Thank you for this detailed review. You answered everything I needed to know. This mower won't be suitable for my needs but before watching this I was all set to buy one. Much appreciated 👍
Same here.. I wanted to like this mower so much. I wanted it to be a true commercial replacement for my Honda 537. And Makita even advertised this towards the commercial market. And one can see that in a price, sturdiness plus some features that are common on commercial grade mowers (non folding handles for example). But unfortunately the technology is simply not there yet. An electric motor of the size that can fit a mower like this and give it enough power to go through thick and wet grass while not not juicing out batteries within 15 minutes, is simply not here yet. Although I have to say that there were some manufacturers that came out with commercial battery mowers after this Makita (Milwaukee for example) have upped the anti and are more powerful than Makita. I'm gonna wait for a few more years and join the party when they actually get to the level of the gas powered mowers.. After all the industry has done it in other garden tools. I own the Makita hedge trimmer, pole hedger and chainsaw and couldn't be more satisfied. Next is the grass trimmer which is close to being an equivalent of gas machines..... Come on Makita engineers, if Milwaukee guys can do it I'm sure you can do it too.
@@zarrow50 like the guy said - check out the new battery mower from Milwaukee. This mower has without a doubt managed to over power the top level Honda..
@@zarrow50 I particularly advise you to take a look if the Milwaukee battery powered mower by Stanley the Dirt monkey. He really, really tried to bog that mower.. He didn't make it. Oh I almost forgot, the mower is 1000$. So I don't expect her being a best seller.
Very impressed! I’m planning on getting me one of these! I have a gas craftsman lawnmower and I’m frustrated because the fuel lines always get clogged up! I just want something where I can just turn on and go!
Guys this machine is a great machine I’ve had mine for almost 2 yrs no problems, this guy is nitpicking lil things, my yard is 3x the size of his, and I get it done with all 4 batteries in the bank, another thing is before you take it out of the garage or shed put all 4 batteries in, that avoids having to hold the flap up while changing batteries in your yard, believe me if you sharpen the blades it cuts even wet grass, and cuts your mowing time by a lot
Strange. I think this machine is a complete waste of money. 4 batteries for me, in my conditions get me half my yard and I don't even have 1/3 of an acre. Mowing in the summer when the grass is hardly growing this would go longer, but I'm in peak growing season now, with damp grass. It demands power and run time and this mower can't give it.
Strictly my opinion and I have used a commercial honda lawnmower for 10+ years. If you try to go through grass that high at anything other then the lowest speed you will get the same results. I’m actually quite impressed how well it handled it. If I had a lawn that high I would spend a few minutes with a weed eater first even if I had gas lawn mower or make 2 passes highest setting first and then drop it down.
Well, I tend to disagree. I own a small landscaping business and use a Honda HRX 217 mower. It's a semi commercial model but I like it over their fully commercial models cause they are significantly lighter and, (now this is strange), newest model uses a more powerful 200 cc Honda engine while the commercial models use Kawasaki or Honda 160-180cc. Again, I'm aware that the commercial model has a commercial engine on it which is sturdier, etc.. But I digress. Comparing my Honda with this Makita tells me that the battery powered mowers are still behind the gas powered ones when it comes to brute power. I have a strange set of customers who aren't interested in having beautifully cut lawns on a weekly basis. I cut their lawns every 2 weeks up to 20 days. And believe me when I tell you that the grass gets high and thick, especially during the spring. Honda just powers through this. Sometimes I bag and sometimes I discharge, but I never mulch their lawns because mulching is impossible when you're tackling 20" grass.. Of course, the benefits of battery equipment is the same as with any other tool. Maitnance is minimal compared to the gas powered mowers, there's no fumes, etc.. But the power is still not here.. But with the amount of money companies are investing into battery powered equipment, even for a commercial use, I have no doubt that in a few years we'll see that massive torque electric engines are so famous for in EV cars, in lawnmowers.. But till then I'm sticking with my trusty Honda.
@@markbrisec3972 I agree with you if that’s the type of customers grass you are cutting I would not use electric. I was going by the video clips. I’ve been using the Makita on my lawn for a couple of months now and have had no issues. But I do cut it fairly regularly depending on weather conditions.
@@4Runner123 There is one more downside to Makita, compared to my Honda HRX. Makita uses this annoying system of plugs and plastic shoots and deflectors to change between mulching, discharging and bagging. Honda has the best system in the world called Versamow where you pick one of the ways to cut the grass with a lever. Brilliant. I would either loose or forget half of those Makita attachments in a week. Of course this is not only the Makita's problem. Every other mower in the world has it.
In Australia top model got a bull bar on front and all models have four swing back blades and there is a model now that has Constant maximum power on blades. And all so have makita mowers that can hold a 33 ah battery.
Thank you for the "real life" raw video. This is what I needed to see. I was considering eventually getting rid of my EGO mower so I had one battery platform for everything, But given that I sometimes have to handle my neighbor's ridiculously overgrown lawn, I think I'll be sticking with the EGO. This Makita just doesn't seem to cut it for tougher lawns. The EGO isn't what I'd call commercial grade, but it's definitely much better than this.
I bought two of these mowers for my lawn care business and after 🕑 days I went back to my gas Toros . Makita battery string trimmer and blower is better than my gas . Gas mowers Makita battery trimmers and blowers etc is what we use.
I have one of these and I agree with your review. I always tell people that ask my opinion after ownership and I simply tell them that it's a maintenance mower, not a no mow may 1 pass fix. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe their marketing jargon is a bit misleading as it states a commercial grade deck, not a commercial grade mower. For anyone wondering if a new overpriced blade will help, I just got a mulch blade as that is solely what I do, and it seems a bit better but not like our old honda. There just isnt any lift so I still end up with flattened blades of grass but the grass does not hang in the deck area above the blade like your video showed. I'm on the fence of buying their high lift blade next. I also agree with the blade speed delay. Great video!
You've made the exact test of this Makita mower I've been looking for all over YT. I'm in the process of buying a new mower for my small lawn care business and Makita was one of the candidates. I'm glad I saw this review cause it made me realize I will stick with a gas powered equipment when it comes to mowers. I have a strange group of clients that don't care about the look of their lawns, they just want it mowed as rare as possible to remain within the boundaries the city puts on property owners, so they can pay as little as possible. This results in me mowing their lawns every 2 weeks up to 20 days. I always cut the grass you're cutting in this video. Of course I charge more than I would if the grass was cut on a weekly basis. This is my regular height and it's more than obvious that Makita simply can't handle the height and thickness of this size. I guess my local Honda dealer will earn a few bucks from me again...
A double pull on the self propel handle for immediate full speed would be cool. Also set power levels. I don’t like the intermediate thing it does. Doesn’t seem responsive enough
Last night I ordered this mower from HD. $699 with free delivery , (4) 5.0aH batteries and that dual bay rapid charger. i should have watched this BEFORE I ordered. I'm a little disappointed in the cut problems you encountered, but I hoping the stouter Bermuda and Fescue we have here in Kansas will not lay down. I never let it get as tall as your lawn. I'm replacing my 31 year old Lawn Boy M-Series which still mows great, but with a broken self propel and broken electric start. I'm gonna keep it around just in case. The Milwaukee was my other choice, but at $400 more dollars and 12.0aH batteries that are failing out of the box. Surprisingly, Makita's older battery models had 3000-3300 rpms. I wonder why they slowed the motor down? A year later, are you still using this mower? Thanks for the comprehensive review!
