Battery Lawn Mower Reviews
The green revolution is showing in more than just the automotive industry. Battery-powered lawn mowers are increasingly popular. Especially with homeowners who need to maintain a reasonably small suburban lawn.
New advancements in battery technology mean that today’s battery-powered lawn mowers can store more charge, run for longer, and charge faster than they could even a few years ago. Most of this is thanks to lithium-ion battery technology. Though there still are a few electric lawn mowers that have lead-acid or deep-cycle gel batteries built into them.
Just Show Me The MowersBattery Powered Lawn Mower Voltage
The first thing to look at when shopping for the best battery powered lawn mower for your yard is the voltage. In a battery-powered lawn mower, the voltage primarily indicates how many individual battery cells are in a single battery pack. It also tells you how those cells are connected. As a general rule of thumb the higher the voltage rating the more cells that are in the battery pack. This means that a 40 Volt battery pack has twice the cells of a 20 Volt battery pack.
A higher voltage battery also can provide more power on demand. This might be preferable for times where you need to cut thick grass, or if you are interested in a self-propelled electric lawn mower to help travel up hills.
Battery Capacity & Amp Hour Rating
Amp-hours of Ah is how battery capacity is measured and rated. Essentially the higher the Amp Hour rating the more charge the battery can store, which equates to longer run time. With some battery-powered lawn mowers greater Amp Hour storage also equates to better performance. Especially if you need to cut thicker grass.
If you want to do the math, you can get a decent estimate of run time by multiplying the voltage rating by the Amp Hours. This will give you the watt-hours. You can then compare the watt-hours of two different lawn mowers to see which one will give you the longer overall run time.
The Benefits Of Lithium-Ion Batteries
Battery technology continues to evolve. Leading at the forefront of this revolution is the lithium-ion battery. Initially, lithium-ion batteries were only found in small home electronic devices, lightweight power tools, and cell phones. Today they have evolved to be able to power lawn mowers for an impressive amount of time.
One of the biggest benefits of a lithium-ion battery is that it tends to charge quickly. They also tend to discharge at a consistent rate regardless of the remaining charge. This isn’t always the case with lead-acid and gel batteries that lose draw as their charge dwindles. A lithium-ion battery will deliver the same power on demand whether it is at a maximum charge of 25% charged.
What Is The Best Charger For A Battery-Powered Lawn Mower?
If you are new to the world of battery-powered electric lawn mowers, you might be surprised to hear that there are different charger options to consider.
A Built-In Battery Charger
There are some cordless electric lawn mowers where the batteries are permanently installed and remain connected to an on-board charger. When you are done cutting the grass you merely plug the lawn mower in and it charges itself. When the indicator light reads maximum charge, you unplug it and you can trust it’s ready to go the next time you need to use it.
Standard Battery Charger
This is the traditional type of battery charger. You plug it in, remove the batteries from the mower and install them into the charger. It will deliver a continuous charge. When the indicator light tells you that it’s at a full charge you can unplug the charger or remove the batteries and install them back into the lawn mower.
Accidental over-charging is a potential problem with standard battery chargers. Once the battery reaches maximum capacity the continual charge and heat generated can start to damage the battery and affect its overall lifespan. Leaving a battery connected to the charger overnight is acceptable, but you don’t want to leave the battery on the charger for multiple days or an extended amount of time.
Smart Charger
This is a somewhat new innovation designed to address the accidental over-charging issue. With a smart charger, on-board monitoring software reads the charge in the battery and then keeps from overcharging it, while also serving to reduce heat. It usually costs a little more, but it could save you money in battery life in the long-term.
Weight & Storage
One of the nice things about electric lawnmowers is how light they are. Some manufacturers take advantage of this by making the handles collapsed or installing other special storage features. Some of the lighter battery-powered lawn mowers can even be stored on a shelf.
