Hello George Scott,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We understand your frustration. Mowing the grass in the Florida heat is tough enough without having to make multiple passes over thick, coarse turf like St. Augustine grass. We hear you, and we appreciate both your support for electric mowers and your honest take on performance.
St. Augustine grass is notoriously dense and broad-leafed, which can present a unique challenge for lawn mower suction and cut quality. If you are open to giving it another shot, here are a few troubleshooting tips that can help improve performance and cut quality:
1. Stagger your cutting height: Avoid cutting off more than 1/3 of the grass blade at a time. For St. Augustine, keeping the deck set higher (typically 3" to 4") reduces the load on the motor and helps maintain optimal blade speed/lift.
2. Inspect blade sharpness and rotation: Ensure the mower blade is sharp and installed in the correct orientation. A dull blade or incorrect blade position significantly degrades cut quality on thick turf.
3. Mow when completely dry: St. Augustine holds a lot of moisture. Mowing late in the afternoon when the lawn is fully dry prevents clumping and improves air suction under the deck.
4. Keep the under-deck clean: Grass buildup under the deck chokes airflow, which is critical for pulling grass blades upright before cutting.
For visual guides on blade maintenance, deck cleaning, and optimizing your mower's cut quality, feel free to check out our tutorials on the Greenworks YouTube Channel. We want to make sure you get the performance you paid for. If these tips do not resolve the issue, please reach out directly to our Customer Success Team at 1-888-909-6757 or via our website support portal so we can review your specific model, explore alternative blade options, or discuss further solutions.

Thank you for sharing such detailed feedback. We are glad you found the construction solid and are enjoying the blower, but we understand your concerns about runtime, tool weight, and overall performance.
Battery runtime can vary based on grass type and cutting conditions. Thicker grass like St. Augustine may require more power, which can reduce runtime and affect cutting consistency. Raising the cutting height slightly and mowing more often may help improve performance and reduce strain on the motor.
For Greenworks rear-wheel self-propelled units, the drive system is designed to assist forward mowing and improve traction. When backing up, release the self-propel lever before pulling the mower rearward. If the wheels feel locked, stop, allow the drive system to fully disengage, and then pull back slowly with the handle slightly lifted. If the issue continues, please refer to the owner’s manual for model-specific guidance.
We also appreciate your feedback on the trimmer weight and mower response. These comments are valuable and will be shared with our team.
If you would like us to help with optimizing the tool’s performance or exploring options, our Success team is available through the Greenworks Tools website Contact Us page, either through Chat or by phone at 1-888-909-6757. Thank you again for trying the 80V platform and for sharing your experience.