Sun Joe MJ408E Review
20-Inch 12-Amp Electric Lawn Mower + Mulcher, With Side Discharge Chute
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4.2 / 5 from 264 users
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We spent 7.8 hours reading reviews from customers and experts. In summary, here's what users think:
12 reasons to buy
Starting the mower is easy and convenient with just the push of a button, eliminating the need for pull-cords. (18 reviews)
“All I have to do here is push a button and this mower starts up. Easy.”
“It started up very easily.”
“starting it up is as quick as holding a button and pulling the lever”
“Also being electric, it always starts with no trouble or effort.”
“I just love pushing a button to start”
“Low maintenance and easy to use though.”
“It's also simple to start.”
“Simple easy, no effort start.”
“Easy to start”
“You just press the button, pull the Bar and Bam!! I'm very impressed.”
Many users have mentioned that the mower is quieter than gas mowers, so you can mow the lawn without disturbing your neighbors. (13 reviews)
“No gas, fumes, or engine maintenance, and relatively quiet, all at a great price....cool green color, too.”
“doesn't sound like a tractor and is easy to maneuver especially on a little incline that we have on the side of the house and in the alley”
“I like it because it seems to be quieter than a gas mower”
“it is quiet compared to the gas mowers”
“And it is quieter and lighter than gas powered mowers.”
“Relatively quiet and cuts well enough,”
“it's pretty quiet”
“Pretty quiet too”
“Great mix of lightweight, powerful, and quiet.”
“Quiet.”
“It doesn't rattle your bones and is super quiet!”
“Very quiet.”
The Sun Joe MJ408E is reported to be fairly easy to assemble without the need for additional tools. (13 reviews)
“Unboxing (it is a bit of a large, awkward box) and assembly is pretty straightforward...”
“Set up was quick and painless - took about 20 minutes to figure out how to get the handle on the right way, but that's just me...”
“Assembly was very easy.”
“No tools are needed for assembly. You basically just have to screw the handles on.”
“Extremely easy to put together”
“It arrived in a large package as it was mostly assembled.”
“Assembly was easy, about 15 minutes”
“it was really easy putting together”
“Easy to assemble”
“Easy to put together.”
The mower can cut grass that hasn't been trimmed for a while without any trouble. (11 reviews)
“I was skeptical about if this Sun Joe could handle the overgrown yard....That mower is a tough Sun of a Joe!”
“It performed great cutting a grass not cut for about 1 month!!!, no hesitation”
“I took it for a spin for the first time in some thick grass near our pond and it chewed through it without a problem”
“However, this one will tackle wet and tall grass better than I expected.”
“I had to use it on a seriously overgrown yard and it held up great.”
“Cuts my lawn perfectly and powerful enough to cut through thickish grass tufts.”
“Cut through the thick grass pretty easy”
“I got to test it on some tall grass, which it handled easily.”
“I cut higher, then lower because grass was long. Mower did not bog down at all.”
“it handled anything I put it thought”
The mower is reported to mulch effectively at various heights, even at the highest setting. It leaves only little trace of visible cut grass on the lawn. (8 reviews)
“I decided to go with the mulching method, and was very pleased with the results. In fact, if I can avoid it, I'll never bag grass again. Even with heavy growth, the mulching left little trace of visible cut grass on my lawn.”
“this mower was able to mulch all the dried leaves that didn't get picked up without an issue”
“This mower mulches very nicely at the highest cutting height.”
“the mulching adapter worked wonders”
“It does a great job of mulching.”
“I have only used the mulching mode”
“I use the mulch to feed my lawn the many fallen leaves and it works great.”
“You don't need to bag, just set them up to mulch and your lawn looks neat and tidy while enriching the soil.”
The Sun Joe mower is full-sized and can handle yard work just as well as gas-powered mowers. (7 reviews)
“Was not able to find a Sun Joe mover in 20" anywhere else but on Amazon. Glad I went bigger. More coverage, less passes.”
