Craftsman has a pretty rich history in the world of residential gas-powered mowers, but their battery-powered line is still relatively new. When we brought in 24 different mower models for our Best Gas Mower and Best Battery-Powered Mower comparisons, we were excited to see what the 60V max Craftsman self-propelled battery lawn mower brought to the electric mower landscape.
Note: Craftsman has unofficially discontinued its V60 line of outdoor power tools.
Pros
- High light-load blade speed
- Steel deck
- Battery level gauge clearly visible
- Long runtime and 1/2-acre cutting potential
- Good value
Cons
- Slow charge time
- Brushed motor doesn’t respond to heavy loads as well brushless models
Cutting Performance
Cutting Power
Under no load, the Craftsman self-propelled battery lawn mower uses its 60V max motor to come out of the gate real hot, with a faster blade tip speed than any mower in our test, gas or battery. Its 198.7 MPH tip speed edged out Troy-Bilt on the gas side by just 0.3 MPH, while the nearest battery-powered competitor was more than 20 MPH back.
When putting the Craftsman under a lighter-duty load, simulating a maintenance cut, it dropped more than 10 MPH to 188.5 MPH. Still, it enjoyed a lead of more than 10 MPH in the battery group.
However, it continued to drop under a heavy load, settling in at 164.1 MPH. Only a few battery mowers in our tests dropped in speed and Craftsman had by far the biggest drop. Most of our mowers increased their blades speeds significantly under a heavy load—some more than 30 MPH! So what gives?
The difference is that Craftsman goes with a brushed motor in this model. Without the benefit of a brushless motor’s electronics, the V60 motor responds more like a gas engine. The more resistance you put on it, the lower the RPMs drop. And since battery mower blades don’t have as much mass and the motors don’t have as much momentum and power as a gas mower, the drop is more significant.
However, we shouldn’t take that to mean that this model is ill-equipped. Its high blade speed makes cutting a breeze for regular weekly cuts and it handles a few days of overgrowth well. Just do your best not to let your lawn grow much more than that.
Torture Test
We took a handful of mowers and ran them through two weeks worth of growth, moving at a steady 2.5 MPH walking speed with the cut height set at 2.5″. Basically, we walked them until they bogged down and stopped.
The Craftsman self-propelled battery lawn mower made it 21.5′ before calling it quits. There were a couple that didn’t make it as far, but it left us wondering what it would do with a brushless motor.
Cutting Area
In our cutting area test, we set the drive speed to 2.5 MPH and ran each mower on a maintenance load until the battery ran out. With its monster 7.5Ah battery, we ran 61 minutes, giving the 20.25″ blade time to cut just over 1/2 an acre (22,646 square feet).
That’s an impressive amount of cutting on a charge that only a couple of our cordless competitors exceed. However, it’s on the lower end for how efficiently it uses its 405 watt-hour battery.
It’s worth noting that this was one of the slowest charging batteries we tested. Is this super important? Probably not if you can get your lawn cut on one charge. If you need to recharge in the middle of a job, know that it will take a little less than 4 hours for a full charge cycle.
Noise Level
The Craftsman self-propelled battery lawn mower is not the quietest mower we’ve ever heard, but it’s still a fair bit more quiet than gas power. Testing just the sound the motor and blade generates with no load, it produces 85 decibels. You’ll get a bit more noise when it’s cutting.
That’s on the louder side for battery mowers. The full range runs from 74 – 88 decibels. Most run 77 – 82 decibels and only one is louder than Craftsman. Still, most gas mowers are over 90 decibels, giving you a pretty solid cushion between them and the V60.
Feature Set
Self-Propel Drive
We like it when the mower does its own pushing, and the Craftsman V60 certainly does that. It has a variable speed drive which you can toggle via the lever on the mower handle. It’s simple and effective.
Deck Material
The Craftsman self-propelled battery lawn mower uses a steel deck instead of a plastic or composite deck. This should increase the mower’s overall durability, but it also increases the weight a bit. However, since the mower is doing the hard work of moving itself, weight isn’t much of a concern. We’ll take the increased durability here.
Height Adjustment and Ranges
The Craftsman V60 lawn mower has a two-point height adjustment. This means that you’ll need to adjust the levers at both the front and rear of the mower.
Pro Tip: When you’re bagging, raising the front wheels one notch higher than the rear helps collect clippings more efficiently.
Craftsman gives you 6 different cutting height levels to choose from, ranging from 2″ to 4″ and covering the majority of grass species. There are some varieties that you can cut shorter if you like, so check it against the height you’re currently cutting if you like it low.
Handle Positions and Storage
The Craftsman V60 allows for 3 different handle positions, which should accommodate most user heights. To take up less room in your garage or shed, just fold the handle over the top and stand it up.
Discharge Options
Everything you need to mulch, bag, or side discharge your clippings comes in the kit.
Additional Features
- Battery indicator gauge is clearly visible while you mow
- Safety key
Value
Craftsman self-propelled battery lawn mower kit, complete with 7.5Ah battery, charger, and 4-year warranty, was retailing at Lowe’s for $499. As the mowing season starts to wind down, we wonder if it’s an indication of an upgraded model coming in time for next spring.
For those looking to get into an OPE battery platform, the Craftsman 60V lineup is continually getting deeper. Right now, they have this mower, a push mower, a chainsaw, a hedge trimmer, a blower, and a string trimmer available.
The Bottom Line
The biggest knock against the Craftsman cordless mower is its brushed motor living in the same price range where brushless motors dominate the field. Even so, Craftsman has relevant performance across all of our scoring categories, telling us they have it dialed in pretty well. For what you get, it’s still a decent value, too.
We have little doubt that adding a brushless motor is Craftsman’s next big step for this mower. When they do, we expect it to rise even further up the rankings.
You get the most work done with the 7.5Ah kit. Grab that one to cover lots up to 1/2-acre in size. If you’re the kind of homeowner who stays on top of your lawn care and only gets stuck with occasional overgrowth, this is a battery-powered lawn mower you can count on.
Craftsman V60 Self-Propelled Battery Lawn Mower Manufacturer Specs
- Model Number: CMCMW270Z1
- Cutting Swath: 21″
- Height Adjustment: Central
- Cutting Heights: 6″
- Mulching Capability: Yes
- Ideal Property Size: 1/4 acre
- Charge Time at 100%: 1.8 hours
- Power Source: 60V Max Battery
- Transmission Type: Self-Propelled
- Discharge Location: Side
- Bagger Included: Yes
- Start Type: Electric
- Warranty: 4-Year Limited
- Price: $499
