First ever head to head comparison between Lowes and Home Depot flagship electric mowers. Brought to you by Punch Your Man Card: The Art of Suburban Manliness
The difference between this review and the one that preceded it (see below) in the autoload chain (Thanks, RUclips!) is like night and day. The other two guys were being sponsored by EGO, so there's no mystery as to how they could afford to produce their silly little review. But I can't help but wonder how this guy managed to get his hands on both mowers at the same time and how he was able to be so remarkably thorough. Maybe it's just a strange passion, in which case more power to him, although I'm not sure whether we would be meting that out in volts or amps. Here's the other review, the lame one. - ruclips.net/video/aOa1t6grTC0/видео.html
Thanks! When I first started researching these mowers, I found a LOT of reviews sponsored by EGO. They are way more savvy than Kobalt (Lowes) at marketing their product. I was in the market for a mower so I just bought both of them and took advantage of HD/Lowes generous return policies. Kept the Kobalt and returned the EGO. HD didn't give me a hard time at all on the return.
I saw the other video first and thought, "What a joke." Punch Your Mancard - Nice job and Thank you. I have the Kobalt 80v weedeater and will probably buy this because I'll have the same batteries. The weedeater has sort of changed my mind about battery operated equipment.
I just bought and used that weed eater today, love it!!! I am right there with you on the mower as well. Now I don't feel like dealing with the issues of a gas mower especially in the spring when its been sitting all winter. I actually was having fun weed eating probably because I wasn't frustrated trying to start the gas one.
First, shout out to David Saphra, who I know from another world (early music). I'm reeling (to use a mowing term) at running across you randomly on a youtube mowing forum. Second, thanks for the comments everyone, and the review. I was poised to buy an Ego but am now considering the Kobalt, even though it seems to be currently $50 more.
I picked up the Kobalt 40volt 20 inch pusher for $179! I went ahead and bought a wire trimmer and blower to have another battery and charge and still under $400 total. That little gem took car of my yard on less than a full charge with 1/2 the voltage of the newer model you tested. My lawn at a cut of 2 inches looked like a golf green. It also looks like they did their homework on battery maintenance. If when during the off season and the battery drops below recommended storage voltage, they go into a sleep mode. The charger will then facilitate a special recovery which the instructions say takes 20 hours and you are good to go. Do not store the batteries on the charger and unplug the charger when not in use. I expect good life out of the batteries as there is a three year warranty on the batteries and a five year on the mower itself. Very happy so far.
Lightweight is good and what did I use it for it’s a lawnmower ruclips.net/user/postUgkxTPN04aT-Qdjr_KS3ql7ng8wnU3wwsCqk also recommend Yes it is lightweight so hence not as robust as our old one. But if you take care it does the job really well.
Hi all, AMAZED by the number of comments. Here's a quick update to respond to some of the most frequent comments..... 1. THE LIGHT SWITCH! Sorry I missed it. That covers about half the comments. 2. All the nerdy discussion about amps vs volts vs "power" etc... Look - that's why I actually bought both mowers and tested them out. I was extremely unbiased. I took pains to keep the cut height as similar as possible. The bottom line is that the Kobalt 80v IS more powerful than the Ego 56v. And the Kobalt left fewer stragglers. 3. To those who say "well, that's because of EGO's blade, or its plastic deck" it doesn't matter WHY the cut isn't as good - it just isn't as good. As for the suggestion that I wouldn't have so many stragglers if I dropped the cutting the height - that's likely true. I also wouldn't have as healthy a lawn, and I'd be mowing more frequently. 4. Regarding me being "sponsored" by Kobalt - I wish. Seriously, Kobalt if you're listening send me some free tools or something. Do you really think a sponsored video but we with a shaky handheld iPhone?! I'm just a guy who actually wanted to know which of these mowers was better, and I told you what I found. But, these comments are a perfect example of EGO's promotion efforts. I'm not even sure some of the pro-EGO comments are by real people. 5. After 2 years, I still love the Kobalt. Zero issues. Batteries holding up just the same as originally. Ok - I think that covers about half the comments! Glad many of you enjoyed the review.
Thank you for this comment and review. I'm looking at Kobalt, Ego, and Greenworks Pro *right now* and your note about the batteries being good two years later may be the deciding factor for me (along with the mulching quality).
Those who reply with "your sponsored" or actually ignorantly tell you lower your cut are EGO fanboy's that are sad they've purchased an expensive mower that doesn't cut as good as its cost. There are many cheaper mowers that cut just as good and if not much better as you've shown. Good job!
I purchased the 80v Kobalt about 6 weeks ago. No question, this is the best walk-behind mower I have ever owned. With the two included batteries, continuous mowing (all day, if you want) is possible because a depleted battery will fully recharge in the time it takes to run the other one down. Just swap & go.
I purchased the Kobalt a week ago and love it. I have the newer model and it’s very quiet. It leaves nice stripes, purchased it for about 570. Only came with 1 battery now. I charged it once, mowed my entire yard double cutting it. I left it sit a week without charging, then double cut my yard again. Now the battery is low enough to charge for next week
This is my 4th year with Kobalt 80 volt mower. Some important considerations for those who are concerned about battery life and performance: The batteries are holding strong but my mower (earlier model) came with lower capacity dual battery pack. There are some important rules when using any lithium ion based device (regardless if it is an Electric Vehicle, power tool, or cellphone); I try to avoid depleting the battery completely and swap the battery out after emptying the mower bag twice (by this time I need to stop and get a sip of water anyway) even if there's still some charge left in the battery I swap it out, and continue mowing with a fresh battery pack while the used one is charging/topping off. Avoiding complete discharge minimizes battery damage, and prolongs their life. Typical Lithium ION batteries last about 200-300 charge cycles. If you mow your lawn 30 times per year using the same battery, that translates into 7-10 years of battery life. As for PERFORMANCE, 80 volts is as powerful as my gas mower, or at least I can say this; I've not had any situation where I regretted having 80 volt over any gas mowers I've owned in the past.
Thank you for the tips I've bought Total's Cordless Hedge Trimmer and Cordless Grass Trimmer Will get a reciprocating saw and leaf blower next, both will be cordless too As for the lawnmower, if the cordless one still too expensive, I might get a 4-stroke gas version. I work as a school gardener cum cleaner by the way.
@@kaizenomnibiz5383 I'm not familiar with Total brand cordless tools, so I can't comment on that, but if you go with a more common brand you may have better chance finding replacement and OEM battery. And if you have a spare battery on hand, avoid completely discharging the primary battery, keep swapping, I assure you will be "TOTALLY" happy :-) I love the 80V string trimmer, so much torque on that thing, never going back to gas, no more yanking and yanking and wanking the trimmer cord till it turns on. ;-)
We have had the EGO 21" 56V self-propelled mower over 1 year now and we absolutely love the EGO. We bag always and it actually vacuums our oak tree leaves off the lawn while cutting the grass. A note if you have a EGO blower or other equipment, the smaller amp hour batteries will fit into the mower and run the mower making a nice backup battery. We really love the EGO mower!
I love my Ego Battery Mower. I have the 21 inch self propelled model. The motor is just as powerful as a gas mower and I was pleasantly surprised how it evicerated the tall high wet grass in my front and back yard. The rapid charger charged my battery in under an hour. My ego cut my grass with little to no issue and my lawn looked great. I recommend the Ego.
Just started my 3rd year with Ego - just had a problem with the self propelled feature which was fixed at home depot - and covered by the 5 yr warranty. I consider this one of the best investments I've ever made based on functionality and quality. Well worth the extra cost vs. gas engine. The reviewers comment the mower operates a one speed is incorrect. It does increase speed with higher grass. And the battery performance remains about the same as the day I purchased.
We bought the 40v version 2 seasons ago. I love the push button start and couldn't be happier with the results. We also have the 40v blower which does quite well. I can usually mow the entire lawn on a single charge. If not, I use the 3 amp battery that came with the blower and it's done. My wishlist for optional accessories would be a compatible "High Lift" and/or "Mulching" blade.
I've bought my 40 v Kolbalt in 2011 a it's 2023 and it's still runs and cuts with no problems. I just bought into the EGO system because they have more tools options I like. Both are great mowers.
Great review! I got a Kobalt 40V mower open box with battery and charger (but not the bagger or chute) for $100. I had no intention on buying an electric mower, but I couldn't pass it up at that price. It does very well. So much lighter and quieter than a gas mower. I get the yard done in less time than I did with the gas mower, and I don't smell like exhaust after mowing the yard.
Nice job on the review. Sadly I just bought a EGO few days ago, wish I new about coupons that was mention. Yes, I'm gonna try the lowest setting next time to see what happens, mean while, I'm just happy to be done with gas mowers that breaks down every other summer if not every summer.
I bought the EGO a few months ago and I noticed the issue you mentioned but if I used it on three or lower it didn't happen. Plus it really can take a beating. The reason I bought it is the battery on our aged John Deere was dead and it was in for service. I went online and found the EGO and it's good ratings. I cut the grass for our community(it's about an acre) and the EGO did a great job. The charging time gave me a break to eat lunch and cool down. I charged it twice because the grass was about ten inches tall as we were away for two and a half weeks(no sub). The lower the setting the better the cut IMHO. There is a switch for the headlights.
another video shows the handle height made a difference in cutting efficiency. Higher settings resulted in 'lifting' the front wheels resulting in missed patches. Lower handle setting kept the front wheels on the ground. Lower cutting setting would help as well
I have used the EGO and I can tell you it is awesome. The battery lasts a long time even when cutting high grass and I never lost power throughout the entire cutting. Also, the battery, from dead to fully charged, only took around 30 min. I honestly thought my Dad was wasting his money on an electric lawn mower when he told me he bought the EGO. I was completely wrong! I have a Troy Built Brigs and Stratton mower that eats grass for breakfast but I would be more than willing to use my Dads' Ego on my yard instead!
I get about 1 hour and 15 mins no matter the terrain. How much ground you cover depends how fast you mow. I dont use the self propelled a lot to save battery. You can get over an acre cut on it.
Are you mowing short grass? I tried in 60 degree weather and the machine on regular blade and 5.0 amps ran out of juice in 30 minutes (20 if on lift blade to mulch). It was 40-45 minutes on regular vs 30 minutes high lift blade on 7.5 amp battery.
For future reference, if you drop the cut level down a notch on the Ego, you will not get the clippings/patch problem you were getting. It’s not a battery voltage issue, it’s a vacuum issue.
Is this proven ?? I'm on the fence between these two and I'm leaning towards the cobalt now. Seeing the cut is better. And that's my #1 care. Which cuts better.
Kobalt is better. Lowering the cutting height for Ego is not an apple to apple comparison. 80volt has ability to spin at heigher RPM and that is evidence of the "suctioning" the clippings into the bag. The fact that you have to lower the cutting height on EGO so the clippings are picked up is evidence of the difference in power between Kobalt and EGO.
