Have had this mower (or at least the earlier incarnation) for 4 years and it's still going strong. The construction and materials are top notch. Not sure why your run time is so low, but I'm able to cut my 1/4 lot and still have 1 or 2 bars left when done. And as you said , the cut quality is fantastic.
Mine is junk! Cuts off as soon as it starts. It’s going to cost almost $400 to fix it. I think I’ll buy a Milwaukee next and part out the new Toro. The Milwaukee seems to be much better quality
I have this mower. Bought an extra 7.5 ah battery. Also bought the snow blower which has a 7.5 ah battery. Yeah the 6.0 ah battery is weak. Maybe 35 mins runtime. Key is to raise deck if high grass. Key mower out of high rev mode. Then lower deck and come back for a second pass. I have been beating the crap out of this mower for about two years now. Cut 7 lawns per week in my block. Thats like 14 years of regular use. I had a Hart 40v so this Toro 60v was a step up. I only paid 500 for mine so yes at the current price of 629 its expensive. I may go with a super recyler if this monster bites the dust but it just keeps going and going. I hope I dont jink things by praising it!
This is a good lawnmower after 3 years using them 2 time a week still working strong i used 2 60volt batteries bcz after 45 minutes batteries died but work pretty well not complaints so far 👍
I have the Toro Super Recycler and mow my 1/4 acre twice on one charge. Sounds like you have the switch turned from auto to max. In auto mode it lasts much longer. I've never needed the max mode. My lawn looks much like yours. I agree the battery takes several hours to charge. But this has not been a problem since it lasts two mowings. This is the 2nd Personal Pace mower I've owned. I bought my current one specifically because this feature is so much better than any other self-propelled system I have used. It is very smooth, predictable, and lasts forever (my old mower is over 20 yrs old and has mowed 6.5 miles of mountain bike trail every year in addition to my yard). There is absolutely no "lurching" as you describe. If yours is not the best self-propelled system you have ever used then there is an issue with it. Check your cable adjustment and belt. Good video though. Thanks.
There is no switch on this mower...it automatically switches to high speed when it senses the motor slowing down too much. It sucks...there should be a switch.
The Personal Pace is an excellent self propelled system. I have two Toros with that system. Love it, both have given me trouble free service. Obviously if your yard is rough terrain like you described, the Personal Pace will be herky jerky.
I have a small front lawn and the back is raised beds and flagstone. Got tired of gas lawn equipment and the constant failure of plastic parts. Looked into battery lawn mowers and the batteries are all proprietary, locking a person into a brand, or spend tons of dough for different battery types. Decided to step between the horns of the dilemma and bought an Austrian style scythe instead. There's a learning curve, but the satisfaction from a correct swath is amazing.
I have this same mower and have had for about 3 years. No issues, just keep your blade sharpened and that will extend your battery life. Agree completely on the vortex propaganda. A tip for your moles, put used coffee grounds where they are and other areas you don’t want them and they will leave. I have battled moles for 5 years then saw this method and a mole moved in and immediately left. So far so good.
The vortex thing is not a joke. Holes in battery slot and a channel that's above the blade when you tip back in storage mode that you should clean out to keep the air flowing, helps w the recycler cutting and keeps battery cool(er).
Looking to switch to an electric mower and the Toro was on my shopping list. Thank you for the review as it has given a good insight into some of the electric mower issues. No need to add anything else, the post says all I need to know.
I have this mower for 3 years! Batteries are still wonderful. Recharging time and run time does not bother me much 😂 I am only not using this one as much as I moved on to 30 in Greenworks riding mower 😅. As I am getting older .6 acre mowing with “self propelled push” mower is becoming a challenge. If anyone who likes the gas mower quality with almost no maintenance(blade sharpening and cleanjng the deck), I highly recommend this. Their 60v string trimmer is one of the best as well.
I have this mower and grew to like it very much. I had to get used to it coming from my trusty Craftsman self propelled gas mower. I don't frett about the battery charge time because I have three 7.5, one 6, and one 4 ah batteries (so many cuz I also bought the 26" snow blower that included 2 large batteries). Besides that, I don't need speed charging the way I would need it for my phone or laptop. I know I'm going to cut my lawn, so I prepare in advance. I have learned that the battery discharge times are greatly affected by grass length and density. I now know to cut my darn grass at least twice a week, or I will get kind of close to going through all three 7ah batteries on my .50+ acre dense KB/TT fescue lawn. It always looks GREAT though 😀 Personal Pace is actually a very nice feature! I thought it was weired at first, but now I love it! I do HATE that they cheaped out and dif not include a batyery gauge. Thats BS considering the cost of the mower and high cost batteries - they couldn't include a stupid wire and LED to tell me my battery is about to die instead of just shutting down?! 🤨👎 I also don't care for the cheap thin metal 4 seperate mower height adjustments. I like the flexability to independently change each wheel, but the metal levers ate very thin, and diffucult to see each adjustment. Overall, I'm happy with it because the cut is BEAUTIFUL, and the mower is pretty darn dutable. I can't say I woukd purchase again because I have no exoeeience with other batteey powered mowers. However, compared to my bad boy gas Craftsman, I haven't used the gas mower in a couple of years...as long as I continue to cut twice a week 😅
So the battery is the major negative ? What if you buy the rapid charger for it Would that change the review of it ? I’m looking at the Super Charger w the 7.5ah battery
I have a 20” ryobi right now it’s 7 years old and it came w 4ah batteries At the time that was the biggest battery ryobi made and it takes 3 4ah batteries for me to mow my yard at 1x a week
This is not the super recycler. Tis is toro’s lower end recycler series. The super recycler is black and has a cast aluminum deck and a different blade/ mulching system. Not sure if run time would be different on a super recycler or not.
The SR has a 50 minute run time. Mulching does requires more draw from a battery than does bagging or side discharging. While a slow battery charge may seem inconvenient, quick charging lithium batteries will guarantee that the battery will have a shorter useful life. I have the 60b Suoer Recycler. It’s a completely different machine. Far better. The Recycler series is designed to a price point for retail channels.
@@LL-mt2nz Tough because the price still isn't great. At over $600, I could easily get a better Greenworks or EGO mower. How have you liked the SR? What's different other than size?
@@TheLawnReview I owned a Recyler and now I have the Suoer Recycler so here is my take. They are completely different machines. Personal pace is the same but the gear drive is more robust and the mower pulls back easier. The deck is aluminum so it is lighter and better balanced. Ball bearing wheels (rubber, not plastic) and flex handles makes the mower float in the lawn. The cut is so smooth it doesn’t feel like it’s cutting at all. It bags super well. The clippings don’t gather at the front of the bag. The mulching is absolutely superb. Even in damp grass, it will not clump. Quality of cut is next level. This is a heavy mower and will not bounce around. I am dethatching the grass today so I will see how well it can bag the thatch.
My brother just bought this mower, I have the Super Recycler 21564. Personal Pace can be adjusted on the gas models to be more or less responsive, not sure on the electric one's and the Vortex is supposed to "suck" air but i agree it's a gimmick at best, well at least I haven't noticed a difference in cut quality compared to other recyclers/super recyclers.
All I can think of from what Toro says about it is that it allows some airflow under the deck which helps to suspend the grass clippings a little longer so that they are cut a bit finer before dropping back into the turf. You would probably have to do a side by side comparison with a non-Vortex mower and examine the clippings either on the lawn or maybe in the bag to see if it really does anything. That would be a good video as it would answer this question once and for all!
I was all in on the Toro 60V system for a couple of years, but found the standard Recycler to be underpowered with bad battery life… plus very poor at bagging. So I thought “why not try out the Super Recycler?” (Which by the way - you reviewed the regular recycler and NOT the super recycler). Well - the Super Recycler was an absolute dud. Horrendous fit and finish, deck not level, bent handlebars, chintzy plastics, and that gigantic Personal Pace handlebar was just goofy and cumbersome in tight spots. Migrated to the Milwaukee mower and never looked back - the thing is a beast and super comfortable to use (agree with your review on that one as well). Sold off the rest of my Toro 60V tools and went all in on Milwaukee OPE. Since all my general power tools are Milwaukee as well - makes things really convenient. Really enjoy your channel and reviews. Thanks again!
I was going to buy one new off market place for a discounted price, but after watching this video I changed my mind. I love toros cut quality since I use a Timemaster, but a 3+ hour charge time for a 25 min use is pretty terrible. Thanks for honest review, glad I didn’t get one.
