Reviewing the Greenworks 80V 21” Self-Propelled Mower: Is it worth the investment?

The Greenworks 80V 21” Self-Propelled Mower is a great example for the “shiny new object” syndrome that I (as I am sure others) have. It packs a lot of promise in a cool bright green color and I knew I had to have it. After some delays and hesitations, I bought it around winter time of 2022 when it was on sale on Costco.

This specific Greenworks mower has a lot going for it, at least on “paper”. It has a powerful and efficient brushless motor which (should) make it more power and with more torque than traditional motors. Self-propelled feature, to remove the effort of pushing the mower. The double 80V battery to cut through thick grass and should run for up to 60 minutes on a single charge.

My Garden and Needs

I live in Maryland so you can call it the northeast. We have a townhouse with a ~300 sq ft lawn in the front and ~600 sq ft in the back yard. So let’s say a total of 1,000 sq ft. Weather conditions here are such that I need to mow the lawn every other week between April to October.

This should help you compare your lawn (or needs) to what I am experiencing.

Overview of Greenworks 80V 21” Self-Propelled Mower

The Greenworks 80V 21” Self-Propelled Mower is a battery-powered lawn mower designed for homeowners who want a powerful, yet eco-friendly solution for their lawn care needs. This mower is equipped with a brushless motor that delivers the equivalent performance of a 160cc gas engine, making it capable of handling tough mowing tasks with ease.

Features

One of the standout features of the Greenworks 80V 21” Self-Propelled Mower is its 80V lithium-ion battery system. The mower comes with a 5.0 Ah battery that provides up to 60 minutes of run time on a single charge. Additionally, the battery is compatible with a wide range of other Greenworks 80V tools, allowing you to power multiple tools with a single battery.

Another great feature of this mower is its self-propelled rear wheel drive system. The system provides effortless maneuverability, making it easy to navigate around obstacles and mow on uneven terrain. The mower also features a 21” steel deck that is both durable and lightweight, making it easy to maneuver and store.

Performance

In terms of performance, the mower is a top performer. The brushless motor delivers powerful and consistent cutting performance, while the self-propelled system allows for effortless mowing. The mower also features a 3-in-1 design that allows you to mulch, bag, or side-discharge grass clippings, giving you greater flexibility in how you manage your lawn.

Design and Build Quality

When it comes to the design and build quality of the Greenworks 80V 21” mower, there are a few key factors to consider. Since it has been over a year since I bought it, here are some of key points to consider.

Construction Materials

The mower is built with high-quality materials that are designed to last. The deck is made of durable steel, which provides a sturdy and stable base for the mower. The wheels are also made of high-quality materials, which helps to ensure that they will last for many mowing seasons to come.

Ease of Use

The folks over at Greenworks are aiming with their line of tools to be the easiest to use. This lawn mower is designed to be simple and intuitive to operate. On some it succeed, on others, not so much.

Some of the key features of ease of use attempts are:

Self-propelled operation

This is cool and I love it. I had a self-propelled mowers before but this one is the best I had so far. The Greenworks Self-Propelled mower is equipped with a powerful motor that propels the mower forward, making it easy to maneuver across your lawn.

You can adjust the speed of the mower – called drive speed – on a moving scale between a turtle speed and a rabbit. Just to be real with you. I found the rabbit to be even faster than what I want so I usually have it just a little under the rabbit speed and it works great.

The drive/stop of the mower are done using the two grey handles. The handles are connect to each other which means you can press only one and leave the other hand free if you want to.

One thing that took me a little time to adjust to is that I needed to remove the hand from the drive handle when I turn the mower. Otherwise, it just run.

Great stuff!

Adjustable cutting height

The cutting height of the mower can be easily adjusted using a simple lever, which allows you to customize the height of your lawn to your liking.

True. That is not the greatest invention in the mowing world. So why do I bring it up?

Because it is simple, easy and done with just one level.

Many (too many even) mowers have multiple levels to set the cutting height which I never understood. Some have front and back and the old ones even have individuals per wheels.

Turbo!

The mower has a turbo button which designed to give more power to the engine. Naturally, when you use the turbo mode, the battery will drain faster.

I use the turbo mode all the time. My yard is not that large so I don’t have to worry about running out of battery in the middle of the mowing. To my opinion, it provides a cleaner cut but I know some will disagree with me about noticing it.

One way or another, it is your choice to use it or not.

Large cutting deck

The 21” cutting deck of the Greenworks 80V Mower is large enough to cover a wide area of grass with each pass, which helps to speed up the mowing process.

Yes, there are bigger mowers out there with a larger deck but 21″ is kind of like the standard these days. It fits most homeowners.

Easy-to-use controls

The controls on this mower are simple and intuitive, which makes it easy to start, stop, and adjust the mower as needed.

There is a pair of green handles for the mower motor and a pair of grey for the self-propelled motor.

In order to start the mower just keep squeezing one or both of the green handles and press the start button. That’s it. You are ready to rock and roll.

You can then press the grey handles to get it move forward. If you are interested, you can even start just the self-propelled motor by squeezing only the grey handles. Work smarter, not harder, right?

