The Black and Decker HT220 is an older corded model, but it still works like a charm! It is a versatile and powerful hedge trimmer that promises to make trimming tasks easier and more efficient.
In this Black and Decker HT2200 review, I will delve into the key aspects of the HT2200, including its design, cutting power, user-friendly features, durability, and overall value.
Here’s a quick summary of my thoughts on the Black and Decker HT2200 hedge trimmer:
22-inch dual-action blade that makes cutting efficient.
Has a harder time with thicker, heartier branches.
Lightweight and well-balanced design with a comfortable grip and reduced noise levels (compared to most others).
Over a decade of use in my family with minor wear.
Limited mobility as a corded trimmer (which you should expect)
Priced around $60 for corded and $85 for electric, offering lasting value.
Here’s a longer breakdown of all the great features found on the HT2200 hedge trimmer from Black and Decker.
Blade Length and Cutting Capacity
The HT2200 boasts a 22-inch dual-action blade, which means you can trim more in a single pass. This length is perfect for tackling larger hedges and shrubs without breaking a sweat. It also offers a generous cutting capacity, allowing you to take on branches up to 3/4-inch thick.
Performance and Cutting Power of the HT2200
I’ll break this up into two parts – cutting efficiency on this hedge trimmer and then how it handles.
Cutting Efficiency and Precision
When it comes to performance, the HT2200 doesn’t disappoint. The blade cuts through branches with ease, providing a clean and precise cut every time. One thing to keep in mind is to avoid attempting to cut branches that are too thick, if you have to ask yourself if a branch is too thick, it is. I’ve jammed my trimmer countless times because I tested its cutting power too far.
Handling Different Types of Hedges
Whether you’re dealing with thin, tall hedges or unruly shrubs, the HT2200 works great. It can handle most hedges that don’t have extremely thick branches perfectly. If you need to cut thicker branches, try out a saw or clippers.
Design and Ergonomics on the Black and Decker hedge trimmer
Here are my thoughts on the various ergonomic components of this hedge trimmer.
Weight and Balance
Weighing in at just a few pounds, the HT2200 is at a respectable weight. You won’t have to worry about feeling like you’re lugging around a ton of bricks while taming your hedges. Its well-balanced design also ensures that you won’t strain your arms or shoulders during extended use.
Grip and Handle Design
Black and Decker has equipped the HT2200 with a comfortable and ergonomic grip. You’ll be able to maintain a firm hold and have full control over the trimmer, even during longer trimming sessions.
Noise Levels
We’ve all endured the ear-piercing symphony of noisy outdoor power tools. Thankfully, the HT2200 is designed with reduced noise levels in mind, making your hedge trimming sessions less disruptive to yourself and your neighbors.
Durability
This trimmer has been in the family for over a decade and is still holding up strong. It has gained some minor chips and scratches over the years, but nothing significant. This trimmer is built for the long run, but make sure you take proper care of it in order for it to last.
Pros and Cons of the Black and Decker HT2200
Now that we’ve explored the features, let’s sum up the strengths and weaknesses of the HT2200 hedge trimmer.
Advantages of the HT2200 Hedge Trimmer
– 22-inch blade – Reduced noise levels make your hedge trimming sessions less disruptive. – Excellent cutting capability for most instances
Limitations of the HT2200 Hedge Trimmer
– As a corded trimmer, it may not offer the same mobility as gas-powered trimmers. – The cutting capacity may not be suitable for heavy-duty tasks or extremely thick branches.
Takeaway: Would I buy the Black and Decker HT2200 again?
If you’re in the market for a corded hedge trimmer that combines user-friendliness, durability, and efficiency, then the Black and Decker HT2200 is definitely worth considering. It’s perfect for most average-sized hedges. Just be aware of its cutting limitations if you have more demanding trimming needs.
Overall, the HT2200 has the power to make your hedge trimming experience a breeze!
What to look for in a corded hedge trimmer
Corded hedge trimmers are a great addition to any homeowner’s toolkit. Not only are they environmentally friendly, but they also offer a number of advantages over their gas-powered counterparts. However, with so many different models on the market, it can be difficult to know which one is right for you. Here are a few things to look for when choosing a corded hedge trimmer:
Length of hedge trimmer
Corded hedge trimmers come in a variety of lengths, from small handheld models to larger units that can reach up to several feet. Choose the size that is best suited for your needs. I like 24 inch hedge trimmers because they have length and power while still being relatively nimble.
Ease of use
Corded hedge trimmers should be easy to operate, with comfortable handles and simple controls. Look for a model that is lightweight and easy to maneuver. I also keep an eye out for corded hedge trimmers that accommodate the extension cord by having something that keeps it from getting unplugged.
Cost
Corded hedge trimmers often are less expensive than cordless hedge trimmers. They don’t have the battery attached which saves quite a bit of money, but you do need to have a good extension cord.
You can get a very good corded electric hedge trimmer for around $100, often less. Keep that in mind when searching for a new one.
With these factors in mind, you’ll be sure to find the perfect cordless hedge trimmer for your garden.
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.
The Toro Ultra Blower Vacuum and Mulcher is a great mid-range blower if you want a step up from more basic blowers. Most folks think you can’t get a good electric blower these days and that you need to grab an expensive battery-powered blower to get any real power.
