Black And Decker Lawn Hog Electric Mower MM875

by Amber Thibodeau
(St. Petersburg, FL)

About four years ago, I purchased the Black & Decker MM875 Lawn Hog (See all Walk-Behind Rotary Mowers) at the local Lowe's home improvement store. I decided to purchase the mower because my older gas-powered lawn mower had been breaking down frequently. I was also interested in trying this new electric technology.

I had read online that these electric mowers were easy to maintain and performed just as good as the gas-powered ones. I was definitely looking forward to not buying more gasoline, inhaling the exhaust fumes while cutting the grass and having to deal with mower air filters and oil changes. So that weekend, I quickly assembled the new lawn mower and got to testing it right away.

The assembly, by the way, was a breeze and didn't require half a day or many tools. This was a major plus and I must say, a good start overall. I got some power cords and plugged in the lawn mower to the electrical outlet in my garage and went off to cut the front lawn. I immediately noticed how light and maneuverable the electric mower was compared to my older, gas-powered beast.

This Black & Decker electric mower was relatively quiet and did not belch out gas or oil fumes. It made a great first impression when I started it (one touch start, no pulling a cord) and proceeded to cut the lawn in the front of my home. A few minutes into cutting the grass, however, I began to notice a few issues that were not too thrilling.

For instance, I noticed that this mower's cutting width was less than my prior lawn mower. What does that mean? Well, it meant that I cut less area with each pass and therefore it took longer to cut the front lawn since the mower's cutting area was narrower. This was not something I expected or even thought about during my research for a a new mower replacement.

I also noticed that using this particular lawn mower required extra focus and attention. Why? Because you had to be very much aware of the location of the power extension cord at all times. If not, the very dangerous situation of severing the cord or entangling itself in the blade would not be a pleasant thing.

It's great if you have long stretches of grass to cut. We have a yard filled with landscaping and some tight corners, making it a challenge at times. Using this lawn mower almost reminds me of the gymnastics you need to perform while vacuuming the inside of your home. You have to constantly pickup the cord, move it around, drop it and make sure it doesn't get sucked in or in this case, chewed up by the mower's blade. After a few times, you learn how to manage the cord but many times I've come close to mowing right over the cord.

Black & Decker also makes an electric model with no cords. Basically a similar mower but with rechargeable built-in batteries. On several occasions I was ready to trade up to that model to avoid the constant cord dodging. I have slowly learning to accept and adapt to using this mower and for the most part it does it job pretty well.

My favorite thing is not having to use gasoline to power the mower, particularly with gas prices on the upswing. The mower's rear bag does a good job at catching the mulched up grass and is easy to empty quickly. Another feature that is great with the mower is its ability to quickly adjust the height of the cutting blade. Normally most mowers have complicated, hard to manually change setting. My electric mower's cutting height setting can be changed with one hand within 2 seconds. It's one of those features that neighbors always notice and admire.

When I first started using the electric mower in my neighborhood I would get all sorts of weird looks and comments especially as they watch me struggle with the power extension cords. Over time, however, I've noticed these types of mowers popping up around the neighborhood. I suspect the price of gasoline and quieter operation had a lot to do with their acceptance and purchases. I would wholeheartedly recommend the Black & Decker electric mower if you're looking for these types of benefits.

That said, I would take a second look at Black & Decker's other electric mowers. The ones that are powered by rechargeable batteries instead of the power cord one I currently own. You can't go wrong with either one of these new technology products. The value is there and in the end, you have to decide which is best in terms of your overall use. I'll probably keep my mower a few more years before trading up to a cordless model. One thing is for sure though, I will never buy a gasoline-powered mower again. Thank you.