I’ve owned and operated several lawnmowers over the years, but the Toro Recycler mower is perhaps the best performing battery-powered and user-friendly mowers I’ve used this year.
So, without further ado, here’s my detailed experience with the Toro Recycler mower for you to decide whether it’s right for you!
Toro Recycler Key Specifications
- Solid build quality
- Robust 60-volt brushless motor
- Rear-wheel drive allows it to climb uphill with ease
- Cuts approximately 5,000 square feet of lawn per full battery charge
- Compact vertical storage
About Toro
Headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota, Toro is billed as America’s #1 lawnmower brand and was conceived in 1914.
The company manufactures a massive range of products geared towards homeowners, golf courses, professional contractors, sports fields & grounds.
What Exactly is the Toro Recycler Lawnmower?
The Toro Recycler mower is aptly named because it does two things—uses a series of blades to cut grass, and is fitted with a mulching blade to chop the grass into finer pieces that are returned to the lawn to fertilize it.
One of the biggest benefits of the Toro Recycler mower is that it emits fewer emissions, and doesn’t do more than whisper during use.
Toro Recycler Mower – Build Quality
When it comes to build quality, the Toro 22” Recycler mower wins the gold, thanks to its hardy steel deck that’s topped with a nicely rolled edge.
Furthermore, this battery-powered mower from the Toro hangar is extremely lightweight even with its wide 22” steel deck.
This deck features smooth surfaces and can take on a considerable amount of wear and tear.
Toro Recycler Mower – Performance
The first thing I always check for when testing a battery-powered lawnmower is the amount of grass it can cut on a single charge, and the Toro Recycler didn’t disappoint.
It can cut up to 5,000 square feet of lawn on a fully charged battery, which is a little better than other mowers in its segment.
But unlike other battery-powered mowers, the Toro Recycler mower features a special integrated software, which is designed to sense stress on the motor and resistance on the blade, and automatically adjust the speed to match the thickness and height of the grass.
As your grass gets taller, the software swings into action and triggers the blade to swing faster to tackle the load. The motor slows down when the load lessens to reduce the load on the battery and motor, resulting in long service life.
The Toro also earned a few more points when it comes to flawless cut quality, which can be attributed to two key features—its high-combination blade, and well-formed steel deck.
Most electric mowers feature skimpy blades, and the reason for this is most manufacturers want just the right size blade that their motor can handle.
But Toro steps it up a few notches with a hefty blade, similar to that you’d typically find in a gas-powered mower that cuts grass without any hiccups during the normal mowing season.
However, just like other mowers, the blade does require routine sharpening to render clean and crisp cuts.
The Toro Recycler lawnmower also features a side discharge chute, which is a handy feature that’s often lacking in much higher priced models in its space, and in some gas models too.
And the Toro Recycler also does mulch and bag, so you get two more invaluable features for one affordable price.
Toro Recycler Mower – User Experience and Storage
The Toro Recycler mower comes with a rear-wheel-drive system, and I like that it’s so easy to control the speed of the machine.
The company dubbed Personal Space by the company leverages the user’s natural position behind the mower and the downward force they apply on the handle when pushing the Toro Recycler along.
The Personal Space feature also makes it a joy to push the mower uphill with little or no effort even on slopes on a 30-degree incline.
The Toro Recycler mower is fitted with a forward-fold handle, which I thought was another welcoming feature that allows me to store the machine without taking up too much space in my garage.
Toro Recycler Mower – Battery and Motor
The Toro Recycler mower comes with a class-leading 60-volt battery, which when fully charged cuts up to 1/3 acre in an impressive 40 minutes.
This battery can be charged in 120 minutes, and swapped with over 35+ Toro Flex Force products such as Toro snowblowers and trimmers.
The Toro Recycler mower arrives loaded with a brushless DC motor, which offers operational efficiency, better speed, noiseless operation, and long operational life.
What did I like?
- Three-function mower provides more versatility for your money
- Compact storage and intuitive speed control
- Easy push-button start
- Forward-fold handle and DC brushless motor
- High-quality rubber tires for a smooth mowing experience
What I Dislike?
- Lacks LED lights
- No VORTEX technology
- A little heavy at 66 lbs but is very easy to maneuver on rugged terrain
Final Thoughts
Should you buy the Toro Recycler? If you want a mower that comes with most of the bells and whistles found in much higher priced models like easy-to-use design, high-quality rubber tires, powerful motor, long-lasting battery, and speed control circuit, my answer is a resounding YES!
I’m not implying the Recycler is perfect because it does come with certain features that could be improved such as its old-school deck height levers.
But on a brighter note, the Toro mower leaves you with a perfectly-mowed lawn, and a pleasant mowing experience.
