Sun Joe MJ401E-PRO Review
Electric Lawn Mower w/Collapsible Handle, 3-Position Height Control, 10.6-Gallon Bag and Side Discharge Chute, 14"/13 Amp, Green
92Great!
4.3 / 5 from 6436 users
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We spent 9.2 hours reading reviews from customers and experts. In summary, here's what users think:
10 reasons to buy
The Sun Joe MJ401E-PRO mower is consistently noted for its lightweight design, making it easy to maneuver and operate. (47 reviews)
“It's lightweight enough to where you can pick it up and move it to where it's needed.”
“much lighter to push around than any gas powered machine”
“The mower is light enough for her to push around”
“It's easy to use, works great and is lightweight.”
“this mower is super lightweight for me”
“My biggest surprise was how light and easy this electric mower is to push.”
“This 33# mower is working out great, because the light weight is manageable.”
“It is very light and easy to maneuver, even one-handed.”
“Its light and maneuverable and pleasant to use once you figure out a cord strategy.”
“I'm 65 years old, 5 feet 3 inches tall, and weigh 112 pounds, but I was delighted at how easy this mower was to push.”
The mower is capable of cutting through various types of grass, including overgrown lawns and tough grass types. (31 reviews)
“the best thing is that thing can handle a really badly overgrown lawn”
“It is very smooth and cuts grass in a very short period of time. It also does great on tall grass.”
“The motor is actually quite powerful. It takes a couple of seconds for the blade to reach maximum speed and cuts very well while at maximum speed.”
“Tall grass and moss really don't seem to affect it all that much.”
“The Mow Joe powered right through.”
“It cut quickly and evenly.”
“Weeds were over 2 feet tall. Raised mower to highest level. Cut them down to manable.”
“And it cuts the grass very well.”
“I took it through some grass and weeds that had not been mown in about a year and it handled it with no problem.”
“this very neatly cut my overgrown 5 inches grass on my unkempt lawn”
The mower runs on electricity, eliminating the need for gas and oil. (21 reviews)
“No hassle with gas and oil and so on.”
“doesn't stink like a gas machine”
“It uses a power cord you purchase separately so there aren't any harmful gases to keep it from storing indoors.”
“Corded electric mower doesn't need gas or batteries.”
“It's been nice not to have to get gas, dealing with gas spills, and having gas fumes in my garage.”
“No gas no oil just push a button and go.”
“produces a beautiful yard without the hassle of gas, oil, and carburetor maintenance.”
“Going electric is great because you don't have to deal with stinky oil and gas; no tuning or tweaking necessary.”
“The electric motor is very convenient: always ready to go with no planning ahead & requiring no seasonal maintenance.”
“The positives are that he doesn't have to buy fuel, change oil, or deal with batteries.”
The grass collection bag is noted for catching most of the grass clippings. (19 reviews)
“I was/am amazed that this catcher will completely fill.”
“The little grass catcher does an excellent job, and holds a lot for its compact size.”
“The grass catcher is rated for 10.6 gallons, and in the course of mowing my roughly 30'x40' patch of jungle I filled three 39-gallon trash bags.”
“The bag is great no raking. Almost filled the large green waste can up.”
“The included grass catcher is very easy to empty and reattach (one hand).”
“And I love the grass catcher! My lawn looks great when I'm done.”
“Used the small catch bag & you can cut a fair tract without having to empty it - and even when you do, the attachment removes, empties, & reattached with fair ease!!”
“So long as the bag has room, it picks up even the wettest grass.”
Multiple reviews highlight that the Sun Joe MJ401E-PRO mower is quieter than traditional gas-powered mowers. (15 reviews)
“It's noticeably quieter than a gas operated lawn mower.”
“Really quiet, too.”
“It's quieter then a gas power mower”
“Noise was quite good - it sounded like a large electric fan, not very loud at all. People inside the house couldn't hear it at all.”
“It was quiet. I liked that.”
“I'm really digging how quiet it is and am happy i don't have to deal with fumes and mixing gas/oil.”
“The motor was quiet”
“much easier on the ears than a gas-powered mower.”
“The lack of noise was commented on by others.”
“No gas or oil, and it's quieter than a gas-powered mower.”
“The mower is not loud compared to a gas mower but it is by no means silent.”
“how quiet it was (keep in mind it is still a lawn mower)”
“It runs smooth and it's not loud.”
“It's also quick and very quiet compared to all others I've had.”
Users appreciate the straightforward controls, including a push-start button and easy-to-use lever. (11 reviews)
“Controls are easy. Push the start button then close the lever to keep it running.”
“Turning the mower on is really as easy as pressing the button.”
“The start up was simple push the button pull the lever.”
