Toro vs Ego - Who Makes a Better Electric Lawn Mower? (2024)

This review leaves out a lot of important considerations: 1. You didn't do a side-by-side comparison of the cut quality. Which mower leaves fewer stragglers? When set to the same height, which one mulches better and leaves fewer clumps of grass on the lawn? Which one produces the smoothest overall cut? 2. Battery capacity is only one factor as to how long a mower will run. The Toro you tested has a 6.0 Ah battery. The Ego has a 7.5 Ah battery. You should have tested the Toro with the optional 7.5 Ah battery. Then you could have given us actual side-by-side run times under equal conditions. 3. You point out that the Ego battery is 56 volts, and the Toro battery is 60 volts. Yet Toro's website says, "Battery manufacturer rating equal to 60-Volt maximum and 54-Volt typical usage, actual voltage varies with load." So what does all of this voltage gibberish mean when it comes to knowing how long the mower will run before it runs out of juice? Nothing. Again, please do a side-by-side comparison with batteries of equal capacity to tell us what we want to know. 4. How long does it take to recharge the battery? Ego says their 7.5 Ah battery will recharge in 60 minutes. Toro's website says it takes 150 minutes to recharge their 6.0 Ah battery, and 180 minutes to recharge their 7.5 Ah battery. Depending on battery capacity, Toro's batteries take two to three times as long to recharge as the Ego battery. Why didn't you mention this in your review? 5. Ego has a newer model with twin blades (like Honda gas mowers). Many reviewers are saying it mulches better and has more lift than the older model Ego in your review. To be fair, you should have compared Ego's newest mower to your new Toro (the cost is about the same). 6. The Ego has lights that help you mow when you're running out of sunlight. I personally don't consider this a big deal. But for the record, the Toro has no lights. I have a Honda gas mower. And I have no bias towards Toro or Ego. Both of the mowers you tested have advantages and disadvantages. But it seems your review was biased towards Toro from the beginning.

Great video buddy! I have been wondering about this. Thank you

I bought the Ego that was in your test and I'm very pleased with the mowing experience. I've owned the same Toro recycler (gas) since 1992, she still runs. My cousin bought a newer Toro recycler a few years ago and after 5 uses the front wheel came apart. The black plastic tread separated from the white hub. Things aren't built like they used to be so 100 years in business means nothing today.

This guy has a hard-on for Toro products!

New ego battery's have a power indicator. Thanks for you great comparison and hard work.

My previous mower is a 2 cycle Toro Commercial. I thought the bag on the new mower would be inferior, but it is not. It empties easier, less blowback into my face when dumping into a green waste bin. I tried it on 7" long wet grass. Worked well.

Thank you for the great video! I was set on buying an Ego. You’re watching your video and comparing them side-by-side, I opted for the Toro. Set up was a breeze and the controls were very intuitive. I mowed my Bermuda grass and it performed flawlessly. I went about 50 minutes and I still had one bar on the battery. My lawn has an incline and I can tell it was revving up going uphill. I am very happy with it plus I have 90 days so I can take it back if I’m not happy.

Great video I learn a lot from you, thank you ❤❤❤

Thanks for this great review! I made my decision and go for the 60 Volt Toro!

I too have a Toro and an EGO. My Toro is 27 years old. It is much more expensive than either of these two mowers, even back then. The current equivalent is more than both of these put together. Go to a Toro dealer and look at the 21" commercial mower and see for yourself. You will also notice that the deck is NOT steel. It is aluminum. Steel is for big box retail type disposable machines. Steel is ok until you get some rust underneath, then grass sticks to it. Rust never sleeps and then it is time to dispose of it. Mine also has rear wheel drive unlike the disposable mowers. The thing I dislike about it the most is the wheel height adjustments, they ARE just like yours, they are steel and they rust too. The little plastic end pieces break off and you need a hammer or a block of wood to do your adjustment, but with yours, the deck will be history before this becomes a problem.
The EGO is only in it's third year of service and I have only sharpened the blade so far. The plastic deck(ego makes a steel deck model also) stays clean and rust free underneath, it is very light, so light I would say you don't need the self propelled unless you have a fairly large lawn or are somewhat disabled. I use the EGO now primarily because of the lower maintenance. I hope that if I need parts they are not as outrageously priced as the Toro dealer. I'm pretty sure it will not last 27 years, but chances are neither will I.
Look at the rest of the tools in the battery platform you are choosing before you decide. That is a very important factor in the big picture.

