EGO’s new aluminum deck mower might be my new favorite mower of all time. One of my major hesitations with EGO in the past has been that they almost always use plastic cutting decks on their mowers. Well – this year they decided to make a big change.
Bottom Line: The new aluminum deck mower from EGO is one of the best electric mowers on the market and has all the bells and whistles you could possibly want. You can check out the price here on Amazon.
Let’s jump right into my experience with this new EGO LM2200SP mower.
The new aluminum metal deck on the EGO mower
Obviously the most striking part of the new EGO mower is the aluminum cutting deck. If you’ve read any of my old posts about EGO mowers, you’ll know my main criticism of EGO was their plastic cutting decks.
Well they shut me up. Not only did EGO make a solid metal cutting deck for their new mower, but they made it an inch wider than their other mowers. Metal cutting decks are superior to plastic cutting decks for two reasons:
Metal cutting decks provide more weight which help stabilize the electric mower and help it mow in a straight line.
Metal cutting decks are more durable and resistant to cracks and scratches.
EGO’s Touch Drive and Select Cut function
Not only does the new EGO LM2200SP have the sweet metal cutting deck, but it also has all the bells and whistles that you would expect from a high-end EGO mower. I wrote a post where I helped break down all the unique language that EGO uses to describe their mowers, but I’ll distill down the two main terms that apply here.
EGO Touch Drive explained – Touch drive is the slick roller feature on the handle of the mower that allows you to control the speed of the self-propelled function of the mower.
EGO Select Cut – Select Cut means that the EGO mower has two blades at the bottom that allow for a super clean cut.
The new LMS2200SP comes with both Touch Drive and Select Cut. These two features combined allow for a super easy-to-use experience with an extremely clean cut. I’m not sure why this mower wasn’t considered a Select Cut XP – which is just the higher torque version of the Select Cut – since the torque on this mower is so high at 11.1 lbs.
Other nice features on the EGO aluminum deck mower
Some small features on the EGO mower that make it have a “premium” feel are the blade speed adjustment and the nice little headlights. The blade speed adjustment allows for an Eco mode that can help extend the battery run-time, but also a turbo mode for thicker brush.
The LM2200SP also features dual height adjustment on the front and back wheels so you can completely control the height of the cutting deck. It also comes with a brushless motor, just like all other EGO mowers, which makes it highly durable and able to last for well over a decade.
Lastly – this mower comes with a massive 10 Ah battery which allows for a ridiculous 70-minute run-time. This is enough power to do any normal job you would do with a push mower.
The look and feel of the EGO aluminum deck mower
Using this new mower is striking. Firing it up and starting to push it felt instantly like one of the most high quality mowers I’ve ever used. I’ve historically thought of the Milwaukee M18 as one of the most solid and powerful electric mowers on the market, but my mind has been changed.
From the solid weight to the nice self-propelled function – this mower is very premium and great to use.
I know it sounds like I am sponsored by EGO – but I’m not. I’m just glad to see them change their ways from their classic plastic deck mowers.
EGO LM2200SP vs EGO LM2156SP mower
I own both the EGO LM2200SP (the aluminum deck mower) and the LM2156SP (the EGO Select Cut XP I’ve reviewed here). Side-by-side, the new aluminum deck mower is noticeably better looking than the boxier, older looking EGO Select Cut XP.
Both have two blades at the bottom, touch-drive functionality, and take the classic EGO 56V battery – but the 10 Ah battery that comes with the new EGO LM2200SP takes the cake here.
I obviously like the aluminum deck mower a bit more than the Select Cut XP because it has just as much torque (if not more), a better cutting deck, a bigger battery, and all the same functionality.
My final review: EGO Aluminum Deck Mower
The EGO aluminum deck mower may just be the best electric mower on the market (which means I need to re-do my ranking list of best electric mowers). The new, wider 22-inch aluminum deck, the Touch Drive function, dual cutting blades, and bells and whistles make the EGO LM2200SP an absolute dream.
The Stihl RMA 510 V is a battery powered mower recently dropped onto the market by Stihl. The RMA 510V is a good battery powered mower and checks many boxes – but comes in at a premium price point. I don’t recommend it.
If you are wondering why the Stihl electric mower is a big deal, it is mostly because Stihl has historically not made any mowers. Stihl also has not been a major player in the electric space. The investment Stihl has made in their RMA 510 V electric mower signals a huge move.
Here are the pros and cons of the Stilh RMA 510 V after I tested it extensively in my backyard and even tested it against my EGO mower:
Pros:
A nice steel cutting deck
Brushless motor
Great self-propelled function
Super easy to use
Cons:
Expensive
Cannot use battery with many other tools
You can grab the Stihl electric mower at Acme Tools or Northern Tools (I’m NOT an affiliate of either and am providing a 100% honest review).
I tested the all-new Stihl RMA 510 V battery powered mower
Stihl’s RMA 510 V electric mower got shipped to my house the other day. After I got it unboxed and tested it in my backyard, here were my thoughts. As always, I am going to give you the brutally honest review only The Lawn Review provides.
The Stihl RMA 510 V mower has a durable steel cutting deck
Stihl is known for making high quality, durable products so I wasn’t surprised to see they went with a steel cutting deck on their new RMA 510 V electric mower. I liked the metal cutting deck on the Stihl mower because it provides two things.
First, the Stilh RMA 510 V’s metal cutting deck adds additional weight that improves control of the mower. Second, the metal cutting deck is highly durable when compared to competitor’s plastic cutting decks.
Stihl’s RMA 510 V battery mower has a nice self-propelled function
The self-propelled function on the Stihl RMA 510 V battery mower is super easy to activate. It’s located conveniently on the left side of the handlebars where you can quickly toggle the speed. Many self-propelled lawn mowers have a simple “on” or “off” feature instead of giving you total control of the speed.
The Stihl RMA 510 V has a nice “goldilocks” effect of letting me put it at right about ¾ full speed so I can hustle without getting too sweaty.
The Stihl mower has all the basics
I like that this mower has a seven-setting height adjustment that makes mowing your lawn in bermudagrass or tall fescue a breeze. Many folks overlook this point, but it is truly versatile all across the great United States.
The RMA 510 V is easy to use, easy to assemble, great for storage, and highly durable.
The Stihl RMA 510 V has a brushless motor – which is important.
Overall – I can’t complain about this mower. If I was handed it for free and got to take it for a spin, I would love it. But the price point is simply too high for me to take the leap when there are other more trusted brands with experience in the battery lawn mower game.
The Stihl RMA 510 V battery system is not expansive
One downside of the Stihl RMA 510 V mower is that the AP 300 S Stihl battery is simply not widely used. With mowers like the Milwaukee M18 mower or the EGO Select Cut XP – you get to use the same battery across hundreds of tools.
When you go with a battery system like Stihl’s RMA 510 V and AP 300 S, you take up charging space in your garage or shed. Not good!
Stihl’s battery mower is expensive
If you buy the full mower kit, the Stihl RMA 510 V battery mower costs you nearly $800. That is too high, in my opinion.
My final review after testing: Stihl RMA 510 V electric mower
I don’t recommend the Stihl RMA 510 V. It has some great features and a solid build, but Stihl has just recently entered the lawn mower game and the battery and electric tool game and I don’t want to be their guinea pig.
How I tested the Stihl RMA 510 V electric mower
I tested the mower the same way I test all of the battery powered mowers I test – by ruthlessly running this mower into the ground. I lowered the deck all the way and put it into some tall fescue, ran it over some sticks, and mowed until the battery died.
The Stihl mower was crying for help by the time I was done – but it had to be truly put to the test to see how it stood up. Overall, I was impressed with how it performed, just not the price point that it is listed for.
FAQ
Here are some common questions I get about Stihl’s RMA 510 V electric mower.
What’s the difference between the Stihl RMA 510 V and the Stihl RMA 510 electric mowers?
The Stihl RMA 510 V has a variable speed self-propelled function whereas the RMA 510 does not.
Is the Stihl RMA 510 V mower worth it?
The Stihl RMA 510 V is expensive for what you get – I don’t think it is worth it.
Does the Stihl RMA 510 V have a brushless motor?
Yes, most of Stilh’s electric tools have brushless motors.
Trust me – it isn’t advertised and I’ve been corrected before!
