Which direct-drive lawnmowers. For uneven areas

Rating of electric mowers

Among the variety of lawn mowers, sometimes it is difficult to choose the right one. Although it is easy to buy an electric or gasoline-powered unit today. But summer is just around the corner, so hurry up with your purchase. This article presents the ranking of electric lawnmowers considered to be the best in terms of price and quality.

Top 10 Electric Lawn Mowers. Top 10

Makita ELM4620

At the top of our ranking of the best electric mowers is an inexpensive Makita ELM4620 wheel mower. If the idea of buying an electric mower appeals to you also because they are usually lighter and more maneuverable than gasoline mowers then this Makita, alas, is not for you: the Japanese have conceived, and the Chinese assembled 1.8 kW ELM4620 decent massive thanks to the steel deck, it weighs all 28.5 kg. But the device came out rather reliable and enduring (if not to ram stones and at least sometimes to clean a deck), and moreover with 46-cm wide blade. There are four modes of operation here, “just like in adults. The grass is collected in a 60-litre grass catcher box, tossed to the rear or sideways and, if a plug is fitted, also mulched.

However, there is one important nuance in its design which should be taken into consideration. No high-speed collector motor with step-down belt drive for the blade is used here. the blade sits directly on the shaft of the asynchronous motor. This means high starting current like any induction motor and less effort on the shaft, despite its seemingly insignificant power. But the main thing is that we’ve said for a reason that it is not worth ramming the stones. the blow from the blade is transferred directly on the engine shaft, and some owners managed to bend it even despite of the plastic coupling under the blade designed to serve as a kind of “safety guard. In general, this mower is best suited for regular use on an already prepared area, Makita should not be used for “cutting bushes” on bumps, where you do not know what is hiding.

STIGA Combi 44 E

Stiga has a respectable power output (1.8 kW) and a low weight of 14 kg. But we should not forget that the simplification is achieved by increasing the part of plastic in the construction, and with a very typical for this model “sore” in the form of the breakage of the mechanism of height adjustment. That is why we definitely would recommend this model for works on “clean” plots only, where the possibility to run into a stone, or even a piece of armature is minimal. the impact loads on the blade passing on the motor and on the body from it break the lever as a result.

The cutting width here is 42 cm. The height adjustment is from 25 to 75 mm. Without a 50-litre hard grass catcher box, the ejection can only be directed to the back, and the mower can also mulch. So, if it were not for the obvious design flaw in the adjustment mechanism, the mower would have a good chance to move up in the rating.

Even my wife can effortlessly tackle this mower. Powerful motor. And you have to be careful not to hit a rock on any mower.

MTD Optima 42 E

MTD is undoubtedly attractive due to its low weight (15.7 kg) and moderate price with a 1.8 kW engine power. But you should not forget that the low price and the low weight are not taken out of thin air. The deck is plastic, so be careful, but it is not a “forever” mower. Because there is also plastic in the central height adjustment mechanism, which is generally typical of cheap mowers and is just as typical of them a “sore spot”.

The blade used is 42 cm, it has a good working capacity, and the 47-litre capacity hard grass catcher box may even seem small. The mulching function is included in the delivery set, the mulching blade is standard. But steel of the knife is, alas, pretty soft, it gets blunt very quickly, and with a blunt knife the efficiency of any electric mower literally falls down before my eyes. So the field for imagination and hands is opened traditional for a budget class. well, someone even likes it.

I often have to straighten the blade, I plan to find an analogue sometime. I rebuilt the wheels on bearings, thanks to my own workshop. And so, it’s not expensive and it mows.

Champion EM4118

For example, the same 1,8 kW, “wrapped in plastic”, while being twice cheaper than the Bosh we described below: although, Champion weighs only 13 kilograms, which is understandable if you buy it by a woman, but I would definitely like to have more metal. Fortunately, at least they haven’t cut pennies and grams at knife drive, having put a knife directly on motor shaft. it is collector, high-speed and, alas, in comparison with the same “Bosch”, sounding like a natural Jericho’s trumpet (but how do you want for this money), and drive of 42 cm wide knife shaft is belt-driven. But with bearings in plastic, so the meeting with a rebar dug in at night by a neighbor can end sadly: the mower can only be used with care and for light work.

The grass catcher box is combined (hard cover with soft underneath), 50 liters. It fills efficiently enough, but shakes out not so much because of the shape. The complete blade, not surprisingly, is mild steel, so you’ll have to straighten it often (although its softness saves the plastic deck to some extent, you can’t argue with that).

Typical cheap Chinese, in principle It’s a bit of a construction set, so it’s more of a construction set, in my opinion.

