise 50118 18-Inch 12 amp Electric Side Discharge/Mulching Lawn Mower
Product Features
- Single Lever Height Control
- Comfort "V" Handle with Cushion Grip Soft Touch Operation - with Easy Fold Handle
- Handle Mounted Safety Blade Control
- 7-Inch Easy Roll Composite Wheels
- No Tools Required - Hand Tighten Assembly
If I could give this mower 10 stars I would. I live on a sloping uneven lot in Colorado with some steep pitches. As a 65 year old woman I wanted the lightest possible mower with no maintenance hassle. Battery operated or gasoline engine mowers would be too heavy. I wheel this around like a toy often one handed as I brush shrubs or flowers out of the way. It does a beautiful job on the front lawn. But I also put it to the acid test yesterday and cut the rough area on the steep back of my property. This mower went through 16 to 20 inch high grass and weeds (slowly so it would mulch thoroughly) shredded a large sprinkler head (ugh!) and cut through juniper branches. It never stopped and only slowed a little when I hit a really big pile of viney weeds to mulch through. I ran it on the highest setting but it was great to be able to lower it with a quick and easy touch when I wanted to. It's very easy to stop and start. What a wonderful change from the pull to start gas mower! Also it never clogged no matter what I put under it just mulched this large amount of organic matter into particles so small they aren't visible. Be aware if you buy it that a cord does not come with it. Also delivery from The Outdoor Store/Dixie Sales was quick: ordered May 30 pm and received June 4 am. July 14 2009 update: I didn't know an amp from a watt when I bought this. At first I used a 16 gauge 100 foot extension cord I had for Christmas tree lights. It seemed to run OK but I could have damaged the motor. So just got the Woods 2885 Yellow Jacket 100-Foot 12/3 SJTW Yellow 15 Amp/125 Volt Rated Outdoor Extension Cord with PowerLite PlugRated Outdoor Extension Cord with PowerLite Plug and used it for the first time last night. With a 15 amp rating it has plenty of power for this 12 amp mower. It was absolutely no more difficult to move around and the Alert Stamping 7000WR Pro-Reel Cord Carrier is great for tidy storage easy to wind and unwind. Highly recommend both these products too.
Update September 2011: This machine is still going strong. I have purchased new blades which are so inexpensive easy to install and last most or all of a season. My lawn is quite visibly healthier very lush like a green carpet. I don't dethatch nor aerate it just mow once a week. I believe leaving the mulched grass on the lawn in addition to mulched leaves in the fall has made a big difference. I think the mulching action may pull up and pulverize dead grass and debris to the point that it never forms thatch. I use a winterizer fertilizer on it in late October and Weed and Feed once a year to keep the weeds down.
Also an update re cord management which I got from another reviewer: Find the middle of the cord mark it with a marking pen or zip tie and wind the cord from the middle. Much quicker!