I bought a Toro 2 months ago. No complaints. Won't go back to gas. 6 amp hour bat is ok for 1/3 acre lawn. Takes 2-3 hours to charge from low.

You should have compared the Toro to the new EGO double blade and battery with fuel gauge. It is a beast!

Nice review. I have a 2009 Toro Recycler gas engine just like this with electric start. LOVE the Personal Pace system. Didn’t know they were making a battery version now. Have replaced some parts over the years on mine but as you say build quality seems good overall. I would probably strongly consider this over the Ego or others with plastic decks. My sister has a GreenWorks, likes it a lot but it has two small blades and doesn’t seem sturdy. Using a lawn service most of the time now but I may need to go shopping!!

Planning to buy a toro in a few moment.. what is the ideal height to set the mower for the new grass? Thanks!

Wow, did not know the history behind Toro. I don’t own a Toro though but after watching this video I’m sold my next mower will be Toro.
I used their drive belt for my ExMark 30 inch commercial with Kawasaki FJ180V though 😊

Biggest difference. Toro took an existing frame and put an electric motor on it. Part number for the stuff on the deck is the same as most other Recyclers. So parts should be easy to get. The Ego is designed from the ground up to be an electric. Right down to the blade. Plastic decks advantage is it will never rust like a steel one can.

Nice to here you liked something other than the EGO. The Toro looks a little more like a lawnmower.

I have noticed that the battery on my ego has started degrading significantly after 2 years. Removing the bag on the ego is annoying, but not enough for me to buy another mower just yet. Thanks for the review.

I have the Ego mower with dual 5.0 battery packs. I never found the plastic body of the mower to be an issue. It seems extremely thick and durable, and I don't see myself having any issues with it down the road. The only thing I will agree on is the self propelled function. It works well, but then when you want to slow down to turn or do a 180 sometimes the rear wheels do lock up. It's easy enough to deal with, but the Toro definitely seems to have a better system. Also not a deal breaker for me as I rarely use the self propelled function. With my 2 battery packs fully charged I can easily do my front and back yard (about an hour of mowing) and the battery still has over 25% left.

Really helpful video for the buying decision I'm trying to make right now! Thank you! I actually bought a 21" EGO, which must be a generation or two after yours because the method for engaging power to the wheels is different now. There are 2 very elongated buttons that protrude from the handle and when you squeeze them into the handle, they engage the speed. However, as you pointed out, it doesn't vary based on your pace. There are 5 or so discrete speeds that you can select with a dial that revolves around that top center bar. However, that's utterly impractical to change the speed every time there's a little change in power need. I also found that the EGO was so much lighter and easier to push around than my previous gas mower, that I actually didn't WANT the powered wheels engaged. Plus, that just drains the battery faster. I imagine the Toro is a little heavier, with the better quality metal construction, but I wonder how much power it needs to the wheels. I think it would be near perfect if there were a switch so that you could fully turn off the power to the wheels to extend battery life, but you didn't mention such a control, so I'm guessing you do not have the option to turn that power off? Either way, thanks again for the great review!

I just watched your previous video about the e-go, and funny how it went from almost perfect after 6 months to I'm gonna leave it as a backup :-) e.g. leaves bag wasn't an issue and now it was so hard to put it in place and remove, having the cut height handle was one highlighted feature , now now minimized. Entertaining videos though.

I hit a bush stump with my old MTD/Craftsman and bent the crankshaft. Went to HD and bought the Toro. Only thing I don't like is individual wheel adjustment vs the single handle I had on the MTD, but as said, you don't do it that often.

Can you possibly do a comparison of this Toro 60V mower and the Snapper XD 21" 80V Step Sense mower? I'm having a tough time deciding between the two.

