Let me start this review by just saying. Finally! Something other than a smartphone, audio, or computer product to review! That being said, the EGO 56V Lithium-Ion self-propelled electric lawn mower is the first product of its kind to be reviewed on Techaeris.
Since my trusty old Toro gas mower lost its will to work properly, I have been on the hunt for a new mower. My first choice was a very expensive riding mower made by Cub Cadet, but since I didn’t want to mortgage my home, I had to find lower-hanging fruit. Through my internet searches, I discovered the EGO 56V Lithium-Ion mower and was very skeptical.
I’ve seen electric mowers that are tethered to an extension cord, and frankly, that would be inconveniently annoying to me. I’ve also seen cordless electric mowers, but most of those were too underpowered to get through my 1/3 acre of grass.
When I happened upon the EGO 56V Lithium-Ion mower, I was surprised to discover a claimed battery life of 60 minutes. Now, I’m not a fan of dealing with gasoline and oil, so the idea of a cordless mower that could give me 60 minutes of run time was appealing. So I researched the mower more extensively and finally decided to pull the trigger. Read on for the full review of the EGO 56V Lithium-Ion mower and see why I am awarding it a Techaeris Top Pick for 2017.
Update September 1, 2021
The day has come. After over 4-years of owning this mower and 3 different homes and lawns, the EGO 56V Lithium-Ion mower had died. I’m not exactly sure why this mower died but it won’t even give me any signs of power. The mower quit in the middle of cutting the lawn and there’s zero power to anything. We’ve reached out to EGO for help but have yet to hear back. The mower does have a limited 5-year warranty so maybe that will kick in. We will try and update further if we get anywhere with that.
For what it’s worth, I would still recommend EGO to anyone. It was a solid mower and they have had a few different versions since I purchased this one. So I’m sure improvements were made.
Update September 2, 2021
EGO’s warranty department is replacing the mower free of charge. So that’s huge and awesome customer service from EGO!
Specifications
The EGO 56V Lithium-Ion mower has the following features and specifications:
- Self-Propelled
- Torque of Gas
- Up to 60 Minute Run-Time with 7.5Ah 56 Volt ARC Lithium Battery
- Rapid Charger: Charges the 7.5Ah Battery (included) in only 60 Minutes
- NEW 21” Deck
- Variable Speed: 1.8 MPH – 3.6 MPH
- Push Button Start
- 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
- Maximum Cutting Height: 4 inches
- Minimum Cutting Height: 1 ½ inch
- Grass Bag Capacity: 2 Bushels
- Rear Wheel Size: 9 inches
- 5 Year Warranty
What’s In The Box
- EGO 56V Lithium-Ion mower
- Grass Bag
- Mulching guard
- Rapid Charger
- 7.5Ah 56-volt battery
- Manuals and documentation
Design
The EGO 56V Lithium-Ion mower design is actually what drew me to check it out in the first place. The rugged look and green, black, and grey colors are aesthetically well done, and I may have overlooked the machine had it not been for that combination. The mower is water-resistant (ipx4 rated), and the materials used for its construction are high-quality and look like they will stand the test of time and use.
One of the stand-out features of this mower is its ability to fold up and store away easily. It ships in storage mode and is easy to fold up and stow away in a corner or shed. The handle at the front of the mowing deck is convenient for carrying it while folded. That very same handle does pose a bit of an issue, and that is reachability. With that handle there, it decreases the blade’s reach by 4+ inches, making it hard to reach some areas like under our playground equipment. That’s not a deal-breaker for me as I still need to use the trimmer in those areas anyway, so a little follow-up with the trimmer is a small price to pay.
The mower also has several safety features built-in such as no start until the handle is fully extended and green locks are closed. The mower takes two steps to start, pushing the green button and pulling back the handle. The ultimate safety feature is, the mower will not start without the battery in it. So pulling the battery after every cut and putting it on the charger will keep curious kids from trying to operate the mower.
The EGO 56V Lithium-Ion mower I purchased is the self-propelled version; they also make a push version if you want to save about $100USD. The drive wheels on this mower are on the back, which is a departure from my front powered wheels on my old gas Toro. This took some getting used to as you’ll have to let off the self-propel when pulling back on the mower to readjust or realign yourself. With my old Toro, I just tilted and pivoted on the back wheels. Again, not a deal-breaker, just an adjustment to make and an easy one at that.
The handle is adjustable to three heights and was perfect in the middle spot for me. I think taller and shorter people will find there’s an adjustment that will work for them. The height adjustment on the deck is also very nice. With my old gas Toro, I had to adjust each wheel individually to the height I wanted to cut my grass. With the EGO 56V Lithium-Ion mower, it’s just one lever, and it adjusts all 4 wheels simultaneously, really a time saver.