Rating of the best lawnmowers of the year 2022

Makita ELM4621

Makita ELM4621 opens our rating of the best lawn mowers. The 32-kilogram mower is not particularly lightweight, but its 1800-watt motor allows for a safe operation. A working width of 46 cm and an eight-step height adjustment is almost standard, from 20 to 75 mm, and the grass catcher box has a respectable volume of 60 liters.

Dump can be directed to the rear or sideways with the grass catcher box removed. The machine can also be used for mulching, remembering that a 1.8 kW electric motor is not a 3 L gasoline engine.с., Makita feels the load much more clearly.

Travel speed is non-adjustable, approx. 3.6 km/h. It may even seem superfluous, not uncommon for owners to switch off the self-propelled machine on level ground, using it only on bumps or when driving uphill. Besides, disconnecting self-traveler allows not spending a part of power on wheels’ drive which is also important.

Hyundai LE 4600S Drive

In comparison with “Makita” Hyundai with the same capacity is lighter by 6 kg, and both cutting width and grass catcher box volume are identical. But the “Hyundai” is no match for “Makita”: this lawnmower has neither lateral ejection nor mulching mode. and this at the same time Makita is even cheaper.

As for the self-propelled, we’ll repeat the same about it as in the case of “Makita”. But we’ll add more that for the belt drive wheels need to watch more carefully. he is here poly-V-belt, so when worn easily flies off the pulleys, and the resource of regular and not so great. It is not a problem to find analogues, but you understand that Makita wins on all counts, except for weight.

The current price makes you look for something more interesting. Although, after the finalization of the mind. quite a decent thing.

Split into different types according to their features

Electric lawn mowers are divided into types by any parameter, because the task of this action is to separate some lawn mowers on some common characteristic.

over, the division of electric lawnmowers into species does not exist, except for the number of wheels (2, 3 or 4), so there are often situations where various online stores do not only differ in specific division parameters, such as width of mowing, but also the principle of division into types.

The most popular is the division into types according to the following features:

• number of wheels; type of cutting tool;
• type of cutting tool;
• engine power;
• type of motor;
• cutting width;
• ability to work in mulching mode;
• Rear or side discharge modes;
• ability to work with a grass catcher box (bag for collecting clippings);
• self-propelled;
• suitability for mowing on uneven areas;
• convenience for use by women;
• for large or small areas, including flowerbeds;
• body material.

number of wheels

Most lawnmowers are four-wheeled, because this chassis provides maximum stability on slopes, and it is much cheaper to build. The main disadvantage of the four-wheel chassis is not too high maneuverability, because of that more force is required to turn the mower.

The three-wheeled chassis, especially those equipped with a swivel wheel, require much less effort from the operator to change the trajectory, but they are less stable on slopes, so when driving on a slope, their course must be constantly corrected.

In addition, the three-wheeled chassis allows for more efficient mowing around trees and other obstacles, because not only do they require significantly less effort to turn, but they are also easier to use close to the obstacle.

Three-wheeled mowers have no front wheels protruding from the deck, making it much easier to bring them up to the obstacle with the deck, which is quite difficult with four-wheeled mowers.

There are also 2-wheeled electric lawn mowers, but they are only suitable for mowing low grass, because they do not have a rotary, drum cutting mechanism.

here are some examples of units with different numbers of wheels:

Cutting tool type

Most electric lawnmowers are equipped with a rotary cutting tool, that is, a blade fixed on the motor shaft.

Such a knife, rotating at high speed, cuts any grass like a blade or line of a grass trimmer, so with enough motor power it can cut even tall thick stems.

The main disadvantage of rotary tools is their vulnerability to stones or any other hard obstacles, which blunt the cutting edge and disturb the balancing, which makes the mower not only cut the grass worse, but also start to vibrate a lot.

Some models are equipped with a drum cutting mechanism, which acts on the principle of scissors. the drum, made of steel strips, captures the grass and brings it to the rigidly fixed sharp blade that cuts the plant.

Drum mechanism is much less effective than rotary one, but it has no its disadvantages because steel bars of drum are not sharpened, and their speed is much lower than that of rotary system blade.

That’s why such mechanism is not damaged when colliding with a stone, that’s why to continue mowing it’s enough to take the mower away from the obstacle and go around it.

Here are examples of models with different types of cutting mechanism:

There are also devices with a disk cutting mechanism, but such devices are professional and their cost is quite high.

Engine power

The division by power is necessary so that the potential buyer could immediately screen out devices that are either not powerful enough, or too heavily load the in-house electrical network.

There is no unified gradation of power, because some stores offer a division in increments of 1 kw, and others with more or less.

Anyway such kind of division allows to sift units, which power does not correspond to customer’s expectations in order to choose the most suitable unit out of the ones left.