Why you can trust The Lawn Review
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
What to look for in an electric mower brand
When looking to purchase an electric lawn mower, you need to make sure you understand what things matter. You will get hit with a lot of technical specifications and marketing tactics. Totally forget them and focus on the things that impact you. Below are my recommendations:
Battery powered mower brand quality
Quality is going to be super important here. Just about everyone is in the electric mower game these days and there are a ton of junky mowers out there. Avoid anything from a weird brand on Amazon that takes 9 years to ship. It is probably being 3D printed in a Laotian bathroom. Go for brands that have consistent quality and focus on the details, not just flashy colors.
Some brands I trust off the top of my head are: Greenworks, Milwaukee, Makita, Toro, EGO, and Kobalt. SOME Ryobi mowers, although myself and others have had some problems with reliability. Brand quality matters, but it’s also important to look at the specs on each. For example, Greenworks sells like 60 mowers, only a handful of them would I ever consider for this list. EGO also sells a bunch of mowers, and only a few are within an acceptable price range to be on this list.
Metal where it matters: the deck
Most electric mowers are plastic-y. Probably to reduce the weight of the mower so that the battery can get you further, but it feels cheap. Make sure to get metal where it matters – namely the deck. The deck is the part that covers the blades. Don’t get plastic here – a rock can rip through it.
Battery interoperability.
A ten dollar word used here, but really just make sure to buy a mower with a battery that is compatible with other electric tools. You’ll see a bunch of these brands that have battery lines that work with a ton of tools. Milwaukee, Makita, and Dewalt are all great options because you can use them for all lawn tools AND power tools – saving you a ton of money on extra batteries.
If you have more questions, check out our guide to electric lawn mowers, where we break this down into a lot more detail.
Self-propelled or not
Self-propelled mowers are lawn mowers that slowly crawl forward when mowing the lawn. They propel forward the mower, taking off a lot of the “pushing power” required by traditional push mowers.
Self-propelled mowers are ALWAYS more expensive because they have the additional power and functionality that makes life easier. They have their place, but because of the cost can often seem not totally worth it
Wild Badger’s 40V cordless mower is an 18 inch lawn tool that I just tested in my backyard. I had some ups and downs with this mower. Most of my downs come with putting this electric mower together, most of my ups come with actually using it.
Quick Summary of my thoughts on the Wild Badger 40V mower
Here are my thoughts on the Wild Badger 40V mower – scroll down if you want the full story:
Pros of the Wild Badger 40V mower:
Super lightweight electric mower and easy to maneuver around my small backyard
Really quiet – I mowed next to my kids and they didn’t get freaked out
No gas smell afterwards – standard on electric mowers
Actually did a good job cutting my tall fescue grass
Very inexpensive battery mower
A brushless motor
Cons of the Wild Badger 40V mower:
I muttered several cuss words putting the Wild Badger mower together
Not enough height adjustment options
A little too narrow of a cutting width
The deck on the Wild Badger 40V mower is plastic and not metal
Overall, the Wild Badger 40V mower is pretty good for the price. I haven’t used it for more than a few cuts so far so can’t tell you about how durable it will be in the long run. It’s a great electric mower for small yards.
My experience using the 40V Wild Badger Cordless Mower
The Wild Badger 40V mower showed up to my house one afternoon and I was excited to see it on the front porch. I took it around to my backyard and let my kids help me put it together.
Assembling this cordless mower sucked
How hard can it be? You just put the handle on, put the battery in, and you’re good to go, right? WRONG. Assembling this mower was a pain and I never got it right. The foldable handles are a good concept, but putting them together was painful. I gave up and let my daughter play with it (see below).
The handles are supposed to fold down but the mechanism that folds them down is plastic and falls apart super easily. I see what they were trying to do, but this was a huge miss. I ended up installing it without the folding handle pieces and just screwing the handle together.
Mowing experience with the Wild Badger 40V
When I actually got this mower together and turned it on, I was pleasantly surprised. The Wild Badger started up really easily, was extremely quiet, and did a good job mowing.
My kids were in the backyard when I was mowing and I didn’t think twice about the noise impacting them. Another huge benefit is that I didn’t smell like gas after. At first, I thought it was cutting too short, but realized my grass had just grown too long.
Adjusting the height on the mower was extremely easy. It has a single point on one wheel that adjusts the height on the entire mower. That feature on the Wild Badger is normally seen on $400+ mowers.
The 40V battery on the Wild Badger Mower
Fortunately, I already have the chainsaw and didn’t need to go buy a battery or charger for this mower. I can use the same charger for both tools. This one pops right in and is super easy to slide in and out. The Wild Badger battery has a push-button feature that shows you how much juice is left on the battery. I did my whole backyard without a single bar going down.
What would I change on the Wild Badger 40V mower?
There are a few things I would change about this mower if Wild Badger let me redesign it for them.
A wider cutting deck
18 inches is a good cutting width for a really small yard, like a townhome or something. For normal backyards, 20 inches is the minimum.
A metal cutting deck
Plastic cutting decks are okay if they are super thick because they take the weight off of a mower. But metal decks on mowers are far superior. Metal cutting decks are much more durable and resilient than plastic decks.
A simplified folding mechanism
Either make it right or don’t make it at all. The folding mechanism was a premium option that they didn’t need to have – but instead it became a weak point.
Self-propelled function
A self-propelled function on the Wild Badger would have been a nice addition to make the mowing process even better.
Final thoughts: Wild Badger 40V Cordless Mower
Overall, this mower is pretty good for the price. It’s quiet, has a good cut, and is extremely easy to operate. There were a few misses, but for anybody with a small yard and a tight budget – you won’t do much better than this mower. Check the price on Amazon here if you want to see if it is on sale.
Self-propelled battery lawn mowers are sweet tools that can make your job super easy. I used to never use self-propelled mowers and actively spoke out against them. But I really like the Milwaukee M18 FUEL battery mower because it is extremely powerful and cuts better than my Honda gas mower.
But my mind has been changed. I got a few self-propelled electric mowers and put them to the test. The functionality has a bunch of different ways of working – from front-wheel drive to all-wheel drive and all kinds of cruise controls.
My experience using self-propelled mowers
I started using self-propelled mowers only recently. I’ve always been a push guy and haven’t minded pushing the mower all around the yard. But after I tested one out for one of my Youtube videos – I became a believer. These things are sweet and take quite the load off.
One thing I found after testing out a few of these is that there’s actually a bunch of variety in how these work. Some are easy to use, others have weird functions – they all are better than pushing the dang mower.
I created the Lawn Review to make sure folks like you could see through the confusing marketing.
Ranking the top Self-Propelled Battery Mowers
I’ve been lucky enough to own and test several self-propelled mowers and distilled this list down to only three. I did this to NOT waste your time and give you the pure facts – with everything in mind – price, ease of use, durability, etc. Let’s get started.
Milwaukee’s M18 FUEL lawn mower – almost exclusively. It is an interesting case because it stands alone as their sole mower offering for now. It’s as if they assembled a dedicated team of dorks and rednecks, brainstormed ideas to create the ultimate mower, and simply went for it without looking back.
The mower features a robust steel deck, setting it apart from the more common plastic decks in the electric mower market
Rapid acceleration allows it to reach full throttle in less than a second – like a Lambo
The inclusion of a brushless motor is a must-have for being at the top of this list
The utilization of two 18V Milwaukee batteries offers compatibility with over 200 other M18 tools from Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL outperforms many of the others that come in at a lower price point. However, it is worth noting that this superior performance comes with a higher price tag. With a retail price of over $1,000 at Home Depot (if you get it with the batteries), it might be considered one of the more expensive push mowers available. Nevertheless, for Milwaukee enthusiasts or those genuinely seeking peak battery-powered mower performance, this model unquestionably stands out as the best.
For a side-by-side comparison, one may find it insightful to evaluate how the M18 stacks up against the Ryobi 40V HP, another mower that also made it onto this list.
Greenworks Pro 80V Self-Propelled Lawn Mower
It would be really hard to keep this one off the list since I made a huge mower comparison video that had this one at number one. This mower is the biggest, baddest Greenworks mower on the market. Coming in at 21 inches with a nice steel deck, this mower is ready for any size job. In fact, it’s larger than my current gas push mower.
The only reason this one comes in at number two on this list is because the self-propelled function is a little wonky. It prevents the wheels from moving backward, so before you approach a turnaround, you have to let it go and give the wheels time to unlock. This isn’t an awful thing, just takes some getting used to.
It is also self-propelled, meaning it can help move along the job for you. Not to mention the brushless motor. The Greenworks Pro 80V mower is simply the Cadillac of electric mowers.
