Makita Cordless Lawn Mower Now In Stock!

The new Makita cordless lawn mower is not the first of its kind, but it is the first among the major power tool brands. Milwaukee and DeWalt are the other major two competitors, but neither has made a commitment to a mower yet. Bosch has some options in Europe, but that doesn’t help us much in the US. Ryobi has a pretty successful OPE line on their 40V platform if you’d like to count them in the group. However, most Pros don’t talk about Makita and Ryobi as direct competitors with their separate user focuses.

The Makita 18V X2 (36V) Lithium-Ion Cordless 17″ Lawn Mower has some features worth noting – but also some lacking. The 17-inch cutting diameter is smaller than the 20 or 21 inches you get on other mowers in this class.

Makita also goes with a brushed motor on this model. That helps explain the 30-minue runtime on two 5.0 amp hour batteries. The motor pushes 3600 RPM and the deck can adjust for cutting from 15/16-inch to 2-5/16-inch. I usually like to cut at a higher level than that to help my grass choke out the weeds.

Considering these initial specifications, this mower seems dialed in for small lawns at first glance. But that’s not really all there is to it. There’s a solid argument here for this mower to supplement larger riding mowers that do that majority of the work. You run the big boy to cover the majority of the work without risking your landscape edging, run the Makita cordless lawn mower to give yourself a manicured trim (like the look of a baseball field), then trim and edge as needed. It’s got potential for certain users.

Regardless, we’ll need to get this in for testing before we can make any real judgments on its performance and use. Until then, let me leave you with a couple of thoughts. There’s some room to move up in class with other lithium-ion lawn mowers currently on the market. Makita also makes a robotic vacuum. Could there be a 20-inch brushless mower and/or robotic mower in the works?

Makita Cordless Lawn Mower Key Features

• Delivers up to 30 minutes of run time using two 18V LXT 5.0Ah BL1850 batteries (batteries not included)
• Makita-built motor delivers 3,600 RPM for faster and powerful cutting
• Easy to operate lever for quick adjustment of 13 cutting heights (13/16″- 2-5/16″)
• Soft start suppresses start-up reaction for smooth start-ups and longer gear life
• 17″ cutting width for optimum performance
• Aerodynamic cover and built-in ball bearings help reduce the required push force
• Grass level indicator is located on the top of the grass collector
• Grass collector holds up to 13 gallons of grass
• Weighs only 40.8 lbs. with batteries (batteries not included) for reduced operator fatigue
• Dual L.E.D. battery indicators show charge level for each 18V LXT Lithium-Ion battery
• Rubberized soft grip handle bar for added comfort
• Electric brake for maximum productivity

Makita Cordless Lawn Mower Specifications

• Model: Makita XML02X (bare), Makita XML02PTX1 (kit with free grinder)
• Cutting Capacity: 17″
• Cutting Height: 13/16″ – 2-5/16″
• No Load Speed: 3600 RPM
• Power Source: 2 x 18V LXT batteries
• Weight: 40.8 pounds with batteries
• Warranty: 3 years
• Price: $349 (bare), $449 (with 5.0 AH batteries)