EGO Select Cut XP Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Raises the Bar Again
We were so impressed with the original EGO Select Cut mower that it was hard to imagine how much better it could get. Then again, the Peak Power mower had more power. So EGO gave this mower more power and expanded your blade choices. Does that make the EGO Select Cut XP with Tough Drive worth the upgrade?
Pros
- Outstanding cutting power
- Excellent mulching
- Highly effective bagging
- Capable of cutting well over 1/2 an acre of grass on one charge with the included 10Ah battery
- Three blade choices in the box: mulching, high lift, and high-efficiency
- Includes everything you need to mulch, bag, or discharge clippings
Cons
- Rear discharge doesn’t do a great job of spreading clippings
- Premium price
EGO 56V Select Cut XP Performance
Cutting Power
EGO claims the Select Cut XP is their strongest mower, surpassing the Peak Power mower with 8.3 ft-lbs of torque generated by its brushless motor. We tested this by finding the thickest, tallest patch of grass we had and dropping the deck all the way to level 1 (1.5 inches). I set the drive speed to a comfortable walking pace and waded into 8-inch high St. Augustine. The mower never missed a beat. It didn’t slow and the blades didn’t bog. The EGO Select Cut XP easily cut through grass that would have given my gas mower trouble and it’s rocking a Honda GC 190 engine.
Runtime
Runtime is a curious little muse that has a lot of variables. First of all, EGO includes three blade choices with the Select Cut XP. You now have a mulching blade, a high lift blade, and a high-efficiency blade. All three pair with the top blade.
In our first test, we went into a heavy cutting situation with the mulching blade installed. Starting with a fully charged 10Ah battery, we cut for a little more than 43 minutes.
A second test was a little more scientific. We started by cutting the entire lawn down to 4 1/2 inches with our Toro Timecutter 60-inch zero turn the day before and then used the EGO Select Cut XP to take it down to 2 1/2 inches with the high-efficiency blade once the lawn was dry. This time, we cut for just over 1 hour, 15 minutes—a little over EGO’s claim of 75 minutes.
Without adding another battery, it’s possible to cut well over 1/2 an acre of actual lawn and 3/4 of an acre or more when you have a house on the property.
Here’s another cool tidbit for you. After running that second runtime test with temps in the mid-80’s, the battery was pretty stinkin’ warm. Even so, we put it right on the charger and it didn’t need a second of cool down time before it started charging. About an hour later, it was ready for round 2. That’s pretty impressive!
Cut Quality
Testing with the high lift blade, the cut evenness the Select Cut XP left behind was excellent. There were a few stragglers still sticking up in the higher sections, but overall, we were very pleased.
When it came to mulching, the mulching blade did an excellent job of chopping the cuttings into finer pieces that were able to drop deeper around the grass roots. Running my hand through the freshly cut areas, I was only able to pick out a few clippings that didn’t make it all the way down.
Bagging was impressive as well. Switching over to the high lift blade, you could tell the difference in how much air was moving through the chute. we took a look inside the bag when it was about half full and you could see how well the air was pushing grass away from the opening and into the back of the bag.
For those of you that are discharging, EGO does include the rear chute with this model. However, it’s not one of this model’s strong suits. It’s able to push the grass around the corner to the side, but it loses a lot of momentum and only drops a mower width or two away. Moving to a true side discharge would likely help.
EGO 56V Select Cut XP Design Notes
Drive Controls
EGO brings back the original Select Cut’s Touch Drive system that is a combination of a forward/back rotating speed dial and large push buttons on both sides of the handle. Personally, I love the speed selection. Its positive stops make it easy to make small adjustments on the fly and find just the right speed.
However, I actually prefer a bar to engage the drive over the buttons. If you try to keep the button pressed with your thumbs, they simply get tired. That said, if you keep the presence bar mentality and wrap your hands around the handle so the pads push the buttons in, it’s a lot better.
Vertical Storage
It’s no surprise to find EGO continuing to offer vertical storage with this mower and it’s a really easy process. Just squeeze the green lever on the left against the handle and swing it around. That’s it. You can drop the telescoping handle if you like, but it’s not necessary.
You use the same lever to select between the two handle heights. I’m six-foot, two inches, and I prefer the lower height.
LEDs
Most battery-powered lawn mowers have LED lights at this point. EGO adds an on/off switch for them. They’re not the first to have that option, but it’s nice to not run them when you don’t need to.
Additional Features
- 1-hand height adjustment (7 positions, 1.5 – 4 inches)
- 0.9 – 3.1 MPH speed selection
- Push-button start
- Weather-resistant construction
- Compatible with all EGO 556V batteries
EGO 56V Select Cut XP Price
This is the best walk-behind mower EGO currently has, so it’s no surprise to find it on the premium end of the price scale. With the 10Ah battery, rapid charger, all three blade choices, and everything you need to mulch, bag, or discharge, the kit is $749. If you don’t need the battery and charger, it’s $529. EGO backs the mower and the battery for 5 years—one of the best warranties in the business.
The Bottom Line
EGO’s competition was starting to gain some real ground on the original Select Cut and the race was getting tight. However, The EGO Select Cut XP once again raises the benchmark for what you can expect from a battery-powered lawn mower and sets a new standard for everyone else to chase down. There’s still some room for improvement on that side/rear discharge, but that’s a small trade-off for the performance of this mower.
EGO 56V Select Cut XP Specifications
- Model: EGO LM2156SP
- Voltage: 56V
- Motor: Brushless
- Blades: 2 offset
- Cutting Width: 21 in.
- Self-Propel Drive: Touch Drive
- Drive Speed: .9 mph-3.1 mph
- Cutting Torque: 8.3 ft-lb.
- Cut Height Positions: 7
- Cut Height Range: 1.5 in. – 4 in.
- Discharge Options: Mulching, bagging, side discharge
- Warranty: 5 years on mower and battery with registration
- Price: $749