6:26 That's actually by design (and also no problem - for me at least - in real life). That hatch is the one weak spot on that mower concerning dust and most of all moisture ingress and with four 6 Ah batteries there is quite some energy stored in there that you don't want to expose to a short. Imagine accidently leaving this open and it starts to rain etc.. This is made to just fall shut if you have to run grab a phone call in the midst of a battery swap and come back out 20 minutes later ralizing that it's raining cats and dogs ;)
For the price, would of been nice to have a composite deck similar to the hondas. Much lighter, easier to load/move, which would also correlate to slightly longer run times.
This is the reason why I use Honda HRX 217 for my landscaping business. It's because of the space age plastic deck, Honda calls the material Xenoy. Deck made of it is incredible, and I've used many different mowers. It's light, doesn't rust (obviously), grass doesn't stick to it, and it's freaking sturdy... You can't dent it, chip it away or anything. Unfortunately some other components on the mower aren't made for the commercial use but I still buy HRX 217 because pros outweigh the cons but a large margin.
Just like "GrowYour OwnFood" said, I was also all set to buy one of these 21" Makita self propelled lawn mowers, but after I viewed your video, I have changed my mind. I am just going to repair my 10 year old self propelled 21" Honda HRR 216K7 lawn mower. It can cut tall grass much, much easier than that Makita you're testing out. IDK if it's cause my Honda has 2 blades while that Makita of yours only has 1 blade, but I know for a fact that my Honda would mow your lawn quite easily and without difficulty. I am so glad that you put that Makita through a real world test, cause otherwise, how would potential buyers know beforehand what they are up to when buying a Makita?
Yep. Thx for your feedback. I totally wanted to say this mower blows away gas equivalents but it just can’t. If the blade speed stayed at a fast rate or even faster I’d say it could potentially compete with a 5 or 6hp push mower but it just can’t. It’s a little finish mower that does well if you don’t mind recutting the same pass about 3 times to get a decent cut.
Thanks again, Fix It Now. It's good to know that although gas powered Honda mowers pollute the environment, they are very effective in getting the job done, in one pass!
@@cma8165 electric is worse for the environment long term, the mining a lithium alone is crazy damaging to the earth and a lot of miners in Africa poisoned from it, and electricity isn’t magic, it also takes fossil fuels to create.
That wasn't why. :) I just got one of these and it's much less powerful than my 14 year old entry level honda-gas engine mower. That mower only stops when I am downright abusive with it just murdering through thick wet grass and the entire deck is full. This thing stops on surprisingly small clumps and the batteries cannot go through high grass while keeping the self-propulsion speed up.
Bought Makita mower and blower/trimmer for daughters new house and very under-impressed w mower operations. Takes massive hand strength to hold safety lever down - hands sore for two days after 10 minutes of mowing. Like quiet operation, seems to mow evenly, just can’t get over poorly designed controls on this $750 mower.
I just got my Makita last weekend and cut my yard with it I used 2 bars on the first 2 batterys I love it I use to say there was no way I would buy a battery lawn mower but I work at Home Depot someone had ordered it and turned it down because of a little hole in the box so it was naked down Half price...... SO GLAD I GOT IT.....
One thing i hate about thick grass even back when i had gas mower it would stall, Luckly you could tilt the mower up a bit and it helps a bit. Currently have ryobi 20 in mower bought few years ago, better than older ryobi ones. if ever get new mower i been thinking either ryobi or the makita. ^^
With any push lawn mower- when the grass is 10 1/2 inches you gotta weed wack it first then mow- push lawn mowers can only do so much- I recommend a Makita weed wacker- i use it today and didn’t even use one bar! ( on 6 amp battery)
thx for this video - it confirmed what i always suspected. im sure itll change in the future but battery powered landscaping tools have established only a small foothold in the realm of gas powered units. i for sure would’ve loved to have that makita unit as i am 99% invested in their platform but outside of a hedgeclipper and their chainsaw, im just not that confident in battery power…yet! got a used WORX unit for a small patch on my property for much less $$$$ and it barely completed the job lol
Yea man I agree. I did pick up the MAKITA-XHU07T hedge trimmer and it's amazing! I've owned gas Stihl, Ryobi, battery powered Milwaukee, Black and Decker etc etc etc. This Makita is hands down the best hedge trimmer I've ever used. 👌 Which chain saw did you get?
I bought one of these last week and am returning it. Its run time is a complete joke in suboptimal conditions (e.g. grass is damp or wet and fairly long--and yes this is a legitimate condition to mow and poses zero problems for my old gas mower). As for joke I'm saying a complete fresh set of the 4 X 18 V 5 ah batteries I may only get 1/7th (not a typo) of an acre. Arguably worse is that as the batteries fade during a pack the mower slows down *a lot*. On a fresh pack it does pretty well and cuts through grass okay but in no time at all it's struggling with clumps of grass that cause the mower to stop, plus the self-propulsion speed has nose-dived. I've read so many reviews of this mower. Most are very good. Some are exactly like mine. I'm going back to gas. I'll try electric again in a decade or so. I love cordless tools like a blower/trimmer, and own an Electric car. I wanted this mower to not suck, but alas it does. If it came with 8 batteries I would probably keep it I guess, but that would run me another $450.
I repair mowers and small engines. I've been intrigued by this technology. So many homeowners want ease of use. 95% don't want to take apart a carb, blow out a jet or fuel line, or rinse a dirty tank. But I have to pause here and give this reviewer a big thumbs up. The cost benefit ratio really stinks here. These batteries drain too quickly when using in high torque mode. And the cost to add batteries gets a bit insane. You still have to sharpen these blades. And you are constantly monitoring batteries. You can get an amazing used Toro Recycler on FBM or CL for under $200. Those will last 10-15 years. And you can pay a local guy $75 to completely tune and clean it every other year. Half the price of replacing depleted batteries that don't hold a full charge or run for 30 minutes. Like cell phone technology, manufacturers will some day turn electric mowers into disposable goods. Who can work on these? The only thing you can do to protect yourself is an expensive extended warranty. And those are simply cash warranties. Rarely used to actually repair new tech. Be careful drinking the Cool-Aid. The grass isn't always greener. Start off with a good quality used gas mower vs a shiny new junk gas mower and you won't have to change technologies. There's still not an electric mower that can hold a candle to a 10 year old Honda or Toro Super Recycler that had been tuned and cleaned. Not in power, torque, cut quality, or efficiency. And there's a dozen guys that can fix them today, unlike these electric models that need a claim filed.
True story. I have the newer Honda HRX 217HYA 200cc with hydrostatic transmission. I was raised to be OCD on maintenance and my Honda I wouldn't trade for anything.
Tried Ego 7ah battery, then Ryobi 40v and non are capable of cutting anything above 4inches, my 20yr old petrol Victa mower chews through anything taller than 10inch and has never stall in tall grass. And that side shoot is horrifically low angled.
I’m thinking that cordless electric mowers will perform well if you start with a clean-cut yard and mow it every other day… for the rest of us, gas powered equipment is the answer?
