Get the Properties & Gardens Publication All the most recent inside traits, knowledgeable recommendation and inspirational concepts, direct to your inbox! Identify: Your E-mail Deal with Contact me with information and affords from different Future manufacturers Thanks for signing as much as Properties & Gardens. You’ll obtain a verification electronic mail shortly. There was an issue. Please refresh the web page and take a look at once more. By submitting your data you comply with the Phrases & Circumstances and Privateness Coverage and are aged 16 or over.
My yard is a beast to mow – half an acre with plenty of bushes, slopes, and a few sections with thicker and taller grass. I’m all the time searching for the very best mowers to make the garden mowing course of much less of a problem, which was why I used to be excited to check the Husqvarna Garden Xpert LE-322 with battery and charger.
Though I’ve used gas-powered garden mowers prior to now and perceive the enchantment of them, I actually consider that battery-powered mowers, just like the Husqvarna Garden Xpert LE-322, are the long run. Not solely are they eco-friendlier, however with every new 12 months, they turn into extra highly effective and environment friendly.
In response to Husqvarna, the Garden Xpert can reduce grass 30% simpler and has a 30% longer run time than the competitors. Over the course of a month, I put this garden mower by way of the ropes in my giant and sophisticated yard, getting a good suggestion on the way it works and the way lengthy the battery lasts. Examine my experiences beneath to see if that is the suitable battery-powered garden mower for you.
Product specs
(Picture credit score: Husqvarna)
Swipe to scroll horizontally Energy supply 2x Battery Chopping width 21″ Chopping top 1.5-4.5″ Grass field capability 2.3 cubic ft Weight 102lbs Battery life 75 minutes Cost time 1.5 hours
Unboxing the Husqvarna Garden Xpert LE-322
(Picture credit score: Alex Temblador)
The garden mower arrived in a big cardboard field on my entrance porch, so I used a dolly to maneuver it to the storage. I used to be capable of recycle the field, however the Styrofoam was not recyclable, which was disappointing. Upon eradicating the Styrofoam, I noticed that the orange and black garden mower had been packaged in a approach that the deal with was folded over. To carry the deal with, I pushed the massive orange button on the underside of the deal with after which lifted it to my desired place.
I put one battery on the charger whereas I examined the garden mower. Sadly, you possibly can solely cost one battery at a time. Mixed, they take about 1.5 hours to cost. Nonetheless, arrange was very easy. The garden mower itself didn’t require any additional set-up apart from utilizing the lever on the wheels to alter the chopping top (as much as 4.5 inches).
My first impression of the electrical mower was that it was bigger than I anticipated it to be with a 21-inch chopping deck. It was additionally fairly heavy to maneuver round too.
What’s it like to make use of?
As soon as the batteries had been charged, I positioned them contained in the machine till they clicked, after which pushed the On/Off button adopted by the Begin button whereas holding the brake deal with down on the similar time. The garden mower powered up instantly. The motor didn’t emit as a lot noise as gasoline mowers do. If I needed to make use of the self-propel system, I needed to maintain the drive management buttons on the handlebars. The pace will be adjusted with a lever as much as 4 mph.
The management panel is without doubt one of the most high-tech that I’ve seen. There’s a reduce mode button that appears like two oscillating arrows. This permits the consumer to maneuver by way of three totally different modes. Mode 1 is the Sensing mode which senses the peak and thickness of the grass and adjusts the ability used to chop it. This mode will robotically activate when your battery is close to the tip of its cost so you possibly can mow your yard for somewhat longer. I usually used Mode 2 which is the Mulching/Excessive High quality mode, although I did strive Mode 3 which known as Max Energy. Because the identify implies, it provides you probably the most energy, however at the price of your battery life.
(Picture credit score: Alex Temblador)
I examined the Husqvarna Garden Xpert LE-322 3 times on my half an acre yard. The primary time I used the garden mower, the grass was thick in some elements and excessive (not more than 4 inches) in others. On one a part of my yard, the grass was barely moist. There have been only some areas the place I needed to regulate the chopping top one notch larger than initially set because it was too tough to push the mower by way of.
I opted to mulch my grass the primary time and so left the mulch plug within the garden mower. At 102 lbs., the garden mower is simply too heavy for me to push with out using the self-propel system, although I did strive on a number of events simply to see what it was like. It was not nice. Even reversing the garden mower in a number of sections of my yard was no simple feat.
(Picture credit score: Alex Temblador)
As a result of the mower is so heavy, I used the self-propel system the whole time. Most self-propel techniques have speeds between 4-6 mph, so whereas 4 mph is on the small aspect, it didn’t essentially really feel that approach whereas utilizing the Garden Xpert LE322. My yard has a whole lot of slopes and with out the self-propel system, I’d have struggled to push the garden mower up the inclines. When turning, I needed to lower the pace or else the mower would buck out of my management.
My wrists and forearms obtained drained and achy from holding the motor brake deal with and the drive management buttons on the similar time inside simply 10 minutes of mowing. I want there was a greater methodology that didn’t trigger a lot wrist pressure.