@Jeffrey Obadal Tell me where i said voltage = power. When I said "80V has ability to spin at higher RPM..." I'm referring to a specific mower model with its most prominent feature; 80 volt) No, voltage isn't power but an important component specially when it comes to battery operated devices, hence why manufacturers of many different appliances highlight voltage first when it comes to emphasizing increased POWER of their tool. Go ahead and google it up. And joules or watts are used to measure for power in electricity. AMPERES is not power either. And allot of the folks confuse AMPERES vs AMP-Hours vs watts and watt-hour. This is a long winded discussion that I'm not going to take pages to explain. Bottom line 80volt kobalt mower performs better and voltage of the DC motor is an important determining factor of that performance, more so than AmpHour rating of the battery on the EGO. To make crude comparison of power we will need values for I and V, and you can not determine that by looking at AmpHour rating; voltage=! power just like Amperes=! AmpHour.
@@williamdalton9850 In all reviews the EGO always beats the others out, also has been on market for couple years and have been very durable. Also can use battery in rest of tools in the line
@@travisedwards9983 Wrong! OK, that wasn't nice to say it like that. Sorry, let me try to rephrase after loading my *nice* GUI; You may be relying on info from older reviews during a time where there was no viable competition to EGO, but since then competition has caught up with their mowers exceeding original EGO (offering brushless DC motors and even higher voltage). Yes, EGO paved the way and made a reputation for itself about 5 years ago, but that was back then. And there are some "reviewers" whose channels have been subsidized by EGO. I can speak from my own personal experience, I did my research and tried several models, and my Kobalt 80v. mower has met and exceeded all my expectations and I'm not a reviewer, I don't even have a channel :P Hope this helps.
Went with the kobalt, got the blower, trimmer, and chainsaw too. All take same battery and are AMAZING quality. The fact that my local Lowe’s have everything I need including replacements for the duration of the warranty was the deciding factor. Mows great with no issues on a single charge and the blower/trimmer do an amazing job as well. Kobalt has my loyalty.
Just purchased the Kobalt 80 volt mower.. couldn't be happier.. easy setup out of the box, runs like a champ, quiet, smooth running.. and it folds in a standup position for convenient storage.. I love it!
The light switch is by the battery guage. Bought an ego, and I now LOVE to cut my lawn! Able to do a half acre on one charge, in about 45 mins. Took about 30 or less minutes to get another full charge! Got the 5.0ah and am going to invest in a 7.5ah.
I agree! I have the 7.5 amp hour batt and it's great. This test is bogus. The guys grass is in crap condition, dry strips everywhere, curved cutting. Doesn't know where the light switch is and called it a gimmick? I love cutting in the dark and it's quite enough it doesn't bother the neighbors. Mine cuts with precision row after row. E-GO for life! I have the weed Wacker and lead blower, they all rock
Great Review! The kobalt seems like a nice value if you want only want a lawnmower. The EGO lawn care ecosystem is bar none one of the best around. Almost all of their products are best in class. :) If you get the backpack blower, you'll get the 5.0 AH battery so you can switch in and out for non-stop mowing goodness on the self-propelled model even on monster lawns over an acre if you like spending over 2 hours mowing. :) I've got the string trimmer, the blower, the 21" self-propelled lawnmower with the 7.5AH battery (Boss Hog battery) and the hedge trimmer. All beasts really.
I did notice a few stragglers when I started cutting with my E-GO last summer but I took the blade off and sharpened it and that did the trick. No more issue.
I too owned both of these mowers and have noticed some discrepancies in your review. I will note that I own the self propelled 7.5 ah battery model. So first off the lights do have an on off switch. Second, there is NO comparison in the way these mowers fold up. The Ego is WAY easier folding up and adjusting handle height. Third, the Ego does change speeds depending on the type of grass your mowing. In spring mine changes speeds frequently. Also the lights are ABSOLUTELY not gimmicky. Ask anyone who owns an Ego that question and they will tell you the same. In the heat of summer I mow at night a lot. It truly is a game changer in that regard. As far as battery life, my battery cuts over a half acre on one battery. Both Kobalt batteries can't do that combined. Yes the Kobalt does cut slightly better but that is one of the only pluses I could find. I didn't notice a noise difference. Calling the Ego a Prius is an insult. I would compare it to a Tesla. The technology is so far beyond Kobalt they shouldn't even be compared. Right now the price of the Ego and Kobalt self propelled are exactly the same so that can't be a issue anymore since they cost the same. The reason Ego reviews are so positive on RUclips is simply because their technology and features are years ahead of other mowers. If you add everything up, especially the variable speed self propelled I feel that Kobalt still has a long way to go to top Ego.
Patrick Wilmes agreed I mowed at 930pm and it was quiet enough to talk to someone walking down the street without cutting it off although I did out of courtesy. Also the lights are amazing! I didn’t miss a single blade of grass. There’s also no way the kobalt is superior. While it’s good it’s by far not superior I don’t believe.
timsgta Yes, this review is one of the only negative Ego reviews I've seen on RUclips. I agree the Kobalt is by no means a bad mower but is way behind the technology and features of the Ego
Agreed. The EGO is the Tesla of cordless mowers. The Kobalt looks like Chinese junk. Your comment/review is better than this video review. For the same price, there is NO comparison. I wouldn't even consider the Kobalt with its rust prone steel deck and crappy steel handle/folding mechanism. That design is lazy, from the dark ages back in the 70s.
When it comes to work that can be done with the mower the Watt hours of the battery plays a major part (or you could use Joules where one Joule is one Watt second). The Ego has a 5Ah 56V battery which is 280Wh, the Kobalt is 80V 2Ah which is 160Wh so the Ego has the edge here except for the fact the Kobalt is sold with two batteries so if you ignore the need to stop and change the battery it actually has more stored energy available. Which is best, depends on what you want but at least with the Kobalt and its smaller battery you can be changing the second battery while the first is in use.
Great review. I have the Kobalt 80v and it works great. I also have the 80v weed trimmer and leaf blower and they work pretty well too. The batteries being interchangeable is very convenient.
The Ego push mower is now $399 and the Kobalt is now $499 with a single 5ah battery. Just got the Ego. I've only cut using level of 3 and no stragglers.. this video is a couple years old so wonder if they fixed.
I just bought a 40 volt Kobalt mower. The batteries have had an upgrade. You get 1 battery on the 40 volt but it is a 5.0 amp hour battery for around 40 minutes of run time. It's almost twice the size of the batteries shown here. Nice power and the variable speed helps save power when not needed. Comes with side discharge or mulch bag for 299.00 at Lowes for the push mower and 399.00 for the self propelled.
I just picked up a self-propelled EGO last night and took it for a quick pass through the yard at 11:00 PM to test it out. The headlights are actually bright enough to see what you're doing - you could definitely mow in the dark with this mower. Regarding the EGO's variable speed, it always ramps up when you engage it, but it never varies its speed after it's reached full speed.
I just picked up the ego as well and mowed my whole lawn after 10pm last night. Its quiet enough that it doesnt violate my city's noise ordinance and the headlights also help alot.
Great review. I too, settled on the Kobalt over the EGO. 2 years of development, and honestly, the Kobalt has separated itself even further, in my opinion.
Just bought the kobalt 80v myself. The steel deck was a big selling point for me. Came with a 5 Amp Hour battery. Probably gonna buy the matching chain saw soon.
I almost committed to E-GO because I liked the rapid reload on the weed wacker cord. I went with the Kolbalt and been buying ALL tools also. I'm very very please with the quality and PRICE of their products! Plus Lowe's gives you a military/veteran DISCOUNT.🇺🇸 Great Video!
I've had an EGO SP for 3 years. It is SO amazing. I love it. I live on a slope and have 1/2 and acre. I thought I was overpaying when I bought it-I was wrong. Not a single problem, I never maintained it, I use the same batteries for my snow blower and it cuts like a dream. I can't speak of the Kobalt, I can say the Ego is a sick, awesome, durable (I go through the fall and use it for leaves), and practical (the fold is genius).
Just as you pointed at the end of your video, 2 years in and now Kobalt has 6 amp-hour 8 volt battery option and battery powered snow blower. But, what I like the most is their 80 volt string trimmer, it's insanely powerful. Occasionally I turn on MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE on the string trimmer just to have fun watching weeds and tree shoots obliterate.
I purchased an EGO from Home Depot, at the end of the summer last year (Sept. 2019). I mowed my yard twice before the weather turned cooler. Living in north Florida once the temp’s dip into the 60’s the grass stops growing but the weeds keep on, so every few months I’ve had to pull it out and run it over the yard. The only other battery powered mower was the Ryobi and it’s reviews proved to be substandard to the EGO for run times. First out I noticed the EGO’s cut quality was not that of the gas mower, but I contributed that to the design of the blade, it doesn’t compare to other blades that are designed for mulching. I bag my lawn because of the mixture of grass and weeds of my lawn and I don’t wish to spread the weeds. The EGO will leave a strand of grass uncut hear and there, but I’ve been very pleased with its bagging capabilities. It will fill the bag completely full. My yard is not huge by no means but I’ve been able to mow the whole yard, remove the battery but it in my EGO string trimmer and trim around the whole yard. I like the fact that I can use a single source battery for each of my battery powered lawn equipment. Not sure Cobalt can compete in that regard.
Thanks for the review. For now, I'm sticking with my Deere riding mower. Big lawn area here on the property. You are correct that the running sound comparison "favors" the Kobalt. I placed my sound level meter (EXTECH Instruments 407730) in front of my desktop (iMac) in my silent office at that point in the video when you run each mower - Kobalt: 71.5 dB, EGO: 72.5 dB. The difference is really insignificant. Currently, I own two EGO products: the Snow Blower and the new Rapid load String Trimmer. I'm slowly moving away from small engine equipment. I find the build quality of the EGO products to be really good and nice looking to my personal taste. Designed from scratch as this equipment should be. If EGO brings out a riding mover in my deck width and it can run long enough to cut my three sections of lawn area, I'd be very interested.
The cut difference is not about voltage, it’s more about blade sharpness and design. The battery tech on the Ego is much better. I can go a little slower, because of the longer run time with the Ego I just bought and it still cuts as well as my old gas mower. Mine came with a 7.5 amp hour battery, and I could probably do my yard twice before charging it. I also bought the Ego weed trimmer with a 2.5 amp hour battery and it works just as well as my tried and true Echo. Although the battery ran out on the trimmer after just the front, including edging the driveway and sidewalk. I just put the heavier mower battery on it and finished the backyard. No big deal. They were both charged back up in less than 45 minutes.
This came on right after another electric lawnmower comparison video. I was doing chores around the house and all I could here was Punch your mancard! Well, you had me at mancard. lol
On electric motor general rule of thumb is voltage = RPM and current = Torque. However, the real differentiator is the battery type. Assuming both motors are brushless (that’s ideal) a lithium polymer would absolutely destroy NIMH or lithium ion or any older cadmium type battery. Li-po Have lower internal resistance, higher peak current output, and incredible run time.
The Ego motor in this case is is not brushless , they have switched to a brushless motor in there newest "Select Cut" mowers , brushless motors are usually more efficient
I am using the steel deck ego 20 inch mower with the 1000 watt brushless motor. More rugged and efficient than the plastic models. Came with 7.5 AH battery and I bought extra 7.5 AH. After an hour of mowing just swap batteries. No wait. Battery will be charged by time I discharge the other. I mow almost 2 acres. I have the self propel version, but don't use it much. I don't worry about cost. Cheaper than an exmark and get a good workout.
