Customer Reviews

Solaris S21HB 21-Inch 24-Volt Cordless Mulching Lawn Mower with Bag and Side Discharge

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I initially considered the "SP" version of this mower @ Home Depot...the only model they sell. If you have serious elevation changes in your yard, perhaps the self-propelled version is worthwhile [whether the front-wheel drive Solaris or its rear-wheel drive Epic & Utopia cousins]. Otherwise, buy this model. You can't get this info from the Linamar website, but the self-propelled versions are 18# heavier; when you're trying to make a battery charge last, draining them via an extra drive belt to pull/push a [heavier] mower makes little sense.

This mower is solidly built, & the big wheels make it easy to push & quite maneuverable. I gave it a test run, then handed it off to the 16-year old who cuts my grass. No issues. I was particularly pleased to see how well it mulched, as I'm a big believer in leaving clippings to nourish the lawn. There was no clumping, & as long as we don't cut wet grass, I expect it to stay that way.

Other cordless mowers probably perform as well, though most have decks smaller than this one's 21" which means longer mowing time. I think the Solaris' brushless motor is a huge advantage, & expect great longevity. Ultimately, though, I rejected most other mowers because replacing their batteries was cumbersome or impossible; I think that's nuts. The Solaris batteries swap out in seconds. Mine lasted about as long as expected, covering 80% of my .4 acres. With the money I saved by skipping the self-propelled feature [& headaches], I bought a 2nd set of batteries & have power to spare. It's a great solution, & my neighbors--including one who just bought an $800 Honda to get a pushbutton start like mine--are jealous.

The cons are minor. Changing deck height requires moving 4 levers instead of 1...but I only do this a couple of times a season. The tone it emits on stopping is irritating [hold the bail down or pull the key to silence]. Charger mechanical connections could be tighter. Overall, though, well-designed & well-built.

<update> The fourth time I used the mower it quit after five minutes. I tried six times to restart by moving the key and after each the mower ran less than a minute. Both batteries had about 11.5 volts. The manufacturer said the motor was defective and to return to Amazon. It is now in transit and the gas mower is back in use.

<original posting> The cost Vs that of a gas power makes it hard to justify the purchase, but hopefully it will help the environment for my children and grandchildren. Yesterday I promised my 6.5 hp gas mower to a neighbor. The Solaris is not as powerful, but enough to easily cut my lawn with ~3000 sq ft of grass. The gas mower like the Solaris had a 21" cutting width and the weight seemed equivalent. I have cut the lawn twice with the Solaris mulching the clippings as well or better than the gas mower. After each cutting one of the three green lights plus a yellow and red light remained illuminated. Set up involved removing the mower from the box, unfolding the handle, inserting the batteries, and plugging in the charger. I charged the mower overnight per the instructions. During the first cutting the lawnmower stopped once, but after removing and reinserting the key everything was fine. The mower is very quiet, no more ear plugs, which permits me to cut and talk to my wife.

I've long been a fan of electric mowers; not because I had any delusions about saving the earth with one, but the fumes from gas mowers bother my lungs, the noise assaults my ears, and I don't care for the hassles of using gasoline and oil in the mower (buying/storing/winterizing). Having owned a cordless Ryobi mower about 15 years ago, I knew pretty much what to expect in terms of performance and run time for cordless mowers, with some hope of improvement in reliability (the Ryobi had a built in charger that went out on multiple occasions, and the batteries were not easily removable). I've been using corded electric mowers for the past 13 or so years, which I like quite well, but the cord became a bigger challenge more recently as my wife planted a number of flower gardens in our yard, along with trees, bushes and such. With the size of my lawn (approximately 1/3 acre) it also becomes more challenging to keep up with the 150 ft of cord necessary to reach all the corners. Plus, the corded mowers I've been using have been nearly as noisy as gas mowers. Thus the impetus to pick up another cordless electric mower!

Several considerations became a priority for me in considering the various options on the market (and it's great to see so many options on the market today). With a yard on the large end of the scale for a cordless mower, one of my prime considerations was mowing time; close behind was an easily removable battery; a larger cut was preferred as well. Added to the mix is the efficiency of the mower, and the ease of switching to Li-Poly or Li-Ion battery packs in the future. Quality is always a top consideration as well - particularly at the price of these mowers.

I purchased the Solaris S21HB mower from Amazon.com after quite a bit of research on the various cordless mower offerings available today. The following aspects really drew me to this mower:

