Neuton CE 5.4 14-Inch 24-Volt Cordless Electric Mulching/Bagging Lawn Mower with Removable Battery Review
Summary: If you have a very small yard (Perhaps 1000-1500 square feet of lawn) this could be a decent compromise for you, otherwise I don't think the 14" path and limited battery capacity will "cut it"
My neighbor has this one from a couple of years ago and I tried it out. It's smaller, lighter and quieter than the two cordless mowers we've used but that 14" path would probably be a dealbreaker for most people. When you consider that you will overlap each pass by at least 2-3 inches, you're really only cutting 10-11 inches on each pass.
+ Easy to maneuver
+ Quiet
+ Small
+ Super light compared to our B&D CM1100 or Toro, both of which weigh about twice as much
- 14" path!?!?!
- Pricey for what you get
- Hard to cut near obstacles
I've put a quick guide of the most popular models on Amazon. All info reported by manufacturer. Amazon won't let me put prices in my review, sorry!
MOWER............Path/Volt/Watt-hr......WT............COMMENTS
Neuton CE5.3............14"/24V/240......48#....Plastic deck, Removable batt.
B&D CM1836..............18"/36V/NA.......64#....Plastic deck
Greenworks 25092......18"/24V/480......95#....Self Propel, Removable Batt
Worx ECO WG780.......19"/24V/408......80#....Removable Battery
Haussmann CLM46NU...19"/24V/NA........94#....Haussmann who?? Metal deck
B&D CMM1200.............19"/24V/432......76#....Update to our old CM1000
B&D CM1936...............19"/36V/360.......72#....Plastic deck, Removable Batt
Neuton CE6................19"/36V/360.......88#....Plastic deck, Removable Batt
Earthwise 60120..........20"/24V/480......92#....Metal deck, Removable Batt
Toro 20360.................20"/36V/432......77#....Metal deck
Solaris/Epic EP21H........21"/24V/NA......106#....Rmvble batt, self propel, steel
>>Why SHOULD I get a cordless electric mower? They are super quiet, clean, and convenient. No fumes or exhaust- because gas mowers don't have catalytic converters, they can pollute as much in a year as 43 cars!!!!. They aren't necessarily cheaper than a gas mower since they cost more up front but there is basically NO maintenance. (We spent over 10 years for a set of replacement batteries.) Corded electric mowers are a cheaper but having a cord is a pain.
>>Why SHOULDN'T I get a cordless mower? They weigh a LOT more than gas mowers so if you have a hilly lot or have difficulty with physical exertion, forget it. They don't have as much power as gas and re-fueling means charging for a few hours so if your lot is over ½ acre you may want to reconsider.
>>Why do they all come with mulching PLUS bagging? Electric powered mowers have come a long ways but mulching still takes a LOT more power than discharging, so bagging is pretty much a standard feature.
>>What is a watt-hour? It's basically how big your gas tank is - the more watt-hours, the longer you can mow before you have to recharge.
>>Is the cutting path a big deal? Yes - for two reasons. 1) The first thing manufacturers do when power is marginal is reduce the blade size, so I tend to see the smaller mowers as more likely to be underpowered. Second, when you consider that you have to overlap each pass by ~3", a 20" blade now effectively cuts 13% more on each pass. If you have a larger yard, you definitely do NOT want anything under 18" Also, my measurements show most mowers overstate their blade size by 1/2" (Our 20" measures 19-5/8, our 19 measures 18-1/2)
>>Why might I want a removable battery? If you have a large yard, this means you can have a second battery charging while you are using the first. A second battery typically costs 0-0 but it can make the difference between going electric or not. Finally, if you keep the mower in a shed that doesn't have power, a removable battery will let you bring it in for charging.
>>How long will my batteries last? That depends on your climate and usage. We had a small lot for many years and were religious about recharging right after use. We also live in a cooler climate (Michigan) so it's cooler and the mowing season is shorter. Our batteries lasted ~7 years. Most people should get 3-4 years easily but if you're careless and live in Arizona, you might be able to kill the batteries in a year or two.
>>Why should I care about higher voltage? Higher voltage = more power, PLUS you can recharge the mower faster. With the same chemistry and current, a 36V mower will charge 50% faster than a 24V mower.
