Twin Blade Lawn Mower Comparison | EGO vs Honda

[@Mr-Chris]

It's worth mentioning that shortly after this video, I thought about it some more and decided it wasn't the smartest idea to keep two lawnmowers (one for grass and one for mulching).... So I returned the EGO and sold the used Honda HRR.... then bought a NEW Honda twin blade with plastic deck HRX217HYA that can mulch leaves and cut grass very well and won't rust.

[@irongoose3865]

Two years ago when I decided to buy a new mower and was looking around I had convinced myself I was going to get the best and Honda was the best hands down in my mind. That same exact Honda you have in the video was the one I was going to get and at the time I believe it was only $399.00 at Home Depot. ( without electric start ) Then I started looking at The Ego and hands down it was the best battery powered mower and about $499.00 at HD. When I finally got my hands on The Honda at a local mower shop I discovered I really didn't like The Honda. Yes it's a quality mower and it's built like a tank! But there was some things about it I just didn't like. The main thing that I just absolutely couldn't live with was The Smart Drive. So at that point it was The Ego and I was convinced that it was going to be my next mower. So as the weeks went by and I was saving up to buy The Ego I was considering some of the points you bought out in this video about battery powered mowers but The Ego looked so good and so many people were raving about them I was thinking why not? Go ahead and take the chance. But then it happened!! The price of The Ego went up another $50.00! So I was sitting in my office one night watching KZbin videos on The Ego and other mowers and the light came on in my head, you're about to spend $550.00 for a freaking lawn mower made of plastic that you might even need a second battery (more money) to finish cutting your lawn! The love affair with The Ego was over! My thinking changed at that point to, for that kinda money I can get a commercial grade gas powered super high quality lawn mower that has been proven over the years to last for years. So then I started looking at Snapper, Ariens, Exmark, Toro, Cub Cadet, Husqvarna and so on. In the end just like you I passed on both of these mowers and I finally purchased a Toro Super Recycler that will never rust do to it's aluminum deck. Best part was I mail ordered it and paid no taxes or shipping and paid the exact price of $499.00. It's a great mower and I have no regrets. This is my third season with it and so far just gas and oil and the occasional knocking dirt out of the air filter. Plus Toro designed this mower to mulch, and a good job at mulching it does. I love this mower and I love The Personal Pace drive system, it's the best system out there IMO.

[@mellowjammer]

I had the same experience with the HRX217 Honda as Iron Goose. Bought it in 2012 and found out it had some things that I didn't care for. Engine would almost stall unless you engaged the blade verrrry slowwwly. My model had the cruise control type speed control. One setting was too fast, the next one down was too slow. Also I was used to a late 80's Toro recycler mower (short handle, aluminum deck, 2 cycle Suzuki engine) which you could vary the speed by how far you pulled the bail handle which was convenient for tight areas. The handle length on the Honda also seemed really long compared to my Toro which meant every turn you walked around a little further...again, not a great mower for tight areas. For a plastic deck mower the Honda seemed pretty heavy too. I also hated the handgrip with the multiple bail handles. I pinched my hands between them a few times. But I must admit it did have a very clean cut. I returned it after a week. Good mower, I guess...just not good for my application. Maybe they've fixed all of that stuff by now.

[@mackfar27]

I enjoyed your video. I have the exact lawnmowers you showed in your video. My EGO came equipped with a 10.0 mah battery. I can cut thick wet grass right after it rains and the mower does not bog down. Mowing the front and back yard brings the 10.0 mah battery down to 40% of charge remaining and has been consistent in that department. I like the lightness of the EGO so much that I find myself not having to use the self-propel feature but only occasionally. I have owned my Honda mower for 7 years and it has been very reliable. Out of the two lawnmowers, I will say the Honda cuts the grass very fine like dust compared to the EGO which also has a twin-blade setup. The Honda also has a convenient bag and mulch selector whereas the EGO doesn't. The EGO I purchased did come with additional blades for me to use such as the gator blades, air-lift blades (similar to the Honda blade design), and their patent economy blade for extended run-time. Overall, I like having both. I am using the Honda for bagging leaves in the fall, and the EGO for mulching during the summer months. As already mentioned the Honda has better suction compared to the EGO. This is also true even when using the air-lift blade on the EGO as opposed to the gator blades that you've shown in your video. EGO still doesn't have that suction on par with the Honda; however, you cannot go wrong with either mower, to be honest.

