Cordless battery lawn mower?

[Jacobson]

Anyone have one?
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/tools/reviews/g122/we-test-the-best-battery-powered-lawnmowers/

 

[jallyn]

brother-in-law had a used one, black and decker i think. of course the battery was getting weak. I don't mind buying battery tools cheap and then replacing/upgrading the battery. my lawn size requires a gas mower and I prefer gas anyway. if i had to buy battery i would go Stihl if cost wasn't a concern.

 

[Voi]

I would be interested in one that ran on a battery system I already had. So I have my eye on the Makita X2 which I believe has only been released in Europe.

Can't provide link at the moment.

 

[ravenzfusion]

The Ego 56V and the Kobalt 80V mowers are beasts. I'll probably get the Ego mower this winter, they also have a snowblower coming out. Battery powered things are getting very powerful. Why mess with gas anymore?

 

[todd_fuller]

I have an Echo cordless w/ two batteries. 1/3-1/2 acre on one set of batteries depending on the grass height. That's 58V, 8Ah total.

A mower using existing tool batteries won't have the power or runtime unless you plugged in a bunch of them. Even Dewalt's new flexvolt is only 2Ah @ 60V. You'd need to plug two of those in just to get reasonable runtimes.

 

[TomB19]

IMO, it doesn't make a lot of sense to jump on the cordless mower train, just yet. We are starting to see lawn mowing automation so I doubt it will be long before automated, electric, lawn mowers become almost affordable priced.

 

[Skin]

Why mess with gas anymore?

Power and run time aren't there yet. Most cordless mowers use small decks and can only handle about a third to a half acre. The motors also aren't built for the abuse of a poor lawn (rocks/sticks).

Ariens tried an electric snowblower, it was cost prohibitive and in order to provide the motor the necessary torque they had to run 8 motor cycle batteries in series. Recharge time was something like 7 hours so if it died at the end of the drive or you got a string of storms you better have a shovel handy. Lastly batteries do not like to be frozen.

For the green freaks "clean power" is a misnomer. Most of the power going to recharge the batteries is coming from fossil fuel burning power plants plus the mining/manufacturing that went into the battery cells.

 

[AndeiH]

ive had my black and decker 36V since august 2012. the battery is weak now and i can only do either the front or back yard at a time. when the batteries were still good i could mow both and still have charge left over.

luckily i can replace the battery packs inside the case with some walmart cheapies and be back in business.

 

[KMdef9]

Power and run time aren't there yet. Most cordless mowers use small decks and can only handle about a third to a half acre. The motors also aren't built for the abuse of a poor lawn (rocks/sticks).

Ariens tried an electric snowblower, it was cost prohibitive and in order to provide the motor the necessary torque they had to run 8 motor cycle batteries in series. Recharge time was something like 7 hours so if it died at the end of the drive or you got a string of storms you better have a shovel handy. Lastly batteries do not like to be frozen.

For the green freaks "clean power" is a misnomer. Most of the power going to recharge the batteries is coming from fossil fuel burning power plants plus the mining/manufacturing that went into the battery cells.

This.

And many times, while the tool is fairly priced, the batteries cost just as much as the tool does.

When the batteries start lasting 5+ years, I'd be interested in them more.

 

[ravenzfusion]

Power and run time aren't there yet. Most cordless mowers use small decks and can only handle about a third to a half acre. The motors also aren't built for the abuse of a poor lawn (rocks/sticks).

Ariens tried an electric snowblower, it was cost prohibitive and in order to provide the motor the necessary torque they had to run 8 motor cycle batteries in series. Recharge time was something like 7 hours so if it died at the end of the drive or you got a string of storms you better have a shovel handy. Lastly batteries do not like to be frozen.

For the green freaks "clean power" is a misnomer. Most of the power going to recharge the batteries is coming from fossil fuel burning power plants plus the mining/manufacturing that went into the battery cells.