Another thing I love about this product is that the 80V battery can also be used with a ton of other tools that Greenworks offers, and they are all the most powerful and longest lasting. One of my favorites that pairs well with this mower is the compatible 80V blower.
You can grab the mower alone, or with an edger, trimmer, or blower. If you already have the 80V battery, you can buy just the mower alone and save a ton of money (like $200 of savings).
Here are some of the features that make this one COMPLETELY unbeatable:
Select Cut XP functionality means that this is the highest torque EGO mower on the planet
It also has Touch Drive self-propelled functionality, making it the easiest to use and control
Longest run time at 75 minutes because it comes with 10.0 Ah batteries, basically double the Ah of their other mowers
So this is the most powerful, longest running, easiest to control EGO mower. It is truly probably the best battery powered mower available from a technical specification perspective. But it doesn’t have a steel deck, which makes me sad. And is ultimately the reason that it fell to number three on this list.
As far as overall power goes, this one is almost TOO powerful. If you max out the self-propelled function on this, it will absolutely pull you forward. If you’re the type of person still looking for a workout and don’t want to push, this EGO mower will have you speed walking around your yard.
What to look for when buying a battery-powered lawn mower
When looking to purchase an electric lawn mower, you need to make sure you understand what things matter. You will get hit with a lot of technical specifications and marketing tactics. Totally forget them and focus on the things that impact you. Below are my recommendations:
Battery-powered mower brand quality
Quality is going to be super important here. Just about everyone is in the electric mower game these days and there are a ton of junky mowers out there. Avoid anything from a weird brand on Amazon that takes 9 years to ship. It is probably being 3D printed in a Laotian bathroom. Go for brands that have consistent quality and focus on the details, not just flashy colors.
Some brands I trust off the top of my head are: Greenworks, Milwaukee, Makita, Toro, EGO, and Kobalt. SOME Ryobi mowers, although myself and others have had some problems with reliability. Brand quality matters, but it’s also important to look at the specs on each. For example, Greenworks sells like 60 mowers, only a handful of them would I ever consider for this list. EGO also sells a bunch of mowers, and only a few are within an acceptable price range to be on this list.
Metal where it matters: the deck
Most electric mowers are plastic-y. Probably to reduce the weight of the mower so that the battery can get you further, but it feels cheap. Make sure to get metal where it matters – namely the deck. The deck is the part that covers the blades. Don’t get plastic here – a rock can rip through it.
Battery interoperability.
A ten dollar word used here, but really just make sure to buy a mower with a battery that is compatible with other electric tools. You’ll see a bunch of these brands that have battery lines that work with a ton of tools. Milwaukee, Makita, and Dewalt are all great options because you can use them for all lawn tools AND power tools – saving you a ton of money on extra batteries.
If you have more questions, check out our guide to electric lawn mowers, where we break this down into a lot more detail.
Self-propelled or not
Self-propelled mowers are lawn mowers that slowly crawl forward when mowing the lawn. They propel forward the mower, taking off a lot of the “pushing power” required by traditional push mowers.
Self-propelled mowers are ALWAYS more expensive because they have the additional power and functionality that makes life easier. They have their place, but because of the cost can often come with a higher price tag.
Why we review lawn tools
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
Electric mowers at Home Depot are a dime a dozen. If you’ve ever been to the store (which I don’t recommend) then you may have noticed there is a whole aisle with electric mowers side-by-side.
Look familiar?
Walking down this aisle is dizzying and extremely unhelpful. It seems like the only things that differentiates the mowers is the price tag and colors.
How on planet Earth are you supposed to pick one? Well – we did the hard work and figured it out by buying basically all of them. Home Depot does have some of the best-selling mower brands.
Here are our favorite electric mowers at Home Depot:
The reason I started reviewing mowers in the first place is because I was standing in Home Depot, just like you. I was walking the aisles with my wife trying to figure out what kind of mower we needed for our first home (about 5 years ago).
We had no clue. The only thing that drove us to end up getting a gas-powered mower (my Troy Bilt mower) was because it was so dang cheap. While it wasn’t a total mistake, I wish I would have gone electric at the time.
Since then, I’ve bought and used over a dozen electric mowers. Yes – it has been insane and expensive but it has also been a LOT of fun.
5 Electric Mowers at Home Depot That Absolutely Slap
We took the time to review a bunch of these battery powered mowers from Home Depot. It was NOT cheap but it was pretty fun. Check out our Youtube channel if you want to see more mower reviews, including a ton of them in this article.
1. Milwaukee M18 Battery Powered Mower
Home Depot sells Milwaukee’s M18 FUEL lawn mower – almost exclusively. It is an interesting case because it stands alone as their sole mower offering for now. It’s as if they assembled a dedicated team of dorks and rednecks, brainstormed ideas to create the ultimate mower, and simply went for it without looking back.
Here are some of my favorite features:
It boasts serious power comparable to a 200cc lawn mower, surpassing even the classic Honda push mowers.
The mower features a robust steel deck, setting it apart from the more common plastic decks in the electric mower market
Rapid acceleration allows it to reach full throttle in less than a second – like a Lambo
The inclusion of a brushless motor is a must-have for being at the top of this list
The utilization of two 18V Milwaukee batteries offers compatibility with over 200 other M18 tools from Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL outperforms many of the others that come in at a lower price point. However, it is worth noting that this superior performance comes with a higher price tag. With a retail price of over $1,000 at Home Depot (if you get it with the batteries), it might be considered one of the more expensive push mowers available. Nevertheless, for Milwaukee enthusiasts or those genuinely seeking peak battery-powered mower performance, this model unquestionably stands out as the best.
For a side-by-side comparison, one may find it insightful to evaluate how the M18 stacks up against the Ryobi 40V HP, another mower that also made it onto this list.
2. Ryobi 40V HP Whisper Series Mower
The Ryobi 40V HP whisper series mower is good for a few reasons. Back in the day, the Ryobi 40V HP Brushless battery-powered mower was my favorite electric mower from Ryobi! Yeah, it was my first-ever try with electric, and I thought it rocked. But you know how it goes, my taste got more sophisticated, and now I’ve become considerably wiser after testing dozens of these things.
Anyway, it still earned a spot on this list, though I gotta say, it’s a bit too lightweight for my liking. One bump into thick grass or a pesky stick, and it goes off-track like, “Whoa, hold up!”. I don’t like how light it is because the weight helps hold it glued to the ground and keeps it even over any rough patch.
But let me tell you about the best part! You can totally use the same Ryobi 40V battery with a bunch of other tools they offer – and they are plentiful. They have a ton of blowers and string trimmers that rock and can use the same system as this mower.
Oh, and don’t sleep on the mower itself. It’s got a brushless motor, sweet 6.0 Ah batteries, its super easy to start and maintain, and even a self-propelled mode. Seriously, it’s got all the fancy stuff that the Milwaukee one above has.
Even though it isn’t number one, the Ryobi 40V is still an absolute beast of a mower! If you’re into Ryobi, which I know a ton of folks are, this is a great option.
Toro’s battery-powered mowers are a real beauty, no doubt about it. But, being completely honest – they can be a bit pricey. Still, if you’ve been spotting these vibrant red mowers in your neighborhood or garage, you’re definitely not alone. Toro is super popular and has amazing brand recognition. Basically the Kennedy of lawn mowers.
Not Bad!
Toro earned their reputation for making some of the most popular mowers out there, and what’s even more impressive is that these bad boys last for ages. But when they finally joined the battery game, they went all out and created the 60V Recycler mower. This one is built for the modern homeowner that has a small to mid-sized yard. If you want to really amp it up (pun intended), then you should check out their super recycler.
Let me drop some factoids on the cool stuff we liked about this new battery-powered beast:
It packs a punch similar to a 175cc gas mower. It is for really-real.
That shiny red metal deck is not only recognizable, but way tougher than those plastic ones you see everywhere else.
The Recycler cutting system works magic, shredding the grass into tiny bits that your lawn will thank you for. They call them “Lawn Vitamins” and literally patented the term.
And check this out – they added a slick air intake valve on top that sucks in air, making the grass stand tall and giving you the smoothest cut ever. The downside is that when I put it to the test, it didn’t really do anything. Pure fiction!
Toro made a reliable mower that provides a good cut. While I definitely prefer other mowers, this one is not a bad option.
