Any lawnmower recommendations?

[Clariman]

We have a medium sized lawn to the front and a fairly large one at the back. They're not big enough for sit-on lawnmowers but would want something that would cover it quite easily. I don't want one with a cord, so I guess the option is cordless or petrol? Any pros and cons? Any specific recommendations?

Thanks

We have had a gardener do it since we have been in this house, but I have not heard from him yet this side of the new year. He is normally in touch by now. With the coronavirus stay-at-home plans I may end up doing it myself.

C

Moderator Message:
Moved, leaving a link, to The Natural World (wildlife, gardening, environment, Rural living, Pets and Vets). - Chris

[kiloran]

No specific recommendation, except I much prefer a mower with a rear roller, rather than 4 wheels. The roller makes it much easier to mow over the edge of the lawn.

--kiloran

[Gaggsy]

I cut my lawn for the first time this year today.
I have a Honda Izy GCV160 petrol mower. Cost about £300-£350 several years ago. It starts first time every year. Highly recommended.

[PhaseThree]

I'm in the same position - I usually have someone come and cut it for me but he has been elusive in recent times.

My slightly left of field suggestion would be a model from Weibang (don't laugh), despite the strange name they get good reviews from professional lawn slicers. For a large chuck of land a self-powered walk behind might be the answer. I'm looking at this model :-

https://weibang.ie/steel-deck/wb537slcv-3in1.html

[stevensfo]

I'd definitely recommend one with a Honda engine. Our last mower more or less disintegrated over the years but the engine was still running well even at the end. Now we have a Briggs and Stratton which isn't nearly as reliable.

Our garden was originally on a slope going down from the house. Now it's on three levels and the mower is too heavy to carry to the highest level near the house, so we use a small corded mower there. As soon as it packs in, I plan to get myself a Makita or Ryobi 36v battery mower. I'm quite a fan of the 18v and 36v tools and once you've used one of their strimmers, saws etc, you'll never dream of going back to corded.

Steve

[richlist]

I have a 100ft rear garden and I've used Honda petrol mowers for the past 15+ years......I definitely recommend. Light weight, easy to start, maintain and operate. Lots of models to choose from depending on your budget & lawn size.

Of course, petrol mowers are so last year. Environmental friendly, rechargeable, robotic mowers are the new must haves. If your lawn has straight edges they are very cost effective compared to paying for a regular gardener. If like me your intention is to move towards being carbon neutral asap then an automatic rechargeable bit of kit is a must. Alternatively you can buy petrol but then plant a few trees every year to carbon offset.

[sg31]

I recommend one small enough for your wife to use.

[AleisterCrowley]

Sheep. And if the current crisis continues, you can eat them 'in an emergency'

[supremetwo]

We have a medium sized lawn to the front and a fairly large one at the back. They're not big enough for sit-on lawnmowers but would want something that would cover it quite easily. I don't want one with a cord, so I guess the option is cordless or petrol? Any pros and cons? Any specific recommendations?

Thanks

We have had a gardener do it since we have been in this house, but I have not heard from him yet this side of the new year. He is normally in touch by now. With the coronavirus stay-at-home plans I may end up doing it myself.

C

Battery operation - no way for your size lawn.

Agree with Honda engines. But get a push one rather than self-propelled for your size lawn.

Mine has a 4.5HP OHC engine driving a 16"/42cm blade.

A push one is so much easier to manoeuvre around obstacles and pull back towards you, plus more control if the grass is a bit long.

You need the exercise and there is less to go wrong.

[Howard]

I'd second a Honda mower. Mine is a rear roller, self propelled, petrol. Not cheap! But over 20 years it has never failed. First cut of the new year it starts on the first or second pull.

From memory, it has been serviced three times by a Honda agent and after 20 years cutting, the only extra was a new blade.

It stripes the lawn and (with my help) gives an almost immaculate finish. I cut about once a week from now until late Autumn. Lawn size is medium large. Would be really hard work with a push only mower as it has a slope.

regards

Howard

[kiloran]

I've had my Mountfield with a B&S engine for 30 years and never had a problem. Starts every time, even after winter. I get it serviced every 5 years or so.
Perhaps more modern B&S with fancy electronic ignition or whatever are less reliable.