Who the heck would use 8 motor cycle batteries in this day and age? We are talking Lithium Ion and Lithium Manganese batteries. The run time keeps getting better and better. As for the Ego mower, the 4.0AH battery is getting 45 min of run time. The snowblower is going to come with two 5.0AH batteries and they are looking to make 7.5 AH batteries too. So run time is not an issue anymore. Remember these 56 V batteries have many more cells than tool batteries you may be used to.

 

[WhiskeyRanger]

Power and run time aren't there yet. Most cordless mowers use small decks and can only handle about a third to a half acre. The motors also aren't built for the abuse of a poor lawn (rocks/sticks).

Ariens tried an electric snowblower, it was cost prohibitive and in order to provide the motor the necessary torque they had to run 8 motor cycle batteries in series. Recharge time was something like 7 hours so if it died at the end of the drive or you got a string of storms you better have a shovel handy. Lastly batteries do not like to be frozen.

For the green freaks "clean power" is a misnomer. Most of the power going to recharge the batteries is coming from fossil fuel burning power plants plus the mining/manufacturing that went into the battery cells.

Gasoline powered cars used to be open topped, 5 horse, two speed affairs that frequently broke down. That doesn't mean they are still terrible.

I don't have a lawnmower at all now, I pay someone for that, but several people I know have battery powered lawn mowers and love them. One even has that autonomous Husqvarna, and it works great for them.

If you can't get the dob done with one battery, you swap it out just like with any other cordless electric tool made in the last couple decades. Obviously, they don't work for every application, but that applies to any tool. Just because a chop saw doesn't drive nails very well doesn't mean it's a useless tool. My hedge trimmer and string trimmer are both cordless, vastly better than the gas trimmer and corded trimmer they replaced.

 

[BonzoHansen]

The Ego 56V and the Kobalt 80V mowers are beasts. I'll probably get the Ego mower this winter, they also have a snowblower coming out. Battery powered things are getting very powerful. Why mess with gas anymore?

I have 80V kobalt trimmer and blower, in both instances I bought when they came with rebates for free batteries. So I have 4 batteries. Those tools work great and so far battery life has been good. I might consider the mower when my current one needs to be retired.

 

[WhiskeyRanger]

Now you guys have me interested in a cordless electric snow blower. I wonder how loud they will be. It would definitely be nice if it was substantially quieter than a gas blower so I could use it later at night.

 

[CoogarXR]

I have the Friendly Robotics Robomower. I used it for about 5 years at my old place. I haven't had a chance to set up the yard at my new place for it (too much excavating going on to lay the perimeter wire). I need to replace the batteries as it's been sitting for about 6 years lol. It takes two 12v 18ah SLA batteries.

Once you set one of them up, you never mow the yard again. My dad used to repair them, so I got mine free from him. But they look like they sell pretty cheap on the used market.

Something to think about.

 

[ravenzfusion]

Now you guys have me interested in a cordless electric snow blower. I wonder how loud they will be. It would definitely be nice if it was substantially quieter than a gas blower so I could use it later at night.

They are as loud as a box fan. Very quiet. Mower has bright LED lights so you could mow at night if you really wanted to.

I would never consider a gas powered blower, hedge trimmer, or weed whacker with the battery powered stuff I use now. People just need to try it before judging.

 

[Major Ramifications]

I would be interested in a battery powered mower, as our yard is kind of small and I would prefer the quieter operation.
I just haven't seen a product that would make sense for me, as gasoline mowers last much longer and cost less than the battery powered ones. Battery replacement would not make financial sense and then you throw it away and buy a new one. In the mean time, my gas mower will still be rolling along (pushed by my son until he moves out).

The gasoline mowers rust out before the engines wear out, so if you get a good one with an aluminum deck and quality wheels it will last a LONG time.

