First launched in 2004 and operating out of the USA and China, Worx is a fairly new brand that has been attracting much attention recently. Specialising in garden and power tools, you’re likely to come across this name when looking for a new lawn mower. In the US, their products are stocked in stores such as Walmart, Costco, and The Home Depot. In the UK, they’re more commonly found in B&Q, Argos, and on marketplace websites like Amazon.
Today, we’re going to be reviewing the Worx WG779E.2. It has a complicated name, but is the product itself straightforward?
Key Features
- Two 20V 2Ah batteries
- Part of the 20V range from Worx
- Intellicut technology
- Cut-to-edge design
- Covers space of up to 400 square metres
- 34cm blade length
- 120-minute charge time with a 35-minute run time
- Six different cutting heights
Initially, this might be too much information to digest at once so we’re going to break it down step by step. For those of you who have been following our mower reviews, you’ll immediately notice the difference between this Worx model and others we’ve reviewed so far.
Power and Battery
Firstly, just like a car, any good mower needs a battery that offers power, longevity, and reliability. With Worx and the WG779E.2, there are good and bad points depending on what you need. Starting with the good, it uses two 20V lithium-ion batteries which should provide 35 minutes of charge while mowing up to 400 square metres of lawn. Compared to a product like the Flymo Mighti-Mo 300, this is a vast improvement. Considering the Worx is actually three kilograms heavier, it seems brilliant engineering is the reason for this improvement.
In 2018, Worx is a brand continuing their development in the market and their decision to include two 20V batteries is part of a wider movement to make the battery system compatible with all products in the range. Currently, there are 40 different cordless power tools and the two 20V batteries will fit in them all. Of course, this means you can have just the two batteries for all your garden tools rather than several different ones.
Sticking with the positives, both batteries can be charged simultaneously which is something Greenworks has failed to utilise with their own lawn mowers. Also, running time can be extended with an ‘eco mode’ which reduces power whenever possible. If you’ve recently cut the lawn and just want to go over it again to maintain the fresh look, this ability to save power will be extremely useful.
Additionally, there’s a battery level indicator on the mower so users can see exactly how much time they have left before the batteries need charging. If you like to think about the environment when purchasing power tools, the mower is completely electric which means zero emissions (as well as a quieter experience for the neighbours!). In fact, Worx has actually developed what they call ‘mute technology’ in order to keep their mowers as quiet as possible; Worx claim that 10 metres is the magic distance before the mower is ‘barely audible’.
Earlier, we said there are bad points regarding the power and battery but there is only really one; the charge time. Although this is a product that provides a longer running time than most, and it does charge both batteries at the same time, it still takes around two hours. If you’re somebody who remembers to put batteries on charge in the morning so it’s ready for use later, this won’t be a problem. If you tend to prefer a faster charging mower, this might not be the product for you (though we would urge you to keep reading because the many benefits are likely to outweigh this one drawback!).
Cutting Features and Customisation
Before launching into many of the standard but necessary features, like cutting diameter and height adjustment, why not start with the fantastic deck design? If your garden is littered with obstacles that normally make mowing a nightmare, Worx has designed this mower so it can cut close to fencing, decking, walls, and more. This way, the trimmer is required less (if at all!). Many products don’t have this advanced design, so it’s a great advantage to choosing Worx.
Back to basics, Worx has decided on six different cutting heights which is more than most but the range between smallest and largest can be found elsewhere. For example, the Greenworks Cordless Mower has five different options between 20mm and 80mm whereas Worx’s mower only reaches 70mm at the higher end. If you like to leave your grass to get long during the winter, these higher settings can be useful for the first cuts of the new year. As time goes on and the smaller bits of grass catch up, you can reduce the setting and start cutting as normal; the cutting height can actually be adjusted with a simple lever on the top side of the mower.