Fold/Unfold

I got to say I have mixed feeling about the fold unfold part. The good part: I found it easy to fold and unfold using the green holes/levers in the mower’s handle frames. It is also obviously great that it can fold to save space. You can even store it folded upright like I do.

However, because it is big and heavy (over 70lbs), it is not easy to move it around when it is folded. You can still use two of its wheels, but that isn’t always that great.

Batteries bay

This is where I think the good folks over at Greenworks dropped the ball. This bay sucks for multiple reasons.

1. There is not good point to hold it to get it opened. You just press your hand to wherever and hope it won’t slip.
2. The door of the bay doesn’t stay opened. This means you have to have one hand holding it up while you handle the batteries. Which is no fun at all because they are quite heavy.
3. Continuing with the batteries handling. It is very uncomfortable to get them in, and worse to get them out.

Battery Life and Charging

The Greenworks 80V 21” Self-Propelled Mower is equipped with two powerful 80-volt batteries The company states it is providing up to 60 minutes of run-time with 2 fully charged 80V 4.0Ah batteries. The actual run-time may vary based on the grass condition and operator technique.

Like I said before, for my yard, I can finish the mowing pretty quickly without the need to stop and recharge the batteries. I believe most homeowners that mow their own lawn will experience the same. If you need more (or even close to) than one hour to mow your lawn, you probably need a better solution.

When I bought it from Costco, I also got the Greenworks Pro rapid charger. As far as I know Greenworks are saying it should recharge your 80V batteries in 60 minutes. From my experience, it was always much less than that.

I also like the fact that they were careful and thoughtful to install a small fan in the charger. The fan’s job is to make sure that the charger and the battery will not overheat during the charging process.

Maintenance and Warranty

I have this Greenworks 80V 21” Self-Propelled Mower for over a year now. As far as I can say, it is a durable and reliable lawn mower that requires minimal maintenance. However, I believe that proper care and maintenance are important and can help extend the life of the mower. Here are some maintenance tips I use as well as the warranty.

Maintenance Tips

Some of this is official recommendations and some are just my common sense logic I follow to maintain my mower:

• After each use, I remove most of the debris and keep the mower in the outside shed.
• I Keep the batteries inside the garage where it cool and dry.
• I make sure the batteries are charged when I stored then. If they are left uncharged for a long time it is not good for them.
• Check the blades regularly and sharpen or replace them as needed. This is not an issue yet.

Warranty Coverage

Greenworks offers a 4-year tool limited warranty for the Greenworks 80V Mower. The warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service. However, the warranty does not cover:

• Normal wear and tear of the mower.
• Damage caused by misuse, abuse, or neglect.
• Repairs or alterations made by unauthorized personnel.
• Damage caused by accidents, fire, or natural disasters.

If the mower is found to be defective during the warranty period, Greenworks will repair or replace the mower at no cost to the customer. To claim the warranty, the customer must provide proof of purchase and contact Greenworks customer service.

In summary, the Greenworks 80V 21” Self-Propelled Mower is a low-maintenance lawn mower that requires minimal care to keep it in good condition. The mower comes with a 4-year tool limited warranty that covers defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service. By following the maintenance tips and taking advantage of the warranty coverage, customers can enjoy a reliable and long-lasting lawn mower.

Pros and Cons of Greenworks 80V 21” Self-Propelled Mower

When it comes to lawn mowers, I can see how the Greenworks 80V mower is a popular choice among homeowners. It has a powerful motor and is easy to use, but it also has some drawbacks that should be considered before making a purchase.

Advantages

One of the biggest advantages is its powerful motor. It is capable of cutting through thick grass and weeds with ease, making it a great choice for those with larger lawns. Additionally, the self-propelled feature makes it easy to maneuver, even on hills and uneven terrain.

The level of noise of electric mower compared to a gas operated mower is remarkable. Gas mowers are around 100 decibels. I measured my lawnmower at the engine and it was less than 90 decibels. Around my ears it was closer to 70 decibels. That’s pretty good. I don’t even care to use headphones to protect from the noise. A great feature for those who live in neighborhoods with noise restrictions

Another advantage of this lawn mower is its battery life. With a fully charged battery, it can run for up to 60 minutes, which is more than enough time to mow most lawns. Additionally, the battery can be charged in as little as 30 minutes, which is a great feature for those who don’t want to wait around for their mower to charge.

Being electric, the mower is also environmentally friendly. It produces zero emissions, making it a great choice for those who are conscious about their carbon footprint.

Disadvantages

One of the biggest disadvantages is its weight. It is a heavy mower, which can make it difficult to maneuver for some users. Additionally, it can be difficult to store due to its size and weight as I mentioned earlier.

Another disadvantage of this lawn mower is its price. It is more expensive than many other lawn mowers on the market, which can be a turn-off for some users. Additionally, replacement parts and accessories can be expensive as well. Fortunately, I haven’t got to that point yet.

Finally, I know some users have reported issues with the battery life of the Greenworks Pro equipment. While it is advertised to run for up to 60 minutes, some users have reported that the battery life is much shorter, which can be frustrating for those with larger lawns. Again, for me it worked great. I wasn’t concerned with that when I bought it because of the Costco’s return policy.

Conclusion

After a year, I can say I am still happy with my purchase. Although it cost me more than gas mower alternatives, I think it was worth the price.