 

[TomB19]

I have the Friendly Robotics Robomower. I used it for about 5 years at my old place. I haven't had a chance to set up the yard at my new place for it (too much excavating going on to lay the perimeter wire). I need to replace the batteries as it's been sitting for about 6 years lol. It takes two 12v 18ah SLA batteries.

Once you set one of them up, you never mow the yard again. My dad used to repair them, so I got mine free from him. But they look like they sell pretty cheap on the used market.

Something to think about.

Cool.

I wonder if you could revive those SLA batteries with something like an OptiMate or C-Tek charger/conditioner? They work a treat on flooded lead acid batteries and AGM.

It might be worth a try.

 

[WhiskeyRanger]

I would be interested in a battery powered mower, as our yard is kind of small and I would prefer the quieter operation.
I just haven't seen a product that would make sense for me, as gasoline mowers last much longer and cost less than the battery powered ones. Battery replacement would not make financial sense and then you throw it away and buy a new one. In the mean time, my gas mower will still be rolling along (pushed by my son until he moves out).

The gasoline mowers rust out before the engines wear out, so if you get a good one with an aluminum deck and quality wheels it will last a LONG time.

I wonder how the math works out on that. Elecectric is probably more expensive, but you do have the convenience factor. Batteries last a long time now, and aren't too expensive. Electric motors last forever... longer than a gasoline engine all things being equal generally speaking.

Personally, the convenience matters, and I have a minimum lifespan expectation, so anything past that isn't worth paying more for.

Not sure if cordless electric mowers are there yet, but plenty of other yard machines are.

 

[kctyphoon]

Dumb and dumber have a bit of a not so informative review of electric mowers on YouTube. The ego is suppose to be the better one to buy.. Not for nothing, but a half acre lawn is well over what most people by me will ever have.. Obviously if you have a huge yard these would not be for you

 

[Certified Drunk]

Why mess with gas anymore?

I've had the same Honda gas mower for 22+ years and it's still going strong..Let me know how many battery powered lawn mowers you go through.

 

[WhiskeyRanger]

I've had the same Honda gas mower for 22+ years and it's still going strong..Let me know how many battery powered lawn mowers you go through.

I had the same string trimmer for 20 years, then replaced it with a cordless electric because it was better. Longevity isn't the only measure of a tools usefulness.

 

[Doug Arthurs]

I have a black and Decker 36v. It's great I can cut my medium size yard twice on a charge. I've had it about 5 years now.

 

[greasyfingers01]

I've been thinking of getting an electric mower when my current one falls apart, which I think will be soon. I'm curious of the run time on a charge. I maintain my 5 acre yard with a 72" finish mower, 42" rider, and a push mower to get the small fenced in area and a few tight spots around the house. I'm getting really tired of small engine maintenance/repair. It seems like every year I'm tearing into a couple of them a year. I really want as few gas motors as possible, but having a large piece of property it's a nessisary evil. Who knows I might go all redneck with a homemade honda generator backpack and corded electric equipment lol.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[Ralf11]

I need a new cordless mower. Ryobi has a 5 year warranty but the mowers cost about $400 with battery and charger.

Any ideas?

Looking for 20" or so width and not interested in a luxury mower at all. Just reliable, easy to use, etc.

I have a small lawn for dogs, kids & me. Unfortunately it's about 30 ft. down a hill from the street with steps, so there's no way anybody will haul a mower up & down to do it for pay. i need a tower crane built into my house...

I used a Homelite lead acid for 5 years, but the motor jammed right after I replaced the lead acid battery for $100. Not serviceable due to hard to access philips head screws holding the motor cover on and they are all rusted anyway. Bad timing as there is just enough mowing and leaf chopping season left to require a new one, but it'll burn a year of the warranty. No more homelite for me (Gt. States makes them BTW).

 

[pstemari]

How do you feel about goats? ;-)

I'd drill out the Phillips heads and retap to the next size up, but I take it there's no way to get the drill in there?

