I purchased a 60v greenworks mower last spring. Best purchase (as far as tools) I’ve ever made. No more screwing around with fuel/oil/carborators/spark plugs, etc. I’m never going back to combustion. I loved it so much, that when it was time to get a trimmer, I recently purchased a greenworks 60v trimmer, so I can swap my battery between my mower and trimmer
So happy to see your father in-law capable of mowing the lawn. That's a huge blessing! Great video and best presentation so far! Thank you! Liked and subscribed!
My mower conked out on me. I was in search of a replacement and read some information on this mower. Then after looking at your review and replies to others I decided to take a chance. It was so easy to use and handle the. Tough grass in my yard wonderfully. I appreciate the information!
Just bought one yesterday at Lowe’s for half price. No second battery but with charging time at a half hour I can live with that. So happy to see your review as it confirms I made a better choice than I’d imagined! Thank you!
Great review. I have a 20" Toro self driving lawn mover that I have been using for 30 years and had no problems with it. I am now looking for a electric mower as there is less maintenance and no gas or oil to purchase. Your review was very helpful in making my decision.
Thank you for sharing.... I watch your video in sep 2020, and still find it relevant to my situation... I ended up purchased a 80v newer version from Lowe .
Scott!! You did a great service to many of us out here!! Huge KUDOS for a very fine review. BTW, I went for a WORX equivalent 4 years ago and found the heavy battery to be a workhorse until over this winter when I took the battery out for the winter, keeping it plugged in ready for use this Spring. Flat battery (old tech I guess) I ordered a replacement battery through Amazon by way of WORx (a parts distributor) and guess what I got? A new battery that wouldn't charge (sad) So your review came at the prefect time!! Thanks so much!! JRR 5/18/2020
Nice review Scott. I ended up getting the newer version of this mower with 1, 6.0 ah battery on clearance this past fall for only $219. I feel like I got a great deal and love the mower. I see someone set you straight on amp hours not really being related to power available but rather how long the mower will run on a charge. But other than that, great video. The Kobalt is a great mower. It's not the best in any one category, but it's near the top in all of them so it's a great choice. Kobalt had now stopped selling the 80 volt line of OPE but you can get parts and new batteries from Greenworks. For some reason Lowe's has switched to 40 volt OPE for 2021 so I'm glad I was able to find and purchase one of these before they discontinued them.
I bought the 40v version 3 years ago and have no major complaints. As you might expect the battery life starts to dwindle over time, I get about 80% life on each battery after 3 years. I mow about 1 hour per week from March - Oct. I chose the 40v version because the batteries are compatible with other Kobalt lawn tools, thus I am able to swap out batteries between them all. Need to sharpen blade 1-2 per year.
I just bought the Kobalt 40V version yesterday, June 8, 2019. I had the Ryobi 40V brushless, push, and it was "okay" but the quality of the cut was not to my likings. The weight of the Ryobi was too light in my opinion and contributed to the uneven cut. The spin of the blade must be more effective in the Kobalt 40V and the steel deck feels solid. Pushes like a real mower and holds its line as you push it. The Ryobi seemed to bounce around a lot. The battery performance for both the Kobalt 40V and Ryobi 40V did the job (about a 1/4 acre mowing area. Midwest (Michigan) grasses and thick grass overall. The deck, the wheels, the overall feel (sturdy, solid) is better in the Kobalt. If you have a super small yard, perhaps the Ryobi would be fine, and would be for us as well. I just think the Kobalt 40V vs. Ryobi's 40V was the better cut and bagged and mulched better. I thank you for your review of the 80V version and I am sure it is that much more powerful. I will see how the 40V does for us and if the 80V goes on sale in the fall, I will consider it. I bought the push Kobal brushless 40V and it was $299.00. I also had a $20 coupon, so befopre tax it was $279. With tax it ended up being exact same price as the Ryobi 40V brushless I had purchased 10 days earlier. I also like the warranty on the Kobalt, 5 year and 3 year on battery.
Thank you for the excellent review and not leaving anything out. I’m in the market for a new mower and am considering an electric mower. The plastic hub where the blade bolts to makes me nervous.
6:04 power does not equal to watt-hours, but instead to watts (comparable to horse power). Watt-hours refer to energy storage capacity in this instance (comparable to gas tank size for example). When you compare wh (watt-hours) of the batteries, you are comparing their capacity and therefore the given runtime of the machine.
Good review. New sub here. I have been in the battery trimmer and push mower for 4-5 years or more. I started with Ryobi 40v string trimmer. I used it 2 years before I got the push mower. I stayed with Ryobi since I used the same 40v in several tools. Also have a lot of 18/19v tools and drills and whatnot. I love the battery powered tools. No messing with gas and oil and the plastic tubes that get eaten away from the ethanol. Oh yeah I do have a riding mower so these battery powered mowers are a portion of what I use. I will definitely be interested in the kobalt you showed here for my replacement.
Thanks for the great review! A friend let me borrow his and I couldn't get the depleted battery out. Turns out I wasn't pressing the lever down far enough.
robhay57 - push the battery toward the back of mower (with your foot holding wheel/mower from moving backwards) and then press the Tab down (with your thumb) - at that point the battery will slide out.
I love my Kobalt 80 propelled mower. Wife loves it too she mows more than me now.. No more gas nonsense! Very powerful I have about 1/2 acre of grass and the battery always has plenty of power. The 2 negatives I have seen so far after 2 years of use is it does not bag grass half as good as my old gas Husky. Its ok but my Husky got it all. And the the underside of the deck has rusted too. Paint came off after about a year on the underside even though I clean the under deck and then spray clean it every time. But still love it probably will paint it. I also have a Kobalt 80 volt 18 inch chain saw which uses the same battery and a 40 volt 14 inch chainsaw that uses the same battery as my Kobalt trimmer.. Love both of them the 18 inch is a tree cutting SOB. I was disappointed in the 18 inch as I bought it used and the chain seemed pretty sharp but cut like shit. So II bought an upgraded chain and that fixed that its cuts oak like butter now. Just tears thru it.