I’m here to tell you that these corded electric blowers have been around forever – and for good reason. This has been my main blower for about a year now and I’ve come to love it.
Bottom Line: The Toro Ultra Blower / Vacuum combo is a budget friendly option that makes leaf clean up in small yards extremely efficient. You can grab yours at Amazon for a super low price.
My experience using the Toro Ultra 260 MPH 340 CFM blower and vacuum combo
I first bought this unit a little over a year ago and after several uses I noticed a burning smell and saw smoke coming from the connection between the extension cord and the unit because I did not have the proper gage extension cord, stressed below.
I got a replacement and the right cord and I’ve been using it without any issues ever since. This blower works fantastically for me during the fall or whenever I need to get debris off of my lawn, and the vacuum/mulcher works fine with a little set up.
Toro Ultra Blower and Vacuum Combo: Features
Let me break down a few things I was looking at on this Toro blower before I finally pulled the trigger and bought it.
Power and Performance Capabilities of the Toro Ultra blower
This blower should be adequate for most lawns, but if you have a lot of trees that dumb a TON of leaves, I would recommend you buy a stronger blower.
A super powerful alternative.
For example, if you live on over half an acre or have a ton of really big trees in your yard, then I would look for something with at least 500 CFMs and a wider opening. This blower has a flat nozzle that is great for blasting away small piles of leaves or scraping away wet leaves or grass clippings, but will be inefficient for HUGE piles.
This blower is corded, so you can really only go as far as your cord can. Do not underestimate the importance of having a long cord, it’s better to have a little extra than to not be able to use your blower on the edges of your yard.
But with a longer cord, it is imperative to get the proper gage. Below is a chart of the best gages for each cord length:
Extension Cord Length
Minimum Wire Gage (A.W.G)
25 ft (7.6 m)
16
50 ft (15 m)
16
100 ft (30.5 m)
14
150 ft (45.7 m)
10
This product’s main selling point is that it is 3 in 1, a blower, a vacuum, and a mulcher, full marks on versatility! It performs best as a blower and works decently as a vacuum/mulcher. Although if you plan on buying this purely for the vacuum/mulching side of things, I recommend you give this one a pass for a more specialized product.
Noise Level on the Toro Ultra Blower Vac
This blower comes in at about 70 decibels, which is equivalent to a kitchen blender or a washing machine. This level of noise will not be harmful to your hearing, but it may wake up light sleepers.
Vacuuming and Mulching Capability on Toro’s Ultra Blower
The Toro Ultra Electric Blower Vac boasts being 3 in 1, but is it really? The vacuum and mulcher are basically the same, the only difference being what you do with the bagged leaves. On the leaf blower side of things, it’s great and works as it should. But on the other hand, the vacuum/mulcher could use a little work due to its problem with rocks.
After a few uses, I came to realize that the vacuum/mulcher is very good at picking up everything you don’t want in there. The tiniest of pebbles can get caught in the blade and either jam it or damage it. I advise you to refrain from using this as a vacuum/mulcher unless you pick up any debris that it may not like before vacuuming.
Battery version of the blower is kinda nice.
One other alternative is to blow all the leaves into a large pile and THEN use the vacuum function to get them up instead of trying to vacuum as you go. This avoids the potential for any damage from rocks jamming up the mulching function.
Finding the best cost for the Toro Ultra Blower and Vac combo
The Toro Blower and Vacuum Combo comes in at a really good price on Amazon – under $120. I believe this is just about the right price for this blower, considering the value you’re getting from it with the 3 in 1 tools.
In fact, compared to most battery powered leaf blowers, this Toro blower is absurdly cheap. While you may still get looks from your neighbors for using an old-school corded blower, you’re going to be hard-pressed to find a better deal.
A few quick tips I learned the hard way
I wanted to share a few quick tips for those that are about to go grab this blower from Home Depot. I learned these the hard way after using this blower for the first time.
Usage
Before using, be sure to secure the plug firmly into the blower and the wall in order to prevent any mishaps. Also be sure there are no obstructions in your yard that the cord may get tangled on. Make sure there is no sitting water near for the cord to land in.
When using the vacuum/mulcher, be sure not to pick up anything that the blades won’t be able to handle, such as wood, rocks, and large sticks.
After Use
After using the blower, you can just turn it off and unplug the cord and you’re done. With the vacuum/mulcher, you’ll need to empty the bag and possibly clean off the blades after unplugging. One advantage to the unit is it is easily disassembled to be stowed away if you need extra garage/shed space.
My Recommendation: Toro 260 MPH 340 CFM Ultra Blower Vac
My experience with the Toro ultra blower vac has been nothing but great. It gets the job done, has a good price point, and has all the features you’ll need. I recommend this one for anybody that is a first time homeowner, has a smaller yard, or is looking for a great swiss army knife solution on the cheap.
If I was doing it all over again, I don’t think I could find a better leaf clean up tool that fits the needs of my yard for a better price.