I got a much closer shave with the EGO than with the Cobalt... I have no face. but realistically it’s the deck/blade and gears-bearings with the motor that make a dif. Same motor would just draw more amps (if not limited.). I have the EGO 56 20” metal deck,7.5AH vs 21” needs the winglet replacement blade for recut/mulch. The deck shape under the 20” is far roomier and can recirculate/recut better as it does on the Kobalt, Stihl RMA530, Yardworx 120vdc
Just bought a 7.5 56 volt self propelled ego last Saturday. I purchased it at Home Depot for 499. The tag stated it was originally 549 but was marked down to 499.00. I also got 25 bucks off for opening a store account. All told with the 3 year warranty I paid 594 with tax. I really like so far. I was sold on its quick charge ability plus what other raved about. I have a average front yard and a big back yard. Due to weather my yard hasn’t been mowed in nearly 3 weeks. Plus it’s being over taken by Johnson grass. The grass was a good foot and half plus it was wet. The ego cut my front yard and 90 percent of the rear before the charge was depleted. I have no doubt had the grass been under normal conditions it would have done my entire property with no issues. It did bog down at times and once stopped. The construction of the mower is good and I like it so far.
I have the 80V Greenworks 21" mower. It was purchased before the Kobalt was available. I believe many would purchase based on availability. Lowes is just down the road, maybe 2 miles away. No Home Depot within 45 minutes. Purchased the Greenworks off Amazon 2+ years ago before they were charging sales tax. If it were today, I'd probably go with the Kobalt for the ease of the warranty, (local store) and my 10% military discount. :)
Cory Grimm yea but kobalt warranty is crap for power tools. Pretty much non existent. It doesn’t cover any part that can experiment wear and tear, any part that is expected to deteriorate with use, ect. Ends up including all internals and most externals.
crunch9876 I have had the kobalt for going on the 3rd season now and the batteries have been no issue. I thought I had a battery issue and they sent me 2 new batteries no questions asked. Turned out to be the charger was the reason they were only charging 2/3 full. They sent the replacement charger again no questions asked and it works perfect. I have no complaints it mows great and I definitely put it though some heavy duty mowing!
Hey guys, actually by watching another video, the problem actually isn't really the blade or anything else readily apparent. It's actually the fact it is made of plastic and it bounces all around and is easy to move up when pushing. To prevent either lower the bar height or get the metal chassis ego model. Discovered this on lawn care nut's video. It took him weeks to figure that out.
The new Kolbalt (Generation 2) mower has a 6 amp hour battery and option for self propel, so they have caught up to a point ,, the challenge with all battery electric mowers ,, is aerodynamic blade lift which cuts the grass more cleanly, increases energy use (And noise) , so in design you are forced to balance battery life verses cut quality , blade sharpness and durability plays a much bigger factor here as well .
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I just helped my parents get a Kobalt 80v trimmer with universal attachments because it does a superior job and it looks like the same philosophy applies to their mower. I explained to them how they all use the same battery so they'll get one of these when it comes time to replace the gas unit keeping them on the same power system across the board.
A few things. I’ve owned my Ego for almost 3 years in south Florida. So I use it weekly with the exception of a few weeks in Jan - Feb. it IS variable speed. When I cut St Augustine grass that is 8 inches high it definitely spools up. Also, the headlights REALLY work! Not a gimmick. Ego and Ego eco system. Hands down.
Just picked one up at end of mowing season 199.99 80 volt Max at my local lowes seen a lot of videos on this mower I liked the side by side comparison thank you I feel I made a good choice will see next year
when calculating the power and life in the batteries, go by watt-hours, not just by amp-hours to determine the total power in it. To get watt-hours, you need to multiply voltage times amperage. The EGO battery is 56v X 5ah = 280wh. where the Kobalt is 80v X 2ah = 160wh X 2 for 320wh. The watt-hour difference is only a 40 wh advantage to the Kobalt. EGO has a 7.5 ah battery avaliable , which has a total 420wh.
I bought a Cobalt 80V mower last year (2020). It came with a 5.0 amp hour battery. Charger looks different than the one in review. Cobalt battery also has 4 blue remaining charge lights. They are visible in the battery box and on the handle. Other than that, everything looks the same. I prefer steel in my mowers, especially the parts that come in contact with cutting area and discharge as my grounds have ROCKS! Thanks for doing this comparison, I enjoyed it. Possibly Cobalt saw it and revised mower? PS mine was onsale for about $250 last one. Came with 5.0 battery and charger that holds battery vertically similar to EGO in video.
Glad to read Charlie's tutorial on power being the product of voltage and amperage...something the review never learned in high school, leading to mis-correlate cutting efficacy with voltage, when the real; difference in mulching and "strays" has to do with the two DIFFERENT blade shapes. Wonder if EGO has gone to a brushless motor? If so, it gets my vote, despite the smaller wheels.
Battery amp hours don't equal run time, watt hours do assuming an equal power draw. The ego does have over double the amp hours like you stated but it does not have over double the watt hours due to the voltage difference. The 2x 2ah Kobalt batteries have a considerable amount more total energy than the single 5ah ego battery.
fwiw I own the Kobalt 80v and it's been great. However didn't know that the Ego had headlights. I know you think it's a gimmick but ever since I got into electric mowers I've been taking advantage of being able to mow in the early am before the sun comes out and not bothering the neighbors due to being electric. I live on a hill (I can walk right onto my garage roof from my front yard) and there are boulders buried in my yard and headlights would be handy for my use.
I am completely shocked by how anyone can complain about your review! It covered everything that mattered in cutting a lawn. You did a review any homeowner would want. If missing a small feature that 99% don't use hurts someone's feelings so be it. I've been debating which to get Snapper, EGo, Greenworks, and Kobalt. The Snapper was a nogo because of the bad reviews of how to get a repair if needed, they all said impossible and even the retail dealers would not touch them. Now that may change but until it does stary away! the EGO had two problems 56V and we don't have an HD card. That left the Greenworks and Kobalt both sold by Lowe"s the GW on sale was a 25" self-Propelled 60V with 4 and 2 amp battery $499.99 $200.00 off and the Kobalt self-propelled 21" with 6 amp battery for $499.00 $100.00 off. I am a fan of 2 batteries. I should say my wife is just back from Lowe"s with the Kobalt it won out because I already have a Kobalt Chain saw and a trimmer both 80V. " FROM A REPLY DOWN IN THE COMMENTS" My wife, right now is at Lowe's buying a self-propelled 80V Kobalt they have a 6amp battery now the Ego has a 7.5 amp now. We have a Lowes card so that and $100.00 off made our decision easy. I have an 80V chain saw and weed eater. More than happy with the power but one of the batteries is dead. Not uncommon with these systems as they have a circuit that will not let it charge under a certain voltage. You should store your batteries near the 75% mark and check them every month through the downtime so they don't drain too far, Charging to 100% can shorten battery life. So, if you can finish in less than a full charge you should. Lithium doesn't have a memory problem and lives longer charging from 20% to 80%. With that said if taken care of the batteries should be good for years to come as long as you keep it charged to 80% I wish I knew the charger cut off point but it does have one. I should say I am a victim of this low voltage problem but it is neither Kobalts nor Lowe's fault at least not much their fault. It could be explained in the manual then it would be all our fault. Again, thank you for a review that did more than just say what you think but had visual proof.
Wrong on bagging and 1/2 wrong on more power=better cut. Deck design plays a BIG roll in cut quality and even distribution of the cut grass. You DO NOT mulch or discharge grass if you have a weed problem. You DO NOT mulch or discharge grass if you have a thatch problem.
Man. Fantastic review. ***slow clap***. I bought an EGO last week for the 7.5 ah battery alone but had I seen this video before I may have got the Kobalt. You are the only one that seems unbiased.
Sounds like the additional power of the Kobalt is a nice feature. I still tend to gravitate toward the EGO with it's more sophisticated folding mechanism and the plastic deck. Reason being...I've never worn out a traditional gas mower engine. I've owned the same Toro mower for over 10 years and the steel deck is slowly rotting away with the Techumseh engine still starting on 1 pull. With that in mind I really wish the Kobalt came with a plastic/composite deck.
I'm pretty sure the differences in voltage would be the last thing which would impact the stray grass blades left by the ego. Would hate to think how bad the ryobi would be at 36v or 18v if that was the case
Bought an EGO LM2156SP, self-propelled XP Select Cut mower and returned it 2 mows later. The self-propel function is quirky and inconsistent. The lag from when you pull the bar is long, the jerkiness and sudden surges suck (you get wheelies) and the max speed is way too low. It sometimes jerked forward when I was pulling it backwards. I also find the green button/bars to start it moving are too small and too recessed. The battery life was also disappointing. I ordered the tool only and my existing 5 amp battery only got the mower through 25 minutes of mowing. I know it comes with a 7.5 amp battery, but this 5 amp battery powered my old EGO (not self-propelled) for 50 minutes. Not apples to apples, I know, but unacceptable. Bought a Honda HRX. I do love the EGO blowers, hedge clippers and snow blowers, though.
Interested in going battery for my next mower, but I'm waiting for Honda to jump into the fray before deciding. Honda has battery mowers but not yet in the U.S.
Technically both these mower have the same nominal voltage. Kobalt is marketing the fully charged open circuit voltage, 4.2v per cell, that's the MAX in the name. While EGO is marketing the industry standard nominal voltage of 3.6v per cell. They both have the same amount for cell in series. You will not see 80v under load, you'll see closer to the nominal 56v.
The true measure of battery capacity is watt hours. Each Kobalt battery is 180 wh for a total if 360. The EGO has one 420 wh battery but you can't be charging a battery while using a battery unless you buy another battery.
The capacity on the Kobalt is actually greater, you have to multiply the amp hours and voltage to get the capacity. The Kobalt has 320Wh (using both batteries) and the Ego has 280Wh. Also, maximum instantaneous power delivery is a separate spec that depends on a lot of factors (voltage, wire gauge, cooling system, motor size etc.). You can't say that the kobalt delivers more instantaneous power than the Ego just because it uses a higher voltage battery. You'd need to get those specs from the manufacturer. From what I can tell the maximum instantaneous output of the Ego is 750W, I'm not sure about the Kobalt.
@@jeffersonfjeld No, only one at a time. I think the idea was that this let's it run indefinitely as it runs for an hour and takes an hour to charge so when one dies, you just replace it with the other and put the dead one back on the charger. Ego makes a mower now that uses 2 batteries simultaneously. Not only does this increase run time but it also increases maximum power output. It comes with 2x5ah batteries but supports up to 2x7.5ah batteries.
The headlights on the EGO are not light activated. You have to press the headlight indicator on back of the mower head (battery compartment), to turn them on. Press it again and they turn off.