Great review, Scott! I use the Kobalt 80v string trimmer and the 80v blower. The convenience and long lasting power of both make them well worth the investment. Currently, I push a Husqvarna gas mower (with the Honda engine) which is the most reliable mower I’ve ever owned, but when it goes down someday, you’ve sold me on the Kobalt 80v mower. Thanks!
I did... it's def super quiet. We have 0.43 acres and got about 80% done with medium self-prop speed and light cutting load. Def recommend second battery for larger yards, but awesome mower... well worth the investment.
I liked seeing this Kobalt 80V mower in action. I will definitely NOT be getting the "self - propelled" version now. I'm like you, I hope the batteries will last for a few years. I don't like the plastic blade mount, but I think I will still have to give this mower a try.
I just bought kobalt self propelled mower and I decided I’d just push it so that the battery would last long and that works fine and battery last for quite a long time. I hope this thing last for awhile cause it’s a lot better than gas operated machine.
Good review, but cold blooded letting the inlaw do all the work (Just kidding im sure he enjoyed it) really liked this review plus the music lol. Thanks for the video.
@Scott Farrar > mate, what an excellent review! considering you done most of it with one handed!! Very informative video! (thumbs up) i'm looking at the Victa (Briggs and Stratton) version of this ...... Cheers! Mick
Good review. I have Fiskars reel lawn mower and need a battery-powered one for when the grass gets too long for me to cut or smooth out the lawn. Not sure what 80 V Maxx one I should get now that Lowes has a 5 amp one out. I have their 80v maxx weed eater and it is great.
Great job on this review. Very clear and comprehensive and well edited. Especially glad you covered the volt/amp hours thing. I have had my Kobalt 80v for 4 years come August. I have loved it...until now. but it bogs down in moderately long (5 or 6 inches) grass and quits if I don't raise it up and allow it to recover engine speed. If I don't raise it up then it dies and will not restart, it just beeps. I have two fully charged batteries, so i is not them. Might this be the resistance sensor? If so, is this a DIY fix or no?
I bought this same mower at Lowes for $199.50 November 2018 - happy with it so far - I wish is picked up leaves a little bit better and the bag held a little bit more. It picks up the big leaves fine but doesn't do as well with the smaller leaf pieces, however, overall happy with it thus far. I mention the leaves because in the fall/winter on the east coast - not a lot of grass to cut but lots of leaves to rake - in this case pick tip with the mower. I wonder how some of the other Kobalt 80 volt tools are compared to their gas brethren.
I just bought the kobalt trimmer to go with my 80v brushless push mower. If you have one also will you do a video on the trimmer too? You’re so informative. I don’t have patience to read a manual but these videos are awesome! I’d rather you read the manual and do a video that I can watch 😂 lolol... thx!!
The only thing I wish they had on this mower was what the trimmer has. Which is a manually adjustable setting for full power. Other has worked great so far after about 10 mows. You learn to mow back to front as you may hit a dead battery towards the end of the mow.
@tomfreed lifepo4 interests me, in fact ive talked to a guy who owned kobalt 80v mower yet he said his dewalt 56v has more power, now i see 120vdc appliances.
Super Video... 👍👍👍 ich habe den greenworks 80v . In Deutschland werden die 80 v Geräte nicht mehr verkauft. Nur noch 60 Volt. Ich habe 50 EUR für den 80v Mäher bezahlt.
Scott, had a Black and Decker cordless since 2001. It's about done. Been through 2 recalls and rebuilds, only had to buy new batteries twice during this time. So I'm desperate for a new mower that will cut well, take abuse, not rust ... My B&D has been a monster. I'm concerned about the new type batteries, and also that plastic nut. I have some bumps to go over. Can that bolt be replaces with a metal one?
c j - I’m not sure about bolt replacement. I’ve used mine for 2.5 years w/o issues. My “2 year” review video will be out in the Fall - where I will do all of the maintenance, which is only sharpening the blade 😜
Hi Scott, how is the Kobalt push mower doing in 2020? Will your 80 v mower accept the newer 5 ah and 6 ah batteries? The new Kobalt (NON-self propelled) comes with a 5 ah battery.
No issues in 2nd half of 2018 (when it was new). No issues in 2019 (I cut ALL of my Yard at least once per week for over 8 Months...no riding mower that season). No issues thus far in 2020. Since my batteries are still performing like "new"...I have not looked into the topic of replacing the Battery.
That was a great video! The plastic nut holding the blade on was a poor idea. The thin blade will be an area of concern. Other than that, it looks really good! Just my 2 cents.
My only concern with Kobalt is that Lowes has obtained craftsman and from reading the online forums it sounds like Lowes will discontinue the Kobalt and remain with the craftsman. The Kobalt battery operated tools are without a doubt much stronger then the craftsman. Additionally, from reading and watching the other reviews about the battery-operated Kobalt, it is much better at mulching the grass and length of charge. If Lowes does decide to discontinue selling the Kobalt, I hope they keep the battery operated lawn equipment, then only discontinuing the tool section. But then again, I’m very satisfied with the Kobalt tools I have bought.
Yea. No way the battery will last 3 years. My 80v kobalt 2.0 battery for my trimmer scrapped out after 18 months. Talking with kobalt now since lowes requires the receipt that i dont have
Brett Houts - YES! Everything is still functioning like Day 1...and it should as their is a 3-year / 5-year Warranty. I will be releasing a 2-year review video toward the end of this season - giving me 3 seasons of usage in order to provide solid review & feedback.
As of today (July 2021), everything is still functioning like Day 1. Battery Life and Recharge times are the same. I use this mower a LOT...at least Weekly (05 Hours for Trimming OR 1.5 Hours for Total Cut when I don't use my riding mower) from March thru November. Everything is holding up. I'm 100% satisfied.