I had a Toro gas mower and just bought the EGO self propelled. The EGO beats what my Toro did all the way. The suction is much better and the bag didn’t fill up quickly like my Toro mower did. Nothing like having a metal mower until it rust etc.

Good review. Never considered the Toro because it wasn't available when I decided to get out of gas powered lawn care equipment. As things broke down, I bought electric. Keeping it in one family / company with a good rep and great reviews makes life simpler. If Toro was a better option back then, I would probably have considered it. Oh well.
Mowers: I own the Ego and its a couple of years old. No issues to speak of. I don't mow rocks, concrete or stumps so the blade is fine. I recognized the issue with removing and reinstalling the bag so I don't reach between the push bar rather, under it and no issue. Muscle memory. My yard is small enough that the one battery (56v 7.5) will do the front and back, then power the weed whacker for all its glory and I then clean up with the leaf blower before putting the one battery back on the charger. I will occasionally help out a neighbor or two so the extra batteries from the other products come in handy though the recharge time is very quick. Additionally, I can use the batteries in the snow blower as well as discharge them through the power pack (which serves as a recharger too). The small handheld leaf blower (I have the back pack model as well), died shortly after purchase and was replaced without issue through their warranty service department. Pick a brand you can live with and rock on. Toro's advantages don't hurt my Ego either.

Ego has updated to a new charge display which is now a 5 led display vs the changing colors on the old style. I think it is now more comparable to the Toro. I used a Toro personal pace for many years and found I was not a big fan. I moved to their commercial 21 in and haven’t looked back. I would like to try the new gen 3 Ego sometime. I hope ego updates their steel deck mower to a gen 3.

I just got the Toro 21" 60v Recycler this weekend with this same 6.0 Ah battery. It is a beast, same blade as the 22" version, just costs 100 bucks less at Home Depot. Thanks to the robust blade and brushless 60v motor, it mulches like nobody's business. I retired my 8 yr old mower for my new Toro.
EGO is a plastic toy with a flimsy blade. They look futuristic but plastic deck won't last and thin blades will need constant sharpening, no thank you. Tried and true design of the Recycler is gas-like mower in every sense of the word.

Great video! I think both are great mowers but some of the features I like better on the Toro!

I liked mine. Steel deck, the power throttle is awesome! But it only worked great the first time. Now the right rear wheel drive is making a grinding noise & its going in for service tomorrow. Didn't even get to use it twice. Still hoping it works out, its a great mower from my first experience with it.

Review was too biased. I do love the personal pace feature of the toro. (I have a gas powered one) and having a dial on the ego is just stupid. Wash out port also a great feature on the Toro.
But to claim tried and true method to set the mowing height on the Toro is better? Toro is awful. Having to set each wheel (no doubt clumped up with dirt and grass) separately and guess the direction and match all 4. The review is correct, you never adjust it after that first time.
But the reason you never adjust it is because it's a pain to do so. So you never want to again. It's tried and awful. Really terrible. But you don't do it often.
So I don't think either mower is better than the other at everything. It would be nice to see a review that admitted that the Ego is better at some things.. comparable at some and the Toro wins at others and possibly overall.
Toro has a slow battery charger which should have been mentioned.
It likely makes 0 difference since people only mow once a week and we're taking hours difference not days, but it would make the review seem less biased if it were mentioned.

I'm sorry if I missed it, but what are the model numbers for each?

Did you know that Toro had a battery lawnmower back in the mid-late 60's that ran on two 12 volt carbatteries. Our neighbors had one. He had to recharge it with a car type charger. I've never been able to find anything on it online and emailed Toro and got nowhere. But it did exist.

Blade: I usually use my lawn mower to cut grass and not concrete. So, the softer blade on the Ego works great for what it was meant for.
Frame: Steel corrodes, plastic doesn't. So, the plastic on the Ego works great for me.

Does the personal pace run off the blade motor or it's own individual one? If it does, isn't it sucking more power, meaning you're stealing blade speed? Correct me if I'm wrong

To be fair, you should have reviewed the Toro against the current eGo mower which addressees many of your complainants and is now a much better mower than the Toro.

