I’ve Been Mowing Lawns 30 Years, and the Ego Mower Is My All

The 56-volt Ego Power+ Select Cut Mower LM2135SP is the best lawn mower I’ve ever used, and I’ve been mowing lawns my whole life.

I earned my first $20 shoving a rusted Craftsman up the hills of north Georgia when I was barely big enough to yank the cord to get the engine started.

I raced Toro TimeCutters across the parking lots of megachurches while working on a pro mowing crew.

Now I whip the Ego mower up and down a Los Angeles hillside so steep, it’s hardly safe to mow. And after mowing grass with every mainstream mulching machine of the past three decades, I’m sure that only the Ego mower could pull this one off.

But forget my personal mowing memoirs. This is about your mowing needs, and I’m telling you that this mower is satisfying even if the smell of a gas mower’s four-stroke is like noxious nostalgia in your nose.

The Ego mower is quiet. Maintenance is simple—there is no maintenance. No emissions. No noise. Your scowling neighbors will smile. Everything is better with the Ego mower.

This self-propelled machine easily mows down overgrown grass—and it spares you the noise, emissions, and maintenance of a typical gas mower. Its battery runs for about an hour.

Advertisement

This mower is not as polished as our top pick, but for a more-basic, self-propelled cordless mower, it’s an excellent choice.

May be out of stock

This self-propelled machine easily mows down overgrown grass—and it spares you the noise, emissions, and maintenance of a typical gas mower. Its battery runs for about an hour.

This mower is not as polished as our top pick, but for a more-basic, self-propelled cordless mower, it’s an excellent choice.

May be out of stock

We’ve been testing both our top-pick mower, the Ego Power+ Select Cut Mower LM2135SP, and its predecessor (now our runner-up), the Ego Power+ Self-Propelled Mower LM2102SP, for several years.

Our top pick has a dual-blade design that mulches grass more effectively, and its self-propulsion is easier to control than that of our runner-up. The price difference between them is usually about $200.

You could argue that either model is the better value.

You would definitely get better cut quality from the pricier dual-blade model, especially on overgrown grass. But the single-blade runner-up is entirely capable on most lawns.

One thing to bear in mind is that the battery, included with either mower, is a major component of the cost, and that having the battery alone enables you to expand your collection to include other Ego tools, stretching your investment further.

Also true for both models: You gain all the benefits of giving up a gas mower for a price that is comparable to what you’d pay for the better gas self-propelled mowers available, and that difference alone may justify the cost to go cordless.

With any cordless outdoor power equipment, there is a limit on the battery life, but look at it like this: If you need the mower, you probably need a string trimmer, too, and a leaf blower wouldn’t hurt. Electric is the way to go here, especially since many cities and towns are moving to ban gas-powered lawn equipment.

Get some additional compatible batteries with those tools, and you can, for instance, trim the edges for a bit while you recharge the mower’s battery. Get a second mower battery, and you can run everything infinitely. Get Ego’s Nexus inverter, and your lawn gear has you covered in a power outage.

This trimmer outperformed the competition in run time and power. Its telescoping shaft and handle are easy to adjust and make the tool very comfortable to use, even for extended trimming sessions.

You save $23 (11%)

This cordless blower’s nearly 30-minute run time is among the longest we’ve tested. It has easy-to-use controls, a lot of power, and a precise airstream—but it’s a little heavier than our corded picks and a lot more expensive.

This article was edited by Annemarie Conte and Ben Frumin.

Harry Sawyers

Harry Sawyers is the senior editor covering home improving, HVAC, and gardening at Wirecutter. He previously worked at This Old House and Popular Mechanics magazines; before that, he restored historic houses and mowed lawns for a living. He lives in a house in LA with his wife, three boys, a dog, and a lot of Wirecutter recommendations.

by Ed Grabianowski and Doug Mahoney

After 30 hours researching and testing reel mowers, we think the Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower is the best pick for manual lawncare.

by Wirecutter Staff

Robot lawn mowers are much more expensive than their traditional counterparts, and not nearly as versatile.

by Doug Mahoney

The Ego Power+ Select Cut Mower LM2135SP is the best lawn mower we’ve found.

by Harry Sawyers

Here’s everything you need to keep your yard tidy, no matter what winds up on the ground out there.