@TheLawnReview ha, my self propelled dual battery EGO 21" is just now 2 years old. I'm up in northeast, so I'm not using it all year long. I only cut our lawn about once every 2 weeks at most. It already broke down 😢 The rear self propelled wheels still turn but no lights or cutting blade work. The repair place told me he thinks it might be wire harness to the on/ off button on the handle probably broke due to when we fold it up to put it away. Already in the shop a week and I haven't heard from the EGO repair shop yet.🙄 Make sure you always get the rapid chargers. Only an idiot wouldn't want the batteries charged as fast as possible or would sell slow chargers 😂
The Toro cut quality isn't much different from other brands to me. I can get a decent cut quality from a cheapie MTD with a sharp blade and PowerMore engine. If anything, the cut quality of my Honda HRX217 is probably one of the best when it comes to mulching and bagging. My Commercial Honda fits in there as well and my 25+ year old Cub Cadet Series 2000 with a cheap stamped deck, when set correctly has a decent cut to it as well.
Your UA-cam handle suggests you do lawn maintenance as a profession. It would make sense that a flimsy consumer product isn’t going to suffice for commercial work
It’s funny to hear this video introduced with “Toro is _getting into_ the electric lawnmower space”. I’m watching reviews because our _14-year-old_ Toro battery lawnmower needs the motor fixed, and so far I’m only finding the option to replace the entire motor (at roughly the price of a new mower). When we bought this, there were very few rechargeable battery mowers on the market, and my recollection is that Toro was one of the first.
This is the 21466 which is the Recycler series not the Super Recycler series as you keep saying. The Super Recycler series (gas) uses kickers under the deck to disrupt the clippings for better mulch action. The vortex inlet brings in air to help the grass stand up for more even cut and is not something you will feel with your hand. Runtime is a function of energy used to perform the job (w-h or amp-h at constant volts) so it will be affected by such factors as: moisture content of the grass, speed at which you are walking, percentage of the grass you are cutting, density of the grass, and levelness of your lawn (self-propelling up slopes). So 40 minutes of runtime might be average for many lawns that are not as dense as yours.
Thanks for your time making this video! 3:05 - This model is unable to side discharge. You can tell that by looking at the right hand side. The deck is solid without any discharge cut out. 4:32 & 8:10 - Stupid question, but are you saying you held your hand under the deck to test the airflow? I am guessing not since that means you wouldn't have a hand anymore, but the wording confused me :D I am guessing you activated the mower, rigged the handle to stay on (or may just have long enough arms you can hold onto the bail as well as reach the front grill), and then put your hand over the grate on the topside to see if there was suction, but not sure. Regarding run times, I am guessing the 'up to' generally indicate the least amount of load on the machine that most people would put, probably weekly maintenance? I did notice it looked like the setting was on 'auto' which is a more fair test than 'max' as it allows the machine to regulate it's own performance (and thereby more battery life) but including that piece of information as well as a quick satellite measurement of the cut area will help you be more scientific or standardized in your reviews. ("In X minutes of runtime it cut Y acres on the 'auto' setting") Keep up the good videos!
Hey! Thanks for watching. You're correct on each of your points - we felt the airflow from the top, not the bottom. Our goal is to speak more about how the mower feels and performs without being too scientific. These are all great ideas, though!
Well, my commercial Honda has a rear discharge elbow that's optional. I requested it and received it when I bought the mower. Strangely the mulch plug was standard. I also don't understand why Toro doesn't provide it in the box but you have to "register it" to get it.
Looking into making the switch to electric. Thanks for the heads up on the run time and charge time. First part of yard would need mowed again by the time I got finished! haha
Nice demo, thank you. I have this mower and I get exhausted using it, never happened when I used my old gasoline self prop mower. any ideas what I'm doing wrong.
Glad you didn’t sell out with your review. I’ve owned one of these for two years now and only have about a quarter of an acre grass and have found it to be total crap.
I was drawn to it a couple years ago because of it having a metal deck and Toro being a US-based brand. As I understand it, slower charging makes for a longer-lasting battery. I really like the Personal Pace, and my wife (who has rarely mowed in her life) also loves the Personal Pace's ease of use. A downside I've run into is it leaves strips ("mowhawks"?) if I don't completely overlap the previous passes' wheel marks. In fact, I found your video in trying to find another reviewer who ran into the same issue to see which wheel he raised or lowered to fix it. Honestly, if I could do it over I'd either buy the more expensive "Vader" version w/the larger battery and aluminum body or go with a less expensive mower.
Appreciate your honesty with the thumbs down. The best attribute of this mower besides the cut quality, is the mulch door switch, the only function where this mower stands out. Have heard the personal pace takes some getting use to, and have seen in other reviews where people did not like the side-to-side slop of the handle as you mow. Have always been a big Toro gas fan, though they have yet to bring their A-game to bear in the E-mower market place. 60V SUPER Recycler customers seem to be happy and loyal to that machine, though Toro’s new composite deck stripe mowers have yet to establish a foot hold in the market place, and Toro hasn’t been doing much to promote them.
You have some great observations. I don't love composite decks all that much but think EGO's are durable as heck. I don't really see the appeal to the stripe mower either, but different strokes for different folks. And yes - heard good things about Super Recycler, but haven't shelled out the cash for that one yet.
I don't know if the Stripe mower will really be a big thing because striping is for those that really care about cut quality and appearance and gas is the way to go for that. Battery mowers are for those that just want to get the grass cut with the least effort and inconvenience and are not as concerned at having the best looking lawn. @@TheLawnReview
Mowed my whole yard on the 7.5 battery.......... for a while. When it quit lasting the whole lawn, i bought a 10.0.($400) Awesome...... for a while.. Now it takes all of both batteries to finish. (third year) It was fun to be all ECO for a bit,, but i bought a new honda gas this week, for next year. If you have a big yard, dont believe the hype.
Ok, first the votex pulls air under the deck when the blades are spinning not out the top. Second, the Personal Pace is Adjustable for how you want it to respond to your walking speed. You can make more sensitive or less . The Toro does not have a great run time but you actually get a real mower blade underneath not slimy thin blade that other use to help in there run time. Lastly you can buy a bigger battery (7.5 amp) and a fast charger instead of the normal charger. We should all know buy now a fast charger will degregrate a lithium battery faster than a slower charger.
Yep - you don't feel any suction in from the top though where it would pull air. The personal pace is fine but it jostles around a ton. Agree on battery but another big downside is that Toro doesn't have a great, expansive lawn tool set like EGO, Ryobi, or many of the other big brands.
Thanks for posting, great review! Do you have a brand or model that you would recommend for someone new to electric mowers? My lawn is about 10,000 square ft, I've been using and maintaining the same Toro mower since 2002.. Now the piston rings are bad and I just want to move on. I watched your video on the Craftsman v20 and was pretty impressed, so I'm thinking about that one or the Kobalt 40v or the Skil 40v, but definitely open to any advice, thanks!
Do you have any other battery tools that could use the same battery for a new mower? It’s a bit cheaper to do that. From that list, I like the Kobalt 40V or the Craftsman
Secret to battery charging ... let them cool down before you put it on the charger. Also I have both the 1 amp an 2 amp charger for now my Toro fleet used the 60 volt 2 an 2.5 amp batteries ... mower will be purchased soon. The 1 amp battery charges the larger 2.5 amp battery in about 2 hours, the 2 amp charger is about 15 minutes less. I started the "let'em cool" years (around 12) ago using my Ryobi 18 volt tools, a man recommended letting them cool down over night, so that's what I do ... to this day I've not replaced a 18 volt lithium battery yet.
I'm still thinking of buying this only because the yards I would use this on for my lawncare business would be absolutely tiny. And to me the real prize money is in the battery as a standard 6.0 battery is over $300 to start after taxes. I still need a small light mower for were my 36 bradley would not fit so its a win for me as use toros trimmers and blowers and love them. So much lighter and no extra gas for the gas gas trimmers and blowers.
@@TheLawnReview I agree it not going to be my Main money maker but the yards I would use it on are ones that literally take 10 min to mow. I have a few were my Bradley is just straight up overkill and I actually blow more dust around than I actually cut and end spend more time blowing clean everything lol.
They have a EGO Lawn Mower with 60 mintue life and they give you 2 batteries. I hae a 16 yer old Toro Super Recycler Personial Pace works good going forward but is a pain int the but to back up and turn around. I may buy a Front Wheel Drive one
Thanks! You should do a review of corded electric mowers. Power output from them is better. A 21" deck is usually 13 amps and at 120v that equals 1550watts. The battery of the toro is 60v 6Ah so if you drain it in a half hour its 60v 12Amps, 720 watts, less than 1hp. So Im thinking of going ac corded for a mower.
Interesting! I've always stayed away from corded because cordless is more powerful, but you're giving me something to think about here. What corded models are you looking at?
Thanks for taking the time to post this. Can you review the snow shovel attachment? 😆 I got the EGO and Ryobi shovels but haven't had any snow yet to try them.