If you live in Kentucky, I assume you bought it because it’s blue. 😀 Any chance you’ll make a follow-up video now that you’ve had it for a couple years? I’d like to know your impressions about the battery longevity. I’m also interested in things like how big the bag is, how often you have to empty it, and whether the rear chute opening gets clogged. (It looks a bit smallish to me.) My 80-year-old father gave me his old Toro gas mower of unknown vintage when I bought my house a couple years ago. It looked in good condition but would not start. It took hours of disassembly, cleaning, diagnosis, and repair. I replaced the gummed up carb, ignition module, and the cracked flywheel, and finally got it running in late October, just in time to not need it anymore. 😄 The next spring I pulled it out, and it wouldn’t start again. I hurt my back from pulling the starter cord so much. That’s when I decided to go electric. I got a corded Greenworks 21” 13-amp mower last year at Menard’s for about $175 and I generally like it. It’s lightweight, maneuverable, compact, and easy to use. I was lucky enough to get a used 100-ft 12-gauge cord for $20 from a friend at work. It cuts well and rarely (if ever) bogs down It took me some time to get used to managing the cord, but in my second season, I can almost dance with it. I’d decided not to buy a battery-powered mower as it would have been more than double the cost of a corded mower (including a new cord), without providing twice the benefit. The batteries get especially expensive and critical for operation. My neighbor has a cordless SunJoe with only one battery, and it takes him at least a few hours to cut his lawn because he has to stop and wait for his battery to recharge. I can be done in a couple hours (though I usually do the front & back on separate days just to avoid fatigue). Cordless mowers are starting to come down in price, however. I saw the Greenworks cordless on Amazon for less than $300 with two batteries. Now when you factor in the cost of a new 100-foot 12-ga cord (can be as much as $100 new) versus 2 included batteries, cordless mowers become a closer equivalent value to corded. But if it (or your similar Kobalt, licensed from Greenworks) has the same issues of small bag size and small rear chute opening, there’s no point in getting it. I certainly won’t pay the $500 for an EGO no matter how good it is.
Michelle -my yard is 1/2 acre. I used my Kobalt electric to cut it in 2019 as my riding lawn mower was broken. No issues. I just swapped the batteries out every 30 mins.
@@scottfarrar3441 I just purchased the Harbor Freight new ATLAS brand mower that is powered by one or an optional two 80V 2.5 Ah / 40V 5.0Ah Lithium-Ion Battery. The 80 Volt mode is only used whenever the mower needs more cutting power. I compared all late model 80 Volt (one 56 Volt) battery operated mower brand features, quality, and relative costs, and easily concluded that Harbor Freight has the best "bang for the buck" at this April 2020 time frame - especially considering when they are running promotions on their new ATLAS equipment. Now, having stated all this, the only advantage I readily see comparing the Kobalt with the ATLAS is that the batteries are rated 1/2 Amp higher at 80V and are significantly more compact. Not too surprising, considering how Lithium Ion technology is vastly improving. As for the deck, including the thin metal blade, and it's plastic hardware: make no doubt that they are likely the same on all these battery powered mowers that are made in China. Again, this should not be of any surprise! One final note worth mentioning, the white plastic propeller above the blade is simply a fan to assist suction and grass cuttings for mulching or discharge. Unlike a normal gas mower blade, the light duty blades on these battery powered mowers don't have adequate suction and rely on these plastic fans to create it.
Hi Scott, I came across your video, nice review. I’m planning to buy a mower like yours. I was wondering how is everything going with your three year mower now ;). Thanks in advance.
Good. The Bearings in the Rear Wheels have been getting worse this season. I bought Bearings on AmazonPrime ($12) this week to replace them. I hope to do an update video on this issue / resolution.
Battery-powered is more expensive than a gas mower. With that said it was not long that my new self propelled gas mower started falling apart. Thinking of going electric now.
Enjoyable video, and I learned about ‘80 votes!’ 🤔😃🤣. Ha ha just messin... maybe turn down the level of the Hip Hop music in the background? Thumbs up! Hope the mower still running alright for ya? Kobalt rocks! Peace! 👍🙏😁🇺🇸
I have a Kobalt 40v max 2.5 ah electric mower. I recently fertilized and have some super dense grass. My lawnmower lasts about 10 minutes and dies every time I roll over the teller dense grass. Which is only 2 weeks over grown! Could I buy an 80v battery or will it destroy my lawnmower-or not work? Anyone?
A few things I have a different opinion about. I have the self-propelled option and that is definitely worth the cost and extra weight. The self propelled mode has a variable speed and the fastest setting is the fastest on any mower I've ever owned. I get about 45-50 min in self propelled mode which is just enough on a suburban lawn that is larger than average. On the down side, the mower's highest deck setting is not high enough IMHO for St Augustine grass found in southern states. I have that in my back yard and get away with it by not cutting that as often even at the highest setting. I DO NOT recommend this mower for St Augustine grass. I do like that you can side discharge, mulch, or bag the clippings. Coincidentally, this mower also replaced my yellow Cub Cadet. Thanks.
Chuck Stogner - I plan on doing one this Summer (at the 2 year mark). At this point I’ve had ZERO issues. Family & Neighbors who have tried it keep commenting on how QUIET it is...and light & easy to push. My batteries are still lasting 30 minutes. I’m a satisfied customer.
@@scottfarrar3441 I borrowed my neighbor's Kobalt 80 v self-propelled model from a neighbor and noticed the battery lasted less than 30 minutes, but I was mowing grass that was higher than normal. The other thing I noticed was that the mower seemed heavier than I expected and the drive did not want to disengage every time, making pulling it backwards harder. I have a little hill on part of my lot, but currently thinking that the push version might be the way to go with the 5.0 AH battery. The only concern other than the plastic parts is seeing postings that say Lowe's may discontinue Kobalt line now that they have acquired licensing for Craftsman from Stanley Black and Decker (who purchased the Craftsman brand from Sears). Reportedly Stanley has/plans licensing to other retailers the Craftsman name as well. Hopefully Lowe's has enough smarts to not leave their Kobalt customer high and dry. Getting Craftsman tool replacement has become more difficult at Lowe's.