1. The brushless power system really caught my attention. As an electric-powered model aircraft enthusiast, I'm very familiar with the efficiency and performance advantages of brushless motors over brushed motor power systems. Although the 24V system potentially offers less run time than competing 36V systems (due to the increased current required to produce equivalent power at a lower voltage level), I made some calculations of the potential run times of this mower vs. other mowers in consideration (Neuton CE6, Black and Decker CM1936, Toro E-cycler). Solaris said the mower could draw from 20 - 70 Amps, depending on grass conditions. I would assume 30 Amps is probably a good estimate for moderate length, dry grass. Assuming 80% efficiency at 24V with a 30 Amp current draw = 720 Watts*.80 = 576 Watts. With two, 12V /20Ah batteries wired in series to produce 24V, this mower has a potential 480 W-hr power system - more than the competing mowers on the market. When drawing 30 Amps, the potential run time from a 20Ah system is 40 minutes. Looking at competing 36V systems with 10Ah batteries and assuming 65% efficiency for the brushed motor system, the power system would produce potentially 360 W-hrs and require 24.6 Amps to produce equivalent power (576 Watts/36V = 16A, divided by .65 = 24.6A). The potential run time of such a system is about 24 minutes. Most of these mowers have a smaller cut, so the run time may actually be longer than estimated, but the smaller cut would also reduce the grass cut during that time. Clearly the Solaris is potentially superior in run time.
2. Easily removable batteries make it simple to swap batteries if the run time is insufficient to finish the lawn.
3. The use of two 12V batteries in series makes conversion to a Li-Poly system fairly easy. 3S1P (3 in series, 1 parallel) 5Ah Li-Poly battery packs are readily available and fairly reasonably priced at the current time, and the voltage from such a pack (roughly 11.4 - 12 V) should be pretty comparable to the actual voltage from the 12V batteries. It would be relatively easy to create 3S2P packs for a 10Ah battery pack (to finish the lawn), or 3S4P packs to get the equivalent run time as the lead acids - and with much less weight, negligible self-discharge, and easy charging from standard Li-Poly chargers.
4. The 21 inch cut was a major draw as well - most competing mowers are 19"- 20".
5. The large rear wheels looked like they would offer better handling.
6. The negative reviews on Amazon.com all focused on problems with the batteries holding charge. Otherwise, the reviews were generally positive.

I received the Solaris S21HB from Amazon in a very reasonable time frame, and shortly thereafter placed the batteries on charge. Two days later I took the mower out for its maiden run on relatively low, dry grass. The mower was very quiet and smooth - just like my old Ryobi - and seemed to have fairly decent mowing power. It didn't quite get all of my lawn cut on a single charge, but that didn't really surprise me (although I was hoping it would do so with the low, dry grass). The neighbors liked the quiet and the cool look of the mower.

Now for the negatives:
1. The first thing I noticed is a very marginal manual; pictures showed an off-board charger, but it wasn't clear if it was supposed to be part of the system or an extra cost option. There was no listing of components that should have been in the box; I eventually found the off-board charger when I opened the top of the mower (it was in the battery well). Very little information was given about charging the batteries; fortunately the batteries and charger systems are designed to be fairly fool-proof, but there is no indication of polarity on the off-board charger or the battery connectors in the mower.
2. The handle was already attached to the mower - a nice touch - but when I put it in position I found that the handle has quite a bit of up and down play. The base of the handle is held by a pin on each side to the wheel mounting plate attached to the mower deck; a little ways back from the pin the plate is bent around to form a notch to hold the handle in place. Unfortunately, the fit is sloppy. This is annoying at best; eventually it will fatigue and crack. It should be an easy fix (just place a bolt through the handle and plate near the notch), but I shouldn't have to modify a cheap handle arrangement on a $500 mower! My low-cost corded mower handle system is far superior. In addition to the slop in the handle, the forward weight of the mower causes the handle to flex quite a bit, making it more challenging to maneuver the mower.
3. Most annoying of all is the flex in the rear wheel attachment system. There's a noticeable amount of flex in both the mounting plate and the wheels. Between the flex of the wheels, flex of the handle, and the forward weight of the lead acid batteries, this is an awkward mower to maneuver and push. Really a poor design in a $500 mower! I'm not sure how to fix this issue.
4. Due to the above problems, I contacted Amazon to see about returning the mower. I've heard good things about Amazon's return policy. Unfortunately, this was not to be. After working a few angles to try to get through all the automated systems, I found that Amazon classifies this electric mower in the same class as gas mowers, and won't allow returns of items that use hazardous or flammable fuels (!). I'm not sure how that applies to an electric mower, but I'm also not sure how to get Amazon to take another look. I don't think I would ever buy an item like this through Amazon again, where I can't check out the item before purchasing.

Bottom line: This mower offers a lot of promise, but the low-dollar approach to the details kills off that promise. I would recommend going with a different cordless mower until Solaris upgrades this mower.

Ordered it. Received it - arrived witha cracked starter assembly. No problem I'm on warranty, I'll get a name of a service center nearby, and take it there to fix it. Called Solaris got a name, called the service center "Sorry sir we do not support this product" Called Solaris again - got three new names that can fix the lawnmower....not. First one - out of business, second one "Sorry sir gas lawnmowers only". Third one - "We've never heard of this product" All four were given by Solaris as contractors who can fix their lawnmowers. Called Solaris asked them to call any other contractor first and see whether they have heard of their company before passing them on to me. That did not happen as Solaris recommended that we return the product back to Amazon. Moral of the story - they are apparently a bit player in the lawnmower industry. Good luck when you need to service something.

