Cordless mower?

[caroline7758]

My Flymo has just given up the ghost. I only have a small lawn at home and I'm thinking about getting a cordless (battery powered) mower so I could use it at the allotment as well. Has anyone got any recommendations, other than to get a petrol one, which I don't want!

[caroline7758]

[johhnyco15]

battery mowers are something i know nothing about good luck in your quest

[Redalder]

I can honestly say that so far I have not found any battery garden tool I have tried to be man enough for anything but the lightest work.

In the shed, I have a battery hedge trimmer and a  strimmer both of which work at full power for such a short time that they get used for nothing but a quick trim - in fact we replaced the hedge trimmer with an electric one after struggling for just one season.

[Crystalmoon]

Hi I have always found battery garden tools to be useless as they just don't seem to hold much charge. I bought an old fashioned push mower from Wilkinsons this year for use at home & at my allotment & have been very pleased with it as it will cut through marestail & other tough things on the allotment grass paths. I think it cost £35 

[caroline7758]

I was wondering about a push mower. How does it cope with uneven ground?

[ancellsfarmer]

Hi I have always found battery garden tools to be useless as they just don't seem to hold much charge.

Be wary of these, they are prone to cell damage if discharged and left, also damaged by frost. The best to be expected life of the battery is around 500 charge/discharge cycles, and few achieve anything like that. The potential cost of new cells( even if available) is as much as you pay initially.

[Nora42]

Hi Caroline,
I use a push mower and once you get the grass down to a short length they are great I use mine on my small lawn at home quick and easy. they don't cope well with uneven ground but slight bumpy is ok as you turn them this way and that. Kept sharp is the answer and it's good exercise.
why not look for one on eBay the older totally metal ones are the best the new ones have plastic gear which will break.
Nora

[Digeroo]

I have a battery powered strimmer.  It does not do much at a time.  I can just about do a six inch strip along each side of my allotment perhaps a foot if there is no coarse grass,
After a few minutes (10 max) it looses power and will not knock the skin off a rice pudding.  Had no idea it would only do 500 charge cycles.
It is quite light.
I would suggest a petrol one. 

[Crystalmoon]

Hi the push mower I got from Wilkinsons copes ok with uneven ground at my allotment but it is new & very sharp...time will tell if it will continue to cope well as it ages. My allotment neighbour got an old all metal push mower from a bootfair for £12 & it works well but does need more effort to work it than my new one does.

[caroline7758]

Well, apologies for ignoring all the good advice above, but I was drawn in by the Sovereign cordless mower from Argos at a bargain price (£109.99) and with many positive reviews. After waiting all weekend for the grass to dry out, I used it on wet grass on my small front and back "lawns" and was impressed. Time will tell how long the battery lasts.
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/2908777.htm

[ElizabethB]

Hi! We have not got a mower but battery strimmer and we find that the charge lets us do all around the full plot and  half across middle of plot where there is a lot of grass, then a re-charge and finishes the rest and one side of neighbours plot so we are happy with a battery strimmer. Also got a hand mower inherited from my late sister, when we took it to the allotment there was a 'queue' to try it out.