Chuck Stogner I just bought self propelled and you don’t have to use the self propelled feature. It last a lot longer than 30 minutes and I could simply pulled it backwards.
I have a truly very huge regret on my EGO mover. I wish is had bought the 7.5 AH EGO and not the 5 AH. Also the 7.5 has a better heftier wheel drive. Now on sale at H.D. for $ 499. Is the 80 volt mower better than the 57 volt EGO? Can a difference be seen? Hmmm?
I'm interested in these, but I heard people say the batteries wear out and need to be replaced every year. They ain't cheap so this scares me. How have the batteries worked out for you?
One thing. If u read the mamual you shouldn't go from using your battery then charging it right away. It wont even let you. The battery must cool off some before the computer inside the charger will even allow u to charge it
I have a 40V Kobalt with 2 batteries, but I have to let them cool off before I charge them. Can you take a spent 80V battery and put it right on the charger? If so, I may need to upgrade.
Deron Steinke - Yes. I use my mower with whatever battery is in it and the other battery has already been charged up to 100%. When battery runs out I swap them and put dead one on the charger. The swapping takes about the same time as to fill up a gas tank. If I need to swap again then I just repeat what I previously did - no waiting for anything to “cool down” - even in July & Aug heat!
What's a vote? 80 votes. Ok, done trolling. I went with the kobalt also. 2nd year in and we are starting to have charging issues (if we leave the battery on the charger) which involves removing the battery from the charger and reinserting. The batteries to all these products should be fairly easy and straight forward to rebuild with a pile of 18650 solder tab batteries. In fact they keep coming out with newer and better ones that will increase your cut times- just dont mix amphour or brands, and high quality only! The start process was done slightly incorrectly; you have to pull the imaginary pull cord at the same time as lifting the blue bar (but only when people are watching) that way they KNOW you are a loon! I usually wait till someone is jogging down the street or such for proper effect. So far 3 seasons in on mine and all is well- it better break next year instead of year 6 though! I have mowed many branches but no stumps or large rocks. We will see how easy the rebuildability of this thing is when it dies (or if it is cheaper to repurchase) Then you can repurpose the parts into the kids power wheels!
I think the price is about $529 at lowes today with only 1 battery. U got a great deal. My one battery was a 5.0 aH tho. So i guess by one battery is better than yours?
I was just wondering how quiet it is. I have a neighbor who has to leave her house when her husband or myself cut the lawn because she is so sensative to sound.
michael tipton - u can stand next it and have a conversation. Neighbors say the can’t hear it - initially that thought I was “crazy” pushing it around my yard THEN they realized I was actually cutting my grass. I don’t have the equipment to provide the actual Decibel Level the mower generates.
I purchased a 60v greenworks mower last spring. Best purchase (as far as tools) I’ve ever made. No more screwing around with fuel/oil/carborators/spark plugs, etc. I’m never going back to combustion. I loved it so much, that when it was time to get a trimmer, I recently purchased a greenworks 60v trimmer, so I can swap my battery between my mower and trimmer
So happy to see your father in-law capable of mowing the lawn. That's a huge blessing! Great video and best presentation so far! Thank you!
Liked and subscribed!
My mower conked out on me. I was in search of a replacement and read some information on this mower. Then after looking at your review and replies to others I decided to take a chance. It was so easy to use and handle the. Tough grass in my yard wonderfully. I appreciate the information!
Just bought one yesterday at Lowe’s for half price. No second battery but with charging time at a half hour I can live with that. So happy to see your review as it confirms I made a better choice than I’d imagined! Thank you!
Hands down the best product review I've watched on UA-cam. Thanks for sharing.
Great review. I have a 20" Toro self driving lawn mover that I have been using for 30 years and had no problems with it. I am now looking for a electric mower as there is less maintenance and no gas or oil to purchase. Your review was very helpful in making my decision.
Thank you for sharing.... I watch your video in sep 2020, and still find it relevant to my situation... I ended up purchased a 80v newer version from Lowe .
One of best reviews I ever seen.
Ron - Thanks.
Watched and read many reviews for electric mowers recently and this is the best review by far! Thank you
cheezer33 - thanks!
Scott!! You did a great service to many of us out here!! Huge KUDOS for a very fine review. BTW, I went for a WORX equivalent 4 years ago and found the heavy battery to be a workhorse until over this winter when I took the battery out for the winter, keeping it plugged in ready for use this Spring. Flat battery (old tech I guess) I ordered a replacement battery through Amazon by way of WORx (a parts distributor) and guess what I got? A new battery that wouldn't charge (sad) So your review came at the prefect time!! Thanks so much!! JRR 5/18/2020
John Reidy - glad it helps you...and...others make somewhat educated decision. Thanks for the Comment!
Nice review Scott. I ended up getting the newer version of this mower with 1, 6.0 ah battery on clearance this past fall for only $219. I feel like I got a great deal and love the mower.
I see someone set you straight on amp hours not really being related to power available but rather how long the mower will run on a charge. But other than that, great video.
The Kobalt is a great mower. It's not the best in any one category, but it's near the top in all of them so it's a great choice.
Kobalt had now stopped selling the 80 volt line of OPE but you can get parts and new batteries from Greenworks.
For some reason Lowe's has switched to 40 volt OPE for 2021 so I'm glad I was able to find and purchase one of these before they discontinued them.
I bought the 40v version 3 years ago and have no major complaints. As you might expect the battery life starts to dwindle over time, I get about 80% life on each battery after 3 years. I mow about 1 hour per week from March - Oct. I chose the 40v version because the batteries are compatible with other Kobalt lawn tools, thus I am able to swap out batteries between them all. Need to sharpen blade 1-2 per year.
I just bought the Kobalt 40V version yesterday, June 8, 2019. I had the Ryobi 40V brushless, push, and it was "okay" but the quality of the cut was not to my likings. The weight of the Ryobi was too light in my opinion and contributed to the uneven cut. The spin of the blade must be more effective in the Kobalt 40V and the steel deck feels solid. Pushes like a real mower and holds its line as you push it. The Ryobi seemed to bounce around a lot.