The Makita LXT mower was a bit of a head scratcher for me. Assembly-wise, the Makita LXT mower took a bit longer than I’d like, with a few tools required whereas others kind of just snap in place or have some hand screws. Starting it up was a little complex too, but I can appreciate the safety features required to stop a kid from chopping his hand off.
The real nuance provided by the Makita mower that turned this one into a “luxury mower” is the little dashboard near the handles. It’s got a battery indicator that’s super handy, unlike some others that make you remove the battery to check or go down near the blades and press a button. Plus, there’s a lever for controlling the self-propelled speed, ranging from turtle to rabbit mode. But that “quiet mode” button sticks out, I’m not entirely sold on its purpose. Not sure of many, if any, use cases for having an extra quiet feature on an already quiet electric mower.
Here’s what sets this mower apart – the steel deck. I’m not a fan of plastic decks, so this was a big win for me. The single height adjustment is a game-changer, saving me from the hassle of adjusting each wheel separately. This is low-key a really nice function to have. Oh, and those six-inch wheels are solid and don’t feel flimsy like others I’ve tried.
When it comes to battery power, I put it to the test. With two batteries, I got about 38 minutes and 29 seconds of mowing, enough for my front yard and part of the back. But with four batteries, you can expect a full 80 minutes of mowing.
Now, the charge time was a bit longer than what they claimed – took about an hour and five minutes instead of 45 minutes. C’mon people!
Dewalt’s 20V Max mower is one I was intrigued by, especially since Dewalt transitioned from 40V to 20V batteries for their outdoor equipment. I’ve tested various 20V Dewalt products, and they usually deliver. So, let’s break down the benefits and features:
Longest run-time among battery-powered mowers (75 minutes).
Lightweight and easy to use with a push-to-start button and self-propelled function.
Durable with a wide steel deck, backed by a three-year warranty and a money-back guarantee.
Compatible with other Dewalt tools, offering over 200 products that use the same 20V battery.
Made in the USA, supporting American-made products
Easy storage with a foldable design that saves space.
Overall, the Dewalt Self-Propelled Mower impressed me a lot, and its compatibility with other Dewalt tools sweetened the deal.
Common questions about electric mowers at Home Depot
Here are some common questions we get from folks who are searching for a new electric mower from Home Depot:
What are the disadvantages of an electric lawn mower?
Electric lawn mowers require recharging the batteries and can often be less powerful than their gas-powered counterparts. But that is quickly evolving and changing.
How long do electric lawn mowers last?
Most electric lawn mowers last for 7–10 years. They can run for around 45-50 minutes on a single charge.
What is the average price for an electric lawn mower?
The average electric lawn mower price is around $400 in 2023.
Do electric mowers cut better than gas?
Electric mowers can often cut just as well as gas mowers for small yards.
What to look for when buying a battery-powered lawn mower at Home Depot
When looking to purchase an electric lawn mower, you need to make sure you understand what things matter. You will get hit with a lot of technical specifications and marketing tactics. Totally forget them and focus on the things that impact you. Below are my recommendations:
Battery-powered mower brand quality
Quality is going to be super important here. Just about everyone is in the electric mower game these days and there are a ton of junky mowers out there. Avoid anything from a weird brand on Amazon that takes 9 years to ship. It is probably being 3D printed in a Laotian bathroom. Go for brands that have consistent quality and focus on the details, not just flashy colors.
Some brands I trust off the top of my head are: Greenworks, Milwaukee, Makita, Toro, EGO, and Kobalt. SOME Ryobi mowers, although myself and others have had some problems with reliability. Brand quality matters, but it’s also important to look at the specs on each. For example, Greenworks sells like 60 mowers, only a handful of them would I ever consider for this list. EGO also sells a bunch of mowers, and only a few are within an acceptable price range to be on this list.
Metal where it matters: the deck
Most electric mowers are plastic-y. Probably to reduce the weight of the mower so that the battery can get you further, but it feels cheap. Make sure to get metal where it matters – namely the deck. The deck is the part that covers the blades. Don’t get plastic here – a rock can rip through it.
Battery interoperability.
A ten dollar word used here, but really just make sure to buy a mower with a battery that is compatible with other electric tools. You’ll see a bunch of these brands that have battery lines that work with a ton of tools. Milwaukee, Makita, and Dewalt are all great options because you can use them for all lawn tools AND power tools – saving you a ton of money on extra batteries.
If you have more questions, check out our guide to electric lawn mowers, where we break this down into a lot more detail.
Self-propelled or not
Self-propelled mowers are lawn mowers that slowly crawl forward when mowing the lawn. They propel forward the mower, taking off a lot of the “pushing power” required by traditional push mowers.
Self-propelled mowers are ALWAYS more expensive because they have the additional power and functionality that makes life easier. They have their place, but because of the cost can often seem not totally worth it
EGO lawn mowers are the most popular battery powered mowers. Maybe not in terms of sales, but I’ve never heard of someone really disliking EGO’s mowers. The best EGO lawn mower is the new EGO LM2200SP mower with an aluminum cutting deck because it has a super strong build with all the premium bells and whistles.
Maybe I’m talking to the wrong people, but whenever we post a review with an EGO product in it on our Youtube channel, the EGO cult comes out in full force. The only downside to EGO lawn mowers is that there are a ton of different models and they all look and sound the same.
I created The Lawn Review to decipher that lingo and give you my opinion on the best EGO lawn mower on the market.
EGO Lawn Mowers: Better and stronger than gas (!)
I’ve had the chance to use multiple EGO mowers which makes me #blessed. But I’ve also used a ton of other electric mowers. Here are my favorite EGO lawn mowers.
1.) EGO Power+ LM2200SP Walk-behind mower
Folks this new mower from EGO – the LM2200SP – is the best electric mower on planet Earth. It is the newest EGO mower and has a nice 22-inch aluminum cutting deck that makes it the most durable EGO mower. The LM2200SP also comes with Touch Drive technology and Select Cut (two blades). Touch Drive technology is simply an easy way to control the speed of the self-propelled mower.
Aluminum rules.
We don’t just sort mowers by the best seller and then regurgitate the specifications to you. We are actually going to break down exactly why this one is our absolute favorite.
If I could draw up the perfect lawn mower in a lab, this one would be darn near close. It has all of my favorite things including:
The only EGO mower with a metal deck – which rockets it up the list in my opinion. Metal decks are way more durable, temperature resistant, and provide a little more weight to keep the mower balanced.
Of course it has the brushless motor and 56V battery system with a massive 10 Ah battery
Easy push button start that gets you going
Folds in half for storing in the winter or tight spaces around the garage or shed
A top run time at over an hour! (70 minutes)
More powerful than the average gas push mower at 11.1 lbs of torque
This mower is incredible and easily gives any mower – gas or electric – a run for their money. You can check the price here on Amazon.
Next up on the list is the LM2133 mower from EGO. This one does have some bells and whistles, but doesn’t go too overboard.
The LM2133 has all of the standard beautiful features in an EGO mower (56V battery, 21 inch deck, brushless motor), but also has some nice extras.
This EGO mower has the Select Cut functionality, which if you reference our dictionary above, would know that it has multiple cutting blades. The multiple blades help work together to finely mulch the grass, allowing you to move faster and make fewer passes in your yard. It also helps you avoid leaving any spare grass blades behind and having a rough looking lawn.
This one also has TouchDrive technology, allowing you to easily control the self-propelled function with the palm of your hand instead of with triggers. Not bad. You just swipe up on it and get it going – no need to stop or even press buttons. See how this function compares to the Stihl RMA 510 V mower.
You can grab this one on Amazon as well for a great price. If you want to boost the run time from 45 minutes to 65 minutes, get the tool-only version and buy a separate 7.5 Ah battery. This one comes with a 5.0 Ah battery that may not fully get you where you need to go.
3.) EGO POWER+ 21″ Select Cut XP Mower with Touch Drive LM2156SP
Here are some of the features that make this one COMPLETELY unbeatable:
Select Cut XP functionality means that this is the highest torque EGO mower on the planet
It also has Touch Drive self-propelled functionality, making it the easiest to use and control
Longest run time at 75 minutes because it comes with 10.0 Ah batteries, basically double the Ah of their other mowers
So this is the most powerful, longest running, easiest to control EGO mower. It is truly probably the best battery powered mower available from a technical specification perspective. But it doesn’t have a steel deck, which makes me sad.