“this one is full size and gets the job done just as well as its gas cousins”
“I bought this big cousin, 20" Sun Joe.”
“I like the size, it's 20-inches wide so I can get more grass cut with fewer passes”
“its large full bodied”
“Glad I went with the 20 inch.”
“For the price and the size of my yard, this item has been awesome.”
The entire bottom part of the mower is metal, which means it's likely to be durable and strong. (6 reviews)
“The entire bottom part is metal, the only plastic on here that I have found is the motor cover and that seems to be sealed on there tightly so there's no need to remove and clean the motor.”
“It is very well made and for what I am using it for, it should last for years to come.”
“it's super light yet very tough on branches and other debris”
“I hit a thick metal piece coming off the ground with it, the blade took it like a breeze.”
“Mow Joes are tough and durable.”
“We are happy that it has a metal mow deck. So many other electric ones are made of all plastic.”
The MJ408E can handle wet and tall grass better than expected for an electric model. (2 reviews)
“I am using it to mow winter rye grass, which is a very wet grass. Some of the grass just got pushed down/trampled down with the wheels. So in some spots I had to use the mower like a vacuum cleaner and go back and forth. But my lawn was very overgrown.”
“the grass was wet but this electric Jewel Cut through the thick grass pretty easy”
Replacement blades and other parts are affordable and accessible, making maintenance more cost-effective. (1 review)
“I also read up on this mower's replacement blades, and when it comes time to sharpen the blade, I just may choose to replace it instead, as the replacements are so affordable. It's currently just under 20 clams, and can be found here - https://www.amazon.com/Joe-MJ408E-BLD-Mower-Replacement-Blade/dp/B01IK7O8WU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505971582&sr=8-1&keywords=mj408e+replacement+blade”
The mower has seven different cutting heights that you can change with one lever, and each height is clearly marked in inches and millimeters. This gives you a lot of choices for different types of lawns. (1 review)
“Lowest is 1.96 inches and highest 4.13 inches or 105 mm. Other mowers don't come near that.”
The mower has a safety feature that needs you to press a button while pulling the handle, which makes sure it's used safely. (1 review)
“The safety mechanism works as intended (it took me a while as you have to keep the button pressed while actuating the handle)”
The ability to tilt the mower to the side without leakage allows for easy cleaning after use. (1 review)
“It is easy to clean up afterwards as you can tilt to the side without the risk of any leakage”
4 reasons not to buy
There have been cases where the mower stopped working after just one season, with specific issues such as a loose safety lock button. (16 reviews)
“Sun Joe MJ408E no longer functional after one season. The motor stopped running, and there is no obstruction. The cord that runs from safety lock button to the on/off switch lever is loose and does not sit correctly in switch lever.”
“but I will tell you I have already bought two because they fallApart easy !”
“The foam cushion on the handle is starting to wear after only 3 full uses of the mower”
“It broke irrevocably after 4 uses!”
“but the rubber covering on the handle split during the first use of the lawnmower”
“it stopped working before I finished the 3rd use. the handle switch I think is the problem.”
“Looks like the "rectifier" has burnt out on my mower. This is my second year having this lawn mower and it stopped working in the middle of cutting some grass”
“But this Sun Joe ran 1/2 hour, then died.”
“Mower is not bad though we started having nuts and bolts fall off.”
“The motor is very weak and has a bad electrical burnt smell. It does not work!”
Handling the power cord can be awkward and might need you to keep moving it out of the way. This can make mowing slower and more annoying. (10 reviews)
“The ONLY issue is having to move the extension chord.”
“There a system on the mower to keep the cords from disconnecting but it needed more attention than I was ready to give trying to figure it out.”
“You do have to mind the electric cord though and make sure you mow up and down rows and not in circles as the manual says or your gonna run over your cord, and that would not be good!”