A few things, so the Ego has a 56Volt 5Amp Hour Battery or 280 Watt Hours and the Kobalt has 2x 80Volt 2Amp Hour batteries (160 Watt Hours each) for a total of 320 Watt Hours. So technically the 2 Kobalt batteries have more capacity then the 1 Ego battery. Also a higher voltage does NOT necessary mean it will have more power (as in spin faster or more torque). With Brushless motors (like the Kobalt) the frequency (Hz) of the speed controller, voltage and the amount of windings determine the torque and speed. So you can have a mower with a lower voltage and more speed/torque, but a higher voltage system can also be more Efficient also due to lower switching frequency. On a brushed motor like the Ego the number of windings on the motor and voltage determine the speed, and you can put a speed controller on a brushed motor but it will not be nearly as efficient as a brushless system (a lot more energy wasted to heat in a brushed system). Not to mention the brushed motor doesn't last as long (because it has brushes) and it weighs more. Back to the mowers I do like the extra conveniences of the Ego but wish it was Brushless (I'm sure one day...)
In reality, the EGO's 5 amp battery slightly outlasts the 2 Kobalt batteries combined. That's not a huge surprise, as the EGO simply is not as powerful, which was the deciding factor for me. And you are correct that higher voltage does not necessarily equal more power (as I noted in the review), but *generally speaking* higher voltage power tools are stronger.
That is precisely why we need 'hands-on', practical & technical reviews of these machines, as well as thorough reviews of the batteries & chargers! thanks carlos
So just to be sure I understand ... the fact that Kobalt has a higher 80v battery AND brushless motor SHOULD mean that it has faster blade spin and torque, right?
Greg Klein Yes. Your understanding is correct. There are a lot of people saying EGO is more powerful, but as Carlos mentioned, Kobalt has bigger combined battery capacity. Brushed motor making more power and lasting longer with smaller battery is simply IMPOSSIBLE.
Got an Ego last year, and I like it a lot, but I agree that it does leave "stragglers" and doesn't pick up some debris very well. So, I bought the high-lift blade, and it really makes a difference - fewer stragglers and better debris pickup. Ego should have this blade as their standard blade.
My update for fellow followers. I am hooked on the 80v Kobalt. One, my mower has taken me away from gas for ever. But being able to use the same batteries in my new blower and edger? Priceless. It's funny, I normally eschew any product ecosystem, but Kobalt has it right. This really works for me. Just sayin... and I have no relationship with Lowes other than loving this product.
I purchased Kobalt and after using it for over a month I watched this video again, your observations are spot on, great review. Bottom line, 80 volts is more powerful where it counts. Run time is irrelevant with fast charging and multiple battery setup, full stop. Get Kobalt and start mowing, you want pretty toys, go play with Ken and Barbie.
I just bought the Kobalt 80v after watching your review, I got it for $383 with tax. SO after using today I really like its heavy frame but easy to push in my yard which has lots of hills, and large ditch in front of my home that I usually get with a weed eater no weed eater today. But batteries only lasted me around 20 minutes at a time but my grass was a bit high and leaves in parts of yard kept mower on high 98% of the time. My yard 1/2 acre took about 4 full charges and less than half of fifth, and batteries charged in exactly 30 minutes each time. But I'm very happy with it, WAY WAY better than messing with my gas riding mower which I always have to pump up tires, and jump it off, and fill with gas LOL. also, one last thing this mower cut great and was a beast on everything in the yard it never bogged down in wet leaves or limbs I just ran over everything.
A little follow up. So I bought the 80v trimmer also now, and we had a lot of rain this past week. So grass has grown some with flower things and such. Used trimmer, and mower to cut grass, and only used 2 full batteries and 1 bar from third not bad, and mower ran at a lower speed more this time. grass looks great.
Um.. Each mower energy capacity can be estimated by the nameplate available energy stored. Green one: 5ah x 56 v = 280 watt hours. The blue one: is 2 x 2ah x 80 v. = 320 watt hours. So they are pretty close in nameplate capacity. The actual delivered energy in operation depends on how low in voltage each can go before it must recharge, something we don't know.
I was sold on the. EGO blower. The biggest one. Thus the mower using the same battery was perfect for me. The grooves in the lawn bother me more than the stragglers. I mow one direction one week and another the next. Then diagonal after that. I will be getting the powerhead next.
Bought the Kobalt a couple years ago for $450 to replace a broken gas mower, it's been a pleasure to use. Gets the job done on my ~4315 sq. ft. yard! The batteries charge very quickly, so when one dies on me, I swap it out and it charges in 20-30 minutes while I use the other one.
The nice thing about two smaller batteries vs one big one: One can be charging while using the other to significantly increase run time; You aren't suddenly dead in the water when your one battery dies; Smaller batteries are cheaper to replace; When using battery in other compatible tools like their weed wacker, the smaller battery is much lighter.
This is my second Kobalt within less than 2 years.Let me say I do love the way it cuts, and wish it was self propelled. Anyway, the first one didn’t last but for few months. Problem was battery and some other mechanical issues I do not know. So Lowe’s gave me a new one - or their subcontractor did. Now I was just about to use it. And, as soon as I put the battery in the mower came on automatically then wouldn’t stopped until I took it out. I have tried this several times with same results. Now, I left battery in and bathe motor or battery just ticking away. This time I’m not sure if the machine dies again or is this some sign the battery needs replacing. I do not know how long the battery should last. I will have to check with lows.
I can confirm the ego is variable-speed I used it this weekend and looking at this review and it's variable speed in that once he gets into thicker brush your grass or larger brush you can hear the motor spin up faster. So basically it's load induced variable speed. Great review by the way
His getting stray uncut grass with the EGO is probably a sign he was walking too fast relative to the spinning speed of the blade. Maybe the EGO is not designed to be pushed as fast the the Kobalt? It's just a guess. I don't own either mower.
One thing you should mention is that generally speaking mowers aren't the sole lawn care tool Typically you would have a string trimmer and a blower to complete your lawn maintenance routine. Those other tools could be battery powered also, and if they are then there is a benefit to all the tools using the same batteries. I have three batteries since I have three tools and I swap the batteries between them. They fast charge and I've never ran out of batteries (I cut about an acre). When buying a mower it is wise to consider other tools you might purchase in the future. I purchased a battery powered mower and was so pleased with it I went all in and got the battery powered string trimmer and the blower even though I had working gas tools and I've never looked back (I'm at the end of my 2nd grass cutting season).
Correct. Probably not a deciding factor in choosing a mower unless you already own other EGO or Kobalt accessories. This wasn't an issue for me because I'm still rocking a Ryobi 18v trimmer and blower and the Li-ion batteries are still holding up great after 6 seasons!
Do yourself a favor and get the Kobalt 80V blower. The Ryobi 18V blowers a great tool for cleaning out a garage or other light jobs, but as an actual leaf blower it’s pretty anemic. The 80V kobalt on the other hand rocks. I’ve got both and while they both get used a lot, the 80V is way more capable.
+Punch Your Mancard - thanks for this useful video, good to know you were not influenced by previous purchases (you might consider including that bit of info in your next review video, if applicable) I would love a more in-depth comparison of the batteries, if possible - I've heard that the construction of the Ego battery pack & charger is of a very high standard, no idea about the Kobalt 80V, though?
Great review, looking to buy the Kobalt 499 self propelled model. One thing that makes me lean Kobalt is 5yr warranty/3 yr on battery and can take it to any Lowes locally, no hassle replacement efund. Hard to beat that.
Life Coach Landry I have had the worst experience trying to return anything Kobalt. They always make it a pita. Also, I am pretty sure they have battery issues unlike ego. I have never ever had anything go wrong with anything ego I have. And I have so many of their tools including their snow blower. Invest in the ego platform and you won't regret it!
Life Coach Landry just letting you know you can take any ego product back to Home Depot and you can get it serviced or returned because ego is sold at Home Depot almost exclusively
Agree with Kobalts bettery return issues. My exwife works for lowes and told me they don't warranty the batteries there, they refer you to a subcontractor that distributes their batteries. The process is in a fact a pita. I was told to stay away from anything kobalt battery related power tools.
What makes the battery technology superior in the Ego? Aren't they both using 18650 cells and presumably a BMS? It's not like one is liquid cooled. Is Ego capping the bottom and top ends for managing battery longevity??
I've had a Kobalt for a couple of years now and love the 1.2kw motor, the reliability, instant start and the fact I don't need petrol(gas) any more. I purchased a 4 amphr battery for it and can mow the entire lawn now.
I just bought the 80v blower so I would probably go with the Kobalt self propelled mower. The blower is heavy to work with. I wish they had put a second handle on it to use it with 2 hands. I am a little tired of dealing with trying to start a gas mower.
The mulching performance is a deck issue, it likely has an area where the clippings collect underneath the deck, and then fall out when enough builds up
I'm finding the opposite now in Apr of 2020 in the price category. Lowe's is selling the kobalt 80v push mower for $499. I bought the Ego lm2101 yesterday at ACE for $399. which was $10 off the regular price of $409.
EGO or its parent company Chevron makes some of the Kobalt power tools so I wonder if they make this mower too. Now that EGO is coming to Lowes I wonder if it will impact the Kobalt line. Plus as many have said when you pick a mower many are thinking of other tools from the same line because of batteries etc. I also use the mower battery in my EGO power station. Batteries cost a fortune and only having one use for them doesn't make much sense to me. Of course everyone's needs are different.
The difference between this review and the one that preceded it (see below) in the autoload chain (Thanks, RUclips!) is like night and day. The other two guys were being sponsored by EGO, so there's no mystery as to how they could afford to produce their silly little review. But I can't help but wonder how this guy managed to get his hands on both mowers at the same time and how he was able to be so remarkably thorough. Maybe it's just a strange passion, in which case more power to him, although I'm not sure whether we would be meting that out in volts or amps. Here's the other review, the lame one. - ruclips.net/video/aOa1t6grTC0/видео.html
Thanks! When I first started researching these mowers, I found a LOT of reviews sponsored by EGO. They are way more savvy than Kobalt (Lowes) at marketing their product. I was in the market for a mower so I just bought both of them and took advantage of HD/Lowes generous return policies. Kept the Kobalt and returned the EGO. HD didn't give me a hard time at all on the return.
I saw the other video first and thought, "What a joke." Punch Your Mancard - Nice job and Thank you. I have the Kobalt 80v weedeater and will probably buy this because I'll have the same batteries. The weedeater has sort of changed my mind about battery operated equipment.
I just bought and used that weed eater today, love it!!! I am right there with you on the mower as well. Now I don't feel like dealing with the issues of a gas mower especially in the spring when its been sitting all winter. I actually was having fun weed eating probably because I wasn't frustrated trying to start the gas one.
First, shout out to David Saphra, who I know from another world (early music). I'm reeling (to use a mowing term) at running across you randomly on a youtube mowing forum. Second, thanks for the comments everyone, and the review. I was poised to buy an Ego but am now considering the Kobalt, even though it seems to be currently $50 more.
J.D. Williams l
I picked up the Kobalt 40volt 20 inch pusher for $179! I went ahead and bought a wire trimmer and blower to have another battery and charge and still under $400 total. That little gem took car of my yard on less than a full charge with 1/2 the voltage of the newer model you tested. My lawn at a cut of 2 inches looked like a golf green. It also looks like they did their homework on battery maintenance. If when during the off season and the battery drops below recommended storage voltage, they go into a sleep mode. The charger will then facilitate a special recovery which the instructions say takes 20 hours and you are good to go. Do not store the batteries on the charger and unplug the charger when not in use. I expect good life out of the batteries as there is a three year warranty on the batteries and a five year on the mower itself. Very happy so far.
