DeWALT Cordless 21.5″ Deck Push Mower Review. DeWALT walk behind mower

DeWALT Cordless 21.5″ Deck Push Mower Review

I’ve been trying to mow my yard with the new 21.5″ deck DeWALT 2x20V brushless push mower ( DCMWP233 ) since April, but Mother Nature hasn’t been cooperating. Up until a month ago, I had only been able to use it 4 or 5 times because of the drought. It has only been the last few weeks that I’ve really been able to test it under relatively normal circumstances.

I reviewed the previous version of DeWALT’s cordless mower back in 2018, and I’ll refer to some of the differences later in this post, but first let’s start with the relevant specs of this mower.

DeWALT Cordless Mower Features Specs

One interesting feature is the auto sensing technology DeWALT uses for the blade speed. The mower senses when the grass is thicker and increases the blade RPM. As far as I can tell, there are only two speeds: low and high. This is presumably done to eke out more battery life. The mower stays in low speed when you are positioning it for the next row, or are in an area with sparser grass and high speed only when needed in thicker grass.

This push mower is regularly sold for 399, but I’ve see it marked down several times this summer. It comes with (2) 10.0Ah 20V Max batteries (DCB210), (2) 20V Max 1.25 amp chargers (DCB107), a collection bag, side discharge chute, safety key, and instruction manual.

Cable Management Issues

Right off the bat, I had issues with the handle pinching the cable as it’s being folded open from its storage position.

I later discovered a second way that I could pinch the cable in the handle when folding it down for storage. On DeWALT’s previous 2x20V Max mower, they had a similar cable pinching problem, so you’d think they would have found a better way to run the cable.

Safety Features

This mower has a new safety feature in addition to the safety key and strict starting sequence — a switch that doesn’t let you start the mower when the handle is folded closed. Above you can see the actuation lever that the handle presses into the switch body when it folds down.

I’m not sure if there’s a new safety regulation that covers this type of switch, but it seems redundant. It is pretty unlikely that you are going to accidentally press down the button on the handle and push down the bail accidentally when the handle is folded. And if you are worried about it, just remove the safety key.

Blade and Deck Size

DeWALT is calling this a 21.5″ mower. The mower deck measures slightly over 22″ on the outside and slightly under 21.5″ inside because there is a folded lip. The actual blade itself measures 20.75″.

I’m still not pleased about companies using deck size to sell their electric mowers while they use cutting width to measure their gas mowers, but DeWALT seems like they are meeting us halfway with this mower. They easily could have called this a 22″ deck, but yet they choose 21.5″ and put in a blade very close to 21″.

Stuart’s Note: We inquired about this, and apparently it has become the industry’s de-facto standard for cordless mowers to be advertised by their deck size. So, when comparing cordless mowers, you have to look up the blade size in order to make apples-to-apples comparisons between different models’ cutting widths.

As you can see in the above photo, the blade is made by MTD — which is no surprise because that’s who makes this mower for DeWALT (which is now owned by Stanley Black and Decker).

The blade has a very curious design. Only 1-1/2″ at the tips of the blade actually cut at the set height. The rest of the cutting edge leaves the grass 1/2″ longer.

What’s more is that the blade has a proprietary connection to the mower shaft. It does prevent you from installing the mower blade upside down (which I have in fact done on another mower), but at the same time I can’t find any local sources for compatible MTD or aftermarket replacement blades. I can only find a replacement blade on the MTD part website. This could be an issue if you damage you blade and can’t mow you lawn for a few days minimum.

Update: Home Depot also carries the replacement blade (online only so far), with part number DWO1DT233. The same replacement blade fits this mower (DCMWP233) and the new self-propelled mower as well (DCMWSP244).

Noise

As I mentioned before, the mower runs at two different speeds. I measured the noise at each speed level and found sound pressure levels to be 73.5 dBA for low speed and 77.3 dBA for high speed. It has been pointed out to me that dBC might be more appropriate for a lawn mower than creates noise on the low end of the audio spectrum, but this is the sound level meter I have and used for other reviews.

Further supporting that this is probably the wrong scale, even though the SPL meter says it is quieter than the Ego LM2101, I cannot comfortably listen to music using over-the-ear headphones using the DeWALT mower, while I can with the “louder” Ego.

Still, this is quieter than any gas mower. People have walked by and commented that they are amazed at how quiet this mower it, just about every time I used it.

Charging and Battery Runtime

DeWALT supplies two 1.25A chargers with this mower to charge the two included 10Ah batteries. If you do the math, 10Ah / 1.25A = 8h charge time if the batteries are fully drained. So if for some reason you can’t fully mow your “up to 1/2 acre” property on one charge, you’ll have to wait 8 hours to finish mowing.

There is no external battery gauge on this mower to tell you the charge state of the batteries, there is only a warning light that is supposed to come on when the batteries are low. I only saw the battery warning light come on after I stopped the mower, which I did because I noticed the mower speed audibly slowing.

The lack of a battery gauge is kind of annoying, but on the previous DeWALT mower I found the mower battery gauge and the gauge on the batteries did not match anyway.

The battery compartment is large enough to fit the 9Ah FlexVolt batteries I have, which means the 12Ah ones should also fit. I’m not sure if the larger 15Ah FlexVolt batteries will fit though.

I found that my yard (a little less than 1/4 acre) isn’t large enough to fully exhaust the batteries. In a span of a few weeks I ran the battery down after 82 minutes. I mowed my entire yard in 44 minutes one time, and spot mowed 38 minutes over a period of 3 weeks because my grass wasn’t growing consistently in the drought. Now that we have been getting consistent rain, I have found that I can mow my entire yard twice using the included batteries. This actually meshes with DeWALT’s claim that the mower is “perfect for properties up to 1/2 acre.”

I have also tried mowing with 9Ah FlexVolt batteries and I really can’t tell any difference between the two sets of batteries.

Side Discharge, Bagging

The mower comes with a detachable side discharge chute. To attach it, you lift up on the spring-loaded plastic cover on the right side of the mower and hook the tabs of the chute under the hinge bar. When you let the spring-loaded cover back down it holds the chute in place.

Once I discovered that the mower performed better using the side chute than mulching, I started using the side chute more. Unfortunately because of the drought this summer, I don’t have any really thick wet grass to test how well the mower throws or if it spreads the grass evenly.

To install the bag, you lift the spring-loaded rear lid of the mower. There’s no plug to remove, because the plug is built right into the lid. With the door open, the bag drops into place on a nice curved “track.” Then the rear lid swings down and seals over the bag to keep it in place.

Once again the cable likes to get in the way. I had to move it many times to get the bag to drop into place.

Even when the mower is running in low speed, it throws the clippings into the bag pretty well. It’s impossible to see, but there is only a small area in the back that where the grass isn’t filled as high. It’s not perfect, but more acceptable than some other mowers I’ve owned that filled the front of the bag first and prematurely blocked the clippings from entering the rear of the bag.

I like the new bag design. It has a single-piece plastic bottom. The previous DeWALT mower had a fabric-over-plastic bottom. With the old design, dust would accumulate between the layers, and so the empty bag gets heavier and heavier over time with no easy way to remove the dust.

Cut Quality

First off, it is really hard to photograph grass, but I think I was able to capture it well enough to get my point across.

This is the worst mulching cut quality, at the lowest blade height, I’ve seen from any mower. Above is a section of my lawn after cutting at height 2. It may look like I didn’t overlap the rows enough, but I assure you I overlapped the cuts by several inches at least. After discovering this, I pulled out my Ego mower, set it to the same height, and mulched — while it wasn’t perfect it was way better.

Most of my yard is thin bladed fescue, and I’ve always had issue with my grass flopping over. Even with a prosumer Toro, once I raised the deck to the upper 50% of cut height, it would leave some grass uncut. I noticed this somewhat with the previous DeWALT mower and my Ego when I started raising the deck, just like the gas mower. But this DeWALT mower, in default mulching mode on height 2, is leaving significantly more of my lawn uncut.

