Tired of getting stuck with jumbled cords while using corded lawn mowers? Or running out of gas at the most inopportune moment with your gas powered lawn mower? A cordless walk behind lawn mower may be just the thing!
A cordless mower combines the freedom of movement that a gas powered mower gives you with the mainly maintenance free operation of electric mowers.
In the main part of the review I will run through some features of a couple of these cordless wonders.
Contents
Full Disclosure: I earn commissions for purchases made through links in this article. |
Sun Joe MJ401C 28-Volt Cordless Walk Behind Lawn Mower
This popular mower from Sun Joe is a good choice for small to medium size lawns.
Features and Description
- Cordless operation
- Brushless 28-volt electric motor
- 4 Ah rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery(good size battery)
- LED battery level check
- AC adapter for recharging at any plug outlet
The fact that it is cordless means that you don’t have to struggle with a cord the whole time. The 28-volt electric motor delivers a decent amount of power and it being of the brushless type, it should give you less noise and a longer runtime + average motor lifetime due to increased efficiency and less parts to wearing out.
The 4 ah battery holds more charge than 2 ah batteries often seen on battery powered garden equipment. You can check the battery level via a push button LED indicator. You should normally be able to squeeze half an hour of cutting out of the battery before it gets thirsty again. You’ll probably be thirsty yourself!
The battery sits inside the plastic hood of the mower. You recharge the battery via an ac adapter cord that you can plug in at any normal ac outlet of the house. Fully recharging can take anywhere from 3-4 hours though.
- 14 inch wide cut path
- Steel cutting blades
- Adjustable cutting height
- Detachable grass catcher
A 14 inch cut path is wide enough and should keep you from having to do too many passes. Although with cordless mowers it is less of a pain to do some extra passes. The cutting height can be manually adjusted. There are 3 preset heights. A detachable grass catcher comes with the machine to catch grass clippings.
- Instant start button
- Safety switch
- Collapsible handle
- All-terrain wheels
When starting the mower you have to depress the safety handle before you press the start switch otherwise you won’t be able to go “it’s ALIVE, it’s ALIVE!” The handle is collapsible, but it is the top part that collapses down. So it folds down in half basically. Generous size wheels are attached.
Questions and Answers
How do I increase the power while mowing?
I believe the mower does it automatically when it gets into thicker patches of grass.
If the battery dies on me, can I replace it?
Yes, the battery is accessible. It sits underneath the plastic hood of the mower. I think there is a 2-year replacement warranty if the mower dies, I suspect the battery would also qualify for that.
Possible PROS & CONS
|
|
Find out more about the Sun Joe cordless mower on Amazon.com |
My Thoughts
The Sun Joe MJ401C cordless lawn mower looks like a really solid offering for small to medium sized yards. The brushless motor is a big plus with it’s quiet and maintenance free operation. No plugs, oil or filters involved.
Greenworks 40-Volt Cordless Walk Behind Lawnmower
Let’s up the volts for this model. The Greenworks has a larger 40-volt motor that it shares with some of it’s other Greenworks brothers and sisters.
Features and Description
- Cordless operation
- G-max system 40-volt motor
- G-Max system 4 ah battery
- Correct charger included
The G-max battery system and motor can be found across a range of Greenworks products, making it a tried and tested cordless combo. You can expect around 40 plus minutes of cutting time on a charged battery, which is a bit better than one usually gets. Normally 25 – 30 minutes is standard. This means that you get more done in one go – good for tackling bigger yards.
- 16 inch cut path
- 7 inch rear wheels + 6 inch front wheels
- 5 setting cut height adjustment
The 16 inch wide cut path is slightly wider than the usual standard 12 – 14 inch. I means less passes, yet it is not too wide too make maneuvering on smaller patches of grass difficult. The wheels are a good size and seem suitably rugged. The 5 point height adjustment gives you settings ranging from 1-1/4 inch to 3-3/8-inch in cutting height. The lever is nice and big and mounted right on top of the housing. Easier to reach and adjust than mowers that have the height lever down on one side near a rear wheel.
- 2-in-1 mower/mulcher operation
- Grass catcher bag
- Power button start
- Handle folds down for storage
You can do some basic mulching with this mower. Starting the mower is a lot easier than starting a gas powered model. No yanking a cord, just push a button. The handle folds down, taking up less space when storing it after a cutting session.
Questions and Answers
Can I store this lawn mower in my lean-to shed?
As long as it is decently waterproof as steel parts will probably rust in wet conditions.
Will it handle tall grass well?
It does pretty good. You will probably have to go over the patch twice to get a clean cut. It is of course better to cut the lawn more regularly to avoid struggling with tall grass. It can be tiring for you and puts extra strain on the mower motor. A dry lawn also cuts easier than a wet lawn. Something to keep in mind.
How can I tell how much juice the battery still has left?
On the battery itself there is a level indicator that shows you the charge status of the battery. You press a button and the level indicator lights up.
Possible PROS & CONS
|
|
Have a look at the Greenworks 40 volt mower on Amazon.com |
My thoughts
I think the advantages of its cordless design and relatively quiet, powerful motor offsets the hassle of having to charge the battery between cuts. Easier to get started than gas designs, this means you will be up and running quicker with this machine.
Thanks for reading my cordless walk behind mower post. You can also have a look at my cordless string trimmer post. All the best to you! |