Give us more power.
That’s what we really want with most of the electric-powered lawn equipment around today. Quite a few years ago now, I recall testing out a few weed whackers, mowers, and other gear that was brand new to the market. Up until that point, it was all gas-powered equipment and, if anything, battery power was a mere novelty.
In those early days, the “power problem” was pretty serious. Not only did the battery on these early units not last long enough, but they were always under-powered. Mowers, trimmers, and everything else that was available seemed like it could handle a small bush, a tiny lawn without too much overgrown grass, and a branch or two in the backyard.
The Craftsman Brushless Cordless Self-Propelled Mower is different. Again, I’ve tested plenty of electric self-propelled push mowers before, including one as recently as last summer, and this a good step forward. The self-propelled unit actually propels. There’s a speed adjustment on the left handle, and when you push it all the way forward, you get some nice speed. I had to keep step (in a good way) as the mower cut clean and fast in my yard, similar to another powerful unit.
Craftsman claims about 50 minutes of charge between the two batteries you use at the same time, and I’d say that is about right. I mowed several times, usually with a thicker grass from the week. In the past, there were too many problems to count with lesser machines. At the highest speed, the motor couldn’t trim the grass fast enough and would get stuck. Other times, when I was cutting too fast, the batteries just couldn’t keep up, either. The unit would die in about 30 minutes or less. That’s just not enough time to cut the grass in a typical suburban lawn.
My yard is about a half acre, and the Craftsman Brushless Cordless Self-Propelled Mower had no trouble keeping up. I cut the entire grass by pushing the throttle to the fastest level and almost half-running. I never had any mulching jams and the batteries lasted the whole time. My yard has a lot of trees, rock beds, and a deck so your usage time will vary if you have a similar lawn size. Charging up the batteries took a few hours, so you have to plan your lawn maintenance accordingly. I like the fact that the mower is quiet and cuts clean.
Another perk is that the mower doesn’t take up too much space. You can quickly fold the handle down and store the unit upright. No worries about gas dripping out on this machine.
My test unit came with a bagger as well, and if I used this model tourinely, I’d probably buy a couple of extra batteries. It’s nice that Craftsman lets you use the batteries in all of their electric power equipment, so extra batteries would help with that gear as well.
At 20-inches, this model is wider than some of those early machines I tested that lacked power. I’m pretty sold on this unit. Gas-powered mowers with similar features actually cost more than this electric model, as high as $400 or so in many cases.
I see no real issues or gripes here. For those who need the power and longevity for a yard about my size or less, this powerful push mower does the job.