Often, instead of dividing into types by power they use the division of professional and household machines. Professional ones have more power, while household ones are noticeably weaker, but their properties are quite sufficient for use in a cottage or private yard.

This division is conditional, because electric lawnmowers are not suitable for commercial use because of its dependence on the socket, but some stores offer it.

Examples of models with different motor power:

Type of motor

Electric lawnmowers are equipped with both synchronous and asynchronous motors with alternating current.

Synchronous motors are more efficient at converting electric power into shaft rotation, but they greatly increase the mower’s cost.

This is due both to the higher manufacturing cost of such motors, and the need to install a protective (transitional) coupling, because the current consumption of the synchronous motor directly depends on the rotation resistance.

So when the blade hits a rock or a root sticking out of the ground, or when mowing thick grass, the current draw can increase tenfold.

If the fuses don’t blow, a surge of current, especially if it lasts longer than a few seconds, can cause a fire:

Champion EM4118

Despite its affordable price, the Champion EM4118 from the Russian company is equipped with a powerful motor and a good combined grass bin. One of the top rated heavy-duty domestic power tools.

• Combination grass catcher box, combining reliability and light weight.
• Reasonable price.
• Good vibration level.
• Suitable for large lawns.
• Easy assembly.
• Large cutting width.

Makita ELM4121

Ideal for users who appreciate versatility. This is facilitated by the fact that the Makita ELM4121 allows you to choose between three modes of operation: ejection, collection in the grass catcher box, mulching. Also has seven levels of adjustable cutting height.

• Large grass container.
• There is a window in the grass box to see how full it is.
• Good handle height adjustment.
• Folding handle for easy storage.
• Low noise level.

STIHL RME 443

German unit closes the rating of electric lawn mowers with power up to 2 kW. The price of the STIHL RME 443 justifies its excellent build quality, performance and materials.

• The grass mower handle is foldable and height-adjustable.
• A good wire locking device that prevents disconnection.
• Quality of assembly.
• Sturdy complete knife.
• Cutting height range.

What to look for before buying a mower?

The first step before buying is to determine the lawn to be mowed, as well as the needs of the mower operator. To do this, answer the following control questions:

• What is the area of mowing and type of soil;
• The terrain and the nature of the site (are there any slopes, rough terrain);
• The nature of the plantings (whether there are trees, flowerbeds, paths, how they are located on the lawn);
• Who will mow (man or woman, age of operator).

Then you need to look at the technique with specific characteristics. Defining parameters for lawn mowers will be:

• Power. Their power depends on their ability to work continuously for a long time, their reliability and their durability. The most low-powered include electric units at 1.5 kW and gasoline units at 2 liters.с. The middle class includes electric lawnmowers with 2 kW and petrol-powered machines with up to 6 liters.с. The most powerful mowers. Power units with more than 7 liters.с., Used for lawn care in parks and recreation grounds. They have a life span of several hours without interruption.
• Performance. Indicates the maximum mowing area of specific devices. This lawn mower can handle a small garden plot as well as be used for mowing lawns at recreation centres, alleys and parks.
• Drive. There are the following types of lawnmowers according to the drive:

Mowers can also be self-propelled and non-self-propelled for all needs. Self-propelled mowers only require directional control. Since the motor drives not only the cutting blades, but also the wheels, it does not need to be pushed by hand. Non-self-propelled mowers use the engine power to drive the blades, so they need an operator.

• Promotes greater component durability;
• Low Noise;
• Large torque.

• High cost;
• Knife may need serious repair if it hits a hard object.

• Does not require lubrication;
• Cheaper to repair;
• Has blade anti-jamming protection.

• Belt wear and tear;
• Big gear mechanism.

Belt drive

Most belt drives consist of flat leather, rubber or cloth belts running on cylindrical pulleys, or belts with a V-shaped cross-section. running on ribbed pulleys. Provide efficient power transmission.

• Simple and economical.
• No need for parallel shafts.
• Overload and anti-jamming protection available.
• Noise and vibration attenuated by damper. The service life of the lawnmower is prolonged because load fluctuations are absorbed by the impact.
• Requires no lubrication, reducing maintenance costs.
• In case of breakdowns quick and easy repair at low cost (in most cases it is possible to repair the mower yourself).
• High load on the shaft.
• Low belt life.
• Permissible operating temperature: 35-85°C.
• Large external dimensions of transmissions and low efficiency.
• Requires constant adjustment of interaxial spacing or use of tensioner to prevent belt drive wear and stretching. Idling causes most of the friction and is as much of a problem and maintenance expense as the belt itself.

Key features

Electric mowers are made with the latest technological developments and the highest quality materials, equipped with small and medium-power engines and have a low weight, allowing even the elderly, women and teenagers to operate them.

