Greenworks 80V Mower Review: The Battery Is Not the Problem

Battery mowers are usually criticised for one thing, which is that they run out before the lawn does.

This one does the opposite and is let down somewhere else entirely. This Greenworks 80V mower review follows that order.

It Ran Longer Than the Box Said

Forty five minutes claimed. About sixty five measured. Forty four per cent more than promised.

The product page quotes up to 45 minutes of run time on the included 4.0Ah battery, which is the figure most buyers plan around.

An independent reviewer who used it on his own lawn reported getting roughly 65 minutes from the same battery, which is 44.4% beyond the claim.

We spend a lot of time catching brands whose published figures flatter them. One that goes the other way is worth stopping on. Understating a run time is rare, and it is the right kind of rare.

Plan around 45 minutes anyway. Battery performance falls in cold weather, in long wet grass and as a pack ages. Use the generous figure as headroom, not as a budget.

What Actually Disappointed

The same reviewer scored it 55% overall, and none of his complaints were about cutting or battery life.

Three mechanical niggles came up, and all three are about mechanisms rather than about power.

The rear flap rolled under the deck and stopped the mower rolling backwards. On a propelled machine that is exactly when you need it to move freely.

The turbo button disengaged on its own without explanation, and the battery auto switch failed to hand over, meaning the pack had to be pulled out and put back by hand.

He still came down in its favour at 55%, describing it as barely making the cut. Battery life, cut quality and warranty outweighed the faults.

That is a more useful verdict than a straight recommendation, because it tells you precisely which parts to check on arrival and which parts you can stop worrying about.

The Range and What Each One Costs

The self-propelled Pro at $559.99 is currently cheaper than the push model at $649.99.

Pro 80V 21 inch self-propelled at $559.99

Reduced from $699.99, which is 20% off and $140 saved. This is the model the independent test covered and the one most people mean by the 80V mower.

80V 21 inch Gen 2 push at $649.99

Ninety dollars more than the propelled model on its current price, and it does not propel itself. What it adds is dual battery ports with Auto Switch, a four in one cutting system, LED headlights and folding handles. Price both on the day rather than assuming push is cheaper.

The refurbished self-propelled

Sold by the brand with a 4.0Ah and a 2.0Ah battery, so two packs rather than one. If the warranty terms match, refurbished is usually the best value in any tool range.

Wider decks up to 60 inches

The 80V platform runs from 21 inch walk behinds up to 42, 54 and 60 inch ride on decks, so the battery system scales with the lawn rather than making you change brands.

What You Get for the Money

A steel deck rather than plastic, which is the specification that separates this from cheaper battery mowers.

Twenty one inch steel deck. Seven cutting heights from one and three eighths to three and three quarter inches. Three in one mulch, bag and side discharge.

At 71.65 pounds it is heavy for a walk behind. That is partly the steel deck and partly the battery, and it is why the propelled version is the one to buy on any slope.

The reviewer specifically praised the steel deck for handling uneven ground without the jarring vibration he associated with plastic decked electric mowers.

The Warranty Nobody Mentions

Four years on the battery, not just the tool, which is where the real money sits.

Four years on the tool is good. The four year battery warranty is the figure that should move the decision.

On any cordless machine the pack is the expensive consumable, so a brand covering it for four years is accepting the risk most of this category pushes onto the buyer.

At $559.99 across four covered years the battery warranty works out at $140.00 a year. Unlike a petrol mower there is no fuel, no oil and no spark plug on top.

1. Check the rear flap sits properly before first use
2. Test the auto switch handover on both packs
3. Register the warranty on the day it arrives
4. Keep the battery out of a freezing garage over winter
5. Plan mowing around 45 minutes, not 65

Who Should Buy

Buy if you have a medium lawn, you want to stop buying petrol, and a four year battery warranty matters more to you than a perfect self-propel mechanism.

Look elsewhere if you need flawless mechanical reliability out of the box, or if your lawn is small enough that a cheaper push mower on a lower voltage platform would do the job.

Final Verdict

Seven out of ten. The headline is that an independent tester got about 65 minutes against a 45 minute claim, which is 44.4% over and the opposite of what we usually find, with cut quality he called top notch and a steel deck that handles rough ground properly. Four years of warranty on the battery as well as the tool is genuinely strong at $140.00 per covered year. What holds it back is a rear flap that rolls under and blocks reversing, a turbo button that disengages on its own and an auto switch that needed manual help, which took that reviewer to a 55% score. Anyone reading a Greenworks 80V mower review should check those three mechanisms on arrival.

FAQs

How long does the Greenworks 80V mower run?

Up to 45 minutes claimed with the 4.0Ah battery. An independent tester measured about 65 minutes, though cold weather and long grass cut that back.

How much does it cost?

The Pro 21 inch self-propelled was $559.99 reduced from $699.99. The Gen 2 push model was listed higher at $649.99.

What is the warranty?

Four years on both the tool and the battery, which is the strongest part of the package on a cordless machine.

Is the self-propel system any good?

It is where the complaints sit. One reviewer found the rear flap rolling under and blocking reverse, plus a turbo button that disengaged on its own.

Is the deck metal or plastic?

Steel, which one reviewer credited for smoother running over uneven ground than plastic decked electric rivals.

How heavy is it?

71.65 pounds, which is why the self-propelled version is worth having on anything other than a flat lawn.