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Even though there are more major lawn mower brands available to consumers than ever before, buying a new one requires considering a laundry list of factors. While things like price, power supply, and brand loyalty will likely be major deciding factors for many, one of the biggest questions facing those in the market for a new mower will be whether or not to choose a device with a brushed or brushless motor.
To make that decision, shoppers will, of course, need to know what the actual difference is between those styles of lawn mowers. In case you are flying blind in regard to the brushed or brushless lawn mower debate, we can tell you that the terms refer to the style of motor used in the device’s function. To put it simply, the two styles provide dramatically different levels of performance to users. And yes, the brushed or brushless debate extends well beyond just the world of lawn mowers, with the biggest cordless power tool makers using each in many of their devices.
Whether you’re talking lawn mowers or other tools, the concept is the same, with brushed motors requiring physical contact from carbon brushes to transfer electrical currents to a spinning commutator that runs the motor. Brushless motors do not need that friction to function, and instead use high-efficiency solid-state electronics and magnets to generate the necessary spinning power for the motor. As you’ve likely guessed, each option has positives and negatives worth considering.
The pros and cons of brushed and brushless mowers
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Brushed DC motors have been around and in use by manufacturers since the 19th century, while the first brushless DC motors didn’t turn up until the 1960s. The latter format only became cost-effective for mass production in the last couple of decades, however, when the technology and elements required to build them became more affordable to manufacturers.
Cost continues to be the big knock against brushless lawn mowers, as they are still the more expensive of the two options. In fact, shoppers can expect to pay more for brushless motor options than for their brushed counterparts. Cost aside, brushless motors deliver plenty of upgrades over brushed motors, as they require almost no maintenance, produce less noise during usage, and generally provide a longer lifespan. They also tend to be more efficient and thus have a longer runtime in electric mowers.
Those upgrades are largely due to the lack of brush friction found in brushed motors. The brushes required to generate power in a brushed motor do, after all, wear out eventually, and when that happens, you can expect decreased performance and efficiency, as well as the inevitable need to replace them. In terms of lawn mowers, brushed mowers tend to provide more continuous power to users, while many brushless mowers are equipped with electronic speed controllers that adjust the level of power provided to the cutting blades based on resistance. The style of mower you choose will ultimately be dictated by your individual needs, though the brushless format may provide benefits that are hard to ignore.