The main construction feature of the electric lawnmower and, at the same time, one of its most significant advantages is the minimal number of components, which saves substantial difficulties in the repair and maintenance phases of the device.

Mowers are equipped with wheeled undercarriage, whose main purpose is to make mowing easier and quicker on the lawn. Switching the mower on and off is done by pushing the push button.

A horizontally rotating blade (standard number of blades is 2 or 4) is responsible for grass mowing. On the length of the cutting tool depends largely on the mowing width, and with it, the performance of the mower.

Many modern mowers are equipped with controls to set the height of cut. The grass catcher box is an indispensable part of the set.

Top 4 best lawn mower models

Hyundai LE 4600S Drive

Powerful self-propelled lawn mower from a reliable and popular manufacturer, designed specifically for large areas with a cutting area of up to 2,000 square metres.м.

Replacement parts are readily available, the housing is plastic, the handle is height-adjustable and foldable.

The blades mow 46 cm of ground at a time and have a handy height switch lever for setting the height of cut.

The user can choose from seven options, from 3 to 7 cm.

The cuttings are routed to the rear into a soft grass catcher box, which can hold up to 60 liters of grass. This allows you to work without stopping for a long time.

Plastic construction: does not overheat in the sun, even when outside in the summer heat.

Technical specifications:

• self-propelled lawnmower;
• For areas of 1000-2000 square meters.м.;
• mowing width 46 cm, height. 30-75 mm;
• soft grass catcher box with a capacity of 60 liters;
• 1800 watt electric motor.
• really powerful, with a good and wide grasp of the grass;
• Large grass catcher box;
• available spare parts;
• self-propelled operating principle.

AL-KO 113103 Silver 46.4 E Comfort

For areas up to 900 m² and areas with grass and weeds.м. we recommend to look closely at this model from a quality manufacturer of household equipment.

With its 1,6 kW electric motor and 46 cm wide mowing width, this mower will quickly cut your lawn and will not be afraid to face small debris or weeds.

You can choose the height of mowing on the handlebar with seven levels (from 35 to 75 mm).

The body is made of durable plastic, but the machine is still heavy, almost 30 kg of weight affected the maneuverability, so narrow areas will be difficult to handle.

A soft grass bag is attached at the back, the discharge is directed directly into it. The bag has a capacity of up to 65 liters.

Technical characteristics:

• wheeled mower;
• For areas up to 900 sqm; ; Soft grass catcher bag with 65 liters.м.;
• cutting width 46 cm, height 35-75 mm.
• Soft grass catcher box with 65 liters capacity;
• 1600 watt electric motor.
• capacious grass catcher box;
• Seven cutting heights;
• 46 cm working width;
• Grass catcher box has a fullness indicator.

GARDENA PowerMax 1800/42

The reliability and build quality of this model commands respect.

Users note that the mower is able to operate for a long time and easily serves more than one season.

The blades are easy to sharpen, can capture a 42 cm wide strip of grass, and with five levels of adjustment you can choose the right height for your mowing.

The handle is comfortable, does not slip in your hand, it is not transmitted vibration from the engine. It is folding type, there are three levels of height, so that the machine can be adjusted to any height of the operator.

The 1.8 kW engine is quick to start and has overheat protection.

It weighs just under 15 kg, but it is still manoeuvrable and easy to steer.

Even on slightly uneven ground, the lawnmower can effortlessly tackle demanding terrain. Grass cuttings are discharged to the rear into the 45 liter rigid grass catcher box.

Technical features:

• wheeled mower;
• for areas up to 800 square metres in size and up to 300 square metres in height.м.
• the cutting width is 42 cm, height. 20-60 mm.
• A rigid grass catcher with a capacity of 45 liters;
• electric motor with 1800 watts.

STIHL RME 443

Let’s finish our rating with a quality model from STIHL, which is designed for areas up to 600 square meters.м.

The electric motor has an overheat protection, 1500 Watt power, starts quickly and works for a long time without stopping.

The 55 liter grass catcher box also contributes to the absence of interruptions.

The mower is non-self-propelled, with a comfortable handle, the handle folds up.

blades capture a strip of grass 41 cm wide, for selecting the height of mowing there is a lever with six levels, from 25 to 75 mm.

It weighs 19kg and is less maneuverable than lighter models, but it’s easy to steer. Grass ejection only in the rear.

Specifications:

• wheeled non-self-propelled lawn trimmer;
• for areas with a size of 600 sq. km.м.;
• mowing width 41 cm, height. 25-75 mm;
• rigid grass catcher box with a capacity of 55 liters;
• 1500 W electric motor.
• bright, plastic, does not warm up;
• Stable and controllable;
• sharp blades, not afraid of small debris;
• good grassbag capacity.