OH is insisting we get a petrol mower.

aliasojo

We've moved/are moving into a rented place with a very big front garden. It's an old detached house so has a reasonable amount of garden round it.

OH reckons we need a petrol mower to deal with the grass cutting as anything else will burn out too quickly because of the size.

I don't know enough about them to form an opinion but I have plenty of opinion about the price of them!

Suggestions please?

(About mowers and particular models preferably...not about whether my OH is wise or daft, I have my own ideas about that thanks. )

Kazipoo

Men tend to have this thing for petrol lawnmowers, so a few years back, I bought one for the hubby. It was a chunky thing, very noisy and always made the grass look like it had been ripped rather than cut. When it conked out I certainly wasn't in a hurry to replace it with another, so (as a stop gap you understand) I bought a flymo (the type with a metal blade rather than the silly plastic ones) for one thrid of the price. It has lasted as long as the petrol one did, I don't have to keep buying fuel for it, its not overly noisy, it collects the grass and it does a cracking cut. Even the hubby agrees. I bought him a petrol hedge trimmer to appease him

lostinrates

I find the opposite, I HATE flymos, and we have conked through an electric one in ten months. We have a petrol one which is fine apart from the fact the pull cord has ripped, so needs replacing.

The only problem with the petrol one is I find it hard to start...so get dh, my dad if he is here or a neighbour to start it for me. After that its easier than any other mower, as it just trundles along coping with most things.

Drinda

I have 2 electric ones and a petrol one, the petrol is a HONDA and beats the others hands down, it is one of those that has a second leaver on the handle and when you move that up the mower is self propelled, ok if you need a run, I only move it up half way and thats fast enough for me.

lostinrates

Drinda wrote: »

I have 2 electric ones and a petrol one, the petrol is a HONDA and beats the others hands down, it is one of those that has a second leaver on the handle and when you move that up the mower is self propelled, ok if you need a run, I only move it up half way and thats fast enough for me.

yes, the self propelling bit is what helps me too. Although heavier than others when not on, the self propelling thing makes it MUCH easier than the lighter mowers once on.

wallbash

The one that has to cut ( use the mower) the grass , makes the Choice,

I cut the grass , my preference ........ and its petrol .
On a big lawn do you really want to drag a cable about?

aliasojo

wallbash wrote: »

The one that has to cut ( use the mower) the grass , makes the Choice,

I cut the grass , my preference ........ and its petrol .
On a big lawn do you really want to drag a cable about?

No, but I'm slightly concerned about the upkeep of a petrol mower, money wise.

Are they not supposed to be serviced like a car? I'm imagining petrol mowers to be costly to buy and costly to keep.

(Especially after Drinda mentiond Honda. That just screams big bucks to me :eek::D)

jackieb

We have a petrol mower. I don't cut the grass but OH far prefers it to having a cable. And if he keeps on top of it he can use the mulcher - so he can cut the grass in a lot less time. If you have to empty the grass box a lot it saves a lot of time. No idea if you get mulcher's on electric models.

He also bought a petrol strimmer as he's cut through the cable on the electric one, despite having the cable over his shoulder.

jackieb

lostinrates wrote: »

I find the opposite, I HATE flymos, and we have conked through an electric one in ten months. We have a petrol one which is fine apart from the fact the pull cord has ripped, so needs replacing.

The only problem with the petrol one is I find it hard to start...so get dh, my dad if he is here or a neighbour to start it for me. After that its easier than any other mower, as it just trundles along coping with most things.

My sister has trouble starting hers. I've tried and can't do it either. Men seem to be able to do it no bother. I suggested one of us pull the cord and another pushes the mower forward at the same time, and it worked first time! I just don't think we have long enough arms to be able to pull it out quickly enough!

lostinrates

jackieb wrote: »

My sister has trouble starting hers. I've tried and can't do it either. Men seem to be able to do it no bother. I suggested one of us pull the cord and another pushes the mower forward at the same time, and it worked first time! I just don't think we have long enough arms to be able to pull it out quickly enough!

that's brilliant!

jackieb

lostinrates wrote: »

that's brilliant!

I thought so. :rotfl:

Ours is an Ibea. OH bought it because it had a Briggs and Stratton motor.

http://www.mowdirect.co.uk/acatalog/IBEA_SELF_PROPELLED_LAWN_MOWERS.html