I was between the Ego and Toro last year when I moved into a new house. It came down to the Toro personal pace drive and the toro being capable of a half inch minimum cut height vs. an inch for the Ego - I inherited a very well kept bermuda lawn from the previous home owner and that half inch cut looks soooo good right now while its green but not growing too fast. Very happy with the Toro.

Great video... I'm loving my Toro 🤗

I’ve been going back and forth between these lawnmowers and this was so helpful! Thank you:)

The Toro Mower you show at 3:30 has a cast ALUMINUM deck, not a steel deck like the mower you're reviewing or the lower end Toro Recycler mowers. That's why those decks last for 20+ years.

I have an Ego Select Cut XP, only complaints are the blades are thin and wimpy. If you hit any small sticks or twigs even the blades get gashed up bad.
The suction is not great. But cut quality is really good, never bogs down. Plastic deck is not an issue and I prefer the lightweight. If I were buying right now though I’d want the 60V Timemaster.

This looks like an older ego model. I thought the new ones also had personal pace gearing now, as well as a second blade option. I had hoped to see something about cut quality. My ego is 2 years old and leaves quite a few uncut stragglers if the grass is a little too long.

I bought one of these Toro mowers today. First electric mower I've ever had. It took me a bit to get used to the fact that it sounds like I'm vacuuming the lawn. There's a weird bit of dissonance when using it - it doesn't sound like it's doing anything, but it's flinging grass out of the side discharge, it doesn't even notice the hill in my back yard, and the one time I hit a stick it threw it with authority, and didn't even seem to care.
Looking at the mower closer, it appears that it is very much a high-end gasoline mower, that has an electric motor on it. The bolt pattern is the same in the deck, the self-propelled apparatus is the same. The Ego is a purpose built electric mower, the Toro is a retrofit. But it works great, it uses normal blades, normal cables, and likely standard size wheels, so you should be able to keep it alive for a long time.

I love that toro kept the same look as it's gas models, not a big fan of the plastic futuristic look.

If you hit a stump you want the blade to shatter rather than bend the crank shaft.

what's the model number of the Toro you used? I looked on their site and it has way to many for me to decide. But I liked the differences that were important to me ....THE TORO.

Looks like you hurt a lot of EGO's with this review. After watching countless comparison video's, I'm going with Toro. Thanks in part to you!

Electric movers are convenient but the cost of the batteries is a game breaker! The toro gas powered is a great product i have owned several toros and they have been the most reliable i have ever owned including Honda! The best reliable feature is the power drive transmission and i plan to buy another with the Briggs & Stratton engine also very reliable

All you have to do is move the handle up out of the way to remove the bag on The Ego to avoid spilling.

The Toros is a Recycler where they removed the gas engine and installed the electric motor. Part numbers for the deck parts are the same. The Ego was designed from the ground up to be electric. There is advantages and disadvantages to both ways. Parts availability for the Toro should never be a problem. If Ego would ever go out of business that would be all she wrote.

I wish you would show the cutting job of each mower in thick grass.

Yes, I've been waiting for this head-to-head comparison! What size yard do you have? The only reason I haven't pulled the trigger yet is because of the handful of reviews that claim that weren't even able to mow half of the 1/4 acre lot before the battery died. Toro claims a 1/4 acre lot for the 6 AH battery and a 1/3 acre lot for the 7.5 AH battery. I have 7500 sq ft. of grass to mow. Torn between the 6 AH and the 7.5 AH.

I've had a Craftsman 40V dual-battery model for 6 years. It is plastic. Absolutely no issues with the deck other than scuffs. Makes the mower much lighter and I never need to worry about rust. I noticed the current Super Recycler gas powered models are aluminum. This review swayed me to either the new gen 3 EGO SELECTCUT with dual-blades or the new Toro SMARTSTOW Super Recycler gas powered model. Definitely not a Toro electric.

What model ego is this... gen 3?

Wow! Can't wait too get an upgraded one myself.