Sharpen the blade, when I got mine the first thing I did was remove the blade and sharpen it, these makita mowers come with dull blade, mine cuts anything I put it through now, it will amaze you
Wrap a little cord around the front handle to lash the cover up while changing batteries. Annoying but the rest of the mower is Great especially for commercial use and those of us contractors that have dozens of their batteries. Although if I had to start over with outdoor power equipment I would lean towards ego.
one question though. Say you run out of 2 batteries, you flip the switch and you use the other two. Why would yyou not go and put those empty ones on charge already???? it would charge for 30 minutes already while you are cutting the grass?!?! can someone explaint this to me?:)
in theory. In my case the pair of batteries exhaust on average in about 15 minutes and a depleted set takes more like 55 min to charge on the charger, so this approach won't work.
Good honest video and assessment. However based on what I saw I would not buy a Makita . It is fine for a normal yard but not good enough for tougher jobs. This is a $600 mower that seems under powered. At this price point I would expect better
@@phil6746 Sorry for the late reply. I got the Makita because of the battery bay system. The batteries actually fit on the hand power tools as well and last just enough cutting time to do front and back lawn. I am a Ryobi fan but love the Makita mower only, around 35-min average cut time. It comes with a bag. If grass is kinda damp you have to stop every 3-5 min, reach to unclog blockage to bag and it fills up in about 10 min but may leave some trails behind (depending on your lawn) and height. Would I recommend this mower? Based on my demands and opinion, yes. Yours may vary.
That crap you got bogged down in would stop my honda to i am almost sure of it. Whats concerning is ill bet my honda lets me bogg down longer that slowing down all the time does need an override great observation
Lots of " reviews " are BS because the reviewer was given the product for free and maybe even paid. I was literally planning on buying this mower today but now I doubt it. What about the new Ryobi with twin blades and two 40 volt 6 Ah batteries? Or the new DeWalt mower ?
I can’t speak to the others because I’ve simply not used them. This mower is not a powerful mower. Needs way more torque to handle even the slightest imperfections
The power is compromise (cut quality) by using batteries. I stick to my cheap corded Greenwork lawn mower which cuts a lot better in this high thick grass! The video made me think twice in buying cordless electric mower right now...
I love Makita tools and all but I would take it back and get your money back if you can. It looks rather frustrating and that frustration is only gonna grow over time. Too me it doesn’t look like the technology is quite there yet. $900 can buy a hell of a nice gas mower just my two cents.
After I made the video, sat down and really thought about it... UPS is picking it up this morning. I marked it for return with Amazon. Not worth the $$$ for what feels like a toy when mowing. I know I’m going to get my share if fanboy shame but, for that kind of $$$ or a few more ponies I could have an EXMARK commercial cut push mower.
@@Archifx I’m glad you were able to return it. I think your frustration would grow the more you used it. I know I would really start to hate using it after a few months. Hopefully they will fix some of it’s short comings in the next version. I also hate when companies put commercial grade just to sucker people in to buying a product.
Yeah. I agree. More I looked into it the box says “commercial grade steel deck” I guess the next bullet put should be “non-commercial grade rest of the bits” lol
Great test and video, but I am not impressed with the mower. If it is supposed to be a replacement for commercial gas mowers, they need to step up their game substantially. I really like the look of the Makita controls as they are very similar to Honda's commercial gas mower, but there is no comparison in performance.
The lid wanting to close is a safety feature, I can assure you. Water and electronics don't mix, and you can imagine some dumbass would open it for a battery change and forget it = destroyed mower. EDIT: right in the manual it has like 50 warnings about water intrusion into the battery compartment.....
Do a micro Siemens test on rain water if you think it doesn’t conduct and get back to me….. RO water is not conductive, but it is NOT an insulator, it’s a different thing.
Like others in the comments, I will pass for now on Makita 18v mowers. The side discharge was especially a failure. Hardly ever saw ANY grass at all being discharged . . . and then the chute gets brushed off. I had to put a new spark plug in my 15 year old Craftsman mower this spring to flog it back into life. Bought a new blade for it too. It's a cheapie mower for sure, not self propelled either but replacing it with a $1000 18V just makes no sense after watching this video. Many thanks for making it! Calling this mower "commercial" is a joke!
Plugged up! stop and clean it out with a stick. Even my beloved old lawn boy would plug up with high / dense grass. The lawn boy would dump gas on the lawn if I tipped it up too far. Thanks
Nah man. Nope. It can’t even discharge a blade of grass. Use one and you’ll see what I mean. I get the whole “needs a little help here and there” this thing is an underpowered machine.
I was in the same boat as your comment. I wanted to just trash gas power and at that these electric mowers were just better in all aspects. It’s just not the case. These big corporations love to profit off of the electric enviro-friendly aspects but the balls of the machine are lost.
@@Archifx Concur. I can happily say that for a homeowner battery leaf blowers and trimmers are excellent but these electric mowers are underpowered and overpriced. I got this makita today for $499 (yes with 4 5ah batteries and it's the exact one you're reviewing) and I still expect to return it.
That's 1000 dollars man. And for that price you can get the best Honda mower and some commercial grade 21in mowers. I don't understand these prices. They are lawn mowers for the past 20 years residential lawnmowers were like 300-400 max. There is no way these electric mowers can be used commercially. No way.
@@Archifx yeah but gas mowers are such a hassle. Always breaking down, gas needs to be drained because getting old, oil top ups, servicing and break your back to start them. Fuel filters need replacing, loud af, belts breaking. Pain in the ass. Good quality electric mower much less hassle.
Less hassle isn’t always a bad thing. It teaches us to gain patience, skills and appreciation for hard work. Teaches us how to care for something and have pride in the process. We can’t convenience our lives away. Think about it.
@@Archifx if you have time to mess around with that it’s fine. But for a small business owner there is no time to waste on gas machines that always break down. Waste of time and money.
Ppl have been running mowing companies for decades before electric tools. Don’t give me that. Tell that to your grandfather. He’d smack ya upside the head
Bought the non-self propelled. I like it, don't love it. If you're the type that mows once a week, every week this mower will be great. If you're the type that mows only when you have to, then skip this mower. Pros: No gas and and oil. Batteries are easy to get when they eventually crap out. It's quieter than gas mowers. I wouldn't say it's quiet, but its less noisy. Cons: Tall, thick grass kills your batteries--quick. Don't mow when the grass is wet. Pro tip: Kick it to quiet mode, it lowers the RPMs and your batteries last a lot longer. Again, you can't do this if your grass is tall and thick.
The word maintenance should come to mind . Do you let you car start knocking before you add oil ? Humm maybe you do but it’s called maintenance . Even lawn companies charge double or even triple the price when people are to lazy to keep there yard mainlain .
I didn’t charge myself a penny over what my normal rate is for my lawn. Remember… you’re arguing with someone on TH-cam over a lawnmower and how high the grass is… re-evaluate your decisions that brought you here. Hahahahahahahah
Pretty disappointing really.... I think these machines bag alot better?? In N.Z these go for $1200 with 2 Batts and each Xtra 5amp batt cost another $250-300 and looks like I need at least 8 Batts to get through a day at least. I want to go with a battery mower but with the huge cost I would need to get enough batteries to last a day it's just not feasible. Definitely would for a home user but not there yet for commercial. Is a nice machine though.