After further testing I discovered that cutting with the side discharge chute or with the bag attached, the mower cut the grass significantly better. So it is just the mulching performance on thin grass that is terrible.

Mulching Mode

We’re going to need to step back here and discuss mulching. I’ve been mulching my lawn ever since I bought a mower with no side discharge chute. Several mowers now don’t even have the option of not mulching if you are not bagging. This mower is set up out of the box to operate in mulching mode, with no instructions on why you’d want to use each mode. Most people don’t think about how they are going to set up their mower, they pick a setting and use it like that every week.

Mulching recirculates the grass under the mower so it gets cut up into tiny little pieces, hopefully small enough so they don’t clump. In a mulching mower, the blade is designed so that air flows up around the outer perimeter of the deck to pull grass to the top of the deck. Then the grass falls back down in the middle to get cut again. When you use side discharge or bagging, the grass gets pulled up and then directed towards the outlet, getting cut only once.

I believe the reason I’m seeing better performance is that when you have an outlet, there is stronger/more directed air flow that helps pick up the grass, vs the more turbulent airflow when mulching that doesn’t lift the grass as well.

I think there are two issues: the cutting speed and the blade design. The mower is hardly ever kicking into the high speed cutting mode, which would generate a little more lift and more cuts at the same walking speed. Second, looking at the blade design, very little of the blade is actually cutting at the finished height. It is getting cut at an intermediate height first and then this shorter grass may be getting knocked over easier, missing the final cutting height.

When I mulch cut a section of my grass that is mostly thicker grass and weeds, but still a little sparse and I get a pretty consistent cut. Meaning, users with thicker lawns will probably see better results.

I understand that the blade design and dual cutting speeds are done to extend the battery life, but I think they over-emphasized the battery economy in this case. The problem is that this mower has been so optimized for battery life, the mulching just doesn’t have a strong enough lift for thinner grasses. But then again, if the grass is so thin that mulching doesn’t work well, you probably don’t need to be mulching in the first place.

Why is this an issue? People are going to get upset when the mower doesn’t perform equally well on all parts of their lawn or under changing conditions. Most users are going to set the cutting height and the mowing mode one time (except maybe for bagging). Once they get the mower set to where it performs to their liking, they’ll never think about it again. Who is going to waste precious cognitive power trying to figure out what the proper settings are for each time they mow the same lawn, when they could be daydreaming about new tools instead?

Additional Thoughts

I did not actually measure the temperature of the batteries because I never had an issue with them overheating. At their worst, the 10Ah batteries were barely warm to the touch.

I did stall the mower a few times, not that it was really the mower’s fault. I don’t always clean up the sticks in my yard and a few times one would get jammed and stop the blade. When this happens, I just let go of the mower, restart it, and keep on mowing.

I do not understand why DeWALT got rid of the single lever height adjustment in favor of the two lever height adjustment: one for the front and one for the rear. While this is still better than having adjustment levers for each wheel, the single lever is very nice for people who mow their backyard on a lower setting than the rest of their yard, such as for dog poop to be more visible.

I wish DeWALT would have made the running speed adjustable — after all, most gas mowers have a throttle speed. Hypothetically, such a lever could offer several speed settings between the mower’s out-of-box low and high running speeds. The mower could still sense the cutting resistance and automatically boost the running speed, but you would still be able to speed it all the way up to mow problem areas or slow it down when you wanted to maximize battery life.

Summary

Before I summarize my observations and thoughts about DeWALT’s new cordless push mower so far, I’d like to restate the major limitation with this review. My area of the country was under drought conditions for most of the summer, and so I don’t feel I was able to fully test the mower under normal summer conditions with healthy well-hydrated grass.

It’s a given that a battery-power mower is not going to have the same cutting ability or lift as a gas lawnmower, especially one that has been optimized for battery life. That said, I’m still pretty disappointed with the mulching cut quality in my yard. The cut quality while using the bag or the side discharge chute was good, I found it to be closer to the Ego LM2101 or previous DeWALT mower while mulching. Bagging performance was also adequate with grass clippings and a few early leaves.

This mower is priced to compete. At 399, not only do you get over an hour of runtime, but you get 2x 10Ah batteries. If you were to buy similar batteries separately, it would cost you somewhere between 300 and 350. Even a pair of 9Ah Flexvolt batteries will cost you over 300. So basically you are getting high-capacity DeWALT batteries and having a lawn mower thrown in for a few extra dollars.

Should you buy this mower? Again it’s a hell of a bargain if you take the batteries into account and you don’t try to mulch a sparse, thin grass yard. I did not have a good experience using the mower on thin grass in mulching mode, but as long as you bag or use the side discharge shoot, or have a thicker variety of grass that doesn’t need much lift to be cut, it may be worth looking into.

Thank you DeWALT for providing the test sample used in this review.

About Benjamen

Benjamen Johnson grew up watching his dad work as a contractor and woodworker. He became an electrical engineer and took an interest in woodworking. Check out Ben’s projects at Electronsmith’s 3D Prints or Instagram.

63 Комментарии и мнения владельцев

Going from the gen I to the gen II, I did prefer some aspects of the gen I that I was disappointed did not carry over: – Carry handles – Battery gauge (though as you said it was not the most accurate) – Single handle height adjustment – Batteries vertically “dropping” into battery compartment rather than horizontally “sliding” in – Higher blade speed (I think I never actually measured) – Small front wheel, larger rear wheels It does definitely offer better battery life than the gen I. I have the self propelled model and my lawn is thick, well maintained, and around 12,500 sq ft – and I double cut my 1,000 sq ft front yard for pronounced stripes. Mulching at setting 4 (2 3/4″), I still have two bars left on the 10Ah batteries when the grass is dry and under 3.5″. It primarily runs at low speed. During my testing I used a pair of 6Ah batteries and was just able to finish my yard. With the gen I, the same conditions would eat up 9Ah batteries and leave me about 1,000 sq ft short. Now if I drop the deck down, it is a different story. Mulching on setting 3 (2 1/4″), it is in high speed pretty much 100% of the time, it also starts to leave behind clumps at that point (again my grass is thick), so I throw on the side discharge or bag for setting 3 or under. I’ve never had issues with the cables getting caught when folding, but I too do wish there was an override for the auto high/low speed. I would likely run it in high almost exclusively because the higher blade speed creates more suction, pulling the grass up more so you do not get the missed grass blades as you alluded to. I also am not crazy about the blade. I would prefer to have more options. Overall, I knew what to expect when I got this mower, and it met my expectations and the 10Ah batteries made it too good of a deal to pass up.

To be fair they only removed the rear carrying handle. I don’t think I ever had a reason to use both handles. I do use the front handle quite a bit because I store it vertically and I grab the handle to move it around. The more forward front handle actually makes this easier than the top mounted handle. I also had quite a few issues removing batteries from the “drop in” bay of the first one. They tended to stick. I haven’t had that issue with the gen II. I’m assuming the identical wheels on Gen II are to cut costs even more.

I should have specified, you are correct in that the push model has a front handle, the self-propelled model does not.

My mistake. I blanked that you were talking about the self-propelled version and assumed it had a handle like the push version. That is rather annoying that there is no front handle.

I switched from a Toro gas to Ryobi 40v a couple seasons ago. While I love how quiet it is, light weight, decent power, can store it folded easily, etc the lift isn’t the best. Haven’t checked to see if there’s a high lift blade available but it also has the auto shift to higher power. Would be nice this fall to leave it in higher power mode I’d gladly sacrifice runtime to not leave all the leaves behind. Probably the only thing I liked about the Toro better.

Hi Jason, when the many safety cutoff switches start to fail on your Ryobi (and in my experience with two generations of the 20′ mower, they will – i’m a slow learner) hopefully there will still be some warranty left. My advice is to not tinker with it too much ( I’m a master tinkerer). Just take the thing back to where you got it and try to pick up a new one, or get your money back. This course of action will be best for your sanity. I have spoken.