The battery performance for both the Kobalt 40V and Ryobi 40V did the job (about a 1/4 acre mowing area. Midwest (Michigan) grasses and thick grass overall.
The deck, the wheels, the overall feel (sturdy, solid) is better in the Kobalt. If you have a super small yard, perhaps the Ryobi would be fine, and would be for us as well. I just think the Kobalt 40V vs. Ryobi's 40V was the better cut and bagged and mulched better.
I thank you for your review of the 80V version and I am sure it is that much more powerful. I will see how the 40V does for us and if the 80V goes on sale in the fall, I will consider it.
I bought the push Kobal brushless 40V and it was $299.00. I also had a $20 coupon, so befopre tax it was $279. With tax it ended up being exact same price as the Ryobi 40V brushless I had purchased 10 days earlier. I also like the warranty on the Kobalt, 5 year and 3 year on battery.
Neal Noble - thanks for sharing your information & experience - it will be helpful to others during their research.
Kue Man - thanks for sharing your experience, information and insights.
Thank you for the excellent review and not leaving anything out. I’m in the market for a new mower and am considering an electric mower. The plastic hub where the blade bolts to makes me nervous.
yep, there's a complaint about that piece breaking in the comments section of Lowes' website.
6:04 power does not equal to watt-hours, but instead to watts (comparable to horse power). Watt-hours refer to energy storage capacity in this instance (comparable to gas tank size for example). When you compare wh (watt-hours) of the batteries, you are comparing their capacity and therefore the given runtime of the machine.
Good review. New sub here. I have been in the battery trimmer and push mower for 4-5 years or more. I started with Ryobi 40v string trimmer. I used it 2 years before I got the push mower. I stayed with Ryobi since I used the same 40v in several tools. Also have a lot of 18/19v tools and drills and whatnot. I love the battery powered tools. No messing with gas and oil and the plastic tubes that get eaten away from the ethanol. Oh yeah I do have a riding mower so these battery powered mowers are a portion of what I use. I will definitely be interested in the kobalt you showed here for my replacement.
Thanks for the great review! A friend let me borrow his and I couldn't get the depleted battery out. Turns out I wasn't pressing the lever down far enough.
robhay57 - push the battery toward the back of mower (with your foot holding wheel/mower from moving backwards) and then press the Tab down (with your thumb) - at that point the battery will slide out.
I love this mower, year two running great.
Very good demonstration
Beautifully done
Thanks
What I like about these mowers is that you don't have a pull cord to break.
Its also easier on the back.
Thank you, just now warming up to the idea of using battery operated yard tools.
I have 1 for 3 years not a single problem
I love my Kobalt 80 propelled mower. Wife loves it too she mows more than me now.. No more gas nonsense! Very powerful I have about 1/2 acre of grass and the battery always has plenty of power.
The 2 negatives I have seen so far after 2 years of use is it does not bag grass half as good as my old gas Husky. Its ok but my Husky got it all. And the the underside of the deck has rusted too. Paint came off after about a year on the underside even though I clean the under deck and then spray clean it every time. But still love it probably will paint it. I also have a Kobalt 80 volt 18 inch chain saw which uses the same battery and a 40 volt 14 inch chainsaw that uses the same battery as my Kobalt trimmer.. Love both of them the 18 inch is a tree cutting SOB.
I was disappointed in the 18 inch as I bought it used and the chain seemed pretty sharp but cut like shit. So II bought an upgraded chain and that fixed that its cuts oak like butter now. Just tears thru it.
Great review, Scott! I use the Kobalt 80v string trimmer and the 80v blower. The convenience and long lasting power of both make them well worth the investment. Currently, I push a Husqvarna gas mower (with the Honda engine) which is the most reliable mower I’ve ever owned, but when it goes down someday, you’ve sold me on the Kobalt 80v mower. Thanks!
Thanks, I went out today to buy the same lawnmower. Thanks for swaying me from the other competitors.
Great video!! Just bought one today!!
You're definitely a Slim Shady fan! 🍻
Great review...Heading to Lowe's to get mine!
Did you get it I'm thinking about doing the same today
I did... it's def super quiet. We have 0.43 acres and got about 80% done with medium self-prop speed and light cutting load. Def recommend second battery for larger yards, but awesome mower... well worth the investment.
Nice and thorough! Thank you!!
Excellent product review video! Shopping for one this spring.
Super good review!
you convinced me. i am buying one tomorrow
really great information!! thank you for your insight and help
I liked seeing this Kobalt 80V mower in action. I will definitely NOT be getting the "self - propelled" version now. I'm like you, I hope the batteries will last for a few years. I don't like the plastic blade mount, but I think I will still have to give this mower a try.
I picked up the green works lawnmower fall 2019 clearance from Walmart for $150👍😎
whoa! Savvy shopper
I just bought kobalt self propelled mower and I decided I’d just push it so that the battery would last long and that works fine and battery last for quite a long time. I hope this thing last for awhile cause it’s a lot better than gas operated machine.
Good review, but cold blooded letting the inlaw do all the work (Just kidding im sure he enjoyed it) really liked this review plus the music lol. Thanks for the video.
F Limones - he lives “forever” on the Internet. When he has passed we will look fondly at that clip and remember him for the way he was!
Thank you so much for being so thorough. Well done and very helpful
Great video because of it I finally made a decision as well to get this mower I only have the 5ah amp battery that came with mines
Dang your 78 year old pa in-law in good shape. God bless. TU on good complete review.
He's a "trooper" - 2 Heart Attacks and 2 bouts with Cancer...still trucking!
I am sure your PA-IN-LAW would appreciate a self propelled mower.
Awesome video....next purchase will be a battery powered mower. Hoping prices will drop a tad before pulling the trigger.
Timothy, not sure if you bought one already, or not... but right now, Lowes online has this mower for $249.
