GreenWorks Pro 80V MO80L510 21-Inch Self-Propelled Mower Review

Our 2020 updated review of the GreenWorks Pro 80V MO80L510 21-Inch Self-Propelled Mower still shows that this mower is one of the best on the market. Great features, easy to use, and performs well even after years of use. When we did this review, GreenWorks created two 80V cordless electric lawn mowers. We reviewed the GreenWorks GLM801600 line a few days prior and now we will be giving you the results for the GreenWorks Pro 80V self-propelled lawn mower that we just completed.

C-ELMR Review 100011

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Product: GreenWorks Pro 80V  MO80L510 21-Inch Self-Propelled Cordless Lawn Mower

Manufacturers: Globe Tools Group

Best Price: Amazon

Warranty: 4 years after the date of purchase but only upon registration of product  at GreenWorks

UPDATE: Availability: Currently  available 

Newer models available:

1. Greenworks PRO 21-Inch 80V Cordless Lawn Mower, 4Ah Battery and Charger Included 2501202 -Read full review here

Overall C-ELMR Rating: 

These are the main areas of the GreenWorks lawn mower that we  focused on:

1. Design
2. Power
3. Performance
4. Efficiency and ease of use
5. Durability
6. Ease of locating replacement parts
7. Value

We also looked at the claims that GreenWorks made about how their electric self propelled mower is supposed to work and compared those claims to what actual customers experienced while using the self-propelled feature. We will be providing you with videos from customers who are satisfied/dissatisfied with their purchase. First, let me show you what GreenWorks says about their mower.

Greenworks main arguments are that:

• You will get up to 70 minutes of run time with a fully charged 5.0AH Battery
• The mower contains brushless motors that are more reliable and delivers gas equivalent performance to a 160cc gas engine
• It has Smart Cut(TM) Load sensing technology
• It has 3-in-1 Mulch, rear bag, and side discharge that all perform well

Now let us take a look at what we found out and what customers had to say about these claims.

Overview:

Design

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This mower was designed with easy handling in mind. There are however some concerns about how cheap the material and design looks.

People are yet to complain about the material falling apart but many are concerned. I would not be. If you look at older GreenWorks mowers, they are made of similar material are they are lasting through the years.

It has a steel deck which is a very durable material so no problem there except maybe rusting if you do not keep it out of the rain. The only issue here would be the clips for adjusting the mower handle height.

If you care about aesthetics, you should know that upon adjusting it over and over through the years, you will see the black coating start to scrape away in that area. Let us look at some design details.

Start option

The mower is easy to start. It is similar to all the others. It has a start option with a modern push button and a “pull bail switch” option.

Tip

Starting and stopping  the GreenWorks 80V mower

• Ensure that battery is charged and loaded in the mower
• Press and hold down on the green safety lock-out button close to the back handle of the mower.
• Still holding the button, pull back the bail switch towards the back handle of the mower.
• After the mower starts, release the safety lock-out button and the mower is ready to start mowing.
• To stop mowing, release the bail and the mower will immediately stop.

 

Good Height Adjustments

There is one handle at the back of the mower on the right-hand side that adjusts all four wheels. It is usually a bother to have two (2) or (4) four different adjusters for the wheels.

There are seven different cutting heights. 1st setting is 1 1/4″, 2nd is 1 2/3″, 3rd is 2″, 4th is 2 1/3″, 5th is 2 3/4″, 6th is 3 1/7 and 7th setting is 3 5/8″. 

Weight and size

It is 32.3″ L x 18.2″ H x 20.4″ W inches and weighs 79.5 lbs. This GreenWorks mower is not the lightest electric mower on the market but it is easy to maneuver around the lawn. This is mainly due to the steel material.

Motor

This mower has brushless motor technology. Brushless motors increase torque, delivering maximum power with less heating up and wasting battery energy. The GreenWorks Pro 80V mowers, both self-propelled and manual push, drive a power similar to that of a 160cc gas engine mower.

The mower has smart cut technology built-in where it revs up when it meets high, thick grass and then down and uses less energy to go through shorter, thinner grass. This conserves battery energy when cutting and increases the run time unless you are going through high, thick grass then the mower stays at a high rev throughout your entire lawn, then your battery will die faster.

Cutting options 

1. Bagging
2. Mulching
3. Sideways Discharge

Batteries

       This mower comes with an 80V 5Ah li-ion battery (or the battery might be sold separately) and a rapid charger but the battery can also be charged using other charger models from GreenWorks. These include GBA80200, GBA80400 and GCH8040. It takes 30 minutes to charge and can last up to 70 minutes but rarely.  It has to be mowing low, thin grass to last the full 70 minutes. One YouTube reviewer said that this GreenWorks mower had the longest run time out of all the 80V mowers that he had tested (video available below in the durability section below).