Lightweight is good and what did I use it for it’s a lawnmower ruclips.net/user/postUgkxTPN04aT-Qdjr_KS3ql7ng8wnU3wwsCqk also recommend Yes it is lightweight so hence not as robust as our old one. But if you take care it does the job really well.
Hi all, AMAZED by the number of comments. Here's a quick update to respond to some of the most frequent comments.....
1. THE LIGHT SWITCH! Sorry I missed it. That covers about half the comments.
2. All the nerdy discussion about amps vs volts vs "power" etc... Look - that's why I actually bought both mowers and tested them out. I was extremely unbiased. I took pains to keep the cut height as similar as possible. The bottom line is that the Kobalt 80v IS more powerful than the Ego 56v. And the Kobalt left fewer stragglers.
3. To those who say "well, that's because of EGO's blade, or its plastic deck" it doesn't matter WHY the cut isn't as good - it just isn't as good. As for the suggestion that I wouldn't have so many stragglers if I dropped the cutting the height - that's likely true. I also wouldn't have as healthy a lawn, and I'd be mowing more frequently.
4. Regarding me being "sponsored" by Kobalt - I wish. Seriously, Kobalt if you're listening send me some free tools or something. Do you really think a sponsored video but we with a shaky handheld iPhone?! I'm just a guy who actually wanted to know which of these mowers was better, and I told you what I found. But, these comments are a perfect example of EGO's promotion efforts. I'm not even sure some of the pro-EGO comments are by real people.
5. After 2 years, I still love the Kobalt. Zero issues. Batteries holding up just the same as originally.
Ok - I think that covers about half the comments! Glad many of you enjoyed the review.
Punch Your Mancard c
You couldn't have said it better.Thanks for the vid.
Can you please make a comment about the vacuum how well it sends the grass to the bag ... waiting for you thanks 🙏🏼
Thank you for this comment and review. I'm looking at Kobalt, Ego, and Greenworks Pro *right now* and your note about the batteries being good two years later may be the deciding factor for me (along with the mulching quality).
Those who reply with "your sponsored" or actually ignorantly tell you lower your cut are EGO fanboy's that are sad they've purchased an expensive mower that doesn't cut as good as its cost. There are many cheaper mowers that cut just as good and if not much better as you've shown. Good job!
I purchased the 80v Kobalt about 6 weeks ago. No question, this is the best walk-behind mower I have ever owned. With the two included batteries, continuous mowing (all day, if you want) is possible because a depleted battery will fully recharge in the time it takes to run the other one down. Just swap & go.
I purchased the Kobalt a week ago and love it. I have the newer model and it’s very quiet. It leaves nice stripes, purchased it for about 570. Only came with 1 battery now. I charged it once, mowed my entire yard double cutting it. I left it sit a week without charging, then double cut my yard again. Now the battery is low enough to charge for next week
This is my 4th year with Kobalt 80 volt mower. Some important considerations for those who are concerned about battery life and performance: The batteries are holding strong but my mower (earlier model) came with lower capacity dual battery pack. There are some important rules when using any lithium ion based device (regardless if it is an Electric Vehicle, power tool, or cellphone); I try to avoid depleting the battery completely and swap the battery out after emptying the mower bag twice (by this time I need to stop and get a sip of water anyway) even if there's still some charge left in the battery I swap it out, and continue mowing with a fresh battery pack while the used one is charging/topping off. Avoiding complete discharge minimizes battery damage, and prolongs their life. Typical Lithium ION batteries last about 200-300 charge cycles. If you mow your lawn 30 times per year using the same battery, that translates into 7-10 years of battery life.
As for PERFORMANCE, 80 volts is as powerful as my gas mower, or at least I can say this; I've not had any situation where I regretted having 80 volt over any gas mowers I've owned in the past.
Thank you for the tips
I've bought Total's Cordless Hedge Trimmer and Cordless Grass Trimmer
Will get a reciprocating saw and leaf blower next, both will be cordless too
As for the lawnmower, if the cordless one still too expensive, I might get a 4-stroke gas version.
I work as a school gardener cum cleaner by the way.
@@kaizenomnibiz5383 I'm not familiar with Total brand cordless tools, so I can't comment on that, but if you go with a more common brand you may have better chance finding replacement and OEM battery. And if you have a spare battery on hand, avoid completely discharging the primary battery, keep swapping, I assure you will be "TOTALLY" happy :-) I love the 80V string trimmer, so much torque on that thing, never going back to gas, no more yanking and yanking and wanking the trimmer cord till it turns on. ;-)
We have had the EGO 21" 56V self-propelled mower over 1 year now and we absolutely love the EGO. We bag always and it actually vacuums our oak tree leaves off the lawn while cutting the grass. A note if you have a EGO blower or other equipment, the smaller amp hour batteries will fit into the mower and run the mower making a nice backup battery. We really love the EGO mower!
I love my Ego Battery Mower. I have the 21 inch self propelled model. The motor is just as powerful as a gas mower and I was pleasantly surprised how it evicerated the tall high wet grass in my front and back yard. The rapid charger charged my battery in under an hour. My ego cut my grass with little to no issue and my lawn looked great. I recommend the Ego.
Just started my 3rd year with Ego - just had a problem with the self propelled feature which was fixed at home depot - and covered by the 5 yr warranty. I consider this one of the best investments I've ever made based on functionality and quality. Well worth the extra cost vs. gas engine. The reviewers comment the mower operates a one speed is incorrect. It does increase speed with higher grass. And the battery performance remains about the same as the day I purchased.
I have the Ego 7.5 56V, and I couldn't be happier with it.
We bought the 40v version 2 seasons ago. I love the push button start and couldn't be happier with the results. We also have the 40v blower which does quite well. I can usually mow the entire lawn on a single charge. If not, I use the 3 amp battery that came with the blower and it's done. My wishlist for optional accessories would be a compatible "High Lift" and/or "Mulching" blade.
I've bought my 40 v Kolbalt in 2011 a it's 2023 and it's still runs and cuts with no problems. I just bought into the EGO system because they have more tools options I like. Both are great mowers.
Bought the Ego 2101. $399. Favorite mower ever. Sounds like a fan on high. Cuts fine
That was doesn't come out for the next 80 years how did you get that?
I just bought a 2020 Kobalt and I cant say enough good things about it.
Same. The thing is amazing! I also love that I can exchange batteries between it and my chainsaw and weed eater.
@@rwplm the ego can use its battery on all their ODPE as well
@@jacksmith2315
Oh, I know that. I'm just saying how much I love the benefits of battery powered equipment. I'm just personally more fond of Kobalt.
I've never seen a direct comparison between the NEW 2020 EGO 56V mower vs. the NEW TORO 60V mower. Now THAT would be a good video to have as a review!
Thank you! Final a head-to-head comparison! I think you are the first. I have a EGO.
Great review! I got a Kobalt 40V mower open box with battery and charger (but not the bagger or chute) for $100. I had no intention on buying an electric mower, but I couldn't pass it up at that price. It does very well. So much lighter and quieter than a gas mower. I get the yard done in less time than I did with the gas mower, and I don't smell like exhaust after mowing the yard.
Nice job on the review. Sadly I just bought a EGO few days ago, wish I new about coupons that was mention. Yes, I'm gonna try the lowest setting next time to see what happens, mean while, I'm just happy to be done with gas mowers that breaks down every other summer if not every summer.
I bought the EGO a few months ago and I noticed the issue you mentioned but if I used it on three or lower it didn't happen. Plus it really can take a beating. The reason I bought it is the battery on our aged John Deere was dead and it was in for service. I went online and found the EGO and it's good ratings. I cut the grass for our community(it's about an acre) and the EGO did a great job. The charging time gave me a break to eat lunch and cool down. I charged it twice because the grass was about ten inches tall as we were away for two and a half weeks(no sub). The lower the setting the better the cut IMHO.
There is a switch for the headlights.
another video shows the handle height made a difference in cutting efficiency. Higher settings resulted in 'lifting' the front wheels resulting in missed patches. Lower handle setting kept the front wheels on the ground. Lower cutting setting would help as well
I have used the EGO and I can tell you it is awesome. The battery lasts a long time even when cutting high grass and I never lost power throughout the entire cutting. Also, the battery, from dead to fully charged, only took around 30 min. I honestly thought my Dad was wasting his money on an electric lawn mower when he told me he bought the EGO. I was completely wrong! I have a Troy Built Brigs and Stratton mower that eats grass for breakfast but I would be more than willing to use my Dads' Ego on my yard instead!
For how long does the EGO run before running out of battery? Thanks.
I get about 1 hour and 15 mins no matter the terrain. How much ground you cover depends how fast you mow. I dont use the self propelled a lot to save battery. You can get over an acre cut on it.
Are you mowing short grass? I tried in 60 degree weather and the machine on regular blade and 5.0 amps ran out of juice in 30 minutes (20 if on lift blade to mulch). It was 40-45 minutes on regular vs 30 minutes high lift blade on 7.5 amp battery.
For future reference, if you drop the cut level down a notch on the Ego, you will not get the clippings/patch problem you were getting. It’s not a battery voltage issue, it’s a vacuum issue.
Is this proven ??
I'm on the fence between these two and I'm leaning towards the cobalt now. Seeing the cut is better. And that's my #1 care. Which cuts better.
Kobalt is better. Lowering the cutting height for Ego is not an apple to apple comparison. 80volt has ability to spin at heigher RPM and that is evidence of the "suctioning" the clippings into the bag. The fact that you have to lower the cutting height on EGO so the clippings are picked up is evidence of the difference in power between Kobalt and EGO.
@Jeffrey Obadal Tell me where i said voltage = power. When I said "80V has ability to spin at higher RPM..." I'm referring to a specific mower model with its most prominent feature; 80 volt) No, voltage isn't power but an important component specially when it comes to battery operated devices, hence why manufacturers of many different appliances highlight voltage first when it comes to emphasizing increased POWER of their tool. Go ahead and google it up. And joules or watts are used to measure for power in electricity. AMPERES is not power either. And allot of the folks confuse AMPERES vs AMP-Hours vs watts and watt-hour. This is a long winded discussion that I'm not going to take pages to explain.
Bottom line 80volt kobalt mower performs better and voltage of the DC motor is an important determining factor of that performance, more so than AmpHour rating of the battery on the EGO. To make crude comparison of power we will need values for I and V, and you can not determine that by looking at AmpHour rating; voltage=! power just like Amperes=! AmpHour.
@@williamdalton9850 In all reviews the EGO always beats the others out, also has been on market for couple years and have been very durable. Also can use battery in rest of tools in the line
@@travisedwards9983 Wrong! OK, that wasn't nice to say it like that. Sorry, let me try to rephrase after loading my *nice* GUI; You may be relying on info from older reviews during a time where there was no viable competition to EGO, but since then competition has caught up with their mowers exceeding original EGO (offering brushless DC motors and even higher voltage). Yes, EGO paved the way and made a reputation for itself about 5 years ago, but that was back then. And there are some "reviewers" whose channels have been subsidized by EGO. I can speak from my own personal experience, I did my research and tried several models, and my Kobalt 80v. mower has met and exceeded all my expectations and I'm not a reviewer, I don't even have a channel :P Hope this helps.