[@billjordan1173]

I have these exact same two mowers. I bought the Honda a few years ago to replace a Toro I didn't think was mulching well, and I never got along very well with it. As you noted, it is not a very maneuverable mower, and trying to pull it backward was especially taxing (and I'm a decently-in-shape 60-something). I finally got tired of it and purchased the 2135sp ego this year (2023). It's so easy to push, I rarely use the self-propel on it, and I also tend to mow more often because it's so simple to just pull it out of the garage and pop a battery in. That said, my ego has exhibited a problem that has caused Ego to send me a replacement (which is on its way). Whenever I'm using it, it will occasionally try to go into self-propel mode even when I have the self-propel completely off. This is quite annoying and slows me down as I maneuver it to get the self-propel off. If the replacement does the same thing, I won't be pleased. Also, battery life if very dependent on how much grass you are cutting off and which blade you use. It's interesting that in your comparison, the Ego has the mulching blade attached, but it also comes with a 'bagging blade' that looks more like the blade on the Honda, and I've read that many Ego owners find the bagging blade does a better job overall, including mulching, than the mulching blade does. I will be trying this when my replacement mower arrives in a few days. The jury is still out on battery life, but I do have one 5.0 battery (it came with my Ego snowblower) that seems to be exhibiting a tendency to overheat quickly, so I might be filing a warranty claim on that if it continues to do so (still have a year left on the warranty). Obviously replacing batteries can be expensive, so saving money over gas might not be the best reason for getting an electric mower. There are now third-party batteries available for much cheaper, but I don't know how well they work. I haven't sold the Honda yet just in case the Ego turns out to be a dud, but for now, I much prefer the Ego for convenience and ease of use, and it cuts every bit as well as the Honda does. And it has more deck settings than the Honda, so I can cut my grass at a more preferable length. I had the Honda set higher than I preferred because any lower than that made it essentially impossible to pull backward and it mulched like crap. With both the Honda and Ego, if I cut the grass when it was a bit too high and mulching trails remained, I put the bag on and went over the trails with the bag to pick up the loose grass. That worked fine with the Honda and works just as well with the Ego using the mulching blade exclusively, so I suspect it might be even better with the bagging blade on the Ego.

[@suerichardson6544]

We have a Honda mower with a blade control where we push with the motor on but no blades spinning

[@raybar1915]

One apparent drawback to the Ego I have noticed vs. gas Toro I had, is the the EGO leaves more stranglers. It however mulches better than the gas Toro.

[@Stack_Silver]

The EGO just makes it SOOOOOO. EASY to use and maintain! EG just came out with a 12ah battery as did Ryobi. The battery technology will get better and cheaper over time as society moves to Electric powered everything, cars included. And that is coming from a guy who owns Old Plymouths and DOdge cars from the 60's and 70's. I just had the throw out my 4-year Old Husqvarna gas mower as it gave up the ghost! Conversely, I have had my Honda HS624 Honda Snowblower since 1994 and it starts up first pull every time! I have a .45 acre lot of which .30 is grass area the needs to be cut. I'm all in on this electric movement...

[@robh693h4]

I have the same Honda and agree with the pulling resistance and if the drive system gets wet after a wash down , the rear wheels won't roll back at all until they are "broken free". Mine gets used weekly except during the summer when it is used twice a week and after 4 years the deck has rotted out directly in front of the mulch/bag selector. However, given the unknown of battery life and motor durability I would still stick with a gas powered mower, especially here in south Florida where the St. Augustine "grass" can be difficult to cut.

[@Shortcuts2185]

People talk about maintenance on the gas mower as if it's hours of your time. I have the Honda HRX217 and it's a quality mower. In the beginning of each season I sharpen the blades or replace them change the oil and replace the filter and plug. All of this takes under a half hour. As long as you have a fuel stabilizer in your gas there is no need to use the fuel cutoff. I only use that after the mowing season and storing for it the winter. This mower will pick up anything on the lawn even little things embedded in the grass. That will not happen with the EGO.

[@adamjones7497]

If it’s inconclusive, the winner is the Ego simply because it’s battery powered and does not require engine maintenance.

[@boukm3n]

My mother is in her 60s and we’ve been evaluating the different options. I think we’ll be able to deal with the new EGO models. I’m concerned about quality of life, but it seems like it’ll be enough for our work. I want her to able to use it as well. I’ll let you guys know how the first cut goes :)

[@j.thorgard]

Thanks, I appreciated your detail on the things that effect day-to-day use like the mulch to bagging switch.

[@phva7678]

Did you compare the weight/maneuvrabilty with the ego battery inside?

[@freedomlawncare9694]

Good review I have Honda hrn 216 and it’s a beast goes trough everything I like Honda more durable more power lasts longer period my opinion good reveiw

[@BharathTata]

I made the mistake of buying the Ego self propelled mower, Edger and leaf blower. I thought I was buying into a great eco system and interchangeable batteries. The batteries come with a 3 year warranty and all 3 batteries are dead after 3 years and 2 months. Buying batteries for another 3 years or even lesser is stupid expensive and I cannot mow my entire lawn without charging the battery again. All in all a waste of 1000 dollars across the 3 tools. I should have invested that money in gas powered tools. Lesson learnt. The one positive is that the Ego cut and striping are awesome.

[@manofculture4945]

Sell them all in Craigslist or offerup

[@stacylangford8015]

My honda is over 20 years old. How many charges will that battery take? What's gonna happen when it's not usable ? ALL that plastic be sitting in a landfill, turning into its natural ingredients.