If you’re looking for a new battery powered mower (which you are), you need to make sure you understand what things matter. You will get hit with a lot of technical specifications and people throwing acronyms at you. If you’re like me, you will tune them out.
Below are my recommendations:
Battery-powered mower brand quality
Quality is going to be super important here. Just about everyone is in the electric mower game these days and there are a ton of junky mowers out there. Avoid anything from a weird brand on Amazon that takes 9 years to ship. It is probably being 3D printed in a Laotian bathroom. Go for brands that have consistent quality and focus on the details, not just flashy colors.
Some brands I trust off the top of my head are: Greenworks, Milwaukee, Makita, Toro, EGO, and Kobalt. SOME Ryobi mowers, although myself and others have had some problems with reliability. Brand quality matters, but it’s also important to look at the specs on each.
Metal where it matters: the deck
Most electric mowers are plastic-y. Probably to reduce the weight of the mower so that the battery can get you further, but it feels cheap. Make sure to get metal where it matters – namely the deck. The deck is the part that covers the blades. Don’t get plastic here – a rock can rip through it.
Battery interoperability.
A ten dollar word used here, but really just make sure to buy a mower with a battery that is compatible with other electric tools. You’ll see a bunch of these brands that have battery lines that work with a ton of tools. Milwaukee, Makita, and Dewalt are all great options because you can use them for all lawn tools AND power tools – saving you a ton of money on extra batteries.
If you have more questions, check out our guide to electric lawn mowers, where we break this down into a lot more detail.
Self-propelled or not
Self-propelled mowers are lawn mowers that slowly crawl forward when mowing the lawn. They propel forward the mower, taking off a lot of the “pushing power” required by traditional push mowers.
Self-propelled mowers are ALWAYS more expensive because they have the additional power and functionality that makes life easier. They have their place, but because of the cost can often seem not totally worth it
Common questions I get about EGO lawn mowers
Is EGO made in China?
Yep, sadly EGO manufactures their products in China. EGO is owned by the parent company Chervon which also makes FLEX and SKIL. They capitalize all their tool brands, I guess.
There are very few American made electric mower manufacturers despite it easily being the largest market.
How long does an EGO mower last?
It depends! EGO mowers will last for quite a while as long as you take care of them. If you use these very often, you are more likely to burn through the parts. With standard use, I would imagine most EGO mowers will last a good 7-8 years before you will be too tempted to buy a newer model.
Is it okay to leave an EGO battery in the mower?
It is fine to leave the EGO mower battery inside the mower as long as you don’t have kids running around your garage trying to fire up mowers. It is a safety hazard to leave it fully loaded.
Is it okay to leave an EGO battery on the charger?
You typically don’t want to leave batteries on the charger beyond when they are charged, but I’ve done it forever and never had a problem. Some people will read this and get mad – I’ve had no problems.
How long will a 7.5 Ah EGO battery last?
It totally depends on how much grass you are mowing but I’d say a typical mow with a 7.5 Ah battery will last you about 50 minutes.
My experience with EGO lawn products
I’ve used a ton of EGO products. My favorite thing about them is that they are really high quality and all use the same 56V battery. Some other brands have 40V, 18V, and others across all of their tools that limit the ability to share batteries and chargers among tools. It also costs more money having to buy different battery types.
EGO has a bunch of homegrown vocabulary, much like us Southerners. The downside is that it makes it difficult to differentiate the products because they have so many random names attached. Here is our translation guide for their EGO lawn mowers:
Power+ naming
Power+ just references EGO’s battery powered line of tools. Basically everything of theirs is Power+. It’s their standard naming convention and basically EGO’s last name.
Self-propelled function on EGO lawn mowers
The self-propelled function is an optional function you can use to move the mower forward using a trigger on the handle. It is really nice for moving the mower over banks and hills or for adding some additional power to a thick cut of grass. The downside is that it can drain your battery – use carefully!
EGO Touch Drive Explained
Touch Drive is a function that allows you to more easily control the self-propelled function. Whereas self-propelled EGO lawn mowers without touch drive use a squeeze trigger, Touch Drive mowers have a trigger inside the handle that allows you to use your palm to initiate the self-propelled function, then a speed dial to adjust how quickly it moves.
EGO Peak Power mower Explained
Peak power allows you to combine any two EGO batteries to operate the mower (saving you money if you already own one).
EGO Select Cut mower Definition
Select Cut refers to more than one mower blade on the bottom of the mower.
EGO Select Cut XP mower Definition
Select Cut XP is a designation given to the highest torque Select Cut option that EGO offers.
EGO Speed IQ mower definition
Speed IQ is a tool that automatically adjusts the speed of the self-propelled function based off of the terrain. It will slow down to make sure thicker areas get fully cut and speed up over areas that you may have already passed or aren’t as resistant.
Why we review lawn tools
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
Makita’s 21 inch 36V LXT brushless mower is a beauty to look at. They make awesome power tools, some really good lawn tools, and amazing mowers….right? I was underwhelmed with this Makita mower.
I got my hands on the new Makita 36V LXT mower and put it to the absolute test. In fact, over on our Youtube channel this mower was the MOST requested mower review we’ve ever done. Tons of folks were leaving comments on our other mower videos asking about this Makita LXT mower because it looks sweet, is a decent price, and is front and center at just about every Home Depot in the country.
Let me give you my honest thoughts on a number of categories.
The Makita 36V (18 x 2) Brushless Electric Mower Review
I went and grabbed the Makita mower from my local Home Depot. Many people think I get these things sent for free. I do not. So you can trust my experience on this one as the old wallet took a big hit.
Set-up and starting the Makita LXT mower
Unlike most electric mowers these days that have a super easy set-up process that doesn’t involve any tools, the Makita LXT had a few tools I had to use to get it all assembled. While it wasn’t overall difficult to assemble, it did take about twice the time as some of the other mowers I assembled. In fact, I did a 5-way head-to-head electric mower challenge and this one was the longest set-up.
Starting the mower is a little bit complex, too. I appreciate the safety aspects, but it was pretty cumbersome to get started. You press down the red button on the right side of the mower, then pull the handle bar down which engages the blade, then pull another bar over to get the self-propelled function.
Using the Dashboard on the Makita LXT electric mower
One thing I really liked about the Makita mower is that it comes with a little dashboard panel near the handles. It has a battery light indicator that is super helpful compared to others, some of which make you take off the battery to check how much juice is left. It also has a lever that allows you to control how quickly the self-propelled function goes (ranging from turtle to rabbit).
Lastly there’s this little button that acts as a “quiet mode” which really doesn’t serve much of a purpose. It sends the RPMs down to a lower level, which basically makes the mower less effective. I don’t really get it.
The frame and body of the Makita LXT mower
One thing that this mower has that a lot of the competition doesn’t: a steel deck. So many electric mowers have plastic decks which I am not a huge fan of. I like the weight of a steel deck as well to help keep the mower on the straight and narrow.
One huge benefit of this is the single height adjustment. For folks that don’t know, they make mowers now that can be adjusted at one side of the mower to set the height for the whole mower. I only realized how great this was after having a mower that required it to be adjusted at each wheel separately. Such a nightmare. The heights range from 1.25 inches to 4 inches – great for bermuda or tall fescue.
The wheels on this Makita mower are also a nice, solid six inches and don’t look or feel plastic-y like some other mowers out there. I also like that the battery housing holds four 5 Ah 18V batteries from Makita, which should get you a decent amount of time. When you want to switch between the first set of batteries to the second, you have to stop and switch a knob that indicates which batteries you want to draw from. Not unusual, but still kind of inefficient.
Battery run time and charge time tests on the Makita mower
Makita can claim whatever they want about the run-time of this mower. I am going to put it to the test to see what is real.
With this mower, I ran it in my yard with a timer to see exactly how long I could mow before the batteries died. With the first set of two batteries, I only got basically my front yard and part of my back – with 38 minutes and 29 seconds. With four batteries, you can probably get a full 80 minutes.
When it comes to charge time, it is also important to see how quickly you can reuse the batteries after a mow (or in the middle of it if they die). I popped two of these dead batteries on the charger and found that it took them about an hour and five minutes to charge (not 45 minutes like advertised).
Cost and value comparison for Makita LXT
The cost of the Makita LXT mower varies by size and batteries, but the one I got that came with two batteries and a 21 inch cutting deck cost about $689. Fully loaded with 4 batteries will run you about $789.
