Among self-propelled battery models, more than half earn that distinction, and all receive at least midlevel overall ratings. The top self-propelled battery mower, from Greenworks, is priced lower than the top-rated self-propelled gas model, from Honda. Notably, even those battery mowers that are more expensive to buy may cost you less in the long run. A CR analysis found that depending on the model you choose, the savings on gasoline and maintenance can more than make up for the price difference within a few years of ownership.
Some other models have only a pressure-fit connection, and these come loose all the time as you lead the vac around by pulling on the hose. This is a more powerful version of our pick, with a slightly larger capacity and motor. It’s widely recommended, but it costs more and is noticeably heavier than Ridgid’s 12-gallon model. “Battery run times have increased to the point where some mowers hyper tough battery are able to cut half an acre on one charge,” says David Trezza, CR’s lead lawn mower tester. Editor Joshua Lyon has been using the HD1200 extensively, preferring it over our upright vacuum pick, to clean up dust from many cardboard boxes as he unpacks after a move. There are only so many times you can bang the dust out of these basic, all-purpose replacement filters for dry debris.
The other suction test we did was to fill a bucket with two gallons of water and time how long it took each vac to empty the bucket with the nozzle fully immersed in the water. We would have liked to have used a larger amount of water, but the smallest vac we tested has a 2-gallon capacity, so we stuck with that. For all of the large-size benefits, 12-gallon vacs are still manageable for most people to maneuver around their homes or down a set of basement stairs. (It’s awkward, but doable.) As a vac’s size increases, maneuverability naturally becomes more difficult. This small vac can be used either with a DeWalt 20-volt battery or plugged into an outlet.
The HD1200 is a newer model, with an improved center-mounted handle for easy carrying and a larger, glove-friendly on/off switch. So far, this model has exhibited the same quality we’ve come to expect from similar Ridgid vacs over the years. For structured tests, we recorded the time it took each vacuum to suck up a pile of “workshop stew” that we created.
I’ve lost a number of nozzle ends and have irreparably damaged a hose, so easy replacement parts are important. Tobie Stanger is a senior editor at Consumer Reports, where she has been helping readers shop wisely, save money, hyper tough battery and avoid scams for more than 30 years. During off-hours, she works on her own fixer-upper and gets her hands dirty in the garden. Two-thirds of the battery push mowers in our ratings perform well enough for CR to recommend.
Additionally, through my construction work and at my own homes, I’ve dealt with at least a half-dozen flooded basements and have found wet/dry vacs to be instrumental in removing water and cleaning up. They’re more eco-friendly than gas machines because they don’t produce noxious fumes or use fossil fuels. The most energy-efficient battery mowers in our ratings earn CR’s Green Choice designation, signified by a simple green leaf. Not only is that efficiency good for the environment but it’s also to a small degree good for your wallet. There is possibility that there are other Hyper Tough power tools that utilizing the T terminal.
Compared with the DeWalt vac, the Greenworks vac has a larger capability—3 gallons versus 2 gallons—and stronger suction. But it lacks a corded option, so the 15 minutes of run time is all you have before a recharge. Because this is a smaller vac and really designed for minor messes, we found the 15 minutes to be plenty of time for any single mess we dealt with. The Greenworks vac comes with two nozzles—one for general use and a crevasse tool—which both tuck into an onboard storage compartment. We also like that the hose, when stretched out, becomes translucent, so it’s easy to see where a blockage is. The hose also easily disconnects from the vac, so clearing the blockage is easy too.
We suggest contacting the seller directly to respectfully share your concerns.