EGO POWER+ 28 In. Self-Propelled 2-Stage Snow Blower – Model SNT2807

EGO POWER+ 28 In 2-Stage Snow Blower

5/5

Manufacturer: EGO
Model number: SNT2807
Price: $2,199
Power source: 56V Li-Ion
Weight: 182 lbs

This battery powered snow blower was  designed to perform like a gas powered 2-stage unit and it’s clear from the outset that EGO has set the bar high. Some fresh wet snow here in New Hampshire was a great way to give this snow blower a great test. Check our thoughts on this battery powered snow blower.

Specifications and Features

• 2-in-1 electronic chute adjustment joystick delivers effortless control of 200-degree chute rotation and deflection
• Throws snow up to 60 feet
• EGO claims it will clear a 32-car driveway with 8 inches of snow on a single charge when used with the two recommended 12.0Ah ARC Lithium batteries
• Trigger-controlled steering assists with turning for more control
• Heated handle grips keep your hands warm
• 28-inch clearing width and 21-inch intake height
• Large 16- by 5-inch snow tires deliver added traction in slippery conditions
• IPX4-rated weather resistance for working in challenging weather conditions
• 5-year tool warranty, 5-year battery warranty

Initial Thoughts – Using the EGO 28 Inch 2-Stage Snow Blower

EGO ships the SNT2807 battery powered 2-stage snow blower on a pallet partially assembled. Assembly of the unit is exceptionally easy to do and takes less than 30 minutes from the time you un-crate the unit. The control panel and handles come shipped loose as well as the chute assembly. Both of these pieces come with the control cables attached to them so it’s really only a matter of attaching both with some easy to use bolts and knobs. The knobs have nuts embedded in them so there’s no tools needed, the knobs are simply hand tightened to the bolts.

Over the years we’ve been impressed with the quality of EGO outdoor power equipment and this unit is no different. It clearly stands out both in quality and the features compared to other similar snow blowers. EGO put some thought into both the controls on this snow blower and added features to make it stand out among the competition.

The snow blower includes large 16 inch by 5 inch snow tires that grip well and roll really nice. It also includes adjustable skid plates for the front of the snow blower. These are really important with gravel driveways to minimize the front auger area picking up stones and gravel.

The motorized chute rotates and tilts with the control of the joystick. The snow blower also includes a plastic stick for unplugging a clogged auger or chute.

The snow blower includes steel augers and a typical sheer pin design. The metal auger housing is sturdy and well built.

EGO has also included some LED lights both in front of the auger housing and also on the front of the control panel. This provides a good amount of light for blowing snow at night.

Snow Blower Controls

One of the first things that stand out on this snow blower are the controls. Pictured above are the controls which not only work well but they are very intuitive and positioned well.

• Drive Controls – The left green upper lever is the drive lever that engages the wheels. The lower black lever on the right and left handles are used to steer the snow blower left and right. The green handle just to the right of the left handle operates forward and reverse, with multiple positions that determine the wheel speed.
• Power / Accessories – In the center of the console is the large green power button, along with a button for the LED lights and also the heated handles.
• Auger Control – The upper right green handle engages the auger. It has a safety handle that must be depressed before the auger can be started. To the left of the right handle is the auger speed lever. This lever controls the speed of the auger and the distance the snow is thrown. This is a great feature as it allows battery use to be maximized depending on the depth and heaviness of the snow.
• Chute Controls – At the top, center of the control panel is a joystick that controls the snow chute. The joystick can be depressed left or right to move the chute left or right. By pressing the joystick forward or backward, the top of the chute is angled to increase or decrease the distance the snow is thrown. Both of these motions are motorized and not cable driven like older snow blowers.

Battery Compartment

The EGO 2-stage snow blower holds two batteries in a compartment located just over the axle. Without a motor this is a great location to store the batteries and place as much weight on the drive wheels as possible. The snow blower can use any of the EGO 56V batteries. EGO does recommend the 12 Ah ARC batteries for maximum performance.

Snow Blower Performance

Great features and controls are one thing but the real question is performance. So far the EGO POWER+ 28 Inch 2-Stage Snow Blower has proven to be an excellent battery powered snow blower. This snow blower was able to throw heavy wet snow just as good as a gas powered unit. The electric chute controls work well and the variable auger speed is a very useful feature. The torque created by the electric motor is evident when chewing through a 2 foot tall heavy wet snow bank. This blower can handle anything my old gas powered Craftsman did and then some.

Run-Time

EGO claims this snow blower can clear a 32 car driveway of 8 inches of snow. If you assume a car is roughly 6 ft wide, 15 feet long, or roughly 2,880 square feet. That’s roughly a 200 foot long driveway that’s roughly 10 feet or so wide. Of course 8 inches of what kind of snow? At any rate, that’s a decent size driveway. Just so happens that the driveway this snow blower was tested on is roughly that size. In the previous storm there was about 6 inches of heavy wet snow and a full charge nearly finished the driveway. Luckily we’ve got other EGO batteries so we just swapped them out and finished.

If you’re going to own a battery powered snow blower you really should own at least one set of backup batteries. This will double the range and make things much less frustrating. While doing research for this review, some users were complaining about batteries getting too cold to charge. This is definitely one down fall of all battery powered snow blowers and another reason to have a backup set of batteries that are stored in a warm area.

Final Thoughts – EGO 28 Inch 2-Stage Snow Blower

The EGO POWER+ 28 Inch 2-Stage Snow Blower is by far the best battery powered snow blower we’ve used and reviewed. The snow blower is packed full of features, has easy to use controls, offers exceptional performance, and supported by a company leading the way in battery powered outdoor power equipment. Backed by a 5 year warranty on both the machine and the batteries this snow blower deserves a 5 star rating. Get yourself and extra set of batteries and ditch the yearly maintenance of a gas powered machine and the reliability of your snow blower starting when you need it. We’ve all been in a situation where the gas snow blower won’t start when the first storm hits and that’s not fun!

EGO POWER+ 28 Inch 2-Stage Snow Blower Video Review

EGO POWER+ 28 Inch 2-Stage Snow Blower Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Best Cordless Blower | Head-To-Head

What would the perfect cordless leaf blower be? Wait…can we even call them leaf blowers? I certainly don’t use mine for leaves, I use them to blow sawdust on my job sites, my tools, out of my van and tool shed, or to clean off my patio and porch. They’re just blowers!

Comparing 15 Blowers

Fifteen manufacturers sent us their best handheld cordless blower. The majority of these blowers can be found in kit configuration and are sold at most common and online retailers. In past testings, we’ve received comments that we should include Harbor freight tools, so in this head-to-head test, we’re happy to welcome Harbor Freight’s Atlas blower to this test.

ATLAS

Model – 56994
Voltage – 80V
Battery Watt Hour – 288 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 150
CFM’s – 605 CFM’s
Length – 35-⅜”
Weight – 4lbs, 6oz
Price – 274.99 (when added kit components)

CRAFTSMAN

Model – CMCBL730P1
Voltage – 20V
Battery Watt Hour – 100 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 110
CFM’s – 410 CFM’s
Length – 33-½”
Weight – 5lbs, 7oz
Price – $149.00

DEWALT

Model – DCBL772X1
Voltage – 60V
Battery Watt Hour – 180 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 125
CFM’s – 600 CFM
Length – 36-¾”
Weight – 6lbs, 2oz
Price – $299.00

ECHO

Model – DPB-2500
Voltage – 56V
Battery Watt Hour – 252 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 158
CFM’s – 549 CFM’s
Length – 36-¼”
Weight – 5lbs, 6oz
Price – $199.99

EGO

Model – LB7654
Voltage 56V
Battery Watt Hour – 280 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 200
CFM’s – 765 CFM’s
Length – 36-½
Weight – 4lbs, 11oz
Price – $329.00

GREENWORKS

Model – BLB489
Voltage: 80V
Battery Watt Hour – 180 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 170
CFM’s – 730 CFM’s
Length – 37-1/8
Weight – 5lbs, 8ozs
Price – $342.99

HART

Model – HLB07VNM
Voltage: 40V
Battery Watt Hour – 180 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 155
CFM’s – 600 CFMs
Length – 37-⅜”
Weight – 6lbs, 12ozs
Price – $138.00

KOBALT

Model – KLB 1040A-03
Voltage 40V
Battery Watt Hour – 160 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 120
CFM’s – 520 CFM’s
Length -33-¾”
Weight – 5lbs, 4ozs
Price – $169.00

MAKITA

Model – GBU01M1
Voltage 40V
Battery Watt Hour – 160 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 143
CFM’s – 565 CFM’s
Length – 33-1/2″, 35-1/2″, 37-1/2″ (ADJUSTABLE)
Weight – 5lbs, 5ozs
Price – $439.00

MILWAUKEE

Model – 2824-20
Voltage 18V
Battery Combined Watt Hour – 288 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 145
CFM’s – 600 CFM
Length – 37-⅜”
Weight – 6lbs, 1oz
Price – $707.00 (not kit)

RIDGID

Model – R01601K
Voltage – 18V
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 130
Battery Watt Hour – 288 Wh
CFM’s – 510 CFM’s
Noise dB – 83.1
Length – 34-¼”
Weight – 5lbs, 7ozs
Price – $241.53

RYOBI

Model – RY404100
Voltage – 40V
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 190
CFM’s – 730 CFM’s
*Battery Watt Hour – 144 Wh
Noise dB – 84.6
Length – 37-⅞”
Weight – 6lbs, 4ozs
Price – $269.00
*Wh based on one battery

SKIL

Model – BL4713-c-11
Voltage 40V
Battery Watt Hour – 100 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 193
CFM’s – 500 CFM’s
Length – 36”
Weight – 4lbs, 3ozs
Price – $159.00

STIHL

Model – BGA 86
Voltage: 36V
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 154
Battery Watt Hour – 337 Wh
CFM’s – 459 CFMs
Length – 38-½” (ADJUSTABLE)
Weight – 6lbs, 5ozs
Price – $839.97 (not kit)

TORO

Model – 51822
Voltage – 60v
Battery Watt Hour – 216 Wh
Max Air Speed (MPH) – 157
CFM’s – 605 CFMs
Length – 37-½”
Weight – 5lbs, 8oz
Price – $290.03

Cordless Blower Testing | 7 Criteria

Our goal was NOT to verify marketing claims, instead, we used ANSI testing standards as a guide, to create consistent, repeatable, and measurable data that you can make intelligent decisions on.

Our team scored the blowers on seven criteria, each ranked independently, and the “Overall Best Cordless Blower” was determined using the combined test results.

We include but did not rank price and best value categories, but list them here for your own informational purposes.

7 Scoring Criteria

1. Pitot Tube Run-time Testing – Directly measure air speed with a pitot tube and calculate MPH and CFM during a runtime performance test
2. Weighted Sled Test – tested the thrust performance with a sled rig on rails.
3. Ergonomics and Features – Ergonomics is really important to users and an important category to consider when purchasing any power tool.
4. Balance – Measured the balance and resulting rotation in the off and full throttle states.
5. Noise -Measured Decibels at full throttle
6. Best Value – Not ranked.
7. Price – The kit price at the time of publishing. Not ranked.

Anemometer | Pitot Tube Air Test

I’ll be honest, I had to ask Jeff what a Pitot tube was. Jeff, also a helicopter pilot, explained that a pitot tube probe measures the pressure difference of an air stream and can calculate fluid flow velocity. The Pitot Tube was invented by a French engineer, Henri Pitot, in the early 18th century.

Pitot tubes are widely used to determine the airspeed of aircraft, the water speed of boats, and the flow velocity of liquids, air, and gasses in various industries.

When manufacturers test their blowers to come up with the MPH and CFM values they follow an American National Standard (ANSI) procedure to measure the force or thrust. This is effectively an electronic scale that measures the force in Newton’s 5 inches from the blower nozzle.

Using fluid dynamics theory and measured environmental parameters like temperature, pressure, and humidity, the average and peak MPH and CFM values can be calculated.

We replicated this ANSI procedure to validate the measured MPH values gathered from our pitot tube instrument. Both measurements aligned. Here’s a summary of that procedure:

1. We used a 13.8 in ± aluminum plate as a force plate for our electronic scale.
2. We vertically mounted and centered the blowers in our rig and off the force plate 5”.
3. The blower was operated for 10 seconds, and the result was recorded.
4. Three tests were performed for an average measurement.
5. Barometric pressure, temperature, and humidity were recorded
6. Used ANSI blower performance equations to calculate theoretical peak and average blower speed

Anemometer and Pitot Tube | Testing

The Pitot Tube was set up 5 inches from each blower in the center of the air stream. Batteries were fully charged and measurements were taken at full throttle. The data was collected at 1 Hz sample rate or once per second until the battery was drained.

An ExTech HD350 Pitot Tube Anemometer was used to perform this test. The chart below shows data for all 15 blowers.

Using this data we were able to determine and calculate 4 important metrics for each blower, ranked them separately, and also combined them for an “Airflow Performance” winner.

1. Run-time in minutes
2. Average Speed
3. Average CFM
4. Total air moved

Run-time | Sustained Performance Winner | Stihl

You can see from the chart that the Stihl ran the longest, at 25.4 minutes. Second place was ECHO with 19.4 minutes, followed in third place by Milwaukee at 16.7 minutes.

This is a good time to talk about open and closed-loop battery control and how it relates to sustained performance. One of the biggest complaints with cordless blowers is their poor run-time and tendency to suffer a drop in sustained performance over time, as the battery discharges.

Three blowers Makita, Milwaukee, and Stihl all have closed-loop control on the battery output enabling them to run at a consistent [not peak] speed, for the life of the battery. While these blower batteries may have more power that could be drawn from them, these closed loop controls limit the output so an expected level of sustained performance can be delivered over a longer period of time. This is a feature that appeals to Pro users.

In contrast, most of the blowers, we tested, showed open-loop control.  Their peak performance was delivered within the first few moments of battery discharge, and then a variable level of declining performance results, as the battery discharges.  For example, the Ryobi blower showed a 22% drop in performance when comparing a fully charged battery to one that is half “empty”.

The three closed-loop control blowers we tested, all handle the dwindling voltage of their batteries a bit differently:

• Makita ran at a consistent speed until it quit.
• Milwaukee ran at a consistent speed for over 90% of the battery life before rapidly fading.
• Stihl ran consistently for over 80% and then when the voltage began to drop, it forced a reduction to 75% peak power to continue on for an additional 5 minutes.

As pro tool users, we feel that having a blowers power stay consistent, and maintain its performance over the entire battery charge is really important.

Average Speed Winner | Stihl

Speed is measured in miles per hour and measures air velocity, or more specifically, the rate at which air passes through the blower’s nozzle.

A higher mph rating, results in the ability to push more dense or sticky debris like gravel or wet leaves. One interesting fact is that many tool companies market their blower’s performances by their PEAK measurement. We used average recordings to give you the MOST realistic and honest measurement.

The Stihl performed the best with an average speed of 124.5 mph. Second place was Milwaukee at 119.8 mph and closely followed in third place was Makita at 119.5 mph.

Note – The chart shows the EGO with the highest initial peak speed, but its average performance over time dropped, resulting in a fourth placement.

CFM Winner | EGO

Cubic feet per minute or CFM was calculated by taking the measured speed data and combining it with the area of the nozzle opening, to calculate the volume of air moved per minute.

The EGO came in first with 659 CFM. Second place was Makita with 643 CFM, and third was HART with 628 CFM.

The higher the CFM value, the more air your blower produces, resulting in a wider area cleaned in a shorter time.

Total Air Moved Winner | Stihl

The winner of this category is a combination of run-time and average CFM. This is an indication of the total amount of work performed on a battery charge.

The Stihl performed the best, coming in at 11,550 cubic feet, followed by ECHO with 11,126 cubic feet. Third place was Milwaukee with 10,032 cubic feet.

Overall Airflow Performance Winner | Milwaukee

It’s important to note that two of the above categories are power performance values, and the other two are indications of battery size and runtime. In order to level the playing field between tortoises and hares we combined all four categories to see how the blowers performed in totality.

The winner was Milwaukee, followed closely by EGO and Stihl.

Weighted Sled Test | Power Test Winner | EGO

Who doesn’t like a strong-man contest?  We’ve touched on the importance of MPH and CFM, but the importance of where these two values intersect is the overall “force or thrust” that a blower can produce.

Manufacturers measure this force in Newtons in their development and testing. We developed a test rig to indirectly measure thrust and provide a good visual understanding.

We built a weighted sled that rides on low-friction wheels attached to inclined rails.

Sled Procedure

Prior to each blower test the rails and wheels were cleaned and lubricated with silicone. To perform this test we placed each blower’s tube onto a v-shaped rest, mounted to the sled. We placed the blower body onto a tool rest setting the blower in the same plane as the sled rails. Once set, we ran each blower for a 10-second count and recorded the sled movement on a measuring tape mounted to the sled. Three tests were completed for an average measurement. All blowers were tested with a 5.5 weight placed on the sled rig.

Two blowers maxed this test out, they were the EGO and Ryobi. We then added a second 5.5. lb plate and retested both blowers. The Ryobi was able to move the sled approximately halfway, while the EGO maxed out the rig a second time!