Living that now with the one I bought for my sister in law. They did send a replacement mower, but it showed up with a broken back wheel. My mower has a problem with the rear wheel anchor plate screws coming out from the plastic body

I have the self propelled version, no cable pinching but it looks laid out differently. Mulchs fine on St Augustine. As for the handle safety lock out, pretty unlikely wont be much of a defense in a product liability lawsuit.

I do not yet find the electric mowers to be compelling for my purposes, but as you state it is almost worth buying for the batteries.

Perhaps not in my lifetime – but battery electrics are going to have to get better and more powerful across the spectrum as the world tries to move to zero-net carbon emissions. I don’t yet see my landscaper replacing one of his engine-driven zero turns with a battery-powered one quite yet – but its coming. For a homeowner it might be practical now. I saw a Ryobi that was advertised as being able to handle over 3 acres per charge so that might suit my needs if I were in the market.

It’s just a matter of time. Cordless tools were more or less a joke compared to their corded counterparts 30 years ago. Now many are not just on par, they’re flat-out superior. Corded power tools are already taking on and surpassing weaker gas engines like those in trimmers, it’s only a matter of time before they do the same for mower class engines. But we’re not at that point yet.

My ryobi cordless trimmer made be a believer in cordless yard tools. I bought it more then a decade ago just clip a fresh battery in and put some more line in every once in a while. No maintenance no hard starting damn thing just works. I still use a gas mower mostly because I can’t decide which cordless one I want yet (plus people keep giving me free ones). I have a cordless blower I love for quick clean ups of the patio or driveway and some light leaf blowing, but I just bought a new gas blower for leaves in the fall. A bigger electric one would work but with the amount of batteries to do a yard in a day it’s just more economical to use a gas one.

In my experience the current cordless OPE performs well around the 1-2 horsepower power range. Stuff like string trimmers, hedge trimmers, small blowers, small chainsaws, etc, work great. But the none of the models I’ve seen are able to compete with the ~5HP power level of a standard gas push mower. I think it could theoretically be done with larger battery platforms like Milwaukee MX, a dual-Flexvolt system, etc, but there’ s just not enough power in a pair of 18V class batteries to run a ~5hp machine for a reasonable runtime. I think it’s only a matter of time before that will change though, batteries keep getting bigger and better.

I agree it is a matter of time, just not yet there for my purpose. If DeWALT put out a 2x60v version I would be awfully tempted. Even then, I could only justify the cost as I have already invested heavily in flexvolt tools/batteries.

I think the batteries are here, just not at a consumer level price. I have no experience with them but am guessing that a Milwaukee MX Fuel lawnmower, if it existed, would meet the requirements that people expect from average gas mowers. The problem is the price; 1 battery costs more than most mower/battery kits currently available.

I bought this same mower earlier this year. I have a third of an acre with about half being zoysia grass. If I mow once every 7-10 days I can get through my yard on one charge. I’m really happy with this mower overall and have had no problems except when I haven’t had time to mow consistently.

I’m curious how well this would perform in the fall while mulching leaves. That’s a huge factor for a lot of people when choosing a mower. You can buy a nice gas mower with a Honda motor for 400……which is also cordless.

Most cordless mowers are pretty poor at doing leaves, its just too stressful on a system which is clearly optimized for battery life. I have a kobalt 40v and the best approach is to set it up for side discharge and mow a leaf covered area in decreasing circles so there’s a tidy pile, then come along with a different tool to mulch and bag the leaves. Purely mulching can barely cut any given leaf in half, and bagging just doesn’t have the suction to get leaves off of all but the shortest cuts of grass. Leaf duty is the biggest letdown about this mower, and so I’m going back to gas once one more of my batteries gives up the ghost.

I’m convinced this wouldn’t suit my needs. If this could totally replace and meet the performance of a gas mower, I think I’d jump on it. The cost isn’t that bad being you get two batteries with it. Granted I only use about 25 worth of gas a year, I could use the batteries on my other DeWALT tools. I used to have the DeWALT 20v trimmer but it bit the dust after 5 years. I would have thought the brushless motor would have lasted longer. Sold it on Craigslist for 20 as spare parts. I replaced it with the Kobalt trimmer/blower/battery combo when it was on sale and have been extremely happy with them. The trimmer isn’t as robust as the DeWALT, but it has more power in my opinion. Thanks for the reply.

The older DeWALT 40V does well with leaves, especially bagging, but also mulching. However, the battery life isn’t great. As a supplement to my large John Deere, it’s fantastic – one battery can get all of the corners and small areas where the tractor can’t get to, and the power and cut quality is pretty much identical. And the rest of the 40V system – blowers, chainsaw, and trimmer, make it completely worth it. I have one engine to maintain, the tractor engine, and the rest can just sit there and be ready to go on a moment’s notice. So the chainsaw and backpack blower only being used annually isn’t a big deal.

I have used both the Gen I DeWALT and my Ego and they both do a decent job of mulching leaves, as long as you do it regularly and don’t only do it once at the end of the season when the leaves are wet and 3 inches deep. I’m interested to see how this gen II will perform both mulching leaves and bagging.

I’ll stick to gas mowers for a while. Li-Ion/Brushless makes sense for leaf blowers, trimmers, clippers, etc, but I don’t think battery tech is good enough for mowers yet.

It really depends on your application. My Ego works just fine — just as well as my old Toro prosumer model — for what I use it for. I think battery powered mowers are getting close, but I agree they aren’t a one-for-one replacement.

For my 1/3 acre lawn this sounds about what I want. I have been going back and forth on this the Makita or the Ego. I came real close to a clearance Kobalt but I haven’t talked to many people with experience on the Kobalt 40V system. I have other DeWALT 20V tools which would be the biggest draw for me to this mower. It is basically like buying just the batteries and getting a mower. But the DeWALT gets very inconsistent reviews. The Makita seems to be almost universally loved by everyone that tries it but in this price range it’s an 18″ instead of a 21″ also smaller batteries but a better charger and an extra set make up for it. Plus a new system when I already have Ryobi and DeWALT. The Ego seems to hit all the technical points and just behind the Makita in the reviews. Acme had some great sales on them over the summer but again wondered about a new battery system.

I have a 40V kobalt mower, for my 1/4 acre lot with centipede grass its perfect. This fall I’m going to try using it to mulch leaves in my natural area and I’m sure it’ll be good enough. I have a Kobalt 24V string trimmer, blower and hedge trimmer, too. Good experiences with all of those, too. I’m more than satisfied with the performance for the price I paid.

Reminds me of the first time I saw an electric screwdriver on TV when I was a kid. I thought it was the greatest thing ever and ran to tell my dad about it; his reply was entirely deadpan: “all my screwdrivers are already cordless”.

We used Hios electric screwdrivers in our fabrication shop – but alas – none of them were cordless. Kidding aside, “cordless” has of course come to mean “on-board-battery powered”. Back on topic, one would think that a lawnmower might be something that Milwaukee could add to its MX battery platform for commercial use. Perhaps they judge that their is not enough demand for such – as it would push the cost up beyond the typical homeowner’s price point and might not appeal to many landscape contractors.

A contractor grade riding mower starts at around 7500. I’m thinking at that price point they could probably make an MX platform work. But I think the charge time is still a concern for contractors. It takes very little time to pour gas into a gas tank while it takes a while to charge batteries. So they’d either have to have some kind of special high-speed portable charger that runs off the landscaper’s truck, or they’d have to start the day’s work with enough batteries to make it through the whole day. An arborist I know loves small cordless chainsaws for climbing and pruning work, they have obvious advantages over the gas models and he can toss a small number of batteries in his truck and he’s set for the whole workday with that saw. But he finds the larger cordless models, even pro brands like STIHL, unusable for larger work because it’s impossible to keep up with charging batteries fast enough to use them and it’s impractical to bring enough pre-charged for a full day’s work with a crew of guys, meanwhile when a gas saw runs out of fuel it’s back up and cutting a minute later and one can of gas runs every saw on the truck all day. And that’s talking about replacing a typical pro chainsaw of perhaps 5 HP equivalent. A commercial riding mower, being much more powerful, has a an even worse problem. Some really rough math: A commercial riding mower might start around 25 HP, that’s about 18.5 kW. Meanwhile a typical north american wall can supply a max of 1800 watts or 1.8kW. So if we assume the battery, charger, and motor are all 100% efficient then it takes 10 times as long to charge that battery compared to the runtime it gives. This is a big problem. Want the battery to last an hour at full power? It takes ten hours to charge. Want a batteries that can run for 6 hours, enough for a full workday of mowing like a pro landscaper might want? Two and a half days. In order for this to be practical there must be some kind of high-power charging system involved similar to those used for electric cars because no matter how good the battery tech may be there’s still the wall socket bottleneck for getting that power into a battery.