The grass bag is a 2-bushel bag, but keep in mind that this will add weight and decrease your battery life as it fills up. I always mulch my grass, but I did use the bag for the first cut since my lawn was very overgrown. Overall (except for the clearance at the front), the design is very aesthetically pleasing, well-built, ergonomic, and thought out very well.
Ease of Use
The EGO 56V Lithium-Ion mower is pretty much already assembled and super simple to use and set up. The only things you’ll have to do are charge the battery, install the mulching guard, or install the bag. The machine does have a side chute, but the attachment is not included, though you can ask EGO to send it to you free of charge. Most people know either bag or mulch, so this is probably why the side chute attachment is not included.
Once you have the battery charged and attachments installed and are ready to mow, it’s super easy. No dealing with gas, oil, or stabilizers. No dealing with pull strings or spark plugs. Just push the green button and pull back on the handle, and you’re ready to go. One thing to note, you should start the mower on the driveway or sidewalk, or if in the grass, tilt the mower up a bit, so there is no resistance on the blade when you start.
Once you’ve got it started, you can set the drive speed of the self-propel with the throttle on the left and activate the drive with the green handle on the right. It takes a second for the drive motor to kick in, and it works best if you’re already walking when you turn it on. If you’re standing still, the motor kicks in, and if you don’t move fast enough, the wheels chatter. Overall this mower is dead simple to use, especially with no gas, oil, stabilizers, or spark plugs to tend to.
Performance
This is another area where I was very skeptical with the EGO 56V Lithium-Ion mower; just how well could it cut my grass? As I said before, I have about 1/3 acre of actual grass to cut, and the very first cut was unusual for me. I don’t let my grass get overgrown just because my kids like to play outside, and I want to keep the grass manageable for them. Since I was away on vacation and it rained a lot when we were away, the grass became very long.
The first mow with the EGO 56V Lithium-Ion mower was a bit longer and more arduous than normal. I had to make several passes in areas of my lawn that tend to grow longer than others. I found that the EGO powered through everything, never slowing down like my old gas Toro. I can’t count how many times my Toro stalled out under heavy load, and the EGO just muscled through no problem. While this is a super plus in my book, the taller the grass, the more you’re asking the mower to do, the more it will affect the battery, more on that in the next section.
I found that the EGO performed extremely well in both bagging and mulching the grass, and it out-performed my gas Toro by a longshot. You will see a battery decrease when you use the bag or if your lawn is extremely overgrown, but that’s just expected.
Battery Life
EGO advertises 60 minutes on battery. I used a combo of bagging and mulching for the first cut, and my lawn was overgrown by triple what I normally let it go. In my first cut, I got just about 60 minutes on 1/3 acre of grass. I had to recharge the battery, which took around 40 minutes to charge with the included rapid charger fully, and then I finished the lawn (the total time to cut the lawn was one hour twenty minutes). In my second cut, I was able to cut the entire 1/3 acre in just over 60 minutes with the battery warning light coming on just as I finished.
My third cut was just over the Memorial Day weekend, and it took just over 50 minutes, and the battery did not have any low-battery warnings. The grass was nowhere near as long and just about where I would let it go before I cut it. Battery life is advertised accurately, and I could even pull a bit more than 60 minutes out of it. You should be aware that batteries lose their full charge over time, and you will likely see less time per charge as you continue to use the mower.
Price/Value
The EGO 56V Lithium-Ion self-propelled mower is currently priced at $549USD at Home Depot. This price isn’t that far off from a comparable gas mower of the same quality, features, and craftsmanship. There may be a few cheaper gas mowers, but then you must factor in the cost of gas, oil, stabilizers, and spark plugs. Researching online, I ran across one user that estimated his cost to operate the EGO every year was around $1.50USD.
There is the argument that the battery will give less charge as the years go by, and that is true. A replacement battery for this mower will run you $398USD. So I will be curious to see just how long the battery will last, hopefully for at least 4 years. Operating cost aside, the EGO has another advantage over gas mowers, which is the more environmentally friendly footprint. While I wish I could have gotten this mower for $499USD, I think the pricing is comparable, and the value is there.
Wrap Up
This is easily the best walk-behind self-propelled mower I’ve ever used in this price range, and I am thoroughly impressed by its performance and ability to complete my 1/3 acre lawn with ease. I highly recommend this mower to those looking for a cordless electric mower or those who want a more environmentally friendly mower.
Read our follow-up After The Review on the EGO mower!
Updated 6/14/2019
Check out our unboxing of the EGO Power+ Trimmer and Power+ Blower below!
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