Great Video... thanks so much for sharing👍
@Scott Farrar > mate, what an excellent review! considering you done most of it with one handed!!
Very informative video! (thumbs up)
i'm looking at the Victa (Briggs and Stratton) version of this ......
Cheers!
Mick
Exceptional review! Thank you.
Love your smile and excellent review.
Kobalt should pay you for this.
Daniel.Tanks for your video I just got one from Lowes TX Weslaco
Good review. I have Fiskars reel lawn mower and need a battery-powered one for when the grass gets too long for me to cut or smooth out the lawn. Not sure what 80 V Maxx one I should get now that Lowes has a 5 amp one out. I have their 80v maxx weed eater and it is great.
Great product review.
Great job on this review. Very clear and comprehensive and well edited. Especially glad you covered the volt/amp hours thing. I have had my Kobalt 80v for 4 years come August. I have loved it...until now. but it bogs down in moderately long (5 or 6 inches) grass and quits if I don't raise it up and allow it to recover engine speed. If I don't raise it up then it dies and will not restart, it just beeps. I have two fully charged batteries, so i is not them. Might this be the resistance sensor? If so, is this a DIY fix or no?
I bought this same mower at Lowes for $199.50 November 2018 - happy with it so far - I wish is picked up leaves a little bit better and the bag held a little bit more. It picks up the big leaves fine but doesn't do as well with the smaller leaf pieces, however, overall happy with it thus far. I mention the leaves because in the fall/winter on the east coast - not a lot of grass to cut but lots of leaves to rake - in this case pick tip with the mower. I wonder how some of the other Kobalt 80 volt tools are compared to their gas brethren.
I just bought the kobalt trimmer to go with my 80v brushless push mower. If you have one also will you do a video on the trimmer too? You’re so informative. I don’t have patience to read a manual but these videos are awesome! I’d rather you read the manual and do a video that I can watch 😂 lolol... thx!!
normaj39ami - I do not have any of the other 80v accessories - yet! Hopefully in 2020 I’ll pick them up.
Great review, great information.
Great review!
Thanks, perfectly explained video and very helpful.
jeff schmieder - Thanks
Nicely done!
Planting Seeds Productions - Thanks
The only thing I wish they had on this mower was what the trimmer has. Which is a manually adjustable setting for full power. Other has worked great so far after about 10 mows. You learn to mow back to front as you may hit a dead battery towards the end of the mow.
Awesome review! It’s like a talking manual.
Myy lowes in Pikeville ky has this mower on sale for $249 with the charger and 2 batteries but its sold out everywhere
try $900+ in austrailia, dewalt flexvolt is $850+
@tomfreed lifepo4 interests me, in fact ive talked to a guy who owned kobalt 80v mower yet he said his dewalt 56v has more power, now i see 120vdc appliances.
Super Video... 👍👍👍 ich habe den greenworks 80v . In Deutschland werden die 80 v Geräte nicht mehr verkauft. Nur noch 60 Volt. Ich habe 50 EUR für den 80v Mäher bezahlt.
Amazing review
Very informative.
Scott, had a Black and Decker cordless since 2001. It's about done. Been through 2 recalls and rebuilds, only had to buy new batteries twice during this time. So I'm desperate for a new mower that will cut well, take abuse, not rust ... My B&D has been a monster. I'm concerned about the new type batteries, and also that plastic nut. I have some bumps to go over. Can that bolt be replaces with a metal one?
c j - I’m not sure about bolt replacement. I’ve used mine for 2.5 years w/o issues. My “2 year” review video will be out in the Fall - where I will do all of the maintenance, which is only sharpening the blade 😜
Thanks for the great video!
I dig the intro music!
I was thinking Slim Shady.
Hi Scott, how is the Kobalt push mower doing in 2020? Will your 80 v mower accept the newer 5 ah and 6 ah batteries? The new Kobalt (NON-self propelled) comes with a 5 ah battery.
No issues in 2nd half of 2018 (when it was new). No issues in 2019 (I cut ALL of my Yard at least once per week for over 8 Months...no riding mower that season). No issues thus far in 2020. Since my batteries are still performing like "new"...I have not looked into the topic of replacing the Battery.
That was a great video! The plastic nut holding the blade on was a poor idea. The thin blade will be an area of concern. Other than that, it looks really good! Just my 2 cents.
My only concern with Kobalt is that Lowes has obtained craftsman and from reading the online forums it sounds like Lowes will discontinue the Kobalt and remain with the craftsman. The Kobalt battery operated tools are without a doubt much stronger then the craftsman. Additionally, from reading and watching the other reviews about the battery-operated Kobalt, it is much better at mulching the grass and length of charge. If Lowes does decide to discontinue selling the Kobalt, I hope they keep the battery operated lawn equipment, then only discontinuing the tool section. But then again, I’m very satisfied with the Kobalt tools I have bought.
Let us know how it compared after the same amount of time as you used the gas mower.
Yea. No way the battery will last 3 years. My 80v kobalt 2.0 battery for my trimmer scrapped out after 18 months. Talking with kobalt now since lowes requires the receipt that i dont have
Does the wheels have bearings? What is the lowest cutting setting?
The current Kobalt 80v has listed heights of 1 3/8, 1 7/8, 2 1/8, 2 5/8, 3, 3 3/8, 3 3/4
Great video!
So after 2 years, are the batteries still holding a good charge? Other parts holding up well?
Brett Houts - YES! Everything is still functioning like Day 1...and it should as their is a 3-year / 5-year Warranty. I will be releasing a 2-year review video toward the end of this season - giving me 3 seasons of usage in order to provide solid review & feedback.
As of today (July 2021), everything is still functioning like Day 1. Battery Life and Recharge times are the same. I use this mower a LOT...at least Weekly (05 Hours for Trimming OR 1.5 Hours for Total Cut when I don't use my riding mower) from March thru November. Everything is holding up. I'm 100% satisfied.
Are any clippings left behind when you mulch?
Marlon71usa - not really - no difference than when I was cutting grass with my old cub cadet.