I was a toro personal pace guy for 10 yrs but made the leap to electrics...Toro didn't make this mower 5 yrs ago so I went with EGO and have never looked back....i own 6 EGO tools now and could not be happier...Toro basically threw an electric motor on a gas chassis while EGO re-invented the whole machine and I love it....great run time, interchangeable batteries to each device and excellent performance...Toro was just late to the party and lost my money...great review
Milwaukee did the same to me. I was full into the Milwaukee platform for personal and 2 businesses where I purchased tools for the whole company. I spent 10-15k per month on Milwaukee. I know it's not a lot for a company their size. After they way overpriced their MX line for what you get...I looked to other brands because I could buy 2 sets of everything for the price of one Milwaukee. Now I'm so glad I did...and only 1 out 10 tool purchases is Milwaukee. They only make a few tools that are actually worth their price...and the rest are just overpriced because they hold you captive to their brand. They've since lowered the price a little on the MX line...but too little too late.
"Toro basically threw an electric motor on a gas chassis while EGO re-invented the whole machine and I love it....great run time, interchangeable batteries to each device and excellent performance...Toro was just late to the party and lost my money." Precise assessment.
I have the Toro and it works great. I do my yard and my neighbors. I get around the run time by doing the front yards one day and the back yards another day. It is not that inconvenient because I am retired. My wife thinks I should get a gas mower so I could get it all done the same day. She is probably right. When this Toro breaks I will make a decision.
Thanks for the review. Very helpful. I think the one thing that I would question is whether the vortex feature is truly hype. Just because one can't feel a breeze or a vacuum might not necessarily mean it's not doing anything. It may be why the cut results are so good. I think only a taped vs un-taped grate test would truly prove one way or the other. I also know Toro makes a fast charger. Seems like that should be the default charger with high workload units like mowers and blowers. Why sell half-baked kits? Sheesh! Thanks again.
Yeah, I've run into a different situation where there was supposed to be air sucking in and for the life of me couldn't feel a draft. But I later figured out there actually was one. Seems like a mower wouldn't be so subtle, but who knows? Thanks again for the great reviews!@@TheLawnReview
Thanks for the review. I have to wonder if your battery or charger might be faulty. The newer model mowers and snow throwers now come with 7.5 ah batteries. I have a 7.5 and it normally takes under 2 hours to charge complete.
Yes. Battery is terrible in spring. 1/2 hr mowing max. And I have a 1/4 acre. Extra battery 6.0 cost me an extra $225 bad. Good cut. Wish I bought a Milwaukee battery package
The forty minute run time only happens with the 7.5 amp hr battery. The trick to having the V60 series Recyclers is to own another cordless Toro power tool and have both batteries charged before beginning your mow.
Understood...I also have the Toro 60V Snowblower so it works out for me. I can get away with putting a gas Toro recycler blade on my 60V and getting the entire yard done with both batteries. The gas blade has a little higher sail on it for better lift, cut, etc. The run time is reduced a bit but that's where the 2 batteries come in handy. I just wish there was a way to force the mower to run at high speed all the time like the new Super recycler can do.@@TheLawnReview
A P/S for you ... still a good common sense video. I have an additional question for you. I'm looking at the Skil attachment capable trimmer ... what is the weight of the trimmer w/the 2.5 amp battery installed ? I estimated between 10 an 11 pounds. All the data I find includeds the shipping weight of 15 pounds, it just don't look that heavy. Thanks in advance.
In 2021 I bought this mower. I was very underwhelmed with it. I questioned if I liked it. I thought about returning it but thought it might get better. It grew on me and I kinda liked it. 2 years later the battery doesn’t last in normal mowing conditions for more than 15-20 minutes when it used to be 35-40 min for me. I’m kicking myself for not going with a different mower. I’m trying to get the battery warrantied and replaced. But even if so I’m still regretting this buy. #suckered
@@TheLawnReview took it to a mower repair to have it looked at. Apparently the component/motor/chip that regulates the fast and slow speed on the mower itself broke. The battery was fine, it just drained faster because it was always running on high speed. Toro is replacing it as part of the warranty (I’m 25 days outside of the warranty) even though it’s outside of the 2 year warranty. But I’m looking to list it for sale and buy a gas powered mower. On another thought, have you tried the robot mowers or have any experience with those?
Does Toro finally sell 10 amp/hr, 12 amp/hr, and 15 amp/hr batteries like EGO cordless power tools company does? How about the big Toro 2 stage snowblowers? Did Toro finally make them direct drive like the EGO snowblower? instead of belt drive. With the belt drive system, there is loss of power. I am really happy about the Toro automatic shut-off system, which prevents any damages if something is accidentally caught in the auger. The Toro will sense there's something jamming the auger or impeller and automatically shut the unit down. How about with the Toro lawnmowers? Do they automatically shut off if we accidentally run over a stump or rock? Thank you, and keep up with all the improvements. 👍🏻🙏🏼
Thanks for watching the video and for all the questions. I haven't gotten the chance to use a Toro snow blower yet but I hope to this winter. I've heard very good things about them unlike this mower. Most of the Toro batteries only go up to 6 Ah, which isn't enough to get you as far as you'd like. I didn't test this going over a stump, but don't think that would stop it from spinning.
@TheLawnReview Hallo, thanks for your prompt response. I'm pretty sure Toro has 7.5 a/hr batteries. Thanks for your video exposing the truth about Toro lawnmowers. I'm now seriously looking at the Ryobi lawnmowers. Either the less expensive push or their all wheel drive mower. I've had Ryobi products for years, and they've served me well. Home Depot is also excellent about returns. Local mom and pop stores are usually more expensive and very difficult when it comes to a return. Ryobi also has lights. I really like having lights on all my tools. Greenworks has no lights. The Toro snowblower has heated handles and one button chute control. That's the most convenient feature. My Ego dual battery self propelled lawnmower is just 2 years old and just broke. There is no power to the blade. The store/ service place thinks it's the wiring to the handle start / unlock button due to folding away the handle for storage after use. It's been in the shop almost a week already. I'm pissed, that's why I'm really considering getting a 2nd backup mower.
Great, honest review as always Tyler!..Toro did sell out and I think most of their battery operated tools aren’t worth the price. Battery operated TimeMaster would be a good test item…But then again, as much as it costs and it’s underwhelming performance, maybe not!..Keep up the good work!
The front baffle under the deck on the Recycler has a "bumped-out" section that does not exist on the Super Recycler or most other mowers What is the purpose of that shape? I notice when I pull my recycler backwards that it always leaves a pile of clippings on the lawn. I also notice that the front baffle on Recycler does not extend down as far as the rest of the deck does. Is there grass shooting under the baffle in front or getting caught in the the baffle "notch" on my Recycler that is causing the dropped clippings when pulling backwards?
Gosh that's a good question. There were so many strange things about this mower that didn't make sense given the insanely great other mowers that Toro makes...
Keep the blade sharp and cut more often (if your mower is set to 3in, cut it when it reaches 4 in). The runtime will be lower if the grass is wet because it works harder.
This is literally one of their current gas mower designs with an electric motor and battery housing in place of the Briggs engine. You can unbolt the electric unit and drop a Briggs engine on there, and it will become the gas mower.
Most people with electric tools have at least 2 batteries, so you can swap one out while the other one charges. You need more run time, get more batteries. Not really a problem.
I own one of these. My complaints with this mower: Not enough vacuum (I put a Toro gas mower recycler (atomic) blade on it and it's a little better but drains battery faster. Still not real good). Leaves a pile of clippings when you pull the mower backwards. I think it may have to do with the design of the front baffle under the deck which has a "bump-out" in the front, but not sure. I may try to make my own smooth baffle to test it out. Can leave a trail of clippings on the right edge of the mower if going too fast of taking off too much grass at one time. (my lawn is very thick, lush tall turf fescue) Needs a switch to manually keep it in high speed mode. Does anyone know a hack to do this? While the wheels look cool, the square edge design makes the front wheels/tires kind of "grabby" when trying to make gradual turns in thick grass. (the kind of turn where you don't lift the front of the mower) Almost every other mower known to man uses wheels with rounded "shoulders/edges" which makes it easier to make these kinds of turns. The cheap switch under the blue start button stopped working shortly after purchase and I had to open the assembly and bend the lever on the microswitch up so it could be depressed enough to actuate. The cables stick out where the handle meets the deck and can catch on shrubs and things. The 4 separate wheel adjusters are the cheapest, most inconvenient ones available. The ones in the back are even hard to read and get to. The Personal pace handle should never have been changed from the original design to the new huge "steering wheel" look. "Auto-Drive"! Marketing fluff. The deck is bent from the factory so that one front wheel does not touch the ground, even on my concrete driveway. The lack of a REAL side discharge is disappointing, but it allows Toro to use thinner steel in the deck as that area will be less of a fatigue point. (I don't really care though because I never side discharge) Personal Pace hangs up when pulling backwards too often. My Toro Timemaster is nowhere near as bad. Mower has no LED lights. Batteries take a long time to recharge. Not sure that "Vortex technology" is really doing anything much. Tried taping it closed and see no difference when mulching. I think they tried to make the mower look cool with the vortex "Hood scoop" the wider looking square edged wheels and a handle that looks like a chunk of a car steering wheel, but I feel like those are pure marketing gimmicks and actually hurt the performance of the mower in some ways. I own other "top rated" battery mowers too, but I think that these are not ready for prime time unless you are absolutely non-critical about your lawn's appearance, and have a postage stamp sized yard. If you fertilize and irrigate I would stick with gas powered equipment.
