Cordless mower

Hello!

I'm getting sick and tired maintaining my aging cylinder mower. Although I like my stripes, Im thinking of opting for a battery cordless mower. Has anyone got any experience of these? Id love to hear some real life pros and cons. I've got about 300sqm (at most) to mow.

Any thoughts or advice very appreciated!

 

I've only used one, and it was a few years ago. My experience was that it was great if the grass was dry and not too long. It struggled if the grass was wet and long, as was the case this year after the mild and wet winter. Even my petrol mower struggled at times.
Despite that I will probably go cordless when the petrol one gives up. Whatever you go for, get a second battery and make sure to charge them regularly, even over winter.

 

I've had two cordless mowers, both excellent. My lawns are either up a slope or steps so I wanted something that is easy to lift and store. Mine is made by Stiga, a similar quality to Stihl but less expensive. Most lawnmower manufacturers have similar versions. The batteries are usually interchangeable with other power tools. Check that the overall price includes a battery and charger. It's also worth buying an extra battery and a fast charger if you use other cordless tools. Another thing to look out for is the method of changing the height of the mower, it can be fiddly if you need to turn the mower upside down and adjust the wheels from below.

 

Might be worth looking at this P4A site regards batteries. Think Bosch have set it up, but I've been looking to go all electric and found it of interest. I'm intending to look at getting a bare tool(s) and buying the charger and batteries separate. Most that come with charger and battery only have a 2.0Ah battery I think a 4.0Ah would be a much better bet for power. I agree you need more than 1 battery, perhaps even more again if you have multiple tools. Husqvarna is the only one I really rate(ed) out of the group, but some I don't know/recognise.

 

Be very aware of the cost of batteries. A guy I worked with saw a 'bargain' at B&Q a few years ago. A cordless mower had been reduced because the battery was missing so he saw the opportunity to save some money. Unfortunately he didn't check the cost of batteries. The price reduction didn't come near to the price of the battery on its own. Caveat emptor.

 

Without doubt batteries are expensive, so you need to do your sums. Make sure you do like for like though as 4Ah can be double 2Ah batteries. Note if it's weight that is an issue, then the 4Ah may be too heavy for you. I started looking at replacing the petrol hedge trimmer as its 4kg is a tad too heavy for prolonged use. The electric machine is 2.2kg, trouble is they all quote the empty weight....

 

Batteries are also getting smaller, lighter and more efficient. I’ve got some cordless tools that take the older batteries, the more recent ones are much better.

 

Check out how long the running time of the battery is as some only last only 20 minutes. Also the cost of replacing the battery when it dies as they are very expensive.

 

Availability of older battery types and compatibility of new batteries with older models is certainly something to consider. For example, I know batteries for newer Gtech mowers and garden strimmers etc look nothing like the batteries in my neighbours mower or strimmer. Whether they are compatible or not, I don't know but would doubt it.

 

I thought batteries in themselves could be the issue. My existing power tools are Milwaukee, and their mower is £1200! So that's that rules out. From what I've seen, batteries may last 3-5 years. Its kind of making me think to get a conventional petrol rotary mower and paying to get it serviced instead of doing it myself! The price of some batteries almost writes off the mower if you need to replace (especially as the machine will be a few years old by then). It does seem an overly disposable system, given my mower was built in the 80s..

Much to ponder on. Thanks for all your input!

 

It's a bit of a balancing act between the cost of battery and petrol. If you can't service your own mower you are looking at something like £100 per year (around here anyway) to get it serviced. Invest in additional batteries, say every 3 years, even if they are £150 and you save money.

 

To put batteries in perspective I purchased a Bosch battery hedge cutter. Battery died. Cost of a new battery was more than the original price of the cutter. Went to the recycling centre with it and the electrical bin was filled with them.

 

@waterbut that seems to be a theme. I checked prices for the gardeners world best buy Webb lawnmower. To replace the batteries alone is £130! Almost half the price of the package!

Sure, petrol costs. But it's less noticeable as the odd 6 quid a go to fill my canister!

 

@KT53 - fair point, I suppose if you layer in the servicing costs. I also wonder how long these mowers will last. They all seem very plasticky..At least I know my Suffolk Punch has stood the test of time.

I think I need another mower also because my grass gets too long for a cylinder to do a decent job. It's really looking like petrol rotary...

 

They are plasticky, yes, but that means they are light and won’t rust. Many external parts are plasticky on modern cars too, including prestige brands! I’ve got a seven year old battery from my original mower which is still going strong, as is the mower.