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

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24-Volt Sealed Lead Acid Battery for Trouble-Free Cutting of Up to 1/3 Acre Homesites (grass conditions will effect run-time); Rechargeable Battery Recharges to 60-70% in 4 Hours and to 100% in 10 Hours; LIFETIME 19-Inch Mower Deck - Mulch Plate and Bag; No Gas, Oil or Tune-ups So No Trips to the Service Station or Gasoline to Store. One-touh Height Adjustment Adjusts All Four Wheels With the Touch of a Button From 1 1/2-3 1/2-Inch The Black & Decker 24-volt cordless mulching mower gives you the power to mow or mulch your lawn without the mess, noise, smell and hassle of a gas-powered mower or the limitations of a cord. Using a 24-volt sealed lead acid battery, this mower has enough power to mow up to a 1/3-acre lawn on one charge (grass conditions will affect run-time). It can be operated as a mower by attaching a bag to catch the clippings, or it can be operated as an effective mulcher using a mulch plate; both the bag and the mulch plate are included. The rechargeable 24-volt battery conveniently regains up to 60-70 percent of its full power in only 4 hours, and up to 100 percent in 16 hours; the mower turns on quickly with just a switch. All four wheels can easily be adjusted with a one-touch lever to shift the blade height from 1-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches; the push handle folds down when not in use for more compact storage. This product comes fully assembled, is backed by a full 2-year warranty, and the 19-inch, tough polymer cutting deck has a lifetime warranty.

I have to say, this is the best buy I've made. If you have a small to medium sized yard, why would you want to buy anything else? It's very quiet compared to a gas mower and starts up as easy as turning a small key and grabbing a lever. So easy and lightweight, just about anyone could use it with little effort. I no longer dread mowing the lawn, and my wife no longer has an excuse not to once in a while! The first thing I used it for was with a dethatching blade to pull up all the dead stuff from the lawn so I can seed it. Changing the blade was easy since I didn't have to worry about spilling oil and gasoline when I turned it on it's side. My yard is not level and has all sorts of dips and mounds, so the mower did bog down considerably when it dug into dirt. However, it recovers nicely with a simple tilt up. The single lever height adjustment is beyond awesome. Cordless means absolutely no restictions. Most of all though, I like knowing that I got a very capable mower for the same price as a similar gas powered one and I do not have to buy any more oil or gasoline. On top of that, I'm being ecologically reponsible and can mow the lawn at 6:00am without waking up the neighbors. Get one now!!!!

I previously had a corded mower, I LOVE this mower! I live in the city on a corner lot and it easily mows my yard and the parkway with plenty of charge to spare. ZERO emissions and there is no messing with fuel, engine maintenance, or cords and it cuts evenly. Mulching mode is highly preferred over bagging as the clippings just disappear into the lawn. For that first spring mow it's probably best to set the height at the highest setting (the height adjustment is a breeze!).

There are a few things you should know about the battery, however. First of all, it is poorly secured with a strap and some styrofoam - and glue! The styrofoam can easily break and the battery can become dislodged during shipping, or if the mower is turned on its side or upside down. I would remove the black cover, inspect, and re-secure the battery if necessary. It should be on its side with the terminals facing front.

This next bit of info can save you big bucks when you go to replace the battery. This battery is actually just two commercially available 12V batteries stuck together. It is the B&B BP17-12 or the UB12180 (or equivalent) which is used in many applications including uninterruptible power supplies. You can buy 2 of them and stick them together yourself and save almost half off the replacement cost. Just do a Google products search for BP17-12 or UB12180 and you will find them for as low as $32 each.

Anyone with a minimum of mechanical skill should be able to replace the battery. If you buy 2 of the batteries listed above, glue them together the day before BACK TO BACK so that each end has both a positive and a negative terminal. Removing the black "shroud" or cover of the mower is quick although a "star" or "TORX" screwdriver bit is recommended over a regular slotted screwdriver for the four screws. First make yourself a small diagram of the wiring configuration. Changing the battery is then a simple matter of removing the styrofoam spacers, removing the strap and the electrical leads, rewiring the new battery and then putting everything back together the way it was.

Important: NEVER let the battery freeze. This is why some people experience short battery life. The battery itself can be brought indoors for the winter following the removal procedure above.

This mower was easy to assemble. Just flip the handle and tighten the screws. It has more than enough stored energy for my lawn and cuts very well. No more gas. No more cords. Height adjustment is a snap. Only drawback is having to push vs. self propelled.

I've had this mower (the 1000) for about 5 years and just had to replace the battery. Its available at batteries plus for about 150$. You have to open it up and unscrew everything and reconnect - there's no help for this in the manual. Now its like I have a new mower again. You have to make sure you dont let the battery run down to nothing before rechargin. I made this mistake usually and that may be why my battery ran down. It clearly states on the machine - dont let the battery run down past yellow and keep it on charge when not in use. Otherwise the mower is Ok and sure beats a stinky gas one which pollutes much more than a car and is noisy and you have to mix gas oil etc.

They should make the battery much easier to replace and have material in the manual about how this is done.

I have had this lawn mower for over year and love it. It is very easy to operate and adjust with a decent battery life. I have a grass area of more than 10,000 square feet and can easily mow it with one charge when the grass is not too long. No more pulling on a cord with frustration. This mower turns on every time with a pull on the lever.