Battery powered lawnmower

[dlundblad]

With an electric mower, I think what you’re saving in fuel, you’re overpaying for convenience. They are $$$ compared to a name brand gas push mower. Longevity wise, I’m betting they are capable of lasting as long as any other cordless tool.

That being said, I feel if you can mow your yard with one charge, electric is perfect. No noise. No gas to worry about etc. If you need to get more batteries, so be it, but that’s just more cost.. Having to mow and recharge is doable, just not ideal. If I have time to mow, I want to get it all done at once.

 

[Escape08]

The good thing about battery powered mowers, the newer ones are a lot quieter, If someone is mowing the lawn I could barely hear it if a pass by the street.
Who knows there will be a HYBRID mower

 

[2heeldrive]

I have a Ryobi 20" that I have had for three years and use for trimming. It is really light weight so it's easy to lift in and out of my truck. The battery lasts about 30 minutes. It would be a viable option for someone with a fairly small yard... ~5000sq ft.

 

[plus1111]

I've always used electric mowers but needed self-propelled. We bought a 21" EGO 3 years ago and it works well. Still original batteries and it's a breeze to clean. Most of the time we can just put it away but if the lawn is very wet we might have to clean a bit. I'd rather have their new model with two blades to mulch a little better but ... Our corded mowers blades moved so fast they almost juiced the clippings.

 

[EdwardC]

I've had an EGO (non self propelled) for about 5 years now. I have a tiny yard, so the battery life isn't an issue. It isn't super powerful, so I have to take narrower overlapping passes sometimes, but it works and is quiet. I have an EGO string trimmer as well.

I do typically store the batteries indoors during the winter season though.

My yard is small, but have a huge driveway, so I have two gas snowblowers for that. The dirtiness and smell from them are quite noticeable compared to the mower. I'd recommend giving a cordless mower a try for small yards.

 

[Snagglefoot]

From the RONA big box store today.

 

[Cruisin'n5thgear]

Other than the refueling time, nice specs! Just used my mom's EGo for the first time, a very nice self propelled unit. Perfect for her small lot.

Using it for bagging and spring scalping of Bermuda on my 1/3 acre lot where I generate 3 5x10 trailer loads of thatch ... not so much

 

[4WD]

These were $228 - clearance today for $97 … already have a bunch of the HyperTough 20V/40V tools …

Will only use it to trim ahead of the 42” LT …

Robot or human?

 

[jeepman3071]

These were $228 - clearance today for $97 … already have a bunch of the HyperTough 20V/40V tools …

Will only use it to trim ahead of the 42” LT …

Robot or human?

View attachment 141095

I think this is key. Having a family of tools that uses the same battery is what makes everything easier. I have a few customers with the battery Toro mower, and they like it since it takes same battery as their Toro leaf blower, weed trimer, etc. Having a bunch of different equipment with different batteries can become cumbersome and expensive over time as the batteries age and need replacing.


It also seems like you are using the right tool for the job. Again my customers who love their Toro battery mowers use them on very small yards or for trimming and love them. The ones who tried to use it to mow an entire acre yard were disappointed after a year with the battery life.

 

[Cujet]

I have the 60V Toro mower as a finish mower. It flat out rocks! It's steel and uses a normal mulching mower blade, unlike some others that use really thin blades.

I have 2 acres in FL, so the JD Tractor is the main mower. But the Toro is ideal for around the house and for touch up uses. It's pretty tough and mows the steep sided swale (small drainage ditch) in front of the house along the road.

I had to purchase a two stroke Lawn Boy for that swale, as the other mower would lose lubrication when tilted over that much, and destroyed the engine. But the Toro is every bit as good and it shuts off/starts instantly when in tough positions.

 

[alarmguy]

My Troy bilt Honda 160 is still kickin for 14 years. What are your thoughts on battery powered units? For what it’s worth it takes a half a tank to mow front and back. I maybe looking into the Sthil mower. Of course when the Honda gives up, lol.

Hondas are great, I think they are getting out of the mower market.
I look at battery mowers as a possibility for our soon to be new home. I checked Consumer Reports and the high rated ones seem pricey to me $650+ (Self propelled) to mow a smallish lawn and over $150 to replace the batteries in two to three years.

I only just started considering and as of right now thinking gas is less troublesome

 

[alarmguy]

From the RONA big box store today.

View attachment 113165

69 minutes of run time is nothing to brag about

 

[Snagglefoot]

69 minutes of run time is nothing to brag about

You’re kidding me right?

 

[spasm3]

From the RONA big box store today.