Went with the kobalt, got the blower, trimmer, and chainsaw too. All take same battery and are AMAZING quality. The fact that my local Lowe’s have everything I need including replacements for the duration of the warranty was the deciding factor. Mows great with no issues on a single charge and the blower/trimmer do an amazing job as well. Kobalt has my loyalty.
Just purchased the Kobalt 80 volt mower.. couldn't be happier.. easy setup out of the box, runs like a champ, quiet, smooth running.. and it folds in a standup position for convenient storage.. I love it!
The light switch is by the battery guage. Bought an ego, and I now LOVE to cut my lawn! Able to do a half acre on one charge, in about 45 mins. Took about 30 or less minutes to get another full charge! Got the 5.0ah and am going to invest in a 7.5ah.
I agree! I have the 7.5 amp hour batt and it's great. This test is bogus. The guys grass is in crap condition, dry strips everywhere, curved cutting. Doesn't know where the light switch is and called it a gimmick? I love cutting in the dark and it's quite enough it doesn't bother the neighbors. Mine cuts with precision row after row. E-GO for life! I have the weed Wacker and lead blower, they all rock
mike koss are the batteries for all the tools interchangeable? Still love the EGO?
Great Review! The kobalt seems like a nice value if you want only want a lawnmower. The EGO lawn care ecosystem is bar none one of the best around. Almost all of their products are best in class. :) If you get the backpack blower, you'll get the 5.0 AH battery so you can switch in and out for non-stop mowing goodness on the self-propelled model even on monster lawns over an acre if you like spending over 2 hours mowing. :) I've got the string trimmer, the blower, the 21" self-propelled lawnmower with the 7.5AH battery (Boss Hog battery) and the hedge trimmer. All beasts really.
I did notice a few stragglers when I started cutting with my E-GO last summer but I took the blade off and sharpened it and that did the trick. No more issue.
Just saw your comment Ed when I sorted for newest first, that answers my question. Glad you posted this.
I bought green one. Grass dont blow out anymore. How can I ffg fix that?Batterai done even before my lawns cut off
I too owned both of these mowers and have noticed some discrepancies in your review. I will note that I own the self propelled 7.5 ah battery model. So first off the lights do have an on off switch. Second, there is NO comparison in the way these mowers fold up. The Ego is WAY easier folding up and adjusting handle height. Third, the Ego does change speeds depending on the type of grass your mowing. In spring mine changes speeds frequently. Also the lights are ABSOLUTELY not gimmicky. Ask anyone who owns an Ego that question and they will tell you the same. In the heat of summer I mow at night a lot. It truly is a game changer in that regard. As far as battery life, my battery cuts over a half acre on one battery. Both Kobalt batteries can't do that combined. Yes the Kobalt does cut slightly better but that is one of the only pluses I could find. I didn't notice a noise difference. Calling the Ego a Prius is an insult. I would compare it to a Tesla. The technology is so far beyond Kobalt they shouldn't even be compared. Right now the price of the Ego and Kobalt self propelled are exactly the same so that can't be a issue anymore since they cost the same. The reason Ego reviews are so positive on RUclips is simply because their technology and features are years ahead of other mowers. If you add everything up, especially the variable speed self propelled I feel that Kobalt still has a long way to go to top Ego.
Patrick Wilmes agreed I mowed at 930pm and it was quiet enough to talk to someone walking down the street without cutting it off although I did out of courtesy. Also the lights are amazing! I didn’t miss a single blade of grass. There’s also no way the kobalt is superior. While it’s good it’s by far not superior I don’t believe.
timsgta Yes, this review is one of the only negative Ego reviews I've seen on RUclips. I agree the Kobalt is by no means a bad mower but is way behind the technology and features of the Ego
Agreed. The EGO is the Tesla of cordless mowers. The Kobalt looks like Chinese junk. Your comment/review is better than this video review. For the same price, there is NO comparison. I wouldn't even consider the Kobalt with its rust prone steel deck and crappy steel handle/folding mechanism. That design is lazy, from the dark ages back in the 70s.
Patrick Wilmes Way behind in technology? Kobalt brushless! Ego uses brushes! Think about that. Kobalt is a better product .
Nature Rules
When it comes to work that can be done with the mower the Watt hours of the battery plays a major part (or you could use Joules where one Joule is one Watt second). The Ego has a 5Ah 56V battery which is 280Wh, the Kobalt is 80V 2Ah which is 160Wh so the Ego has the edge here except for the fact the Kobalt is sold with two batteries so if you ignore the need to stop and change the battery it actually has more stored energy available. Which is best, depends on what you want but at least with the Kobalt and its smaller battery you can be changing the second battery while the first is in use.
But, the Kobalt has TWO batteries...2x160=320Wh... KOBALT IS THE WINNER‼️🇺🇸🦅😎❤️
Great review. I have the Kobalt 80v and it works great. I also have the 80v weed trimmer and leaf blower and they work pretty well too. The batteries being interchangeable is very convenient.
The Ego push mower is now $399 and the Kobalt is now $499 with a single 5ah battery. Just got the Ego. I've only cut using level of 3 and no stragglers.. this video is a couple years old so wonder if they fixed.
I just bought a 40 volt Kobalt mower. The batteries have had an upgrade. You get 1 battery on the 40 volt but it is a 5.0 amp hour battery for around 40 minutes of run time. It's almost twice the size of the batteries shown here. Nice power and the variable speed helps save power when not needed. Comes with side discharge or mulch bag for 299.00 at Lowes for the push mower and 399.00 for the self propelled.
I just picked up a self-propelled EGO last night and took it for a quick pass through the yard at 11:00 PM to test it out. The headlights are actually bright enough to see what you're doing - you could definitely mow in the dark with this mower.
Regarding the EGO's variable speed, it always ramps up when you engage it, but it never varies its speed after it's reached full speed.
I just picked up the ego as well and mowed my whole lawn after 10pm last night. Its quiet enough that it doesnt violate my city's noise ordinance and the headlights also help alot.
Great review. I too, settled on the Kobalt over the EGO. 2 years of development, and honestly, the Kobalt has separated itself even further, in my opinion.
Just bought the kobalt 80v myself. The steel deck was a big selling point for me. Came with a 5 Amp Hour battery. Probably gonna buy the matching chain saw soon.
I almost committed to E-GO because I liked the rapid reload on the weed wacker cord. I went with the Kolbalt and been buying ALL tools also. I'm very very please with the quality and PRICE of their products! Plus Lowe's gives you a military/veteran DISCOUNT.🇺🇸
Great Video!
I've had an EGO SP for 3 years. It is SO amazing. I love it. I live on a slope and have 1/2 and acre. I thought I was overpaying when I bought it-I was wrong. Not a single problem, I never maintained it, I use the same batteries for my snow blower and it cuts like a dream. I can't speak of the Kobalt, I can say the Ego is a sick, awesome, durable (I go through the fall and use it for leaves), and practical (the fold is genius).
The overpaying will be when you have to buy a battery. At that point, you'll be throwing it away and buying a different brand.
Just as you pointed at the end of your video, 2 years in and now Kobalt has 6 amp-hour 8 volt battery option and battery powered snow blower. But, what I like the most is their 80 volt string trimmer, it's insanely powerful. Occasionally I turn on MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE on the string trimmer just to have fun watching weeds and tree shoots obliterate.
TYPO: I meant to type 6 amp-hour, 80 volt, not 8 volt. Obviously.
I purchased an EGO from Home Depot, at the end of the summer last year (Sept. 2019). I mowed my yard twice before the weather turned cooler. Living in north Florida once the temp’s dip into the 60’s the grass stops growing but the weeds keep on, so every few months I’ve had to pull it out and run it over the yard. The only other battery powered mower was the Ryobi and it’s reviews proved to be substandard to the EGO for run times. First out I noticed the EGO’s cut quality was not that of the gas mower, but I contributed that to the design of the blade, it doesn’t compare to other blades that are designed for mulching. I bag my lawn because of the mixture of grass and weeds of my lawn and I don’t wish to spread the weeds. The EGO will leave a strand of grass uncut hear and there, but I’ve been very pleased with its bagging capabilities. It will fill the bag completely full. My yard is not huge by no means but I’ve been able to mow the whole yard, remove the battery but it in my EGO string trimmer and trim around the whole yard. I like the fact that I can use a single source battery for each of my battery powered lawn equipment. Not sure Cobalt can compete in that regard.
Thanks for the review. For now, I'm sticking with my Deere riding mower. Big lawn area here on the property. You are correct that the running sound comparison "favors" the Kobalt. I placed my sound level meter (EXTECH Instruments 407730) in front of my desktop (iMac) in my silent office at that point in the video when you run each mower - Kobalt: 71.5 dB, EGO: 72.5 dB. The difference is really insignificant. Currently, I own two EGO products: the Snow Blower and the new Rapid load String Trimmer. I'm slowly moving away from small engine equipment. I find the build quality of the EGO products to be really good and nice looking to my personal taste. Designed from scratch as this equipment should be. If EGO brings out a riding mover in my deck width and it can run long enough to cut my three sections of lawn area, I'd be very interested.
The cut difference is not about voltage, it’s more about blade sharpness and design. The battery tech on the Ego is much better. I can go a little slower, because of the longer run time with the Ego I just bought and it still cuts as well as my old gas mower. Mine came with a 7.5 amp hour battery, and I could probably do my yard twice before charging it. I also bought the Ego weed trimmer with a 2.5 amp hour battery and it works just as well as my tried and true Echo. Although the battery ran out on the trimmer after just the front, including edging the driveway and sidewalk. I just put the heavier mower battery on it and finished the backyard. No big deal. They were both charged back up in less than 45 minutes.
Great review. Answered all my questions and made it very clear which was the superior mower all-around. The Kobalt is the one for us. Thanks!!
This came on right after another electric lawnmower comparison video. I was doing chores around the house and all I could here was Punch your mancard! Well, you had me at mancard. lol
I got the 80v blower the batters are the same as the mower and charges super fast!! Love your review ❤
On electric motor general rule of thumb is voltage = RPM and current = Torque. However, the real differentiator is the battery type. Assuming both motors are brushless (that’s ideal) a lithium polymer would absolutely destroy NIMH or lithium ion or any older cadmium type battery. Li-po Have lower internal resistance, higher peak current output, and incredible run time.
The Ego motor in this case is is not brushless , they have switched to a brushless motor in there newest "Select Cut" mowers , brushless motors are usually more efficient
I am using the steel deck ego 20 inch mower with the 1000 watt brushless motor. More rugged and efficient than the plastic models. Came with 7.5 AH battery and I bought extra 7.5 AH. After an hour of mowing just swap batteries. No wait. Battery will be charged by time I discharge the other. I mow almost 2 acres. I have the self propel version, but don't use it much. I don't worry about cost. Cheaper than an exmark and get a good workout.