It’s also worth noting that since there aren’t any fluids to worry about, you can potentially stand a lawn mower up against a wall or hang it from some heavy-duty cargo hooks in your garage. If you are a little short on space in your garage or storage shed, you might want to prioritize a battery-powered lawn mower with special storage features.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Often Do You Have To Replace The Battery In A Cordless Lawn Mower?
Battery life can vary depending on the type and the manufacturer. Properly maintained the average lithium-ion battery will last three to four years. Though some lesser batteries might have an average life span of only two to three years. Especially if you have a bad habit of over-charging them.
It’s also worth noting that there are a few lead-acid battery lawn mowers on the market. With these, the mower itself might have very appealing characteristics. Though the lead-acid battery might only have a lifespan of two to three years. If exposed to freezing winter conditions a lead-acid battery might only make it through one year.
How Can I Extend The Run Time Of A Cordless Electric Lawn Mower?
Running out of charge is one of the biggest complaints about cordless electric lawn mowers. Especially from people who have a large yard. For some people the delay in recharging the battery is unacceptable. If you want greater run time, you might want to think about purchasing extra batteries.
There are also some cordless lawn mower manufacturers like Greenworks and Makita that use the same batteries in their lawn mowers as they do in many of their other power tools. If you happen to be loyal to a particular brand, investing in things like their battery-powered string trimmers and blowers will give you additional interchangeable batteries for longer run time.
What Is A Brushless Electric Motor?
Early electric lawn mower motors used a series of internal brushes to transfer the torque produced by the engine to propel the cutting blades. While they were certainly effective, they tend to produce heat. They also tend to make more noise. Though still less noise than a gasoline lawn mower engine.
During a long mowing session, all this heat can affect the performance of the electric motor. Over time, it can even shorten the life of the electric motor.
Brushless electric motors use electromagnetism to move the cutting blades. This direct lack of physical contact makes less noise and heat. It also extends the overall life span of the electric motor. Though it does come at a slightly higher price. Still, the trade-off is that you’re going to see a more robust return on your investment from a brushless electric lawn mower engine.
What Is A 2-in-1 Lawn Mower?
A 2-in-1 lawn mower typically comes set up for side discharge, and then also has another optional feature like mulching or bagging. This is a great option for preventing harvested grass clippings from drying out into thatch, which can choke your turf.
Mulched grass clippings tend to decompose quickly, which can help feed nitrogen back to your lawn and boost growth. Bagged grass clippings can be brought to your garden to side-dress your plants, or turn it into your compost pile to boost the microbes that are essential to the composting process.
What Is A 3-in-1 Lawn Mower
A 3-in-1 lawn mower is one that comes set up for side discharge, and also has features for mulching and bagging. This is a versatile way for you to choose how to deal with your grass clippings. Many 3-in-1 cordless lawn mowers will mulch the grass clippings and bag them at the same time. By breaking the grass down into tiny pieces it decomposes faster into your compost pile or garden soil.
Are Volts Important For A Mulching Cordless Lawn Mower?
The RPMs necessary to effectively mulch grass clippings calls for significantly more power. In a battery-powered cordless lawn, mower volts translate into power. So, the higher the voltage the more efficient your electric lawn mower will be at mulching grass. This will translate into you being able to walk a little faster with a higher voltage electric mower. Though the trade-off here is that you will inevitably go through more battery charge in the process.
Best Battery Powered Lawn Mower Brands
With the massive growth in lithium-ion battery technology, the battery-powered electric lawn mower niche is quickly expanding. Some manufacturers have rushed into this market niche, while others have taken their time putting their best foot forward.
American Lawn Mower Company
As the name implies they are an American based company specializing in lawn mowers. Though their roots extend way back to some of the earliest reel mowers. They’ve since expanded and jumped on the growing boom in battery technology. This is a name you can trust, though in recent years they have lost some of their market share to larger international brands.
Black + Decker
Black & Decker is another tool and appliance manufacturer that has stepped into the cordless lawn mower niche on the coattails of lithium-ion battery technology. They have a broad line of battery-powered lawn mowers with models at the entry-level, all the way up to premium cordless lawnmowers.