Great review...and Go CARDS!
Its been a year of this video... how did those plastic parts hold up?
Hugo Adame - 2 years! Everything is performing like they were when I pulled it out of the box - plastics, blades, motor, charger & batteries.
Scott Farrar thank you! Think I know what mower I’m buying then!
As of July 2021...everything is still functioning like Day 1. I'm totally satisfied.
If you live in Kentucky, I assume you bought it because it’s blue. 😀
Any chance you’ll make a follow-up video now that you’ve had it for a couple years? I’d like to know your impressions about the battery longevity. I’m also interested in things like how big the bag is, how often you have to empty it, and whether the rear chute opening gets clogged. (It looks a bit smallish to me.)
My 80-year-old father gave me his old Toro gas mower of unknown vintage when I bought my house a couple years ago. It looked in good condition but would not start. It took hours of disassembly, cleaning, diagnosis, and repair. I replaced the gummed up carb, ignition module, and the cracked flywheel, and finally got it running in late October, just in time to not need it anymore. 😄 The next spring I pulled it out, and it wouldn’t start again. I hurt my back from pulling the starter cord so much. That’s when I decided to go electric.
I got a corded Greenworks 21” 13-amp mower last year at Menard’s for about $175 and I generally like it. It’s lightweight, maneuverable, compact, and easy to use. I was lucky enough to get a used 100-ft 12-gauge cord for $20 from a friend at work. It cuts well and rarely (if ever) bogs down It took me some time to get used to managing the cord, but in my second season, I can almost dance with it.
I’d decided not to buy a battery-powered mower as it would have been more than double the cost of a corded mower (including a new cord), without providing twice the benefit. The batteries get especially expensive and critical for operation. My neighbor has a cordless SunJoe with only one battery, and it takes him at least a few hours to cut his lawn because he has to stop and wait for his battery to recharge. I can be done in a couple hours (though I usually do the front & back on separate days just to avoid fatigue).
Cordless mowers are starting to come down in price, however. I saw the Greenworks cordless on Amazon for less than $300 with two batteries. Now when you factor in the cost of a new 100-foot 12-ga cord (can be as much as $100 new) versus 2 included batteries, cordless mowers become a closer equivalent value to corded.
But if it (or your similar Kobalt, licensed from Greenworks) has the same issues of small bag size and small rear chute opening, there’s no point in getting it. I certainly won’t pay the $500 for an EGO no matter how good it is.
peacefrog0521 - 2 year review video is scheduled to be released in July 2020.
Hey, I am currently looking at buying this exact mower, it's on a great sale currently...how did the plastic pieces holding the blade hold up?
Lots of heavy usage over the last 2.5 years - no issues.
@@scottfarrar3441 just purchased a house, so never dealt with purchasing a mower before. For .34 acres is it a good buy to go electric mower ?
Michelle -my yard is 1/2 acre. I used my Kobalt electric to cut it in 2019 as my riding lawn mower was broken. No issues. I just swapped the batteries out every 30 mins.
Good video.
Does it still work? Plastic parts concern me.
Wyatt Mullin - Yep! No issues with the mower - 2 thumbs up 👍👍
@@scottfarrar3441 I just purchased the Harbor Freight new ATLAS brand mower that is powered by one or an optional two 80V 2.5 Ah / 40V 5.0Ah Lithium-Ion Battery. The 80 Volt mode is only used whenever the mower needs more cutting power. I compared all late model 80 Volt (one 56 Volt) battery operated mower brand features, quality, and relative costs, and easily concluded that Harbor Freight has the best "bang for the buck" at this April 2020 time frame - especially considering when they are running promotions on their new ATLAS equipment.
Now, having stated all this, the only advantage I readily see comparing the Kobalt with the ATLAS is that the batteries are rated 1/2 Amp higher at 80V and are significantly more compact. Not too surprising, considering how Lithium Ion technology is vastly improving.
As for the deck, including the thin metal blade, and it's plastic hardware: make no doubt that they are likely the same on all these battery powered mowers that are made in China. Again, this should not be of any surprise!
One final note worth mentioning, the white plastic propeller above the blade is simply a fan to assist suction and grass cuttings for mulching or discharge. Unlike a normal gas mower blade, the light duty blades on these battery powered mowers don't have adequate suction and rely on these plastic fans to create it.
any updates?
You didn’t use the bagger. How easy is it to dump out? Thanks, otherwise great review
Stephanie Iacobelli - same as a standard designed bag catcher on every other mower I’ve own.
Quick question do the wheels have ball bearings or bushings?
I would think neither. They are heavy plastic
great Q, i was wondering the same thing! hope we get an answer, important to me. i want the ego, but can't find one anywhere. ):
plus ego has one w double blades.
Hi Scott, I came across your video, nice review. I’m planning to buy a mower like yours. I was wondering how is everything going with your three year mower now ;).
Thanks in advance.
Good. The Bearings in the Rear Wheels have been getting worse this season. I bought Bearings on AmazonPrime ($12) this week to replace them. I hope to do an update video on this issue / resolution.
@@scottfarrar3441 Thanks for your fast reply!!!
Battery-powered is more expensive than a gas mower. With that said it was not long that my new self propelled gas mower started falling apart. Thinking of going electric now.
Enjoyable video, and I learned about ‘80 votes!’ 🤔😃🤣. Ha ha just messin... maybe turn down the level of the Hip Hop music in the background? Thumbs up! Hope the mower still running alright for ya? Kobalt rocks! Peace! 👍🙏😁🇺🇸
George DaVall - 2.5 years of hard use and it’s still cuts like new AND the batteries still keep their charge for 30 minutes!
I have a Kobalt 40v max 2.5 ah electric mower. I recently fertilized and have some super dense grass.
My lawnmower lasts about 10 minutes and dies every time I roll over the teller dense grass. Which is only 2 weeks over grown!
Could I buy an 80v battery or will it destroy my lawnmower-or not work?
Anyone?
