Greenworks CRZ 428 80V Zero Turn Mower Review: Battery Power Without the Gas

Introduction

The Greenworks CRZ 428 is an 80-volt zero turn mower with a 42-inch deck, and at around $4,500 it sits in an interesting spot: battery powered, surprisingly nimble, and clearly designed to feel like a gas machine. It is also not going to work for everyone. After spending real time with it, here is how it handles, where it excels, and the trade-offs you should weigh before spending that kind of money.

First Impressions and Controls

In feel, this zero turn is very close to a $2,000 to $3,000 gas-powered riding mower from a big-box store. It is small, lightweight, and nimble, but the real difference sits under the seat. Greenworks has done just about everything possible to make it feel familiar: a physical key that powers the lights and run mode, a normal start switch that triggers a brief boot-up sequence with a confirmation beep, and a blade on/off switch. There are two drive speeds, high and low, and the low setting is genuinely useful when working close to obstacles. Forward speed is plenty quick, cruising around 8 mph, though reverse is slow, especially in the lower drive range.

Batteries and Charging: The Biggest Trade-off

Under the seat cover live six removable 80V batteries. That is a real advantage if one ever fails, and it means the same batteries work with a wide ecosystem of 80V tools, from string trimmers to snow blowers. The downside is charging: you have to pull all six out, put them on the charger, and reinstall them afterward. There is currently no way to plug the machine in and charge the batteries in place, which means constant in-and-out with battery packs.

One thoughtful detail: the mower leaves a small reserve, so when the battery meter is low you can still cruise back to your charging spot at a slow but steady pace.

Cut Quality, Deck Height, and Mulching

The deck is easy to like. A handle lifts and drops the deck all the way down to 1.5 inches, moving up in one-inch increments, and it is one of the simpler, more straightforward height systems around. Two adjustable anti-scalping wheels sit on each side of the deck to help on uneven ground, and a hose adapter lets you run water through to rinse the underside clean.

With the mulching attachment screwed in place, the mower does an impressively good job even in tall grass, and it works even better when the deck is lowered toward the 3-inch range. The side discharge chute also throws grass a good distance and disperses it rather than layering it, which keeps clumps from forming.

Towing, Build Quality, and Storage

There is a standard 2-inch receiver-style hitch mount at the front, and a hitch at the rear rated to tow up to 300 pounds, enough for a small trailer or an aerator. Solid front tires can feel a little pliable under thumb pressure but deliver a fairly rough ride. LED lights sit up front, and a removable metal floorboard gives you real access to the motors and deck underneath for cleaning and service.

The seat is comfortable, a touch stiff at first but it loosens up quickly. It slides forward and back with multiple stops, and the armrests fold and adjust too. There is no backrest adjustment, though taller riders should still fit; at 6’4” the seat position works fine. The mower is IPX4 rated, so it can take some rain and sit outside without issue. The area where a gas engine would normally sit now serves as a genuinely useful storage trunk for seed, fertilizer, or small tools.

Practical extras stay sensible: two USB ports for charging devices, a large cup holder, and a spot to slide a phone or stash earplugs. Notably, there is no big screen and no excess technology, which is a strength. Fewer electronics means fewer things to break on a machine you bought specifically for low maintenance.

Where It Struggles: Traction and Hills

The tires are the main weakness. They look capable, but they do not like hills or slippery grass. On slightly off-camber ground the mower can spin a wheel during turns, and it is easy to get stuck. That traction limitation is significant enough to rule the mower out for hilly properties, even though a quiet, no-gas, no-oil machine like this would otherwise be ideal for a cabin or small plot.

Runtime: How Much Can You Mow Per Charge?

On roughly an acre of lawn in a subdivision with two lots, a full charge covers about half the yard. Cutting a significant amount of grass, in this case from around 6.5 inches down to 4.5, gives about 30 to 35 minutes of run time at full blade speed. That makes this mower best suited to small yards, right at the cusp between a push mower and a riding mower. Expect two to three cuts per full battery charge cycle around a property like that.

Who This Mower Is Really For

If your lawn is small, flat, and you want to move away from gas entirely, the CRZ 428 is a pleasant, low-maintenance machine that cuts well and keeps things simple. If you have hills, slippery slopes, or more than about half an acre per charge, look elsewhere. It also helps that the 80V batteries carry over to a whole family of outdoor tools, so the investment extends well beyond the mower itself.

Buying Advice

Prices change often and sales on this mower come around regularly, so it is worth shopping around before committing; it has also been stocked at major retailers. The ideal buyer has a flat, small-to-moderate lawn, values the battery ecosystem, and can live with pulling six batteries for every charge. If in-place charging matters to you, factor that into your decision before buying.

Conclusion

The Greenworks CRZ 428 does nearly everything you would expect from a compact zero turn, with strong mulching, easy deck adjustments, thoughtful low-tech design, and enough reserve power to get you back to the charger. Its limitations are clear: no in-place charging, modest runtime for larger lawns, and tires that give up on hills. For the right small, flat lawn, it is a genuinely interesting machine.