Bought one. Used it one day. Stupid thing took (2 batteries at a time) 4 charges to cut .25 Acres. Bogged down on grass barely wet. Makita advertised 2 miles non-stop cut with only 4 batteries charged. Turned a simple 30minute cut into 2 hours.... Returned next day. 100% do not recommend. Stick to gas these E-mowers need a LOT of work. Too new.
Wow. I ordered one and the packaging was very poor. The assembly parts were apparently in a paper like bag. The packaging was damaged and some of the parts from the bag were in the box but not enough for assembly so I was unable to even try the mower. This mower weighs 106 pounds...consider this if you want to return it. And yes, I called Makita. Makita customer service was not interested in helping me with the missing parts. I didn’t see any parts list in the box, but that could have fallen out the hole in the box during shipping. I have been using Makita tools for literally decades, but this mower convinced me to go in a different direction.
Awwwwwe. That’s because the “TH-camrs” that don’t use tripods actually use the equipment they are filming in real time with out bullshit set up staging of the demo. Never trust a tool review on a tripod. It’s set up.
I highly doubt that cutting a pasture was what Makita engineers had in mind. Find any mower gas or battery that will provide a nice finish cut on overgrown grass.
But you’re doing it wrong. You can’t cut grass so high by using mulching function. The grass is pushed down because of all the grass stuck underneath the lawnmower by incorrect use. My Honda gasoline would give the same result, done this way.
@@Archifx Right in the manual it says it's not intended to mow through extremely tall grass in one pass to a low cut height, you dimwit. Appears to me that reading and following directions is not exactly your forte.
Who reads the manual for a lawn mower? Also… it’s a mower. It should cut that rye without bullshit issues that I show. Cop out to say in the manual don’t cut high grass. This way they cover their ass when it doesn’t actually cut grass and they can’t get sued. It’s a lawyer thing. If you’re willing to accept sub par quality at a premium price you’re part of the problem. Appears to me that picking a decent YT username isn’t your forte.
It is. After I made the video I got real pissed off... they’re picking it up today to go back to Amazon. Getting a refund. Going to get an EXMARK push mower and do a video on that.
Raise the height, slow it down, let the grass dry out and pick up the grass rather than smashing it into a wet mess on the ground which again makes mowing harder
All the rookie mistakes you made them, start with the battery cover it has been made wanker proof, the user can’t leave the cover open for rain to get in , it’s been designed that way , try starting a gas mower in 8 inch’s of grass can’t be done,you are going the wrong way with the side discharge , you r trying to throw the cut grass into the long grass , u r now trying to cut 16 inch’s of grass on the next pass, u have wasted your time and run the Makita down when it is used error 🙈🇬🇧
@@Archifx are all your comments this salty? We are all out here just trying to cut some grass on a budget without worrying about a ton of maintenance and refillls. We don’t all got time to maintain a mower, get gas, oil, etc etc. Ease of use needs to play a part in these reviews and if you spend 20 minutes on a front yard with electric or 10 with gas are we gonna argue over that beer and a pizza or are you gonna make a trip to go get oil and a gas refill. Just did some high and wet stuff as a first time home owner, brand new lawn, and the shit was easy mode. Yeah, it burned through batteries but if I wanted a gas mower I would have bought a ride on so I can be extra lazy (and I will when this dies). As for price, yeah a gas mower is cheaper - today. Factor in a couple refills and maintenance and you just matched the price. Never owned a makita tool in my life, but this was a good entry level for me. I think it’ll pay for itself soon enough and then I’ll sell it and buy a ride on.
No. I’m only a dick when someone comes out of the gate with annoying negativity. I give it back when I need to. It’s a good rig. It’s not a replacement for a gas mower when it comes to brawn but the pros of this definitely outweigh all the disadvantages of a gas machine. I just used it again today to handle the yard and it does great. It’s not perfect but what is?
Thank you for this detailed review. You answered everything I needed to know. This mower won't be suitable for my needs but before watching this I was all set to buy one. Much appreciated 👍
Same here.. I wanted to like this mower so much. I wanted it to be a true commercial replacement for my Honda 537. And Makita even advertised this towards the commercial market. And one can see that in a price, sturdiness plus some features that are common on commercial grade mowers (non folding handles for example). But unfortunately the technology is simply not there yet. An electric motor of the size that can fit a mower like this and give it enough power to go through thick and wet grass while not not juicing out batteries within 15 minutes, is simply not here yet. Although I have to say that there were some manufacturers that came out with commercial battery mowers after this Makita (Milwaukee for example) have upped the anti and are more powerful than Makita. I'm gonna wait for a few more years and join the party when they actually get to the level of the gas powered mowers..
After all the industry has done it in other garden tools. I own the Makita hedge trimmer, pole hedger and chainsaw and couldn't be more satisfied. Next is the grass trimmer which is close to being an equivalent of gas machines..... Come on Makita engineers, if Milwaukee guys can do it I'm sure you can do it too.
@@markbrisec3972 Cutting grass requires a lot of power and a cheap gas mower will always be better than cordless for a few years yet
@@zarrow50 like the guy said - check out the new battery mower from Milwaukee. This mower has without a doubt managed to over power the top level Honda..
@@vegass04 will take a look
@@zarrow50 I particularly advise you to take a look if the Milwaukee battery powered mower by Stanley the Dirt monkey. He really, really tried to bog that mower.. He didn't make it. Oh I almost forgot, the mower is 1000$. So I don't expect her being a best seller.
Very impressed! I’m planning on getting me one of these! I have a gas craftsman lawnmower and I’m frustrated because the fuel lines always get clogged up! I just want something where I can just turn on and go!
Guys this machine is a great machine I’ve had mine for almost 2 yrs no problems, this guy is nitpicking lil things, my yard is 3x the size of his, and I get it done with all 4 batteries in the bank, another thing is before you take it out of the garage or shed put all 4 batteries in, that avoids having to hold the flap up while changing batteries in your yard, believe me if you sharpen the blades it cuts even wet grass, and cuts your mowing time by a lot
Strange. I think this machine is a complete waste of money. 4 batteries for me, in my conditions get me half my yard and I don't even have 1/3 of an acre. Mowing in the summer when the grass is hardly growing this would go longer, but I'm in peak growing season now, with damp grass. It demands power and run time and this mower can't give it.
Strictly my opinion and I have used a commercial honda lawnmower for 10+ years. If you try to go through grass that high at anything other then the lowest speed you will get the same results. I’m actually quite impressed how well it handled it. If I had a lawn that high I would spend a few minutes with a weed eater first even if I had gas lawn mower or make 2 passes highest setting first and then drop it down.
Well, I tend to disagree. I own a small landscaping business and use a Honda HRX 217 mower. It's a semi commercial model but I like it over their fully commercial models cause they are significantly lighter and, (now this is strange), newest model uses a more powerful 200 cc Honda engine while the commercial models use Kawasaki or Honda 160-180cc. Again, I'm aware that the commercial model has a commercial engine on it which is sturdier, etc.. But I digress.
Comparing my Honda with this Makita tells me that the battery powered mowers are still behind the gas powered ones when it comes to brute power.