Previously, I’ve used garden mowers that had aspect discharge chutes, which might get in the best way of mowing and subsequently get knocked off. I beloved that the garden mower mulched the grass without having a aspect chute. Whereas a rear discharge chute was supplied, I don’t relish the expertise of getting grass clippings masking my footwear as I walked.
On the primary trial run, the batteries lasted about 50 minutes on Mode 2 (mulching/prime quality) earlier than robotically altering to Mode 1 (sensing) for 10 extra minutes. I didn’t get the complete 75 minutes of run time as marketed. This might have been for quite a lot of causes – just like the thickness and top of the grass. I used to be solely capable of mow about 2/3rds of the yard earlier than the garden mower shut down. I recharged one battery as much as three bars inside an hour and reduce the remainder of the garden in 20 minutes.
(Picture credit score: Alex Temblador)
The second and third check runs had been about the identical by way of the battery life and protection. The one factor I did in a different way was use the grass catcher the second time. It did an exceptional job catching the grass clippings. I needed to empty it after mowing 1/4th of my yard and so forth. I didn’t discover any actual distinction by way of the battery life when utilizing the grass catcher versus mulching.
Whereas I by no means reduce my yard when the solar was setting, I did discover that the LED lights robotically got here on once I pushed the garden mower into the storage. This can be a good contact for many who may must mow their yard in the summertime evenings.
Cleansing the Husqvarna Garden Xpert LE-322
(Picture credit score: Alex Temblador)
The one factor this garden mower lacks is a deck wash port to attach a gardening hose. That may have made cleansing the deck or the underside of the garden mower loads simpler. That is seemingly as a result of the truth that this garden mower is electrical, and Husqvarna warns consumers towards cleansing this product with water. Utilizing a hose or a strain washer to wash the underside of the deck may end up in water coming into the motor or the battery and trigger a brief circuit. To stop grass build-up, flip the garden mower on its aspect after each use and use a leaf blower to wash the underside of the deck.
By way of the remainder of the garden mower, it hasn’t gotten soiled in a approach that warrants cleansing. If want be, I can all the time wash out the grass catcher, however in any other case, a pleasant wipe down with a dry or evenly moist rag on the outside of the garden mower (away from the motor and the battery) does the trick.
Storage and upkeep
When not in use, the Husqvarna Garden Xpert LE-322 will be folded down and saved in a standing place which takes up little room in a storage, shed, or closet.
Since this can be a battery-operated garden mower, there may be little or no upkeep required. You’ll want to switch the filter each season which is an effective time to look at whether or not or not the blade must be sharpened or changed. The one different factor that you just’ll must examine is the battery charger and port for harm once in a while.
Should you ever must get the garden mower labored on, you could find a community of service sellers on the Husqvarna web site. The three-year restricted guarantee will cowl the restore or substitute of any elements which can be faulty due to regular put on or workmanship.
How does it price on-line?
The Husqvarna Garden Xpert LE-322 launched within the spring of 2023, so there are few evaluations of the product on the Husqvarna web site. I used to be capable of finding a number of evaluations on the Lowe’s web site. Of the 4 evaluations, two had been 5 stars, one was three stars, and the final was one star. The three and one-star reviewers favored the product and the way it reduce however defined that the battery life didn’t final 75 minutes. One of many reviewers stated it solely lasted 35 minutes, whereas the opposite reviewer didn’t point out the precise size of time their battery lasted however famous, “In situations which can be regular, the battery doesn’t come near the said runtime per cost.”
How does it examine to comparable fashions and its predecessors
Husqvarna launched one other battery-powered garden mower nearly two years in the past – the Husqvarna W520i. With solely a 20-inch chopping deck and a 3 mph most pace, the W520i is not any match to the Xpert LE-322. The Xpert LE-322 might not have the W520i’s aluminum rims and rubber tires, however the Xpert LE-322’s design is extra ergonomic, the management panel has extra indicator lights, and it’s far more reasonably priced.
One other good comparability is the Greenworks 21-inch 60V MO60L410. The Greenworks garden mower is cheaper and did higher by way of battery life – it might mow my whole yard, plus my neighbor’s entrance yard in only one cost. I additionally favored that the charger had two slots so I might cost each batteries on the similar time. Having stated all that, I believed the Husqvarna Xpert LE-322 was a heavier-duty garden mower that would deal with thicker and taller grass.
Must you purchase the Husqvarna Garden Xpert LE-322?
These with small to medium yards will love the Husqvarna Garden Xpert LE-322. This heavy-duty garden mower cuts thick and tall grass with ease and lightens the load a bit with a self-propel system that may go as much as 4 mph. It does effectively on inclines and round bushes, and with the management panel, you can begin and cease or regulate the chopping modes rapidly. The battery might not final so long as marketed however this may be for quite a lot of causes. When you have a small or medium yard, the battery ought to final lengthy sufficient to chop it one go.
When not in use, this electrical mower folds and will be saved in a standing place with out taking over a lot area. As a battery-powered garden mower, it wants far much less upkeep than gas-powered ones.
Whereas it might be somewhat dear, particularly contemplating that every battery is just 36V, this garden mower is made extremely effectively by a model you possibly can belief.