But man – this thing was a disappointment when I actually used it. Not a great cut, some weird functions that didn’t make sense like the “quiet mode”, and a huge price tag. To be honest, I think you can do better with one of the best battery powered mowers we wrote about.
I WOULD recommend this mower to someone who already has some nice Makita 18V batteries that can save a ton of money by purchasing the tool-only version from Home Depot for a lower price.
Why we review lawn tools
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
My experience with battery powered mowers
What I’m about to say may be extreme, but I think I may be the most experienced battery-powered mower reviewer (if that is a word) on the planet. I’ve used just about every battery mower on the market and consider myself a snob.
In fact, I own 11 mowers – which my wife of course loves (just kidding). Eight of them are battery powered push mowers and five of them are all 2023 models. It has been a weird year.
Anyways – I saved you the time of having to compare and contrast all the meaningless specifications and thought I could translate it into plain English.
I got this Greenworks mower sent to me by the folks at Greenworks (they don’t pay us or anything). After assembling it, I went straight out into my yard and played with every function on it as I took it to my tall fescue.
I tested out the battery run time, the bells and whistles like self-propelled functions, how it did with my grass, and finally how it compares to my gas mower and other battery mowers I’ve used.
Basically, I put this thing through the dang GAUNTLET and documented it all on my YouTube channel – check it out!
Greenworks 80V Mower: Feature review
The Greenworks 80V mower is one of the most confusing I’ve ever reviewed. There are some features that are great and I really love. Then there are some that leave me scratching my head and wanting to ask Greenworks, “What were you thinking?” or “Did you even take this through quality control?”
It reminds me a lot of Thanksgiving dinner. We’re all happy to be there and enjoy time with family… but once I’ve been hanging around each other for a few hours, and my crazy uncle has had a few too many Miller’s, it just starts turning into nonsense.
Looks great on its face!
That being said, the big question is if this one gets the TLR stamp of approval or denial. Without further adieu, here’s the review of the Greenworks 80V Mower:
Ease of use on the Greenworks 80v mower
Starting off with the ease of use, I really like the feel of this mower.
Most electric or battery powered mowers have a hard plastic deck, which can feel fragile and low quality. Greenworks chose a 21” steel deck, like most gas-powered mowers, making it much more durable. Because of the heavy steel deck, I never felt like I was being jostled around my yard as I was going over bumps & divots while mowing.
I also like that it is featured with a cruise control speed setting. For some of our readers, this is a key feature if you have a hilly yard and want some assistance from the mower pushing up hills. It’s also great to go at a slower pace when I’m going through damp or thick grass to make sure I get a quality cut and prevent the mower motor from overworking.
Easy to figure out!
As for the downsides… Greenworks is a great partner, but we’re not going easy on them. One of the most frustrating things about this mower was that the bottom flap on the backside would roll under the mower and prevent it from rolling backwards and the back tires wouldn’t roll at all. This caused me to pivot a lot more and tore up my yard in several spots.
Seems like something is wrong with the back tire.
Then there were several times where I would turn on the turbo button and it would cut off. I still can’t figure out what was going on, but it’s frustrating that a key selling feature wouldn’t work at all.
Power output: Greenworks 80V mower
I really loved the brushless motor on this. If you’re not familiar with brushed vs. brushless motors, brushed motors require a brush in the internal components of the motor to convert the energy from the battery to the energy in the motor. Brushless motors typically use magnets for this process. Long story short, it simply means there is less friction to convert the energy, which means less energy to produce power, less wear & tear on the motor, and longer lasting batteries. Anytime I see “brushless” on a tool, it’s typically the better performer.
A nice comfortable handle helped me feel better.
On top of that, when I hit the turbo button, this bad boy hits 3200 RPM!! Impressive for a battery powered mower, since that’s comparable to most gas-powered mowers performance.
Battery life of the 80V battery on Greenworks mower
Because this Greenworks battery powered mower has a steel deck, I anticipated the battery life would be lackluster. After all, it would make sense that more power would be needed to move a heavier mower. I was pleasantly surprised to get about 65 minutes of run time, giving it an edge over other brands like Ryobi & Ego. This is one of the best run times for battery mowers. I have a little under a half acre, so this was plenty of run time for me.
Pretty cool to have both.
If you have a bigger lawn the handles have an indicator to show how much battery life you have, which can help you plan out if you’re going to need additional batteries (I always like to grab extra batteries anyway, just in case).
This is supposed to automatically switch over..but didn’t!
That being said, one of the major downsides was that this mower is supposed to automatically switch to the second battery when the first one dies. That didn’t happen. I had to take out the battery, pop it back in, and restart the mower. So a key feature and selling point of this Greenworks mower was a total bust.
Price and value
When looking at any mower, it’s going to come down to the overall cut quality. When we combine ease of use, power output, battery life, and performance, the cut quality was top notch and I was satisfied with how my yard looked at the end of an honest day’s work in the lawn.
The price, at the time of this writing, is $629. Which can be on the pricier side of mowers, but it does come with a 4 year limited tool & battery warranty. That can be a great perk, knowing that I am getting a tool that Greenworks will replace for the next 4 years.
Why we I started The Lawn Review
The reason I started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
We take tool reviews seriously!
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
What to look for when buying a battery-powered lawn mower
If you’re looking for a new battery powered mower, you need to make sure you understand what things matter on the mower. You will get hit with a lot of technical specifications and people throwing acronyms at you.
Below are my main criteria when buying a mower.
Battery-powered mower brand quality
Quality is going to be super important here. Just about everyone is in the electric mower game these days and there are a ton of junky mowers out there. Avoid anything from a weird brand on Amazon that takes 9 years to ship. It is probably being 3D printed in a Laotian bathroom. Go for brands that have consistent quality and focus on the details, not just flashy colors.
Some brands I trust off the top of my head are: Greenworks, Milwaukee, Makita, Toro, EGO, and Kobalt. SOME Ryobi mowers, although myself and others have had some problems with reliability. Brand quality matters, but it’s also important to look at the specs on each.
Luckily, Greenworks is on this list so we are in good shape!
Metal where it matters: the deck
Most electric mowers are plastic-y. Probably to reduce the weight of the mower so that the battery can get you further, but it feels cheap. Make sure to get metal where it matters – namely the deck. The deck is the part that covers the blades. Don’t get plastic here – a rock can rip through it.
Battery interoperability.
A ten dollar word used here, but really just make sure to buy a mower with a battery that is compatible with other electric tools. You’ll see a bunch of these brands that have battery lines that work with a ton of tools. Milwaukee, Makita, and Dewalt are all great options because you can use them for all lawn tools AND power tools – saving you a ton of money on extra batteries.
If you have more questions, check out our guide to electric lawn mowers, where we break this down into a lot more detail.
Self-propelled mowers are lawn mowers that slowly crawl forward when mowing the lawn. They propel forward the mower, taking off a lot of the “pushing power” required by traditional push mowers.
Self-propelled mowers are ALWAYS more expensive because they have the additional power and functionality that makes life easier. They have their place, but because of the cost can often seem not totally worth it
Our Review: Greenworks 80V Mower
Does this get the TLR stamp of approval?
Reluctantly, I’m going to give this a yes. Like 55% approval rating. Barely making the cut (pun intended).
Though there are some downsides (battery not switching, not rolling backward, turbo cutting off), I think the pros outweigh the cons. The battery life is top notch, I couldn’t ask for better cut quality, the steel deck made it easy to handle, and the warranty is a great add-on to make my money stretch for at least 4 years.
If you’re in the market for a mower this season, the Greenworks 80V Mower is a great choice and can be found on Amazon or at Costco.
The best battery powered mower is the Milwaukee M18 Fuel electric mower. This battery powered mower is extremely powerful, has an amazing cutting deck, and is part of an enormous battery system. And believe me, I have tested DOZENS of these bad boys and have only been impressed by a few.
The EGO Select Cut is prettttttty good!
Whether or not you agree with, battery powered mowers are taking over the lawn care space. When I walk into any Home Depot or Lowe’s I see electric mowers prominently displayed in flashy colors all over the place.
But some of these new electric mowers are straight up plastic-y and cheap – and they’ve failed our rigorous testing. And if you’re used to using an OG gas push mower like we were, well then you’ve got some high standards.
We weren’t looking for the Rolls Royce of mowers when we made this list – I am looking for the best value, most durability, and most gas-like power I can find. Which is why I kept the list shorter than others.