You nailed MM Electric cars started with 110 volts residential and 220-240 charging stations. That wasn’t enough so 400-600 volt stations were added. 800 volt is coming. and higher battery density will be here in hopefully a few years. the big ticket item manufacturers are paying for the research on faster charging and higher battery density. It will keep moving down to lower priced items like tools – one of these days an electric mower will be a good choice. Not yet for me.

While the battery powered zero turns currently available are sort of wimpy compared to their engine powered brethren – the technology will advance. That’s particularly true as climate change mitigation initiatives move forward. But just to add to Комментарии и мнения владельцев already made and for some perspective about the challenge: 1.8 gallons of gasoline (typical zero turn usage per hour) is about the equivalent of 59.4kWh of energy. Even if the engine/transmission system is only 10% efficient – that is about 6kWh of useful work. Ryobi – for one example makes a zero turn with 100Ah of batteries operating at 48V = 4.8kWh equivalent. That’s – probably OK to get through my lawns – then come in for a recharge/topoff – but it wouldn’t do for a contractor mowing all day

Is this any different than cordless screwdrivers and other such tools? Didn’t saws all used to be handheld before being electric and then cordless battery-powered? I figure there are 3 types of powered mowers – gas engine, electric (AC), and cordless battery-powered. Search engines do their own thing these days, but I figured readers searching ToolGuyd’s archives would likely use “DeWALT cordless mower” as the main query, and so I tried to make the post easier to find.

Nope, no difference at all. And I think that was the point. It was really just his way of saying that he didn’t use tools often enough to warrant buying powered versions. He didn’t have a power saw or drill either, though he did eventually get a cordless drill much later in life. He was not a contractor, and while he was very much into DIY it was all electronics related, HAM Radio, electric guitars, amps and whatnot. Thinking back it made perfect sense, he simply didn’t have a use for a cordless screwdriver.

There are the 20v slide on power adapters for DeWALT batteries. They have a 3 light fuel gauge to indicate power left in battery. You would need to remove the battery from the mower to check power status. There might be a % power adapter, but i haven’t seen one yet.

I am now on my 5th DeWALT mower. Three 1st gen, two 2nd. The first ones couldn’t handle heat buildup and so if you had a larger yard and went through multiple batteries the thing would melt in different ways. The 2nd gen had problems with blade balance and the service center couldn’t get me a new blade for a couple of months so they refunded me and I bought another one. The self-propelled version is nice and has enabled my 9 year old to be able to mow. Can’t handle heavy grass, but is fine for weekly maintenance. We’ll see how long it lasts…

Worst mulching cut you’ve ever seen? Have you used Husqvarna? I’m sure they can give this thing a run for it’s money.

I wonder how many seasons the batteries will last before end of life? Or put another way how many charges can a 10ah 20 V battery take before its dead. Around here mowing season is April to October. Usualy cut once a week but in spring sometimes twice a week. Figure 40ish mowings. On the lower end I would expect the batteries to recharge 400 times so you’re looking at 10 years. Mower deck will probably rust out before then. Wonder if the electric motor will hold up that long. Probably would be replaced with beter tech before then any way. I don’t have a dog in this fight. My yard is too big for electric and I am way to meticulous in my lawn care for anything but a perfect cut. Still at some point it will probably get there. An autonomous electric mower that I can set the travel pattern on would be tempting. Mow every three days with alternating stripes! I think I would miss mowing too much. Yeah Im weird like that lol

I don’t own a lawn, but I’ll just throw this out there. It’s possible to have a yard that doesn’t need mowing in the first place. There are many ways to do it, like say with low growing ground covers, pebble or stone cover, tall grasses or bushes, etc., all depending on your location and how you want to use the space. Also, some cities in the West are paying people to get rid of their lawns and replace them with something that doesn’t need so much water. So you can reduce maintenance needs and make some money too. Of course, getting there might take some work and money. Also, consider the fact that not only is mowing your lawn a pretty big chore, it’s one of the few places where electric tools haven’t quite caught up with their gas-powered ones (you can see that from the Комментарии и мнения владельцев here.) And those tiny gas engines just spew pollution, much more than your car, for instance. So. I know people love their lawns. I just wanted to mention some alternatives.

I’ve thought long and hard about this and the problem is that you are switching one larger task for a whole bunch of smaller tasks. That works for some people and doesn’t for others. Rock needs to be maintained. It migrates everywhere (notice the dings in my mower blade?) and detritus builds up in if you aren’t diligent about blowing all the leaves and other plant matter that accumulates. If you don’t, in 5 to 10 years you have weeds growing. Then it’s harder to fix than just starting over. You have to be careful where you place tall grasses, you shouldn’t have them close to the house because they dry out in the summer and pose a fire danger. Not really a more work issue, but it limits where you can put them. Gardens need constant attention. Ground cover can migrate where you don’t want it and need to be monitored. We are still trying to convert more area from grass to things like hosta beds and gardens. Some days I just want to convert everything to astroturf.

I used to own a getaway house on a large property in a rural community that had one been primarily small farms. There was some “lawn” – but neither I nor my neighbors much worried about what was growing. Nature seems to always takeover unless you are crazy-diligent. The local contractor who maintained the “lawns” (more fields than lawn) came in one in a while with a Gravely tractor with gang mowers and a sickle bar. My current main residence has actual lawn that requires what some would say is an unconscionable amount of maintenance ( fertilizer, lime, seeding, weed control insect control chemicals, mowing, thatching etc.) that I pay to have done. Considering that its all for show. I’m not sure for how many generations more the practice will be sustainable. Since we moved in we cut the backyard lawn area in half – adding about 1/2 acre to the garden. Both garden an lawn areas require TLC – but my wife and I somehow feel better about the environmental consequences of having less lawn and more garden. If we had figured out an attractive way to cut the acre of front lawn in half we would have done that too. My take on all of this is that we (particularly suburban dwellers) are slaves to convention with a minds-eye view of what our properties should look like. That sort of landscaping – aided and abetted by post WWII real estate developers – may also translate into resale property value and “curb appeal”. Energy use, Global Warming and Water Conservation may ultimately change our thinking.

Great thoughts, fred. “I’m not sure for how many generations more the practice will be sustainable.” Technically, it’s never been sustainable, because sustainability means there’s no net damage to our resources or environment. Even if lawns do a tiny amount of damage, it’s not sustainable, because given enough time, they will wreck things. And I believe they do more than a tiny amount of damage. The big issue for us in the west is water consumption, but there’s also pesticides, fertilizers, etc. as you say. IIRC, mowing and even collecting leaves disrupts insect populations, which are harmless to both lawns and people, but are necessary to support bird and small mammal populations.

I’m told that the idea of having a manicured lawn first gained popularity in the 17th century on the estates of the wealthy. The idea caught on – not surprisingly – as folks with lesser means wanted to emulate their richer cousins. A whole industry (perhaps multiple industries would be correct) grew up around it and now e have companies producing grass seeds, sod, fertilizer, soil amendments, pesticides, and all manner of maintenance implements from aerators to lawnmowers to rakes and sprinklers. Many owe their livelihoods to our lawns and their maintenance. With the growth of the suburbs after WWII I suspect that the acreage devoted to lawns grew exponentially as did the businesses to support them. Moving away from having a lawn to something better will require a paradigm shift of major proportions. And – akin to what Benjamin says there is no perfect solution that is immediately apparent. Somewhere deep in our brains we probably recognize your points about the harm that fertilizer and pesticide runoff is doing, that our precious water supply has much better uses than on lawns, and that using energy (fossil fuels or even renewable) to maintain a lawn is illogical. But then we get flooded with those “house beautiful” images of a lawn party or toddlers crawling along on an expanse of green – and all logic is put aside. Green concrete is not the answer (concrete BTW is very energy intensive to produce) nor is Astroturf – so I’m afraid that for a while we will be stuck with trying to make lawnmowers better.

