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Greenworks Pro 80V Cordless Mower Review

It was only several years ago that gas mowers were still streets ahead of any cordless electric option that was on the market, and the limitations that often came with those cordless electric mowers put a lot of people off. They were underpowered and too restrictive in terms of runtime. Fast forward to 2018 though and cordless options have caught up! In this Greenworks Pro 80V review we’re going to introduce you to one of the models at the forefront of this revolution, and talk to you about the biggest advantages it offers, as well as some of its weaknesses to help you decide whether it’s the right mower for you and your home.

Greenworks Pro 80V Review - Specifications

ManufacturerGreenworks
Model NameGLM801600
Power SourceBattery
Cutting Width21 inches
Cutting Options3 in 1 - Mulching, Side Discharge + Rear Bagging
Cutting Heights1 3/8 - 3 3/4 inches
Self PropelNo
Weight57 lbs
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Greenworks Pro 80V Pros: What Consumers Like About this Mower

  • Runs Virtually Silently – Well, as silent as a lawn mower can be. If you’re one of those folks that are used to having to wear some sort of ear protection when it’s time to cut the grass, the Greenworks Pro 80V mower will be an absolute revelation for you. It runs very, very quietly, meaning you don’t have to harm the health of your ears or your relationships with your neighbours when you decide your lawn needs cutting
  • Light Compared to Gas Mowers – Now don’t get us wrong, if you’re used to using a low end corded electric model and you graduate to this one, you probably won’t think this is all that light, as it’ll be heavier than what you’re used to. But compared to most gas lawn mowers, the Greenworks GLM801600 is much lighter, and consequently easier to push and manage.
  • Starts Up Every Time with Push of a Button – Without a doubt, this is a big, big advantage for anyone that buys this mower. Consumers were impressed over and over again at how easily and reliably this mower starts up. You won’t be left thinking “will it, won’t it” every time you wheel it out onto the lawn, and it won’t require you to expend a lot of energy to fire the motor up either. It’s all done with a simple push of a button.
  • Quick Charging Times – One of the big changes we see in the batteries that come with the Greenworks Pro 80V, compared to the batteries that came with the cordless models of a few years ago, is the charging time. In the past, the batteries took forever to charge up, and then barely lasted long enough to mow a small lawn. But that’s definitely not the case here. A lot of consumers report that in just 30 minutes the batteries go from “dead” to fully charged. Greenworks claim that while you’re mowing with one of the batteries, the other one can be fully charged before you run out of charge. That might be stretching the truth slightly based on reports we’ve come across, but not by a whole lot. There definitely won’t be too much waiting around. Plus putting a battery on charge is a helluva lot less messy than having to faff around with smelly gasoline cans!
  • Good Runtimes – More or Less As Advertised – The combination of the runtime you get with the batteries that the Greenworks Pro 80V comes with and the fast charging times we just mentioned, makes this mower a realistic option for property owners that have larger lawns to take care of. In the past, that wouldn’t have been the case if you were thinking about buying a cordless mower. If you can stretch to it, purchasing the 4AH batteries is definitely worth the extra cost too, as not only do they offer a longer runtime, but consumers report they don’t get drained as easily in more taxing conditions, whereas quite a few people mention the 2AH batteries draining quickly if they have less than half the charge left and you are working in tougher conditions.
  • Easy to Switch Between Different Functions – You can mulch, bag or side discharge your clippings with the Greenworks Pro 80V, which is handy. It’s always nice to have different options. But most importantly, it’s super simple and fast to switch between these different options. So whether you want to collect your clippings or mulch them and leave them on your lawn to feed it, this mower has you covered.
  • It Mulches Great – A considerable number of consumers that have bought and used this mower specifically single out its ability to mulch as a real plus. It’s not just that you have the option to mulch either. It actually mulches well. It chops up clippings into really fine mulch, with very few reports of clumping and is a real improvement on most of the models that came before it, such as the 40v Twin Blade version. So if mulching is important to you, this is a good bet. But remember, you get the best of both worlds with the Pro 80V, as if you do find yourself wanting to bag one day, maybe after a vacation when the grass is a tad overgrown, you can easily switch to that option and bag your clippings.
  • Limited Maintenance Needed = Bonus – If you’re like most people, and just taking your lawn mower out of your shed or garage is a real effort, you probably don’t have much desire to commit more of your free time to maintaining it. But with other types of mowers (namely gas mowers…), you HAVE to, otherwise it’ll come back to bit you big time. It’s really just a case of giving it a wipe down after you’re done, and making sure you follow proper “protocol” when charging and storing the batteries.
  • Changing Cutting Height is a Snap – The Greenworks GLM801600 boasts a one lever system that allows you to move the cut height up and down real easy. While this isn’t something groundbreaking or even unique to this mower, it’s a handy feature nevertheless.
  • Automatically Adjusts Speed – You pay the extra money for the Greenworks Pro 80V to get smart features like this one. For a lot of people it might not be a deal breaker, but it’s another feature that helps you to squeeze every last bit out of the battery performance. Basically the mower monitors the level of resistance on the blade, and if it detects little resistance, it will slow down the speed of the mower. This means you’re not wasting power when it’s not require, but you have that power when it is needed. The benefit? You get a longer runtime out of the battery!
Greenworks Pro 80V 21-Inch 80V Push Lawn Mower, Tool Only

Greenworks Pro 80V Cons: What People Complain About

  • Rubber Matt gets Caught When Pulling Backwards – There’s a rear rubber skirt on the Greenworks Pro 80V that is tasked with protecting you from any rocks or other debris that could fly up and smack you in the face while you’re mowing. And it does its job…while you’re going forwards. The problem comes when you pull the mower backwards, towards yourself. And that’s something we all do from time to time when mowing our lawn. When doing this, the rubber “matt” has a tendency to fold back and go under the mower, and it obviously doesn’t fare well when going head to head with those blade. So you might have to pay close attention when going backwards, or you could just remove it if it bugs you, like some people have done.
  • Some of the Hardware is a Little “Cheap” – For a mower in this price range, it would have been nice to see Greenworks spend just that little bit more to upgrade the quality on some of the hardware. For example, quite a few consumers mention some parts, like the cut height adjustment lever, the plastic knobs on the handles, feel somewhat cheap and it’s pretty normal that some people expected just a little more at this price.
  • Sensors Sometimes Trigger Late – You remember that neat feature we mentioned before that adjusts mower speed according to what you’re cutting? Well IT IS a cool feature for the most part, but a small number of consumers reported the sensor triggering slightly later when they moved from an “easier” area to a thicker patch of grass on their lawn. And because it triggered late, they might have to go over that part again to fully finish it off. This might be something to think about if you’re going to be going from easy areas of grass to thicker patches very regularly.

The Bo​​​​​ttom Line

Still on the fence? Here's what we consider to be the bottom line when it comes to deciding if this mower is for you.

Ideal Match

  • Hate cables, but don’t want to deal with gas
  • Medium sized yards
  • Minimal maintenance is important

Leave It on the Shelf

  • Looking for a low cost solution
  • Overkill for very small yards

Conclusion:

As we hope you’ve gathered from this Greenworks Pro 80V review, this is a mower that has a lot to offer, and while it might not be perfect and it’s a little disappointing that Greenworks seems to have skimped on a few of the finishing touches, it’s a really good mower.

Our Rating

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Tom Greene Author Lawnmowerguru

About Tom Greene

I've always had a keen interest in lawn care as long as I can remember. Friends used to call me the "lawn mower guru" (hence the site name), but I'm anything but. I just enjoy cutting my lawn and spending time outdoors. I also love the well-deserved doughnuts and coffee afterward!

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