Here are the best battery powered mowers I’ve tested:
I tested these mowers over the course of a few years. For starters, I bought the Milwaukee M18 battery mower for over $1,000 a few weeks ago (you can see our YouTube video here). I have a few other videos that include the EGO mower and the Greenworks mower below. For the Toro battery mower, we went to Home Depot and tested it out. And lastly, the Ryobi mower I borrowed from my friend Drew for the comparison video we made against the EGO battery powered mower. All undergo an extensive testing protocol that includes assembly, mowing my 1/2 acre lawn, and battery run time tests.
This is me comparing the EGO and Ryobi mowers.
Ranking the best battery powered mowers of 2024
This was actually a pretty easy list to put together. I do this all day – what did you expect? Let me break down the best electric mowers and why I ranked them where I did.
1. Milwaukee M18 FUEL Battery powered Mower
The funny thing about Milwaukee’s M18 FUEL lawn mower is that it is the only mower they make. It’s like they got a team together, thought about how to make the perfect mower, then just….did it. Then they decided to never try again.
Either way, the Milwaukee M18 FUEL is the best battery powered mower offered in 2023. We like this mower for a few reasons:
A heavy, strong, steel metal deck as opposed to plastic ones found on the market
Goes to full throttle in less than a second
Brushless motor (requirement to be on this list)
The two 18V batteries work with any of the other 200+ M18 tools from Milwaukee
The only downside is that it is probably one of the more expensive push mowers I’ve seen. It retails at Home Depot for over $1,000. If you are a Milwaukee enthusiast or are truly looking for peak battery powered mower performance, then this one is the right one for you.
We are never popular for saying that this EGO mower is our favorite EGO mower, but we don’t care about being popular.
It is not the EGO mower with all the bells and whistles, but it does have most of the EGO features plus a steel cutting deck. It is the only EGO mower with a steel cutting deck, making it the most durable one they offer and also one of the heaviest.
Steel deck is unbeatable.
Why do I like heavy electric mowers? Because they feel more like a gas powered mower and are actually easier to control and keep in a straight line.
I love that this EGO mower still runs for an hour, still folds like the other EGO mowers, and has a brushless motor.
When it comes to EGO, it is easy to just jump after the prettiest one for sale at Lowe’s or wherever else you buy it – but this is legitimately the one that will make you the happiest (in my opinion).
3. Greenworks PRO 80V 21 inch Battery powered mower
We’ve been big fans of the Greenworks 80V mower because it is darn near perfect. I have it as number five not because it has the best specifications of any battery powered mower, but because it has the a great combination of quality and price.
If you haven’t heard of Greenworks, they are an up-and-coming battery powered lawn tool brand that puts out some high quality stuff. They have a real attention to detail and offer great warranties on their brushless motors, this one with a four year warranty. My other neighbor has this mower and is obsessed.
I got my hands on this mower (my photography skills below) and had a confusing experience. I mostly loved using the mower and was super impressed by the power, but when I tested it on my yard it seemed to fall apart. The self-propelled function jammed up whenever I made a turn and I also experienced the mower just randomly cutting off.
It’s made the top of many of our lists.
There’s a lot to like about this mower, but we will just point out a few of our favorites:
The best thing about this mower though is hands down the price. It’s similar (maybe even better) quality than just about every mower on this list, but comes in at ½ to ¼ of the price.
Yes, you can grab this one on Amazon for an insane price, especially if you already own the batteries. It is also one that is starting to show up in Costco, which is another great place to buy it.
4. Ryobi 40V HP Brushless Battery powered mower
My Ryobi 40V HP Brushless battery powered mower used to be my number one favorite electric mower. Because it was the first one I’ve ever used. Since then, I’ve matured a bit in my taste and become much pickier.
The first one I used
Nevertheless, it still made this list. It was a little bit too light for my liking, getting moved off-track whenever a tuft of thick grass or a stick got in the way.
It’s super convenient. Oh, and the mower’s not bad either. It has a brushless motor, some serious 6 Ah batteries, great functionality, and self-propelled function – really all the bells and whistles you could ask for.
The cooler new guy.
The Ryobi 40V is an amazing mower and should still be highly considered despite being second to last on this list – it’s super exclusive.
5. Toro 60V Max Super Recycler Battery powered mower
Toro’s battery powered mowers are a beauty. But they’re a bit expensive. If you’re used to seeing these bright red mowers in your garage and all around your neighborhood, you aren’t alone.
Toro makes some of the most popular mowers on the planet and for some reason – they last for many years. But Toro definitely overcompensated for being late to the battery party by creating the 60V Super Recycler mower.
Gotta love the air intake system.
Here are some cool features that I liked about their new battery powered mower:
It has a shiny red metal deck that’s more durable than the plastic ones
Recycler cutting system finely shredded my grass – that’s good for your yard
It has this cool air intake valve at the top that pulls air in and causes grass to stand up tall, creating a really even cut in the lawn
Toro nailed this one and the price isn’t honestly all that bad. The reason it isn’t higher is that Toro doesn’t have a ton of other battery powered tools, so you won’t get the same efficiency that you would from a Milwaukee or EGO mower..
What to look for when buying a battery powered lawn mower
When looking to purchase an electric lawn mower, you need to make sure you understand what things matter. You will get hit with a lot of technical specifications and marketing tactics. Totally forget them and focus on the things that impact you. Below are my recommendations:
Battery powered mower brand quality
Quality is going to be super important here. Just about everyone is in the electric mower game these days and there are a ton of junky mowers out there. Avoid anything from a weird brand on Amazon that takes 9 years to ship. It is probably being 3D printed in a Laotian bathroom. Go for brands that have consistent quality and focus on the details, not just flashy colors.
One I trust (no affiliation)
Some brands I trust off the top of my head are: Greenworks, Milwaukee, Makita, Toro, EGO, and Kobalt. SOME Ryobi mowers, although myself and others have had some problems with reliability. Brand quality matters, but it’s also important to look at the specs on each. For example, Greenworks sells like 60 mowers, only a handful of them would I ever consider for this list. EGO also sells a bunch of mowers, and only a few are within an acceptable price range to be on this list.
Metal where it matters: the deck
Most electric mowers are plastic-y. Probably to reduce the weight of the mower so that the battery can get you further, but it feels cheap. Make sure to get metal where it matters – namely the deck. The deck is the part that covers the blades. Don’t get plastic here – a rock can rip through it.
Battery interoperability.
A ten dollar word used here, but really just make sure to buy a mower with a battery that is compatible with other electric tools. You’ll see a bunch of these brands that have battery lines that work with a ton of tools. Milwaukee, Makita, and Dewalt are all great options because you can use them for all lawn tools AND power tools – saving you a ton of money on extra batteries.
If you have more questions, check out our guide to electric lawn mowers, where we break this down into a lot more detail.
Self-propelled or not
Self-propelled mowers are lawn mowers that slowly crawl forward when mowing the lawn. They propel forward the mower, taking off a lot of the “pushing power” required by traditional push mowers.
Self-propelled mowers are ALWAYS more expensive because they have the additional power and functionality that makes life easier. They have their place, but because of the cost can often seem not totally worth it
This is an age-old debate. Which is better, battery powered or gas? It’s not that simple and I’ll explain why.
Gas powered mowers have always been the dominant force because they are reliable, run as long as there’s gas in them, and tend to be more powerful.
But that’s changing. Yes, the runtime will always be better as long as you have gas, but battery powered mowers are becoming increasingly reliable and in many cases just as strong (if not stronger) than their gas-powered counterparts.
Embarrassingly, I was mowing my damp lawn back in the Fall with my Troy Bilt TB160 gas mower when my neighbor, who owns an EGO Select Cut XP mower saw me struggling and asked if I wanted to borrow his mower.
The other huge benefit to battery powered mowers is virtually ZERO maintenance. No pull cords, no spark plugs, no oil changes. It’s super convenient. Except when your (expensive) batteries die.
How long do battery mowers last?
It depends on the Amp-hours of the battery and the specific mower, but most last up to 1 acre or around 45-60 minutes on a single charge.
Using the self-propelled function on a battery powered mower can decrease this, as can super long grass.
Is it worth getting a battery powered mower?
If you have less than an acre of land, then yes – these are great investments.
The real money savings from battery-powered mowers comes from the ability to use one battery system across several tools, saving money on batteries with each tool.
What are some disadvantages to battery powered mowers?
Battery powered mowers tend to be limited by their battery life, making it difficult for those with larger yards to get it all done in a single charge.
