Reply to: Changing from petrol mower to cordless electric

[malvolio]

Elderly neighbour got one from B&Q earlier this year but no longer uses it as he's got a gardener in. He says I'm welcome to try it out with a possible view to buy; only wants £100 for it.

At 16", it's a bit smaller than I'd have preferred but the grass box is a decent size and the Wh looks ok. Supposedly able to cut up to 450m2 on a single charge but we'll see.
https://www.diy.com/departments/mac-...0239767_BQ.prd

The fact that he jacked in using it after a couple of months possibly doesn't bode well.

If he's got a reliable gardener, not having to mow the lawn is a major benefit for us old coffin dodgers...

[woody1]

Elderly neighbour got one from B&Q earlier this year but no longer uses it as he's got a gardener in. He says I'm welcome to try it out with a possible view to buy; only wants £100 for it.

At 16", it's a bit smaller than I'd have preferred but the grass box is a decent size and the Wh looks ok. Supposedly able to cut up to 450m2 on a single charge but we'll see.
https://www.diy.com/departments/mac-...0239767_BQ.prd

The fact that he jacked in using it after a couple of months possibly doesn't bode well.

[woody1]

Do you live by the sea?

1/2 mile away. Anything steel (outside lights, gate hinges, fixings) corrodes away. I only use stainless steel screws now because stuff ends up falling apart otherwise.

It's amazing the car has endured as well as it has; a testament to Audi build quality perhaps. The Merc I had before didn't fair so well; both bodywork and underneath suffered from rust.

[malvolio]

True. I store the mower in the garage with power.

This Greenworks one might also do the job. It looks like it's based on a petrol mower platform. Slightly off-putting because, with all the mowers I've had, the steel deck has always been the thing which eventually fails.

https://www.greenworkstools.co.uk/pr...ry-and-charger

Another reason to look at Hayters. They use aluminium decks...

[WTFH]

Slightly off-putting because, with all the mowers I've had, the steel deck has always been the thing which eventually fails.

What brand of mowers have you had where the deck has failed?
Do you live by the sea?

The only mower I've used where the deck has failed was a Honda, that spent 20 years at a house in a seaside town. I've seen other mowers looking worse for wear, but that's normally down to them being used on grass that is too damp, and not being cleaned before putting them away.

[woody1]

True. I store the mower in the garage with power.

This Greenworks one might also do the job. It looks like it's based on a petrol mower platform. Slightly off-putting because, with all the mowers I've had, the steel deck has always been the thing which eventually fails.

https://www.greenworkstools.co.uk/pr...ry-and-charger

[WTFH]

I've never heard of that brand before, looks like they have a wide range to hit the price points.
As I've said, you'll want a second set of batteries, even though you might think you don't.

I can understand your desire for an integrated charger, but the obvious tool to put that in is either a small one, or one that lives in the house. Many people have mower sheds that don't have power. If you have charger(s) set up, you want them to be easy access for all your tools, and somewhere that you can switch them off when not in use.
But I suspect these scenarios are not ones that are relevant to you.

[woody1]

My ideal mower (this doesn't exist AFAIK) would have removable battery(s) but you wouldn't have to remove them to charge them. Plug a cable into the mower and it charges the battery(s) in situ. In effect, the mower acts as a charging station for batteries for other tools. Then it wouldn't matter how many batteries it had.

At the moment I'm leaning towards this reasonably priced one from Lawnmaster:

https://www.cleva-uk.com/products/la...less-lawnmower

46cm (18")
48v 4Ah (~200Wh)
Brushless motor
Up to 450m2

The only thing I'm not so keen on are the 2 batteries and 2 chargers but the 24v batteries can be used in their other tools. They do a reasonable looking hedge trimmer (bare tool) for under 50 quid.

Not sure about the rear roller either. Not bothered about stripes and sounds like it could be more of a bother. Hopefully it can be removed if it's a nuisance.

[WTFH]

I would go with two small batteries.

Your issue then is that you'll want 4 of them, so that 2 are on charge while the others are in use.
Unless you have already invested in a particular system, the sensible decision is to get the best solution for your particular requirement.
Anyone who has used battery tools will tell you that sure they have a range of xWh which might be enough to do your lawn and still have charge left, but what happens in reality is that you don't recharge after every use, and invariably you'll get half way round and run out. So, a few weeks after buying your first battery tool, you buy a spare battery (or set of batteries). It gets better as you expand your system, but I'd still suggest having at least 1 more battery (or set of batteries) than the number of tools you have that uses them.

[Stevep42]

I would go with two small batteries.

[woody1]

BTW re. the use of 2 batteries.

Some manufacturers use the same batteries from smaller tools (strimmers, hedge trimmers). To get decent power/runtime in a mower from these smaller batteries, they need 2.

Other manufacturers opt for one big battery and, although these can often be used in other tools, it means lugging around extra weight.

So it's a trade-off/compromise either way.

[WTFH]

After doing a bit more research, apart from cutting width, which I'll opt for the same or slightly larger than the existing petrol, the biggest variable seems to be the batteries.

Ah can be misleading because machines run on different voltages (20V - 80V). Wh (V*A) would be more meaningful, although none of the specs I've looked at give the wattage of the motor.

I'm thinking I'll need at least 150Wh (eg. 40V * 4Ah) for 300sqm.

The other thing I'll choose is one with a brushless motor, which will hopefully extend the life of the machine.

The AK-30S battery for the Stihl is 180Wh, which they say is good for a 500m^2 lawn. I can't help you on the motor, but most of their stuff is rock solid.

[woody1]

After doing a bit more research, apart from cutting width, which I'll opt for the same or slightly larger than the existing petrol, the biggest variable seems to be the batteries.

Ah can be misleading because machines run on different voltages (20V - 80V). Wh (V*Ah) would be more meaningful, although none of the ones I've looked at give the wattage of the motor.

I'm thinking I'll need at least 150Wh (eg. 40V * 4Ah) for 300sqm.

The other thing I'll choose is one with a brushless motor, which will hopefully extend the life of the machine.

[woody1]

If you want to get more exercise, you could always go for a hand push mower, i.e. no power source.
The best manual push mowers in 2025 | BBC Gardeners World Magazine
Or go really retro with a scythe!

Our "lawns" were originally cow pasture (mainly rye). Even decades on, the grass is pretty coarse/rough/uneven. Bowling greens they ain't. Over 300sqm of that with a hand mower would definitely be a workout!

Also, we need something that collects the clippings efficiently, otherwise the dog will be walking it in the house.

I do even wonder whether a cordless electric will struggle.

[hobnob]

I don't mind mowing, and I actually prefer the push ones (not self-propelled) for a bit more of a workout.

If you want to get more exercise, you could always go for a hand push mower, i.e. no power source.
The best manual push mowers in 2025 | BBC Gardeners World Magazine
Or go really retro with a scythe!