With a 34cm cutting diameter, this is quite small for those who are used to looking at products with a cutting diameter of 40+cm but it’s perfect for narrow and awkward strips of lawn. Furthermore, it’s larger than the Mighti-Mo 300 by a few centimetres so has this small advantage.
When looking at the wider product range in the market, it’s fair to say this one falls into the ‘lightweight’ section where size and cutting diameter aren’t the most important functions. With this in mind, it might take a little longer to complete your lawn but 34cm is normally plenty for those who want a simple mower to cut their garden every few weeks.
Lawn Mower Blade
These days, it seems the industry has come to realise the value of choosing metal over plastic when it comes to the blade. Fortunately, Worx has read the memo and they’ve gone for metal with this particular model. With plastic blades, they wear quickly and you’ll find yourself having to buy replacements regularly. Since metal is more durable and doesn’t wear so much, it’ll provide clean cuts for much longer.
In addition to this, metal blades can even be sharpened which extends their life even further. If you feel as though the cut isn’t as neat as what the mower hreviews of the top battery cordless lawnmowers in the UKas achieved in the past, sharpen the blade and it’ll be like having a new mower again. In our opinion, the market has come too far to still choose a plastic blade when there are so many fantastic metal blades out there.
Read our reviews of the top battery cordless lawnmowers in the UK
Safety, Storage, and Other Features
If you want to prevent accidental starting, this is an option with Worx as they’ve installed a removable safety key feature. For those with children and who want that extra peace of mind, this is a feature that not all products will offer.
While some mowers are bulky and a little awkward to push around, Worx has designed this mower cleverly and it’s ideal for all audiences as a result. If you happen to experience back pain, for example, the fact it’s cordless​ and lightweight means very little effort is required to get the mower from A to B.
Elsewhere, the grass box can hold 30 litres of cuttings and this is relatively normal for a mower of this size. Some models will offer up to 40 litres, but these are generally designed for a larger lawn. We found this grass box one of the best to remove and empty too, and the box even has a carry handle so you aren’t left awkwardly stumbling down the garden to the recycling bin. With little force, the box can be removed by lifting the small flap and then unhooking it from the main unit.
To finish, we have two more features we’d like to discuss and they’re features that seem to be optional within the market. Although they won’t make the mower any more efficient in performance, the two features could be important to you and your needs. The first is a rear roller which allows for a stripy lawn; this is something not found on all mowers in this segment of the market. What’s more, the roller is actually equipped with a suspension system which allows it to move freely with the contours of the garden.
The other feature is mulching, and this makes better use of your grass cuttings. As mentioned, this might not be important for you but there are many advantages to mulching your grass cuttings so it’s worth a little research if it’s something you haven’t considered previously.
Advantages
- Ability to cut lawns of up to 400 square metres
- Two 20V batteries (can be charged simultaneously)
- Cordless, sleek, and lightweight
- 34cm cutting diameter and six different cutting heights
- Extremely quiet and environmentally-friendly
- Removable safety key, mulching abilities, and a rear roller (with suspension)
Disadvantages
- No grass level indicator to suggest emptying
- Adjusting the height isn’t as simple as many other models
In truth, it can be hard to find drawbacks to such a brilliant piece of equipment and you might find that these two negatives don’t really apply to you.
Should I Buy the Worx Cordless Lawn Mower?
All things considered, Worx has clearly worked hard on this mower and it shows. Not only are there strong foundations in terms of battery, power, blade, cutting height, cutting diameter, and grass box, the mower also offers some fantastic extras with the removable safety key, rear roller with suspension, and the ability to mulch.
As we always say, whether or not you should buy the WG779E.2 depends on your own needs and nothing else. Assuming your garden is under 400 square metres and you’re happy with a 30-litre grass box as well as the different cutting heights, there’s no reason why this Worx lawn mower can’t stay with you for many years to come. It stands up to the competition from Flymo, Bosch, and other big industry names and is extremely unlikely to leave you disappointed!
Last update on 2023-04-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