The sled topped out at 70 inches. Our chart below does not account for the additional weighted tests for EGO or Ryobi. EGO was the clear winner, Ryobi was second followed by Harbor Freight’s Atlas blower which was able to move the sled 66 inches.

Blower Nozzle or No Nozzle | What’s Best?

We wanted to see the direct impact of the nozzles on our weighted sled rig. The nozzles are designed to narrow the opening of the chute and increase the speed of air coming out.

Many people don’t realize that manufacturers will often use a nozzle to measure higher peak MPH values and will use the wider chute opening without the nozzle to list their peak CFM number. The same blower, but tested with different configurations.

Most manufacturers supply a nozzle because many users feel it increases performance, and they ask for it. The reality is that adding a nozzle may increase the localized air stream speed, but the added friction and constriction reduce the overall performance.  [E.g Milwaukee reduces from 17.5 to 17 Newtons, but increases from 145 to 155 mph]

Our sled test results showed that adding a nozzle to the blower drastically reduced the blower’s performance on the sled test. For example, the Ryobi which was able to max out the test sled at 70-inches without a nozzle, was only able to achieve 58-inches with a nozzle. Similar results were observed with EGO and Milwaukee nozzles.

Ergonomics and Features Winner | EGO

This category is compiled from the combined opinions of the TBB crew after using the tools. Grip, throttle, battery removal, intake placement, and adjustable chute length were evaluated.

The EGO eked out a win with 10 points, followed closely by Makita and Milwaukee which tied for second place each with 11 points.

Grip

While all blowers had relatively comfortable grips, both the EGO and Milwaukee stood out. They have base stands that can double as a two-handed hold for overhead use or off-balance use.

Throttle | Trigger | Power On

When it came to evaluating the blower’s throttle, the TBB crew favored blowers with a single point of activation. Unfortunately, most blowers employ a boost button, which we feel is an unnecessary hassle and a marketing gimmick.  Some of the blowers, like the Craftsman, have boost features that can be locked on – we preferred that to having to hold the button down. Pro users definitely do not want to have to engage a second button.

The Milwaukee throttle stood out with ambidextrous use and had a very responsive throttle control and no boost button.

Lastly, some blowers have a power-on switch, or safety feature, in order to power on the trigger. Most of the crew found these features frustrating.

Battery Insertion and Removal

When considering the battery removal and installation, the crew really liked those blowers, like the Kobalt, that offer a spring-loaded ejection.

Milwaukee lost points in this category by being the only blower to employ dual batteries.

Adjustable Chutes

Makita, along with Stihl offers an adjustable chute, with several configurations. We felt this may appeal to users who might want to adjust their blower chute to their height.

Air Intake Location

Intakes were also evaluated. The team favored rear-mounted over side-mounted intakes due to side-mounted intakes sucking in the user’s pant legs when held close to the body.

Balance and Rotational Force Winner | ECHO

Too much rotational force can result in a blower that you’re constantly fighting to control, or worse results in a wrist injury like tendonitis. Wrist tendonitis is frequently caused by activities requiring sideways motion of the wrist while gripping. Activities such as using a blower in a side to side motion can lead to Dequervain’s tendonitis.

Rotational Force Rig

We built a rig to hold each blower’s handle to simulate a neutral grip position. The rig allowed the blower to rotate freely on this axis.

We used some image analysis to capture the angle of the blower chute relative to the horizon. The angle at rest with the blower powered off was measured, followed by the blower in the full throttle state.

We considered two values to be the most important when analyzing this data and used their individual rankings to determine the blower with the best balance.

1. Angle under load
2. Difference between no-load and full load

The first was the angle under load relative to the horizon. We found the most strain on the wrist was felt when the blower wanted to pitch down directly at the ground, forcing the user to pull the blower back up to a useful working angle.

The blowers we tested pitched down between a comfortable 40 degrees, to a very uncomfortable near vertical 89 degrees.

The second value we considered important was the change or Delta between the blower at rest and under load. A well-balanced blower should have minimal change in pitch when the throttle is activated. A bower that swings a large amount is likely to be harder to control. The smallest delta observed was 15 degrees and the highest was 57 degrees.

The ECHO took the best Balance category. The Echo had a no-load balance of 19 degrees and deflected to 40 degrees down under full throttle. This comfortable 40 degrees nose-down attitude coupled with the relatively small change of just 19 degrees scored it top marks.

Craftsman came in second with a  no-load measurement of 31 degrees and a full load of 46 degrees. Stihl followed in third place with 19 and 41 degrees.

Cordless Blower Noise Winner | Stihl

OSHA sets legal limits on noise exposure based on a worker’s 8-hour work day. For noise, OSHA’s permissible exposure limit is 90 dB.

To measure relative decibels mounted the blowers. back into our rotational rig, and mounted a decibel meter 24” away from the blower to simulate the distance between a user’s ear and wrist. Three readings were captured and an average was recorded.

The blower that was the quietest was the Stihl coming in at 81.5 dB. The second quietest was the RIDGID averaging 83.1 dB followed by the RYOBI averaging at 84.2 dB.

The blowers that were the loudest were the DEWALT and ECHO averaging 97.9 db.

Best Price Winner | Hart

When purchasing tools, price is unquestionably a crucial factor, particularly for those of you who are just beginning out in the trades or are DIY/Homeowners just starting out.

We ranked pricing as *kits and with blowers that weren’t sold in kit form, we included a battery(s) and charger to even the playing field.

* Ryobi kit comes with 2 batteries.

At the time of testing, the best-priced blower kit was the Hart coming in at $138.00. The second lowest price was the Craftsman at $149.00 and the third was the Skil at $159.00.

The most expensive blower we tested was the Stihl BGA 86, coming in at $839.97.  The majority of these blowers can be purchased at ACME Tool or your local big box store.

Best Value Blower Winner | Hart

Price and quality will continue to be the top deciding factors for consumers. In today’s economy, consumers are looking for ways to stretch their dollars further, and tool companies need a solution to deliver a well-made, powerful tool at a competitive price, without sacrificing quality.

As we have indicated, we do not include pricing in our overall scoring, but we include it and always suggest our pick for best value.

The Hart was an easy decision for us, it performed exceptionally well in our testing, and is priced the lowest, guaranteeing a seat at the “best value” table. Hart scored in the fourth place in noise, and mid-pack on pretty much all the other categories scored, finishing in 6^th place.

Best Cordless Blower Winner | Milwaukee

Milwaukee 36-volt cordless blower came in first place scoring a total of 20 points. It scored tops in airflow performance, second in features and ergonomics, and fourth in balance.

The Milwaukee operates easily in either user’s hand and has a responsive trigger. Its sturdy base plate doubles as a secondhand grip, and the heads-up battery display is a nice touch. The crew appreciated that there was no boost or turbo button to engage, everything you need comes from the trigger. Milwaukee did suffer in the ergonomic battery scoring category due to the fact that it was the only blower in the lineup with two batteries.  That second battery, while inconvenient, clearly helped push the power and runtime up where it needs to be.

The formidable EGO came in second place with 22 points. EGO scored tops in both ergonomics, features, and the sled thrust test. The EGO was clearly the most powerful of the blowers out of the gate.  The open loop battery control and resulting performance drop over time coupled with the mediocre balance numbers pulled the EGO down from walking away with the top spot.

The EGO is a powerful blower but some users will find that they have to fight to hold it in position, it has a recessed throttle control which the team appreciated. Like Milwaukee, the EGO has a base stand that allows the user to place a two-handed hold for overhead use. Ego also has a nice spring-assisted battery removal feature, which one would not appreciate unless you were testing 15 blowers!

Stihl took third place with 25 points. Stihl took tops in noise and third place in both balance and airflow performance. The Stihl is a robust tool with a nicely designed spring-assist battery removal setup. The team liked that it has an adjustable-length chute, but did not like having to manipulate the awkward safety lever to power it on.

Closing Thoughts

If you’re considering purchasing a blower you should first think about the application, you’re using it for, and then performance. A lot of these blower measurements we shared result in a compromise, so if you want our advice, we feel you should choose a blower that is “stronger for longer.”

Our Head-to-Head tests take time to complete and we are ultimately limited in scope as we’re not a professional testing company. We cannot do long-term testing that would shed light on longevity or durability, and we can’t possibly test every application that you might use a blower for.

We receive a lot of comments about how we arrive at our winner.  We’ve openly shared ALL the data from our tests, and you can rank the tools however you want. In this article, if you hover over the line or column in our graphs, you’ll be able to see the actual values. Hopefully, you’ll find this Head-To-Head useful when comparing compact cordless blowers.

If you have a moment, please check out our other Head-to-Head Tests.

Best Cordless Blower | Head-2-Head Video | 2023

Best Cordless Blower 2023 | Head-To-Head is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Battery-Powered Power Station Head To Head Testing

A 3000-watt portable power supply is a reliable work or home backup power source during a power disruption or outage. These generators can produce enough power to run appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, lights, computers, phones, and yes power tools!

Battery-powered power stations are a viable short-term alternative to gas generators delivering clean, quiet, portable power that is safe to use indoors.

In this Head to Head, we took a look at five portable power stations. Four of them run off of cordless power tool batteries and the fifth has an internal battery. We recognize that there are dozens of internal battery power stations available on the market. We chose one unit to compare but directed our focus to the power supplies geared to the power tool and outdoor power equipment industry.

Power Stations Tested In This Evaluation

Champion 1638-Wh Li-Ion Solar Generator Power Station

• Model – 100594
• Amps – 15
• Peak Wattage: 3200
• Running Wattage: 1600
• Weight: 41.00 lbs
• Battery: Internal 46.8V  35Ah
• Watt Hours – 1628

DEWALT – 1800 Watt Portable Power Station and Simultaneous Battery Charger

• Model – DCB1800B
• Amps – 15
• Peak Wattage: 3600
• Running Wattage: 1800
• Weight: 31.50 lbs
• Batteries: 60 Volt (4) 12.0 Ah
• Watt Hours: 960

EGO Power+ Nexus Portable Power Station

• Model – PST3042
• Amps – 15
• Peak Wattage: 3000
• Running Wattage: 2000
• Weight: 57.60 lbs
• Batteries: 56 Volt (4) 7.5Ah
• Watt Hours: 1680

Milwaukee CARRY-ON 3600with 1800W Power Supply

• Model – 2845-20
• Amps – 15
• Peak Wattage: 3600
• Running Wattage: 1800
• Weight: 42.40 lbs
• Batteries: (4) 18-volt 12.0 Ah
• Watt Hours: 864

Ryobi 40V – 40V 1800 WATT POWER STATION

• Model – RYi1802BTVNM
• Amps – 15
• Peak Wattage: 3000
• Running Wattage: 1600
• Weight: 29.70 lbs
• Batteries: 40 Volt (4) 6 Ah
• Watt Hours: 864

Best Portable Power Station Testing – 7 Scoring Criteria

We designed two performance tests to draw power from these power stations. Additional scoring categories included qualitative evaluations of ergonomics and features, size, and pricing. Lastly, we include a best-value category.

1. Performance Test – Peak Power Test – Evaluated ripping an 8′ long 2×6 pressure-treated lumber, using a 15 Amp, 120V Corded Delta 10” table saw, at a constant feed rate.
2. Performance Test – Run-time – Tested run-time using a 1500 Watt / 15 Amp space heater for power consumption.
3. Ergonomics and Features – Many of these power stations are feature rich. We identified, evaluated, and ranked 13 distinct categories for each power station.
4. Size and Weight – Size matters and weight can get cumbersome. We measured the dimensions and weight of each station as tested (with Batteries).  Given that these are not hand tools, weight was not scored in the final rankings.
5. Best Value –  Oftentimes this category winner tends to resonate with most folks as it combines good performance and price.
6. Price – Price is always an important factor in determining which power station is best for you. We’ve included the current pricing for each of the power stations and batteries “as-tested,” at the time of publication.  We typically do not score pricing in our head-to-head but for this unique test, we determined a Cost per Watt Hour value and used that in our final scoring matrix.

Performance Test – Peak Power Test | Table Saw – DEWALT and Milwaukee

Most of these power stations are designed by tool companies and it is presumed that they can be used on a job site where power is unavailable or indoors where gas fumes from a generator are dangerous.

When considering using power tools with these portable power stations you need to make sure your unit can handle the surge of power the tools use when immediately turned on. This surge is called “Peak Power,” and it is the maximum power that the power supply can sustain for a limited period of time. Peak power differs from continuous power which refers to the amount of energy that the power supply can continuously supply. All power stations have a steady state power output rating as well as a higher rating for peak/startup power.  This test is designed to stress the power station’s peak load capability.

In our testing, we evaluated these units by ripping a 2×6-8′ pressure-treated lumber, using a 15 Amp,  120V Corded Delta 10” table saw. One operator made the cuts at a consistent 2 to 3-second per-foot feed rate.

• The Champion boasts a 3200 Watt start-up rating however, this power station was unable to turn on the table saw without tripping an overload warning and forcing a reset of the power station.
• The Ryobi fared a bit better, capable of powering the saw through a slow feed rate but getting overloaded with a higher rate.  The Power Station also experienced an overload on one of the startups of the saw.
• The EGO had no issues starting up the saw and supplying power through the slower feed rate. The Nexus did however encounter an overload condition during the higher feed rate passes.
• The DEWALT and Milwaukee performed the best and were able to supply the power needed to rip the wood even at the more aggressive feed rate with no overload conditions.

Performance Test – Run-time Test | Heater – Champion

We performed a run-time test with a 120 Volt | 1500 watt electric space heater and an inline power meter and recorded how long the power stations could power the heater.

• The Champion came in at 49 minutes and the EGO at 45 minutes.
• DEWALT and Ryobi followed with 30 and 27 minutes respectively.
• Milwaukee was last with just under 25 minutes.

All of the portable power stations could power the heater at a steady state until the end. There were no gradual drop-offs in power.

The results of the run-time test closely correlate to the advertised Watt Hour (battery capacity or power over time) of each unit as tested.  The Champion has slightly fewer watts Hours than the EGO but was able to power the unit longer.  The other unexpected result is the Ryobi outperforming Milwaukee as they both had the same 864 Watt Hour capacity.

Ergonomics and Features – Winner Ryobi

Typically in our Head-to-Head evaluations “Ergonomics and Features” make up two of the final categories that are scored to determine the overall winner.  We found that the power stations had such a disparity in features that could be important in your purchasing decision, that we have decided to not lump them together in the final scoring allowing each feature significantly more “weight” in the final scoring matrix. We discuss these features and rank each one below.

Carry Handles

The Champion has two, neutral grip handles located on top of the unit. While it is possible to carry this unit with one hand, most users will find it more comfortable using a two-handed carry.

DEWALT has two options for carrying. Option one is a neutral grip, two-handed carry, which DEWALT calls side handles. Option two is a one-handed, suitcase carry, which DEWALT calls the long front handle. When carrying as a suitcase option the back of the unit is smooth, with no protrusions, allowing it to slide against your legs and not catch your pants.

EGO has two neutral grip handles located on top of the unit, when carrying this unit two batteries face the user.  We noted that when carrying the unit against your body, the batteries can easily be dislodged by body pressure. When we looked closer at this – the batteries slide into their ports and do not feature a locking mechanism. Because of this, the unit must stay in its upright position or risk batteries dislodging. While it is possible to carry this unit with one hand, most users will find it more comfortable using a two-handed carry.

Milwaukee has a roll cage with built-in handles for multiple carry options. It also has a padded shoulder strap [sold as an accessory] to help distribute the weight. We found this roll cage allows you to approach the power supply from ANY angle or position and be able to grip it with two hands. While it is possible to carry this unit with one hand, most users will find it more comfortable using a two-handed carry.

Ryobi features a top handle and two pairs of side handle that allow the user to approach and carry this unit from any direction and carry the unit in many configurations. It is also able to be carried one-handed, as a suitcase carry.  Ryobi also has a padded shoulder strap [sold as an accessory] to help distribute the weight.

Display Screen

For status indicators, the Champion unit displays a battery fuel gauge indicator, as well as, a percentage number for battery life. Additionally, the display shows the status of its ports in use. This display does a time-out and requires the user to tap the power button to turn the LED display back on.

We noted that this display has the most information, but is a bit confusing and not intuitive – you WILL need to read the directions.

• DEWALT does not have a status or display screen. It has a green/red LED light at each battery port that indicates a hot battery, low battery charge, hot/cold condition, and charging and charged status.

• EGO has the best balance of being intuitive to operate and provides an easy-to-read and understandable display with useful information, such as; battery status indicators, runtime or charge time remaining, and a total output power meter.
• Milwaukee has a minimal display screen consisting of a very crude 25% increment overall power meter along with a warning indicator for overload and over-temperature conditions.

• The Ryobi display is easy to read but offers minimal information. It includes individual battery levels in 25% increments, and output load levels in both a fuel gauge display and percentage number display. [note – seemed duplicative] It has a session timer clock but could really benefit from a predictive runtime clock like the EGO and Champion displays.

Battery Life Indicator

Champion, EGO, and Ryobi all have LCD displays indicating battery levels and load levels. The EGO also includes a large projected run-time/charge time, which impressed the team. DEWALT and Milwaukee do not have this feature.