There are a few outdoor power tools in the Black & Decker Line that use the same lithium-ion batteries as their cordless lawn mowers. If you already own a bunch of their power tools, you might be able to swap them back and forth.
Greenworks
Greenworks is a lawn equipment company that has really done its best to impress the market place. They tend to use high-quality, state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries and thoughtfully engineered chargers. Greenworks has an extensive line of lawn and power tools, many of which have interchangeable batteries with the electric lawn mowers in their line. So, if you’re a fan of the brand, you can use companion batteries from other tools to save money on batteries and extend your mower’s run time.
Makita
Makita started as a power tool manufacturer who offered consumers as well as commercial-grade equipment. They have an extensive lineup which includes a wide range of heavy-duty lithium-ion batteries. Many of which are interchangeable with their cordless electric lawn mowers. If you own several Makita power tools, you might be able to use the batteries interchangeably for added run time.
Ryobi
Ryobi lawn mowers are the next evolution in this quality electric power tool brand’s repertoire. They have a long-standing reputation for build quality, as well as time-tested engineering principles. The higher-end of their battery-powered lawn mowers tend to have superior warranty coverage compared to the competitors.
It’s also worth noting that Ryobi has a broad line up of battery-powered electric tools that use some of the same batteries as their lawn mowers. If you are a big fan of Ryobi, you might be able to interchange some of the batteries from other tools to maximize your cordless lawn mower’s overall run time in a single mowing session.
Worx
Worx brand identity is positioned to appeal to both professional and residential consumers. Their extensive line includes power tools, electric hand tools, and electric lawn equipment. Some of which have compatible batteries with their cordless lawn mower models. This could be handy if you are already a fan of the Worx line.
Worx does its best to offer models at affordable prices. Though they sometimes save money on the initial purchase price by backing it with a warranty that might be a little less than the competitors. If you’re not completely satisfied with the warranty offered on a particular Worx model, a lot of online retailers offer very affordable additional protection plans.
Sun Joe
Sun Joe is a relative up and comer in the lawn mower industry. They have several entry-level lawn mowers with a strong focus on battery-powered cordless electric lawn mowers. Sun Joe is a great place to start shopping if you are working on a tight budget. Though the lowest models in their line do tend to feel like they use a little too much plastic. When you step up to the mid-range to the high end of the Sun Joe line, you find a battery-powered electric lawn mower that’s a good value and backed by a decent warranty program.
Other Great Battery Mower Brands
Conclusion
Battery-powered lawn mowers have certainly come a long way in recent years. They can hold more charge, run longer, and are easier to maintain than ever before. Finding the best battery-powered lawn mower for your yard starts by thinking about just how you will use it most.
If you have a large yard between a quarter to half an acre, you might want to prioritize a battery-powered electric lawn mower that has a high voltage rating and can store a significant amount of amp hours. Though this isn’t necessarily the only way to get a lot of run time out of your electric lawn mower. Some manufacturers while Greenworks, Ryobi and Wox have an extensive line of outdoor power tools that use the same batteries as many of their more-popular electric lawn mowers. If you are a fan of these brands, you could potentially interchange the batteries to extend the average run time of a mowing session.
Getting an electric lawn mower with a smart charger built-in or included in the initial purchase is also a helpful way to maximize the overall life span of the lithium-ion batteries. Though even if you have your eyes on a cordless electric lawn mower that has a traditional charger, you just need to be mindful to take it off the charger when the batteries reach their max.
If you like in close quarters with your neighbors, of you have children who take their naps while you mow, you might want to prioritize a cordless lawn mower with a brushless electric motor. Not only do these electric motors last longer and produce negligible heat, but they are also incredibly silent.
There certainly are a lot of great cordless electric lawn mower on the market today. You might even feel a little spoiled for choice finding the one with the features you need.