Big Box Retail - Gas Mowers - End Of Season Inventory

My new Makita electric has been doing well, and the 2 spare batteries will charge almost as fast as the first 2 run down. Now, will it last 15+ years like my gas ones have? Doubtful.
 
I really miss my 2 cycle Duraforce Lawnboys.....power and light weight in the same package.

I hope you know that they do at least have a good home and in weekly use!

To the original question, though-

Since my weed eater decided to give up the ghost and I found myself needing one, I visited a local outdoor equipment dealer and left with an Echo SRM 225. I know that's digressing a bit, but where I'm going with that in chatting with him, he said getting any push mowers this season has been a constant battle. He had two used ones for sale(plus a beauty of a Lawnboy that belong to his dad and he says will never go) but said that after he sold his first shipment in March, they've only trickled in one or two at a time. His main push mower brands are Toro and Honda(and despite the sign on the side of the building, he gave up on Lawn Boy when they basically became rebadged Toros) and they're just not out there.
 
I wonder how many electric lawnmowers will be in the landfill in 10 years due to planned obsolescence, because I am sure there all proprietary electronics.
One of my mowers is a curbside pickup. I got it revived by cleaning the carb and sharpening the blades. I guess, when someone sees an electric mower by the curbside it is no longer repairable but if it is, it will cost a lot of $$$ to get it running again.
 
A buddy was given a Green Works electric push mower. We were both making fun of it and said we should see how long it takes to kill it mowing knee high grass. Well it took 20 min and we weren't giving it any breaks! The battery and electric motor were HOT! But I have to admit I was impressed. And he had a second battery that we could have swapped in.
Keep using it like that and the battery and the mower will have a life expectancy measured in months not years. Non repairable. It's like they replaced the typical tenant model $200 Walmart mower that lasts 10 years with an electric one that lasts one year for the same price. The guy who came up with that idea probably has a really nice house and doesn't use a lawnmower...

How many people using the trashy Walmart mowers just leave them out in the rain all year? Half, at least. We all know the electric will not tolerate that. I used to do that too when I had a small yard, $200 briggs, once a year flip it over and dump out the old oil/water/gas mix into the burn pile, add 1/2 quart of leftover oil and continue. Will run this way for decades or until the plastic carb cracks.
 
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