How Much Does Harbor Freight's Lawn Mower Cost & Is It Any Good?

Summer is about outdoor gatherings, laps in the pool, and, of course, yard cleanup. Fortunately, Harbor Freight has several top summer items for everything from seasonal decorating to gardening to lawn care. The hardware chain even has some heavy-duty summer landscaping essentials in its inventory. Look no further than the Atlas 80-volt brushless and cordless lawn mower: a self-propelled, 21-inch deck push mower from a Harbor Freight-exclusive brand. Without any sale or discount applied, it costs $269.99 according to its Harbor Freight website listing.

In terms of performance, Harbor Freight makes some big claims about this mower. It promises an 80-minute runtime on two 80V batteries, though it can get by with just one for less runtime. The wheels adjust to accommodate for seven different cutting heights, it has the ability to mulch, bag, or side discharge grass clippings, and includes a push-button start. Unfortunately, it should be clarified that for $270, the two Atlas 80V batteries needed to run it aren't included. These start at $139.99 and go as high as $249.99 for the extreme performance version.

Outside of marketing speak, how does this Atlas mower actually hold up? According to Harbor Freight shoppers from across the Internet, it's a largely solid purchase that typically delivers on its advertised claims, but that's not to say it's perfect.

The bulk of users agree this Atlas mower gets the job done. Starting with the Harbor Freight website, it's loaded with positive reviews that commend it on multiple fronts. They applaud the power it brings while running on batteries, the low volume, and the easy setup and use, among other points. Users on forums like Reddit agree that it's a strong, reliable mower, with some pointing out how well it chops up seriously tall grass without much struggle. Several noted that they got multiple years of good use from it without having to handle any major repairs.

As for YouTube reviews, these too are full of positive words for the Harbor Freight-exclusive Atlas mower. Tony Lee Glenn demonstrated its cutting ability and offered it high praise, remarking that battery-powered landscaping tools like this one have completely won them over. Tony's Tractor Adventure Homestead was also satisfied with what the mower could do on battery power, and without consuming an excessive amount on the job. During their demonstration, they found the ability to chop down tall grass impressive and the ramping self-propel speed a nice touch to improve the use experience.

Clearly, many appreciate what the Atlas mower can do, even without gas power behind it. Still, some had less-than-positive experiences with it in one way or another, which potential buyers should be aware of.

According to some who've given this Atlas lawn mower a try, it falls short in some key areas. Digging into the one-star Harbor Freight reviews, a few common critiques arise. Some report the battery power not reaching the advertised runtime, others were frustrated with the lack of part availability for repairs, and a few shared their mower failed to work after a single mowing season. As mentioned, batteries aren't included at the $270 price point, which many Harbor Freight customers and the otherwise largely positive review from Family Handyman couldn't turn a blind eye to. 

Worse yet, some on forums like Reddit were disappointed in the battery quality. They severely dipped in performance after a single year of use or failed to charge at all. As for YouTuber Auto Dad, they found the cutting ability perfectly suitable, but the self-propel feature left a bit to be desired. They aren't a fan of the under-handle setup, which they feel pales in comparison to other top push-lever self-propel layouts from other brands. All of these problems are very much in the minority, but they're still worth keeping in mind should you have your eye on this Atlas mower.

On the whole, this Harbor Freight Atlas battery-powered mower seems to get the job done, albeit with some potential issues and design quirks to be aware of. If you're not convinced by the positive testimonies, or turned away by the negative ones, at least there are other mowers out there that can compete with Harbor Freight's Atlas model worth considering.