Battery Swap While Operating

The Champion has an internal battery and has the capability for parallel connections, allowing it to connect to, and stack up to 10 external batteries or an additional power supply.

The DEWALT and Milwaukee will NOT operate if one of their four batteries is removed. The folks at Milwaukee told us that the decision to do this was based mostly to make the portable power station cost-effective.

Both power stations will turn off if a single battery is disconnected or depleted.  This is important to understand as all batteries are discharged at the same rate.  So if a smaller battery is used amongst larger capacity batteries, the runtime will be limited by the smaller battery.  For this reason, both units recommend using 4 identically sized batteries.

The EGO and Ryobi allow batteries to be swapped in or out without disrupting power. However, if the units are in a high-load demand operation, removing one of the batteries may force it into an overload condition.  They will also operate on any combination or number of batteries.

Pure Sine Wave

Most of these power stations provide pure sine wave power. Pure sine wave inverters prevent overheating and damage to sensitive equipment by providing a more stable voltage and frequency output. Your neighborhood utility provider generates power using only sine waves.

The Champion, EGO, Milwaukee, and Ryobi provide pure sine wave power, but DEWALT does not. The DEWALT offers a modified sine wave type and is NOT recommended for delicate electronics.

The Champion also offers a THD Shield Feature.  THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) Shield will protect sensitive electronics as the power station’s battery levels drop too low and a pure sine wave (<5% THD) cant be maintained, the power station will power down.  This feature can be disabled if powering more robust devices, like the space heater in our run-time test.

Number of AC outlets

We scored the power stations with the most AC outlets higher than the ones with fewer outlets.

• The Champion EGO and Ryobi all have 3 120-volt, 15-amp AC outlets.
• Milwaukee has two 120-volt, 15-amp AC outlets.
• DEWALT has one 120-volt, 15-amp AC outlet.

Number of USB outputs

We’ve all become slaves to charging small devices on the go like our phones and tablets.  USB ports have become the standard for DC charging connections for most personal electronic devices.  Having USB ports on these power stations is a must-have feature, but not all USB ports are created equally.

If you’re not familiar, USB A is the oldest standard rectangular connection that typically delivers just 5V at 2.1A of charging.  These older connections are being slowly phased out in favor of the much smaller, ambidextrous USB C.  Many USB C standards exist and the latest and greatest is the PD or Power Delivery which is capable of 60W fast charging with compatible PD electronics.

• The Champion was also impressive with 2 USB-A 2.1A Ports,  1 USB-C +PD (60W), and 1 USB C QC (Quick Charge 3.0 30W)  port.
• The DEWALT does not have any USB ports, a huge miss in our opinion.
• The EGO has 4 USB ports but unfortunately, they are all just USB A, offering little flexibility.
• Milwaukee only has two USB ports, one USB-A and one USB-C +PD port.
• The Ryobi was the king of USB ports, boasting 4 USB-A 5V 2.1A and  2 USB-C +PD (Power Delivery 60W).

Additional Power Output

The Champion was unique in supplying additional DC power output options.  The unit has a 12V DC, 10A  automobile auxiliary power outlet as well as a 12V DC, 20A APP Anderson Power Pole connector.

Charging Cord / Onboard storage

Can you imagine pulling your power station out in an emergency and the cord was missing?

• Champion supplies a 2-prong, C7 non-polarized connector power cord and plug, also known as a Figure-8 or shotgun connector. This charging cord is fairly common to replace if damaged or lost. The Champion does not have a cord wrap or onboard storage.
• DEWALT does not come with a charging cord but It can be powered by any standard extension cord, with a universal plug.

• EGO comes with a proprietary plug and attached inverter. The plug and inverter are both stored onboard, in a compartment on top of the unit. While we feel having a proprietary cord and inverter is a drawback, the onboard storage compartment is a plus.  EGO also offers a solar panel charger block that can replace the AC block. This solar block is sold as an accessory for $169.

• Milwaukee comes with a 6-foot HD 14 gauge extension cord – a universal plug which we liked.  If the cord gets lost or misplaced, any standard extension cord can charge the unit. Additionally, the roll cage at mid-height has an indentation that was designed to act as a cord-wrap storage feature.
• The Ryobi power cord is proprietary and has no onboard storage. A replacement cord will cost approximately $15 if you lose it.

The team favored the power stations that could be powered by a standard extension cord and plug, as well as, offered on-board cord storage.

Replacing Lost Cords

Champions cord, while not proprietary, could be tough to find a replacement for in an emergency. EGO and Ryobi’s proprietary cords would be even more difficult to replace in an emergency.

Solar Panel Charging

Solar panels and power stations are an interesting conversation.  Having the ability to charge your power station with solar panels is a nice feature and one that many folks with RVs, camps, and off-grid concerns will find valuable.  Contractors on the other hand have limited real estate on the job site space when you consider safety, material, and machine movement.

The Champion comes with an MC4 connector harness to connect up to 3 solar panels. The folks at Champion told us they currently do not offer solar panels as an accessory but recognize that users may want the off-grid charging capability

Built-in light

Only two of the power stations include a light which could be useful in dark areas or during power outage situations.

• Ryobi has a work light with 4 settings: high, low, and a solid or flashing red light for night vision use.
• The Champion has a work light on the front of the unit with a high/low option.

External Power Daisy Chain – Parallel Kit

All the tested power stations have a NEMA 5-15 receptacle which is the standard three-prong household outlet designed to deliver 15A continuous power. A common application for inverter generators is to power an RV, but most common RVs use a 30A plug.  Luckily several of these power station manufacturers have that covered.

Ryobi sells a parallel connection cord as an accessory. It allows users to connect two inverter generators and get twice the power. This parallel kit works with all of Ryobi’s inverter generators and doubles your power output for heavier power needs. It comes as a 120-Volt RV/30 Amp 1RC outlet only.

The Champion has parallel connection capability to increase to 30 Amp power by connecting 2 power stations together or by connecting another ParaLINK-capable inverter to double the power station’s power and add a 120V 30A RV outlet and 120V 30A locking outlet.  It also has the capability to stack up to 10 expansion batteries for a total of 18,018-Wh. Which when combined with solar charging might appeal to off-grid applications.

Pass-Through Power

Pass-Through Power is the capability of the unit to simultaneously charge the unit’s batteries while powering whatever is connected to its AC outlets.  This feature is a common request for those that want to use the unit as a standby emergency generator for important power applications with intermittent or unreliable power sources.  [i.e. sump pump, refrigeration, backup freeze protection]

The Champion was the only unit tested that has Pass Through Power.  Another indicator of its targeted user base.

If you read the reviews on many of these power stations you will learn that many of them intentionally drain the batteries while not in use, but turned on.

Many of these power stations have a “drain down” due to the  Quiescent current – which is a natural draw of the battery over time. Quiescent current only applies if the unit is left on because of the internal “background housekeeping,” and monitoring that these units require.  Due to the lack of passthrough power, if you wanted to leave these units on in some sort of standby function, the batteries would drain over time.

Remote Control

Having the ability to remotely check on power levels and even turn off the unit is a nice feature that two units have through phone apps.

The Ryobi can be controlled through the Ryobi GenControl App.  The App is a well-polished app that works with the majority of Ryobi’s generator lineup.  Once the unit is powered on by hand, the app can be used to turn on and off the AC power plugs as well as remotely shut down the unit.  The battery power levels can be checked as well as the output watts. Some additional features include controlling the onboard LED light as well as the LCD display.

The EGO is the only other unit that has remote connectivity.  The EGO can be controlled by the EGO Power+ app and can be connected via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.  Having the wifi connectivity can allow you to monitor the unit from almost anywhere.

Security features

While all of the power stations have handles that allow you to use a cable or chain to secure the power station to a stationary object all but two of them could have their expensive batteries removed and stolen. The Champion has an internal battery that automatically protects the battery from theft.

Milwaukee is the only unit that built into their design an anti-theft feature for the batteries. It has a rotating handle that slides over the batteries and exposes a padlock hole. Once the handle is over the batteries they are unable to be removed from the unit.

Size and Volume

The team felt that the space that these units take up is more important than the weight. We ranked the units based on calculated volume and list the weights as tested for your reference. We also calculated their cubic feet for scoring purposes.

The lightest power station was the Ryobi at 28 lbs, followed by the DEWALT at 32 lbs. Champion and Milwaukee were close in weight at 41 and 42 lbs respectively and the EGO was the heaviest at 58 lbs.

With regard to cubic feet, the Champion was the smallest unit at 1.048 cu. ft. The Milwaukee followed with 1.4 cu. ft. followed by the Ryobi with 1.5 cu. Ft. The EGO was the largest unit at 2.8 cu. Ft.

Charging Speed [time]

Note – All of these portable power stations, except the Champion, can double as a cordless battery charger.

The Champion can charge in 4.5 hours from AC wall power and 4.8 with solar-powered DC power. When connected to both AC plus DC charging can be as low as 2.5 hours. We liked that the Champions status screen tells you, based on real-time monitoring,  how much time it will take to charge.

DEWALT takes 6 hours to charge four [4] 12.0 Ah batteries. Like its competitors, it has multi-port, parallel charging, which means it charges all four batteries at the same time, at a charging rate of 2 amps

The EGO takes 12 hours to charge its four [4] 7.5 Ah batteries

Milwaukee pulls 1000 watts from an AC outlet during charging. It takes 4 hours to charge 12 Ah batteries. It charges its batteries simultaneously at a 3 Amp rate [1000 watts]

The Milwaukee unit has simultaneous charging but also evaluates the batteries with the lowest charge and will prioritize charging that pack first. This is because if that pack is depleted the unit will not run. If all the packs are depleted to the same level the charger will simultaneously charge them all at the same rate.

Ryobi charges its batteries sequentially and takes 3 hours to charge one 6.0 Ah battery and 12 hours to charge all 4 batteries. The charger is 80 watts, which is a 2A charge rate for 40V batteries.

Best Price – Winner Ryobi

We scored the portable power station with the batteries we tested them with and included the battery cost.

The Ryobi was the least expensive with a tested price configuration of $1337.  The power station can be sold as a kit with (2) 6.0Ah batteries for $899.  Additional batteries are $219 a piece. The bare unit price is currently $749.

The Champion does not have external batteries and the unit cost is $1499.99

The Milwaukee is not sold as a kit and the unit cost is $699.  The 12.0 Ah batteries tested each run $249 driving the as-tested cost to $1695.

The EGO was tested with (4) 7.5 Ah batteries.  The Power Station can come as a kit with two 7.5Ah batteries for $999.  The two additional batteries are $399 a piece, with an as-tested price of $1797.

The DEWALT like Milwaukee does not get sold as a kit and a bare unit will cost $529. The 12.0Ah batteries are each $319 costing a total of $1805

It’s important to remember that to operate the DEWALT and Milwaukee you will need ALL 4 batteries. The EGO and Ryobi do not require all of the batteries to operate.

Price Per Watt Hour – Winner Champion

We stated earlier that the runtime test results closely correlated to the total Watt Hour rating of each power station.  To aid in seeing how far your purchasing power is going to battery capacity and therefore, expected runtime, we calculated the Price per Watt Hour for each station and the batteries tested.

Again, the Champion took top honors in this ranking with a $.92 / Wh value.  The most interesting result is that of the EGO station, which was just slightly higher at $1.07/Wh.  The EGO had a much better bang for the buck result than the other 3 removable battery platform contenders.

The Ryobi finished in third place with a $.1.55 / Wh value. DEWALT finished at $1.88/Wh, and Milwaukee at $1.96/Wh.  These two cost over double the Champion when just considering battery capacity.

Best Power Station

Our usual modus operandi is to crown one winner as Best in Class winner. With this particular head-to-head, we quickly learned, that portable power supplies are designed to meet different and specific needs. We evaluated and scored four categories for you to consider:

• Best Emergency Portable Power Station
• Best Jobsite Power Station
• Best All Purpose Power station
• Best Value Power Station

Best Emergency Portable Power Station – Winner Champion

The Champion portable power station scored 36 points and was designed as a “ground up,” portable power station, and it clearly shows!

It crushed the other power stations in the features, price, and runtime testing categories.

The Champion is a compact, feature-packed portable backup battery solution ideal for RVing and camping, tailgating, or as an emergency indoor generator during a power outage.  As good as it is, it is NOT suitable for job site use.

Best Jobsite Power Station – Milwaukee

The Milwaukee scored 48 points overall beating DEWALT with 56 points. The DEWALT and Milwaukee were clearly both designed to run power tools on the job site. They both crushed the table saw performance test.

The DEWALT lost place due to its featureless design. Milwaukee has more features than DEWALT but suffered in runtime due to its relatively lower total Watt Hour capacity.

“Milwaukee’s minimalist but robust design was meant to be dropped, kicked, and survive on the job site” ~ Jeff

Of the two power stations, Milwaukee is able to run with pure sine wave energy allowing tradespeople to run their electronics to view plans on job sites.  The Milwaukee with four 12 Ah batteries will cost $1,695 while the DEWALT, in the same configuration, costs $1,805.

Best ALL PURPOSE  Portable Power Station  |  Ryobi

This category is where we chose the winner based on all-around value and usefulness, not solely on score. Ryobi came in second place overall with 39 points. EGO was just one point behind with 42 points.

The Ryobi is very feature-rich, winning the Ergonomics and Features Combined Category.  The 40V battery platform is a rapidly expanding exciting lineup from Ryobi and the power station is a great addition.

The Ryobi is the lightest of the stations and reasonably compact. The abundance and quality of the USB ports were a team favorite and lastly, the Ryobi can be paired up  [parallel connected] with a gas or battery generator to double its power to 30 amps – something that will get RV users’ attention.

Best Value – Winner EGO

Best value is often a popular category as it highlights contestants that performed well at a lower purchase cost.

But the EGO was the second most expensive unit. While that may be true, its the Cost/Watt Hour conversation that really brings the EGO value to the front.  The EGO boasted the highest Watt Hour rating with 1680WH, almost doubling that of the Ryobi and Milwaukee.  The kit price of the EGO with two 7.5 AH batteries is just $999, and that brings its runtime capability just shy of the Milwaukee, Ryobi, and DEWALT for a significantly lower cost.

The EGO power station tells you how much time it takes to charge its display which is an awesome feature.  The team liked that it allows for battery swap while operating and offers 2000 continuous watts / 3000 peak watts

The EGO was neck and neck in this testing with the Ryobi, finishing just one point behind with 42. Both were feature rich and clearly designed for non-job site user experience.

Conclusion

These Power Stations and their batteries are expensive investments.  Some of these units had great features but likely none are going to be able to sway you to a new battery platform if you already have batteries of a certain brand that could drastically reduce the purchase price of the systems. If you’re not already invested in a battery platform, you may want to look closer at stand-alone, internal battery platforms like the Champion.

These tests take time to complete and are ultimately limited in scope as we’re not a professional testing company.

We cannot do long-term testing that would shed light on durability and we can’t possibly test every application that you might use one of these power stations for.

We get lots of comments about how we make the final rankings. We’ve openly shared ALL the data from our tests, and you can rank the tools however you want. Hopefully, you’ll find this Head-To-Head useful when comparing compact portable power stations.

If you have a moment, please check out our other Head-to-Head Tests.

Portable Power Station Head To Head Test Video

Best Portable Power Supply 2023 is a post from Tool Box Buzz

EGO 56V Cordless 21″ Select Cut Lawn Mower LM2156SP Review

By Ben Carmichael

EGO 56V Cordless Select Cut Mower LM2156SP

Manufacturer: EGO
Model number: LM2156SP
Price: 749.00
Power source: 56 Volt Bttery
Motor size: Brushless
Weight: 68 lbs

We have a large lawn and, motivated by some potent combination of Yankee frugality and sheer I’ll-just-suffer-through-it determination, I’ve been using a cordless lawnmower for years I’ve known wasn’t working and that I should replace. But they say inertia and status quo are the strongest forces on earth, right? In this case, they were for me.

And then, in June, I helped the ToolBoxBuzz crew with their Head-2-Head comparison in which we evaluated sixteen cordless lawnmowers. The EGO 56V Cordless Select Cut Mower was featured during this test and ranked second overall. I’ll reference details from that article as well as my own in this review, but in short: I loved this EGO lawnmower and was an instant convert. Check out the full Best Cordless Mower 2022 article for the full comparison, and keep reading for details on the EGO.

EGO 56V Cordless Select Cut Mower Specs

• Select Cut Multi-Blade System, including three lower blades to choose from: Mulching blade, High Lift Bagging blade, and Extended Run Time blade, plus the upper blade
• Touch Drive Self-Propelled Technology 
• High-efficiency brushless motor
• Variable Speed Self-Propel: 0.9 MPH – 3.1 MPH
• 7-position cutting height adjustments: 1.5-in – 4-in
• 3-in-1 function: mulching, bagging, or side discharge
• 21″ cutting deck
• Bright LED headlights
• 1-handed height adjustment
• Folds for compact storage
• A 2-bushel grass collection bag
• Includes Mulching blade, High Lift Bagging blade, Extended Run Time blade and Upper Blade
• 60-minute charge time when used with the recommended 7.5 Ah ARC Lithium battery and Power+ Rapid Charger

EGO Start Up & Controls

Let’s start where it all begins: the controls. In short, the controls are excellent. The build quality is sturdy, and so when you handle the controls you feel connected to the mower – no flimsy connections, loose bolts, etc. This is immediately reassuring.