I got a much closer shave with the EGO than with the Cobalt... I have no face. but realistically it’s the deck/blade and gears-bearings with the motor that make a dif. Same motor would just draw more amps (if not limited.). I have the EGO 56 20” metal deck,7.5AH vs 21” needs the winglet replacement blade for recut/mulch. The deck shape under the 20” is far roomier and can recirculate/recut better as it does on the Kobalt, Stihl RMA530, Yardworx 120vdc
Just bought a 7.5 56 volt self propelled ego last Saturday. I purchased it at Home Depot for 499. The tag stated it was originally 549 but was marked down to 499.00. I also got 25 bucks off for opening a store account. All told with the 3 year warranty I paid 594 with tax. I really like so far. I was sold on its quick charge ability plus what other raved about. I have a average front yard and a big back yard. Due to weather my yard hasn’t been mowed in nearly 3 weeks. Plus it’s being over taken by Johnson grass. The grass was a good foot and half plus it was wet. The ego cut my front yard and 90 percent of the rear before the charge was depleted. I have no doubt had the grass been under normal conditions it would have done my entire property with no issues. It did bog down at times and once stopped. The construction of the mower is good and I like it so far.
I have the 80V Greenworks 21" mower. It was purchased before the Kobalt was available. I believe many would purchase based on availability. Lowes is just down the road, maybe 2 miles away. No Home Depot within 45 minutes. Purchased the Greenworks off Amazon 2+ years ago before they were charging sales tax.
If it were today, I'd probably go with the Kobalt for the ease of the warranty, (local store) and my 10% military discount. :)
Cory Grimm yea but kobalt warranty is crap for power tools. Pretty much non existent. It doesn’t cover any part that can experiment wear and tear, any part that is expected to deteriorate with use, ect. Ends up including all internals and most externals.
Cory Grimm I do believe the Kobalt is the same as the Green works, just repackaged as the Lowe's home brand. So functionally you have the same mower.
@@crunch9876 well That sucks,
@@seruresto1386 That's what I heard as well.
crunch9876 I have had the kobalt for going on the 3rd season now and the batteries have been no issue. I thought I had a battery issue and they sent me 2 new batteries no questions asked. Turned out to be the charger was the reason they were only charging 2/3 full. They sent the replacement charger again no questions asked and it works perfect. I have no complaints it mows great and I definitely put it though some heavy duty mowing!
I have the 80V Kobalt self propelled version and I absolutely love it. It will mow 1/2 acre on one battery charge.
I've got the Kobalt 80volt mower.. LOVE IT! Will never go back to a gas powered mower.
Hey guys, actually by watching another video, the problem actually isn't really the blade or anything else readily apparent. It's actually the fact it is made of plastic and it bounces all around and is easy to move up when pushing. To prevent either lower the bar height or get the metal chassis ego model. Discovered this on lawn care nut's video. It took him weeks to figure that out.
The new Kolbalt (Generation 2) mower has a 6 amp hour battery and option for self propel, so they have caught up to a point ,, the challenge with all battery electric mowers ,, is aerodynamic blade lift which cuts the grass more cleanly, increases energy use (And noise) , so in design you are forced to balance battery life verses cut quality , blade sharpness and durability plays a much bigger factor here as well .
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I just helped my parents get a Kobalt 80v trimmer with universal attachments because it does a superior job and it looks like the same philosophy applies to their mower. I explained to them how they all use the same battery so they'll get one of these when it comes time to replace the gas unit keeping them on the same power system across the board.
A few things. I’ve owned my Ego for almost 3 years in south Florida. So I use it weekly with the exception of a few weeks in Jan - Feb. it IS variable speed. When I cut St Augustine grass that is 8 inches high it definitely spools up. Also, the headlights REALLY work! Not a gimmick. Ego and Ego eco system. Hands down.
I purchased the second generation Kobalt walk behind I did my research and made my decision and I only paid $300 with the 5Ah battery
Just picked one up at end of mowing season 199.99 80 volt Max at my local lowes seen a lot of videos on this mower I liked the side by side comparison thank you I feel I made a good choice will see next year
when calculating the power and life in the batteries, go by watt-hours, not just by amp-hours to determine the total power in it. To get watt-hours, you need to multiply voltage times amperage. The EGO battery is 56v X 5ah = 280wh. where the Kobalt is 80v X 2ah = 160wh X 2 for 320wh. The watt-hour difference is only a 40 wh advantage to the Kobalt. EGO has a 7.5 ah battery avaliable , which has a total 420wh.
I bought a Cobalt 80V mower last year (2020). It came with a 5.0 amp hour battery. Charger looks different than the one in review. Cobalt battery also has 4 blue remaining charge lights. They are visible in the battery box and on the handle. Other than that, everything looks the same. I prefer steel in my mowers, especially the parts that come in contact with cutting area and discharge as my grounds have ROCKS!
Thanks for doing this comparison, I enjoyed it. Possibly Cobalt saw it and revised mower? PS mine was onsale for about $250 last one. Came with 5.0 battery and charger that holds battery vertically similar to EGO in video.
Glad to read Charlie's tutorial on power being the product of voltage and amperage...something the review never learned in high school, leading to mis-correlate cutting efficacy with voltage, when the real; difference in mulching and "strays" has to do with the two DIFFERENT blade shapes. Wonder if EGO has gone to a brushless motor? If so, it gets my vote, despite the smaller wheels.
Battery amp hours don't equal run time, watt hours do assuming an equal power draw. The ego does have over double the amp hours like you stated but it does not have over double the watt hours due to the voltage difference. The 2x 2ah Kobalt batteries have a considerable amount more total energy than the single 5ah ego battery.
I love my 80v 6ah Battery. Charges well and can do front and back yard on one charge.
fwiw I own the Kobalt 80v and it's been great. However didn't know that the Ego had headlights. I know you think it's a gimmick but ever since I got into electric mowers I've been taking advantage of being able to mow in the early am before the sun comes out and not bothering the neighbors due to being electric. I live on a hill (I can walk right onto my garage roof from my front yard) and there are boulders buried in my yard and headlights would be handy for my use.
Have you considered using a battery powered LED floodlight and some 3m sticky to add your own headlights?
I am completely shocked by how anyone can complain about your review! It covered everything that mattered in cutting a lawn. You did a review any homeowner would want. If missing a small feature that 99% don't use hurts someone's feelings so be it. I've been debating which to get Snapper, EGo, Greenworks, and Kobalt. The Snapper was a nogo because of the bad reviews of how to get a repair if needed, they all said impossible and even the retail dealers would not touch them. Now that may change but until it does stary away! the EGO had two problems 56V and we don't have an HD card. That left the Greenworks and Kobalt both sold by Lowe"s the GW on sale was a 25" self-Propelled 60V with 4 and 2 amp battery $499.99 $200.00 off and the Kobalt self-propelled 21" with 6 amp battery for $499.00 $100.00 off. I am a fan of 2 batteries. I should say my wife is just back from Lowe"s with the Kobalt it won out because I already have a Kobalt Chain saw and a trimmer both 80V. " FROM A REPLY DOWN IN THE COMMENTS" My wife, right now is at Lowe's buying a self-propelled 80V Kobalt they have a 6amp battery now the Ego has a 7.5 amp now. We have a Lowes card so that and $100.00 off made our decision easy. I have an 80V chain saw and weed eater. More than happy with the power but one of the batteries is dead. Not uncommon with these systems as they have a circuit that will not let it charge under a certain voltage. You should store your batteries near the 75% mark and check them every month through the downtime so they don't drain too far, Charging to 100% can shorten battery life. So, if you can finish in less than a full charge you should. Lithium doesn't have a memory problem and lives longer charging from 20% to 80%. With that said if taken care of the batteries should be good for years to come as long as you keep it charged to 80% I wish I knew the charger cut off point but it does have one. I should say I am a victim of this low voltage problem but it is neither Kobalts nor Lowe's fault at least not much their fault. It could be explained in the manual then it would be all our fault. Again, thank you for a review that did more than just say what you think but had visual proof.
Wrong on bagging and 1/2 wrong on more power=better cut.
Deck design plays a BIG roll in cut quality and even distribution of the cut grass.
You DO NOT mulch or discharge grass if you have a weed problem.
You DO NOT mulch or discharge grass if you have a thatch problem.
Mulching grass does not contribute to thatch
Man. Fantastic review. ***slow clap***. I bought an EGO last week for the 7.5 ah battery alone but had I seen this video before I may have got the Kobalt. You are the only one that seems unbiased.
Sounds like the additional power of the Kobalt is a nice feature. I still tend to gravitate toward the EGO with it's more sophisticated folding mechanism and the plastic deck. Reason being...I've never worn out a traditional gas mower engine. I've owned the same Toro mower for over 10 years and the steel deck is slowly rotting away with the Techumseh engine still starting on 1 pull. With that in mind I really wish the Kobalt came with a plastic/composite deck.
I'm pretty sure the differences in voltage would be the last thing which would impact the stray grass blades left by the ego. Would hate to think how bad the ryobi would be at 36v or 18v if that was the case
Jif 99 yea voltage is pretty irrelevant.
Bought an EGO LM2156SP, self-propelled XP Select Cut mower and returned it 2 mows later.
The self-propel function is quirky and inconsistent. The lag from when you pull the bar is long, the jerkiness and sudden surges suck (you get wheelies) and the max speed is way too low. It sometimes jerked forward when I was pulling it backwards. I also find the green button/bars to start it moving are too small and too recessed.
The battery life was also disappointing. I ordered the tool only and my existing 5 amp battery only got the mower through 25 minutes of mowing. I know it comes with a 7.5 amp battery, but this 5 amp battery powered my old EGO (not self-propelled) for 50 minutes. Not apples to apples, I know, but unacceptable.
Bought a Honda HRX.
I do love the EGO blowers, hedge clippers and snow blowers, though.
Interested in going battery for my next mower, but I'm waiting for Honda to jump into the fray before deciding. Honda has battery mowers but not yet in the U.S.
Technically both these mower have the same nominal voltage. Kobalt is marketing the fully charged open circuit voltage, 4.2v per cell, that's the MAX in the name. While EGO is marketing the industry standard nominal voltage of 3.6v per cell. They both have the same amount for cell in series.
You will not see 80v under load, you'll see closer to the nominal 56v.
The true measure of battery capacity is watt hours. Each Kobalt battery is 180 wh for a total if 360. The EGO has one 420 wh battery but you can't be charging a battery while using a battery unless you buy another battery.
The capacity on the Kobalt is actually greater, you have to multiply the amp hours and voltage to get the capacity. The Kobalt has 320Wh (using both batteries) and the Ego has 280Wh. Also, maximum instantaneous power delivery is a separate spec that depends on a lot of factors (voltage, wire gauge, cooling system, motor size etc.). You can't say that the kobalt delivers more instantaneous power than the Ego just because it uses a higher voltage battery. You'd need to get those specs from the manufacturer. From what I can tell the maximum instantaneous output of the Ego is 750W, I'm not sure about the Kobalt.
So you can use both batteries at once? If so that may change my opinion.
@@jeffersonfjeld No, only one at a time. I think the idea was that this let's it run indefinitely as it runs for an hour and takes an hour to charge so when one dies, you just replace it with the other and put the dead one back on the charger. Ego makes a mower now that uses 2 batteries simultaneously. Not only does this increase run time but it also increases maximum power output. It comes with 2x5ah batteries but supports up to 2x7.5ah batteries.
