In Brief: What Is a Brushless Lawn Mower
A brushless lawn mower refers to an electric lawn mower with a brushless motor. This type of motor replaces the metal brushes and commutator in a normal electric motor with a circuit board. Brushless lawn mowers run more efficiently, make less noise, and produce less heat. However, they tend to be more expensive to purchase and repair.
If you’re in the market for a new lawn mower, you’ve likely taken a look at electric mowers. Have you noticed that some mowers are a significantly more expensive, with the only difference being that they are “brushless” mowers?
Here you’ll learn what a brushless lawn mower is, how it works, when it might be useful, and the major pros and cons of this type of electric lawn mower.
What Is a Brushless Lawn Mower?
A brushless lawn mower is a specific type of electric mower. The term brushless refers to how the engine operates. Electric motors in power tools and equipment can be either brushed or brushless.
What It Is and How It Works
The difference between a brushless and a brushed motor is all in the design of the motor.
Brushed motors transfer energy from the power source (battery or cord) to the blade with a spinning interior shaft and a stable exterior shaft.
The interior shaft is coated with copper wiring, the external shaft with magnets. A connection is formed between them by metal brushes and a commutator.
Brushless motors are designed to be more efficient. The magnets are fixed the internal shaft with copper wiring on the external shaft. Instead of brushes and a commutator, there is a circuit board connected to the external shaft.
Why does any of this matter? The design of a brushless motor allows it to be more flexible to the task at hand. Brushed motors run at top speed all the time. Brushless motors can sense the need for more or less power, depending on the resistance the mower blade is facing.
This difference means brushless mowers use less energy for simple mowing tasks and run more quietly overall. There is also less friction in the engine, allowing the motor to last for longer and generating less heat while it’s running.
Simply put, brushless mowers work more efficiently. See a video explaining some of the differences between brushless and brushed motors:
When to Use a Brushless Mower
Because they’re more adaptable, brushless mowers are ideal for difficult mowing jobs. If you’re going to use an electric mower on rough terrain or a large yard, brushless mowers are better suited to the challenge.
They can help you conserve battery on flat ground and access the power you need in more difficult conditions.
The extra efficiency of a brushless lawn mower makes it a good choice for many homeowners and professionals. But, if you only have a small-medium sized yard without any tricky landscaping features or thick grass, you may not need a brushless lawn mower.
Pros and Cons
Brushless mowers excel in many ways. There are a lot of benefits to using them, stemming from the tech built into the motors. However, there are some negatives to consider as well.
While brushless mowers tend to be quieter and more efficient overall, they’re going to be more expensive to purchase and more difficult to repair.
The extra intricacy built into a brushless mower engine means there are more things to break that require different expertise to fix.
Here’s a summary of the pros and cons of brushless lawn mowers:
Pros
- Quieter
- Less friction in the motor
- More powerful
- Produces less heat while running
- Longer lasting
Cons
- More expensive
- Repairs can be more difficult
Popular Brands
Many top companies produce at least brushless lawn mower, but the companies with the most consistent good reviews are EGO and Ryobi.
EGO brushless lawn mowers are known for being long lasting, tough, and very powerful whereas Ryobi mowers are good allrounders.
Summary
Brushless lawn mowers are the most efficient type of electric mowers. The engine design is more adaptable and long lasting, but it comes at a higher purchase and repair cost.
Do you have questions about brushless lawn mowers? Leave a comment below.