--kiloran

[stewamax]

Honda - fine machines. I have a predecessor to the HRX; starts first time ever after a winter layoff.

[richlist]

You're all dinosaurs......how long do you think you'll be able to carry on cutting lawns with mowers powered by dino juice ?

Wouldn't waste your time buying a petrol mower.....Gov't legislation will outlaw its use way before the end of its useful life.

Think of the planet, your grandchildren, your legacy.......go green.

[doug2500]

Robot for sure, no matter what size of lawn. Would never go back, and the grass has never looked better.

Nothing quite like sitting with a cool drink watching your lawn being cut.

Husquverna are expensive but good. And once bought very cheap to run.

[servodude]

You're all dinosaurs......how long do you think you'll be able to carry on cutting lawns with mowers powered by dino juice ?

Wouldn't waste your time buying a petrol mower.....Gov't legislation will outlaw its use way before the end of its useful life.

Think of the planet, your grandchildren, your legacy.......go green.

"Let it grow! Let it grow! Don't hold it back anymore!"

Anyways if you need help,
And if you can find it where you are...
This stuff makes a corded motor feel cordless: "Start Ya Bastard" https://www.nulon.com.au/products/aeros ... ne-starter
- it's not a spoof (but I think it might have started out life in a comedy sketch)

-sd

[mutantpoodle]

sounds like you need a good size cut width...aim at 51 cms imo. def go for honda engine which you can get on mowers that are not 100% Honda
ie mine is a Honda engine on a mountfield body
depending where you keep the mower...and how concientious you are about cleaning it....a metal body will rust in 5-7 years if you are lazy
aluminium bodies will not...but they cost a lot more
turn on side every 3rd cut and scrape the underneath.......no confidence in the mowers that have a hosepipe link..canot see how that would clean anything more than very easy grass
unlike others here I rec a 4 wheeled mower not a roller...as rollers can slip if grass is wet....like from November to April

finally...what chance is there of your wife ever cutting the grass?...she might have trouble if its 'pull' start not a battery start
(my misses uses that as the exuse all the time despite it starting everytime on 1st pull for me)

[88V8]

Our 16" petrol Mountfield is 36 years old. Used it for the first time last week.
Its aluminium body has a couple of holes - they do corrode eventually - which I have repaired with an old saucepan lid.

I agree that a split rear roller is good, especially if the ground is a bit damp and for cutting the edges.

Make sure it has variable speed. Many cheap modern petrol mowers only run at 3000rpm, arrrghh!

No idea about battery. Depends how long it needs to run.

Not cutting.... if it's just intelligent adults using the garden... when we had a larger lawn, I just used to mow meandering paths through it, until mid-summer when it began to flop and had to be fully cut. Saves a deal of time and can look lovely. Not walkable though, so no dogs no kids.

V8

[sg31]

finally...what chance is there of your wife ever cutting the grass?...she might have trouble if its 'pull' start not a battery start
(my misses uses that as the exuse all the time despite it starting everytime on 1st pull for me)

Initially my wife had the same problem strarting the mower. After proper training and encouragement she can now do so. It's all down to how you position the body. She was trying to use just her arm muscles but after training she now uses her leg,hip and upper body muscles.

(Seriously we both cut the grass. We have a lot of it so we have a ride on mower for the main body of the lawns. My wife refuses to drive the ride on, she is terrified of it for some reason. She has only recently passed her car test which I thought would overcome her fear of the ride on, so far it hasn't. My wife uses the self propelled motor mower for the bits that the ride on can't access. She really is a dab hand at starting it now)

[mutantpoodle]

fao SG31

q..After proper training ...uq....you are lucky

I am not able to teach my wife anything, she already knows far more about everything than I ever can.

I know because she has told me.

[scrumpyjack]

Have a Flymo robotic mower for the dog enclosure and it works very well. But for the other 6 acres 3 large ride ons. Can't see how an electric mower could ever handle that. If one had to go green it would have to be sheep or goats, unless Elon moves on to mowers and produces a huge robot one!