Cordless lawn mowers....

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Anybody take the plunge and go cordless for their yard? My yard is a standard size lot but my Bermuda grass can get really thick if we get some good rains and I don't mow it twice a week. Current mower is 20 years old and starting to burn oil and parts are stating to fail. Was going to go ahead and fork out the big bucks and get the crème-de-la-crème hoochie Honda gas mower, but....do I really need to shell out 700 bucks for another gas mower? Heard the biggest problem with cordless mowers are battery longevity. Wonder if any of ya'll have had experience with these. I probably cut 35 times per year.
 
I would read latest Consumer Reports. I believe some cordless models are now rated as good as gas models. Some models have batteries that also work on other OPE.

I would get the robot lawn mower. With those you do not "cut" the grass rather you 'maintain" the grass.
 
If you cut the lawn more often, a cordless will work. If not, then expect the battery to have a shortened life.

I recently paid $249 for my mulcher/rear-bagger Yard Machine at Lowes. Cuts average yards quickly / very easily.
 
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Any Honda-powered mower will do the job, unless your heart is set on an electric. You want a Honda GCV160 engine, and they’re available for < $400 at your local Sam’s Club or Costco.
 
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I purchased the 21 inch self propelled ego power mower from Home Depot.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/EGO-21-in-56..._-206515944-_-N

I got it at the beginning of last year and have no regrets about buying it. The cut is not as good as my last mower. A B&S gas powered mower. I don't mind though. I needed it to fold up to save space in the garage, liked that I didn't need to get gas and oil for it also.

I have the 7.5 AMP battery so it lasts plenty long enough for me. Does my entire lawn and the other side of the duplex I own all without the low battery light coming on. Battery recharges in an hour or so.

The self propelled feature can be set from really slow to almost a jog. Although to get a good cut you couldn't go the max speed.

I have tried it on high grass and had to slow down some but not too much.

Overall I am happy to have got rid of my B&S gas mower that had quite a few problems that this solved. No big complaints here. Worth the extra $ I had to pay compared to a gas mower, for me that is.
 
Bought my current mower in 1993. Only change oil every few years. Just uses gas. I got my moneys worth, and it's still going. I have never had luck with batteries. They work great at first, then it's downhill and I have had to replace them.
 
I don't know....kind of still leaning towards this Honda....HRX217VKA. I've watched some videos of dudes cutting their grass, but it wasn't thick like Bermuda can get down here. When it's really thick, my 6 HP B$S engine strains. Kind of got me thinking, what if it rains a lot and then I can't cut it for two weeks and the electric can't handle it. What do I do then? Keep two mowers? Honda looking good so far.....
 
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Your lawn will never know if you're using the $700 Honda VS the $400 Honda. Take care of a good mower and it will last you twenty years.
 
We’re at a point where half the mowers at Home Depot are battery electric. I would recommend them (56 V and up) if you are not the guy with thick tall wet grass. For that, go ahead and buy a gas mower with no shame. If you have a lighter requirement buy a battery electric, 56 or 60 V + with the largest Amp hr you can find. Keep in mind you are leading the way and there is not a lot of long term data available. Good luck. Bring on the gassers!
 
A friend of mine used a cordless mower for two years. I forget the brand but it was one of the highest rated on Amazon. It simply couldn't meet the power the gas mower provided.

His grass would get decently thick after a good rain, and the mower just struggled. He also found that the batteries seemed to hold less of a charge over time, and by the end of his lawn (fairly small lot) the mower had greatly reduced power.

He does have a battery operated weed trimmer though which works great. I think the cordless mowers simply don't have the torque for thicker grass yet.
 
I have a 24v lead acid battery electric mower that I got at Menards and an older Honda GCV160 powered gas mower. Before I planted Bermuda grass the battery powered mower did just fine cutting the whole yard on one charge. After the Bermuda was planted and when we get a little rain and some hot weather like the Bermuda grass loves the 24v mower just doesn't have the power or runtime to get the job done and forget mulching. The gas Honda powered mower does just fine in the thick Bermuda. That said I really liked the low maintenance, easy starting, quiet and no gas and oil of the battery mower. I am looking at the EGO 56V to replace my aging Honda powered mower but like you I haven't seen any reviews from people with thick Bermuda grass yards. Even overgrown fescue is still not as tough to mow as a healthy Bermuda lawn.
 
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Personally, I would only consider a cordless mower if I had postage stamp sized front and back yards. But, that's me. Here in FL, a cordless mower might work on St Augustine Grass lawns, but nice thick Bahia lawn would laugh at a cordless machine.

Like a couple of others have said: You would probably get 20 more years out of a $400 mower.
 
I'm on my second corded electric mower. The last one lasted 11 years before the motor failed. I paid around $150 for it. The new one is a Green Works, 13amp, 21" mulch/bag/side discharge. It works well with adequate power. I learned how to manage the cord a long time ago, but some may find it too irritating. It is very quiet and the only maintenance required is occasional blade sharpening. I got it at the end of last season on Amazon for $140, delivered. I almost bought the company's dual blade cordless mower, but I let the grass go too long sometimes and I was afraid it wouldn't be able to "cut" it (sorry, pun).
 
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
A friend of mine used a cordless mower for two years. I forget the brand but it was one of the highest rated on Amazon. It simply couldn't meet the power the gas mower provided.

His grass would get decently thick after a good rain, and the mower just struggled. He also found that the batteries seemed to hold less of a charge over time, and by the end of his lawn (fairly small lot) the mower had greatly reduced power.

He does have a battery operated weed trimmer though which works great. I think the cordless mowers simply don't have the torque for thicker grass yet.


Can you get us the brand and voltage rating? That would be very useful. Anything less than 56 volts is sort of low, as there are 60 V and 80 V units out there. Just watch, I’ll bet Honda will have a cordless electric mower out soon.
 
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For many years now we have a corded electric and it works great. On the negative side, the cord is a minor annoyance you have to sometimes move out of the way, But the positive side is that the mower is lite weight and easy to push, and you do not have to mess with gasoline, oil, or a carburetor not working correctly.
 
Appreciate the comments gentlemen....the HRX217VKA is 599 at Home Depot. Think I'll grab grandma who gets the 10% military retire discount and get that.
 
The electric mowers are really good. Plenty of torque and no hassle starting or oil changes. However, here in South Florida with St. Augustine grass, you will need 2 (or even 3) batteries if your yard is larger than a zero lot line type lawn.

Things to remember, electrical (electronic) repairs are not all that simple with no local shops doing the work, and replacement (spare) batteries cost as much as a replacement engine.
 
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