It’s mowing season, and I’m celebrating 7 years with my EGO battery-powered mower this year. I’m a big fan because it works like a regular lawn mower, but it’s quieter (great for listening to podcasts or music), and my clothes don’t smell like gasoline after mowing. Speaking of smell, I no longer have to take a gas can to the gas station and risk it tipping over in the trunk, which has happened before.
One Battery, Lots of Tools#
The EGO mower uses the same battery as the company’s other tools. I have the EGO leaf blower and snow blower. The battery that came with the mower can handle my whole yard unless I let the grass get way too tall. In that case, I just put the battery on the charger and go weed whip. By the time I’m done with that, the battery has enough juice to finish the job. I picked up another battery with the other tools, so now I can do a quick swap and keep going if I run out.
That shared battery system is a bigger deal than it sounds. Once you’ve bought into one brand’s batteries, every tool after that is cheaper because you can buy the “tool only” version. It also means the batteries get used year-round. The same pack that mows the lawn in July clears the driveway in January, which is a pretty good deal in a Midwest winter.
What Seven Years Has Taught Me#
A few things stand out after this long:
- No engine maintenance. No oil changes, spark plugs, air filters, or carburetor cleaning. No fuel going stale over the winter and gumming things up in the spring.
- It starts every time. Push the button, pull the handle, and it’s running. No yanking a pull cord ten times on the first mow of the season.
- It’s quiet. Gas mowers are loud enough that you need hearing protection. With the battery mower, you can mow early on a Saturday without being “that neighbor.”
- It folds up. It stores standing up in the garage, which frees up a lot of floor space.
Tips for Battery Mowers#
If you’re considering the switch, here are a few things that help a battery mower last:
- Bring the batteries inside in winter if you don’t use them for snow. Extreme cold and heat are hard on lithium-ion batteries. Store them somewhere cool and dry, not in a freezing or sweltering garage.
- Keep the blade sharp. A sharp blade cuts cleaner and uses less power, which means more run time per charge. Sharpen it once a season or so.
- Mow before it gets too tall. Tall, thick, or wet grass drains a battery much faster. Mowing a little more often is easier on the battery and better for the lawn.
- Mulch the clippings. Leaving clippings on the lawn returns nutrients to the soil and means no bagging.
Would I Buy It Again?#
Yes. Seven years in, it still does the job, it’s cheaper to run than gas, and I don’t miss the smell, the noise, or the trips to fill a gas can. If your old gas mower is on its last legs, a battery mower is worth a serious look.
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