Absolutely right. I didn’t mean to imply that alternatives to lawn would eliminate your yard maintenance chores. It would just reduce them. Anyway, for me, the real point is not reducing the amount of work you do, but reducing the air and water pollution, water consumption and ecosystem disruption that grass lawns create.

My point was that I’m not convinced that the alternatives would reduce them that much after you include the work required to implement them. I’m actually really surprised that I did not get a comment like: “Why didn’t you just water your grass — then it would have grown and you could have tested it more.” I was really disappointed at how many people in my area had perfectly green lawns during the worst drought we’ve had in a long time, because they were watering them (and the street) every other day. Switching to battery powered OPE, letting my grass go dormant, letting my clippings stay on the lawn rather than collecting them, and growing grass that is actually appropriate for my climate, are some of the ways I’ve tried to address my own concerns about pollution and water consumption.

Right, I know that was your point. My point, or actually my main concern, is different. I’m glad you are taking care to reduce the environmental impacts of your lawn though!

The DeWALT cordless mower is assembled by MTD. On inspection in Home Depot, the DeWALT deck and a Troy-Bilt built by MTD deck were identical in construction and placement of mounting points. MTD, I believe, has been purchased by SBD. The use of a deck not specifically designed for an electric mower may be less than ideal if a mower can’t match the power output characteristics of a gas engine.

I bought this mower, used it for about 3 months and returned it. First time I used it, it worked great. It’s only about a 1/4 acre lot, including the house. By month 3 it would only run for 10 minutes and I would have to recharge batteries. By this point I had stopped using the self propelled capabilities and was just pushing it to conserve battery. Still about 8-10 minutes in, batteries dead. Went back to a gas mower, very disappointing as I assumed electric would have been fully capable at this point. But in fairness perhaps electric is, and the DeWALT batteries just can’t handle it. Or maybe I just got a lemon.

Sounds like you killed the batteries, or possibly as you said you got some lemons. Every time you run a lithium battery completely dead, it will lose some of its charge capacity. Do it often enough and that 10Ah battery becomes a 5Ah battery. I still don’t know why manufacturers don’t stress this more in the manuals. Maybe they want people to keep buying batteries, but cases like yours also lead to negative reviews. they do offer this advice though: https://www.DeWALT.com/DeWALT-dna/featured-articles/best-practices-for-battery-life Ideally you want to have spares and never let them go below 30% before charging (on DeWALT batteries 1 bar is Check out some studies that have been done of depth of discharge and cycle life of lithium ion batteries.

We got used to NiCad’s where constantly topping them off resulted in “memory” problems resulting in batteries that were seemingly never able to give their all. As you say – translating the NiCad use strategy to LiIon batteries creates a new set of problems.

That made sense 10 years ago when lithium ion was new. It’s just odd that people understand the logic when it comes to their cell phone. They charge them every night regardless of the percent because everyone knows if you run them completely dead regularly, they never last as long afterwards. Somehow that common knowledge is lost when people use other battery powered devices, like tools and OPE. I don’t know how many dozens of batteries I have across multiple platforms and voltages, and I can honestly say I have never had a premature failure on any of them. Maybe I’m lucky, maybe I’m a wizard, who can say.

I own near 40 tools and maybe 40 batteries. All DeWALT and Milwaukee including HO and 60v. I own both mowers. All have been amazing in terms of durability… except the Milwaukee HO 12 amph battery. Some of the high draw HO tool get to hot and trip out to often. It killed a 12 amph.

����30Ah FlexVolt! Too Much Power!?

My first thoughts went to making a go-kart or something from the engine like I did when dirt poor to make money.

There are a couple changes. The rear wheel model has larger rear wheels, single lever height adjustment, and is available kitted with 2x12Ah FlexVolt batteries, in addition to the 2x10Ah 20v battery kit.

They should not have made a front wheel drive mower. MTD research center has enough knowledgable people and past experience to know better than to make one. The front drive mower preformance may turn off a lot of buyers from buying DeWALT products. Thank you for letting us know about these upcoming new products, Big Richard.

The one nice thing about front wheel drive is that you can keep your hand on the wheel engage “throttle” the entire time, and just push down on the handle a bit to raise the front wheels to come to a stop, do a turn, or whatever. But overall, I think rear-wheel drive is the preferred option. It does look like it is going to cost 100 more than the front-wheel model, at least with early pricing.

Trust me, rear wheel drive is a lot better with a rear bagger. My wife’s mom had an MTD made gas front wheel drive. When the bag starts getting full, too much weight is in the back and it will not pull. I had to pickup the back wheels off of the ground to make the front wheels pull. Big Richard, do you work for SBD? You seem to now when all of the new stuff comes out.

I have heard that complaint about front wheel drive mowers. I personally rarely ever bag so I have not encountered it, but I can see the issue. And no, I do not work for SBD. I just do a lot of tool repair, testing, and review, so I like to be ahead of the curve and share my knowledge. I keep an eye on tool shows across the country and look for leaks through retailers.

I can share the complaint, though it’s been many years since I have ever used a bagger. Once I discovered mulching blades I never looked back: less work for me, better for the environment and my yard looks better. But even with no bag rear wheel drive has better traction as the handlebars tend to put more weight on the rear wheels than the front. The commercial walk-behinds have this designed very well. As much weight as possible over the rear axle with large, low-ground-pressure drive wheels, and swiveling caster wheels up front which bear relatively little weight. I did think that front wheel drive mowers did have one beneficial feature, however: by pushing down on the handlebars one can easily feather how much pull the front wheels provide, or even disengage it entirely, by pushing them off the ground. I found that technique gave a lot more control than dis-and-re-engaging the propulsion. This was especially true when there was no differential in the propulsion and you needed to make a tight turn. But it’s really moot today, an all-electric mower likely has great speed control rather than the brutal ON-OFF overcenter clutches the old gas front drives had.

DeWALT Lawn Mower Review

DeWALT is another power tool powerhouse that has jumped into the lawn mower space. Not only does DeWALT offer a lineup of battery powered mowers, but they have also made the jump into commercial mowers.

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DeWALT Lawn mowers

DeWALT is an American industrial tool company that manufactures power tools and hand tools for the woodworking, manufacturing, and construction industries. DeWALT manufactures most of our contractors’ hand tools, for example, hammers, saws, tape measures, utility knives, among others. Since its inception in 1923, DeWALT has been manufacturing tools to help make work easier.

DeWALT is owned by Stanley Black and Decker… maybe you’ve heard of them? They are a huge company within many different segments. Only in recent years did they begin making battery-powered lawn mowers. Yes, just like Makita, Milwaukee, and other power tool manufacturers.

However, DeWALT took it a step further… in 2020 Stanley Black and Decker bought 20% of MTD Products (the owner of Cub Cadet) with the option to buy the remaining 80% of the business in 2021. In short, Stanley Black and Decker (DeWALT), is jumping into the lawn mower sector head first.

Cub Cadet VS DeWALT: What’s the difference?

Since Cub Cadet and DeWALT are essentially the same company now you may think these mowers will be the exact same? Well, you’re partly right. The DeWALT mowers were definitely inspired by Cub Cadet mowers. There are many technical and design similarities to most of the mowers.

For example, the Cub Cadet Ultima ZTX6 54″ is very similar to the DeWALT Z254. The DeWALT is a slight downgrade from the comparative Ultima ZTX6. The only real difference is the engine and a few small design aspects. See the comparison below.

