Here’s the summary of this tool review: At about 70 pounds with battery, the CAT 60V walk-behind lawn mower is easy to move around, but right out of the gate, it’s clear this mower design was thought about deeply.
Top Line Features
- All-Beast Steel Deck
- Top of Class Adjustments
- Sick Power
- Subtle Self-Propel
- Outstanding Battery Engagement
- Comes with one 60V battery
Real Deal Review: CAT 60V Lawn Mower
I’ve been mowing grass for a long time. I remember mowers that required a ratchet set to unbolt the wheels–individually– to move them up or down a notch. No bags or, worse, side-mounted bags. No such thing as mulching. And there was often raking involved if one didn’t know the nuances of how to mow a lawn that has gotten out of control.
Then, of course, there was the gasoline engine, spark plugs, oil and air filters. All relatively simple, but tasks over and above the actual mowing that Madison Avenue has convinced us are hardships. They’re not. They’re just knowing how things work. Although, they are an expense.
Still, just unboxing the CAT 60V walk behind lawn mower was a thing of beauty. At about 70 pounds with battery, it’s easy to move around, but right out of the gate, it’s clear this mower design was thought about deeply.
All you have to do to get it up and running is unfold the handle, charge the battery, and set the mower height. More detail on all that right now.
Adjustments
The handle adjustments are just below where you push the mower, not down by the deck as is typical. While this isn’t a feature I use often: I deploy the mower, set the handle where I want it and that’s it. However, users with crammed garages that need to fold the handle down to store the unit–and I include lawn trailers here, because the CAT 60V is that tough–it’s the best I’ve seen.
The blade height adjustment–something I do use all the time*–is the best I’ve seen. A simple lever and easy to read number markings with positive detents (like a miter saw). Spring-activated and sublimely easy to adjust. Good luck trying to break it, too. Tough.
*Fast-growing spring lawns, customers whose lawn mower broke…aaaand…jungle, banged up properties we work on, whatever, we control out of control grass. As a result, I often adjust the mower height up and I want it to be a snap. I also like to mow my lawn higher than the recommended height for my area. It looks exactly the same, but it’s healthier and greener in the dog days.
I did it today to manage the Spring growth spurt while NOT filling my driveway with grass clippings, which brings me to the side-discharge on the CAT 3-in-1. It works great. It is a side-chute, so there may be some gates and whatnot to figure your way through. It’s well-designed and hangs on bumping into things.
Mower Power
Here’s the review of the CAT 60V mower’s power. Long story short, on one battery–and under maje duress–it ran an hour on one massively out of control lawn on a single charge. Then it ran 75 minutes cutting thick, spring grass 6 inches high side-discharging then mulching.
The CAT 60V lawn mower shot clippings out like any gas unit I’ve ever used. It choked sometimes–I should have raised the mower; where are my wrenches?!–but it ran quietly.
The electronic feedback control–that extra umph when you hit a really tough clump of grass–is all-pro.
Toughness
The CAT is built for the long haul. I’d call it fully ruggedized. I mowed all kinds of yard with it. It’s here to stay.
Self-Propelled +
I both do–and because I am who I am–do not like this feature. As long as I can walk and push a mower, I’m going to. Sure, Netflix is cool, but we weren’t born to binge. We were born to do. So while my body can still push a mower, that’s what I’m going to do. Besides, the self-propelled units I’ve used in the past are more like dragged-behind.
It appears to me from the way the self-propelled and GO handles are configured on the CAT, this unit is designed for the user who self-propels all the time. Unlike me. I use it to jut me out of weird corners or get me started up an incline or out of a turn.
If you’re a self-propeller, the CAT is sweet. Its soft start doesn’t wheel the mower out of your hand. It doesn’t go so fast you have to chase it or not use it. The handle is seamless and comfortable. It hits a sweet spot.
Self-Propelled –
The GO handle and ON button work great. The ON button is a little gummy, also flawless, but the self-propelled bar–when not in use–is inescapably under my wrists.
I mowed large lawns, seriously bumpy lawns, tangled up lawns that were plenty smooth but I needed to move the mower around a lot. It only took simple adjustments to my hand placement, but the self-propelled bar is never not there unless in use.
Real Deal Rating
The summary of this CAT 60V lawn mower tool review: Born to mow. All-pro features. Available at Amazon and at Lowe’s. Fantastic price for the category of battery-powered lawn mowers.
About the Author
