Lawn mower reviews

[Twofingertyper]

Hi all,

Is there a decent review site for lawn mowers? My current one is on the way out and I'd like to actually research my next purchase! It's not for a massive lawn, and I prefer electric over petrol (no real reason for that other than convenience), but would welcome any recommendations from the current batch of available machines - are any of the battery powered ones any good?

Cheers
TFT

 

[r896neo]

I know a couple of people who have had the bosch rotak 36v battery ones for 3/4 years and they have been very good. the only issue is high initial cost and also if you need a new battery you will need to sell a kidney.

If you wanted a petrol then a honda izy is brilliant.

 

[Twofingertyper]

Thanks - good to have a recommendation based on experience - quite expensive as an outlay, but could be tempted - will do some further research about the mower and battery before committing though.

 

[Twofingertyper]

Just to add that I bought the Rotak and it's... barely passable.

If your lawn is neat and tidy and never gets too long it'll do the job; but I dread to think how it would cope with longer grass after a damp spell - batteries struggle to power the blade through longer grass, and tend to run low quite quickly when met with anything it feels is slightly over-grown - would have been great to have a way to make it corded for when batteries were struggling.

It doesn't fold up as well as other models, so takes up more space, the grass bin is plastic so doesn't fold down for storage, and there's no 'bin full' indicator (although you get a fair idea from the noise...!)

Wish I had bought a petrol mower!

 

[JP_]

I too need to replace an old mower. Currently have a Hayter that must be over 20 years old, and although cuts well, is a nightmare to start. Looking for a good petrol one, but ideally with electric ignition. All the ones in B&G are pull cord, it seems, which is a pain for those with broken thumbs!

 

[Burnerman]

One more vote for the Honda series - Izy or otherwise. One or two pulls to start - every time.
John

 

[mwatsonxx]

What about lawnflyte, any good?

 

[Burnerman]

For the price, they are actually pretty good - usually Briggs powered although the cheapest have Chinese motors.
Strictly for domestic use, they don't have the quality of the Honda, but are of course half the price! Its been said before, the Izy achilles heel is a deck that rusts but that's easily sorted with a coat of paint from time to time. I get Honda machines in with engines over 12 years old and they are still good if they have had the odd oil change.
John

 

[Twofingertyper]

Just to bump my old topic - notice the grass is getting longer again, looking at taking the hit and buying a Honda Izy (although probably a push one rather than a self-propelled one - for cost mainly, although have never had a self-propelled).

However, I was also thinking about maybe getting a Push Mower - maybe saving the Izy for the first cut or for cuts after too much growth, but then using a push mower (tbd which one) to keep things tidy; any experiences with these? The exercise would be welcome rather than a worry! Lawn isn't perfectly flat, but hardly full of dips and holes.