This mower is only good if you have a small yard and you never bag. The bag never fills more than 1/3 of full before it bogs down. I live on less than half an acre and i only ever get about 1/2 way through before it dies.
The lowest on this mower is 1.25", not 1". Also on your site, you talk about the top 5 electric mowers for 2023 and call the Toro mower a Super Recycler but show an image of a Recycler. You also describe it as red but the Super Recycler is black. From review on site, "Toro nailed this one" but here, it's denied?
With the disappointment that Toro lawnmowers have been for me, I think it's safe to assume Toro will screw this up as well. I liked the Toro snow blowers but even they have become somewhat half-baked recently. Granted, Honda's gone from the lawn mowing market in North America, but the mowers are still made incredibly well and will outlast anything Toro is making or has ever made. I grew up with a Honda HR214 that lasted for 27 years and have another Honda HR214 that's over 30 years old. There are other mowers from Scag and Ferris (I don't like Briggs and Stratton but the FW15 is an impressive looking machine with a Honda GXV390 engine) that I will consider before investing in another Toro with transmission and blade brake clutch design issues. I mean, why a belt in a blade brake clutch? Just use an actual clutch. Personal Pace? It's the belted blade brake clutch problem again. Get a hydrostatic transmission, for crying out loud. Vortex technology...Honda's had that on its mowers since 1984 with the HRS21 (the cooling fan from the engine is under the deck making the engine upside down) as well as the HR214 up to and including the HRC216HX series. I noticed you had two Hondas in the background between your garage and your truck at the end of the video. Stick with those. They'll last longer than the planned obsolescence allows for battery powered anything.
I can say, i switched from the dinky thin blade that is OEM on the 60V, to a gas bagging blade, (high lift) ended up with 30 mins through 1ft tall dense and seed stocked bermuda with a brand new 4ah battery. Solid quality cut though, also allowed it to ramp up easier due to the heavier blade
Anyone recommending a plastic deck mower doesn't know jack in my opinion. Ive had this mower for three years and if you look under deck it has a channel for the vortex air and you can clean it out; it pulls air past battery, motor, and into the cutting zone to recycle cut. This mower cuts my .4 acre lawn w two fully charged batteries everytime. Like that its basic, means less stuff to break. I do mow at highest mow height, not sure why you wouldn't. As a lawn extension specialist increasing mow height is the best and easiest thing to do for your lawn. Anyways you don't know what you're talking about.
Concerning the vortex technology, it could be a hidden design feature in the deck and blade that makes for a finer or less clumpy discharge. Sometimes refinements like that are given a visual design element that amount to nothing more than badging, just to show what can't be seen in a showroom.
You sound like a 60yo guy wrapped in a 35yo body. Battery power is the present and future. I’m 60yo and I’m gasoline free with 2 batteries and a mower, blower, and trimmer. The power of battery lawn tools has caught up with gas, it’s not close. I use Ego but I’m sure other brands are just as good.
I'd probably go with a Green Works or Milwaukee, but I hear Ego is good, too. I haven't seen many Ryobi reviews to say they're good. Electric is the future if you want to stay on top!
Vortex is an INTAKE! It's meant to improve airflow under the deck to achieve that great cut quality you mentioned. Sometimes, you have to actually read the marketing materials. SMH.
Have had this mower (or at least the earlier incarnation) for 4 years and it's still going strong. The construction and materials are top notch. Not sure why your run time is so low, but I'm able to cut my 1/4 lot and still have 1 or 2 bars left when done. And as you said , the cut quality is fantastic.
Good points. I haven't loved it because the battery takes so long to charge.
Cutting at the 2" to 3" range will let the mower battery last longer.
My run time seems to better on my Toro too.
Mine is junk! Cuts off as soon as it starts. It’s going to cost almost $400 to fix it. I think I’ll buy a Milwaukee next and part out the new Toro. The Milwaukee seems to be much better quality
I have this mower. Bought an extra 7.5 ah battery. Also bought the snow blower which has a 7.5 ah battery. Yeah the 6.0 ah battery is weak. Maybe 35 mins runtime. Key is to raise deck if high grass. Key mower out of high rev mode. Then lower deck and come back for a second pass. I have been beating the crap out of this mower for about two years now. Cut 7 lawns per week in my block. Thats like 14 years of regular use. I had a Hart 40v so this Toro 60v was a step up. I only paid 500 for mine so yes at the current price of 629 its expensive. I may go with a super recyler if this monster bites the dust but it just keeps going and going. I hope I dont jink things by praising it!
No I'm glad to hear your perspective and happy that you like it. Thanks for sharing. Maybe I'll get a bigger battery for it.
This is a good lawnmower after 3 years using them 2 time a week still working strong i used 2 60volt batteries bcz after 45 minutes batteries died but work pretty well not complaints so far 👍
Glad you like yours. It’s a good cut I just felt like the self propelled thing was wonky
I have the Toro Super Recycler and mow my 1/4 acre twice on one charge. Sounds like you have the switch turned from auto to max. In auto mode it lasts much longer. I've never needed the max mode. My lawn looks much like yours. I agree the battery takes several hours to charge. But this has not been a problem since it lasts two mowings. This is the 2nd Personal Pace mower I've owned. I bought my current one specifically because this feature is so much better than any other self-propelled system I have used. It is very smooth, predictable, and lasts forever (my old mower is over 20 yrs old and has mowed 6.5 miles of mountain bike trail every year in addition to my yard). There is absolutely no "lurching" as you describe. If yours is not the best self-propelled system you have ever used then there is an issue with it. Check your cable adjustment and belt. Good video though. Thanks.
This is a solid mower for sure, but just didnt line up with the price in my opinion
There is no switch on this mower...it automatically switches to high speed when it senses the motor slowing down too much. It sucks...there should be a switch.
@@GlennMcKeon-n5s , I see the switch on the handle in the video. It's blue and is directly above his hand at time 0:05 in the video.
That's the start button.@@victoryvisiontour
@@GlennMcKeon-n5s , It's the switch too. Turn it to the right for Max mode. Left for Auto. Push it to start.
The Personal Pace is an excellent self propelled system. I have two Toros with that system. Love it, both have given me trouble free service. Obviously if your yard is rough terrain like you described, the Personal Pace will be herky jerky.
Glad you like yours!
I have a small front lawn and the back is raised beds and flagstone. Got tired of gas lawn equipment and the constant failure of plastic parts. Looked into battery lawn mowers and the batteries are all proprietary, locking a person into a brand, or spend tons of dough for different battery types.
Decided to step between the horns of the dilemma and bought an Austrian style scythe instead. There's a learning curve, but the satisfaction from a correct swath is amazing.
For real? I'd love to see that.
@@TheLawnReview Scythe Supply has some vids up on UA-cam.
I have this same mower and have had for about 3 years. No issues, just keep your blade sharpened and that will extend your battery life. Agree completely on the vortex propaganda. A tip for your moles, put used coffee grounds where they are and other areas you don’t want them and they will leave. I have battled moles for 5 years then saw this method and a mole moved in and immediately left. So far so good.
That’s awesome - thanks for the tip!
The vortex thing is not a joke. Holes in battery slot and a channel that's above the blade when you tip back in storage mode that you should clean out to keep the air flowing, helps w the recycler cutting and keeps battery cool(er).
Looking to switch to an electric mower and the Toro was on my shopping list. Thank you for the review as it has given a good insight into some of the electric mower issues. No need to add anything else, the post says all I need to know.
Thanks!
I have this mower for 3 years! Batteries are still wonderful. Recharging time and run time does not bother me much 😂
I am only not using this one as much as I moved on to 30 in Greenworks riding mower 😅. As I am getting older .6 acre mowing with “self propelled push” mower is becoming a challenge.
If anyone who likes the gas mower quality with almost no maintenance(blade sharpening and cleanjng the deck), I highly recommend this. Their 60v string trimmer is one of the best as well.