The headlights on the EGO are not light activated. You have to press the headlight indicator on back of the mower head (battery compartment), to turn them on. Press it again and they turn off.
Good review! Thanks for taking the time to talk through the differences
A few things, so the Ego has a 56Volt 5Amp Hour Battery or 280 Watt Hours and the Kobalt has 2x 80Volt 2Amp Hour batteries (160 Watt Hours each) for a total of 320 Watt Hours. So technically the 2 Kobalt batteries have more capacity then the 1 Ego battery. Also a higher voltage does NOT necessary mean it will have more power (as in spin faster or more torque). With Brushless motors (like the Kobalt) the frequency (Hz) of the speed controller, voltage and the amount of windings determine the torque and speed. So you can have a mower with a lower voltage and more speed/torque, but a higher voltage system can also be more Efficient also due to lower switching frequency. On a brushed motor like the Ego the number of windings on the motor and voltage determine the speed, and you can put a speed controller on a brushed motor but it will not be nearly as efficient as a brushless system (a lot more energy wasted to heat in a brushed system). Not to mention the brushed motor doesn't last as long (because it has brushes) and it weighs more. Back to the mowers I do like the extra conveniences of the Ego but wish it was Brushless (I'm sure one day...)
In reality, the EGO's 5 amp battery slightly outlasts the 2 Kobalt batteries combined. That's not a huge surprise, as the EGO simply is not as powerful, which was the deciding factor for me. And you are correct that higher voltage does not necessarily equal more power (as I noted in the review), but *generally speaking* higher voltage power tools are stronger.
That is precisely why we need 'hands-on', practical & technical reviews of these machines, as well as thorough reviews of the batteries & chargers! thanks carlos
+ rjw - ...and of course, as unbiased as possible
So just to be sure I understand ... the fact that Kobalt has a higher 80v battery AND brushless motor SHOULD mean that it has faster blade spin and torque, right?
Greg Klein
Yes. Your understanding is correct.
There are a lot of people saying EGO is more powerful, but as Carlos mentioned, Kobalt has bigger combined battery capacity.
Brushed motor making more power and lasting longer with smaller battery is simply IMPOSSIBLE.
Got an Ego last year, and I like it a lot, but I agree that it does leave "stragglers" and doesn't pick up some debris very well. So, I bought the high-lift blade, and it really makes a difference - fewer stragglers and better debris pickup. Ego should have this blade as their standard blade.
My update for fellow followers. I am hooked on the 80v Kobalt. One, my mower has taken me away from gas for ever. But being able to use the same batteries in my new blower and edger? Priceless. It's funny, I normally eschew any product ecosystem, but Kobalt has it right. This really works for me. Just sayin... and I have no relationship with Lowes other than loving this product.
Just bought a second 80-volt Kobalt. It's self-propelled. Got tired of loaning mine to my sister, so she gets my "old" one. So much easier than gas.
Good to Hear!! I just brought the 80-volt Kobalt this Fall, just unboxed it this past weekend.
Hoping to have good luck with mine.
I purchased Kobalt and after using it for over a month I watched this video again, your observations are spot on, great review. Bottom line, 80 volts is more powerful where it counts. Run time is irrelevant with fast charging and multiple battery setup, full stop. Get Kobalt and start mowing, you want pretty toys, go play with Ken and Barbie.
I just bought the Kobalt 80v after watching your review, I got it for $383 with tax. SO after using today I really like its heavy frame but easy to push in my yard which has lots of hills, and large ditch in front of my home that I usually get with a weed eater no weed eater today. But batteries only lasted me around 20 minutes at a time but my grass was a bit high and leaves in parts of yard kept mower on high 98% of the time. My yard 1/2 acre took about 4 full charges and less than half of fifth, and batteries charged in exactly 30 minutes each time. But I'm very happy with it, WAY WAY better than messing with my gas riding mower which I always have to pump up tires, and jump it off, and fill with gas LOL. also, one last thing this mower cut great and was a beast on everything in the yard it never bogged down in wet leaves or limbs I just ran over everything.
A little follow up. So I bought the 80v trimmer also now, and we had a lot of rain this past week. So grass has grown some with flower things and such. Used trimmer, and mower to cut grass, and only used 2 full batteries and 1 bar from third not bad, and mower ran at a lower speed more this time. grass looks great.
@@Bill28120 lol should have gotten an ego!
@@jzizzles7799 Kobolt still working great
Um.. Each mower energy capacity can be estimated by the nameplate available energy stored. Green one: 5ah x 56 v = 280 watt hours. The blue one: is 2 x 2ah x 80 v. = 320 watt hours. So they are pretty close in nameplate capacity. The actual delivered energy in operation depends on how low in voltage each can go before it must recharge, something we don't know.
I was sold on the. EGO blower. The biggest one. Thus the mower using the same battery was perfect for me. The grooves in the lawn bother me more than the stragglers. I mow one direction one week and another the next. Then diagonal after that. I will be getting the powerhead next.
At 4:15 you can see the lightswitch :) it is next to the battery monitor light on the EGO housing... :)
Bought the Kobalt a couple years ago for $450 to replace a broken gas mower, it's been a pleasure to use. Gets the job done on my ~4315 sq. ft. yard! The batteries charge very quickly, so when one dies on me, I swap it out and it charges in 20-30 minutes while I use the other one.
The nice thing about two smaller batteries vs one big one: One can be charging while using the other to significantly increase run time; You aren't suddenly dead in the water when your one battery dies; Smaller batteries are cheaper to replace; When using battery in other compatible tools like their weed wacker, the smaller battery is much lighter.
Just subscribed to your channel today, I think you did an amazing job on your video, keep up the great work 👍👍💯
I love your floor in your back patio what do you call that design did you buy the house that way ?
This is my second Kobalt within less than 2 years.Let me say I do love the way it cuts, and wish it was self propelled.
Anyway, the first one didn’t last but for few months. Problem was battery and some other mechanical issues I do not know. So Lowe’s gave me a new one - or their subcontractor did.
Now I was just about to use it. And, as soon as I put the battery in the mower came on automatically then wouldn’t stopped until I took it out. I have tried this several times with same results.
Now, I left battery in and bathe motor or battery just ticking away.
This time I’m not sure if the machine dies again or is this some sign the battery needs replacing. I do not know how long the battery should last.
I will have to check with lows.
I can confirm the ego is variable-speed I used it this weekend and looking at this review and it's variable speed in that once he gets into thicker brush your grass or larger brush you can hear the motor spin up faster. So basically it's load induced variable speed. Great review by the way
rogue factor any issues with your mower so far?
I took the kobalt back 1. it did not say how much power cc /hp it had. 2. I remembered how flimsy my other kobalt tools are.
when comparing battery capacity, you have to compare watt hours if you going to compare different voltages. 2AH @80v is way more power then 2AH @ 56v
The ego is 5ah. Now it comes with a 7.5ah battery.
His getting stray uncut grass with the EGO is probably a sign he was walking too fast relative to the spinning speed of the blade. Maybe the EGO is not designed to be pushed as fast the the Kobalt? It's just a guess. I don't own either mower.
Steve W my friend has an ego and he says it has a variable speed kind of like a throttle on a gas machine. This guy didn't mention that at all
I have the kobalt
I also have no regrets it’s awesome
One thing you should mention is that generally speaking mowers aren't the sole lawn care tool Typically you would have a string trimmer and a blower to complete your lawn maintenance routine. Those other tools could be battery powered also, and if they are then there is a benefit to all the tools using the same batteries. I have three batteries since I have three tools and I swap the batteries between them. They fast charge and I've never ran out of batteries (I cut about an acre). When buying a mower it is wise to consider other tools you might purchase in the future. I purchased a battery powered mower and was so pleased with it I went all in and got the battery powered string trimmer and the blower even though I had working gas tools and I've never looked back (I'm at the end of my 2nd grass cutting season).
Correct. Probably not a deciding factor in choosing a mower unless you already own other EGO or Kobalt accessories. This wasn't an issue for me because I'm still rocking a Ryobi 18v trimmer and blower and the Li-ion batteries are still holding up great after 6 seasons!
Do yourself a favor and get the Kobalt 80V blower. The Ryobi 18V blowers a great tool for cleaning out a garage or other light jobs, but as an actual leaf blower it’s pretty anemic. The 80V kobalt on the other hand rocks. I’ve got both and while they both get used a lot, the 80V is way more capable.
+Punch Your Mancard - thanks for this useful video, good to know you were not influenced by previous purchases (you might consider including that bit of info in your next review video, if applicable) I would love a more in-depth comparison of the batteries, if possible - I've heard that the construction of the Ego battery pack & charger is of a very high standard, no idea about the Kobalt 80V, though?
Don Miller which one do u have
Great review, looking to buy the Kobalt 499 self propelled model. One thing that makes me lean Kobalt is 5yr warranty/3 yr on battery and can take it to any Lowes locally, no hassle replacement
efund. Hard to beat that.
Life Coach Landry I have had the worst experience trying to return anything Kobalt. They always make it a pita. Also, I am pretty sure they have battery issues unlike ego. I have never ever had anything go wrong with anything ego I have. And I have so many of their tools including their snow blower. Invest in the ego platform and you won't regret it!
Life Coach Landry just letting you know you can take any ego product back to Home Depot and you can get it serviced or returned because ego is sold at Home Depot almost exclusively
Agree with Kobalts bettery return issues. My exwife works for lowes and told me they don't warranty the batteries there, they refer you to a subcontractor that distributes their batteries. The process is in a fact a pita. I was told to stay away from anything kobalt battery related power tools.
Ego 5 year / 3 year warranty as well.
90 day no questions return to HD or 1 year if purchased on the HD card.
Ego battery technology is superior.
What makes the battery technology superior in the Ego? Aren't they both using 18650 cells and presumably a BMS? It's not like one is liquid cooled. Is Ego capping the bottom and top ends for managing battery longevity??
I've had a Kobalt for a couple of years now and love the 1.2kw motor, the reliability, instant start and the fact I don't need petrol(gas) any more. I purchased a 4 amphr battery for it and can mow the entire lawn now.
I just bought the 80v blower so I would probably go with the Kobalt self propelled mower. The blower is heavy to work with. I wish they had put a second handle on it to use it with 2 hands. I am a little tired of dealing with trying to start a gas mower.
The mulching performance is a deck issue, it likely has an area where the clippings collect underneath the deck, and then fall out when enough builds up
Best review I have seen on these 2 industry leading consumer cordless electric lawn mowers.
Bill industry leading? In no way is the kobalt industry leading. And I own a bunch of kobalt tools but they are more followers.
I'm finding the opposite now in Apr of 2020 in the price category. Lowe's is selling the kobalt 80v push mower for $499. I bought the Ego lm2101 yesterday at ACE for $399. which was $10 off the regular price of $409.
EGO or its parent company Chevron makes some of the Kobalt power tools so I wonder if they make this mower too. Now that EGO is coming to Lowes I wonder if it will impact the Kobalt line. Plus as many have said when you pick a mower many are thinking of other tools from the same line because of batteries etc. I also use the mower battery in my EGO power station. Batteries cost a fortune and only having one use for them doesn't make much sense to me. Of course everyone's needs are different.
Very well put together review. I learned a lot of what these battery operated devices can do.