Greenworks M-210 21″ 40V Brushless Push Mower Review
Battery powered lawnmowers are a popular alternative to gas mowers. They are typically prized for being lightweight and able to handle a modestly sized lawn. The battery also spares you the hassle of lugging around a snarl-happy extension cord.
The Greenworks M-210 21-Inch 40V Brushless Push Mower represents an affordable, lightweight option worth considering. It has a dual battery 20V system, with a brushless mower transfer. This means it generates more torque and runs quietly while also putting less wear and tear on the motor.
It is designed to charge through the same kind of USB port you see on computers, some smartphones, and other devices. Unfortunately, there isn’t a built-in smart charger system. This means you have to keep an eye on it while its charging and disconnect once it’s full. It’s not a big deal if you let it charge for a few hours past the maximum. Like a lot of systems without a smart charger, excess time sitting in charging mode can potentially shorten the batteries overall lifespan.
The Greenworks M-210 can be set up for bagging or for mulching. It isn’t self-propelled, but it’s still lightweight enough that it can be pushed with relatively little effort. If Greenworks had made it self-propelled it would chew into the total life of the batteries per mowing session.
Key Features
• 40V battery powered electric
• USB charging port
• Brushless drive
• Can set up as a bagger or mulcher
• Collapses for better storage
Performance
The Greenworks M-210 isn’t self-propelled which means you might have to put a little bit of extra sweat to get a medium-sized lawn cut. Still, it only rings in at a little over 65 pounds, which means it’s light enough to not break your back.
The brushless drive motor also helps it transfer more torque, while also making it quiet. Since there are no brush components to wear down it can also extend the total lifespan of the mower.
It can struggle a little bit if you go a little too long between mowing sessions. This is even more likely to be an issue if you have it set up for mulching. Just take your time with longer grass to give it time to chew through the long blades. If you push it too fast, it might start to leave little mohawk strips of long grass behind.
The amount of charge the batteries can hold limits its total range to around a third of an acre in a single charging session. The longer or wetter the grass is the more charge it will take.
Ease of Use
It’s light enough that it’s not a struggle to push. It also collapses nicely for easy storage. Since it does have gas, oil, or other fluids in it, you can even store it hanging or standing up on the wall.
One knock on the Greenworks M-210 is that the USB charger system doesn’t have a smart charge feature. This means if you leave it set to charge for a long time after it reaches its max, you could gradually start to overheat and potentially damage the batteries. Just keep an eye on the charger, and don’t let it go more than a few hours after it reaches the max.
One small thing to note is that Greenworks also offers a trimmer and other yard appliances that use this same type of battery. If you are a fan of the brand, you could swap out the batteries of one for another.
Cut Quality & Options
The thickness, length, and wetness of your turf can be a factor with how much charge the Greenworks M-210 goes through. If you’ve gone a little bit too long between mowing sessions, you should try to slow down a step or two. If it starts leaving behind mohawk strips of uncut grass, it likely means you are pushing it too fast.
When you have it set up for mulching, watch for the size of the blades it leaves behind. Long blades or thatch tend to not decompose quickly. This could cause them to buildup in your turf gradually suffocating the roots and leading to dead spots.
When the Greenworks M-210 is set up as a bagger you will need to keep an eye on how full the bag gets. It is a lightweight mower, but like all baggers, the more clippings it fills up with the more weight it gains, and the more likely the bag is to drag a little bit. If the bagger gets too full it can start to affect its ability to cut effectively.
Maintenance
The lack of a smart charge feature means that you will need to keep an eye on it as it charges. If you just set it and forget it, the constant flow of power and heat in the battery can gradually start to shorten their lifespan.
Safety Features
The Greenworks M-210 has the standard activation lever on the handle that you find with most other push mowers.
Special Features
USB charging port for convenient charging.
The brushless drive means that it transfers more torque to the blades, which also allows it to run quieter while reducing long-term wear and tear on the electric motor.
Can set up as a bagger, mulcher, or side discharge. Just watch the grass left behind to help tell you if you are pushing it a little too fast for the length, density, or moisture of the turf.
Cost Effectiveness
As an electric mower, it certainly costs less to use the Greenworks M-210 than a traditional gas mower. It also comes with a four-year warranty on the mower as well as a two-year warranty on the batteries. This means you’ve got a little protection on your investment. It also makes a statement on how much Greenworks stands behind their products.
The fact that they offer a trimmer and some other devices that use the same batteries means you can swap around batteries if needed.