MowerUltima ZTX6Dewalt Z254

Deck Width	54″	54″
Deck Type	10 ga. Fabricated	10 ga. Fabricated
Engine	Kawasaki FX801	Kawasaki FS730V
Transmission	Hydro-Gear ZT-3400	Hydro-Gear ZT-3400
Frame	1.5 in x 3 in Tubular Steel	1.5 in x 3 in Tubular Steel
Seat Type	Standard Seat	Standard Seat
Warranty	4-Year / 500 Hour Warranty	4-Year / 800 Hour Warranty
Price	7,899	6,999

The commercial walk behind and stand on mowers by DeWALT are also pretty similar to Cub Cadet’s. The specs are a bit less than Cub’s mowers but the design is very similar.

Overall, you can tell these two mowers are owned by the same company but they aren’t necessarily the exact same. The DeWALT mowers seem to have the high end, large acreage homeowner in mind while the Cub Cadet Pro series is more in line with what a commercial lawn care company would use.

Battery Powered Mowers

DeWALT first released their battery powered push mowers a couple of years ago. There were decent, but no the best. In 2020, they released the new 2nd generation additions of their battery powered mowers.

This includes 2 new mowers, one push mower and one self-propelled mower. There are some good improvements to these mowers and make them competitive with many of the competitors in the electric mower category.

MowerDewalt Push MowerDCMWP233U2DeWALT Self-propelledDCMWSP244U2

Deck Width	21″	21″
Deck Type	Steel Deck	Steel Deck
Transmission	n/a	Self-propelled
Run Time	75 min.	60 min.
Battery Type	2 x 20V MAX 10 Ah	2 x 20V MAX 10 Ah
Warranty	3-Year Limited	3-Year Limited
Price	Check Price	Check Price

DeWALT 2X 20V MAX 21- Inch Push Lawn Mower (DCMWP233U2)

The second generation of the DeWALT electric push mower definitely comes with some upgrades. The biggest improvement is the power with the mower now using 10 Ah batteries. These will drastically increase the mow time on a single charge

Features

• It has a fold-over handle with a convenient lift handle to make storage and transport easy
• It has a long runtime of up to 75 minutes
• Its high voltage performance and a brushless direct-drive motor ensures high efficiency
• It has an auto-sensing technology that elevates RPMs under harsh conditions.
• It takes up 70% less vertical storage space compared to when in operation
• It is a 3-in-1 lawn mower for easy mulching, bagging, and rear discharging
• Its 3200 RPMs are powered by two powerful batteries and a high-efficiency brushless motor functioning simultaneously to tackle overgrowth
• It has lift handles and folding handles to make transportation and storage easy.
• It has a heavy-duty 20-inch metal deck

DeWALT 2X 20V MAX 21-inch Self-Propelled Mower

This DeWALT self-propelled mower is a good mower for the homeowner with a lawn of up to 1/2 acre. This mower has some good features that will mow your grass for a long time. The only downside is the front wheel drive. I would prefer if the mower had rear wheel drive.

Features

• It has two heavy-duty DeWALT batteries that increase runtime up to 60 minutes
• It has a brushless direct-drive motor that provides high-voltage grass cutting
• It has the 3-in-1 feature for improved mulching, bagging, and rear discharging
• With dual-lever height adjustment, it can between 1 ¼ – 3 inch

Walk-Behind Mowers

DeWALT 48-inch Hydrostatic Hydro-Walk Mower

The DeWALT hydro walk behind is an entry commercial level walk behind. By the industry standards, I really can’t call it a full commercial mower. Sure, it has some commercial features but the engine and transaxles just aren’t that of a commercial mower.

This mower seems to be for that homeowner who has some steep hills. A sulky can be added to this mower to make it much like a stand on mower. The ZT-2800 transaxles scare me a little for using a sulky though.

Overall, this is a decent walk behind that may work well for the right application. I can’t fully recommend it as a commercial hydro walk behind though.

Features

• 15 HP Kawasaki FS V-twin shaft engine that increases power and performance
• Hydro-Gear ZT-2800 transaxles
• Variable speed control from 0-7 in forward and 0-3 in reverse
• 10 gauge heavy-duty fabricated deck
• 2-year / unlimited hour warranty

DeWALT 33-inch Wide-Area Walk-behind Mower

The DeWALT DW33 walk behind mower is also a mower that DeWALT is claiming as a commercial mower. The specs really don’t stand behind this. It is a decent mower for the right application but it is probably better used in a homeowner setting.

The DeWALT branded engine and 4-speed transmission are a cause for a little concern as there hasn’t been much time to see the quality of these. The 3-year / 120 hour warranty also seems a little short.

Overall, this is a decent mower for homeowners but I wouldn’t recommend it for a commercial setting unless you are using it sparingly. Even in this case, I would probably get a Ferris FW15 or Toro Turfmaster.

Features

• 382cc engine for high performance
• lightweight design to increase portability
• 8-inch front caster wheels for easy maneuverability even on rough terrains
• adjustable deck height for easy cut control
• 2-gallon gas tank for a long-running time
• The 33-inch slim deck ensures easy access to hard-to-reach surfaces.
• It has a high-pressure deck washing system

Zero Turn Mowers

The DeWALT zero turn mowers seem to be made for the high end homeowner. They have features and a price point that are for the residential customer with a 5 acre lawn.

For this customer, these are some good zero turn mowers. Probably not the best, but a solid option.

DeWALT Z260 Zero Turn Mower

The DeWALT Z260 and Z254 are the top of the line zero turn mower in the lineup. These are very similar to Cub Cadet’s ZTX series mowers. It is an entry level commercial mower that can but used for larger acreage homeowners or part time lawn care owners.

This is a great mower for the person mowing 2-3 days per week. It would work for a full time lawn care owner but probably wouldn’t last very long or be the best option available.

The DeWALT Z260 is a pretty good zero turn though. It has all of the essentials we look for in a good mower. I do wish it had a suspension seat. It is a little rough without one and suspension seats have almost become the standard.

Feature

• 54″ and 60″ deck options
• commercial-grade 24 HP Kawasaki FS engine that provides improved premium performance
• Hydro-Gear ZT-3400 Transaxles
• 10 gauge heavy-duty fabricated deck
• wide foot and room that makes it a universally adaptable fit
• Intuitive dial-in check height adjustment
• offset front caster wheels that give it proper balance
• 4-year / 800 hour warranty

DeWALT Z160 Zero-turn Mower

The DeWALT Z160 and Z148 are one step down from the Z260, but very similar. The only real difference is the engine, transaxles, warranty, and there is a 48″ deck option.

The engine is a Kawasaki FR… this is a residential grade engine according to Kawasaki. The transaxles are Hydro-Gear ZT-3100, which are commercial grade but not quite a good as the ZT-3400s.

This mower is good for the homeowner with a large yard (4-10 acres) or a part time lawn care owner. Honestly, if I were getting a zero turn mower in this price range I would spend the extra 1,000 or so and get the Z260 or Z254.

Features

• 24 HP Kawasaki FR engine for dependable high performance
• Hydro-Gear ZT-3100
• Up to 9 mph
• adaptable fit due to its wide foot pan with sufficient room
• intuitive dial-in check height adjustment
• 4-year / 600 hour warranty

Stand On Mowers

The moment you’ve all been waiting for… the DeWALT stand on mowers. Are they just a Cub Cadet stand on branded as DeWALT? Well, pretty close. These are basically “less beefy” Cub Cadet stand on mowers.

DeWALT X554 and X548 Stand On Mowers

The DeWALT stand on mower is a tough one for me to understand. It is basically a cheapened version of the Cub Cadet stand on but more expensive. The biggest thing for me is it has the Kawasaki FT engine. Don’t get me wrong this is a good engine but it definitely isn’t a Kawasaki FX.

That is really the only downside for me. Other than that it is a pretty good stand on. The design has some differences, like the gas tank and battery container but overall it is very close to the Cub stand on.

