Hand powered / push lawn mowers - any thoughts?

KateLiana27

I know it's the wrong time of year, but my grass has grown a bit too long, and so for the first time in my life I need a lawnmower.

I was surprised to find that some of the hand pushed lawn mowers (like this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Qualcast-Panther-Powered-Cylinder-Lawnmower/dp/B00027YJAI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322855386&sr=8-1) actually have really good reviews. Our lawn is fairly small and flat.

Has anyone got/had a push mower, and what do you think of it?

Thanks

Sooki

I've been musing over ditching the flymo myself and am interested too!

anotherbaldrick

A bit more expensive but far more effective

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brill-RazorCut-Premium-Cylinder-Mower/dp/B000N9AV5M/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1322855843&sr=1-1-catcorr

Yolina

My grandparents always had a push mower (and a reasonably big lawn!) I used it many times when I was a kid without any problems. That was 25+ years ago, and I have no idea how old the mower was - they built the house early 60s so quite probably it was acquired then I'm sure any "modern" version will be just fine.

ormus

i hope you are very fit.
these things are bloody hard work.

you couldnt give me one.

KateLiana27

ormus wrote: »

i hope you are very fit.

I am not

Perhaps I should reconsider.

ormus

then consider a flymo micro lite. 5 quid more than the qualcast panther.
at argos.

Gloomendoom

We have one of those Qualcast ones in your link. It's very light and not hard to push. However, I wouldn't recommend it for long grass at all. It will just jam up.

KateLiana27

Thanks Gloomendoom - would you recommend it in general? Does it do a decent job on the lawn?

rustyboy21

I wouldn't recommend any lawn mower like a flymo which takes plastic cutter blades, they are an absolute nuisance.
I have had ( In the past 10 years )

Manual cylinder mower- too hard to push
electric cylinder - long grass jams it
Flymo ( plastic blades ) - changing blades every 10 minutes

Best one I have now is a Bosch 12'' diameter electric rotary one with metal blade which cost £49 in Homebase. Not an ounce of trouble.

I am noy the avid gardener, the grass only gets cut when the dog gets lost in it ! lol, but the rotary one is so easy to use as well as being the cheapest

Bit more expensive from 2 years ago, but you may get one in B&Q or somewhere cheaper. This is the one

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bosch-Rotak-Electric-Rotary-Mower/dp/B0007VHMQW/ref=pd_cp_diy_1

Yolina

ormus wrote: »

i hope you are very fit.
these things are bloody hard work.

you couldnt give me one.

:eek: If I could push one of the good old all-metal ones when I was something like 10, it can't be that much hard work, unless the French ones were built completely differently Yes it does require a bit of effort but it's honestly not that bad. What I remember as being a right pain was that the one my grandparents had didn't have anything to collect the cuttings as you were going so you had to rake afterwards.