Just finished mowing with a high lift blade. Very happy. The grass I mow is fescue and it can vary in height from 8-16 inches when I mow. The standard blade that came with the mower did OK, but the machine would lay down some of the grass if it was too high and I would have to reverse to pick it up and cut it. The high lift blade does a great job and I do not need to do a second swath. The only issue is that the air flow was so much that the grass outlet cover would occasionally blow back enough to cause the sensor to disengage the blade. I turned the sensor off and it worked just fine. The more I use the Mowrator, the more I appreciate the machine. I have mentioned here before that my back yard is very steep and rocky. The Mowrator have saved me from potential injury and physical strain. I am a fervent supporter!

I also got the high lift blade for my grass which is mostly tall fescue and absolutely love it. It definitely has more suction and gives a better cut.
It affects the battery life though not that much. Maybe +25% or less than that actually.