 

Storage

This mower can be stored in two positions: vertically leaning on the handle-bars or horizontally. You save more space leaning it on your wall somewhere in a vertical position.

• Pull and turn the handle knobs 90 degrees
• Lower the handle-bar forward until it is resting on top of the handle deck

Noise level

The mower is a lot quieter than you would expect for the power flowing through it. You can mow and listen to music and if your doors are closed you will not hear the mowing from inside.

Power and performance

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It gets your lawn nicely done whether it has high or low grass and shrubs. It mulches better and does a better job in high grass than other 80V push mowers by GreenWorks and handles slopes that would otherwise be hell to manage without the self propel feature.

If your lawn is thick, however, the batteries will not last the full 70 minutes. It will go up to about 55 minutes then a recharge will be necessary. A video is available in the durability section with a small piece showing the mower in action. Here is what customers are saying online.

 

 

Efficiency and ease of use

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As seen in the comments above from customers, the GreenWorks Pro 80V MO80L510 21-Inch self-propelled lawn mower is easy to install, simple to start, stops at the release of the bail and it gets the job done well.

No arguments there… but I have seen complaints that the handles are not very easy to fold and that the mower is heavy to lift especially if you are going to carry it up and downstairs for storage.

It is self-propelled so it will not be a problem to get it to mow as it travels on its own but the problem comes in when moving it to storage. This mower would be a no no for people with back problems who need to carry the mower for some distance for storage.

Pushing it is not as bad but lifting is an issue. If you are moving from a gas-powered lawn mower then this weight will be a relief to you but if you want something lighter, with the same cutting width, I would recommend the EGO 56V self-propelled lawn mower.

If you have a garage close to your lawn and you do not need to lift it, well you are good to go. Also, bear in mind that it gets a lot lighter than the 79.5 lbs when the battery is removed.

Durability

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There is a four (4)-year warranty on the mower and two (2)-year warranty on the battery and charger. It has a very impressive steel deck but the adjustments at the handle and for the heights could have been more thought out. The plastic clip adjustments are not very impressive to look at. I have not seen any complaints from buyers about these falling apart but just an observation.

Ease of locating replacement parts

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The blades, chargers, and batteries are easy to find on eBay and other online stores. You can call GreenWorks and ask for a repair shop near you if you need assistance getting parts and changing them.

Customer Service 

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Above-average – Reps are very informed, especially when answering questions on the GreenWorks Website or in Amazon questions and answer section. They also replied promptly to customer concerns in the review section of amazon.

Overall Assessment of GreenWorks Pro 80V MO80L510 21-Inch Self-Propelled Mower 

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Video from a buyer, take a look!

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Pros and Praises from buyers

These are basically the same as the GreenWorks 80V push mower without the self-propelled feature. The only two added Pros and the self-propelled feature obviously and the mulching and impressive performance over slopes and in high grass.

– No cords yet it is one of the most powerful electric mowers on the market

-Easy to assemble and ready to use

-Easy to start and stop

-Noise level is lower than that of a gas mower

– Fast charging battery and charger gets your battery ready in 30 minutes most times

– It folds up nice so that it can be stored both vertically and horizontally. Definitely a space saver.

– Height Adjustment works well and is easy to adjust.

-One handle adjusts all four wheels

-It is convenient to have seven different cutting heights

-Replacement blades are so cheap that it’s worth not bothering to get the current one sharpened.

-Goes smoothly down thinner grass and powers up through thicker grass to save energy

-Cuts damp grass without bogging down often

-The mowers really handle tall grass well if adjusted to the tallest height

-Handles thick grass well

-Mulches well

-Very durable batteries – ten-year lifespan

-Charger can be used for other GreenWorks 80-volt  tools

-Charger will detect if the battery is too hot to charge and will cool it down with the built-in fan before charging. This does increase the amount of charge time required but will protect the battery a little.

-Self propelled so very easy to maneuver around your lawn

-Glides over bumps and patches without any problems

-steel deck gets a thumbs up

Cons and Complaints from Buyers

– Plastic handles on the height adjustment bar

-Battery take longer to charge if they heat up because the charger has to cool down the battery before it starts to charge

-79.5 lb weight makes it hard to carry the mower to storage unless your storage area does not require much lifting to get it there.

Value

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The GreenWorks Pro 80V MO80L510 21-Inch Self-Propelled Mower is worth the purchase If you want a self-propelled mower and you need the power generated here then it is definitely good value for your money. If you have a small, well-kept lawn then go for something more simple and inexpensive.

Recommended for

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I would recommend this GreenWorks self-propelled mower for people with 1/2 acres of lawn and in need of a powerful mower to get the job done with fewer recharges. If you have a great distance to carry this mower and you will not have any help, go for the Ego Self propelled mower instead. If not, this mower could be your guy.