Alright, Alright! Well, I got lucky again and found a Craftsman V20 Self-Propelled Cordless Mower on the side of the street on its way to the dump. Of course, I decided to pick it up and find out what was needing repair.

The first thing I noticed was the lack of batteries on the mower. This cordless mower used (2) Craftsman V20 5.0Ah batteries. I immediately looked up the cost of (2) batteries and a charger. Keep in mind that in cases, the cost of batteries and chargers could be half the cost of the equipment. I found an aftermarket package of (2) batteries and a charger online for less than the cost of a single battery at a local big box store. Also keep in mind that I have seen many aftermarket batteries that were grossly overstating the capacity of the battery. So, keep that in mind when looking at those “great deals”.

The second thing I noticed was the loose mower blade. I inspected the blade, and blade adapter for damage or missing parts. There was no real damage and when I looked up the assembly diagram online, I discovered that two of the spacers were inverted. Upon proper assembly, the blade is good and tight.

The third thing I noticed was the missing safety key. The key is a safety measure to keep the mower from accidental power to the blades. In this case, a replacement key was hard to find, so I decided to 3D print a key with an embedded magnet to flip the switch. It worked like a charm!

I gave the mower a test run and everything was working like it should. I decided to mow my yard and my neighbors yard to test the longevity of the batteries.

I have to say, so far, I really like this Craftsman mower. I have used a few electric mowers in the past, but I was never drawn towards the electric (corded or battery). Until now, I have always favored gas equipment because of the power of gas engines, and the lack of power and longevity of the past batteries.

With todays batteries, the game has changed.

I have used one of the latest mowers, trimmers, and a mini chainsaw, and I have been impressed.

The biggest game changer is the battery technology and the strategy of using the battery as the core component of a large product family. Meaning, with one core battery you can use it on a number of power equipment, lawn equipment, and power tools.

But, looking back at the mower….

I really like the Craftsman mower.

• It cuts well in short and tall grass.
• Light weight and maneuverable
• Very quiet
• Good battery life (up to 50 minutes with (2) 5 Ah batteries)
  • FYI – My first test yielded 45 minutes of run time
• Collapsible for compact storage
  • Do not have to worry about gas or oil leaks
• Brushless motor
• Self-propelled motor can be fast

Cons

• I could go either way with the self-propelled vs push
  • Given the light weight, pushing is easy
• The blade is only 19”
• The blade was very thin. Time will tell how long it will last
• It cut well, but not great with mulching. Is there a replacement blade?
• I would like to see some beefier tires (not just plastic)

Overall, I think it is a great mower. A long term test would be interesting to rate the batteries, see how long the blade will last, and see if any cracks or damage occurs to the mowing deck/mounts.

I am looking forward to testing some of the top ranked electric motors for comparison. Hopefully I can make that happen.