If I’m buying the mower, there are two downsides to this one. First, you mine as well buy a Cub Cadet stand on as it has an FX engine and is less expensive. Second, I am a little skeptical buying a commercial mower from a big box store. I’m curious to see how repairs will work.

Features

• 48″ and 54″ deck options
• 26 HP Kawasaki FT EFI Engine with an electronic throttle to provide reliable power and performance
• It has a minimal effort deck lift
• Adaptable size up to 2-inch to accommodate different heights
• Low maintenance and durable
• Efficient blade engagement

Wrapping it up

DeWALT lawn mowers are a solid option for most homeowners, especially if you are needing a commercial mower. They are durable mowers that have some great features.

I’m very interested to see where DeWALT goes with mowers. I’m assuming they will come out with some really great battery powered zero turns, stand ons, etc in the future.

What do you think?

Have you used a DeWALT mower? Which one have you used and did you like it? Leave us a comment below.

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After a couple of weeks and three cuts, I’m sold on DeWALT’s cordless, brushless, battery-powered lawn mower.

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When did DeWALT start making lawn mowers? As manufacturers pour resources into building the best battery-powered lawn mowers, shoppers have a wealth of options, and they’re not just coming from the traditional brands. In addition to time-tested lawn-mower companies like Toro, Snapper, and Craftsman, we’ve seen the relatively recent rise of newcomers like Greenworks and Ego. One interesting subset of battery-mower makers are the businesses known for their cordless hand tools. Suddenly drill and saw brands such as Milwaukee, Makita, and DeWALT are making lawn mowers and leaf blowers. It actually makes a lot of sense.

In the early 1990s, DeWALT was the first company to list a full line of contractor-grade cordless hand tools. The offering was a massive success, earning the company a loyal customer base that continues to grow. Continuing innovation is the key, as it was one of the first companies to upgrade from nickel-cadmium to high-efficiency lithium-ion batteries, and it constantly rolls out new features for improved ergonomics and overall performance. With DeWALT’s battery and motor expertise in-house, along with a strong culture of innovation, it makes sense that the company would easily move into battery-powered lawn equipment. This spring I finally got the chance to give one of its mowers a try.

I recently tested the DeWALT 2X20V MAX 21.5-inch self-propelled lawn mower for a couple of weeks on my own lawn. After trying out dozens of lawn mowers for previous articles, I approached the DeWALT project with certain expectations regarding overall mowing performance, battery runtime, user comfort, and convenience. In short, this mower did a great job for me, outperforming many of my expectations. Read on to learn more about the DeWALT cordless lawn mower and why I recommend it as a top pick for anyone who might be shopping for a cordless mower right now.

DeWALT 2X20V MAX 21.5-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower: At a Glance

PROS

• Heavy-duty steel mower deck with 3-way grass-clipping management
• Front-wheel drive self-propel system supports safe operation and smooth turns
• Powered by 2 rechargeable DeWALT XR 20-volt (V) lithium-ion batteries
• 2-stage brushless motor preserves battery life and automatically increases power for tougher mowing conditions
• Ergonomic cushioned hand grip reduces operator fatigue

CONS

• Heavy and cumbersome to maneuver manually without the self-propel feature engaged
• Takes a long time to recharge the batteries with the included DCB107 battery chargers
• The mower’s battery compartment has an awkward design

Get the DeWALT lawn mower at:

What is the DeWALT 2X20V MAX 21.5-inch self-propelled lawn mower?

The DeWALT DCMWSP244U2 is a 3-in-1 cordless electric mower with a 21.5-inch,15-gauge stamped-steel deck and a high-output brushless motor. It features a push-button start, a padded handle, and ergonomic controls. The mower is powered by two 20V 10 amp-hour (Ah) lithium-ion batteries for a total of 40 volts of power and 400 watt-hours, and it comes with two battery chargers.

The motor is equipped with auto-sensing tech that seamlessly increases torque when encountering tougher mowing conditions. A removable discharge chute, grass catcher, and integrated mulch plug allow for quick conversion to your preferred method of grass-clipping disposal. Adjustable front-wheel-drive (FWD) self-propulsion eliminates half the work of mowing, lets you choose your own pace, and works on all kinds of terrain. The deck can be adjusted to six different cutting heights from 1.5 to 4 inches. With up to 60 minutes of runtime per charge, this mower is ideal for properties up to a half acre.

How easy is the DeWALT lawn mower to assemble?

Upon its arrival, the first order of business was to assemble the mower and charge the batteries. At just under 80 pounds in the box (about 65 pounds fully assembled, with no batteries installed), it was a bit cumbersome to lug into the workshop and unpack, but assembly itself was a cinch.

I raised the lower section of the handle to the operating position, attached the upper handle to the lower handle with two large thumb screws, and clipped the power cord into the handle slot. That was it. The blade was preinstalled at the factory. Next, I plugged in the chargers and loaded the batteries to charge overnight. Total unboxing and assembly time was about 5 minutes, and charging time was about 8 hours.

How easy is the DeWALT lawn mower to use?

This mower runs on two batteries at the same time. One head-scratching moment occurred when I loaded the batteries in the mower. The battery compartment is oriented horizontally with the battery mounts beneath the top. I couldn’t actually see the contacts at the back unless I knelt and bent down to look inside. This was not a big problem, just awkward to align the batteries into the slots. But because the “fuel”-gauge feature on the XR battery happens to be on the contact end, it is concealed inside the mower housing when installed. In order to check the battery level, I would have to remove the battery. The only thing I didn’t like was the slow charging system, but an upgrade to the DeWALT DCB118 fast charger could reduce the 8-hour recharge time to just 1 hour.

Starting and controlling the DeWALT cordless mower was similar to the process for other mowers I’ve tested. A security key, inserted below the start button on the handle, unlocked the mower so that it would start. I pressed and held the start button, then pulled the wire lever down to the padded hand grip. This started the motor and blade. To start the self-propel system, I could squeeze one or both of the levers angling downward from the hand grip.

How well does the DeWALT lawn mower work?

I set up the test area in my yard, with about 10,000 square feet of lawn that included some short but steep slopes, weedy spots, and dense grass. I mowed the test plot with the DeWALT cordless mower three times, and it required just over two full battery charges each time. It mowed about 5,000 square feet per charge when adjusted to 2.5 inches high with the grass catcher in place. At 3.5 inches that extended to about 8,000 square feet. I got an additional few hundred square feet per charge by removing the bag and using the side-discharge and mulching options.

The DeWALT electric mower is a great choice for small and medium-size yards. The advertised 60-minute runtime per charge might hold up in some circumstances—see the manufacturer’s fine print—but I got more like 40 minutes, which, as noted, was good for up to about 8,000 square feet of lawn space. That should be plenty for anyone with a quarter-acre lot and most half-acre lots when the house, driveway, landscape beds, and other non-grass areas are removed from the equation.

Is the DeWALT lawn mower good quality?

In addition to the heavy-duty steel deck, a few key features pointed to higher-than-average quality and thoughtful design. For one thing, the integrated mulch plug, which is built into the bagger hatch, simply and effectively eliminates the need to keep track of an easy-to-lose part. For another, the FWD self-propel configuration drives quite well across all kinds of terrain and makes turning easier than with rear-wheel drive. Plus, the added forward weight of this configuration counterbalances the weight of the bag even when it’s full.

At the controls, everything was well laid out for easy operation, and the cushioned handle felt comfortable while I was mowing. Also, this mower is a space saver. With its fold-flat handle and vertical storage capability, it only needs about 2.5 square feet of storage floor space.

Is the DeWALT 2X20V 21.5-inch cordless brushless lawn mower worth the money?

At about 600, the DeWALT electric mower costs about twice as much as the cheapest self-propelled gas mowers. But it’s about the same price as higher-quality gas mowers and comparably equipped battery-powered mowers. So it’s at least a fair value if we stop there.

