Lawn mower: push reel?

Leif

I have a hover mower, but it is annoying because:

1. The grass collection bin is too small.
2. If I remove the collection bin, the grass is deposited in clumps and not evenly, which creates problems.
3. The vents clog, and every few lengths I have to stop and unblock them.
4. The cable is annoying.
5. The blade blunts easily on contact with stones.

So, has anyone got a push reel mower they would recommend? Is the Fiskars Momentum worth the money i.e. ~£200? I've seen others for £100 such as the Husqvarna 64. These appeal as no cable to faff about with and even grass cutting distribution.

Is there a non hover electric mower that distributes grass evenly?

My back garden is about 17m by 17m, plus the front and side which are half the size in total. It is a mess and needs regular cutting.

fwor

I've used a few manual cylinder mowers in the past, since my childhood, and I really don't think modern manufacturing practices do anything good for them.

They used to be heavily built and well engineered, but they don't seem to be now. If you have 400 sq m plus to do you're going to end up hating it.

I've had a couple of Bosch Rotak non-hover rotaries and they have been good - near-perfect pickup and large collection boxes, and reliability seems Ok.

Unfortunately I doubt you will solve item 4. Even Bosch have now decided to save a few pennies per mower by fitting the cheapest mains cable they can get, where the Chinese manufacturer has decided to save a few fractions of a penny per meter by using the absolute minimum of plasticiser that they can get away with - meaning you get a springy cable that will not lie flat on the ground, and will try its best to jump under the mower at any opportunity...

Leif

fwor wrote: »

I
I've had a couple of Bosch Rotak non-hover rotaries and they have been good - near-perfect pickup and large collection boxes, and reliability seems Ok.

Thanks. It is simply the presence of a cable, and extension lead, that is a pain. Is the Rotak usable without the grass collection box, and if so, where does the grass go i.e. evenly spread, or large piles? I cannot realistically collect the grass as it grows too fast, and my compost bin would fill after two cuts. (I have over 1000 liters of garden waste composting already).

roddydogs

Motor Mower?

Leif

roddydogs wrote: »

Motor Mower?

Do you mean petrol mower? If so, well, yes, the only issue is messing around with petrol does not appeal. But it is an option.

warehouse

Get a petrol mower. The only "faffing about" is to pour a little petrol in each time before you use it. No cables, huge collection bin and a very good cut. You'll wonder why you never did it before.

If you can afford it get a Hayter.

roddydogs

Agree, the only problem is they are very heavy if you have to manouver them, and you do get petrol fumes. The cord starting ones you need to be quite strong.

demystified

Haytor or Honda, petrol of course, if you can afford them. If it's a larger one get self-propelled. You'll wonder how you managed without them. Unless it's large contractors mower they're perfectly easy to manouvere, so long as don't have to lift them.

Electric mowers are micky mouse tools honestly, Bosch is the best of the bunch. Avoid Flymo, they're terrible.