If you’re a contractor who regularly handles maintenance or odd jobs around the house, or a landscaper, you need a mower that’s tough enough to get the job done every time you hit the On button. That’s what Milwaukee set out to do with their 2823 M18 FUEL mower, which is a 21-inch self-propelled lawnmower powered by two massive 12Ah batteries.
It also includes a high lift mode activation button to increase blade speed for increased air flow and more lift, which is designed to improve bagging and mulching performance. The battery and blade control panel is intuitively placed on the handle, where you can easily access and control all your cutting modes.
The deck is constructed from a sturdy stamped steel, and the mower’s weight feels solid. It also has a full suite of LED lights that are pretty bright, even at low or no-light settings.
The mower requires very little maintenance, and it’s a breeze to start. Simply hold down the bail bar and press the power button to start the blade and engage the self-propel function, which you can change between 5 different speeds using a thumb paddle on the handle.
It takes about a minute to trim the grass and it’s easy to turn around corners, which is important when you’re working on a large yard. It’s also a lot quieter than my gas-powered mower, and it doesn’t require any oil changes or spark plugs. One big drawback is the price, which is almost $1,000.