Corded blowers come in a bunch of shapes and sizes but there are two basic things you need to understand:
CFMs on blowers
Cubic feet per minute. This is a measure of air output on the blower. Higher CFM = more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High CFM with a wide nozzle = lower MPH. High CFM with a narrow nozzle = high miles per hour. Ideally, you want both a high CFM with a narrow to medium nozzle for most residential jobs.
Usability
What is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? You have to get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier. One thing I look for here is how the weight is distributed. I also look for things like variable speed control, sound, and how easy it is to reach or change controls like cruise control.
Reliability
It’s important to have reliable equipment – hands down. For homeowners, having a blower that can easily start and requires minimal maintenance is key. The engine doesn’t get as much use as a professional landscaper, so hopefully doesn’t require the same maintenance schedule. For professional landscapers, you need to have a blower that starts quickly and isn’t a headache requiring frequent tinkering and minor replacements.
Looks cool but not as reliable!
These are three things you need to pay attention to when looking through the specifications.
Greenworks 60V 16 inch weed eater is a great combination of quality and affordability. Not only is this great for homeowners, but the cutting swath on this weed eater is right around the size a commercial landscaper would use. Not bad.
I’ve had the pleasure of using a ton of Greenworks tools and I’m a bit of a weed eater snob. So when I got my hands on the 60V 16 inch weed eater from Greenworks, I was excited to run it into the ground (literally).
Bottom Line: The Greenworks 60V string trimmer is a great option because it is attachment capable, has a brushless motor, and a robust battery line. You can grab it on Amazon here or from the Greenworks website.
Let me break down for you each of the elements I put to the test on this weed eater, what that actually means for you when you’re using it, and some pros and cons of each feature. Here we go!
Greenworks 60V Power output and cutting swath
One thing I love about this Greenworks 60V weed eater is that the cutting swath (or width from one end of the string to the other) is 16 inches. After the 15 inch mark, you start getting into professional landscaper territory.
First off, that 16-inch cutting swath is a game-changer. Not only does the extra width allow you to do some mowing in tighter areas that can’t be reached with a lawn tractor or zero turn mower, but allows you to do some serious edging. This not only speeds up the trimming process but also reduces the need to go over the same spot multiple times.
When I compare it to those budget models with smaller cutting swaths, usually around 12 inches or even less, you really notice the difference. With the smaller ones, you have to make more passes to get the same area done, and that can be annoying and require more work.
Plus, having that extra width can make a big difference when tackling larger yards or areas with a lot of edging. It’s a breeze to maintain a neat and manicured look without spending all day doing it.
Attachment capabilities of Greenworks
Another thing I love about this string trimmer is that it has the ability to swap out attachments. I have the edger attachment and the weed eater attachment, but you can also get a pole saw and a hedge trimmer attachment. That makes this thing a pretty sweet multi-tool.
Durability of the Greenworks 60V 16 inch weed eater
When it comes to durability in the battery powered tool space, what you’re really looking for is the efficiency and longevity provided by a brushless motor. Fortunately, this Greenworks 60V weed eater has a sweet brushless motor that is super durable.
A brushless weed eater offers several key advantages over its brushed counterpart. Firstly, it delivers greater efficiency and power, making it capable of handling tough yard tasks like thick weeds and overgrown grass without losing performance. Additionally, brushless motors have a longer lifespan due to fewer friction-impacted parts and require less maintenance. They generate less heat and operate quietly, meaning no more waking up your neighbors (ahem…MY NEIGHBORS).
Greenwork has mastered brushless lawn equipment and raised the standard for everyone else in the industry. They even have a brushless electric pressure washer with a 10 year warranty….
If you don’t already have a battery, then you can get the full kit and kaboodle from Tractor Supply Co (we have no affiliation) for a really good price as well.
Overall – I think the Greenworks 60V weed eater is an incredible deal given that it has all the cutting power and durability you could want at a super competitive price.
Overall Review: Greenworks 60V 16 inch String Trimmer
I have to take my hat off to Greenworks here for producing a really high quality weed eater. The 60V line isn’t their most popular, but it does have some super nice tools included. I like this weed eater because it is brushless, has a serious cutting swath, is easy to use, and is attachment-capable. I recommend grabbing it from Amazon or wherever else you can get it.
Why we created The Lawn Review
The reason we started the Lawn Review in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And they aren’t 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 using battery powered weed eaters
I have used and written about a LOT of tools. In fact, I’ve done over 250 posts on this website and even more Youtube reviews using these tools. But I have a special place in my heart for battery powered weed eaters. Battery powered weed eaters are tools of finesse and are some of the most advanced tools in the electric world.
Needless to say, I’ve used a TON of these. Some of my favorites are listed here below, but I would estimate I’ve used battery powered weed eaters for well over 400 hours. That’s a lot.
What to look for in a battery powered weed whacker
Cordless weed eaters come in all shapes and sizes. They aren’t highly complicated pieces of equipment, but they do have a few nuances. Here is how I see it:
Feel – Obviously this is subjective, but feel is everything to me. I have had weed eaters in the past where the handle is off to the side, making me torque my shoulders and back. If you can, get as many adjustable pieces as possible to make this customizable. It doesn’t seem like you use a weed eater for a long time, but the work is precision work that requires a steady hand and focus.