I bought the Solaris to replace my 10 year old Black & Decker Cordless which I loved. I bought the Solaris because I liked that it had replaceable batteries which was a big disadvantage w/ the B&D and its engine (brushless) sounded like it would last for 10 years also. On my mow today- it was 2 weeks worth of heavy spring grass. it go through the whole thing (the B&D wouldn't have, even when new), it kept at full power till the end; this made my happy. the negatives- I didn't know how much the B&D weighed but it was a lot less then the Solaris, by the end of the summer I expect to be in good shape-it's a workout pushing this. Had I known I would have gotten the Epic self propelled. it is loud for an electric; not as loud as a gas mower though. The handle that you must hold to make run, at the end of my mow it was kinda of starting to bother my hands; when I mowed the second time it didn't bother me. The second mow - we did the front and the back and the yard. We got through the whole thing (it's about 600 square feet). Another plus, this thing charges quick- 3 hours and I was green light to go. I would recommend as long as you are in some shape; if not (or lazy), get the self propelled.

I recently decided to fire our lawn service and purchase a mower. I ruled out gasoline-powered models for reasons to do with safety of fuel storage, plus concern about the smell, noise and emissions. Since our yard is a little too big (1/4 acre lot) for either a corded electric mower or a manual push mower to be practical, I focused on finding a suitable rechargeable mower. After comparing all the models available, including those from much better-known companies, I selected the Solaris S21HB.

I've had it for a couple of months, now, and feel I have a good sense for its pros and cons. In general, I'm very pleased with the Solaris, which I've used in both bagging and side-discharge modes so far. It tends to bog down a bit if the grass is high and wet, though I understand that's true for most mowers, even a push-reel. The mower's deck is very rugged, the safety locks well-designed, and the motor much quieter than a gas model's. The biggest challenge is the mower's weight. At about 110 lb. with batteries, it is a beast to push on even a slight grade. My wife jokes that this is saving me one gym workout a week, but if I had it to do again, I'd have bought the self-propelled model, which was only about $50 more.

A big part of the weight is due to the unit's two 24V lead-acid batteries, which contribute about 30 lb. (The only Lithium-ion battery mower I could find, made by Bosch, is not yet sold in the US.) Their combined 40 Amp-hours of storage equate to the energy content of less than 4 ounces of gasoline. Even if it uses its stored energy 3-4 times more efficiently than a gasoline engine, the mower's range is still substantially less than from the typical 1-quart fuel capacity of a gas mower. As a result, I must adapt my lawn mowing to the limitations of my new, green device. Since I can't cut all our grass in one go, I have to split the chore into two sessions at least 8 hours apart, to allow enough time to recharge the batteries. I'm seriously considering investing $100 in a second set of batteries, which are currently out of stock. This unit would really benefit from an upgrade to Lithium ion batteries, which are both lighter and store more energy.

I was torn between a 3- and 4-star rating. The Solaris is a well-built machine, but its weight limits my satisfaction. If I had a smaller, flatter lawn, I'd have no hesitation for 4, which I finally settled on for this reveiw.

I don't normally weigh in on products I've bought, but I just used my Solaris mower for the first time and had to take the time to rave, I can't recommend it highly enough. It's easy to use, quiet, and with the ability to take the batteries out (no tools required) and flip it over to clean the bottom as necessary, I figure the deck will last much longer than the gas mower decks I've rusted through. You can charge the batteries in or out of the mower (I didn't realize it came with an external charger, maybe overlooked it in the description). The mower is a little heavy - about the weight of a gas mower when the batteries are out, plus a few pounds for the batteries - but I don't mind the effort (otherwise, I'd get a self-propelled or ride-on!). My lawn's not huge but it's a good size, takes maybe 45 minutes to cut, and the Solaris kept going strong. If the long-term is as good as the out-of-box experience, I'll continue to be a very happy customer.

Despite charging the batteries for the directed period of time, the mower simply did not work. The first attempt, the charge lasted long enough to mow about 40 feet of my yard. The second and third attempt, the charge lasted 60 seconds, then 10 seconds, respectively.

Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), I'm very disappointed. I was looking forward to having a quieter, exhaust-free mower. I'll try a different brand next, but this one's being returned.

Side note: I've just begun the return process. So far, it's very easy. Amazon is having UPS pick up the mower (at no cost to me) instead of making me lug it anywhere to be shipped.

I was very impressed by this lawn mower. It has plenty of power and seems to go on forever. I have a pretty good sized backyard and this mower will complete the front and back sometimes without even one green light going off. There are 3 green lights, one orange and one red to indicate the level of charge remaining in the batteries. I have never seen more than one light go out for any of my mowing needs. The posters that complain about the mower only going for 20 minutes must have not followed the directions on the first charge to put the power on the charger for 24 hours straight before the first use. I regularly mow over 45 minutes at a stretch without even coming close to discharging the batteries. The mower is very sturdy and seems well built. I just mowed 8 inch tall wet grass today on mulch and of course had to go a little at a time (as you would with a gas mower) but the thing ripped through it all without skipping a beat. I would recommend this mower to anyone.

The lawnmower would not work for longer than 20 minutes before the batteries gave out and for the last 5 minutes struggled to get through the grass and this after mowing every 5 days.I complained to the factory and was told that this was normal for this time of year! I asked if the performance improved to any extent in the late fall.