Environmentally friendly mower that gets the job done

Electric vs. Gas
I'm a new home owner and for the first time had to worry about mowing a lawn. I wanted to purchase a lawn mower that would require minimal maintenance and one that fit my budget. My lawn is small less than 1/2 acre so cord length is not an issue (Black & Decker recommends you use a cord no more than 100 feet in length). I started looking into electric lawn mowers and decided that one would probably suit my needs. Some of the benefits of an electric mower over gas: not having to worry about running out of gas, no draining oil, easier starts, quieter, no pollution, less maintenance.

My initial concerns with purchasing a corded electric lawn mower that it would be underpowered and the cord would get in the way. But considering the alternative, I decided to give an electric one a try.

Which electric mower?
I still was not sure which model to purchase at this point. Local stores more readily carried various Black & Decker models. Of those to choose from: the MM575, MM675, and the MM875. I decided to try out the MM575 since it was the least expensive (or so I thought); I later purchased the MM875.

The Black & Decker MM575 is an electric mulching mower with an 18" blade. It costs about $180, but does not include a bag which costs an extra $40. The MM575 does not do a good job mulching with overgrown grass (I was trying to cut almost an inch off). It ended up leaving grass clumps on the lawn. At this point, I decided either I mow the lawn more often or I purchase the MM575 with side bag. Purchasing with bag would come out to be $220. Instead, I decided upon the MM875 which costs roughly the same ($219), but has a 19" blade and larger rear-bag. Other advantages the MM875 has over the MM575 is that the handle folds down toward the base of the mower by loosening a couple screws. The MM575 would require entirely removing the handle in order to store in smaller areas.

I have read that the MM875 produces the equivalent of a 4hp gas mower. Regardless of this claim, it gets the job done and is easy enough to maneuver. The cord however dictates the path you take. If you don't want to constantly be moving the cord out of your way, you must mow in a zig-zag pattern away from your power outlet. Mulching with the MM875 is adequate for short cuts, but again, if the grass is too long, just bag it.

Since I mentioned the MM675, I just thought I'd note the difference. It is just like the MM575 except the handle can be flipped from one side of the mower to the other.

Conclusion
If your lawn is small and always within 80 feet of an outlet, consider the MM875. Go with the MM675/MM575 only if your sure that you'll never need to bag your grass clippings.