The Affordable Lawn Mower To Consider When Shopping At Harbor Freight

Every homeowner loves a lawn that is manicured and well-maintained. A healthy lawn doesn't simply enhance your home's aesthetic appeal, but can also increase your property value. Plus, that warm feeling you get when a neighbor compliments your lawn isn't terrible either. For these reasons, you might want to take extra care when choosing the right lawn mower for your grass. The only problem is that lawn mowers with better functionality can cost a pretty penny. So, you'll have to perform a balancing act between the functionality of your available options and their prices. But what if you don't have to do that? Over at Harbor Freight, their only lawn mower option is an Atlas 80V Self-Propelled Lawn Mower that is very affordable at $269.99, with a ton of features to give you the best bang for your buck.

For starters, the Atlas lawn mower is an 80V cordless machine. This means that it's powered by a rechargeable battery, so it doesn't need to be tethered to a power outlet. Now, 80V is on the high side, because most modern cordless lawn mowers work with 40V, 60V, and 80V battery packs, so you can expect this product to give you a long runtime even with thick grass. The Atlas lawn mower also has a brushless motor, which is more efficient and gives even longer battery life than a brushed one. It is self-propelled with a rear wheel drive, and a single lever adjustment to give you seven cutting heights. 

This Atlas lawn mower is a great choice for eco-conscious homeowners. It's electrically powered, which is the greener choice compared to other gas-powered options. This lawn mower is also self-propelled. If you're still undecided between self-propelled vs. push lawn mowers, you should know that self-propelled mowers are typically more comfortable to operate. Which means this mower is a great choice if you or anyone else who would be mowing the lawn has mobility concerns.

It has an adjustable handle for better ergonomics and an easy push start, so starting your mower is not a chore. The device also boasts a long runtime of up to 80 minutes when you're using two batteries. This is due to the lawn mower's brushless motor delivering 4X power, and the reserve battery slot that allows for two batteries that switch automatically.

The Atlas lawn mower has a 21-inch cutting width, which balances cutting speed and better maneuverability. It also has an automatic load-sensing technology that dynamically adjusts the performance of the motor to give more power on thick and tall grass, and less on shorter areas. This makes moving easier and also helps optimize the battery life. The rear wheel drive makes this mower a viable option for lawns with uneven terrain, as it generates enough traction to do the job.

Out of 1200 reviews, over 900 were five stars, so it's clear this is one of those Harbor Freight tools homeowners love. But that doesn't mean there weren't complaints. A few reviewers had gripes about the drive speed for the self-propelled feature, stating it was a bit slow for their tastes. However, the biggest downside to this tool is that the $269.99 price tag is for the mower only. You have to budget an extra $219.98 to get a battery and charger, and an additional $139.99 if you want to enjoy the long runtime perks of having two batteries. All these additions increase the price substantially.

If you have a yard beyond three-quarters of an acre, then this might not be the best mower for you. Its cutting width of 21 inches is great for smaller yards, but larger yards might be better off with riding mowers with wider cutting widths. Plus, this mower might not be as powerful as a gas mower, and while it does ramp up the RPM for thicker areas, that would drain the battery and shorten the runtime. The self-propelled option is also another drain on the battery that you should take note of. Thankfully, you can turn that feature off easily.