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[Ralf11]

Goats are big here, but not for a small lawn. I think I could open it up, but it would be difficult and time-consuming. And then, what? Likely just find a seized bearing or something. I'd like to devote my time to fixing up 2 old cult vehicles, organizing the archeological dig that is my garage, finishing some house projects, cutting firewood for the this winter, even hiking...

So I'm in the market for a new cordless mower - not too small (20" or so) and not too spendy, but reliable.

 

[jimreed2160]

I have used an EGO 56v for 4-5 years and love it. My lot is .6 acre with about 1/2 wooded area and 1/2 grass. The EGO works well for me because my yard is small and I am old. I wait for the grass to get high and it really gives the mower a workout. A full charge lasts about 20 minutes. That is about how long I last. Quick charge for both of us is another 20 minutes. The whole yard usually takes about two sessions.

Plus--no gasoline, no noise, instant stop-start, lightweight, simple and service free, mower folds up for storage

Minus--none

I have the blower and they share batteries but the blower battery has less run time. I am next adding the chainsaw.

 

[BQuicksilver]

I have a 0.3acre city yard and just switched from gas to the 21" 80V Greenworks. I'm not going back to gas. The yard was 12" and wet when I mowed the first time. I did manage to overload it by pushing fast through the wet, but the gas mower (5hp Briggs) would have died in the same spot. They're equal in power, but the big advantage is the greenworks is much lighter and a solid 20db quieter. I no longer need earplugs and just mow with a gentle hum. My yard takes about 45min, which is the upper limit for one 2ah pack, so in heavier grass I will need to swap batteries once. I don't miss changing oil/plugs/air filters/pull starting/filling gas tanks. Obviously none of those are awful, but the electric is VERY simple and makes mowing more pleasant.

One of my friends just ordered a custom electric ZTR unit. Electric is the future.

 

[Ralf11]

How long have you had it, and have you had any trouble with it?

 

[ezriderga]

I have used an EGO 56v for 4-5 years and love it. My lot is .6 acre with about 1/2 wooded area and 1/2 grass. The EGO works well for me because my yard is small and I am old. I wait for the grass to get high and it really gives the mower a workout. A full charge lasts about 20 minutes. That is about how long I last. Quick charge for both of us is another 20 minutes. The whole yard usually takes about two sessions.

Do you still have it?
I'm looking at this one and have read a lot of positive reviews. It is currently available at Amazon and Home Depot however HD is currently $100 cheaper. Does this mower have a side discharge? All I could see in the pictures online was a rear discharge with a bag.

 

[jimreed2160]

I have used an EGO 56v for 4-5 years and love it. My lot is .6 acre with about 1/2 wooded area and 1/2 grass. The EGO works well for me because my yard is small and I am old. I wait for the grass to get high and it really gives the mower a workout. A full charge lasts about 20 minutes. That is about how long I last. Quick charge for both of us is another 20 minutes. The whole yard usually takes about two sessions.

Do you still have it?
I'm looking at this one and have read a lot of positive reviews. It is currently available at Amazon and Home Depot however HD is currently $100 cheaper. Does this mower have a side discharge? All I could see in the pictures online was a rear discharge with a bag.

Yes, the EGO is really going strong. I got the EGO blower on sale and use its battery in the mower when I need some extra time. This model has a side discharge but I keep it closed and in the mulching position. Sometimes wet grass gets clogged inside around the housing. I can tell because the mower gets heavy to push. So I stop, flip it over, and dig out the grass with a stick (there are always plenty of candidates nearby). Bonus of mulching mode is that it does not leave grass trails.

I really like this mower.

 

[gtae07]

I have a 60V Greenworks mower and the 80V trimmer. They are awesome and do my .20 acre lot three times each on a single charge. Minimal maintenance, minimal noise, no smell, no gas cans to deal with. I finally don’t mind mowing the lawn.

Assuming my wife’s surgery continues to be successful and she’s able to drive again, we’re even going to consider an electric car (dun dun dunnn...)