I have a strange set of customers who aren't interested in having beautifully cut lawns on a weekly basis. I cut their lawns every 2 weeks up to 20 days. And believe me when I tell you that the grass gets high and thick, especially during the spring. Honda just powers through this. Sometimes I bag and sometimes I discharge, but I never mulch their lawns because mulching is impossible when you're tackling 20" grass..
Of course, the benefits of battery equipment is the same as with any other tool. Maitnance is minimal compared to the gas powered mowers, there's no fumes, etc.. But the power is still not here.. But with the amount of money companies are investing into battery powered equipment, even for a commercial use, I have no doubt that in a few years we'll see that massive torque electric engines are so famous for in EV cars, in lawnmowers.. But till then I'm sticking with my trusty Honda.
@@markbrisec3972 I agree with you if that’s the type of customers grass you are cutting I would not use electric. I was going by the video clips. I’ve been using the Makita on my lawn for a couple of months now and have had no issues. But I do cut it fairly regularly depending on weather conditions.
@@4Runner123 There is one more downside to Makita, compared to my Honda HRX. Makita uses this annoying system of plugs and plastic shoots and deflectors to change between mulching, discharging and bagging. Honda has the best system in the world called Versamow where you pick one of the ways to cut the grass with a lever. Brilliant. I would either loose or forget half of those Makita attachments in a week. Of course this is not only the Makita's problem. Every other mower in the world has it.
Two years out now, have you done another video?
I love how you’re doing all this with one hand lol I can’t wait for mine to come in, definitely making a beer bottle holder for the handle 😂
Thank you so much for the excellent real world test.
In Australia top model got a bull bar on front and all models have four swing back blades and there is a model now that has Constant maximum power on blades. And all so have makita mowers that can hold a 33 ah battery.
Thank you. I needed to see this.
I’ll stick with my 125cc gas (petrol) mower.
Great review thanks for taking the time to do it.. 👍🏽👍🏽
Thank you for the "real life" raw video. This is what I needed to see.
I was considering eventually getting rid of my EGO mower so I had one battery platform for everything, But given that I sometimes have to handle my neighbor's ridiculously overgrown lawn, I think I'll be sticking with the EGO. This Makita just doesn't seem to cut it for tougher lawns.
The EGO isn't what I'd call commercial grade, but it's definitely much better than this.
Which EGO are you comparing with?
Im considering getting a makita or an EGO LM2101E
@@ToonarmY008 I have the self propelled version of that mower. It's not bad at all. Definitely seems to outperform the Makita in this video.
I bought two of these mowers for my lawn care business and after 🕑 days I went back to my gas Toros .
Makita battery string trimmer and blower is better than my gas .
Gas mowers
Makita battery trimmers and blowers etc is what we use.
I have one of these and I agree with your review. I always tell people that ask my opinion after ownership and I simply tell them that it's a maintenance mower, not a no mow may 1 pass fix. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe their marketing jargon is a bit misleading as it states a commercial grade deck, not a commercial grade mower. For anyone wondering if a new overpriced blade will help, I just got a mulch blade as that is solely what I do, and it seems a bit better but not like our old honda. There just isnt any lift so I still end up with flattened blades of grass but the grass does not hang in the deck area above the blade like your video showed. I'm on the fence of buying their high lift blade next. I also agree with the blade speed delay. Great video!
You've made the exact test of this Makita mower I've been looking for all over YT. I'm in the process of buying a new mower for my small lawn care business and Makita was one of the candidates. I'm glad I saw this review cause it made me realize I will stick with a gas powered equipment when it comes to mowers.
I have a strange group of clients that don't care about the look of their lawns, they just want it mowed as rare as possible to remain within the boundaries the city puts on property owners, so they can pay as little as possible. This results in me mowing their lawns every 2 weeks up to 20 days. I always cut the grass you're cutting in this video. Of course I charge more than I would if the grass was cut on a weekly basis. This is my regular height and it's more than obvious that Makita simply can't handle the height and thickness of this size. I guess my local Honda dealer will earn a few bucks from me again...
Thanks for the video. It sounds like it wouldn’t be good for commercial use for bi-weekly and once a month lawn mows. Great video!
No commercial use here.
A double pull on the self propel handle for immediate full speed would be cool. Also set power levels. I don’t like the intermediate thing it does. Doesn’t seem responsive enough
I am considering the Model DLM533Z with an aluminum deck and REAR DISCHARGE ?
Last night I ordered this mower from HD. $699 with free delivery , (4) 5.0aH batteries and that dual bay rapid charger. i should have watched this BEFORE I ordered. I'm a little disappointed in the cut problems you encountered, but I hoping the stouter Bermuda and Fescue we have here in Kansas will not lay down. I never let it get as tall as your lawn. I'm replacing my 31 year old Lawn Boy M-Series which still mows great, but with a broken self propel and broken electric start. I'm gonna keep it around just in case. The Milwaukee was my other choice, but at $400 more dollars and 12.0aH batteries that are failing out of the box. Surprisingly, Makita's older battery models had 3000-3300 rpms. I wonder why they slowed the motor down? A year later, are you still using this mower? Thanks for the comprehensive review!
I’m still using it. And yes. If you can get past the slow blades and the constant high low ramping up it does it’ll produce an acceptable cut.
6:26 That's actually by design (and also no problem - for me at least - in real life). That hatch is the one weak spot on that mower concerning dust and most of all moisture ingress and with four 6 Ah batteries there is quite some energy stored in there that you don't want to expose to a short. Imagine accidently leaving this open and it starts to rain etc.. This is made to just fall shut if you have to run grab a phone call in the midst of a battery swap and come back out 20 minutes later ralizing that it's raining cats and dogs ;)
No. Not buying that theory. Plenty of trades use these 18v tools in not so perfect conditions. It’s an oversight.
@@Archifx Well, that's the reason it is like it is. You might not like it nonetheless, that's ok.
How would this lawn mower perform on Florida St. Augustine lawn?
For the price, would of been nice to have a composite deck similar to the hondas. Much lighter, easier to load/move, which would also correlate to slightly longer run times.
This is the reason why I use Honda HRX 217 for my landscaping business. It's because of the space age plastic deck, Honda calls the material Xenoy. Deck made of it is incredible, and I've used many different mowers. It's light, doesn't rust (obviously), grass doesn't stick to it, and it's freaking sturdy... You can't dent it, chip it away or anything.
Unfortunately some other components on the mower aren't made for the commercial use but I still buy HRX 217 because pros outweigh the cons but a large margin.
I think if you tried the Ryobi HP 40 volt mower in the same stuff you would be impressed
Honest assessment 👌
Great review, new subscriber.💥🇺🇲🖐
Just like "GrowYour OwnFood" said, I was also all set to buy one of these 21" Makita self propelled lawn mowers, but after I viewed your video, I have changed my mind.
I am just going to repair my 10 year old self propelled 21" Honda HRR 216K7 lawn mower. It can cut tall grass much, much easier than that Makita you're testing out.
IDK if it's cause my Honda has 2 blades while that Makita of yours only has 1 blade, but I know for a fact that my Honda would mow your lawn quite easily and without difficulty.
I am so glad that you put that Makita through a real world test, cause otherwise, how would potential buyers know beforehand what they are up to when buying a Makita?