Very useful review. Toro is the one for me. Thanks.

How is the lift (suctioning) on the Toro?

Prop the “one lever release” push handle on the Ego forward out of the bags way to remove the bag. The Toro, you have to fuddle with each side to prop the push handle forward. Ego for the win there for me in that category. It’s downright cumbersome regardless of any mower to pull a leaf and grass catcher bag up between and through the push handles.

Is it much heavier ? I have to lift my lawnmower up and down stairs and looking for a light model. How much lighter is it then the gas models ?

Ego has changed their batteries to have a fuel gage now.

Good Video.
Reach out to Snapper 82v mower review.
Currently have lawnboy 22270 ,22271and 10601.
I have a Snapper 82v string trimmer

Love my ego lawnmower.
I’ll never go back to gas again

I had a greenworks absolutely loved it for my first electric mower, kept contemplating on an EGO, but I saw the design of the Torro, read up on it, watched some videos, thank you for yours, went to Home Depot to try the Ego and they had the Torro in stock ...no brainier...night and day over greenworks 21 inch 60 Volt...Torro is just so sweet!!!? WOW

What is the difference in the cost of the two?

EGO lost me at PLASTIC. I'm getting the TORO. Thank you for saving me time and aggravation.

Great video. In my lawn care work, I can't use personal pace as I have several lawns with 15 degree slopes and I need a mower that actually propels itself .. and pulls me .. I can't lean into the handle on hills. Cheers ...

Great review. What’s the model number of the Toro? I didn’t know the Toro has a 7.5ah battery.

Seems biased but I will agree on the bag part for the ego. Even of the gen 3 the cross bar still blocks the bag and my clippings spill out when I remove the bag.

I used to buy used Toro’s for my landscaping company, they could handle anything and easy to get up and running with Briggs & Stratton engines. The quality is still there but assembly is an issue. The quality is hit and miss.
During COVID-19 getting them across the border has become an issue too... battery is unproven but companies like Husqvarna and Toro are manufacturing them now.
I still like a Husqvarna mower with a Honda engine though

Accurate honest review. I am an Ego owner where the self propel drive unit that had given out on three different Ego self propelled mowers. One not even a year old the second a replacement from EGO. I sure hope they solved the drive issue in their new model.

Any idea how loud these two are? I wonder if one can listen to podcast, book on tape or radio while doing the Lawn Mowing duties. Thank you for any reply.

thanks so much, I have been spending so much time looking online for the best mower. Your video made it so easy to decide what I wanted,. Thanks again. I have a Toro gas and I will get a Toro cordless

The flexible blade on the Ego shouldn't matter because your cutting grass. Plus the flexibility might be a plus in case you do hit something solid it won't break the shaft.

Thanks for the video. This will be our first electric mower. Can you speak to changing the oil and how that process is for you? Do you need to add oil upon unboxing or is it ready to go?

It has 1” to 4” in 1/2” increments. The space in between the prongs is also an increment on the toro!

How old is your Ego? Are you comparing a new model Toro with an old Ego?

I have no experience with Ego, and I really like the Toro (and my previous gas-powered Recycler), but I have to admit this comparison seems biased toward the Toro.

I've tried both mowers and bought the Toro.. The Ego is just to light and bounces around on the lawn thus leaving an uneven cut which is a deal breaker.

Yes, TORO...a no brainer!! BTW - it might be worth mentioning that the cables going up the TORO handle carry no electricity, they are strictly mechanical cables. One cable operates the drive mechanism and the other operates the start / stop / brake switch on the motor just like a gasoline engine model.

I’ve tried both the ego and toro mower, and to me the Toro wins easily. It feels like a regular mower with the steel body. The ego is mostly plastic, with some aluminum. Ego ships with an inferior blade. Why they do this and undermine the cut is a mystery. Like a sports car with crap tires.
The self pace speed on the Toro is a no brainer, with the ego you adjust the speed and have to adapt your pace to it.
Ego wins in one feature, the height adjustment. Toro should use this feature. Maybe it’s patented?
I did my first cut with my new Toro 22” recycler 60v, 6ah battery today. Cut was on par with my 5 year old Toro gas mower. I know the gas mower will do better if the grass is really long, but your only supposed to cut 1/3 at a time anyways. Had two bars left on the battery after mowing my 3500sf lawn.😊

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Love our ego mower, it works and keeps working after 4 years now and same batt.