View attachment 113165

My son has that for his small yard. It seems to work well. I like that you can set the cut very high, higher than my gas pushers.

 

[jeepman3071]

You’re kidding me right?

69 minutes run time is pretty good, the issue is that number comes from when the battery is brand new and mowing in perfect conditions. As that battery ages, or if the grass gets out of hand, the run time will diminish a bit. For some that isn't an issue since they use the mower mainly for trimming or a smaller yard. If a charge barely lasts the entire yard when brand new, it's best to buy two batteries.

 

[alarmguy]

You’re kidding me right?

Not at all, if you spend 45 minutes cutting a super thick lawn using self propelled how long will it be until the batteries start running out? Forget an hour, that’s best case.
Some brands can need battery replacing in 2 to 3 years
I can run 10 years with gas and never have to recharge.
I do wish it was different but I’m not going to pay over $700 for that, maybe.
I’m currently picking out kitchen appliances, mower will be another month.
To be clear, my lawn always looks like a fine cut golf course. Thick zoysia grass cut 2 to 2.5 inches, powerful mower and super clean cut is a must and from what I see in Consumer Reports that means an electric will cost $700+ for that quality.

It would be great not to deal with gas but … who knows, will see. I do not want to think about dealing with a battery wearing down. I do that with a string trimmer and that’s ok but the lawn. I don’t know.

Ps 69 should have been 60 and like battery operated anything the amount of time they tell you just like an EV mileage thing is a hope and prayer.

I’ll say again I’m not against battery lawnmowers love the idea of now having to store gas at the new house but not sure if I will regret a decision like that

 

[Snagglefoot]

Not at all, if you spend 45 minutes cutting a super thick lawn using self propelled h how long will it be until the batteries start running out?
Some brands can need battery replacing in 2 to 3 years

You need to supply data to back that up on needing replacement. I don’t know how I get sucked into answering posts directed at me on 6 month old threads. I’m moving on. Good luck.

 

[alarmguy]

You need to supply data to back that up on needing replacement. I don’t know I get sucked into answering posts directed at me on 6 month old threads. I’m moving on. Good luck.

You do that to yourself. I know the feeling I do it too.
I may or may not take the time to respond but the information is on Consumer Reports Online portal if you’re a member. They have an extensive amount of gas and electric mowers reviewed long term.
It no secret that batteries wear down a few are bad news and really expensive to replace

 

[repairman54]

Consumer Reports, as a retired onsite service technician for 46 yrs I consider CR the funny papers. Too many best buys turned into stay away from a year or two later in my field of major home appliances. CR uses feedback from buyers, nobody wants to admit they paid too much for premium rated turds and maintenance. Most CR subscribers tend to be more OCD about their products than the general public are also.
Their short-term testing is not a true consumer test either as the operate by the owner's manual, which 95% of consumers never do.

 

[alarmguy]

Consumer Reports, as a retired onsite service technician for 46 yrs I consider CR the funny papers. Too many best buys turned into stay away from a year or two later in my field of major home appliances. CR uses feedback from buyers, nobody wants to admit they paid too much for premium rated turds and maintenance. Most CR subscribers tend to be more OCD about their products than the general public are also.
Their short-term testing is not a true consumer test either as the operate by the owner's manual, which 95% of consumers never do.

I’ll disagree.
Testing a lawnmower for over two years and reporting the $300 batteries died is more significant than comments in a forum.
Dont misunderstand, common sense prevails but to call it "funny papers" is jsut as funny as asking a friend how he likes his lawnmower.
Testing is testing, short term, long term there is nothing wrong with being an informed consumer.

A perfect example is how does one think Toyota obtained such a good reputation? Feedback

One tiny example of 50 electric mowers reviewed, this is a comment from one specific model and just one of many feedback. Would you really want this particular mower and pay $700 for it?

"Never again​

Thank goodness there's a 5-year warranty or else I would've kicked this product to the curb. There is a definite design/manufacturing flaw in this product. The push button start switch continually stops working in mid-mow. I have sent it out for repair and each time Ryobi replaces the entire housing unit. Ironically, the first one I bought didn't work either and I took the whole thing back to Home Depot and exchanged it for another. Now I'm stuck in a revolving door to the repair shop with the same problem over and over. I will never by another Ryobi product."

This from 11 people who filled out the survey;

Here is the comment on a different brand of CR's TOP rated self propelled electric mower, if you have southern grass like I do wouldnt you give some creditability to this comment? (by the way there are many more, I am just using examples) I mean these are $700+ mowers because of battery power vs gas.