Black + Decker BEMW472BH Electric Lawn Mower review: a corded electric lawn mower with easier steering

Spring is here, and many of us are on the hunt for a new lawn mower to prepare our lawns for warmer weather. 

As you browse the best lawnmowers on the market, you’ll notice many of these machines look similar. The Black + Decker BEMW472BH (or BEMW471ES-GB as it's known in the UK) stands out thanks to an innovative ‘EasySteer’ steering assembly that promises easier control. Slightly different models are sold in the US and other territories. Still, the core benefit is the same: you steer the mower with upright handles that make navigating awkward areas, such as nearby trees or plant pots, easier.

The difference between the US and UK lawn mower models is that they have different upright steering handles. The handles of the model available in the UK are more elongated and pivot, whereas the handles of the Black + Decker BEMW472BH do not pivot and protrude a bit less. Otherwise, it's the same lawn mower. 

Regardless of these (very) subtle differences between the UK and US models, they sure do look the part—but I was keen to find out how well it measures up against its advertised claims of ‘precision handling’ and ‘cutting-edge performance’. So, I opted to put the mower to the test by using it to mow my lawn on multiple occasions. I used the ‘EasySteer’ handles to navigate obstacles such as plant pots, and I also tested various cutting heights to assess the effect on mowing performance. 

In keeping with most of the Black + Decker yard care products I've used, the BEMW472BH promises effective performance at a reasonably low price point. It’s important to note that this is a corded electric lawn mower, meaning it runs off household electricity. If you’d instead use a cordless model, you'll find a battery-powered model via our roundup of the best electric lawnmowers.  

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Pete Wise

Freelance journalist, Pete Wise, has reviewed hundreds of gardening products for titles including TopTenReviews, Ideal Home and the London Evening Standard, as well as writing articles on diverse topics for other publications such as The Guardian and BBC Good Food. Pete loves spending time in his yard, where he tested the Black + Decker BEMW472BH electric lawn mower during the spring of 2024. 

Black + Decker BEMW472BH: key specs

Black + Decker BEMW472BH: price & availability

One key incentive to choose this Black + Decker lawn mower is price. The BEMW472BH is RRP'd at $169.99 in the United States, but it frequently dips lower during seasonal sales. At the time of writing, the mower is available for $140.40 via Amazon and The Home Depot.

Meanwhile, British buyers can pick up the BEMW471ES for £140 at Argos, while the mower is listed for as little as £186.90 at Amazon UK. 

Official replacement blades for the mower are available via Black + Decker and third parties.  

EGO Power+ LM2135SP: setup

The BEMW472BH arrived in perfect condition and was efficiently packaged in robust cardboard. I was pleased to note that all the materials used to pack the mower were recyclable—except for a few tiny pieces, like the cable tie around the power cable. 

Some parts of the mower come flat-packed in the box, so the package is less bulky than it might’ve been. The mower is relatively lightweight, so two reasonably fit people (or one strong person) should be able to move the box quickly. Just take a moment to get a solid grip around the bottom of the box, as it doesn't have handles. 

Setting up the BEMW472BH proved relatively straightforward—although I did encounter a few fiddly tasks along the way. Putting together the two halves of the grass collector box was a challenge. Assembling components such as the cable tidies that clip onto the metal bars proved much more manageable. The parts all click together or fasten using the winged screws provided. You don’t need any tools whatsoever to complete assembly. 

Overall, I completed the setup (single-handedly) in about 20 minutes, which is fast by my standards! This was thanks partly to the instruction manual, which gives good, clear directions on assembling the mower and using its features in diagram and written form. 

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Black + Decker BEMW472BH: Design

Tough, good-quality plastic is used throughout this mower, except for parts of the handle assembly and the mowing blade, which is metallic. At about 35 lbs, it’s pretty lightweight for a mid-sized lawn mower—a big win for users who want to minimize the physical strain of lawn mowing. 

This is a nicely finished, sporty-looking machine in Black + Decker’s instantly recognizable black, orange, and gray. The design looks quite elongated due to the upright/EasySteer handle assembly used to control the mower, and you’ll notice the added length when you push the mower from behind.

EasySteer is by far this mower's most unusual and exciting feature. You can use a sporty-looking steering handle to turn the mower left or right more quickly than a standard bar-style handle. I found this feature quite helpful when steering around plant pots at the edge of the lawn, and I expect it could be a bit of a game-changer if you find it challenging to maneuver lawnmowers with regular handles. Admittedly, it takes a little while to get used to this novel lawn mower steering method.

So, those upright handles could prove helpful—especially for users with potential lawn obstacles, such as trees or mid-lawn flower beds. However, the extra length it adds to the mower has one big drawback: it may impair your ease of movement when mowing in tight spaces, such as in front of overhanging tree branches. 