Motor – brushless motors are king here. They are longer lasting and more durable. Regular brushed motors are fine, too. The key difference here is that brushless motors use magnets, instead of friction, to power the motor. This means less heat, more durability, and a longer life. Brushed motors will still do the job, however they tend to have a shorter life. Brushless motors are relatively new, so if you have had an electric tool back in the day, it was probably brushed.
Interchangeable batteries – Get a dang tool that has batteries that you can use with other batteries. C’mon people – save money by doing this! You don’t have to keep buying new battery sets. There are a lot of tool companies that have batteries that work with a ton of different tools. But some of these companies have a bunch of different battery types. Be careful!
Curved vs Straight shaft – I always, always, always prefer straight shafts. They are so much easier to use and control and are much longer than curved shafts. Curved shafts are good for clearing out a small piece of land unable to be mowed. But if you want to actually do some good trimming and edging, a straight shaft is much better. Curved shafts are difficult to maneuver and to create a straight line for edging.
The Greenworks 60V 26 inch hedge trimmer is a thing of beauty. I didn’t recognize how badly I needed a cordless hedge trimmer until I bought this bad boy.
Greenworks basically painted the Mona Lisa when they created this. It is super lightweight, easy-to-use, and has a ton of features that make it comfortable, affordable, and swagged out. I put this puppy to use in my yard and had an absolute revelation.
Bottom Line: The Greenworks 60V hedge trimmer is a great combination of power, length, and comfort. You can grab it from Amazon or on Greenworks’ website.
Greenworks 60V 26 inch cordless hedge trimmer: Overview
I put this electric hedge trimmer through the ringer. I got to use this on a number of bushes in my front and back yard and have to say – I was impressed. Here is my breakdown by category.
Cutting power and length on the Greenworks hedge trimmer
I recently got my hands on the Greenworks 60V 26 inch cordless hedge trimmer, and let me tell you, it’s a game-changer. The cutting power is seriously impressive (or at least compared to my 1980s SEARS corded trimmer). Thanks to the super long, double-sided blades, it effortlessly slices through even the thickest hedges, saving me a ton of time.
But what I really loved about this trimmer is the longer, double-sided blade. At 26 inches, it’s a real game-changer. Many other, cheaper hedge trimmers are around 21 inches, which makes a huge difference. I could tackle larger hedges and bushes with fewer passes, saving me a ton of time and energy. Plus, it gave me complete surgical precision with my hedges – I felt like a plastic surgeon.
Next up: battery life on this battery-powered hedge trimmer. It’s pretty awesome to be cord-free, but here’s the deal: battery life can vary quite a bit depending on a few factors.
First off, the thickness of the brush you’re trimming plays a big role. If you’re tackling some seriously thick, overgrown hedges, the battery might drain a bit faster. But honestly, I’ve used it on some pretty dense stuff, and it held up pretty well.
Another thing to keep in mind is how often you start and stop the trimmer. Every time you power it on, there’s a little extra juice used. So if you’re constantly starting and stopping, you might see a bit more drain. But for typical home use, it’s not a big deal.
For most homeowner jobs, this trimmer’s battery life is more than enough. I’ve trimmed all the hedges in my yard, and the battery didn’t even break a sweat. It’s designed to handle typical residential tasks without any issues. This is great for popping off and throwing into the Greenworks 60V blower to help clean up the mess you just made (blow it into your neighbors yard).
Ease of use
The main things that make this hedge trimmer super easy to use aren’t necessarily specific to this trimmer, but to all battery-powered hedge trimmers in general. For example, the fact that you don’t have to use gasoline, oil, or any other combustible engine parts makes this extremely easy to maintain.
On the other side, corded electric hedge trimmers are also easy to use, but require you to lug around an extension cord everywhere you go. This not only cramps your style, but can either pull out easily and require you to go back and plug it in OR it can find itself in the blades of the hedge trimmer if you zone out for a second. Not good.
This Greenworks hedge trimmer does have a little safety and is overall pretty balanced, so I would give it an 8/10 in the ease of use department. I would have liked to see some better grips up front that take the strain off your hands.
Cost and value
At well under $200, the Greenworks 60V Hedge Trimmer is pretty dang affordable. If you grab the tool-only version (without a battery), you can save a ton of money if you already own a Greenworks 60V battery.
Overall Review: Greenworks 60V Cordless 26 inch Hedge Trimmers
The Greenworks 60V Cordless Hedge Trimmer is a sweet tool. Cordless hedge trimmers are the GOAT and this one is really high quality and a great price. If you already have any 60V battery from Greenworks, then this one is a no-brainer.
I would definitely recommend this one – grab it at Amazon or wherever you get your Greenworks 60V stuff.
My experience with battery powered hedge trimmers
I have had the good pleasure of using a ton of both corded and cordless hedge trimmers over the years. I used a corded hedge trimmer for decades without thinking twice. It’s one of those things where you do it for so long that you don’t realize there is a better way. Like my parents still going to the mall – who does that?
Anyways, I have used a ton of corded and cordless hedge trimmers – here are a few of my former posts that highlight my experience:
Needless to say, I’ve trimmed a hedge or two in my days. Here are my thoughts and experiences using the Greenworks 60V hedge trimmer.