“The diagram for the mowing pattern seems ridiculously odd and yet very obvious, however, it is not to be overlooked as it is your key to not mowing over the cord and electrocuting yourself.”
“He ran over the $50 extension cord once; not a cheap fix.”
“Sure, it's a bit of hassle to drag a cord around”
“it may take awhile to figure out what to do with all that cord”
“BECAUSE THE CORD MAKES IT SO DIFFICULT TO USE, YOU ARE CONSTANTLY GETTING CAUGHT IN THE CORD.”
When cutting tall grass, using the bag to collect clippings might not be the best choice. It fills up fast, so you'll have to stop and empty it often, which can take up a lot of time. (4 reviews)
“I tried to use the bag... big mistake. Felt like I spent more time emptying the bag than mowing the lawn.”
“Basket design makes it hard to get the grass out if it's even a tiny bit damp.”
“the bag completely came apart at the seems after a few minutes. Not because it was full but the force in which it was being filled.”
The mower can be heavy for some users, especially when you have to lift and move it. But once it's on the ground, it's easier to push. (3 reviews)
“First impression - very heavy, at least for me anyways.”
“I think the actual mower weighs less because I was able to pick it up by the base to get it out of the box with a little bit of effort.”
“Difficult to assemble & manoeuvre”
Bottom Line
The Sun Joe MJ408E electric mower is a hassle-free tool that starts with a button push—no pull-cords needed. It's quieter than gas mowers and simple to put together. This sturdy, full-sized mower powers through tall grass and mulches well at any height. It boasts seven cutting levels for various lawn needs and a safety feature for peace of mind. Although it's heavy to lift and maneuvering the power cord can be tricky, it's an effective, low-maintenance choice for yard work. Replacement parts are also affordable, but some users report durability issues.
Facts
| Brand | Sun Joe |
|---|---|
| Cutting Width (in) | 20 inch |
| Features | Electric Start, Mulching, Bagging, Side Discharge |
| Max Cutting Height | 4-1/8" |
| Min Cutting Height | 1-61/64" |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Category | Push Mowers |
| Warranty | 2 Years |
| Weight | 51.8 lbs |
| Additional Info | Rugged All-Terrain Wheels, ETL-Approved |
Video Reviews
Tips for Sun Joe MJ408E
- The mower has a safety start feature. To start the mower, hold down the start button then pull on the safety bar.
- It is advisable to plot your mowing course ahead and mow away from the power source to avoid running over the cord.
- It is recommended to purchase an orange outdoor extension cord to ensure that the cord is visible during mowing.
Special Features
- Maintenance-Free Operation: You won't need to bother with adding gas or oil, and there's no need for regular engine check-ups.
- Detachable Grass Catcher: Comes with a big, easy-to-remove bag for all your clippings, so cleanup is a breeze.
- Powerful 12-amp Motor & Durable 20-inch Steel Deck: It's got a strong engine that won't quit on you and a tough cutting area to cover more ground.
- 7-position Manual Height Adjustment: You can easily change how short it cuts, with seven settings to get your grass just right.
- Lightweight: It's not heavy, less than 50 pounds, so pushing it around is easy on your back.
- Eco-Friendly: Runs on electricity, so it's better for the planet since it doesn't spit out fumes like a gas mower does.
FAQ
- Q:
Is the mower self-propelled?
- A:
No, the Sun Joe MJ408E is not self-propelled but is lighter than a gas-powered mower and easy to push.
- Q:
What is the mower made of?
- A:
The mower’s deck is made of metal while its battery cover is made out of plastic.
- Q:
Is the mower easy to pull backward?
- A:
Yes, the mower has no issues going backward.
- Q:
Does the mower come with a power cord?
- A:
No, the power cord is sold separately.
- Q:
Where can I purchase replacement blades for the Sun Joe MJ408E?
- A:
- Q:
Does the height lever adjustment, adjust all four wheels simultaneously?
- A:
Yes, all four wheels are conveniently adjusted together.
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