This mower does not come with a cover and is not designed to be stored outdoors. However, the low proportion of metal parts could make it relatively rust-resistant. Still, it would be best to store the mower indoors, in a space such as a garage or shed.

I recommend folding the mower’s handle assembly for efficient storage. Otherwise, it will take up a needlessly large space.

Black + Decker BEMW472BH: Performance

Let's cut to the chase; I was pleased with the Black + Decker BEMW472BH mowing performance. Operating at 1,600W, it offered plenty of power to mow the grass efficiently (and also to cut through tough weeds like dandelions—the bane of my lawn and I). 

Given its ample cutting power, you should be able to use this mower to cut lawns up to 1⁄8 acre (or 600 ㎡) in area. The cutting width of the mower’s blade is similarly well suited to medium-sized lawns, at 15" (38 cm). 

Of course, because the mower is corded, there’s no fear of running out of power mid-mow—and the affordable price point is due in part to that corded design, too. In other respects, the presence of the power cord is a moderate inconvenience. I found that moving the cable safely around the lawn was a chore, and the need to avoid running over it was never far from my mind during testing. 

That said, the BEMW472BH does more to help with cable management than some other corded mowers. The bright orange color of the power cable helped me keep it in sight, while the handle-mounted cable clips reduced the risk of entanglement. 

Meanwhile, this lawn mower's 45ltr grass collection box gathers cuttings pretty effectively, although I did notice some cuttings were dropped during testing. You should expect to empty the box at least a couple of times while mowing a medium-sized lawn, which is what I found anyway. Handily, there’s a status indicator that flips open when the box is getting pretty full, so you’ll know when to empty out the clippings. 

The mowing height was simple to adjust using the height selection lever on the left-hand side of the mower. Switching between mowing heights created an appreciable difference in cutting, as you would hope. Shorter mowing height settings seemed to produce a more uniform cut than the highest settings did, during our hands-on testing. . 

Given that this is a corded electric mower (powered by household electricity), you should not use it in wet conditions due to the risk of electrocution. 

In terms of noise levels, this powerful mower sits towards the noisier end of the spectrum. My sound meter gauged the noise level of the mower at somewhere between 79 and 81 dB, which is around the same level as a noisy restaurant.

Black + Decker BEMW472BH: Maintenance

After mowing, it’s a good idea to clean out the mowing deck using a cloth or brush to remove any left-over grass cuttings. Be careful not to touch the cutting blade while you clean. 

The lawn mower blade will need to be sharpened (read about how to sharpen lawn mower blades) about once per 25 hours of use to preserve optimal mowing performance. In terms of mower maintenance, that's about all this mower needs since it doesn't have batteries that require charging or gas engine components that need changing from time to time. 

Black + Decker BEMW472BH: User reviews

Online customer reviews of Black + Decker's lawn mower are generally good, especially considering its reasonable price. 

Black + Decker customers in the United States gave the BEMW472BH an average rating of 3.5 stars, with some buyers remarking upon the mower's easy handling and lightweight build. 

Meanwhile, Amazon customers in the UK and US had overwhelmingly positive views on the BEMW472ES variant of the mower, with ratings averaging out at four stars. Like our reviewer, many buyers highlighted the mower's light build and maneuverability. 

Would I buy the Black + Decker BEMW472BH?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How does the Black + Decker BEMW472BH compare?

While Black + Decker's mower is well worth your consideration, there are plenty of other mowers out there that we can recommend, too. 

The EGO POWER+ LM2135SP could be a smart pick if you're looking for a higher-spec model. Retailing at $749 (U.S.), this feature-packed mower offers cordless operation, self-propulsion, and impressively quiet mowing. 

One key benefit of the Black + Decker BEMW472BH is its easy handling, which comes thanks to its lightweight construction and innovative handle assembly. Another very different mower that's easy on the arms is the Troy-Bilt XP 21, a gas-powered, self-propelled model for mowing small-to-medium lawns. It costs $549 at RRP. 

Closer to the affordable price point of the BEMW472BH, the Greenworks 25022 ($229.99, Amazon) offers comparable performance in a slightly more powerful package. Its 20" cutting width is better suited to larger lawns. 

How I tested the Black + Decker BEMW472BH

• Used rigorously for several springtime mows
• Challenged with mowing in tight spaces, around obstacles such as tree trunks 

I tested the Black + Decker BEMW471ES by using it to mow my lawn on several occasions during spring 2024, including that difficult first cut of the year. The model is nearly identical to the BEMW472BH, sold in the United States. 

Because the mower is advertised as easy to steer, we tested it in awkward areas around the edge of the lawn, including near plant pots and the bases of tree trunks.

Read more about how we test.