Black & Decker 19-Inch 24-Volt Cordless Electric Mulching Lawn Mower #CMM1200

This is my second rechargeable electric mower. Great performer. No need to store flammable gas and oil. Charges overnight. Comes installed. Green machine - saves the environment!

After having yet another gasoline mower die on me, and with gas over $4/gallon, I decided to try a cordless mower. I knew a corded electric would never do - cumbersome, and doubtless I'd manage to run over the cord. After a summer of mowing our lawn with this machine, it's far exceeded my expectations.

* The difference is apparent from the moment you first use the mower. After years of struggling with starters on mowers, it's stunning to have one turn on and off as easily as turning a light switch. And no fooling with engine oil, filling the gas tank, etc. Just plug it in overnight and it's ready to go in the morning. Our yard is about 20x30 feet in the front and 60x30 feet in the back, and even with thick overgrown grass and the mulch setting, I have yet to drain a charge with one mowing.

* The mower is MUCH quieter than a typical gas-powered engine. With it set on mulch, it's about as loud as a hair-dryer. Enough not to annoy the neighbors if you mow early in the morning.

* Cutting & mulching is very efficient; not as much clumping of clippings like I had with my last few mowers, especially on thick patches.

* The unit is HEAVY, mostly because of the battery. Hills are thus a bit of a workout.

* The excessive plastic gives it a bit of a cheap feeling, and there are some annoying requirements, such as a key to turn on the unit that one could easily lose. The blade does not cover the entire width of the mower, so you have to overlap your mowing paths a bit more. But overall, really minor concerns with an otherwise excellent machine.

* Do you really save money over a gas mower? Probably not. Although it costs much less to run the electric motor, the cost difference is enough that I can't imagine you'd ever recoup it, even if gas prices got much worse. However, the advantages of the electric motor make it worth the extra cost. I never, ever thought I'd say I actually liked a lawn mower, but this one is different. You won't be disappointed.

This is a easy to use mower. Handles very well. Only runs for about 40 minutes on a full charge and doesnt have the option to replace the battery with a fresh one. So, if you have a big yard, get something else. This would be perfect for a small yard!

Out of the box, the mower's heighth adjustment mechanism wouldn't lock in place. I assume it was damaged in transit. I took it to a local electric repair shop that Black & Decker referred me to. They sent for a part and 2 weeks later I picked it up and took it home. I was trying to use it for the first time when the heighth adjustment slipped out and wouldn't lock again. The guys at the repair shop gave it another go and it worked this time. They were good guys at the repair shop and they did try to reassure that I hadn't bought a lemon. I tried it out and it worked fine. Much quieter than my gas powered mower. I try to roll with the punches in this kind of situation, and I thought there might be some humor in this back and forth. And I really want this mower to work for me. So overall it's still a work in progress. I'd love to give 5 stars, but can't just yet.

The B&D cordless CMM1200 has done a great job for us. Our old Sear gas mower lasted over ten years of my own neglect but it had rusted through and then wouldn't run any longer. Unfortunately it was at the end of the mowing season. I didn't want to spend this musch on a mower but it was worth it. I haven't really noticed any of the problems others noted. The instruction book is fairly clear. It is easy to adjust the cutting height. I'm pretty tall so I extended the handle to the top adjustment. It came with at least a partial charge so I mowed right away. I would say it is quieter than my old mower but not quiet. It doesn't scare our dogs as much except when I ran it in the house. Try that with a gas mower. Also it is fairly heavy. This fall I used it to mulch leaves more than really mow. I ended up mulching first and then bagging to get most of it to put in our compost. On a full charge I can easily finish the mowing. The bag does allow a lot of dust to come out so if it is really dry you and the mower will be a mess. I'm not sure if I should do it but I very carefully rinse the deck off and the blade area underneath. I really enjoy using it. If it had a hepa filter I'd probably try to use it as a vacuum cleaner in the house!