What to look for in a Greenworks cordless hedge trimmer
Cordless hedge trimmers are a great addition to any gardener’s toolkit. Not only are they environmentally friendly, but they also offer a number of advantages over their gas-powered counterparts. However, with so many different models on the market, it can be difficult to know which one is right for you. Here are a few things to look for when choosing a cordless hedge trimmer:
Hedge Trimmer Length:
Cordless hedge trimmers come in a variety of lengths, from small handheld models to larger units that can reach up to several feet. Choose the size that is best suited for your needs.
Ease of use:
Cordless hedge trimmers should be easy to operate, with comfortable handles and simple controls. Look for a model that is lightweight and easy to maneuver.
Battery life:
Corded hedge trimmers need to be plugged into an outlet, which can be inconvenient and restrict your range of motion. Cordless models run on batteries, which will need to be recharged after a certain amount of use. Choose a model with a long battery life so that you can work uninterrupted. If you already own a line of battery-powered products, check out the hedge trimmer from that line as a starting point.
With these factors in mind, you’ll be sure to find the perfect cordless hedge trimmer for your garden. If you are old fashioned, check out our list of the best corded hedge trimmers.
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.
Greenworks’ 60V 610 CFM cordless blower is a freak of nature. If you don’t read any further – this is the best blower for the price on the market – hands down.
Bottom Line: I had the opportunity to give this battery powered blower a try. I’m a notoriously tough critic when it comes to blowers because frankly – many of them are not very good. But Greenworks knocked it out of the park with this one. You can grab it on Amazon for a great price or from Greenworks’ website directly.
This blower isn’t a super abnormal blower. It doesn’t have any features that make it particularly crazy or unique. But my goodness does it have all the good ones and a great price point. Let’s break it down.
Power output on the Greenworks 60V blower
While the Greenworks 60V blower isn’t the most powerful Greenworks blower on the market, this thing still pushes serious air. It’s like watching the presidential debates.
But more seriously, it puts out about 610 CFMs of air at around 130 MPH. If you want to better understand the difference between CFMs and MPH then follow this link. It really means that this blower can move decent piles of leaves at a relatively high speed. Best of both worlds.
Compared to some other handheld blowers, even the gas-powered Stihl BG 86 C, this blower is going to be relatively similar in terms of power. While there are more powerful blowers on the market like the EGO 765 CFM blower, this one is at a much better price (more on that later).
I’ve used some dinky blowers in my days and this one has noticeable power and speed that is good for just about every single homeowner with a ½ acre or less. If you have TONS of trees that dump leaves on you in the Fall, you may want to get a bigger backpack blower but otherwise you should be pretty dang good.
One thing I absolutely love about Greenworks is that the people that test their blowers actually seem to use them often. They are built with serious comfort and they pay attention to small things.
Some small details I loved on this blower:
A concentrator nozzle that you can pop on the end and have a more focused jet stream of air (this is great for wet grass or leaves)
Cruise control and variable speed trigger. I turn the cruise control on whenever I know I’m going to be blowing at the same speed for more than a minute or so.
A little stand that allows you to set the blower down or store it flat without it rolling over (this is extremely underrated)
As compared to gas blowers, electric blowers have the major benefit of being extremely easy to start, require little-to-no maintenance, and don’t make you smell bad. Oh, and they are much quieter.
This one also felt really lightweight. Maybe because it has a smaller battery or overall just isn’t that big, but it was super easy to be agile with and didn’t strain my wrist with sudden movements.
Battery life: Greenworks 60V
Here is where I have a bit of a bone to pick with Greenworks, although it is very minimal. Run times are always super difficult to measure on blowers like these. The suggested times are never right. The area is always overestimated and the recharge time is not right either. Never in the zillions of tests that I’ve done on blowers have these come through with the correct times.
Which is why I always test it myself. With an advertised run time of 50 minutes on low, you can actually expect to get much more – depending on how low you go. This isn’t a great indicator because not many people use blowers on low. The turbo button is a much better indicator. The advertised run time on full turbo is about 10 minutes. In actual conditions, you may get a solid 7-8 minutes. Not bad, not good.
But really the major call-out here is that it says it is advertised for ⅔ acre. I would go a good bit less than that. If I had nearly an acre I would go up to a higher Amp-hour battery blower or to a backpack leaf blower – especially if you want to do it all in one trip.
Cost and value
The cost and particularly the value of this blower are what truly separate it from the rest of the pack. Right now, this puppy is on sale for an outrageous price on Amazon. But even when it isn’t on sale and you get the full kit and kaboodle for under $200 – that is an absolutely insane price.
I can’t find another electric blower out there with the power, functionality, and quality of the Greenworks 60V Blower that comes near that price.
Greenworks 60V Blower Comparison to the 80V blower
If you’re choosing between the 60V or the 80V Greenworks blower – don’t overthink it. If you already have either of these batteries, go ahead and get the blower that aligns with that battery and save a ton of money on the tool-only version.
The main difference between the 60V and the 80V blower is the power. They have identical functionality, but the 80V has about 15% more power and speed than the 60V. It is a bit more expensive, but if you have a larger yard or a ton of trees – the 80V can be worth it.
I’ve used both extensively and think the 60V is the better buy for the money, but you really can’t go wrong with either.