Love to hear that. I’ve got the string trimmer too and it’s pretty good. How do you like the Greenworks ?
I have this mower and grew to like it very much. I had to get used to it coming from my trusty Craftsman self propelled gas mower.
I don't frett about the battery charge time because I have three 7.5, one 6, and one 4 ah batteries (so many cuz I also bought the 26" snow blower that included 2 large batteries). Besides that, I don't need speed charging the way I would need it for my phone or laptop. I know I'm going to cut my lawn, so I prepare in advance.
I have learned that the battery discharge times are greatly affected by grass length and density. I now know to cut my darn grass at least twice a week, or I will get kind of close to going through all three 7ah batteries on my .50+ acre dense KB/TT fescue lawn. It always looks GREAT though 😀
Personal Pace is actually a very nice feature! I thought it was weired at first, but now I love it!
I do HATE that they cheaped out and dif not include a batyery gauge. Thats BS considering the cost of the mower and high cost batteries - they couldn't include a stupid wire and LED to tell me my battery is about to die instead of just shutting down?! 🤨👎
I also don't care for the cheap thin metal 4 seperate mower height adjustments. I like the flexability to independently change each wheel, but the metal levers ate very thin, and diffucult to see each adjustment.
Overall, I'm happy with it because the cut is BEAUTIFUL, and the mower is pretty darn dutable. I can't say I woukd purchase again because I have no exoeeience with other batteey powered mowers. However, compared to my bad boy gas Craftsman, I haven't used the gas mower in a couple of years...as long as I continue to cut twice a week 😅
I will admit it had a good cut. Just wish they built out their battery line some more.
So the battery is the major negative ?
What if you buy the rapid charger for it
Would that change the review of it ?
I’m looking at the Super Charger w the 7.5ah battery
I have a 20” ryobi right now it’s 7 years old and it came w 4ah batteries
At the time that was the biggest battery ryobi made and it takes 3 4ah batteries for me to mow my yard at 1x a week
This is not the super recycler. Tis is toro’s lower end recycler series. The super recycler is black and has a cast aluminum deck and a different blade/ mulching system. Not sure if run time would be different on a super recycler or not.
Thanks for calling that out - you're right.
@@TheLawnReview Super Recycler comes with a 7.5 amp battery as well. That would cover your lawn with charge to spare.
The SR has a 50 minute run time. Mulching does requires more draw from a battery than does bagging or side discharging. While a slow battery charge may seem inconvenient, quick charging lithium batteries will guarantee that the battery will have a shorter useful life. I have the 60b Suoer Recycler. It’s a completely different machine. Far better. The Recycler series is designed to a price point for retail channels.
@@LL-mt2nz Tough because the price still isn't great. At over $600, I could easily get a better Greenworks or EGO mower.
How have you liked the SR? What's different other than size?
@@TheLawnReview I owned a Recyler and now I have the Suoer Recycler so here is my take. They are completely different machines. Personal pace is the same but the gear drive is more robust and the mower pulls back easier. The deck is aluminum so it is lighter and better balanced. Ball bearing wheels (rubber, not plastic) and flex handles makes the mower float in the lawn. The cut is so smooth it doesn’t feel like it’s cutting at all. It bags super well. The clippings don’t gather at the front of the bag. The mulching is absolutely superb. Even in damp grass, it will not clump. Quality of cut is next level. This is a heavy mower and will not bounce around. I am dethatching the grass today so I will see how well it can bag the thatch.
My brother just bought this mower, I have the Super Recycler 21564. Personal Pace can be adjusted on the gas models to be more or less responsive, not sure on the electric one's and the Vortex is supposed to "suck" air but i agree it's a gimmick at best, well at least I haven't noticed a difference in cut quality compared to other recyclers/super recyclers.
Thanks - glad you had a similar experience with the Vortex
All I can think of from what Toro says about it is that it allows some airflow under the deck which helps to suspend the grass clippings a little longer so that they are cut a bit finer before dropping back into the turf. You would probably have to do a side by side comparison with a non-Vortex mower and examine the clippings either on the lawn or maybe in the bag to see if it really does anything. That would be a good video as it would answer this question once and for all!
I was all in on the Toro 60V system for a couple of years, but found the standard Recycler to be underpowered with bad battery life… plus very poor at bagging. So I thought “why not try out the Super Recycler?” (Which by the way - you reviewed the regular recycler and NOT the super recycler). Well - the Super Recycler was an absolute dud. Horrendous fit and finish, deck not level, bent handlebars, chintzy plastics, and that gigantic Personal Pace handlebar was just goofy and cumbersome in tight spots. Migrated to the Milwaukee mower and never looked back - the thing is a beast and super comfortable to use (agree with your review on that one as well). Sold off the rest of my Toro 60V tools and went all in on Milwaukee OPE. Since all my general power tools are Milwaukee as well - makes things really convenient.
Really enjoy your channel and reviews. Thanks again!
Milwaukee is the GOAT - a bit more expensive but unrivaled in performance. You have great taste!
I was going to buy one new off market place for a discounted price, but after watching this video I changed my mind. I love toros cut quality since I use a Timemaster, but a 3+ hour charge time for a 25 min use is pretty terrible. Thanks for honest review, glad I didn’t get one.
Thanks man! Yeah I was pretty disappointed with it honestly… check out the Greenworks 80v or EGO 56V both are good in my opinion
@TheLawnReview ha, my self propelled dual battery EGO 21" is just now 2 years old. I'm up in northeast, so I'm not using it all year long. I only cut our lawn about once every 2 weeks at most. It already broke down 😢 The rear self propelled wheels still turn but no lights or cutting blade work. The repair place told me he thinks it might be wire harness to the on/ off button on the handle probably broke due to when we fold it up to put it away. Already in the shop a week and I haven't heard from the EGO repair shop yet.🙄 Make sure you always get the rapid chargers. Only an idiot wouldn't want the batteries charged as fast as possible or would sell slow chargers 😂
The Toro cut quality isn't much different from other brands to me. I can get a decent cut quality from a cheapie MTD with a sharp blade and PowerMore engine. If anything, the cut quality of my Honda HRX217 is probably one of the best when it comes to mulching and bagging. My Commercial Honda fits in there as well and my 25+ year old Cub Cadet Series 2000 with a cheap stamped deck, when set correctly has a decent cut to it as well.
Your UA-cam handle suggests you do lawn maintenance as a profession. It would make sense that a flimsy consumer product isn’t going to suffice for commercial work
It’s funny to hear this video introduced with “Toro is _getting into_ the electric lawnmower space”. I’m watching reviews because our _14-year-old_ Toro battery lawnmower needs the motor fixed, and so far I’m only finding the option to replace the entire motor (at roughly the price of a new mower).
When we bought this, there were very few rechargeable battery mowers on the market, and my recollection is that Toro was one of the first.
Thank you for the history lesson - I had no idea. I'm guessing you have liked yours?
This is the 21466 which is the Recycler series not the Super Recycler series as you keep saying. The Super Recycler series (gas) uses kickers under the deck to disrupt the clippings for better mulch action. The vortex inlet brings in air to help the grass stand up for more even cut and is not something you will feel with your hand. Runtime is a function of energy used to perform the job (w-h or amp-h at constant volts) so it will be affected by such factors as: moisture content of the grass, speed at which you are walking, percentage of the grass you are cutting, density of the grass, and levelness of your lawn (self-propelling up slopes). So 40 minutes of runtime might be average for many lawns that are not as dense as yours.
You make great points
I love the personal pace on the timemaster.
It takes a bit to get used to but it wasn't bad!
Thanks for your time making this video!
3:05 - This model is unable to side discharge. You can tell that by looking at the right hand side. The deck is solid without any discharge cut out.
4:32 & 8:10 - Stupid question, but are you saying you held your hand under the deck to test the airflow? I am guessing not since that means you wouldn't have a hand anymore, but the wording confused me :D I am guessing you activated the mower, rigged the handle to stay on (or may just have long enough arms you can hold onto the bail as well as reach the front grill), and then put your hand over the grate on the topside to see if there was suction, but not sure.
Regarding run times, I am guessing the 'up to' generally indicate the least amount of load on the machine that most people would put, probably weekly maintenance? I did notice it looked like the setting was on 'auto' which is a more fair test than 'max' as it allows the machine to regulate it's own performance (and thereby more battery life) but including that piece of information as well as a quick satellite measurement of the cut area will help you be more scientific or standardized in your reviews. ("In X minutes of runtime it cut Y acres on the 'auto' setting")
Keep up the good videos!
Hey! Thanks for watching. You're correct on each of your points - we felt the airflow from the top, not the bottom. Our goal is to speak more about how the mower feels and performs without being too scientific. These are all great ideas, though!