In my tests of other battery mowers at similar prices, I can say that this one offers a combination of features that others do not. DeWALT gets all of the basics right: Mowing power, operational comfort, battery life, and overall functionality are all at least as good as anything else out there. The steel deck is as stout as any I’ve tested, and better than most. The FWD self-propel system is a rarity among battery mowers, and it’s a nice touch. Altogether the base quality and thoughtful features make it a value purchase within the 600 range.

Is the DeWALT 2X20V MAX 21.5-inch self-propelled lawn mower right for you?

Battery-powered lawn mowers run quietly, keep the air cleaner, and eliminate the need to transport and store gasoline. Over the past couple of decades, battery technology and electric- motor efficiency have advanced, and have come down to approachable levels for many customers. DeWALT has leveraged its position as a leader and innovator of cordless tools to introduce this electric lawn mower.

This mower is easy and comfortable to operate on all kinds of terrain, eliminates all of the downsides of maintaining a gas engine, and delivers a nice, even cut. The price is in line with the competition, and the quality appears to be better than most. Overall, I’d say it’s a solid choice for anyone maintaining up to about 5,000 square feet of lawn, or roughly a quarter- to half-acre lot.

Where to Buy the DeWALT 2X20V MAX 21.5-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower

Get the DeWALT lawn mower at:

Meet the Tester

Mark Wolfe is a writer and product tester with an extensive background in the nursery and landscaping industry. For more than 20 years he mowed, edged, planted, pruned, cultivated, irrigated, and renovated beautiful landscapes for home and business owners. Now he tests and writes reviews about the latest outdoor power equipment, hand tools, lawn-care products, and other outdoor-living goods.

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Home » Latest Tool Reviews » Lawn Garden » DeWALT 2X20V MAX Cordless Mower Review

DeWALT Model DCMWSP255 2X20V MAX Cordless Mower Review

2X20V MAX Cordless Mower

Manufacturer: DeWALT Model number: DCMWSP255Y2 Price: 799.99 Power source: 20V MAX Li-Ion Batteries Weight: 75.0 Lbs.

This year DeWALT added a new model to their cordless battery-powered lawnmower lineup. This tool review will FOCUS on the new DeWALT Model DCMWSP255Y2 2x20V MAX cordless mower. This mower features a rear-wheel drive self-propelled operation system powered by the proven 20V MAX battery platform. Additionally, the DCMWSP255 is cross-compatible with the FLEXVOLT series of batteries which provide extended runtime. Speaking of runtime, the 2X20V designation means that this mower uses two batteries in series to provide up to 70 minutes of continuous use per charge.

In June ToolBoxBuzz posted a new updated Head-2-Head comparison where we evaluated a total of sixteen cordless lawnmowers. The DeWALT DCMWSP255Y2 was featured during this test and I will reference information from the H2H as well as my own experience in this review. Check out the full Best Cordless Mower 2022 article for more details.

DeWALT 2X20V MAX Cordless Mower Features

• Brushless Direct Drive Motor
• Top Folding Handle for Storage
• 21.5″ Cutting Deck
• Front Lift Handle
• Options for Mulching, Bagging, and Side Discharge of Clippings
• Cutting Height Settings From 1 1/2″-4″ Tall
• Single Lever Deck Height Adjustment
• CONTINUOUS SPEED/Auto Sensing Technology

Operation and Controls

The small black override key is pictured pointing downwards from the yellow housing. The mower will not operate without this safety key.

The Start-up and operation of the DeWALT MAX mower are similar to a traditional gas-powered mower. Only without the potential wrenching of the operator’s back and spewing of obscenities after it doesn’t start after three, four, or even five-plus pulls. The DeWALT uses a large easy-to-reach main power switch that is activated in conjunction with the spring-loaded safety bar pictured above. Releasing the safety bar will shut the mower off automatically.

The included grass collection bag. Rear plug option for mulching or side discharge of clippings. Spring-loaded cover on the side of the deck.

DeWALT describes the DCMWSP255Y2 as a 3-in-1 machine. Essentially the mower comes from the factory with options for side discharge of clippings through a chute, rear bagging, and also mulching using a rear plug and spring-loaded side cover. The rear bagging option installs and removes with one hand while holding up the spring-loaded door with the other. Whatever your preference for lawn care, the 2X20V MAX mower gives you options.

Battery Life and Performance

During our Head-2-Head test, the DeWALT took fourth place overall in our Run-Time Performance category. We found that the DeWALT MAX cordless mower is capable of over 18,000 square feet of mowing on a single charge. The 2X20V battery system draws from two 20V batteries in series. Therefore the two included 12.0 Ah FLEXVOLT batteries work together to greatly extended the runtime. In fact, the mower is good-to-go for almost two miles of marathon grass cutting. I used the DeWALT primarily as a trim mower, for cleanup in areas my larger zero-turn can’t get to. Typically a full battery charge lasted for three to four separate cuttings.

Better stay hydrated. We’re going to be out here for a while.

While the performance of the 2X20V MAX system is excellent, I do have an issue with the included hardware. DeWALT includes two DCB107 battery chargers with the mower. One for each battery. This charger is extremely slow charging the large 12.0 Ah batteries. Charging the batteries completely took approximately eight hours when I first unpacked the mower for review.

Both batteries are inserted into the motor housing. A spring-loaded plastic cover protects them from dust and debris. The two included batteries pictured with the DCB107 chargers. Batteries charging. See you tomorrow!

Given the extended run-time performance of the DCMWSP255Y2, the ability to recharge batteries fast shouldn’t be an issue for the majority of homeowners with average size lawns. However if planning to cut multiple properties or use the same batteries in other tools, a larger and faster battery charger would be desirable.

CONTINUOS SPEED System

As mentioned before, the 2X20V MAX mower features a self-propelled drive mechanism. The mower is rear-wheel drive and is propelled by the 11″ solid plastic wheels. DeWALT included what they describe as their CONTINUOUS SPEED system as well. This feature acts as an automatic load-sensing system. During use, the self-propelling feature is activated by squeezing a control lever built into the handlebar housing. The more pressure/squeeze applied, the faster the mower will travel. This is excellent for adjusting for a comfortable walking pace for the user.

However, the CONTINUOUS SPEED system will monitor the amount of load the motor is experiencing and will then automatically adjust the speed of the mower to optimize performance. This results in the mower slowing during use, regardless of the amount of pressure placed on the drive controls. This feature saves battery life and protects the motor and electronics, but can be frustrating at times during use. Another data point to this is that the self-propel system will only engage while the cutting deck is engaged. So if traveling across grass that you do not wish to cut, be prepared to push the mower manually.

The CONTINUOS SPEED slowdown described above was far less noticeable when side discharging clippings, due to the mower experiencing less resistance. When mulching or bagging clippings, the speed adjustment is more common because the mower is working harder to move the clippings. The decrease in speed does result in a cleaner and more uniform cut.

Overall Impressions

The benefits of battery-powered lawnmowers are well known and thoroughly discussed here at ToolBoxBuzz. They are quiet, easy to maintain, fold easily for storage, and eliminate the hassle of fuel. The DeWALT 2X20V MAX cordless mower embodies all of those qualities. I thoroughly enjoyed using it and evaluating it during the review process. It is large and well-balanced and feels nearly identical to a traditional gas-powered mower. There are a few areas of improvement to be pointed out. Given the cost of the mower, a higher-quality dual-port battery charger should be included. The ability to turn off the CONTINUOS SPEED system and also engage the self-propel drive without turning on the cutting deck would also greatly enhance the user experience.

So how much does it cost? The current MSRP at the time of writing this article is 799.99 for the full kit. This includes the mower, two batteries, two chargers, and all of the other accessories. Overall I think this is a good value for individuals currently invested in the 20V MAX or 60V FLEXVOLT platform. Two 12.0 Ah batteries can provide a lot of additional work output if considering other battery outdoor power equipment such as a trimmer or blower. This mower as a kit would also be an excellent entry purchase for someone considering investing in the DeWALT platform.

Below is a Buy Now link to purchase the DeWALT DCMWSP255Y2 from our friends at ACME Tools.

Dewalt 20V Self Propelled Mower Review