Final Review: Greenworks 60V Handheld Electric Blower
If you didn’t read anything I wrote and skipped down to the bottom, this may be news to you – but I absolutely recommend the Greenworks 60V Blower. For homeowners with small to medium sized yards, this is a perfect amount of power, size, ease of use, and cost to make you want to pull the trigger (pun intended).
You can grab this blower on Amazon or at a few other places like Tractor Supply Co. online.
What to look for in a battery powered blower
Cordless blowers come in a bunch of shapes and sizes but there are three basic things you need to understand:
CFM
Cubic feet per minute. This is a measure of air output on the blower. Higher CFM = more power, but not necessarily more miles per hour. High CFM with a wide nozzle = lower MPH. High CFM with a narrow nozzle = high miles per hour. Ideally, you want both a high CFM with a narrow to medium nozzle for most residential jobs.
Usability
What is the point of having a blower if it is hard to use? Have to get one that is lightweight, easy to start, and has some functions that make your life easier.
Motor type
Brushless motors reign supreme. Cooler running motors with more torque, a longer run-time, and last many more years. Brushless is a no brainer when picking a blower.
These are three things you need to pay attention to when looking through the specifications.
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 handheld electric blowers
I’ve had the good pleasure of using dozens of handheld electric blowers. If you go over to my Youtube channel, you’ll see that I have done blower face-offs (literally on my face) and several other video reviews that go super in-depth on a bunch of different battery-powered blowers.
Outside of those reviews, I’ve also done a ton of other blower reviews, like these most recent ones:
Needless to say, I am one of the few nerds on the planet that actually really cares about this stuff. With the Greenworks 60V blower, I was able to use this one side-by-side with a ton of other blowers to see just how well it performed. Here are my thoughts.
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.
Robotic lawn mowers are here to stay whether you like it or not. But they are REALLY expensive compared to a normal mower.
That’s why I went on Amazon and bought the three top selling robotic lawn mowers for under $1,000. Ones that are still in the reasonable price range that may make not having to go out into the heat and mow for an hour worth it. I put these to the test and had them do a three-way battle for the best cut for the best price.
The results were…interesting. Here are the three
budget friendly robotic mowers under $1,000, ranked:
Husqvarna Automower 115 H Robot mower
Worx Landroid S 20V WR 165 Robot lawn mower
Gardena Sileno Minimo Robot mower
My experience with robotic lawn mowers
Frankly, I am just a normal dude who really likes mowers. I’ve used a billion gas powered push mowers, dozens of battery powered mowers, but NEVER a robotic mower. Until now.
But I think that helps you realize I am not a biased source here. I do not have stake in a robotic mower company. I was not paid to create this review – and I didn’t even get these for free (am I doing something wrong?).
I know a thing or two about mowing the grass, though. And that will help me provide a super unbiased review of my experiences with these three robotic mowers. Let’s get started.
Testing out budget-friendly robot mowers
I looked at a few factors when ranking these mowers, so let me break down each one, how I tested it, and how it ultimately performed.
Breaking down the Worx Landroid S 20V Robotic Mower
The Worx Landroid is powered by a 20V battery, which took about 60 minutes to charge each time it made it back to the base station. This one is able to mow about ⅛ of an acre, or about 5400 square feet. If you have no clue or context for what that means in your lawn, you can go to www.measuremylawn.com and get it figured out really quickly.
The height adjustment on this goes all the way down to 1.5 inches all the way up to 3 inches, which is easily adjustable using a knob on the top of the mower. You may note right off the bat here that this isn’t an acceptable height for folks with tall fescue or other grass types that require you to mow high. At 1.5 inches, you’re at a great height for bermudagrass or warm season grasses. This one can also do a 20% slope, which was the lowest of the three. This means it isn’t a great mower for steep lawns or bumpy backyards. It also has a cutting width of about eight inches, which is less than half the width of a normal residential push mower.
The Gardena Sileno is the one I had the most reservations about going into this. I’ve done a ton of reviews of Worx products and Husqvarna products, but have never heard of Sileno. I had to get this one because it is one of the top sellers on Amazon for under $1,000.
Much to my surprise, this thing is manufactured by Husqvarna. The charging station even has “Husqvarna” written on the side. The Sileno Minimo takes about 65 minutes to fully charge and runs for about 65 minutes until it heads back into the charging station. Gardena’s Sileno Minimo covers about ⅛ of an acre, which is exactly the same as the Worx above.
The height setting on this one was tough, which cuts between 0.8 inches and up to 2.0 inches. This cut height is ideal for warm season grasses but will get you into major trouble for longer grass types, like transitional or cool season grasses (think Tall Fescue).
This thing was tiny though – with a cutting width of about 6.5 inches which is well below the Worx which means it will take a while longer to cut the same amount of grass as the Worx above. At a really good price over on Amazon – this one is cheaper than the Worx and still in a decent price range.
Lastly, I couldn’t really get the mobile app to work on this thing.
Husqvarna Automower 115 H Robot Mower: Analysis
The Husqvarna Automower is the “OG” of the robotic mower space because Husqvarna has been at this for a while and has a full spectrum of more expensive (but better) robotic mowers.