A few things I have a different opinion about. I have the self-propelled option and that is definitely worth the cost and extra weight. The self propelled mode has a variable speed and the fastest setting is the fastest on any mower I've ever owned. I get about 45-50 min in self propelled mode which is just enough on a suburban lawn that is larger than average. On the down side, the mower's highest deck setting is not high enough IMHO for St Augustine grass found in southern states. I have that in my back yard and get away with it by not cutting that as often even at the highest setting. I DO NOT recommend this mower for St Augustine grass. I do like that you can side discharge, mulch, or bag the clippings. Coincidentally, this mower also replaced my yellow Cub Cadet. Thanks.
Scott have you done a followup ? It has been roughly 19 months later. Are you still satisfied?
Chuck Stogner - I plan on doing one this Summer (at the 2 year mark). At this point I’ve had ZERO issues. Family & Neighbors who have tried it keep commenting on how QUIET it is...and light & easy to push. My batteries are still lasting 30 minutes. I’m a satisfied customer.
@@scottfarrar3441 I borrowed my neighbor's Kobalt 80 v self-propelled model from a neighbor and noticed the battery lasted less than 30 minutes, but I was mowing grass that was higher than normal. The other thing I noticed was that the mower seemed heavier than I expected and the drive did not want to disengage every time, making pulling it backwards harder. I have a little hill on part of my lot, but currently thinking that the push version might be the way to go with the 5.0 AH battery. The only concern other than the plastic parts is seeing postings that say Lowe's may discontinue Kobalt line now that they have acquired licensing for Craftsman from Stanley Black and Decker (who purchased the Craftsman brand from Sears). Reportedly Stanley has/plans licensing to other retailers the Craftsman name as well. Hopefully Lowe's has enough smarts to not leave their Kobalt customer high and dry. Getting Craftsman tool replacement has become more difficult at Lowe's.
Self-Propelled uses more batter power as it has to Spin-the-Blades and move the Wheels. Self-Propelled (anything) == more things that can break :-)
Chuck Stogner I just bought self propelled and you don’t have to use the self propelled feature. It last a lot longer than 30 minutes and I could simply pulled it backwards.
Great video. Be sure to do a update.
how many WATTS is the Motor ? rated for ?
I went with the Ego. No regrets yet.
Good brand - I have nothing "bad" to say about them as I almost went with them too.
Ego's issue is that there is no where to get them repaired...
I have a truly very huge regret on my EGO mover.
I wish is had bought the 7.5 AH EGO and not the 5 AH.
Also the 7.5 has a better heftier wheel drive.
Now on sale at H.D. for $ 499.
Is the 80 volt mower better than the 57 volt EGO? Can a difference be seen? Hmmm?
@@tomking1890 or to buy them, out of stock everywhere
I'm interested in these, but I heard people say the batteries wear out and need to be replaced every year. They ain't cheap so this scares me. How have the batteries worked out for you?
Not Vladimir Putin - 2 years later and both of my batteries last for 30 minutes & recharge in 30 minutes - the same as the day I bought them!
One thing. If u read the mamual you shouldn't go from using your battery then charging it right away. It wont even let you. The battery must cool off some before the computer inside the charger will even allow u to charge it
I have a 40V Kobalt with 2 batteries, but I have to let them cool off before I charge them. Can you take a spent 80V battery and put it right on the charger? If so, I may need to upgrade.
Deron Steinke - Yes. I use my mower with whatever battery is in it and the other battery has already been charged up to 100%. When battery runs out I swap them and put dead one on the charger. The swapping takes about the same time as to fill up a gas tank. If I need to swap again then I just repeat what I previously did - no waiting for anything to “cool down” - even in July & Aug heat!
What's a vote? 80 votes. Ok, done trolling.
I went with the kobalt also. 2nd year in and we are starting to have charging issues (if we leave the battery on the charger) which involves removing the battery from the charger and reinserting. The batteries to all these products should be fairly easy and straight forward to rebuild with a pile of 18650 solder tab batteries. In fact they keep coming out with newer and better ones that will increase your cut times- just dont mix amphour or brands, and high quality only!
The start process was done slightly incorrectly; you have to pull the imaginary pull cord at the same time as lifting the blue bar (but only when people are watching) that way they KNOW you are a loon! I usually wait till someone is jogging down the street or such for proper effect.
So far 3 seasons in on mine and all is well- it better break next year instead of year 6 though! I have mowed many branches but no stumps or large rocks. We will see how easy the rebuildability of this thing is when it dies (or if it is cheaper to repurchase)
Then you can repurpose the parts into the kids power wheels!
Great review! That flimsy blade concerns me, as well as all that plastic near the blade.
Al Gorel - My 2-year review is coming out in July (teaser - it’s all good!).
It's rugged I own one and it goes better than gas fuck gas
The plastic should last u shouldn't be hiring shit clean ur dam yard up
Kobalt 80V and Greenworks 80V tools are nearly identical internally, its just different color plastic.
Same tools, different factories.
I'm looking for on that stores upright as I don't have a lot of room in my shed. The Ego and others will do that
I think the price is about $529 at lowes today with only 1 battery. U got a great deal. My one battery was a 5.0 aH tho. So i guess by one battery is better than yours?
See John Vlog -$529 USD sounds like the price point for the Self-Propelled model.
I was just wondering how quiet it is. I have a neighbor who has to leave her house when her husband or myself cut the lawn because she is so sensative to sound.
michael tipton - u can stand next it and have a conversation. Neighbors say the can’t hear it - initially that thought I was “crazy” pushing it around my yard THEN they realized I was actually cutting my grass. I don’t have the equipment to provide the actual Decibel Level the mower generates.
@@scottfarrar3441 Thanks!!
How many charge cycles are kobalt rated? Ego are. 2,000!
Jeffrey Obadal he just made it up. No really you mind not being so hostile to a guy trying to share some information?
@@doomtomb3 bah, hostility is a good thing. There's too many BS professors on here. He was full of crap. Why be nice to the a'hole?
BS, 2k my azz.