About.com Rating

Summary: We’ve used the Worx 56 V Battery Cordless Mower successfully for six weeks during May and June 2015. Though we used it most often for routine mowing in flat areas, we also used the mower on small hillsides, weedy areas, old leaves, garden edges, and a quarter-acre area with tall grass that we mow only twice annually. Please note: This is a lawn mower, not a brush hog, but it handles tall grass and non-grass vegetation very well.

Worx 56V Performance Overview:

Low noise: Worx advertises the 56v’s quiet operation. Unlike any gas mower I’ve encountered, I can talk comfortably over its operating sound. Worx does not supply decibel ratings on the product, however. According to Brandon Martin, product manager at WORX, their noise level report is based on internal results and the product has not been tested by an approved agency for an official ANSI reading.  

"However, our testing does imply that the product's noise level is comparable to many other cordless mowers in the marketplace today," says Martin.

On further research, I found that very few manufacturers supply noise ratings. Some independent organizations, however, do offer average noise ratings for common items. If you’re curious about comparative noise levels, see Note 1 at the end of this article.

No emissions: The Worx 56V has no gas fumes or carbon emissions.

Range: The manufacturer claims the Worx 56V will mow up to 9400 square feet on a single charge, which is a little less than a one-quarter acre.

(Think of a 100’ x 94’ area.) Our routine mowing experience supports this claim. When we used it for about one-quarter acre of tall grass, however, the batteries lasted only 40 minutes. 

Battery charge: The product literature says that it takes two hours to recharge each battery. Our experience was between 15 to 30 minutes longer than that. I have since learned from Worx that charge time is affected by battery temperature.

"The stated charge time is based on a room temperature battery," says Brandon Martin. "Immediately after use, the battery will be warm and may take longer to charge." 

(We'll keep that in mind for future use.)

Low weight:  The machine weighs about 60 pounds, which is about 20 percent lighter than most 19” gas-powered mowers. This lighter weight is helpful on hillsides, but it also helps to reduce fatigue on straightaway areas. (Lawn mowing is relatively vigorous physical activity. Do you know how many miles you walk when you mow a lawn?)

Wheel design: The front wheels are on casters that protrude in front of the cutting deck. You can mow close to trees without damaging the trees or mow around rocks and other items. This feature cuts down on trimming. 

Mowing width and height: This is a 19" mower with seven height settings. The adjustments are easy to do. We always mow high and found the highest setting, about 4.5 inches, suitable. 

Other useful features:

• Fully collapsible handle for compact, stand-up storage.
• The handle height is adjustable for short and tall people. 
• The battery charger has an informative charge indicator light that shows charging status. 
• Easy to push, even on a hill.
• Though it is light, the unit feels sturdy.
• The cutting deck has a wash-out port for under-the-deck cleaning.
• You can mulch, bag or side-discharge grass clippings.
• The product was out of the box and assembled in about 8 minutes. I assembled it by myself.
• The instructions are clear. (But operation is simple, and I have needed them very little so far.)

Overall

Our family appreciated the quiet and efficient operation this mower delivers. There were no significant drawbacks. With further use and a bit of study time with the manual, I expect that even the few hiccups we experienced during early trials will iron themselves out.

I highly recommend the Worx 56V Battery Cordless Mower for lawns under one-quarter acre. For larger lawns, a little patience with the recharge makes the product fully viable. 

Full disclosure: the Worx company supplied the 56V MaxLithium Cordless 19" Mower free of charge, but no other consideration was received.

Note 1: See noise ratings of common household items by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Unfortunately, there do not seem to be any published noise ratings for electric mowers. Gas-powered mowers operate at 85-107 decibels, depending on the model. According to the NIH, ear protection should always be used at any noise level over 85.  Decibels are rated on a logarithmic scale, and changes in decibel levels do not represent a straight-line progression. 

If you're shopping for mowers, see: How to Research Mowing Equipment. 

If you want to mow less overall, see our article on low-mow lawns.