Electric mower makes the cut without great cutting

If you're persnickety about your lawn, then the EGO LM2000 isn't the mower for you. But if you care about being green and don't mind a slightly uneven cut, then the top-scoring cordless electric from Consumer Reports' mower tests is worth a look. Electric mowers aren't known for their perfect cutting performance. Despite that, this one has a lot to recommend it, including great handling, easy storage, and other conveniences that Home Depot is betting homeowners will pay $500 for.

First, there's storage. As with the Toro 20339, $360, a self-propelled gas mower, the EGO LM2000 can be folded and stored in a stand-up position, which is easier with an electric mower than a gas model since there's no threat of spillage. The handle is adjustable and for storage, it telescopes down and flips forward so the mower can lie flat or stand along the wall of the garage or shed.

Ergonomically, you can't do much better. In addition to the padded handle, the mower is fairly light—57 pounds including the 5-pound battery. As with most other electric mowers, you can adjust the deck height with a single lever. The EGO also comes with LED headlights in case you're mowing at dusk. (But mowing at night is a no-no.)

The 56-volt battery, the highest voltage we've seen, ran for 35 minutes in our tests. A charge indicator on the mower tells you when it's getting low, but no worries—recharging the battery only takes a half-hour. "If you need more time than that to mow your yard," said Peter Sawchuk, who oversees our mower tests, "you probably should be looking at a self-propelled mower instead." The five-year warranty is among the most generous we've seen in electric mowers.

Despite the manufacturer's claims of "superior performance whether you are mulching, bagging or using the side-discharge chute," the EGO LM2000 was mediocre on all three tasks. But in truth, great cutting isn't the forte of electric push mowers. The Black & Decker CM1936, $400, the next-best model overall, was a notch better for cutting evenness in mulch mode. Another, the Lowe's-exclusive Kobalt KM1940-06, $350, mulched comparably to the EGO and also has superb handling. But no model has done better than so-so in bagging or side-discharge mode.

If you want to spend less, prefer a gas model, or have a huge yard, check our mower buying guide for full Ratings and recommendations of mowers, tractors, and zero-turn-radius riders.

—Ed Perratore (@EdPerratore on Twitter)