Yep. Thx for your feedback. I totally wanted to say this mower blows away gas equivalents but it just can’t. If the blade speed stayed at a fast rate or even faster I’d say it could potentially compete with a 5 or 6hp push mower but it just can’t. It’s a little finish mower that does well if you don’t mind recutting the same pass about 3 times to get a decent cut.
Thanks again, Fix It Now.
It's good to know that although gas powered Honda mowers pollute the environment, they are very effective in getting the job done, in one pass!
@@cma8165 electric is worse for the environment long term, the mining a lithium alone is crazy damaging to the earth and a lot of miners in Africa poisoned from it, and electricity isn’t magic, it also takes fossil fuels to create.
That wasn't why. :) I just got one of these and it's much less powerful than my 14 year old entry level honda-gas engine mower. That mower only stops when I am downright abusive with it just murdering through thick wet grass and the entire deck is full. This thing stops on surprisingly small clumps and the batteries cannot go through high grass while keeping the self-propulsion speed up.
Bought Makita mower and blower/trimmer for daughters new house and very under-impressed w mower operations. Takes massive hand strength to hold safety lever down - hands sore for two days after 10 minutes of mowing. Like quiet operation, seems to mow evenly, just can’t get over poorly designed controls on this $750 mower.
Great video! Did you have any issues with the traction system in the mower?
I just got my Makita last weekend and cut my yard with it I used 2 bars on the first 2 batterys I love it I use to say there was no way I would buy a battery lawn mower but I work at Home Depot someone had ordered it and turned it down because of a little hole in the box so it was naked down Half price...... SO GLAD I GOT IT.....
One thing i hate about thick grass even back when i had gas mower it would stall, Luckly you could tilt the mower up a bit and it helps a bit. Currently have ryobi 20 in mower bought few years ago, better than older ryobi ones. if ever get new mower i been thinking either ryobi or the makita. ^^
With any push lawn mower- when the grass is 10 1/2 inches you gotta weed wack it first then mow- push lawn mowers can only do so much- I recommend a Makita weed wacker- i use it today and didn’t even use one bar! ( on 6 amp battery)
When you have to back and forth how do you do that let go of the black mhandle or the red one and after 2 yrs whats your recommendation
thx for this video - it confirmed what i always suspected. im sure itll change in the future but battery powered landscaping tools have established only a small foothold in the realm of gas powered units. i for sure would’ve loved to have that makita unit as i am 99% invested in their platform but outside of a hedgeclipper and their chainsaw, im just not that confident in battery power…yet! got a used WORX unit for a small patch on my property for much less $$$$ and it barely completed the job lol
Yea man I agree. I did pick up the MAKITA-XHU07T hedge trimmer and it's amazing! I've owned gas Stihl, Ryobi, battery powered Milwaukee, Black and Decker etc etc etc. This Makita is hands down the best hedge trimmer I've ever used. 👌 Which chain saw did you get?
@@shanew7361 hey man, i got the 1 battery arborist - top trigger. very nice! think it's the xcu06 or 07
@@michaelbernabe9868 How do you like it? It's the xcu06 fyi.
@@shanew7361 it's great for pruning through heavy brush. that's about where its capabilities reach, anything heavier I take out the gas unit.
@@michaelbernabe9868 Good to know thanks.
I bought one of these last week and am returning it. Its run time is a complete joke in suboptimal conditions (e.g. grass is damp or wet and fairly long--and yes this is a legitimate condition to mow and poses zero problems for my old gas mower). As for joke I'm saying a complete fresh set of the 4 X 18 V 5 ah batteries I may only get 1/7th (not a typo) of an acre. Arguably worse is that as the batteries fade during a pack the mower slows down *a lot*. On a fresh pack it does pretty well and cuts through grass okay but in no time at all it's struggling with clumps of grass that cause the mower to stop, plus the self-propulsion speed has nose-dived.
I've read so many reviews of this mower. Most are very good. Some are exactly like mine. I'm going back to gas. I'll try electric again in a decade or so. I love cordless tools like a blower/trimmer, and own an Electric car. I wanted this mower to not suck, but alas it does. If it came with 8 batteries I would probably keep it I guess, but that would run me another $450.
?start button won't light up green but the battery level shows full charged the sshh button doesn't light ...am I doing something wrong
Is it time for 2yr review of XML08 you promised in this video? ;)
i just got this mower and i hope i last longer the my black and decker that broke
Nice work
They should have a manual setting for the speed.
Wonder how it competes with the ryobi
I repair mowers and small engines. I've been intrigued by this technology. So many homeowners want ease of use. 95% don't want to take apart a carb, blow out a jet or fuel line, or rinse a dirty tank. But I have to pause here and give this reviewer a big thumbs up. The cost benefit ratio really stinks here. These batteries drain too quickly when using in high torque mode. And the cost to add batteries gets a bit insane. You still have to sharpen these blades. And you are constantly monitoring batteries. You can get an amazing used Toro Recycler on FBM or CL for under $200. Those will last 10-15 years. And you can pay a local guy $75 to completely tune and clean it every other year. Half the price of replacing depleted batteries that don't hold a full charge or run for 30 minutes. Like cell phone technology, manufacturers will some day turn electric mowers into disposable goods. Who can work on these? The only thing you can do to protect yourself is an expensive extended warranty. And those are simply cash warranties. Rarely used to actually repair new tech. Be careful drinking the Cool-Aid. The grass isn't always greener. Start off with a good quality used gas mower vs a shiny new junk gas mower and you won't have to change technologies. There's still not an electric mower that can hold a candle to a 10 year old Honda or Toro Super Recycler that had been tuned and cleaned. Not in power, torque, cut quality, or efficiency. And there's a dozen guys that can fix them today, unlike these electric models that need a claim filed.
Absolutely appreciate the comment. I’m glad you can see the same points I’m trying to make here. Toro recycler for the win.
True story. I have the newer Honda HRX 217HYA 200cc with hydrostatic transmission. I was raised to be OCD on maintenance and my Honda I wouldn't trade for anything.
Have an old black n decker with the 32 v does great gives me 30 minutes and pleased with it
Tried Ego 7ah battery, then Ryobi 40v and non are capable of cutting anything above 4inches, my 20yr old petrol Victa mower chews through anything taller than 10inch and has never stall in tall grass. And that side shoot is horrifically low angled.
Great honest review... Went with Toro 60V...
I’m thinking that cordless electric mowers will perform well if you start with a clean-cut yard and mow it every other day… for the rest of us, gas powered equipment is the answer?
Sharpen the blade, when I got mine the first thing I did was remove the blade and sharpen it, these makita mowers come with dull blade, mine cuts anything I put it through now, it will amaze you
Good tip!
how many wattts of the motor?
Wrap a little cord around the front handle to lash the cover up while changing batteries. Annoying but the rest of the mower is Great especially for commercial use and those of us contractors that have dozens of their batteries. Although if I had to start over with outdoor power equipment I would lean towards ego.
R&D needs a real landscaper to help develop a real commercial mower
one question though. Say you run out of 2 batteries, you flip the switch and you use the other two. Why would yyou not go and put those empty ones on charge already???? it would charge for 30 minutes already while you are cutting the grass?!?!
can someone explaint this to me?:)
in theory. In my case the pair of batteries exhaust on average in about 15 minutes and a depleted set takes more like 55 min to charge on the charger, so this approach won't work.