They also take a long time to charge, burning precious daylight. And while they are easier to maintain than gas-powered mowers, they aren’t as reliable and have a lot of electronic parts.
Why we started The Lawn Review
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
We take tool testing very seriously.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest reviews that mean something..
The Bottom Line: Best battery powered mowers of 2024
When I am picking a battery powered mower, it’s important to consider the comparison to gas-powered mowers, the size of your yard, and how much you’re willing to spend. The ones I’ve included on this list are all premium – if you are looking for a more affordable one (less than $400 or so), check out the electric mowers for small yards.
Ryobi vs Milwaukee mowers are two premium electric mowers found side-by-side at Home Depot. Ryobi has a TON of mowers they sell and have been in the game for a long time. Milwaukee, well, they just have ONE mower. And it’s a beast.
I bought and tested the Ryobi 40V and Milwaukee M18 mowers
I saw these two side-by-side at Home Depot and they were both extremely expensive. Needless to say, my wife was not happy when I came home with two more lawn mowers and $2,000 spent.
But it had to be done. I put these through my normal gauntlet, which includes testing it on my tall fescue grass, checking out the self-propelled functions, evaluating the battery run time, and finally comparing it to my gas mower.
Things got interesting. And I’m still in the dog house.
Milwaukee M18 vs Ryobi 40V HP Mower: Features breakdown
When I’m looking at both the Milwaukee and Ryobi mowers, I’m asking myself – why the price difference? Before we get there, let’s do a deep dive into the power, ease of use, durability, and value of each of these mowers. If you want to go deeper, we’ve done a full review of the new Milwaukee M18 mower and ranked the some of our favorite Ryobi lawn mowers.
The Milwaukee M18 mower is more powerful than the Ryobi 40V mower
Comparing power on electric motors is difficult because they don’t have ccs or horsepower definitions that you find from the classic gas-powered mowers. Instead, metrics like torque are used to compare to traditional mowers.
Up close on their battery enclosure.
Let’s break down the specifications on the Milwaukee mower first. It has a large 21 inch deck with a variable speed self-propelled function. 21 inch decks are standard cutting widths on push mowers, so we can check that box. One thing that Milwaukee boasts is their POWERSTATE brushless motor, which gives more torque than a 200c gas mower.
The Ryobi 40V HP mower also has a 21 inch deck with SMART TREK adaptive variable speed self-propelled functionality, just like the Milwaukee mower. One differentiator is that it has multiple blades that help cut faster and more evenly than single blade mowers. Their HP brushless motor and HP battery work together to deliver higher performance (HP) to the mower.
Easily the best looking Ryobi mowers.
It’s interesting assessing the power between these two just using the specifications, but the Milwaukee mower feels more powerful. Maybe it is the metal deck or maybe it is truly the motor design, but it feels just as powerful as my gas-powered mower.
The winner of this power battle is the Milwaukee M18 Mower.
Both Milwaukee and Ryobi have super easy to use mowers
Evaluating how easy it is to use a lawn mower means checking out all the features that make it convenient, including bells and whistles. I’ll break out each element of both mowers in easy-to-understand ways that help you know what you’re buying.
The M18 Milwaukee mower has some great features:
REDLINK PLUS – a battery and mower chip system that helps maximize the communication between the two to optimize performance (Ryobi has this, too)
High Lift Mode – pulls air through the bottom of the mower and lifts up the grass, making it easier to cut
Front and side LED lights (cool for at night use)
The M18 battery works with over 200 Milwaukee tools
Single point height adjuster means you don’t have to change the height settings on both wheels
12 Amp-hour batteries for serious power and capacity (up to ¾ acre or 60 minutes)
Over 80 lbs
The last point is a contentious one but I actually like heavier push mowers. They hold a straight line much better and make mowing easier.
This mower is an absolute unit.
Milwaukee nailed it with this one, but let’s check out some of the specs on the Ryobi 40V HP brushless mower:
LED headlights
Cross cut multi-blade system
70 minutes of run-time (compared to Milwaukee’s 60)
HP battery system and chip that give you better performance (like Milwaukee’s REDLINK)
Ability to use with Ryobi’s 40V HP 50 other tools
These both have a ton of bells and whistles, but I actually like Milwaukee’s better. They have clearly put a lot of thought into making this a premium mower and don’t even sell another kind. It is designed to be near perfect, especially for someone who takes a lot of pride in their yard. Specifically, I like their high lift mode that pulls air up for easier cutting. Toro’s SmartStow mower (the new battery-powered version of the Recycler) has this one as well.
I also appreciate that Milwaukee has the same M18 battery across all their tools. You can save some serious money on batteries by using this mower if you already own Milwaukee M18 tools. Ryobi is still building out their 40V HP series, so it isn’t quite as expansive. I also think Milwaukee overall is a more “premium” brand than Ryobi.
Winner: Milwaukee M18 FUEL Mower
The Milwaukee M18 mower is more durable than Ryobi 40V mower
If I’m going to drop darn near a grand on a battery-powered mower, the thing better last until I can pass it down to my unborn children. So durability matters big time.
The most important thing in anticipating the longevity of a mower is the motor. Brushless motors (as mentioned at the beginning of this article) are the new wave in electric tools and should be mandatory. They provide more torque, a cooler running engine, and a longer life.
The next thing I look for is the construction of the deck. Metal matters here – it is much more durable and provides additional weight that is extremely helpful in keeping the mower straight. The M18 mower is forged with a steel deck whereas the Ryobi 40V HP mower has a plastic deck. It is still made from tough material and comes with a lifetime warranty, but it isn’t as nice as metal.
Milwaukee has a great steel deck.
Using the Ryobi mower, it felt like the mower was almost too light. I blame the plastic deck for this, but it popped around when I hit tufts of grass and felt like it got out of control.
Winner: Milwaukee M18 FUEL Lawn Mower
Milwaukee’s mower is more expensive than Ryobi’s 40V mower
Okay it seems unfair that Milwaukee’s M18 mower has one every competition so far with Ryobi’s 40V HP mower, but it comes with a price. A big one.
Milwaukee’s M18 mower comes in at over $1,000. Is it worth it? It depends. If you have Milwaukee batteries already and/or want a PREMIUM walk-behind mower, then yes. You can grab it at Home Depot.
Here’s my advice: the Ryobi 40V HP mower is still a premium mower that’s better than 75% of mowers on the market. But if I don’t already own Ryobi 40V HP batteries, I’m going to go with a cheaper mower of similar quality with a metal deck, like the Greenworks 80V Pro electric mower from Costco.
Final Review: Ryobi vs Milwaukee mower
Now that we’ve considered power, usability, durability, and cost we have a pretty good understanding of which mower is better. It’s clearly the Milwaukee M18 FUEL mower winning the competition against the Ryobi 40V HP mower.
Is the cost worth it? Maybe. But if you’re going with a premium mower, it is definitely the cream of the crop.
Lastly, if you want to check out some other mowers out there for a fair comparison, check out how we rank these against EGO mowers.
Why you can trust The Lawn Review
The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.
We take testing tools seriously.
As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.
What I look for in a battery-powered lawn mower
When looking to purchase an electric lawn mower, you need to make sure you understand what things matter. You will get hit with a lot of technical specifications and marketing tactics. Totally forget them and focus on the things that impact you. Below are my recommendations:
Ryobi and Milwaukee brand quality
Quality is going to be super important here. Just about everyone is in the electric mower game these days and there are a ton of junky mowers out there. Avoid anything from a weird brand on Amazon that takes 9 years to ship. It is probably being 3D printed in a Laotian bathroom. Go for brands that have consistent quality and focus on the details, not just flashy colors.
Recognizable for quality.
Ryobi and Milwaukee both have TONS of different tools. Milwaukee puts a ton of thought and research into developing a new product and then BAM – it’s a hit.. Extremely well designed and durable, easy to use, and powerful. Ryobi also has a ton of products across several different industries and seems to be more focused on quantity than quality.
Most electric mowers are plastic-y. Probably to reduce the weight of the mower so that the battery can get you further, but it feels cheap. Make sure to get metal where it matters – namely the deck. The deck is the part that covers the blades. Don’t get plastic here – a rock can rip through it.
Battery interoperability.
A ten dollar word used here, but really just make sure to buy a mower with a battery that is compatible with other electric tools. Luckily with Ryobi and Milwaukee, they have batteries that can be used across a TON of their products – both indoor and outdoor.