[@lufe8773]

Great review, seems the most important thing is what application do you need it for and how big or what condition your lawn is in. Also I wonder what a review of a three or more even ten year old battery powered mowers will show it seems there will be no cost benefit if you have to buy extra batteries. Thinking of buying a battery powered mower but I have a twenty year old Briggs and Stratton petrol mower which has given great service.

[@diegosalazar9844]

I bought the Ego in an effort to do away with my gas powered mower and because it is one of the best reviewed electric mowers. However, it totally sucked! Well, the problem was that it did not suck enough, it would not even pick up the few leafs on my yard as I mowed over them. So, as much as I hate working with gas I will not recommend an electric mower if you are like me and like to see a clean yard after you are done mowing. So, I returned the $700.00 Ego and spent $450.00 on a M270 Craftsman mower and the world was good again. Sure, electric mowers have tons of cool features like easier storage and no stinky gas….. But, if a new more expensive product is not out performing old tech, to me it’s simply not worth it.

[@TInyK12]

My ego 56v 5 ah battery overheats easily now. Also it can’t handle my Bermuda anymore. I got my lawn pretty thick last year and it does when hitting a thick patch.

[@charlesrobinson5272]

Great rundown all facts!! I love them both

[@randumJACK]

Thank you for video

[@tsnstt]

I already have the 5.0 battery I bought with my ego 650cfm blower and was wondering what performance loss(es) would I have if I use the 5.0ah battery with this lawn mower instead of the 7.5 that comes with it?

[@easterlake]

Sticking with my Honda.........for now.

[@Mr-Chris]

Good choice, I actually returned the ego and ended up buying a new Honda. The claim of electric having the power of gas is a gimmick.

[@irongoose3865]

I was just reading a comment on another video today about a guy who owns a Ego and had to return it twice to Home Depot. The first after just the third use because the speed control failed and the second time the speed control failed on the third season of using it. He says you have to send them out through Home Depot and he did that 3 months ago and doesn't expect to see it again this year. He then goes on to mention that he is using his 20 year old Lawn Boy that hes kept running on his own.

[@mellowjammer]

@@Mr-Chris When I see many of the reviews of these battery mowers, they are cutting thin, dry, sparsely populated lawns. What happens with thick, wet cool season grasses like bermuda and tall fescue in the springtime when the grass is lush and clogging the bottom of your deck. I really have a hard time believing that the battery mowers will have the umph necessary to do the job (not to mention the the reduced battery runtime)...especially when trying to mulch. I agree with your assessment.

[@Mr-Chris]

@mellowjammer EGO doesn't do well in wet grass. It does an okay job, but not a great job considering you are paying $600+ for it. That's why I ended up returning it. Honda is a better machine and I ended up deciding that it's worth doing gas maintenance if that means I get a better, faster cut and mulching capabilities.

[@UserArundel]

Thank you for this overview. My trash picked honda mower has a throttle. Rabbit/Turtle lever. I swear it goes up to like 6000 RPM. ooh! you are actually stressing out your battery by quick charging it. Let it rest between the backyard and front yard but filling fast and draining fast is hard on the cathode. Annode?? One of the two is the common culprit /weak point in all batteries. Charge slow and discharge slow. Lithium has the benefit of being able to empty out entirely so dont worry too much about running your pack down to zero. In fact it might be good to do it on occasion. That single aspect was the greatest weakness of nicad and lead acid. Work gently and charge gently. Less power for a longer time is better on your batts.

[@BeeBopGaming]

You will spend more on gas and oil before the battery goes bad. Easily

[@Mr-Chris]

I don't know, I seen several reviews and feedback from people saying that the battery goes bad quickly and warranty replacement is difficult... however I also seen reviews that said that the battery you stayed strong 5 plus years ... so I guess it depends.

[@relevation0]

Doubtful

[@brianconnor1810]

My honda mower pulls back effortlessly, much better because of the torgue for cutting heavy grass.

[@tsnstt]

Use the ego blower 650cfm to clean the ego blow all the crap off lol

[@hprider01]

Is the older Model honda you need compare the new one.

[@brucemacneil]

The good thing with the Honda is you get to breathe aerosolized gasoline all the while you are mowing - that and the horrendous noise and stench in the garage or shed.

[@SuperPussyFinger]

True, if that’s what you have to endure if you don’t want that shitty plastic Ego.

[@brucemacneil]

@@SuperPussyFinger I have since purchased the ego and it is terrific.

[@bklyn2va2dc]

Great review. Thanks!

[@relevation0]

The next generation of electric mower may overtake the Honda, but not this one. Not if you've got some real work to do.

[@MazRixx]

Too much being made about what it takes to go from bagging to mulching to side discharge. Seems to me you pick one and thats probably it.

[@robertolsen3057]

The plastic lawn mower will be in a dumpster in 5 years. The Honda will go for 20 years!