The specifications on this one are quite a bit more impressive. It takes about 60 minutes to charge but can cover 0.4 acres, which puts it well above the Worx Landroid and Gardena Sileno Minimo robotic mowers. The Automower also had a noticeable speed difference and zoomed across my yard relative to the other two mowers.
The height adjustment settings on this one go from 2 inches to 3.6 inches – putting it in a much better category for cool season grasses and overall making it great for both cool and warm season grass. The Automower can also handle a slightly steeper slope – rating at 30 degrees of incline before spinning its wheels.
Best of all, the Husqvarna Automower has a 9 inch cutting width which is the widest. It also comes in at the lowest price point – right at $700 on Amazon.
Ranking Robotic Mowers Based On My Backyard Experience
Alright – now that I’ve provided an overview, here are my rankings of the most affordable robotic lawn mowers on Amazon.
3. The Gardena Sileno Minimo
It was basically unusable on my cool season grass so it didn’t get the best chance. Besides it not fitting my lawn, it was extremely buggy, the app never worked, and it was slow and tiny. Even in a short, warm season grass – this thing would be a total wimp compared to the other two.
When I first got it, I could barely get it to operate and spent a bunch of time on the phone with customer support who tried to get me to do a hard reset on it or plug it into my USB drive of my computer. It was a really hectic process and it ultimately couldn’t get the job done.
It also doesn’t have a screen so its hard to operate it without the app (which never worked). If you are interested in learning more, you can check it out on Amazon.
2. Worx Landroid S 20V Robotic Lawn Mower
Coming in at number two is the Worx Landroid. I liked the rugged look of this one but it only cuts up to about 3 inches, which isn’t going to cut it in my lawn. It also kept getting stuck and lost in my yard. It was essentially an expensive turtle that kept getting flipped over on its back.
It made it through my lawn eventually, but needed a lot of support to get the job done. Overall, the power isn’t there with this one. I was able to download the app on this one that let me schedule the cuts and also had a funny “party” mode.
I did like the height adjustment knob on this one that was really intuitive, but overall I can’t give the Landroid the number one spot. This one is still pretty good and goes on sale on Amazon from time to time.
1. Husqvarna Automower 115H Robot Lawn Mower
The Husqvarna Automower 115H took the top spot in budget robotic lawn mower rankings based on my experience. It looks sort of goofy, but I’ll be darned – the mower worked. As compared to the Worx, which stalled out a few times, the Husqvarna was really good at “unstucking” itself. Whenever it got into a tough or tight spot, it could always find its way out and never needed my assistance.
It was cutting so fast and often, which was surprising to me, but it did a great job and really turned me from a skeptic to a bit of a believer in robotic mowers. If you want to spend some more money, you can grab a better Automower – but for the money – this one cannot be beaten.
Final thoughts: Would I use a robotic mower forever?
I really thought these things would totally suck and was happy to be proven wrong. The Husqvarna was pretty cool but also did a great job and my lawn looked awesome.
In the long term, I would not use a robotic mower. Regardless of how good of a job they can do, I love putting the sweat equity into my yard and doing it myself. If you’re like me, then you understand.
The basics of how these robotic mowers work
Here are a few things I learned that all of these things have in common. They are all way more alike than they are different, but have nuances that ultimately make one better than the other two.
They’re basically giant Roombas with razor blades attached on a spinny disk
They mow in random patterns all throughout your lawn
They are almost constantly running when they aren’t charging
Most require boundary wires to set up the perimeter (all of these do), but others use GPS technology to set a perimeter
Your lawn gets cut…….eventually
Each mower has all the controls you need on top of the mower itself
Setting up the robotic mowers
Unboxing and setting up the robotic mowers was basically the same thing over and over again. The cheaper (under $1,000) robotic mowers all use boundary wires. I believe the high-end robotic mowers have some sort of GPS technology that keeps them in a defined area.
But these cheaper ones have boundary wires and stakes that are used to define the perimeter of your yard. You simply put the stakes into the boundary wire and hammer them down. You can bury them if you’d like, but I didn’t find that necessary as the grass and soil will overtake them after a bit of time passes. One major differentiator in this process is that the Husqvarna Automower and the Gardena Sileno Minimo both require a guidewire that tells the mower how to get back to the charger, whereas the Worx Landroid uses the outer perimeter wire to get it back home to the charger.
Each of these robotic mowers had the exact same setup process – including the perimeter wire, stakes, and instructions on how to set up the mower via an app that they like you to download. One tip to keep in mind with the boundary perimeter wire is that you will want to be cautious not to clip it with your weed eater or edger.
I have to give the advantage in this section to the Worx Landroid robotic mower. Not having to set up the guidewire back to the charging station made the process a bit more straightforward and saved me some time.
Common questions about robotic mowers
Here are some common questions I had before I bought and tested these robotic mowers.
How much does a robot lawn mower cost?
Robotic lawn mowers have extremely high ceilings, but for residential use you can grab one for $700-$5,000.
Are robotic lawn mowers worth buying?
Robotic mowers are worth buying if you hate cutting your grass and want to spend more time doing other things.
Why are robotic lawnmowers so expensive?
Robotic mowers have a ton of tech inside that make them really expensive despite being so small.