The handlebar has three angled settings – low, medium, and high – and the handle itself telescopes out to its full position, which is locked into place with a simple clamp. This comes in handy later when you need to fold and store the mower — a storage feature and process that ranked #1 in our head-to-head review process.

In terms of usability, the use is intuitive, with large and clearly labeled buttons. As to the so-called “Touch Drive” self-propelled feature, it has a throttle on the handle that is easy to dial up and back through the variable speeds of 0.9 – 3.1 mph. Notably, and importantly, the self-propel does work when you are not actually cutting grass. As an aside, I don’t understand mowers for whom this doesn’t work. I often need to move the mower from one side of the lawn to the other, without mowing. Anyway – this feature is appreciated, and not included on all mowers.

Additionally, the mower does have two LED lights on the front, which you can turn on. At first, I wondered about this, and then I used them once when I came home late and needed to mow the lawn at dusk, and found it helpful in getting the mower around – including into and out of my dark garage. I will use them rarely – but they are a nice extra to have,

Finally, adjusting the height is easy: It’s just one easy-to-use lever that takes you through 7 different height positions. It’s just that easy.

EGO 56V Cordless Select Cut Mower | Build Quality

As I mentioned previously, build quality is pretty solid. There are some areas where they used plastic instead of metal, but I understand the goal here: this is a consumer product, not a “pro” model, and the use of plastic is designed to cut down on weight. In my use of it so far, I have no concerns or problems with this. It feels solid, and after multiple uses and being bumped and moved around my garage as per normal, nothing has broken and I have no concerns.

EGO Mower Runtime

For a long time, the question that everyone had about battery-operated mowers is: how can they possibly compete against gas in terms of performance? The technology has come a long way, and these models perform very impressively – especially EGO.

EGO has built a reputation for strong battery performance, and with this mower, you can see why. With its 54v 7.5 Amp hour battery, in our head-to-head, this EGO mowed 20,678 sq feet of lawn. It can run for a little over 2 miles. With its quick charger, these batteries can charge in an hour or so, and I have two batteries, so downtime simply has not been an issue for me. If one battery runs out, I put it on the charger and use the one that’s charged.

Storing The EGO 56V Cordless Select Cut Mower

The storage of this mower is impressive. My last mower didn’t fold – it simply stored upright in the form it was designed to be mowed and so, with the organization of my garage, the handle was always sticking out and in the way. It was a pain.

The EGO, on the other hand, folds easily onto itself. The handle telescopes in, and then the whole mower folds onto itself. It’s so easy and neat, I couldn’t help but think of a cartoon in which a superhero folds into a car or something. Once folded, it can stand perfectly upright, without needing to lean against a wall or anything, or you can hang it. I found how efficient and useful this foldable feature to be unexpected and, perhaps because of this, one of my favorite things about it.

EGO 56V Cordless Select Cut Mower| Overall Impressions

Overall, I love the EGO. Out of all the mowers we reviewed, it ranked in the top three in handle design, controls, desk adjustment, storage, and quality. All around, it’s an incredibly strong performer.  It’s quiet yet powerful and efficient, it’s compact yet can get the job done, and its intuitive self-propel ensures I can use it even after a tiring day at work. 

For the mower only, the current MSRP for this model is around $499. With battery and charger, you’re looking at $749. Some may argue that it may be pricey up front, but once you account for the price of gas – which, as well know, has been very expensive lately – this will be relatively affordable in the long-term. I highly recommend this for anyone considering switching from a gas to an electric mower, or someone looking to upgrade their old mower. I sure am glad I did.

EGO 56V Cordless Select Cut Mower is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Cordless Lawn Mower Head-To-Head | 2022

Like Ricky Bobby says ” If you ain’t first then you’re last.” While we love the spirit of that statement, we feel that does not hold true when it comes to the Best Cordless Mower. We feel that there is a place for cordless mowers, whether it is in a small backyard, large backyard, or even a commercial field!

Cordless Lawn Mowers continue to be the most popular OPE (outdoor power equipment) in retail stores. The buzz is real and everyone is competing for a seat at the top when it comes to best in class. The field is ever-changing, even in the 2 years since our last 2020 Cordless Mower Head-to-Head there have been new models and technology improvements.

In this best cordless lawn mower head-to-head we compared 16 cordless mowers from 14 manufacturers. We put these mowers through specific tests against each other to crown the Best Cordless Mower.

Benefits Of A Cordless Mower

Gas-powered mowers require a lot of maintenance, such as oil changes, fuel filters, spark plugs, and air filters. Not to mention rising gas prices. Let’s be honest, most people don’t properly maintain their gas mowers, and put off service until the mower won’t start! Anyone who has had to get a small engine fixed understands how inconvenient and time-consuming it can be.  All of the above-mentioned maintenance, as well as last-minute fuel purchases, are eliminated with cordless mowers, which are also quieter to operate.

Cordless Lawn Mowers Tested

We reached out to 14 of the top cordless lawn mower manufacturers and asked if they would like to participate in our best cordless mower head-to-head article. The models we tested included:

Black and Decker

Model: CM2043C
Voltage: 40V
Deck Size: 20″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1-1/2″
Number of Blades: 1
Weight: 47 Lbs
Price: $265.95

DEWALT

Model: DCMWSP255Y2
Voltage: 20V x 2 (40V)
Deck Size: 21-1/2″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1-1/2″
Number of Blades: 1
Weight: 92 Lbs
Price: $669.00

ECHO

Model: DLM-2100SP
Voltage: 56V
Deck Size: 21″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1″
Number of Blades: 1
Weight: 69.5 Lbs
Price: $499.00

EGO

Model: LM2156SP
Voltage: 56V
Deck Size: 21″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1-1/2″
Number of Blades: 2
Weight: 68 Lbs
Price: $799.00

Greenworks

Model: 2533402
Voltage: 80V
Deck Size: 21″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1-1/2″
Number of Blades: 1
Weight:  74 Lbs
Price: $749.00

Hart

Model: HLPM061US
Voltage: 40V
Deck Size: 21″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1″
Number of Blades: 1
Weight: 89 Lbs
Price: $498.00

Kobalt

Model: KMP6080-06
Voltage: 80V
Deck Size: 21″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1-1/2″
Number of Blades: 1
Weight: 87 Lbs
Price: $599.00

Kobalt

Model: Model KSPM-1040A-03
Voltage: 40V
Deck Size: 20″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1-1/4″
Number of Blades: 1
Weight: 65 Lbs
Price: $429.00

Makita

Model: XML11CT1
Voltage: 18v x2 (36V)
Deck Size: 21″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1-1/4″
Number of Blades: 1
Weight: 88.5 Lbs
Price: $499.00

Makita

Model: XML08Z
Voltage: 18v x2 (36V)
Deck Size: 21″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1-1/4″
Number of Blades: 1
Weight: 94 Lbs
Price: $699.00

Milwaukee

Model: 2823-22HD
Voltage: 18V x2 (36V)
Deck Size: 21″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1″
Number of Blades: 1
Weight: 80.5 Lbs
Price: $999.00

Ryobi

Model: RY401210
Voltage: 40V
Deck Size: 21″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1.5″
Number of Blades: 2
Weight: 74 Lbs
Price: $799.00

Skil

Model: SM4910-10
Voltage: 40V
Deck Size: 20″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1-1/2″
Number of Blades: 1
Weight: 60 LBs
Price: $449.00

Snapper

Model: 1687982
Voltage: 82V
Deck Size: 21″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1-1/2″
Number of Blades: 1
Weight: 71.5 Lbs
Price: $658.36

Stihl

Model: RMA 510 V
Voltage: 36V
Deck Size: 20″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1″
Number of Blades: 1
Weight: 64 Lbs
Price: $699.99

Toro

Model: 21566
Voltage: 60V
Deck Size: 21″
Max Cutting Height: 4″
Min Cutting Height: 1-1/2″
Number of Blades: 1
Weight: 81 Lbs
Price: $799.00

Best Cordless Lawn Mower Head-to-Head Comparison

While this isn’t a professional testing facility and we are not a professional testing crew, we did gather measurements, analyze each mower in a variety of categories, and rank them against one another.

We always strive to figure out how to make our Head-To-Head tool tests uniform, reproducible, and fair when we start putting them together. In order to give you the Best Cordless Lawn Mower, we looked at the following 10 categories.

1. Noise
2. Run-Time
3. Speed Test
4. Ergonomics and Features
5. Handle Comfort & Adjustment
6. Amount of Grass Mowed
7. Maneuverability
8. Deck Height Adjustability
9. Compact Storage

Cordless Mower Cut Quality

There was no BIG discernible difference in the cut quality of the mowers. The grass we mowed was field-quality, green, and approximately 6-7 inches high. As a result, the grass plant type was not particularly uniform. This made the cut quality hard to determine, and since we did not have a sod-quality lawn, we did not rank this category.

Editor’s Note – Both the Ego and Ryobi have multiple cut blades which enhance the quality of the cut. All the other mowers that we tested had single-blades.

Ego has three blade sets included in your purchase. A set of Mulching Blades for shredding grass into fine bits. For all-around performance, the extended runt time blades set provides a perfect blend of cut quality and duration. Finally, they include their “High Lift Bagging Blade” set, which provides greater suction for bagging and leaves your yard free of clippings.

The Ryobi mower comes with stacked, two crosscut blades making the quality of the cut better, by creating smaller grass clippings.

Quietest Cordless Mower Winner  – Stihl

One of the most often asked topics concerning cordless mowers seems to be how much noise they make.

To gain a relative comparison of noise, we ran a basic decibel test to measure the loudness of the mowers in a controlled environment. The test consisted of running each mower in our barn, on a concrete surface with the deck lifted to its full height. Each mower was tested in the same spot on the floor, and the decibel meter was at the same height and relative position as an average user.

Note: the mowers were tested on top of a concrete slab. In practice, when utilized on a lawn, these mowers are significantly quieter.

When the ECO mode is selected, the mower operates at a lower RPM for situations requiring less power. This increases energy efficiency and battery runtime as well as reduces the noise of the mower. To switch the ECO mode on, swing the battery cover open and hit the ECO select button, and then close the lid.

We ran the test for enough time to have the mowers reach a maximum and stable rpm speed. Many of the mower motors start at a high RPM and then cycle down to a slower speed to save energy. The quietest mower we tested was the Stihl which measured in at 79 decibels.

A three-way tie for second at 80 decibels was Greenworks, Snapper, and Toro. Coming in the loudest mowers were the Ego and Makita XMLCT1 at 88.5 decibels.

There are five mowers that have a turbo feature which increased the noise decibels between 3.5 to 5.0 DBS.  Milwaukee, Echo, Stihl, Greenworks, and Toro. When in turbo mode, which Milwaukee calls “High lift mode,” the Milwaukee was the loudest mower we tested at 90.0 decibels. High lift mode uses a higher blade speed to achieve additional airflow and increased grass lift to deliver better quality mulch or bagging results.

Cordless lawn mowers allow you to cut your lawn efficiently and quietly, with none of the noise, gas, oil, or maintenance that comes with gas-powered solutions ~ ROB

Gas vs Cordless Mower  | Noise

For comparison, the average gas lawnmower produces 95–100 decibels. The noise measurements for our test mowers averaged 82.6 decibels. When compared to a loud gas mower, these cordless mowers cut sound energy by over 20 times when compared to a 100 dB noise level.

Many towns have enacted noise ordinances that limit the times of day you can mow with a gas mower. Cordless mowers are unaffected by these ordinances.

Most Grass Cut | Cordless Mower Run-time

Run-time used to be a big question in the minds of people considering the purchase of battery-powered tools. Huge advancements in battery technology have made cordless mowers a viable option for users. The million-dollar question on everyone’s mind is how much grass will a cordless mower cut on a battery charge?  Mowing run time will vary greatly depending on the height of grass, the thickness of grass, and the type of grass.

Best Cordless Mower Run-time Procedure

We measured and marked mowing lanes for each mower and kept track of the time and total distance that each mower traveled.

Grass Conditions: The grass we mowed was field-quality, green and white clover, and approximately 6-7 inches high. Every mower was set at its highest cut setting, 4″. We set each mower to its maximum speed if it were self-propelled. We asked the operators of non-self-propelled mowers to move at a comfortable pace. It was interesting to note that a 40-year-old man in good shape pushing a mower was faster than most of the self-propelled mowers.)

If any mower completed mowing its entire marked lane, we lowered the mower deck by one additional inch and re-cut that lane. Once the mower stopped running, we used a measuring wheel to measure its final resting spot.  Some mowers have dual batteries that will operate separately. In this instance, if the batteries were provided in the kit, we doubled the calculations to come out with our total distance mowed.

Most Grass Cut | Run-time Winner – Milwaukee

The winner of the most grass mowed in this year’s Best Cordless Mower Head-to-Head goes to Milwaukee.  The M18 mower runs on two 18V 12 Ah batteries.  These power banks propelled Milwaukee to run for 14,936 feet or 2.83 miles.  The total cutting area was 26,138 square feet, a truly impressive amount of grass for a battery-powered mower. The final ranking is based on the area the mower can cut with the total batteries on board. We also showed a column of data on area per watt-hour just as additional information. Ultimately what users are most interested in, is how much area can I mow on a single charge.

Just behind Milwaukee was the Kobalt 80V, mowing a distance of 14,017 feet and 24,540 square feet in our test. The Kobalt is powered by a single 6 Ah battery.

Rounding out the top three was the EGO mower. A single battery powers the EGO like the Kobalt and this kit came with a 10 Ah battery.  The EGO was able to run for 10,868 feet or 2.06 miles, cutting grass over a 19,000 square foot area.

Watt-Hours

It’s important to note that all 16 of these mowers have different battery Amp-Hour, capacities, and voltages.  Comparing one tool’s battery capacity to another by referencing “Amp Hours” is a common practice but an inaccurate and misleading one.  Watt-Hours is calculated by multiplying the voltage (actual load voltage, not the MAX that some companies advertise) by the battery pack Amp-Hours. This calculation allows us to compare the total energy available to do the work based on both the voltage and size of the battery pack (amp-hours).

For example, we can take a look at the two leaders of the runtime/area mowed test, Milwaukee and the Kobalt 80V.  The Milwaukee uses two batteries at 18V and 12 Ah a piece.  Each battery has 18V*12Ah equaling 216 Watt Hours capacity.  Adding both batteries together yields 432 WH onboard and supplied with the kit.  The Kobalt has a single 80V Battery rated at 6Ah with a Watt-Hour capacity of 480.  The takeaway here is that even though the Milwaukee has two batteries each with an advertised 12 Amp Hour, and the Kobalt has a single with “only” 6 Amp Hour, the Kobalt has a larger/more energy-rich battery.

Since we already gathered the data we went ahead and calculated the Area (sf) / watt-hour mowed for each mower kit in the test.  This value is a crude measurement of the efficiency of the mower at cutting grass given its battery capacity.

While an interesting exercise that helps explain how some mowers with smaller batteries outperformed those with larger ones, we feel that this data and any kind of battery normalized performance is irrelevant in this case.  We set out to find which mower “Out of the Box” could cut the most grass.  If you already own batteries of a particular mower platform, this could greatly swing your decision to invest in a particular mower if run-time and cutting area is a concern.

Speed Test – Winner – Milwaukee and Toro

After performing our runtime test, many of the mower operators shared that they wished that their mower moved faster. We decided to test the highest setting propelled speed of the mowers. We set up a 100-yard dash to see who was the fastest. Two crew members were assigned per mover; one operator and one to record the time.

Because many of the mowers require several feet to ramp up speed, we started every mower 6 to 8 feet in front of our timing line. Once the wheels hit the orange line the timer started. Once the wheels hit the 100-yard mark the timer stopped. We tested each mower twice and recorded the average time. There were two mowers that were not self-propelled, the Black and Decker and the Kobalt 40V. These mowers did not compete in this test.

Milwaukee and  Toro tied as the fastest mowers, with an average time of 51 seconds.

ECHO and Ryobi tied for third place, with an average time of  57.5 seconds, and the turtle in the race was the Snapper mower coming in at 78 seconds.

Ergonomics and Features– Winner Ryobi

All 16 mowers have fairly similar features, we considered the following features for this category…

1. Handles
2. Propulsion
3. Controls
4. Foldability / Storage
5. Deck Adjustment
6. Mulching
7. Bagging

For the ergonomics/features, we evaluated seven areas. These included the adjustability of the handle, the effort of maneuverability, human factor in the ease of foldability and storage, deck adjustment, ergonomics, and propulsion/control ergonomics.

The Ryobi shined in this category with 10-points. This 40V HP brushless whisper series 21″ all-wheel-drive mower, has a super easy push-button start, and an onboard lever to choose from: mulching, or bagging.  The 7-position single point height adjustment quickly changes the height from 1″ to 4″. We thought the handle was super comfortable with no hot spots or pinch points. The self-propelled paddle lever being adjustable is a nice feature allowing the user to pick their desired setting. The variable speed control is in a perfect position to adjust on the go without having to take your hand off the handle.