Good honest video and assessment. However based on what I saw I would not buy a Makita . It is fine for a normal yard but not good enough for tougher jobs. This is a $600 mower that seems under powered. At this price point I would expect better
I was just about to head out to HD to buy the Toro till I came across this video. Does it come with a bag?
I'm actually headed now to get Makita or Toro, what did you get and how does it perform?
@@phil6746 Sorry for the late reply. I got the Makita because of the battery bay system. The batteries actually fit on the hand power tools as well and last just enough cutting time to do front and back lawn. I am a Ryobi fan but love the Makita mower only, around 35-min average cut time. It comes with a bag. If grass is kinda damp you have to stop every 3-5 min, reach to unclog blockage to bag and it fills up in about 10 min but may leave some trails behind (depending on your lawn) and height. Would I recommend this mower? Based on my demands and opinion, yes. Yours may vary.
How many square meters do you have to mow? There is greenworks 80v battery lawn mower. It is powerfull like good gas lawn mower.
That crap you got bogged down in would stop my honda to i am almost sure of it.
Whats concerning is ill bet my honda lets me bogg down longer
that slowing down all the time does need an override great observation
Lots of " reviews " are BS because the reviewer was given the product for free and maybe even paid.
I was literally planning on buying this mower today but now I doubt it.
What about the new Ryobi with twin blades and two 40 volt 6 Ah batteries?
Or the new DeWalt mower ?
I can’t speak to the others because I’ve simply not used them. This mower is not a powerful mower. Needs way more torque to handle even the slightest imperfections
I am very impressed with my Ryobi HP 40 v mower, I honestly think it will blow this one away. It's 599.00 at Home Depot
Now you just need to put a remote control and a camera, then you can mow while you are in the house.
Hahaha. They already have that. Look at the landroid
Thinking 🤔 maybe you should have used the Makita electric Weed eater first.
Whatever floats your boat my friend lol. The weed eater is definitely more powerful than the mower 🤪
@@Archifx Home Depot is selling two different 60 volt Electric mowers. I think 🤔 I will check one of those out.
Silver Cymbal used ceramic coating on his and the dust and dirt wash straight off
Doesn't last long, may as well clean it once on awhile.
The power is compromise (cut quality) by using batteries. I stick to my cheap corded Greenwork lawn mower which cuts a lot better in this high thick grass!
The video made me think twice in buying cordless electric mower right now...
I love Makita tools and all but I would take it back and get your money back if you can. It looks rather frustrating and that frustration is only gonna grow over time. Too me it doesn’t look like the technology is quite there yet. $900 can buy a hell of a nice gas mower just my two cents.
After I made the video, sat down and really thought about it... UPS is picking it up this morning. I marked it for return with Amazon. Not worth the $$$ for what feels like a toy when mowing. I know I’m going to get my share if fanboy shame but, for that kind of $$$ or a few more ponies I could have an EXMARK commercial cut push mower.
@@Archifx I’m glad you were able to return it. I think your frustration would grow the more you used it. I know I would really start to hate using it after a few months. Hopefully they will fix some of it’s short comings in the next version. I also hate when companies put commercial grade just to sucker people in to buying a product.
Yeah. I agree. More I looked into it the box says “commercial grade steel deck” I guess the next bullet put should be “non-commercial grade rest of the bits” lol
Makita is telling you they measure 21" at the blade and not the deck as others do
Take the lid off and throw it away
Great test and video, but I am not impressed with the mower. If it is supposed to be a replacement for commercial gas mowers, they need to step up their game substantially. I really like the look of the Makita controls as they are very similar to Honda's commercial gas mower, but there is no comparison in performance.
The lid wanting to close is a safety feature, I can assure you. Water and electronics don't mix, and you can imagine some dumbass would open it for a battery change and forget it = destroyed mower.
EDIT: right in the manual it has like 50 warnings about water intrusion into the battery compartment.....
I call BS again… I can leave any of my Makita power tools in the back of my pickup bed submerged in water and they’ll run just as good as new. Next
I agree. People will complain about the lid shutting automatically, but then throw a fit if it catches on fire from water getting in it.
Pure Water is actually an insulator, its the crap that mixes with it that makes it conductive, and the rain from the sky is rather pure.
Do a micro Siemens test on rain water if you think it doesn’t conduct and get back to me…..
RO water is not conductive, but it is NOT an insulator, it’s a different thing.
Like others in the comments, I will pass for now on Makita 18v mowers. The side discharge was especially a failure. Hardly ever saw ANY grass at all being discharged . . . and then the chute gets brushed off.
I had to put a new spark plug in my 15 year old Craftsman mower this spring to flog it back into life. Bought a new blade for it too. It's a cheapie mower for sure, not self propelled either but replacing it with a $1000 18V just makes no sense after watching this video. Many thanks for making it!
Calling this mower "commercial" is a joke!
Plugged up! stop and clean it out with a stick. Even my beloved old lawn boy would plug up with high / dense grass. The lawn boy would dump gas on the lawn if I tipped it up too far. Thanks
Nah man. Nope. It can’t even discharge a blade of grass. Use one and you’ll see what I mean. I get the whole “needs a little help here and there” this thing is an underpowered machine.
Absolutely, WAY underpowered. I was shocked. I'm trying to figure out how to get rid of it.
Right!!! It’s unreal
I’ll buy the mower itself from you if you would ship it to Canada haha
Hahahah. You don’t need a 4 wheeled boat anchor in Canada.
I think people are just excited that cordless lawnmowers are even an option now. So I think reviewers are going unnecessarily easy on them.
I was in the same boat as your comment. I wanted to just trash gas power and at that these electric mowers were just better in all aspects. It’s just not the case. These big corporations love to profit off of the electric enviro-friendly aspects but the balls of the machine are lost.
@@Archifx Concur. I can happily say that for a homeowner battery leaf blowers and trimmers are excellent but these electric mowers are underpowered and overpriced. I got this makita today for $499 (yes with 4 5ah batteries and it's the exact one you're reviewing) and I still expect to return it.
Can it be folded and stores vertically?
No
@@Archifx that sucks. Thanks!
Todays Commercial Grade - TV Commercial Standards.
thats most electric mowers they get bogged down in heavy grass... the only one I see in the future that doesnt care is the new Milwaukee mower
That's 1000 dollars man. And for that price you can get the best Honda mower and some commercial grade 21in mowers.
I don't understand these prices. They are lawn mowers for the past 20 years residential lawnmowers were like 300-400 max.
There is no way these electric mowers can be used commercially. No way.
Modell code?
Grass looks very wet and super long. Sure will work great when that’s not the situation.
Conditions a gas mower wouldn’t bat an eye at
@@Archifx yeah but gas mowers are such a hassle. Always breaking down, gas needs to be drained because getting old, oil top ups, servicing and break your back to start them. Fuel filters need replacing, loud af, belts breaking. Pain in the ass. Good quality electric mower much less hassle.
Less hassle isn’t always a bad thing. It teaches us to gain patience, skills and appreciation for hard work. Teaches us how to care for something and have pride in the process. We can’t convenience our lives away. Think about it.
@@Archifx if you have time to mess around with that it’s fine. But for a small business owner there is no time to waste on gas machines that always break down. Waste of time and money.