What are the disadvantages of a robotic mower?
Robotic mowers have limited cut heights, don’t cut your lawn in a specific pattern, and can be quite expensive.
Do robot mowers cut well?
Robot mowers actually cut pretty well but not in a specific pattern.
How long do robot mowers last?
The jury is still out, but robot mowers likely last between 5-7 years.
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
The EGO Select Cut XP self-propelled mower is an absolute tank. EGO did it again – and this mower has all of the bells and whistles.
If you have never heard of EGO, you’re missing out on a modern day cult. Everybody that has one of their lawn tools is obsessed and promises to never go back. Heck, we did a five-way head-to-head matchup with a bunch of mowers and the EGO flock came out in full force to represent.
Bottom line: The EGO Select Cut XP is the cream of the crop when it comes to EGO mowers. It has powerful torque, a great self-propelled function, and is pretty durable. Psst….you can grab one of these for a really good price on Amazon instead of Lowes.
I’ve had the good fortune of using a few EGO mowers. They have a noticeable trait that makes them stick out: they are absolute tanks. They feel like a man’s mower. Bulkier, sturdier, more powerful – a self-propelled function that truly pulls you forward.
I’ve gotten to use a few and compare them across a bunch of other electric mowers – probably well over a dozen now. EGO is always one of my favorites because of how popular they are. Needless to say, I’m experienced when it comes to using these. In fact, I walked one of them on the street in my neighborhood until it died. It was well over an hour – that’s dedication.
The EGO LM2150SP has a lot to love. Let me do a rundown of my experience using this mower to help you see if you would want to snag one of these. I’ll start by breaking down the power.
Power and feel on the EGO LM2150 / LM2156 mower
The EGO LM2150SP Select Cut XP is one of the best analogs to gas-powered mowers that I have come across. For starters, it just feels like a gas powered mower despite looking nothing really like one. When EGO says Select Cut XP – they mean that this is their highest torque mower. At 8.3 lbs/ft – the EGO Select Cut XP puts out more torque than just about any normal residential gas mower. More than Honda’s lineup of push mowers for sure.
One thing I love about the LM2150SP is that the self-propelled function is super easy to use and control – even when in use. You simply roll up this little cylinder to toggle the self-propelled function’s speed. Something that stood out to me the first time I used EGO’s Touch Drive technology was how it truly pulls you forward, whereas others are a bit underwhelming and still require a good bit of pushing.
Lastly, this mower has multiple blades. Two at a time will run on this bad boy, which means it will be tough to miss a blade of grass. The mower comes with three blades that can be swapped out depending on if you are bagging or mulching.
EGO 56V Battery performance
I put a ton of elbow grease and time into this series of tests. Like I mentioned earlier, I actually walked this mower around my neighborhood until it died to see how it compared to four other mowers. This isn’t the most scientific test in the world, but it does help you see how it is relative to other mowers (if you are shopping around).
Once the battery was dead, I plugged it into the charger to see exactly how long it took for the 10 Ah battery to recharge.
Here were my results:
The EGO ran for an hour and thirty one minutes before dying – not bad!
The 56V 10Ah battery took the least amount of time to fully recharge, compared to the other mowers – an hour and four minutes.
Battery time will vary wildly depending on many factors, like the load you are cutting – but is entirely dependent on the amp-hours (Ah) of your battery. The more Ah, the more run time. If you are grabbing this mower, make sure you have some higher Ah batteries to ensure it runs as long as you need. Mine came with 10.0 Ah, but I have smaller EGO batteries as well that fit into the 765 CFM blower and their Multi-Head tool.
EGO Mower Durability
One thing I dislike about the EGO, and most EGO mowers in general, is that they have plastic cutting decks. Traditional gas push mowers have metal decks – it is just the name of the game for heavy duty lawn mowing.
The LM2150SP from EGO is no different. A plastic cutting deck – I really prefer metal decks. I haven’t had a bad experience (yet) with these decks, but am always worried about cracking, chipping or otherwise just breaking in half.
To be fair, I’ve read hundreds of Youtube comments from folks who have their EGO mowers for 8+ years without the slightest damage to the plastic cutting deck. Otherwise, I haven’t heard or experienced any issues with durability. These things are built like tanks and will only leave you worrying about changing the batteries every 5-7 years.
Value and cost of the EGO mower
The EGO Select Cut XP (LM2150SP) comes in at around $450 for the tool-only version on Amazon, where I found it for the lowest price. That means if you already own the battery and don’t need an extra, you can get it for an absurd steal.
If you want to get it with huge batteries and a turbocharger (the LM2156SP version), you’re going to pay a lot more but can grab it on Amazon nonetheless.
My recommendation: EGO Select Cut XP Self-propelled
The EGO Select Cut XP is a really, really good mower. In fact, it has changed the hearts and minds of hundreds of thousands of skeptics who now are obsessed with it (me included). It has some pretty fancy functionality, is way more durable than I thought, is powerful as all-get-out, and if you get it tool-only, is a heck of a price.
All-in-all, this one gets the TLR stamp of approval. If you’re going with EGO and have money to spend, this is probably the top of the line option and will definitely turn your neighbors’ heads.