The external fuel gauge ensures was clear and easy to see the battery charge and the one-touch aluminum folding handles store this mower horizontally or vertically into a more compact package.

EGO came in a close second place at 11-points, with its simple and intuitive adjustments and controls. EGO provides an excellent user experience. Most of the control and adjustment buttons or levers are bright green making them easy to find. Our crew also liked how quick and easy the mower handle folds for storage, as well as, the comfortable rubber over-mold handle grip.

Echo came in third with 13-points, with simple, intuitive, and ambidextrous controls. The contoured handle, while comfortable does not allow multiple gripping positions, and the crew noted that while the controls were easily accessed, they were spread out a bit, requiring the operator to remove the hand from the handle. There is NO variable speed paddle, and it has a separate on/off the headlight switch.

Notable Mentions

The DEWALT mower has an “average ” 45-degree pronated grip. The propulsion control lever has little to no modulation. Fine control is difficult to achieve and appears to be a mechanical clutch mechanism. The auto-adjusting speed slows down the mower blade over easy-to-cut grass, and because the propulsion is based on a mechanical clutch it also slows down your pace (at exactly the time when you want to speed up). Slow speed necessitates the operator to extend and hold their fingers, which is awkward and causes hand fatigue. When walking over gravel while pushing the mower, it cannot be propelled without the blade spinning, which could result in a flying item hazard.

The Makita (not PRO) has excellent controls that are easily accessed on the top of the handle assembly. You do however have to move your hand from the handle to access them. It does have an easily adjustable deck height and the handle is all metal making it very durable.

In the last two years, the biggest upgrade to mowers seems to be in the lower tier mowers – Ethan

The Makita Pro has similar features as the other Makita but is way more solid a build. The crew noted that the speed control is a bit off the reach, making awkward adjustments on the fly.  It has excellent controls, easily accessed on top of the handle assembly, you do have to remove your hand from the handle.

Overall the crew felt that the Makita Pro was easy to use, maneuvered fine and the self-propulsion can be left on its turn as the mower speed is slower.  The mower is a bit slow on the speed-up – ramp-up speed which is one reason many of the crew users did not turn off the self-propulsion on turns.

The crew noted that the mower bogged down in 7” inch clover set at 4” deck height.  Operating on two batteries, this mower has a compartment for 4 batteries with a switch between the 2 with a knob on the motor, so you do not have to open the lid to access it. A battery led shows all 4 battery charges at the same time.

When set at mid-range [or lower] we noted that the front right wheel was not touching the ground. The crew all felt that in terms of cut quality it would have a negligible difference on the cut, as this measurement off was 1/8” strong.

The Makita Pro has two handle height adjustments that require a tool to set.   This is a heavy machine, with front and rear lift points, it is truly built for daily Pro use.

The TORO has what they call a “Personal Pace” self-propel drive, which is a  sliding handle grip that slides along with the handle frame – as you push it forward,  it starts propulsion and controls it. It definitely takes some getting used to. The arched [rounded] shaped handle is unique looking, and comfortable but has side-to-side slop possibly causing it to rack. Other than the propulsion system this mower is no-frills and could use an upgrade. (Cannot be propelled without the blade spinning, requires each wheel lever to adjust the deck height Handle does not telescope).

The SNAPPER has a self-propelled sliding handle similar to the Toro, Snapper calls it “step-sense” The Snapper has a variable speed that is built into the Step-sense handle feature. Unlike the Toro, the variable speed can be locked out with a locking knob on the handle deck. Lightweight. This is a no-frill mower, with no lift points.

Maneuverability Winner – Black and Decker and Kobalt 40V

Because they were not self-propelled, the Black and Decker and Kobalt 40V mowers were more maneuverable than the others. To move tightly with self-propelled machines, the user must disconnect the propulsion. The operator must press against the propelling mechanism to turn the mower tightly.

The Black and Decker is super light, very maneuverable, and great for smaller framed people or folks who might have issues with a heavier mower. Because of the weight and no propulsion, this makes trimming around gardens and trees incredibly easy.

The same can be said about the Kobalt 40v, due to the not having a self-propulsion, this mower is geared to smaller yards or a yard with lots of maneuvering around planting beds.

Milwaukee took 2nd place and was the best maneuverability in the self-propelled mowers. This was due because of the short wheelbase front to back. The mowers with the longest wheelbase ranked towards the bottom.

The maneuverability of push mowers is especially important when trimming around gardens, trees, and other landscaping features. The ease with which the mower turns is largely due to the wheels and mower weight.

EGO took third place, and the crew noted that by applying pressure with your palm you can easily engage the self-propelled system. When mowing, users discovered that easing up on the drive button made for smoother, tighter turns.

The Hart mower lost a wheel on one of our maneuvering tests. It looks like the nut /washer on the wheel could benefit from a Nylock nut. Based on this, Hart received a low score in the fit and finish the scoring. The mower itself once repaired maneuvered well.

Deck Height Adjustability Winner – Kobalt 40V and Kobalt 80V

All of the mowers, with the exception of one, we tested include a single-lever, deck height adjustment feature. This sure does beat adjusting each wheel like the old-style mowers we grew up with.

The winners of this category were the Kobalt 40V and 80V due to a combination of their large lever, they both have a strong return spring and are easy to engage. They both feature a 7 deck-height adjustment option, ranging from 4″ at its highest to lowest at 1-1/4″ setting.

Ryobi, Milwaukee, and Stihl came in a close second due to their large handle levers, spring-assisted, and easy-to-use lifting and lowering levers.

The only mower that still has individually adjustable wheels is the Toro. Due to this, we had no choice but to put it in last place for deck adjustability – that’s just archaic.

“Come on Toro! Individually adjustable wheels? Nobody has time for that… it’s 2022!” – SCOTT

Notable Mention

The crew liked the EGO deck adjustment height lever. It has a nice handle but agreed that it was tough to actuate. We assume in time the spring might loosen up and might be easier to raise and lower. 

Some mowers had knuckle-busting setups that would cause the user to hit the lower part of the handle assembly when adjusting the mower for taller cutting.

Compact Design & Storage Size Winners – EGO and Ryobi,

Garages tend to get taken over by mowers, trimmers, and tools throughout the summer, so foldability and storage are crucial to some people. Furthermore, cordless mowers CAN be stored upright without the worry of spilling gas or filling the engine cylinder with oil.

The entire crew considered factors such as; telescopic handles, pivot points, grab handles, and the ability to stand upright on its own while evaluating how easy it was to set up and fold down each mower.

We examined these aspects and attributes as a group and then scored them on a scale of one to five, with one being the best.

There was a three-way tie for the most compact mower in this category. When folded, the EGO, Ryobi, and Hart have the smallest storage space. They are incredibly compact and can easily be stored vertically or horizontally.

EGO

The EGO mower is easy to fold and store compact. You can hang it from the front handle or store it upright. The handle can be telescoped in and out using two side levers. To fold the handle down horizontally, simply pull a large, easily accessed lever. If needed, the EGO additionally has two handles for easy carrying.

Ryobi

The Ryobi mower has a single pull lever to open to fold the handle. Once folded it is very compact and easily stands vertically. The Ryobi had one rear carrying handle the no telescoping features.

HART

The “fast-fold” feature on the Hart mower is a lever that pulls up for a quick, smooth handle fold. There is no need for a telescoping feature because of the short handle, and it folds up extremely compact.

The one mower that does not fold is the Makita PRO grade. We believe that commercial mowers are not meant to store. They are put in a trailer and come off at every site. With that being said the Makita Pro mower has front and rear lift points and is truly heavy duty! A workhorse for sure!

Best Cordless Mower Price Winner – Black and Decker

One of, if not the most sought question is going to be how much money are these mowers.  We always mention that one big factor is what battery platform you are working off of. Well, we think that for cordless mowers that might not be the case. There are several brands on this list that do not manufacture power tools and the majority of the ones that do have larger voltage systems for their mowers.

At the time of publication, these prices are mowers that come in a kit form. Some of these mowers can be purchased in big box stores, or on the web at Acme Tools, or other retail websites. Below is a chart of how these mower kits are sold and the components in each kit.

Coming in at the lowest cost is the Black and Decker CM2043C which will run you $347.0.0 and is a great mower for someone who is mowing a smaller area. The mower deck is plastic and is a “no-frills” mower that will get the job done for your average homeowner. Cutting at roughly 1/4 acre on a single charge, this mower can handle your weekly lawn cut!

With a price of $399.00, the Skil mower comes in second place as the lowest-priced mower. Powered by Skil’s PWRCORE 40V battery, this mower covered a lot of grass on our tests! Covering more than 1.5 miles of mowed grass, this Skil finished mid-pack. It is lightweight and has a telescoping handle for great storage.

The Kobalt 40V mower is the third-ranked lowest-priced mower at $429.00. This mower also has a steel deck and provides about 45 minutes of continuous cut on a 40V 6.0Ah battery. This is a good choice if you are already using other 40V Kobalt Outdoor Power Equipment!

On the flip side, the Milwaukee 2823-22HD comes in at the highest mower and will run you $999.00. That being said, it shined in our area mowed testing, it won the fastest mower test and has some sick features like multiple LED lights. This mower ships with (2) M18 12.0 Ah batteries which probably make up half the cost of the mower!

Best Cordless Mower – Milwaukee

These tests and evaluations are very difficult, take a lot of time, and are ultimately limited in scope as we’re not a professional testing company. We also cannot do long-term testing that would shed light on durability. In order to choose the best cordless mower, all six [6] evaluated categories were scored and ranked 1 through 16, to define the winner. We then tallied those category numbers to come up with a total number. The lower the number the better.

The Milwaukee M18 21″ Self-Propelled Dual Battery Mower took the crown on Best Cordless Mower of 2022. This mower is powerful, running on (2) M18 12.0Ah batteries! It was super fast in our speed test and it covered over 14, 936 feet mowed. That is 2.83 miles of mowing. It ran at full speed for over 44 minutes which is up at the top of the pack when it comes to run time. The team really appreciated its great ergonomics, foldability, maneuverability, and nicely thought-out design!

The team was impressed with the fit and finish of the handles, controls,  steel deck, and overall durable design of this mower. The rear wheel self-propelled drive allowed this mower to move fast and maneuver well.

Many of the crew members who used the mower commented on how quick the throttle to the motor reaction was.  

Milwaukee claims that its optimized steel deck design, higher blade speed, and airflow deliver increased lift which reduces missed grass blades and clumps for better quality grass cutting. Our team noted that the mower’s higher blade speed helped, and did not stall the mower in taller grass.

The blade and propulsion reached full throttle in under 1 second. The throttle or “Active Speed Management Paddle,” as Milwaukee refers to it allowed us to easily adjust mower speed to walking pace. The Milwaukee delivers 10 ft-lb cutting torque and a variable speed self-propel: 0 MPH – 4 MPH.

Many of the crew liked and commended the futuristic 4 location LED light design, although we all agreed that lights on a mower are not an important feature.

As a Milwaukee cordless tool user, I immediately recognized that the two 12Ah batteries with this unit separately cost $500, and can be used in my other high-demand tools. That makes this mower much more attractive to me and puts it in the $400 range. ~ ROB

Lastly, the single-point height adjustment, 2-point carry handles, and easy vertical storage allowed this mower to rise quickly to the top.  As professional contractors, we also like that the Milwaukee mower batteries will run Milwaukee tools.

Our hats go out to The EGO POWER+ 21″ Select Cut XP Self-Propelled Mower which continues to crush its competitors when it comes to outdoor power equipment. This mower is no slouch and it finished right under the winner. It has great ergonomics, cut just over 2 miles at 10,868 ft on a single 56V 10.0Ah battery. This machine will cut anything you throw in front of it. Having the ability to turn off the self-propel feature avoids accidental flying hazards while moving the mower over non-grass areas. 

The team liked that you can engage the “Touch Drive” self-propel function with the touch of your palm, and control the variable speed with a dial with your other hand.  The Ego delivers 8.3 ft-lb cutting torque and a variable speed self-propel: .9 MPH – 3.1 MPH

The Ego also has a 7-position cutting height adjustment from 1.5″- 4″ and bright LED headlights. Ego’s Select Cut Multi-blade Cutting System is equipped with three, interchangeable lower blades; the Mulching Blade, High Lift Bagging Blade, and Extended Run-time Blade.

Ryobi and Stihl tied for third with 30-points.

The Ryobi was the only all-wheel-drive lawn mower. It features two interactive battery ports, and a fast and easy  7-position single-point height adjustment from 1″ to 4″. The crew appreciated the external fuel gauge, LED lights, and one-touch folding handles but were impressed by the integrated mulch plug which engages with a simple one-handed lever.

The Stihl RMA 510 V performed exceptionally well in all of our tests with exception of the speed test. Users wished that this awesome mower self-propulsion was a little faster.

The Stihl was highly maneuverable with an easy-to-use variable speed setting control, allowing mowing speed between 0.6 mph to 2.8 mph. Our crew was impressed with this mower’s fit and finish, especially the durable, 10-inch rear wheels and 8-inch front ball-bearing wheels.

Our team liked that it offers seven adjustable cutting heights, and the handlebar adjusts to three height positions for user comfort. The Stihl is priced $100 less than the Ego and Ryobi, and $300 less than the Milwaukee.

Best Cordless Mower Value Winner – Greenworks

The ECHO mower is our best value winner. This mower competed with the big boys for sure. It scored 6th in the overall finish scoring and came in 5th with a cost of $499.00.

The ECHO scored top three in the fit and finish speed, and ergonomics categories.  It has simple, intuitive, and ambidextrous controls. This machine gives you seven adjustments for cutting increments between 1 and 4-inch cutting heights and an auto-switch dual-battery dock.

Overall the team thought you would get the best bang for your buck, or should we say “cut for your green.”  

Final Thoughts

The noise, odor, and maintenance that come with owning a gas-powered mower are no longer an issue for cordless mower owners. Coupled with other cordless outdoor power equipment, you can now keep the gas to your cars. Cordless outdoor power equipment has come leaps and bounds since its inception and it continues to impress us.

Gas mowers have been around for over 100 years but with powerful lithium-ion battery technology, they are really competing with gas-powered mowers!

Thanks for following and please check out our other Head 2 Head tests!

Best Cordless Mower 2022 | Tool Testing Review Video

Best Cordless Mower 2022 is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Best Cordless Chainsaw Comparison Test – 2020

There is nothing cooler than a chainsaw. They are aggressive tools that make processing heavy timber materials effortless and enjoyable. But are cordless battery-powered chainsaws ready for the spotlight? A chainsaw requires a high output of power in order to cut efficiently, without stalling or bogging down. With the advancements in battery and electronics technology over the last few years, we were anxious to see how the cordless tool world applies that technology to chainsaws.

The benefits of cordless OPE are well known. Ease of maintenance, effortless long term storage, reduced noise, no more exhaust fumes, no more mixing fuel, just to name a few. Many pros are tired of dealing with the maintenance of gas-powered saws as well. But what kind of performance can you realistically expect from a battery-powered chainsaw? That’s what we set out to find with this latest Head-2-Head.

Cordless Chainsaw Head-2-Head Selection Criteria

Currently, there are dozens of different models of cordless chainsaws in a variety of different voltages and bar lengths. In order to limit our sample size, we determined what size saw would be most practical across a wide range of applications. We identified three main categories of users that could benefit the most from a cordless chainsaw.

The first is arborist’s or tree care professionals looking for a smaller, maneuverable saw, requiring less maintenance for limbing work or cleaning up brush piles to be chipped. The second is contractors or construction professionals who are already invested in a battery platform and looking for a saw for occasional use or home use. And finally, homeowners or landowners looking for a tool for occasional use or storm cleanup.

Based upon this, we chose to test saws with a bar and chain between 14″-16″ long. A saw of this size would be practical in the hands of most users for a variety of tasks. Likely in place of a gas-powered chainsaw in the 30-45 cc range. We also limited the voltage from 18V-62V. This gave us a sample size of twelve saws from all of the major brands and manufacturers.

