Toro 22-inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower is Packed with User-Friendly Features
For many years, Toro has been a trusted name on both the professional and consumer levels, and it’s easy to see why. In particular, the 60V Flex-Force mower lineup aims to make the transition from gas to battery-powered OPE incredibly easy for homeowners who are on the fence. Today, we’re taking a look at the Toro 60V 22-inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower, which boasts superior cutting capabilities, a helpful feature set, and a sleek but familiar design!
Pros
- Personal Pace drive system is easy to use
- Design feels like a gas mower
- More user-friendly than other designs
- Easiest switch from bagging to mulching
- Handle folds for vertical storage
- Quiet operation
Cons
- Can’t drive mower without engaging blades
- Only one blade speed
- Heavy
Toro 22-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Performance
- Gas Equivalent: 160cc
- Blade Tip Speed: 15,000 FPM
- Max Blade Speed: 2,700 RPMs
- Max Drive Speed: 4 MPH
- Cut Height: 1 – 4 in. (5 positions)
- Runtime: 50 min. (with 8.0Ah battery)
Cutting Power
At its heart, this mower is powered by a brushless motor that spins the blade up to 2,700 RPMs and generates 160cc gas-equivalent power. This power allowed us to easily cruise through overgrown patches of St. Augustine grass.
Toro designed this mower for bagging and mulching only and didn’t include a side discharge option. With that said, the Toro 21466 produces ultra-fine clippings that nestle down between the blades of grass and nourish your lawn while you mow. If you bag, those smaller clippings make more efficient use of the bag’s volume.
Switching between those two mowing modes takes just seconds, thanks to the integrated mulch plug. A simple lever either covers or uncovers the bagging chute. It’s easy to operate and keeps you from having to worry about finding a spot to store the plug when it’s not in use.
When encountering those thicker areas, the mower’s brushless motor temporarily ramps up the RPMs to maintain cut quality and then backs down to the regular blade speed to conserve battery life. Unlike the Toro 21568, you can’t manually engage the turbo mode, but we didn’t experience any issues during our testing.
Runtime
Toro tells us you can expect up to 50 minutes of runtime using the kitted 8.0Ah battery. This makes it ideal for lawns around 1/3 acre, but not more than 1/2 acre. If you do have a bigger lawn, be sure to check out our picks for the Best Riding Lawn Mowers!
Toro 22-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Design Notes
- Model: Toro 21466
- Power Source: Tor 60V battery
- Weight: 87 lbs (with battery)
- Bagging Capacity: 1.8 bushels
Blade and Drive Controls
The controls on this mower are pretty straightforward, but there are a few things to know before getting started. To activate the blades, you must first pull back on the presence bar and then press the power button located on the left side of the handle. This is a little different than most of the mowers we’ve tested, which require you to press the power button and then pull the presence bar.
Toro employs their unique Personal Pace self-propelled system designed to match your walking pace instead or vice versa. Instead of thumb paddles or variable speed dials, the spring-loaded handle senses your pace and adjusts the drive speed accordingly.
This means that as you push forward on the handle, the drive system automatically engages. The further down you push, the faster the mower goes. This system is easy to master and makes it effortless to control the speed while you mow.
The drive speed tops out at 4 mph, and even on grass, our testing team had difficulty comfortably out-pacing this mower.
Our only complaint is that you can’t operate the self-propelled drive without activating the blade. This is because the blade and drive system utilize the same belt system rather than separate direct drive motors. It’s a minor drawback, but it’s something to know if that’s something that might irritate you.
22-Inch Steel Deck
Looking at the 21466, it’s pretty clear that Toro was aiming to create an easy transition from a traditional gas-powered mower to a battery-powered model. In light of this, the design team opted for a stamped steel 22-inch deck that is very reminiscent of their gas-powered models.
This design is durable and familiar and provides excellent under-deck airflow for effective mulching and bagging.
Deck Height Adjustment
In keeping with the traditional walk-behind mower theme, Toro chose a four-point height adjustment system rather than a single-point adjustment. This stirred up mixed emotions from our testing team.
On the one hand, the four-point adjustment is normal on Pro-focused mowers and allows you to independently raise or lower the front and back of the mower deck, depending on your mowing conditions. It also tends to be more stable and durable.
The obvious downside is that adjusting the deck height takes four steps instead of one.
Additional Features
- LED headlights
- Compatible with all Toro 60V batteries
- The folding handle allows for hassle-free vertical storage
Toro 22-Inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower Price
The Toro 21466 retails for $529 as a bare tool and $629 as a kit with an 8.0Ah battery and charger. Toro backs it with a 3-year battery warranty and a 2-year warranty on the mower.
The Bottom Line
The Toro 60V 22-inch Self-Propelled Lawn Mower proves that a mower doesn’t have to be overly complex to be effective. The 21466 offers confident cutting power, excellent mulching and bagging, and a user-friendly drive system that makes transitioning to a battery-powered mower quick and easy. So, if you want to kick the gas cans to the curb this season without getting into a complex series of bells and whistles, Toro has the mower for you!
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