Ego vs Toro: Battle of the Battery Mowers

Electric mowers promise convenient, cord-free lawn care. But how do today’s models actually stack up? I tested the Ego 56V and Toro 60V head-to-head to see which delivers the best cut and performance. After extensive comparisons, one mower clearly came out on top.

The Contenders

I evaluated the base models of two premium battery mowers:

• Ego 21″ Select Cut Self-Propelled – $749
• Toro 21″ Recycler SmartStow Self-Propelled – $629

For an extra $100, does the Ego justify its higher cost over the Toro? Let’s find out.

I also used a budget Husqvarna 21″ Push ($300) for reference.

Features Comparison

Here’s how the mower specs and features stack up:

Feature	Ego	Toro	Husqvarna
Motor	Brushless 56V	Brushless 60V	140cc Gas
Cutting Width	21″	21″	21″
Cut Height	1.5″-4″ (7 settings)	1″-4″ (12 settings)	1.5″-4″ (6 settings)
Self-Propelled	Yes	Yes (“Personal Pace”)	Yes
Mulching/Bagging	Both	Both	Both
Weight	70 lbs	63 lbs	66 lbs
Folding	Yes	Yes	No
Lights	LED Headlights	None	None
Price	$749	$629	$300

The Ego has brighter LED lights plus easier folding and height adjustments. But the Toro offers more cut settings and costs less.

Testing Cut Quality

The real test would be cutting performance. I evaluated cut quality by:

• Comparing clumping/discharge on thick grass at the same 2″ height
• Inspecting evenness of cut on separate passes
• Checking bagging efficiency by weighing collected clippings

Results and Issues

Here’s what I found testing the Ego vs Toro:

• The Toro left slightly more even, consistent cutting on flats.
• But the Toro spit out clumps of grass and left a big mess when bagging.
• The Toro bag remained nearly empty while clumps piled under the mower.
• Very little clippings made it into the bag due to the steep ramp design.
• The Ego had excellent discharge and evenly filled the bag without clumping.
• The budget Husqvarna performed adequately and didn’t clump much.
• The Ego cut quality was more than acceptable despite not being quite as even.
• Toro’s poor clumping and bagging was a major issue making it unpleasant to use.

Why The Toro Clumped

Further inspection revealed why the Toro clumped so badly:

• The overly steep bagging chute allowed clippings to build up underneath.
• Grass had trouble making the nearly 45 degree climb into the bag.
• Clippings stacked on the ramp instead of collecting efficiently.

This severe clumping was unacceptable and makes the mower unpleasant and messy to use.

Verdict

The Toro left a slightly more even cut quality on flats. But the major clumping and discharge issues rendered it frustrating to use.

The Ego offered excellent discharge and clean bagging despite cut quality being just a hair below the Toro on flats.

Overall, the Ego is easily the better choice in my opinion. The minor advantage of the Toro’s cut quality is outweighed by its inability to cleanly collect and discharge clippings when bagging. And the Ego has nicer features for just $100 more.

In the end, the Toro’s sloppy clumping is a deal breaker. I’ll happily take the Ego’s slightly inferior cut quality knowing it will neatly bag and discharge grass instead of making a mess.

Recommendation

The Ego Select Cut is my clear winner between these two cordless mowers. For only $100 more, you get cleaner discharge, better bagging, LED lights and easier adjustments.

I hope this detailed cordless mower comparison helps you determine the best battery powered option for your yard. Let me know if you have any other questions!