Cordless Chainsaw Lineup

DEWALT Flexvolt MAX 60V

• Model: DCCS670X1
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 12.2 Lbs
• Battery Size: 3.0 Ah
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Year Limited /1 Year Free Service / 90 Day Money Back

DR Power PULSE 62V

• Model: 414170
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 9.9 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 2.5 Ah
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir W/ Replaceable filter
• Warranty: 2 Year Residential / 90 Day Commercial

Echo 58V

• Model: CCS-58V4AH
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 13.7 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 4.0 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year Consumer / 2 Year Professional

Ego Power+ 56V

• Model: CS1604
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 8.69 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 5.0 Ah
• Tool Free Chain Tensioner
• Autimatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year

Greenworks PRO 60V

• Model: 2014502
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 10.0 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 2.0Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 4 Year Tool and Battery

Husqvarna 536li XP 36V

• Model: 536li XP
• Bar Length: 14″
• Chain Manufacturer: Husqvarna
• Weight: 5.29 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 9.4 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Year Residential / 2 Year Commercial

Kobalt 40V

• Model: KCS 4040-06
• Bar Length: 14″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 10.9 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 4.0 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year Limited

Makita 18V X2 / 36V LXT

• Model: XCU04PT1
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 8.3 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 5.0 Ah (X2)
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Adjustable Oiler
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Year Limited

Milwaukee M18 FUEL

• Model: 2727-21HD
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 13.9 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 12.0 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year Limited

Oregon 40V

• Model: CS300
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Oregon
• Weight: 10.2 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 6.0 Ah
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Years

Ryobi 40V

• Model: RY40550
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: OEM
• Weight: 12.4 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 4.0 Ah
• Manual/Tooled Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Screw Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 5 Year Limited

Stihl 36V

• Model: MSA 220C-B
• Bar Length: 16″
• Chain Manufacturer: Stihl
• Weight: 6.4 Lbs.
• Battery Size: 7.2 Ah
• Tool-Free Chain Tensioner
• Automatic Oiler
• Manual Chain Brake
• Flip Cap Oil Reservoir
• Warranty: 3 Year Residential / 2 Year Commercial

Cordless Chainsaw Evaluation Criteria

Up until recently, cordless chainsaws were honestly kind of a joke. But the cordless revolution and improvements in battery technology have now given manufacturers the foundation they need to build truly capable chainsaws. In order to thoroughly evaluate our sample body of tools, we conducted a series of demanding tests. Each saw was ranked based upon a total of nine evaluation categories.

When determining our evaluation criteria it was important to select tests that applied to a wide range of users. Our compiled data needed to be as relatable to tree care professionals as it is to contractors and home/landowners. Testing each saw to its limit was also critical in order to clearly establish the line that separates the capability of a cordless saw from a traditional gas-powered model. It is also worth mentioning that all of our tests were performed on hardwood trees as they are common and widely available throughout the Northeast.

Bearing all this in mind, we settled on the following categories:

• Run-Time Cutting
• Speed Cutting
• Torture/High Demand Cutting
• Tool Size and Balance
• Weight
• Features
• Ergonomics
• Decibel Output
• Price

In addition to these ranked categories, we wanted feedback from true professional users and reached out to a local tree company to be a part of the testing. They were on-site with us for the day of testing and brought their bucket truck. We put each saw in the hands of an experienced tree pro and put them to work limbing up a standing dead ash tree. This is a real-world application that has always been done with a gas-powered saw. Performing this task gave us valuable feedback in determining if any of the battery-powered tools were ready for demanding professional service.

Cordless Chainsaw Run-Time Test

Run-time testing seems pretty straight forward, right? Put a battery in the thing and just cut some stuff. Our goal is to truly test the limits of these tools and run-time testing was a premier opportunity for us to do this.

Our run-time test consisted of inserting a fully charged battery in each saw with a factory sharpened chain and then proceed to cut as many crosscut slices through a tree length log as possible on a single battery charge. Each saw was filled with Stihl Woodcutter bar and chain oil prior to beginning the test and chain tension was also set properly.

The test logs were Maple, all approximately 13.5″ in diameter. The logs had sat off the ground seasoning for approximately two years. Because no tree is a perfect column, we had some variation in diameter. The average diameter of the logs calculated out to 13.6875″.

Maple is not the hardest species of wood out there, but these were some BIG logs. In fact, they were likely bigger than what most of these saws were designed to cut, which is why we chose them. This test forced the saws to work hard, and it showed. In order to keep things uniform, we kept the same two test cutters for the entire test. Both operators were instructed to perform five cuts at a time and then pause for 25 seconds to allow the batteries a brief relief and avoid thermal overloading.

First Place: Ego

Ego crushed this test, plain and simple. The Ego saw performed a total of 31 full depth cuts and then a partial cut of 4.25″ on the 32nd cut before dying. Ego has a rock-solid battery platform, and this test highlights that.

The electronics of the Ego saw are extremely efficient and transfer the power of their 56V ARC technology seamlessly to the 16″ bar and chain. The Ego was the first saw we tested and as we watched the stack of cookies rise, we started to worry that we might run out of test material. Our crew did mention that after the 15th cut, there was a change in cutting speed and the tool seemed to slow down slightly, but kept going.

Second Place: Milwaukee

The Milwaukee FUEL saw was the lowest voltage tool of the day, but still shined as a cutter. The FUEL completed a total of 21 cuts with a partial depth of 9.25″ on the 22nd. The proven M18 platform with the massive 12.0 Ah battery did very well in our testing. However, this saw did experience a battery overload at the 18th cut. We had to remove the battery, let it cool down for almost ten minutes, and then continue the test. The Milwaukee saw uses a slower chain speed compared to some of the other saws, but delivers a ton of torque and power while cutting.

Third Place: Greenworks

The Greenworks Pro 60V saw is no stranger to the Tool Box Buzz crew. It performed a total of 21 full cuts and maintained constant chain speed and power throughout. Overall our test cutters agreed that it had excellent power and was a “Top Cutter”.

Learning to Cut Differently

While evaluating run-time, our test cutters learned that operating a cordless chainsaw is drastically different from a traditional saw. A gas-powered saw will typically allow you to lean into a cut and put extra leverage and force on the tool. A gas-powered motor will power through this while bogging down without incident. However, an electric saw will shut itself down when encountering extreme resistance to prevent damaging the motor. Our operators had to allow the saws to do the cutting and hold back from leaning on them too much.

Of the saws we tested; Makita, Stihl, and DR Power had issues with stalling out and had to be reset to continue cutting. The Stihl in particular had to be reset, battery removed, and cooled off, several times to continue the test.

Speed Cutting Test

Published chain speeds, RPM ratings, manufacturer cutting claims can all get pretty confusing. So we made it a priority to see just how fast our cordless saws could perform a cut in a piece of hardwood. A seasoned length of Ash was selected to perform the speed cutting test. Our sample log measured out to an average diameter of 11.02″ based upon measurements taken before the start of each test cut.

We chose to keep the same operator for the entire test to maintain consistency. Our test cutter then performed three timed cross cuts as quickly as the saw was able to. After the results were recorded, we reset and performed the test a second time. The average of the two times was calculated and used to rank each saw.

First Place: Echo

One of the test cutters summed up the Echo perfectly; “This thing feels like a chainsaw!” The Echo saw powered through the speed cuts with an average time of 44.5 seconds. Echo’s 58V system uses a slower chain speed but delivers a lot of felt torque in the cut. This balance of speed and power allowed the Echo to chew through our test material quickly without bogging down or dropping in speed.

Second Place: Stihl

Stihl is a big name, if not the biggest in the chainsaw world. Their reputation is built upon their solid construction and professional-grade engineering and features. This lineage really showed itself during out speed cut testing. With an average cut time of 48 seconds, the Stihl had zero issues cutting through the 11″ Ash log. While the Stihl struggled with the larger diameter run-time log, the smaller log used here, along with Stihl’s very aggressive profiled chain yielded impressive results.

Third Place: Greenworks

With an average cut time of 50.2 seconds, Greenworks continued to shine as a “Top Cutter.” The Greenworks PRO 60V saw’s performance in the speed cutting test is an outstanding example of a tool that was built from the ground up as a cordless chainsaw.

Cordless Chainsaw Torture Test

In order to break down a large round of wood to a more manageable size, chainsaw users will often perform a rip cut or “Noodling” cut as it is more commonly referred to as. We selected a noodling cut as our torture test due to the fact that it greatly tests the full powerband of the cordless saw. A noodling cut is performed parallel to the grain of a full log round.

What makes it so difficult is the chain has to pull the long-stranded chips through the entire kerf length of the bar and chain. These long-stranded chips resemble curly noodles, hence the name Noodling. Traditionally a user would need a larger and more powerful gas-powered saw to perform such a cut.

For our test, twelve pre-cut rounds, of wet Red Oak, were placed standing on a block and cut parallel to the grain. Our rounds were each twelve inches long and averaged 16.78″ in diameter. The toughness of the grain structure of the Red Oak and the moisture content of the wood placed a huge demand on our saws.

We chose to make this test a Pass/Fail evaluation mainly because we were unsure if the saws would be able to complete the test. To our surprise, almost every tool passed the test! The only saw which failed to complete the noodling cut was the Milwaukee M18 FUEL. During the test cut, the Milwaukee jammed with sawdust and noodle strands completely binding and seizing the blade. The saw had to be disassembled and cleaned out before it was functional again.

The performance of these battery-powered saws during our torture test was extremely impressive. It showed us the benefit of modern electric motors and their ability to maintain a constant output regardless of demand.

Weight

We ranked our saws based upon the bare tool weight of each model. Based upon the published bare tool weights we ranked the saws as follows:

Overall Size and Balance

Numbers alone do not always tell the full story of the overall feel of a tool in hand. We chose to include size and balance in addition to weight during our evaluation. Some of the saws did a great job of balancing this increased weight and size while others did not. One of our test cutters remarked that operating some of these saws felt like “driving a big Cadillac boat like my Grandma used to drive”.

Our professional tree cutter felt that overall size and balance was one of the biggest factors for him when deciding if he would take one of these saws up in the bucket. If the saw was bulky and unwieldy, then it would be an absolute no-go for them to even consider.

First Place: Stihl

The Stihl felt like a compact professional-grade tool in the hands of every user. The overall size and balance is excellent and felt more like a chainsaw with a battery in it than a battery-powered chainsaw.

Second Place: Husqvarna

Husqvarna is the other biggest and most well-known name in the chainsaw world. The 536li XP felt nimble and balanced in hand. It’s lightweight and compact design makes it a true professional-grade tool. Our tree cutter stated that the Husqvarna had “great balance and lightweight in hand”. He felt that it was the most realistic choice of all the saws for use in a bucket or tree due to the weight.

Third Place: Makita

The Makita XCU04PT1 saw offered a great combination of weight and balance. The Makita 36V two battery system places the battery packs higher up and centered on the saw. This cuts down on the overall length of the saw body and streamlines it as well. Much like the Stihl and Husqvarna, the Makita saw balanced similarly to a traditional gas-powered saw and was easily controlled by our test crew.

Cordless Chainsaw Features

Our saws ranged from basic and Spartan in terms of features to jam-packed. We examined each saw and compared features such as manual chain brakes, chain tensioning systems, bar oil fill cap design, onboard tool storage, bumper spikes or felling dogs, and many other areas as well. Based on this detailed comparison, we were able to rank our tools as follows.

First Place: DEWALT

The DEWALT Flexvolt saw has an outstanding set of features that make it very user friendly. The manual chain brake, in particular, stood out to our crew as a well thought out and executed safety feature. The brake lever had an excellent contour to it with very short travel to engage and disengage. DEWALT’s tool-free chain tensioning system was also the most user friendly. As a right-handed operator, I could easily hold the saw by the forward handle in my left hand while using my right hand to adjust the chain tension. All of the controls featured high-quality, flip-down levers that are easy to use and store securely. The flip cap design of the bar oil reservoir was also extremely easy to use. One area of improvement for the saw would be a set of steel bumper spikes as opposed to the current molded plastic ones.

Second Place: Oregon

The Oregon name is well known as a manufacturer of high-quality bars, chains, and other forestry products. But the CS300 chainsaw was a bit of an unknown surprise to our crew. Having never tested a tool from Oregon before, we were pleasantly surprised by this mighty monster. Oregon saw was packed with features that were very clearly designed by chainsaw people. The first of which was the Oregon Self Sharpening system and 91PS056X chain. Oregon included a self-sharpening system in which the user simply pulls upwards on a control lever for 3-5 seconds while running the saw to automatically sharpen the chain. The lever lowers a contoured sharpening stone down onto the chain and sharpens as it runs. This feature makes the often foreboding task of sharpening a chain effortlessly. The chain is proprietary and the sharpening stone will only work with the special chain. Oregon also has excellent bumper spikes and a responsive chain brake as well as a tool-free chain tensioning system.

Third Place: Stihl

It comes as no surprise that a professional-grade tool like the Stihl includes professional-grade features as well. Stihl includes an inboard clutch design along with steel bumper spikes and chain catch with the MSA 220 C-B. The tool-free chain tensioning system is very user friendly. The finger rotary dial design for adjusting tension was found to be slightly less intuitive than the DEWALT Design.

Of all the saws that were tested, Kobalt was the only model to not feature a manual chain brake lever and it’s placing in this category reflects that. The Kobalt also requires a tool to tension the chain. Our crew found an overwhelming preference for saws with a tool-free chain tensioning method as opposed to a traditional tooled system. For saws of this class, tool-free seems to make the most sense.

Overall Ergonomics

The term ergonomics gets thrown around a lot and is completely user-dependent. Bearing that in mind we ranked our tools in terms of ergonomics based upon the way they worked with us during use. The areas we focused on were handled angles, grip textures, control locations, and felt vibration. All of these features are worth considering to find the tool that is comfortable to the user.

First Place: Husqvarna

The Husqvarna saw was designed for all-day professional use. The contoured angle of the handles was comfortable as well as made the controls easy to reach. The saw featured a simple push-button power switch as well as a manual chain brake, and grip tang safety release. These controls all worked smoothly together in hand. There is also little felt vibration with this saw and no hot spots on the grips.

Second Place: Stihl

The compact body design of the Stihl along with ergonomic controls makes this one of the most comfortable tools in hand. The Stihl features a push-button safety release on the left side of the rear grip as opposed to an on/off switch, this button is easy to reach and unobtrusive during use. The ease of battery access and quick change were exceptional on the Stihl.

Third Place: Makita

The Makita saw followed the same design path as the Husqvarna, with a push-button on/off switch and a grip tang safety release. This simple feature alone was found to be a favorite among our testing crews. The tree care pros also greatly favored this system and found the Makita to be extremely similar to their current gas-powered saws.

Decibel Output Rating

One of the main benefits of cordless chainsaws and cordless OPE in general is the lack of noise. But just how quiet is a cordless chainsaw. To test this, the saws were placed on a concrete slab open garage space in the same general area. An average Decibel rating from each saw at approximately arms length away. The same rough distance as users ears would be from the tool during use. The decibel rating was captured during the loudest rev-up phase of the tools, similar to how they would perform while cutting.

Husqvarna metered the lowest at 74.4 and DEWALT followed closely behind at 74.5. The majority of the saws fell between 74.5 to 76.5 decibels, Greenworks was the loudest saw at 80.1 decibels.

All of the saws tested fell within the OSHA safe hearing level standards and are drastically quieter than a comparable size gas-powered saw. For prolonged use, a set of hearing protection is a good idea in my opinion. I found the pitch of the electric motors to be annoying after extended use. Similar to listening to a miter saw all day.

Price

Using a host of different online vendors and local dealers, the saws were ranked based upon the current market price on a bare tool, at the time of this article. The bare tool price is the best way to rank a comparison such as this because many of our manufacturers sell their saws as a la carte system. They allow the individual user to select the battery packs and charger right for them.  Such as Stihl, Husqvarna, and Oregon.

Looking at bare tool prices, we see three of our top-performing saws all the way at the bottom. This wide difference in price is a direct reflection of a truly pro-grade tool as opposed to a residential or homeowner grade tool. The Kobalt will not be capable, or expected to perform, to the same level as the Husqvarna or Stihl. Stihl is also unique in that they do not offer online sales. In order to buy a Stihl chainsaw, you must visit a Stihl dealer. This dealer experience is a trademark of the Stihl brand and is something that TBB Crew Member Jeff Williams discussed in a previous review.

Below is some “Buy Now” links to purchase some of the saws featured in this Head-2-Head from our sponsor at Ohio Power Tool.

Best Overall Value Cordless Chainsaw

Echo CCS-58VA Chainsaw

Of all the cordless chainsaws featured in this comparison test, the Echo stood out as a tremendous value backed by outstanding performance. The Echo was our fastest cutter and ranked in the top 5 for run time and weight. But more importantly, it tied for third for the price as a bare tool. The echo has a solid heft to it that makes it feel like a traditional gas saw in hand but is still relatively light. Because it cuts at a lower chain speed with higher torque, the 58V Echo chewed through every species of wood we threw at it with no issues.

While a little bulky for a tree climber or bucket saw, the Echo is an excellent saw for firewood cutting or general clean up around a home or property. Echo also gives users the option of online ordering as well as the local dealer experience or purchasing from a large home center. The CCS-58VA is part of a larger lineup of cordless OPE from echo and would serve any homeowner well as part of a complete system of products.

Best Cordless Chainsaw Results – Winner Stihl

Based on our evaluation criteria, each saw was ranked and a point value was recorded. These scores were then added and a final ranking order was determined. The lower the score, the better the placement of the tool. Based upon this, Stihl took top place overall with 36 points. DEWALT and Husqvarna tied for second place with 41 points. Makita followed close behind with 42 points and was a solid performer.

Overall our test saws established themselves into three categories. Power tool companies that made a cordless chainsaw, chainsaw companies that designed a battery-powered saw, and battery-powered companies that built a chainsaw around their platform. Each individual tool had its own strengths and weaknesses and their performance was clearly based upon their battery system. Overall our crew was extremely impressed with the power and capabilities that these cordless saws have to offer.