>>Metal deck or plastic? Metal rusts but with minimal care it's not an issue. Plastic ends up giving you a more stuff to trim since you can't cut as close to fences, etc.
If you've found this review helpful or have questions/comments, please let me know!
Neuton CE 5.4 14-Inch 24-Volt Cordless Electric Mulching/Bagging Lawn Mower with Removable Battery Feature
- World's quietest rotary mower
- No gas or oil means easy cleaning, no engine maintenance, and safe storage without spills or fumes
- At only 50 pounds, the Neuton CE5 is easy to push. Because there is no gas or oil to leak, Neuton Mowers are simple to store.
- Versatile 3-in-1 cutting options include a rear grass bag, side discharge chute and mulching plug.
- Easy to use 1-touch cutting height adjustment from 1.2-inches to 3-inches.
Neuton CE 5.4 14-Inch 24-Volt Cordless Electric Mulching/Bagging Lawn Mower with Removable Battery Overview
The Neuton CE5 DURACELL-Powered Mower is welcome relief from the arm-yanking pull-starts, the fumes, noise, and vibration of a gas lawn mower. Start it with the push of a button and mow for up to 1 hour on a single charge. Since it doesn't use gas or oil, it never needs a tune-up, and it runs clean. It produces no pollution or carbon emissions. Enjoy the ease and convenience of battery-powered mowing! The regular Limited Warranty that comes with your Neuton Mower covers defects in materials and workmanship for 2 years. With our Neuton Extended Warranty, you can get 1, 2 or 3 additional years of coverage on your Neuton Mower (including the motor) and bring your Warranty coverage up to a full 5 years.
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Customer Reviews
poor battery life - Verlyn R - Camano Island, WA United States
I have a 5.? mower and cannot keep the battery working for more than 1 season. I store the battery per manufacturers suggestion (which has changed over the years) but still have to buy a battery every year. That's fairly expensive. I won't buy another. My mower is going to the dump and the batteries I've collected to the recycle.
Neuton CE5 has a bit more power than my corded Black & Decker had - C. D Smith - Denver, CO
We got this mower at an [...] mower trade in event. We didn't have a gas mower to trade in so we paid 5 for this mower. (We are giving our old B&D electric away to our dog sitter). I paid 9 for the B&D electric and it always had trouble with the higher grass. The Little Neuton CE5 has a bit more torque than the B&D ever had. The cutting path is quite a bit smaller at 14 inches, however, my wife keeps re-claiming more and more yard and turning it into garden so the 1500 or so square feet of lawn we have left is easily mowable with this little puppy. Set up was easy. I took the battery and charger into the back porch and had it charging while I assembled the mower. The battery wasn't fully charged after set up, but after about 4 hours on the charger (the manual said it could take 8 to 14 hours to fully charge), the light on the charger changed from red to green indicating the battery was fully charged. Even with all the rain and foot high grass (which would require a couple passes with any mower), going through that mostly dry foot high grass was easier with the Neut than with the B&D.
The "Prius" mower - J. Calhoun - Worthington, OH USA
I have the previous version of this mower, now 8 years old, and it finally died. The original batteries are still going, and I can still trim. We are rather rough on mowers (previous record: 3 years on a gas mower), but until last year, you could get any part to repair it. All mowers will need maintenance, but overall this has been much cheaper to operate and repair. I am ordering this version to replace it, which has been out a few years, and it is mostly the same as mine. Mine is the first version sold.
If you use up all the juice in one battery, just slip another one in. I can mow my small yard and do all the trimming and still have juice left over on one battery. I can mow on Sunday morning and not disturb anyone (you can talk in a low voice and be heard while mowing). You can pick it up with one hand. I mulch my leaves with it. The trimmer is the best one I have ever had.
Like all electric mowers, it requires a certain philosophy to be successfull (the "Prius" thing). I use the entire width and do not overlap rows, leaving a 4" mowhawk. Then I go back and mow that. You cannot walk too fast over the wet or extra thick parts. With this method, it is as fast and as thorough as my last 5 1/2 hp gas mower. You need to keep the batteries charged, but not on the charger all of the time. If you are not willing to make adjustments like this, you will be happier with a gas mower. The 36 volt version is more powerful, and so is a corded electric, but for small yards, this is fine.
