With so many homeowners switching from gas to cordless electric lawnmowers, the big question is whether a battery-powered mower can deliver the power to compete with a gas model.
The Greenworks 80V 21” lawnmower has risen to this challenge and appears to have succeeded. With power equivalent to a 160cc (5HP) gas machine, the potent Greenworks MO80L510 is a cordless lawn mower capable of keeping a one-acre yard in tip-top shape.
This is certainly an above-average cordless lawn mower and is quite robust. It’s also self-propelled, making this one of the most sought-after battery-powered lawn mowers in the mid-price range.
As one of the most popular garden tool brands, Greenworks is a common sight across suburbia and the 80V battery platform includes an enormous range of high-power tools. I guess the next big question would be: Is the Greenworks 21” 80V lawn mower any good?
Most folks seem to be delighted with this mower and complaints are rare. There are a few niggles that could be improved upon. There always will be. No machine is perfect. In this Greenworks 21” battery-powered lawn mower review, I’ll be examining every aspect of this immensely popular model – the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Greenworks 80V 21-Inch Lawn Mower | Comprehensive Review
Specs & Features:
- Powerful 1,500W brushless motor.
- Up to 70 minutes runtime.
- 3-in-1 – mulch, bag, or side discharge.
- SmartCut technology automatically senses when more power is needed.
- Self-propelled (1.97 – 4.93 FPS).
- Durable metal deck.
- Compact vertical storage.
- 7 deck height positions (1³̷₈ – 3”).
- 3 handle positions.
- Handle height: 42”.
- Weight: 59.13 LBS (68.34 LBS including 5AH battery).
- Warranty: 4 years for tool and battery.
Review:
The Greenworks Pro 21” lawn mower may not be in the same league as the gas-powered Husqvarna or Honda machines used by many professionals. It is, however, a cut above the average domestic-grade cordless electric lawn mower.
The 21” cutting path and wonderfully powerful 1,500W brushless motor, give this beast the advantage over many battery-powered mowers – even models that cost considerably more. That’s good news for anyone seeking a reasonably affordable, good-quality cordless lawn mower.
Power & Battery Performance
The guys at Greenworks claim that the 80V 21-inch lawn mower is as powerful as a 160cc gas model. While I can’t verify this claim, I can’t dispute it either. I can certainly say that this is a brutishly powerful machine and all the customer reviews that I’ve seen concur.
The SmartCut function is a pretty cool feature. It adapts the power to your current requirements, thereby reducing power consumption when it is not needed and ramping up the power when it is.
You can use any Greenworks 80V battery for this model, but keep in mind that it’s incredibly powerful, which obviously requires more amps, so a larger battery is better. The Greenworks MO80L510 kit includes a 5AH battery and a charger for a little more than the price of the bare tool, making it a fantastic deal.
Since a 5AH battery is ideal for this mower, I’d say it’s the best offering of the many Greenworks combo kits available. With this battery, you can get up to 70 minutes of mowing time. That would be in ideal, seldom achievable conditions. A more realistic expectation would be around an hour, which should be plenty enough time for most yards. It takes 75 minutes to recharge the battery.
Using the Greenworks Pro 80V 21” Lawn mower
Considering the durable metal deck, large motor, and generally robust build quality, the Greenworks 21” cordless mower isn’t too heavy – just over 59 pounds. When you hook up the 5AH battery, the weight climbs to around 68 pounds, which is still reasonable for a mower of this size and capabilities.
The four wheels can handle every situation you’re likely to encounter and rear-wheel-drive self-propulsion is a real plus. Though I’m not overly impressed with the Greenworks drive system.
For one thing, it’s quite awkward holding the drive bar that engages the self-propulsion. If you have short fingers, using the Greenworks mower may be really difficult. It also seems to be a bit lazy, taking its time to get up to speed when you set out.
This is not really a complaint, but an automatic speed-sensing mower is really great. The Greenworks has a speed adjustment lever, so you set your speed and that’s what it does. You can’t simply increase the pressure of your push action to increase the speed like with some other mowers. Nonetheless, the speed range of 1.97 to 4.93 FPS is perfectly reasonable and does make it a lot easier to control the large machine.
Adjusting the height, from its low position of 1³̷₈” to the maximum height of 3” is a breeze. A single 7-position lever adjusts the height for all four wheels. The handle is also adjustable, allowing for a comfortable position.
The Greenworks mower collapses into a compact unit with the handle folded down and it’s designed for vertical storage.
The metal blade is perhaps not extremely heavy-duty but is pretty durable and shouldn’t have any hassles in a regular yard. It has a variable speed of 2,800 to 3,200 RPM.
It has a 60-liter (15.85 Gal) bag to catch grass clippings with the usual 3-in-1 cutting options – Mulch, bag, or side discharge.
Apart from all the many conveniences of electric vs gas, noise is another compelling factor why so many are making the switch to battery-powered lawn mowers. To this end, the Greenworks cordless mower is great, measuring only 87dBA at the operator. You can breeze across your lawn on a Sunday afternoon, and your neighbors won’t have a problem. If anything, they should be quite envious.
Conclusion
Greenworks reserve the “Pro” designation for their more professional-grade, higher quality cordless tools. While the Greenworks Pro 80V 21-inch lawn mower is certainly a good-quality option for homeowners, I wouldn’t exactly classify it as a high-end product for landscapers. Perhaps an entry-level professional rating might suffice.
This mower isn’t exorbitantly expensive, in fact, it’s one of the cheaper options for a durable 21” cordless lawn mower. For even better value, the inclusion of a 5AH battery makes the Greenworks MO80L510 an almost irresistible deal.
The brand has great reputation for good value and, while customer service can sometimes be a bit slow, you know you can call their service center and speak to someone who is there to help. The four-year warranty for both the mower and battery is certainly nothing to be scoffed at.