If you are currently invested in the battery platform, then you likely can’t go wrong with picking up a matching chainsaw. If you are considering purchasing a saw and aren’t invested in a platform, take a look at the full range of tools from each manufacturer when making your decision. Cutting a tree a few seconds slower is nothing compared to the expense of investing in multiple battery platforms.

For the tree care pros out there, a battery saw is worth looking at as well. Charging a battery is way easier than filling a gas can and less messy. More importantly, a battery-powered saw goes from on to off with the flip of a switch. While expensive, the professional-grade tools highlighted in this test are extremely capable and powerful. A pro will be surprised at how often they would find themselves reaching for a battery-powered saw over a gas-powered model.

So whether you are a backyard lumberjack, a rugged tree cutter, or an eco-conscious cannibal from Texas, a cordless chainsaw is likely a great option for you.

Best Cordless Chainsaw Video Review

Best Cordless Chainsaw Head-to-Head is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Cordless Lawn Mower Head-To-Head | 2020

Cordless Lawn Mowers have taken over the lawn and garden section in many retail stores. Six years ago, Tool Box Buzz ran a Best Cordless Lawn Mower Head-to-Head test of five cordless mowers, so we were really interested in how the field of manufacturers has increased and how the offerings have changed after six years.

Our 2020 cordless lawn mower head-to-head will answer the question of whether cordless mowers’ performance “cut it” when compared to a gas-powered mower.

Why Cordless Lawn Mowers?

Even when operated correctly, gas-powered mowers require lots of service including oil changes, fuel filters, spark plugs, and air filters. Oftentimes people wait to do service until the mower won’t start! Anyone who has had to get a small engine repaired knows the hassle and time-sink that can be. Cordless mowers eliminate all of the above-mentioned maintenance, last-minute fuel purchases and they’re quieter to operate and do not emit fumes.

Cordless Lawn Mower Line Up

We reached out to 10 of the top cordless lawn mower manufacturers and asked if they would like to participate in our head to head article. We received 12 mowers, Greenworks and Kobalt sent two models. The models we tested included:

Black and Decker  60 V POWERSWAP 20″ Cordless Mower CM2060C

DEWALT  2x 20V Brushless 20 in. 3-IN-1 Cordless Lawn Mower DCMW220X2C 

EGOPower+ 21″ Select Cut Mower with Touch Drive Self-Propelled Technology LM2130SP

Greenworks   60V 21 in. Cordless Brushless Self-Propelled Lawn Mower with 5Ah Battery and Charger 2520102

Greenworks 60V 25 in. Cordless Mower  with 4Ah and 2.5 Ah Battery and Charger 2510802

HART 40V Brushless 21″ Self Propelled Mower Kit HLPM021VMN

Kobalt 80-volt Max Brushless  Self-propelled 21-in Cordless Mower MP 6080-06

Kobalt 40-volt Max Brushless Self-propelled 21-in Cordless Mower KMP 2580-06

Makita 18V X2 (36V) LXT® Lithium‑Ion Brushless Cordless 21″ Self‑Propelled Lawn Mower Kit with 4 Batteries (5.0Ah) XML08PT1

Ryobi 21 in. 40-Volt Cordless Self Propelled Mower with 7.5 Ah Batteries & 1 Charger RY401130

SKIL PWRCore 40 Brushless 40V 20″ Self-Propelled Mower Kit SM4910-10

STIHL Cordless Lawn Mower RMA 510 V

** Weight includes batteries but does not include clippings bag.

Cordless Lawn Mower Head-to-Head Comparison

While this head to head is not a scientific research project, we did take measurements, evaluate each mower in several categories, and rank them against each other. When we begin to pull together our Head-To-Head tool tests, we always try to figure out how to make the tests consistent, repeatable, and fair. Often, we figure out how to take the human variable out of a test, but we couldn’t do that with mowers.

We looked at the following categories in order to give you the Best Cordless Lawn Mower.

• Quality of Cut – This was a subjective comparison based on mowing adjacent areas of lawn and comparing the quality of the cut areas.
• Noise – We measured decibel levels for each mower. The test was performed with each mower set at the highest deck level, sitting on a concrete slab. We measured the noise at the highest motor speed and the lowest (Note – some models motors ramp down due to demand to save battery life).
• Run-Time – Run-time is affected by so many different variables. However, we wanted to give a relative comparison for discussion purposes so we tested the run-time using a very large field and ran the mowers under “load” conditions.
• Ergonomics – Ergonomics play a major role in all of our evaluations and testing. Not only does the mower need to perform well, but it’s very important that it is comfortable, which ultimately leads to more productivity and reduced risk of injury.
• Handle Comfort & Adjustment– Another subjective comparison focusing on the handle height, adjustments, and overall comfort.
• Maneuverability – We evaluated how easily the mowers were to push and to cut around trees.  This category is largely factored based on the mower weight, self-propulsion, and wheelbase design.
• Deck Height Adjustability – We ranked each of the mowers based on how easy they were to adjust the cutting deck height.
• Rough Stuff – We took the mowers to a field that had 18” tall grass to see which mowers could handle this condition.
• Compact Storage – Users know that folding up and storing these mowers is an important consideration for purchasing. We examined what it took to fold these up and how much volume it takes to store them.

Cordless Lawn Mower Features

All 12 mowers have fairly similar features included the ones noted in the table below:

Both Hart and Stihl have an inoperable battery storage bay (this means when one battery is exhausted, the pack needs to be swapped out manually). One of the big differences with the mowers is how many battery packs each one uses, and how those packs are combined/utilized to power the mower.

• The Greenworks switches automatically to the next battery pack when the first one is exhausted.
• Makita has a switch that is used to change from one set of packs to the other when the first packs are exhausted.
• Lastly, there are others that run two batteries in parallel, like DEWALT and Makita (Makita holds 4 batteries onboard that swap over with a switch).

Cut Quality – Winner EGO Power+

To evaluate the cut quality we mowed adjacent areas with each mower side by side. After cutting the grass we evaluated how well the grass was cut.  The cut quality of the grass areas was excellent. This is due to the fact that each mower was brand new with an extremely sharp and new blade. There was no BIG discernible difference in the cut quality of the mowers.

Note on grass quality: The grass we mowed was field-quality. As a result, the grass plant type was not particularly uniform. This made the cut quality harder to determine than if we had cut a sod-quality lawn.

Since we were evaluating cut quality, we noted that one mower had a unique blade configuration. The Ego Power+ mower comes with three blades. The mower itself runs with a two-blade combination. The top blade is consistent in any combination. The bottom blade is designed to be switched out with either:  a ‘Premium Mulching Blade’ or a ‘Premium Bagging Blade’.

The Premium Mulching Blade is ideal for weekly mowing, giving you the cut quality and run time expected from high-end gas lawnmowers. The Premium Bagging Blade is a heavy-duty blade that turns grass into fine fragments ideal for both bagging and mulching.

We wanted to see if there was a difference in cut quality between all of the single-blade mowers, and the two mowers that had unique blade configurations, [EGO and 25″ Greenworks] hoping to see a cut quality difference.

We attached grass bags to the mowers and mowed a consistent section of grass. The team examined the clippings and saw a substantive difference in the size of the grass pieces. The EGO clippings were much smaller in size than the second-best sample that belonged to the 25″ Greenworks mower. Both of these mowers cut the grass into much finer pieces than the single-blade mowers.

We ranked the EGO mower in the top spot, followed by the 25″ Greenworks mower. The ten single-bladed mowers ranked in third place for cut quality.

Noise Winner – Makita XML08PT1

One of the biggest questions readers have asked about cordless mowers seems to be how much noise do they produce?

We did a basic decibel test to measure the noise of the mowers in a controlled situation to get a relative comparison of noise. The test consisted of running each mower with the deck raised to its midpoint level sitting on a concrete slab. We placed each mower in the exact same designated spot on the floor in a large barn and the decibel meter located in the same height and relative position to the test mower. The decibel meter used an ITU-R 468 frequency rating.

We ran the test for enough time to have the mowers reach a maximum and stable rpm speed. Many of the mower motors start at a high RPM and then cycle down to a slower speed to save energy. Our time interval took the readings before the speed algorithms stepped the rpm down because of the no-load condition.

Makita took the win with 80.5 dB and was noticeably quieter even without a decibel meter. HART came in second place with 82.4 dB and EGO was third with 84.1 dB.

For reference, the average gas lawnmower produces approximately 95 – 100 dB. The average of the noise measurements for our test mowers was 86.1 dB. Compared to a 100 dB noise level, these cordless mowers reduce the sound energy you hear by just over 20 times compared to a loud gas mower. (decibels are a logarithmic scale, 14 decibels difference is approximately 20 times louder).

Many communities have adopted noise restrictions that limit the time that you can mow with a gas mower. Please note that these mowers were measured while running on top of a concrete slab. In practice, these are much quieter when used on a lawn. As a group, these mowers will not have to be limited in their time of use. That is a great improvement!

Run-Time Winner – Kobalt 80v MP 6080-06

Run-time is a big question on the minds of people considering the purchase of battery-powered mowers. Huge advancements in battery technology are making these cordless mowers a viable option but the million-dollar question on everyone’s mind is how long can you mow on a battery charge? Mowing run time will vary greatly depending on the height of grass, the thickness of grass, and the type of grass.

The winner of our run-time test was the Kobalt 80v mower.

It’s important to note that all 12 of these mowers have different battery Amp-Hour, capacities, and voltages. So, how do you make any sense of that in order to determine the best runtime?  We measured the performance of the mowers “out of the box,” and also normalized performance on the basis of the energy available. [Watt-Hours explained below]

In order to get a relative comparison of run time, we tested the mowers in a very large field under load conditions. The field was mowed a week prior to our test and the grass type and height were very consistent within the borders of the test area. We set the deck height at the same height of 2 ½” for each mower.

We set each mower to its maximum speed if it were self-propelled. For the push mowers, (DEWALT and Black & Decker) we asked the operators to move at a comfortable pace. (It was interesting to note that a 40-year old man in good shape pushing a mower was much faster than most of the self-propelled mowers.)

Runtime Procedure

We measured, and marked off mowing lanes for each mower and kept track of the time and total distance that each mower traveled by counting the number of laps it traveled. We required the operator to place the wheel onto the furthest extent of the previous lap.

In the event that any mower completed its entire lane, we lowered the mower deck by one additional inch and re-cut the lane.

Watt-Hours is calculated by multiplying the voltage (actual load voltage, not the MAX that some companies advertise) by the battery pack Amp-Hours. This calculation allows us to compare the total energy available to do the work based on both the voltage and size of the battery pack (amp-hours).

The Kobalt 80v took first place, it ran 85.5 minutes and mowed 38,600 sq. ft. Second place went to the MAKITA, it ran 83 minutes, and mowed 35,000 Sq. Ft. Third place went to the Greenworks 60V 21″ mower which ran for 65 minutes and mowed 27,700 Sq Ft.

The HART mower ran the least at 22 minutes and mowed 8,400 Sq. Ft.

Ergonomics – Winner 25″ Greenworks

Ergonomics is the science of designing and producing tools that improve a worker’s efficiency while reducing discomfort, fatigue, and risk of injury.

For the ergonomics, we evaluated seven areas. These included the adjustability of the handle, the effort of maneuverability,  human factor in the ease of foldability and storage, deck adjustment ergonomics, and the control ergonomics.

The Greenworks mowers were virtually identical in a number of ergonomic categories and scored very well in those. The mowers’ handle adjustment factors, the ease of folding and unfolding the mowers, and the design of the mower control were where the Greenworks units shined. In close second place was the ergonomic scores in these categories that the EGO mower collected.

Handle Comfort & Adjustment Winner –Both Greenworks Mowers Models 21″ 2520102 and 25″ 2510802

When it comes to comfort with respect to push mowers the handle is a big deal. Both of the Greenworks mowers were superior to the group in terms of comfort, handle height, and adjustments. Adjustment is easily done with the two slides on each side of the handle. Just pull back on them and they dis-engage pins that set the adjustment and you can move the handle up or down. Release the slides and once the pins spring back into place you’re ready to go!

The EGO has a very simple and intuitive adjustment single lever near the base of the handle. Testers liked the large rubber over-mold handle and found it to be quite comfortable. The controls are also easy to use and everything is pretty intuitive, most buttons or levers are green making them easy to find.

The Skil has a wide paddle switch for the self propel mode along with an easy handle adjustment. Making it a third-place runner up in this category.

Maneuverability Winner – Black & Decker Model CM2060C

Black and Decker and DEWALT were more maneuverable than the rest of the mowers because they were NOT self-propelled. The self-propelled units require the user to disengage the propulsion in order to maneuver tightly. The user must then push against the propulsion mechanism to turn the mower tightly.

The 25″ Greenworks was the best maneuverability in the self-propelled mowers. This was due because of the short wheelbase front to back. The mowers with the longest wheelbase ranked towards the bottom.

The maneuverability of push mowers is especially important when trimming around gardens, trees, and other landscaping features. The ease with which the mower’s turn is largely a result of the wheels and mower weight.

Deck Height Adjustability Winner – Ryobi

All of the mowers we tested include a single lever deck height adjustment feature. This sure does beat adjusting each wheel like the old-style mowers. The Ryobi mower was a dramatic stand out with a grab handle that allowed the user to lift or drop the mower while adjusting the height. Rather than the other mechanisms which all relied on a short lever to lift the mower.  EGO took second place with the deck height adjustment out on the deck, clear of any obstructions. Third place went to the Skil, the large handle and reinforced plastic detent plate worked smoothly and easily.

Some mowers had knuckle-busting setups that would cause the user to hit the lower part of the handle assembly when adjusting the mower for taller cutting.

Rough Stuff Testing – Not included in Rankings

We took the mowers to a field that had 18” tall grass and weeds to see which mowers could handle this condition. We recognize that this is the WRONG application for this type of equipment, and did not use the results in the final rankings.

Almost all of the mowers pushed the larger weeds down and simply cut the leaves off of them. The lighter mowers with plastic decks tended to float over the top of the weeds, the Skil and Hart mowers were especially prone to this. Amazingly only one mower failed this test. The 40v Kobalt stalled out three times in quick succession and was the only mower that we felt ‘did not finish’.

Some mowers stalled out but started back up or were simply clogged up with leaves and weeds, and once cleared started up again. The Black and Decker, 21″ Greenworks, 25″ Greenworks, Skil, and Kobalt 80v mowers completed the test without stalling or needing their bags emptied. Testers found that the lightweight Black and Decker, Skil, and Hart mowers basically just slid over the top of the really tall weeds and didn’t do much cutting, but they did cut the overgrown grass.

A few mowers clogged up and needed their bags emptied (we decided to give them a thorough test on bagging in this context as well).  The 25″ Greenworks cut well, which we attribute to the dual blades. The Stihl stopped running a few times because the bag was full but completed the test and absolutely dominated bagging efficiency. The Makita clogged up but would get right back to it when the bag was emptied. The Kobalt 80V got through the test without stalling but didn’t cut as well as some of the other mowers. The EGO’s dual blades made for better cutting and it filled it’s bag near the end of the test and stopped at that point but picked right back up after the bag was emptied. All in All the 25″ Greenworks, 21″ Greenworks, and Kobalt 80v mowers performed best in this test, no stalling and doing a decent job of knocking down the rough stuff.

Compact Design & Storage Size Winner – EGO LM2130SP

Storage is important to some folks, as garages seem to be taken over by mowers, trimmers, and tools during the summer.  Additionally, cordless mowers CAN be stored vertically without the fear of spilling gas onto the floor or filling the cylinder with engine oil.

The EGO LM213oSP really blew away the competition with their very easy to store design. In just 15 seconds you can quickly fold the unit up and store it vertically in a space the size of a suitcase. Because the EGO can be stored both horizontal and vertically, it offers a better solution in tight spaces. Also, with the vertical solution, you can even hang it on the wall which I think is a great option for those of us with a need to hang everything in its place.

Both Greenworks and the HART models also fold up fairly small. The Makita model doesn’t fold and that is due to its durability and PRO grade construction. This mower is designed to be a professional-grade piece of equipment that lives on a landscaping trailer. The handle was specifically designed this way to eliminate a weak point at a hinge.

Fit & Finish Winner – Makita XML08PT1

Makita stands out in this category. This mower was built for daily nonstop use by professional landscapers. The Makita features large-diameter rubber over-molded wheels, a steel deck, and everything about it is tight and made to stand up to some hard use. Screws and bolts hold everything together including the handle which is not adjustable or foldable without a wrench. Almost all of the parts are metal. In short, this high-quality tool is made for the long haul.

The Ego and Greenworks mowers also stood out with regard to fit and finish. The EGO has heavy-duty parts, simply to operate levers and clamps, and a very polished appearance. The Greenworks mowers also have heavy-duty parts and smooth operating features.

Best Value Winner –Greenworks 21″

At the time of publication, the 21″ Greenworks mower was priced at about $349 with a 4.0Ah battery given the performance and overall quality this was a solid pick for the best value. This mower came in tied for 1st place overall and is the second least expensive in the group.