Well, my commercial Honda has a rear discharge elbow that's optional. I requested it and received it when I bought the mower. Strangely the mulch plug was standard. I also don't understand why Toro doesn't provide it in the box but you have to "register it" to get it.
Looking into making the switch to electric. Thanks for the heads up on the run time and charge time. First part of yard would need mowed again by the time I got finished! haha
Sadly that's true. There are some other great alternatives out there - try EGO or Milwaukee!
Nice demo, thank you. I have this mower and I get exhausted using it, never happened when I used my old gasoline self prop mower. any ideas what I'm doing wrong.
I think the personal pace thing makes you push and pull. Always keeps your core engaged. I didn’t like it
Honest review not lying for the money it should have came with a larger battery or 2 crappy ones
Thank you! I don’t take money from any of them which allows me to speak freely
Glad you didn’t sell out with your review. I’ve owned one of these for two years now and only have about a quarter of an acre grass and have found it to be total crap.
Oh man. I hate hear that..
I was drawn to it a couple years ago because of it having a metal deck and Toro being a US-based brand. As I understand it, slower charging makes for a longer-lasting battery. I really like the Personal Pace, and my wife (who has rarely mowed in her life) also loves the Personal Pace's ease of use. A downside I've run into is it leaves strips ("mowhawks"?) if I don't completely overlap the previous passes' wheel marks. In fact, I found your video in trying to find another reviewer who ran into the same issue to see which wheel he raised or lowered to fix it. Honestly, if I could do it over I'd either buy the more expensive "Vader" version w/the larger battery and aluminum body or go with a less expensive mower.
That’s good to hear. This one has solid fundamentals but felt a little too high priced.i also didn’t like the personal pace
Appreciate your honesty with the thumbs down. The best attribute of this mower besides the cut quality, is the mulch door switch, the only function where this mower stands out. Have heard the personal pace takes some getting use to, and have seen in other reviews where people did not like the side-to-side slop of the handle as you mow. Have always been a big Toro gas fan, though they have yet to bring their A-game to bear in the E-mower market place. 60V SUPER Recycler customers seem to be happy and loyal to that machine, though Toro’s new composite deck stripe mowers have yet to establish a foot hold in the market place, and Toro hasn’t been doing much to promote them.
You have some great observations. I don't love composite decks all that much but think EGO's are durable as heck. I don't really see the appeal to the stripe mower either, but different strokes for different folks.
And yes - heard good things about Super Recycler, but haven't shelled out the cash for that one yet.
I don't know if the Stripe mower will really be a big thing because striping is for those that really care about cut quality and appearance and gas is the way to go for that. Battery mowers are for those that just want to get the grass cut with the least effort and inconvenience and are not as concerned at having the best looking lawn. @@TheLawnReview
Mowed my whole yard on the 7.5 battery.......... for a while. When it quit lasting the whole lawn, i bought a 10.0.($400) Awesome...... for a while.. Now it takes all of both batteries to finish. (third year) It was fun to be all ECO for a bit,, but i bought a new honda gas this week, for next year. If you have a big yard, dont believe the hype.
Ok, first the votex pulls air under the deck when the blades are spinning not out the top. Second, the Personal Pace is Adjustable for how you want it to respond to your walking speed. You can make more sensitive or less . The Toro does not have a great run time but you actually get a real mower blade underneath not slimy thin blade that other use to help in there run time. Lastly you can buy a bigger battery (7.5 amp) and a fast charger instead of the normal charger. We should all know buy now a fast charger will degregrate a lithium battery faster than a slower charger.
Yep - you don't feel any suction in from the top though where it would pull air. The personal pace is fine but it jostles around a ton. Agree on battery but another big downside is that Toro doesn't have a great, expansive lawn tool set like EGO, Ryobi, or many of the other big brands.
How do you adjust the sensitivity of this mower I never did get a instruction book with it when I bought it.
Thanks for posting, great review! Do you have a brand or model that you would recommend for someone new to electric mowers? My lawn is about 10,000 square ft, I've been using and maintaining the same Toro mower since 2002.. Now the piston rings are bad and I just want to move on. I watched your video on the Craftsman v20 and was pretty impressed, so I'm thinking about that one or the Kobalt 40v or the Skil 40v, but definitely open to any advice, thanks!
Do you have any other battery tools that could use the same battery for a new mower? It’s a bit cheaper to do that.
From that list, I like the Kobalt 40V or the Craftsman
@@TheLawnReview I have Craftsman and Kobalt batteries so I’ll just get whichever goes on sale first, thanks for the advice!
@joeylewis8615 anytime. Thanks for watching!
Secret to battery charging ... let them cool down before you put it on the charger. Also I have both the 1 amp an 2 amp charger for now my Toro fleet used the 60 volt 2 an 2.5 amp batteries ... mower will be purchased soon. The 1 amp battery charges the larger 2.5 amp battery in about 2 hours, the 2 amp charger is about 15 minutes less. I started the "let'em cool" years (around 12) ago using my Ryobi 18 volt tools, a man recommended letting them cool down over night, so that's what I do ... to this day I've not replaced a 18 volt lithium battery yet.
Garbage drains new battery after 2 yrs...Read it could be the voltage regulator but can't fine parts on their website
This is super good advice! Thanks for watching!
I'm still thinking of buying this only because the yards I would use this on for my lawncare business would be absolutely tiny. And to me the real prize money is in the battery as a standard 6.0 battery is over $300 to start after taxes. I still need a small light mower for were my 36 bradley would not fit so its a win for me as use toros trimmers and blowers and love them. So much lighter and no extra gas for the gas gas trimmers and blowers.
Go for it! It had a good cut it was just not my favorite to use
Go for it! It had a good cut it was just not my favorite to use
@@TheLawnReview I agree it not going to be my Main money maker but the yards I would use it on are ones that literally take 10 min to mow. I have a few were my Bradley is just straight up overkill and I actually blow more dust around than I actually cut and end spend more time blowing clean everything lol.
They have a EGO Lawn Mower with 60 mintue life and they give you 2 batteries. I hae a 16 yer old Toro Super Recycler Personial Pace works good going forward but is a pain int the but to back up and turn around. I may buy a Front Wheel Drive one
The EGO is pretty sweet - I've tried a bunch of theirs and own two
Thanks! You should do a review of corded electric mowers. Power output from them is better. A 21" deck is usually 13 amps and at 120v that equals 1550watts. The battery of the toro is 60v 6Ah so if you drain it in a half hour its 60v 12Amps, 720 watts, less than 1hp. So Im thinking of going ac corded for a mower.
Interesting! I've always stayed away from corded because cordless is more powerful, but you're giving me something to think about here. What corded models are you looking at?
@@TheLawnReview greenworks, craftsman, and kobalt with the 21" deck 13amps. Sunjoe too but theres is 20".
Thanks for taking the time to post this. Can you review the snow shovel attachment? 😆 I got the EGO and Ryobi shovels but haven't had any snow yet to try them.
Ooh I need to check that out. What does it attach to?
I was a toro personal pace guy for 10 yrs but made the leap to electrics...Toro didn't make this mower 5 yrs ago so I went with EGO and have never looked back....i own 6 EGO tools now and could not be happier...Toro basically threw an electric motor on a gas chassis while EGO re-invented the whole machine and I love it....great run time, interchangeable batteries to each device and excellent performance...Toro was just late to the party and lost my money...great review
Thanks, Brian! I totally agree with you. Glad you like the EGO stuff.
Milwaukee did the same to me. I was full into the Milwaukee platform for personal and 2 businesses where I purchased tools for the whole company.
I spent 10-15k per month on Milwaukee. I know it's not a lot for a company their size. After they way overpriced their MX line for what you get...I looked to other brands because I could buy 2 sets of everything for the price of one Milwaukee.
Now I'm so glad I did...and only 1 out 10 tool purchases is Milwaukee. They only make a few tools that are actually worth their price...and the rest are just overpriced because they hold you captive to their brand.
They've since lowered the price a little on the MX line...but too little too late.
"Toro basically threw an electric motor on a gas chassis while EGO re-invented the whole machine and I love it....great run time, interchangeable batteries to each device and excellent performance...Toro was just late to the party and lost my money."
Precise assessment.
Awesome review. Succinct and to the point. Have been considering buying this mower. I think I'll pass on buying one.
There are other great ones - releasing a 5 way head to head in a couple weeks.
I have the Toro and it works great. I do my yard and my neighbors. I get around the run time by doing the front yards one day and the back yards another day. It is not that inconvenient because I am retired. My wife thinks I should get a gas mower so I could get it all done the same day. She is probably right. When this Toro breaks I will make a decision.
I'm glad you like yours! I couldn't get over the personal pace system, which some people seem to love.