Many users found the mower easy to put together, some mentioning it took as little as 10 minutes. (9 reviews)
“It took me 10 minutes to put together, sitting in my living room floor.”
“The box traveled well and the unit went together quickly.”
“I got home about 7:35 pm and took about 20 minutes to couple and read through the manual.”
“It only takes about 10 minutes to assemble.”
“It assembles easily, in under 15 minutes if you just glance at the instruction book like i did.”
“No trouble putting together, only took a few minutes.”
“It arrived quickly and my husband (who has a disability) put it together in about 10 minutes using a screwdriver.”
“It took about 15 minutes to put together total”
“Easy to assemble less than 5 minutes”
Its smaller size allows for easy storage, which is ideal for small spaces. (9 reviews)
“We needed something that could come inside the house and be stored in the winter. This fit all of those.”
“And I can easily pick it up and store it in my basement.”
“Its small and its really best for small yards that are not overgrown.”
“small size -- good for small lawns + maneuvering + storage”
“It's lightweight and easy to store on my back patio.”
“Its easy to mow and it takes hardly no room up in the shed.”
“The storage is great because it folds up so compactly.”
“Can be folded,collection doesn’t take up more space”
“I fold the handle and hang it on the garage wall, in a corner.”
Since the Sun Joe MJ401E-PRO is electric, it doesn’t emit harmful gases, making it more environmentally friendly. (6 reviews)
“It uses a power cord you purchase separately so there aren't any harmful gases to keep it from storing indoors.”
“I'm really digging how quiet it is and am happy i don't have to deal with fumes and mixing gas/oil.”
“clean for the environment”
“-All this to say, this is a very inexpensive way to bypass the hassle & pollution of fossil fuels-”
“Plus, no gasoline fumes or refueling,”
“No gas mixture nonsense, no toxic fumes.... just fresh cut grass smells everywhere!!!”
Some users noted a safety kill switch that activates when the bag is too full. (1 review)
“Kill switch for when the bag is too full”
3 reasons not to buy
The grass collection bag on the Sun Joe MJ401E-PRO fills up very quickly, requiring frequent emptying. This can be inconvenient, especially for larger yards or overgrown lawns. (27 reviews)
“I filled the bag up in two rows and had to dump. I finally got sick of that and just used the side discharge.”
“My only issue with this lawn mower is the bag fills up so fast. I wish there was a larger collection bag.”
“Like many others have said, the bag is very small. I'm cutting grass that is about 10 in overgrown. So I understand why the bag gets so full. I cannot go literally more than 2 or 3 minutes without having to empty the bag. I'm estimating if you were cutting grass that only needed an inch off, you could go much longer without emptying the bag so often.”
“The trick is to empty out the grass collection box often as it fills up quickly.”
“Emptying the grass catcher bag was the part that slowed me the most.”
“Another thing that is important to note, the grass bag is rather small. It can fill up quickly and require emptying many times when mowing a whole lawn. Between this and having to constantly move/unsnag the extension cord, it added a lot to the time it took me to finish mowing my lawn.”
“the clippings bag needs to be pulled off and emptied pretty frequently — though I admit my grass had gotten pretty tall, so you may get more than a couple rows done before you have to empty it”
“The bag fills fast so keep that in mind. The mower stops mowing effectively when the bag fills, so you have to empty it often.”
“Other complaint... the basket really is quite small. My lawn is a small lawn; compared to your typical AZ homes, it is a small grass lawn. But I had to empty the basket at least several times before finishing the yard (disclaimer: I hadn't mowed my lawn for 6+ months, so there was a lot of grass).”
You have to be mindful of the extension cord while mowing, which can be quite annoying. Some users recommend creating a technique to manage it better. (24 reviews)
“The only con is you have to be mindful of the cord when mowing, but if you create a good technique. It becomes less of a nuisance.”
“I learned to walk in straight lines instead of walking in a square to keep from getting tangled up in the cord.”
“The first time will take longer, but once you figure out the right mowing pattern, you can mow without having to stop to move the electric cord out of the way.”
“I got in the habit of holding the extension cord with the power switch, which helped to keep it off the ground and reduced any tendency to pull against it.”
“If you've never used a corded mower, it's important to note that you will need to continuously move the cord in order to avoid running over and damaging the extension. The booklet that comes with the mower has a few tips on how to make maneuvering a bit easier, like mowing from right to left and putting the cord over your shoulder. Even still, in the long-run, it's a pain in the 'grass' to have to keep doing this. The cord also snags easily on virtually anything: trees, plants, those little solar-powered lights that rest on stakes, car tires, etc.”
“The only con is that you have to be aware of your cord. If you can successfully vacuum a room or paint a floor without painting yourself into a corner, you should have no problem with the cord.”