Best Cordless Lawn Mower – EGO and 21″ GreenWorks 

These tests and evaluations are very difficult, take a lot of time, and ultimately limited in scope as we’re not a professional testing company. We also cannot do long term testing that would shed light on durability.

In order to choose the best cordless lawn mower, all ten [10] evaluated categories were scored and ranked 1 through 12, to define the winner. We then tallied those category numbers to come up with a total number. The lower the number the better.

Our test in 2014 crowned EGO as the best cordless lawn mower and its obvious they didn’t take their foot off the gas with this generation 3 mower.  EGO tied for the best mower with the 21″ Greenworks mower. Third place went to the 25″ Greenworks and Black and Decker coming in 6-points behind the top two mowers.

Each of the mowers we tested did a good job cutting grass and offer features that you’d expect from a great mower.

The EGO LM2130SP has an excellent portable design and performed well in all categories, especially the quality of cut, fit and finish, handle comport, adjustments, controls, and ergonomics.

EGO also offers a platform of outdoor power equipment with a blower, trimmer, edger, hedge trimmer, snowblower, chainsaw, a multi-head system, and a portable power station. The EGO is above average in cost compared to the rest of the mowers.

Greenworks also offers a platform of outdoor power equipment with a chainsaw, blower, trimmer, edger, hedge trimmer, pressure washer, and a portable power station. Both EGO and Greenworks tools work off the same battery platform and provide a complete solution for all of your lawn and garden tasks.

Final Thoughts

While gasoline mowers have been around since 1914, the advances in powerful lithium-ion batteries have created a battery-powered lawnmower market that can truly compete for many users with gasoline-powered mowers. Today’s cordless mower owners are not subject to the noise, smell, and maintenance issues that are the hallmarks of gas mower ownership.

Best Cordless Lawn Mower Video Review

Best Cordless Lawn Mower 2020 is a post from Tool Box Buzz

EGO LM2135SP Select Cut 21″ Self-Propelled Cordless Mower Review

EGO LM2135SP Select Cut Mower

Manufacturer: EGO
Model number: LM2135SP
Price: $649
Power source: 56V Arc Lithium Battery
Motor size: 7.0 Ft/lbs
Weight: 62.5 lbs

Features 

• Dual Blade
• Self-Propelled
• 7.0 ft/lbs.. of torque
• Touch Drive Technology
• Push Button Start
• 7 Cutting Height Settings
• Compact Storage
• Weather Resistant Construction (ipx4)
• LED Headlights
• 3-IN-1 Function: Mulching, Bagging, Side Discharge (chute available upon request)
• 3 Position Handle Heights
• One Handed Height Adjustment
• 5 Year Warranty

EGO G3 Cordless Mower Specifications

• 21″ Deck
• Variable Speed : 1.8 MPH – 3.6 MPH
• 7.0 ft/lbs.. of torque
• Maximum Cutting Height: 4 inches
• Minimum Cutting Height: 1 ½ inches
• Grass Bag Capacity: 2 Bushels
• Rear Wheel Size: 9 inches
• 62.5 lbs

EGO 56V Platform

If you’re still unfamiliar with  theEGO OPE lineup, where have you been?  Backed by the global powerhouse manufacturer Chervon, EGO’s 56V OPE lineup hit the market in 2014.  Since then, they have produced dozens of high quality battery powered cordless OPE tools.  Here in the USA, we love our lawns and EGO’s lawnmower lineup have become increasingly popular options to tackle that chore.  At the core of all EGO Power+ tools is the Arc Lithium 56V battery.  The battery that fuels the line features a shock resistant housing that,  like all their tools looks like something out of a sci-fi movie.

Integral to the performance and tested alongside the new Select Cut 21″ Mower was EGO’s highest capacity 7.5 Ah battery, the BA4200T.  The BA4200 weighs in at 6.31 lbs.., boasts a 420 watt hour capacity and can be recharged fully in 60 minutes with the EGO rapid charger. All batteries in the EGO line have a 3 year limited warranty.

New With The EGO Select Cut Cordless Mower

The EGO Select Cut mower has undergone a face lift on the outside and is sporting a few performance upgrades on the inside.  EGO spent some time mulling over customer feedback that the mulching and bagging aspects of the mowers could be improved.

NEW Dual Blade Feature

The biggest upgrade to the 21″ mower is the addition of a dual blade system.  These two blades are coaxial meaning they share the same axis as opposed to a side by side that is common on larger commercial mower decks.  The goal is to provide multiple layers of cuts to the grass resulting in finer clippings.  The deck has also been redesigned to work more efficiently with the additional blade.  For increased mulching performance a specialized EDGE TRI-Cut blade can be used.  This blade was not available for our testing.

At the heart of the mower is new upgraded brushless motor sporting 7.0 ft/lbs… of torque.  That’s up from 5.9 ft/lbs.. in the previous generation.

EGO Select Cut – Ease of Use

EGO’s first generation mower took top honors in our Best Cordless Electric Lawn Mower Head to Head back in 2014, winning arguable the most important category of “Cut quality and Performance”.  Additionally, they performed best in our “Handle Comfort and Adjustability” and “Compact Design and Storage” categories.  Over the years and the incremental mower models, EGO has only improved is dominance in these areas.

NEW EGO Touch Drive Technology

The EGO LM2135SP Select Cut has moved all interface controls and information to the well design handle grip area.  The mower has retained its predecessors 3 step motor safety activation process of holding down the power button and then pulling on the activation bar. The final two steps cannot be completed until the handle bar has been extended to its fullest length.  On the dashboard of the handle bar is an on/off switch for the LED headlights (its quiet enough to run at night and not irritate the neighbors) which used to be located down be the battery housing.  Additionally located on the right side is status indicator light with a convenient explanation diagram.

The top bar houses all the self-propelled controls in one location.  In the center is a variable dial to control the forward speed of the mower between 1.4 -3.6 mph.  Two palm or thumb activated buttons rest on either side of the handle which enable one handed operation from either side.

EGO LM2135SP Storage

No change (almost) is good here! The EGO Select Cut mower retains its easy to implement and compact folding design.  By using a single handled “Quick Adjust Lever” the mower handle can be adjusted from three different handle heights into a collapsed folded position with ease.  Once folded, the mower can be stored in the horizontal or vertical position.

One change that I did notice was the re-positioning of the carrying handle inboard and up toward the battery housing.  In prior models the handle was out on the nose of the mower deck and when folded, lined up nicely with the operating handle.  This allowed me to store my mower not only vertically but vertically on a wall hook.  While most users might not mount their mower on the wall I certainly miss the ability to do so.

EGO LM2135SP Performance

I have been impressed with my 21″ self-propelled mower by EGO in the past so I was eager to test the new model in a few side by side comparisons.  When I got my hands on this mower it was already late November in New England.  As such the grass cutting season was over.  However we did have quite a few items in my lawn to test the mulching and bagging power of the EGO Select Cut mower.  Oak Leaves!

As an impromptu head to head test between my older LM2100SP mower against the new LM2135SP Cut mower, I  layered an even coating  in a respectable sized area.  I then started off by running both mowers in bagging mode on the slowest self-propelled setting over a single pass. LM2100SP is on the left and the newer LM2135SP Select Cut is on the right. This yielded no clear winner.

Next up I repeated the test but this time in mulching mode.  Like previous generations the mower comes with a plastic insert that gets put inside the discharge chute to effectively plug the hole and force the mower to mulch.

Here was the first sign of real improvement from the introduction of the second blade.  The right hand swath cut by the newer Select Cut Mower had significantly smaller leaf remnants.

EGO LM2135SP Mower Run-time

EGO claims up to 60 minutes of mowing time when paired with a 7.5 Ah battery.  The mower can be operated without the optional powered drive feature to extend battery life. For battery performance I ran an endurance test that consisted of setting the self-propel to its highest/fastest and ran the mower until the battery depleted.  Grass resistance was minimal as again this was done in November but there was residual leaves to provide some blade resistance.

The battery ran for 50 minutes before taping out. At a brisk pace of 3.6 miles per hour, I covered 3 miles of mowing!   At 21″ wide, that area covered equals 27.000+ sq. ft.. The battery wont last as long under heavy cutting load but significant battery drain can be attributed the drive motor running at full speed.  Even at half that estimated area if you are cutting a ~13000 sq. ft. lawn with a 21″ inch push mower, it might be time to consider a ride on mower.

EGO G3 Cordless Mower – Where To Buy

If you’re in the market for a new walk behind mower, especially if you have been considering making the jump to all electric, then the LM2135SP is certainly worth a consideration.  It has been the best performing, well thought out and easy to use electric mower we have tested to date.

The EGO LM2135SP will ship with a 7.5Ah battery delivering up to one hour of run time and a 550W charger that will recharge the battery from empty to full in 60 minutes. This package will cost $649 when it launches on December 31st and will be available at The Home Depot.

EGO LM2135SP Select Cut Cordless Mower VIDEO Review

EGO LM2135SP Select Cut Cordless Mower Review is a post from Tool Box Buzz

EGO POWER+ 21 in. 56-Volt Snow Blower SNT2100 Review

EGO POWER+ 21 inch 56-Volt Snow Blower

4.5/5

Manufacturer: Ego POWER+
Model number: SNT2100
Price: 700.00
Power source: 56 volt
Weight: 53lbs

EGO has always impressed me as an outdoor power equipment [OPE] platform. I own an EGO lawnmower, string trimmer chainsaw and blower.

The EGO line offers most of the tools you need to maintain an entire yard.  I look at the EGO tools as a well-engineered platform that solves problems for me outdoors. I’ve also found many other construction related uses for the EGO blower.

The EGO platform, is a compete OPE platform that completely eliminates the hassle of gas, oil, fumes, noise, and a pull cord.

EGO 56 Volt Platform

EGO has a complete line of cordless outdoor power tools. They are:

•  56V Cordless Lawnmower
•  56V Leaf Blower
•  56V String Trimmer
•  56V Hedge Trimmer
•  56V Chain Saw
•  56 V Snow Blower

Plastic Parts But Durable

The EGO snow intake and inner body is constructed of 8-gauge powder coated metal. The scraper is plastic, and the rubber on the auger paddles are both designed to be easily replaced as they wear. The Ego snow blower weighs 53 lbs. without the batteries.

Brushless Motor

The EGO 21-inch 56-Volt Snow Blower has a dual process starting procedure for safety. There is a conveniently located push button safety and bail switch lever that both have to be activated in order for the snow blower to stay powered on. When the bail switch is released and electric brake stops the auger within 3 seconds.

The EGO 21-inch 56-Volt Snow Blower has a super quiet, 2000 watt, brushless motor. The motor engages the snow auger via a belt and pulley system. The entire process is governed and protected by a computer against overloads and voltage draws. There are no shear pins in the auger, it’s all electronically controlled.
Batteries

The Ego snow blower has a capacity for two batteries, but will operate on one battery. When connected to two batteries, the computer will draw from the stronger battery charge until that battery charge matches the other battery’s charge. At that point, the computer will start combining the batteries and using them together.

Power Indicator Lights

The EGO 21-inch 56-Volt Snow Blower is equipped with a power indicator to indicate the charge level of the battery pack(s) and the working status of the snow blower. The power indicator will illuminate when the auger is rotating or when the LED headlights are turned on.

• The green light indicates that the battery pack(s) is over 15% of its charge capacity.
• The red light indicates that the battery pack’s charge is low.
• The blinking red light indicates that the battery pack is nearly depleted and needs to be charged immediately.
• Shining orange means the snow blower or battery pack is overheated
• Flashing orange means the snow blower is overloaded.

Overload Protection

We noticed that you can push the unit too hard and it will bog down or shut down.

The EGO 21-inch 56-Volt Snow Blower has built-in overload-sensing elements. When the snow blower is overloaded, the motor will decrease the speed automatically and you will hear the volume of the motor decrease. This is an indicator that you should slow down your pace or narrow the clearing width in this case, after which the motor speed will resume its normal setting automatically.

If this remedy does not solve the overload situation, the sensor will shut off the motor automatically and the power indicator will blink orange.

A shut down will necessitate you to remove the battery pack(s) from the snow blower. Check to see if there is snow or ice stuck in the auger and deck.

EGO 21″ Snow Blower Features

•  2,000 watt brushless motor
•  21-inch clearing width
•  Up to 35 feet snow throwing distance
•  Push-button start
•  Variable-speed control
•  LED headlights
•  Quick-fold handle for compact storage
•  Weather-resistant (ipx4)
•  Folding handle for storage

Performance

The Ego Snow blower has a 21” wide auger opening and we used it in both a 6-inch as well as 8-inch wet snow testing environment. We were amazed at how well it worked.

We cleared a driveway of 20’ x 50’ as well as two 3’x30’ walkways before the batteries needed charging.

This snow blower is perfect for the 6″-8″ snow fall range. Anything more than that we recommend doing two or more passes. It will handle deeper snow but you’ll have to slow down your pace or narrow the clearing width.

The EGO snow chute rotation is easily adjusted left and right, via a throttle lever, and provides 180 degrees of coverage. The lever is conveniently located on the Ego’s handle. The chute deflector angle of throw is adjusted manually by a hand lever on the chute. The snow chute throws the snow a good distance, EGO claims 35 feet of snow throwing distance. We didn’t measure.

A variable-speed controls the auger, which impacts how far the snow is thrown. The unit is NOT self-propelled so you need to push it into the snow.

We found that pushing the snow blower uphill can cause the operator to slip and possible fall. The EGO is best used on level ground. If you find yourself slope, we recommend using a switchback [side to side] snow removal approach.

Cost

The EGO 21-inch 56-Volt Snow Blower kit includes two (2) 5.0Ah batteries and the Rapid Charger. EGO POWER+ Snow Blower for approximately  $700.00. 

Storable

The Ego has a quick-fold handle for compact storage. There are two quick-release levers on both sides of the handle. Once the quick-release levers are open the opposite, attached knobs can be loosened to either fold the handle for storage, or tightened to extend, and use the snow blower.

Cold Weather Operation

The snow blower may not properly start if its battery temperature is -4°F (-20°C) or less. If unit doesn’t start, Ego recommends that you remove the battery from the snow blower and allow it to warm indoors for 10 minutes or longer. Reinstall the battery and try again.

Improvement

The EGO 21-inch 56-Volt Snow Blower has small 7-inch, lawnmower type wheels, which would get into ruts from time to time. I’d like to see EGO add wider wheels to the unit.

Overall Impression

We’ve been fans of the EGO system for some time and this snow blower did not disappoint. You have to agree that that NOT having to deal with a pull cord, gas, oil and fumes is nice – right?

We found the EGO 21-inch 56-Volt Snow Blower quiet, powerful and dependable. This tool works extremely well at removing and throwing the snow and it has the power to be your stand alone snow blower.

Ego 21-Inch 56-Volt Snow Blower Video Review

EGO 21-inch 56-Volt Snow Blower is a post from Tool Box Buzz

Head to Head Lawn Mower Shootout

UPDATE: We have recently done a NEW Cordless Law Mower Head-to-Head article. Click on the link to view that one with the latest models tested.

Cordless Lawn Mowers are quickly taking over the lawn and gardens section in stores, so we wanted to test several of the leading brands and find out who makes the best Cordless Lawn Mower.

The first U.S., gasoline powered lawn mower was manufactured in 1914 by Ideal Power Mower Co. and they certainly do a great job cutting small to medium size lawns and trimming tough areas on large lawns.   But gas mowers are noisy, smelly, and require a bunch of regular maintenance on the gas powered engine.

Why Cordless Lawn Mowers?

Cordless Lawn Mowers are being touted for being quieter, odorless, and nearly maintenance free. On the other hand, gas powered mowers require lots of service including oil changes, fuel filters, spark plugs and air filters. Any often times people wait to do service until the mower won’t start and the lawn is growing faster than the hair on your head! Cordless mowers eliminate much of the maintenance and they are quieter and odorless.

Our cordless lawn mower head to head will tell you who we think makes the best model, and we’ll answer the question whether cordless mowers perform similar to a gas powered mower.

Cordless Lawn Mower Head to Head Comparisons

While this head to head isn’t a scientific research project, we did make an attempt to evaluate each mower in several categories and rank them against each other. The results are not necessarily comparative to other models on the market, but they are relative to the 5 models tested. For this comparison we looked at the following categories:

• Quality of Cut – This was a subject comparison based on mowing adjacent areas of lawn and comparing the quality of the cut areas.
• Noise – We measured decibel levels for each mower. The test was performed with each mower set at the highest deck level, sitting on a concrete slab. We measured the noise at the highest motor speed and the lowest (Note – some models motors ramp down due to demand to save battery life).
• Run Time – Run time is affected by so many different variables that there’s no great way to test this. However, we wanted to give a relative comparison for discussion purposes so we tested the run time under “no load” conditions.
• Handle Comfort & Adjustment – Another subjective comparison focusing on the handle height, adjustments, and overall comfort.
• Maneuverability – We evaluated how easily the mowers were to push. This category is largely factored based on the mower weight and wheel design.
• Deck Height Adjustability – We ranked each of the mowers based on how easy they were to adjust the cutting deck height.

Best Cordless Lawn Mower – Head to Head Comparison 2014 is a post from Tool Box Buzz