Thanks for the review. Very helpful. I think the one thing that I would question is whether the vortex feature is truly hype. Just because one can't feel a breeze or a vacuum might not necessarily mean it's not doing anything. It may be why the cut results are so good. I think only a taped vs un-taped grate test would truly prove one way or the other. I also know Toro makes a fast charger. Seems like that should be the default charger with high workload units like mowers and blowers. Why sell half-baked kits? Sheesh! Thanks again.
Yeah that’s a good point. It looked like the vent went nowhere, but there could be some crazy physics a red neck like me doesn’t understand.
Yeah, I've run into a different situation where there was supposed to be air sucking in and for the life of me couldn't feel a draft. But I later figured out there actually was one. Seems like a mower wouldn't be so subtle, but who knows? Thanks again for the great reviews!@@TheLawnReview
@ts-ov5qz appreciate you watching and commenting!
Thanks for the review. I have to wonder if your battery or charger might be faulty. The newer model mowers and snow throwers now come with 7.5 ah batteries. I have a 7.5 and it normally takes under 2 hours to charge complete.
Interesting - which Toro product do you have? Snow blower or mower? I've heard great things about the snow blower
@@TheLawnReview Yeah, I've got both the (e21) snow blower and snow broom.
There are 3 or 4 different chargers for these batteries. The commercial ones can charge several at once in half an hour.
Yes. Battery is terrible in spring. 1/2 hr mowing max. And I have a 1/4 acre. Extra battery 6.0 cost me an extra $225 bad. Good cut. Wish I bought a Milwaukee battery package
I have this mower how do you make it more sensitive or less I never did get an instruction booklet with it when I bought it, thank you.
It’s all in the handle bar. Not sure you can adjust sensitivity
Thanks, can not find any way either.@@TheLawnReview
That vortex may help grass stand up for the cleaner cut. Egos leave so much uncut grass.
I think so on the gas, but I couldn’t see how that was possible with this one
i hate personal pace too i had that mower; i just wondered why am i pushing the mower; personally i like the ones that pull me around
Amen!
See my note above. DON'T actively "push & pull" the P-P handle! Just >>> Walk.
The forty minute run time only happens with the 7.5 amp hr battery. The trick to having the V60 series Recyclers is to own another cordless Toro power tool and have both batteries charged before beginning your mow.
Yep exactly. They don't have a super well built out set of battery tools yet, so the value just isn't there for me. Thanks for watching!
Understood...I also have the Toro 60V Snowblower so it works out for me. I can get away with putting a gas Toro recycler blade on my 60V and getting the entire yard done with both batteries. The gas blade has a little higher sail on it for better lift, cut, etc. The run time is reduced a bit but that's where the 2 batteries come in handy. I just wish there was a way to force the mower to run at high speed all the time like the new Super recycler can do.@@TheLawnReview
A P/S for you ... still a good common sense video. I have an additional question for you. I'm looking at the Skil attachment capable trimmer ... what is the weight of the trimmer w/the 2.5 amp battery installed ? I estimated between 10 an 11 pounds. All the data I find includeds the shipping weight of 15 pounds, it just don't look that heavy. Thanks in advance.
I have the same issues with my Toro mower the batteries die after 30 minutes, I am looking for a website to see if I can purchase a cheaper battery.
What
In 2021 I bought this mower. I was very underwhelmed with it. I questioned if I liked it. I thought about returning it but thought it might get better. It grew on me and I kinda liked it. 2 years later the battery doesn’t last in normal mowing conditions for more than 15-20 minutes when it used to be 35-40 min for me. I’m kicking myself for not going with a different mower. I’m trying to get the battery warrantied and replaced. But even if so I’m still regretting this buy. #suckered
Wow. Hate to hear that. What's next for you?
@@TheLawnReview took it to a mower repair to have it looked at. Apparently the component/motor/chip that regulates the fast and slow speed on the mower itself broke. The battery was fine, it just drained faster because it was always running on high speed. Toro is replacing it as part of the warranty (I’m 25 days outside of the warranty) even though it’s outside of the 2 year warranty. But I’m looking to list it for sale and buy a gas powered mower. On another thought, have you tried the robot mowers or have any experience with those?
Does Toro finally sell 10 amp/hr, 12 amp/hr, and 15 amp/hr batteries like EGO cordless power tools company does? How about the big Toro 2 stage snowblowers? Did Toro finally make them direct drive like the EGO snowblower? instead of belt drive. With the belt drive system, there is loss of power. I am really happy about the Toro automatic shut-off system, which prevents any damages if something is accidentally caught in the auger. The Toro will sense there's something jamming the auger or impeller and automatically shut the unit down. How about with the Toro lawnmowers? Do they automatically shut off if we accidentally run over a stump or rock? Thank you, and keep up with all the improvements. 👍🏻🙏🏼
Thanks for watching the video and for all the questions. I haven't gotten the chance to use a Toro snow blower yet but I hope to this winter. I've heard very good things about them unlike this mower. Most of the Toro batteries only go up to 6 Ah, which isn't enough to get you as far as you'd like.
I didn't test this going over a stump, but don't think that would stop it from spinning.
@TheLawnReview Hallo, thanks for your prompt response. I'm pretty sure Toro has 7.5 a/hr batteries. Thanks for your video exposing the truth about Toro lawnmowers. I'm now seriously looking at the Ryobi lawnmowers. Either the less expensive push or their all wheel drive mower. I've had Ryobi products for years, and they've served me well. Home Depot is also excellent about returns. Local mom and pop stores are usually more expensive and very difficult when it comes to a return. Ryobi also has lights. I really like having lights on all my tools. Greenworks has no lights. The Toro snowblower has heated handles and one button chute control. That's the most convenient feature. My Ego dual battery self propelled lawnmower is just 2 years old and just broke. There is no power to the blade. The store/ service place thinks it's the wiring to the handle start / unlock button due to folding away the handle for storage after use. It's been in the shop almost a week already. I'm pissed, that's why I'm really considering getting a 2nd backup mower.
After I charge the battery am I supposed to get 4 little green lights when I press the blue button? Thanks.
Yes I think so - on the battery?
Great, honest review as always Tyler!..Toro did sell out and I think most of their battery operated tools aren’t worth the price. Battery operated TimeMaster would be a good test item…But then again, as much as it costs and it’s underwhelming performance, maybe not!..Keep up the good work!
They just haven't caught up! It makes me sad because they are such a recognizable name and brand.
Do you think that the 30 min. run time is low because it's also using power to self-propel itself?
Yes definitely
bro you keep comin out with the hits!
Thanks for watching! Big fan of yours for years.
@@TheLawnReview well thanks man but I must say… I’m becoming a big fan of yours!
@@PrincessCutLawnCare Appreciate it! Any feedback for us?
The front baffle under the deck on the Recycler has a "bumped-out" section that does not exist on the Super Recycler or most other mowers What is the purpose of that shape? I notice when I pull my recycler backwards that it always leaves a pile of clippings on the lawn. I also notice that the front baffle on Recycler does not extend down as far as the rest of the deck does. Is there grass shooting under the baffle in front or getting caught in the the baffle "notch" on my Recycler that is causing the dropped clippings when pulling backwards?
Gosh that's a good question. There were so many strange things about this mower that didn't make sense given the insanely great other mowers that Toro makes...
I have to agree with you on toro battery! How do we get toro to increase battery life or is there a software upgrade or something?
No idea. They just aren't there yet. Do you own this one?
Keep the blade sharp and cut more often (if your mower is set to 3in, cut it when it reaches 4 in). The runtime will be lower if the grass is wet because it works harder.
This is literally one of their current gas mower designs with an electric motor and battery housing in place of the Briggs engine. You can unbolt the electric unit and drop a Briggs engine on there, and it will become the gas mower.
hahaah that's awesome.
Thanks for proving that Toro battery mower in junk. Love everything about my Milwaukee and the Ego is also ok with its long battery life.
The Milwaukee is PERFECT. How long have you had it?
Just stay with gas. Not for nothing but if someone steals your battery your out an expensive piece of your mower. Correct?
I’m going back and forth on which to get
The Toro 60v Super Recycler or the Milwaukee M18
@TheLawnReview bought it last year soon after released.
Most people with electric tools have at least 2 batteries, so you can swap one out while the other one charges. You need more run time, get more batteries. Not really a problem.
I agree, but this one just comes with one. A great purchase if you already have a battery.
I own one of these. My complaints with this mower:
Not enough vacuum (I put a Toro gas mower recycler (atomic) blade on it and it's a little better but drains battery faster. Still not real good).
Leaves a pile of clippings when you pull the mower backwards. I think it may have to do with the design of the front baffle under the deck which has a "bump-out" in the front, but not sure. I may try to make my own smooth baffle to test it out.