“No matter what you do while using an electric motor every now and then the cord will find a way to annoy you lol.”
“The only annoying thing is trying to keep the extension cord out of the way, but thats what you get with an electric mower.”
“The main thing to get used to is the cord, but I soon had a rhythm going -- on one turn I would toss the cord aside with my right hand while turning the mower with my left hand, and on the next turn I would kick it aside with my left leg while turning the mower with my right hand.”
“Mowing attached to a cord takes a little getting used to, but it's similar to vacuuming where you need to avoid running over the cord. Working away from the plug in point makes it so much easier.”
Adjusting the height of the mower involves lifting each wheel individually, which can be a hassle. The wheels are also noted as being made of hard plastic with poor traction. (14 reviews)
“Although you do have to lift the mower to adjust each individual wheel, it's not all that difficult.”
“Adjusting the wheel height requires emptying the catch basket and turning the mower over. The height adjustment plastic shows a little strain. I don't think this will tolerate lots of height adjustments.”
“There are 3 height adjustments which have to be done on the underside of the mower deck... The height adjustments are done by moving a springlike mechanism, not the easiest thing, but doable.”
“Setting the wheel height was a little bit tricky.”
“The height adjustment (which only goes to a too-low 3.5") on the individual wheels tends to jump out of the little notches with little disturbance. I've found one or more wheels suddenly at their lowest setting at least 4 times in the few weeks I've used the mower.”
“The wheels are too small, and are spring loaded. This makes them easy to adjust, but they need to be in the last notch. On the lowest notch, you'll be mowing roots. When mowing heavy grass, or bouncing on rough ground, the wheels can bounce out of their slot, and adjust themselves to a lower setting.”
“I had a problem that if I bumped something or pushed too hard the wheels would jump from the highest point setting to a lower setting. I fixed the problem using some tie wraps and holding the wheels on the highest position where I want it. The springs or the indentation to set the heigh are not that deep and the wheels will jump settings.”
Bottom Line
The Sun Joe MJ401E-PRO is a lightweight, easy-to-use electric lawn mower, perfect for those who want a hassle-free mowing experience. It's powerful enough to cut through tough and overgrown grass and features a convenient push-start button and lever controls. Assembly takes just about 10 minutes, and its compact size makes storage simple. However, the grass bag fills quickly, and managing the extension cord can be tricky. Adjustable wheels are a bit complicated, but overall, it’s a quieter, eco-friendly choice.
Facts
| Brand | Sun Joe |
|---|---|
| Cutting Width (in) | 14 inch |
| Features | Rear Discharge, Bagging, Electric Start, Side Discharge |
| Max Cutting Height | 2.52" |
| Min Cutting Height | 1.18" |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Category | Push Mowers |
| Warranty | 2 Years |
| Weight | 30 lbs. |
Video Reviews
Special Features
- Powerful Performance: The 13-amp motor is strong, cutting a 14-inch wide path quickly, just like a gas mower.
- Adjustable Cutting Height: You can set the cutting height to three different levels to match your lawn's needs.
- Precision Cutting: The 14-inch steel blade cuts the grass cleanly and effectively.
- Versatile Accessories: It comes with a 10.6-gallon bag for collecting grass and a side discharge chute for cutting taller grass without clogging.
- Pro Version Enhancements: The MJ401E-PRO model includes a rear discharge chute, giving you more options for disposing of grass clippings.
- Environmentally Friendly: No need for gas or oil, making it a cleaner option that's better for the environment.
- Compact and Convenient: Designed for small yards and tight spaces, easy to move around and store. The handle folds down to save space.
- Easy Assembly and Use: Easy to put together with clear instructions, and it's lightweight so it won't tire you out.
- User-Friendly Operation: It's quiet, like a big electric fan, so it won't bother your neighbors.
- ETL-Approved and Reliable: It's been approved for safety and reliability, and it comes with a two-year warranty.
- Customer Support: If you have any issues, there's good customer support available to help you out.
FAQ
- Q:
What is the weight of this item?
- A:
The item weighs 29 pounds.
- Q:
Does the grass shoot out the back when used without the grass catcher?
- A:
Using a bungee cord to prop open the flap will direct clippings out to the left side effectively.
- Q:
Is it safe to use a 50ft extension cord with this item?
- A:
Using the incorrect extension cord can damage the motor. It is recommended to use the manufacturer-specified extension cord to ensure safety.
- Q:
How does this lawnmower handle small rocks in the grass?
- A:
This lawnmower may not handle small rocks well, as there have been issues with the wheels falling off after minimal use.
- Q:
What are the cutting height options?
- A:
The lawnmower offers three adjustable settings: short (1.5 inches), medium (2-2.5 inches), and high (2.5-3 inches).
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