Ppl have been running mowing companies for decades before electric tools. Don’t give me that. Tell that to your grandfather. He’d smack ya upside the head
I always wonder why no one wants to try the bag. 🤔
Bought the non-self propelled. I like it, don't love it. If you're the type that mows once a week, every week this mower will be great. If you're the type that mows only when you have to, then skip this mower.
Pros: No gas and and oil. Batteries are easy to get when they eventually crap out. It's quieter than gas mowers. I wouldn't say it's quiet, but its less noisy.
Cons: Tall, thick grass kills your batteries--quick. Don't mow when the grass is wet.
Pro tip: Kick it to quiet mode, it lowers the RPMs and your batteries last a lot longer. Again, you can't do this if your grass is tall and thick.
Ouch, the video doesn`t lie. The 36V Makita mower is not impressive on high/thick grass.
i got the self proelled and it destoyras my Hoinda gasser
Probably does if the Honda isn’t turned on
The word maintenance should come to mind . Do you let you car start knocking before you add oil ? Humm maybe you do but it’s called maintenance . Even lawn companies charge double or even triple the price when people are to lazy to keep there yard mainlain .
I didn’t charge myself a penny over what my normal rate is for my lawn. Remember… you’re arguing with someone on TH-cam over a lawnmower and how high the grass is… re-evaluate your decisions that brought you here. Hahahahahahahah
Pretty disappointing really.... I think these machines bag alot better??
In N.Z these go for $1200 with 2 Batts and each Xtra 5amp batt cost another $250-300 and looks like I need at least 8 Batts to get through a day at least.
I want to go with a battery mower but with the huge cost I would need to get enough batteries to last a day it's just not feasible. Definitely would for a home user but not there yet for commercial.
Is a nice machine though.
Not really a fair test. That grass is so overgrown and wet no mower will cut that efficiently without two passes.
Not wet. It’s a turd.
What is with Americans not using the grass catchers?
No need. Just makes a mess somewhere else
Bought one. Used it one day. Stupid thing took (2 batteries at a time) 4 charges to cut .25 Acres. Bogged down on grass barely wet. Makita advertised 2 miles non-stop cut with only 4 batteries charged. Turned a simple 30minute cut into 2 hours.... Returned next day. 100% do not recommend. Stick to gas these E-mowers need a LOT of work. Too new.
Wow. I ordered one and the packaging was very poor. The assembly parts were apparently in a paper like bag. The packaging was damaged and some of the parts from the bag were in the box but not enough for assembly so I was unable to even try the mower. This mower weighs 106 pounds...consider this if you want to return it. And yes, I called Makita. Makita customer service was not interested in helping me with the missing parts. I didn’t see any parts list in the box, but that could have fallen out the hole in the box during shipping. I have been using Makita tools for literally decades, but this mower convinced me to go in a different direction.
Surprised at the amount of TH-camrs posting videos without tripods or hands free equipment. The one handed tutorials can be frustrating to watch.
Awwwwwe. That’s because the “TH-camrs” that don’t use tripods actually use the equipment they are filming in real time with out bullshit set up staging of the demo. Never trust a tool review on a tripod. It’s set up.
all the electric mower need two passes
Let's not make it a competition of who has the biggest deck.
Who is?
@@Archifx :29
If you mow the yard weekly then it will look a lot better . If you mow the yard like you did the you should expect it to look like SHIT .
Why? Shouldn’t the mower now the grass just like it’s 1/4 prices equivalent? If nothing price it the same. 🤣
Only Etesia , Pellenc
I highly doubt that cutting a pasture was what Makita engineers had in mind. Find any mower gas or battery that will provide a nice finish cut on overgrown grass.
Honda does it without issue
@@Archifx I agree I own the Honda HRX 217HYA 200cc. Zero issues.
But you’re doing it wrong. You can’t cut grass so high by using mulching function. The grass is pushed down because of all the grass stuck underneath the lawnmower by incorrect use. My Honda gasoline would give the same result, done this way.
My Honda gasoline eats this stuff for a snack and then takes a nap
Its a mower not a damn bull dozer....its commercial lawn mower? U mow ...u dont wait and take 4 5 inch at a time wtf?
It’s rye grass not the woods. It should cut it if it’s $800
@@Archifx Right in the manual it says it's not intended to mow through extremely tall grass in one pass to a low cut height, you dimwit.
Appears to me that reading and following directions is not exactly your forte.
Who reads the manual for a lawn mower? Also… it’s a mower. It should cut that rye without bullshit issues that I show. Cop out to say in the manual don’t cut high grass. This way they cover their ass when it doesn’t actually cut grass and they can’t get sued. It’s a lawyer thing. If you’re willing to accept sub par quality at a premium price you’re part of the problem. Appears to me that picking a decent YT username isn’t your forte.
I wasn’t talking to you and you just agreed with me in my video.
@@Archifx lmao hell i dont know . thats why i dont have a youtube channel 😂😂
Damn, for 900 bucks that POS would be going back to the store if it was me.
It is. After I made the video I got real pissed off... they’re picking it up today to go back to Amazon. Getting a refund. Going to get an EXMARK push mower and do a video on that.
割不乾淨啊
I came here to see how to assemble the handles and you literally skipped that part😡
You shouldn’t need a video to do that. Sorry bout that.
Omg this entire video pissed me off
Yeah. The mower pissed me off
Of course it's going to perform badly if used incorrectly 👍😂🤦
Who is using it incorrectly? Cutting the grass is an incorrect use? Wasn’t that tall or wet.
Raise the height, slow it down, let the grass dry out and pick up the grass rather than smashing it into a wet mess on the ground which again makes mowing harder
Did that my friend. It’s still a pile of underpowered garbage
All the rookie mistakes you made them, start with the battery cover it has been made wanker proof, the user can’t leave the cover open for rain to get in , it’s been designed that way , try starting a gas mower in 8 inch’s of grass can’t be done,you are going the wrong way with the side discharge , you r trying to throw the cut grass into the long grass , u r now trying to cut 16 inch’s of grass on the next pass, u have wasted your time and run the Makita down when it is used error 🙈🇬🇧
@@Archifx are all your comments this salty? We are all out here just trying to cut some grass on a budget without worrying about a ton of maintenance and refillls. We don’t all got time to maintain a mower, get gas, oil, etc etc. Ease of use needs to play a part in these reviews and if you spend 20 minutes on a front yard with electric or 10 with gas are we gonna argue over that beer and a pizza or are you gonna make a trip to go get oil and a gas refill.
Just did some high and wet stuff as a first time home owner, brand new lawn, and the shit was easy mode. Yeah, it burned through batteries but if I wanted a gas mower I would have bought a ride on so I can be extra lazy (and I will when this dies).
As for price, yeah a gas mower is cheaper - today. Factor in a couple refills and maintenance and you just matched the price.
Never owned a makita tool in my life, but this was a good entry level for me.
I think it’ll pay for itself soon enough and then I’ll sell it and buy a ride on.
No. I’m only a dick when someone comes out of the gate with annoying negativity. I give it back when I need to. It’s a good rig. It’s not a replacement for a gas mower when it comes to brawn but the pros of this definitely outweigh all the disadvantages of a gas machine. I just used it again today to handle the yard and it does great. It’s not perfect but what is?