Can leave a trail of clippings on the right edge of the mower if going too fast of taking off too much grass at one time. (my lawn is very thick, lush tall turf fescue)
Needs a switch to manually keep it in high speed mode. Does anyone know a hack to do this?
While the wheels look cool, the square edge design makes the front wheels/tires kind of "grabby" when trying to make gradual turns in thick grass. (the kind of turn where you don't lift the front of the mower) Almost every other mower known to man uses wheels with rounded "shoulders/edges" which makes it easier to make these kinds of turns.
The cheap switch under the blue start button stopped working shortly after purchase and I had to open the assembly and bend the lever on the microswitch up so it could be depressed enough to actuate.
The cables stick out where the handle meets the deck and can catch on shrubs and things.
The 4 separate wheel adjusters are the cheapest, most inconvenient ones available. The ones in the back are even hard to read and get to.
The Personal pace handle should never have been changed from the original design to the new huge "steering wheel" look. "Auto-Drive"! Marketing fluff.
The deck is bent from the factory so that one front wheel does not touch the ground, even on my concrete driveway.
The lack of a REAL side discharge is disappointing, but it allows Toro to use thinner steel in the deck as that area will be less of a fatigue point. (I don't really care though because I never side discharge)
Personal Pace hangs up when pulling backwards too often. My Toro Timemaster is nowhere near as bad.
Mower has no LED lights.
Batteries take a long time to recharge.
Not sure that "Vortex technology" is really doing anything much. Tried taping it closed and see no difference when mulching.
I think they tried to make the mower look cool with the vortex "Hood scoop" the wider looking square edged wheels and a handle that looks like a chunk of a car steering wheel, but I feel like those are pure marketing gimmicks and actually hurt the performance of the mower in some ways.
I own other "top rated" battery mowers too, but I think that these are not ready for prime time unless you are absolutely non-critical about your lawn's appearance, and have a postage stamp sized yard. If you fertilize and irrigate I would stick with gas powered equipment.
Woww! Thanks for the thoughtful input. Yeah I agree with just about all of these points.
Nice, in the market for a new mower. Thanks!
Welcome!
Guy, wish you did snowblowers too.
Wish we had more snow lol
Mine keeps shutting off and beeping. I have read it’s overheating will cause this. Junk I have the smallest backyard.
Yep I wasn't a big fan...
I'll stick with gas and not worry about time restrictions 👍
Until the gas runs out
Try the makita xtg mower
That's up next for us!
To wait that long to charge is brutal
It was really disappointing especially given the not-so-good run time
@@TheLawnReview staying with gas power. Battery is too expensive and too long to charge and to get 45 minutes run time is just frustrating.
Cheers
Thank-you! 🙂❕️
You're very welcome!
This mower is only good if you have a small yard and you never bag. The bag never fills more than 1/3 of full before it bogs down. I live on less than half an acre and i only ever get about 1/2 way through before it dies.
Gosh that's awful haha. Yeah I was less than impressed with this one.
Sad to see Toro has let their quality slip so much.
Hopefully they get it right with their battery series
The lowest on this mower is 1.25", not 1". Also on your site, you talk about the top 5 electric mowers for 2023 and call the Toro mower a Super Recycler but show an image of a Recycler. You also describe it as red but the Super Recycler is black. From review on site, "Toro nailed this one" but here, it's denied?
Thanks for the call out - I need to update our written post to reflect my experience with this one.
With the disappointment that Toro lawnmowers have been for me, I think it's safe to assume Toro will screw this up as well. I liked the Toro snow blowers but even they have become somewhat half-baked recently. Granted, Honda's gone from the lawn mowing market in North America, but the mowers are still made incredibly well and will outlast anything Toro is making or has ever made. I grew up with a Honda HR214 that lasted for 27 years and have another Honda HR214 that's over 30 years old. There are other mowers from Scag and Ferris (I don't like Briggs and Stratton but the FW15 is an impressive looking machine with a Honda GXV390 engine) that I will consider before investing in another Toro with transmission and blade brake clutch design issues. I mean, why a belt in a blade brake clutch? Just use an actual clutch. Personal Pace? It's the belted blade brake clutch problem again. Get a hydrostatic transmission, for crying out loud.
Vortex technology...Honda's had that on its mowers since 1984 with the HRS21 (the cooling fan from the engine is under the deck making the engine upside down) as well as the HR214 up to and including the HRC216HX series.
I noticed you had two Hondas in the background between your garage and your truck at the end of the video. Stick with those. They'll last longer than the planned obsolescence allows for battery powered anything.
You really can't beat those old Hondas. Sad to hear how they are discontinuing them here.
Honda does have a electric motor EGX really want one for my Reel buuut its spendy
Hmmmm I need to check that out
I can say, i switched from the dinky thin blade that is OEM on the 60V, to a gas bagging blade, (high lift) ended up with 30 mins through 1ft tall dense and seed stocked bermuda with a brand new 4ah battery. Solid quality cut though, also allowed it to ramp up easier due to the heavier blade
Anyone recommending a plastic deck mower doesn't know jack in my opinion. Ive had this mower for three years and if you look under deck it has a channel for the vortex air and you can clean it out; it pulls air past battery, motor, and into the cutting zone to recycle cut. This mower cuts my .4 acre lawn w two fully charged batteries everytime. Like that its basic, means less stuff to break.
I do mow at highest mow height, not sure why you wouldn't. As a lawn extension specialist increasing mow height is the best and easiest thing to do for your lawn.
Anyways you don't know what you're talking about.
I never recommend a plastic deck mower. Go fly a kite dork
@@TheLawnReview except you did though.
Which one?
Concerning the vortex technology, it could be a hidden design feature in the deck and blade that makes for a finer or less clumpy discharge. Sometimes refinements like that are given a visual design element that amount to nothing more than badging, just to show what can't be seen in a showroom.
That’s probably exactly what’s happening here. Nice work!
problem with these electric mowers is the price of the batteries, unbelievable how much they cost 😐
Yep thats true.
You sound like a 60yo guy wrapped in a 35yo body. Battery power is the present and future. I’m 60yo and I’m gasoline free with 2 batteries and a mower, blower, and trimmer. The power of battery lawn tools has caught up with gas, it’s not close. I use Ego but I’m sure other brands are just as good.
Wow! Can't tell if that is a compliment or not, but I'll take it. Which EGO mower do you have?
I'd probably go with a Green Works or Milwaukee, but I hear Ego is good, too. I haven't seen many Ryobi reviews to say they're good. Electric is the future if you want to stay on top!
@@campbellpaul Burn Gas and Kick Ass
My MIL got this at the start of covid, battery used to last the whole lawn with self propel, now it does half way thru, garbage
Wow! That is awful. You should try to get a refund. Thanks for watching!
Great Video! Charge time is ridiculous ! Looks cheap....I will not buy this!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for watching! It did perform well when cutting, but just didn't have the charge time you'd see from others.
Toro used to be a great company.. Don't know what happened
@@campbellpaul They still are! Just haven't caught up in the battery space.
@@TheLawnReview You're a good man, Tyler. Much will come your way!
@@campbellpaul Thank you! Appreciate the kind words.
You don't have the personal pace down right. You are wrong on this. You are on the battery lights, it sucks.
How do I do the personal pace differently than how I am doing it? Thanks for watching! Do you own this mower?
3:10 jise jis jar shjute! 😂
What's that?
You just do not know how to use the Personal Pace system. Never push your hands just walk faster or slower.
Do you use your hands at all>?
Now HERE'S someone who "Gets it"!!
6:40
thanks
Yeah not for me any of these toys ice for me hands down maybe I’ll take another look in 15 yrs from now NOT!!!!!
Yeah I wasn't impressed either. Thanks for watching!
Sounds like you dont know how to adjust the personal pace, read your owners manual.
Never in a million years would I read that. I’m a man.
Vortex is an INTAKE! It's meant to improve airflow under the deck to achieve that great cut quality you mentioned. Sometimes, you have to actually read the marketing materials. SMH.
Yes I understand. Still didn’t feel anything.
Personal Pace I hate it 👎
Yeah it really didn't feel natural
Toro no thank you
Yep - really missed on this one.
Battery sucks
It isn’t very good here
🗑
Ay yi yi!
Too much annoying safety bullshit features on these newer mowers. Thank god I still own a 1982 lawn boy 2 stroke
Hahaha I hear you. Thanks for watching
HEY THERE IS GRAVITY ON MARS...BUT NO GRASS......GREAT REVIEWS THOUGH.......I THINK I'M GOING MILWAUKEE
Lol you’re so right. Dang it. Hahaha. Good choice! It’s probably the best right now in my opinion.