You know you can bend the handle forward, as if you're storing it, to remove the bag right🤔

So basically an ad for Toro. Lame.

My God, how much did Toro pay you....lol

Evidently the exit ramp on the Toro is so steep it doesn't feed lawn clippings into the bag as well - a real design flaw. The next up-model in Ego is the Select-cut with the double blades - superior cut to all of them, and a high-lift blade for bagging. Kind of wins out over the others this way. Plus Toro is known to really eat batteries - run time isn't nearly what they advertise. If you get the Toro line get lots of batteries.
I need a snow machine too and was going to get both in one of the brands, Toro, Greenworks, or Ego. Seems the latter wins out with their higher end mowers, and they have the best snow blower too - a new steel-auger model that really performs.
Just bought a half-acre property and can't wait to move.

I'm getting the Toro electric lawnmower.

I have the EGO Flex Cut. It has a double blade.
I am not happy with the cut. It tears and leaves grass strands left behind.

I might point out even though I’m late to the party, the toro markets 60v but that’s in its maximum state when it gets to working load it’s 54 just like the ego.

I really thought this was going to be an unbiased video, but just like everyone else I feel there is a biased opinion in this comparison.

I’ll stick with my ego
Toro doesn’t have enough WOW factor to rush out to buy it

So a couple things:
- Ego is a battery tech company. Mowers were proof of concept. Not all batteries are made equal. (At roughly 700+ charges on my batteries. No end in site.)
- Egos newer 7.5a have a 5 bar ring system for on the battery light so you know battery %.
- The blades I am not sure, but would assume it's an engineering aspect to max rpm.
- I have never used a self propelled but did have my self propelled 1st gen for over 2000 mows. And only retired it cause a clip broke and I didn't want to piss around w it.
Clearly I'm an advocate.

I've owned a steel deck mower that rusted out. I own a plastic deck Honda and have no regrets.

Do a crash test I bet you your total the toro . It's cool new technology just like vehicles they don't come and steal like the way they used to in the 60s and 70s. I like new technology and futuristic look and feel and I also like how light it is and definitely with whatever battery the ego battery lasts much longer and it charges very fast. How long does it take the Toro to charge 3 hours

Toro definitely needs a charger equal or faster than ego. Who wants to wait 3 hours to finish there lawn if the battery dies just short of getting the yard done?

I just bought an Ego and so far I love it. 2 yrs ago we bought a huge John Deer mower, og well my husband is big and lazy so I bought Ego for me so I can cut my grass. I have no problem with it.

All I care about is if the Toro Batteries are going to not charge after a year like all 4 eGo Batteries in my laundry room. Stored inside and all have the red error. Now I’ll likely be able to get replacements but waiting for a month to get them and going through hold music for an hour to get it is infuriating.

Product placement has been detected! :)
Toro looks like 'old school', just replaced gas with electric motor, same wires all around and both of them are 60v when fully charged (just Toro marketed this different)

56 and 60 volt are the same thing, just who applies more marketing BS. Same as in hand tools 18 vs 20 volt. Same thing. The one claiming 20 or 60 is just using the voltage you get from the cell for like the first 5 percent of its use, the one saying 56 volt is being more honest.

I have just bought the european version of the EGO 21" (52cm), it is similar to the one reviewed here except that it comes with a brushless motor, a high lift blade... and costs 2.5 times the price. It is a good mower but I am really disappointed with the SP functionality. There is an annoying

The replacement battery on the Toro is also crazy. Don't get me wrong, I like Toro, but this is such an ad for Toro I can't imagine ANYONE finding it helpful. Don't forget other brands like Ryobi, if you're interested. I would purchase a gas Toro, but this one is a little crazy for how much competition is out there with proven ELECTRIC track records.