www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Hello everyone,

I was looking for some advice with regards to lawn mowers/strimmers or more accurately something in between.

Most of my garden is cut with an automatic mower but I have two smaller areas that I cut myself. One of them is bare but the other is filled with trampolines, play park stuff etc.

Up until now I have been using a manual push mower which was fine but it gets clogged/jammed easily. I also work away for long periods of time so often I have to cut the grass when it is very long which the manual mower can't handle.

A large petrol or corded electrical mower would be overkill for the space I need to cover, however I cut the long grass last time with my strimmer and it's a bit too small overall and leaves the grass uneven so that wasn't practical either.

Is there something in between for cutting smaller, flat spaces that is nimble and lightweight enough to go around objects? I've been searching online but haven't seen anything that matches...

Thanks for the help!

Many years ago I bought a corded Flymo type hover mower from Homebase that I saw on offer for £10 (their brand). It is ideal for odd areas with the lack of wheels allowing you close up to things. The only pain is humping the extension reel. I just looked and the cheapest new one of this sort averages £60 now.

DWD

Any good?
https://www.joom.com/en/products/60cbff ... b865561e1d
Personally I find the strimmer useful for these small areas although it does take a bit of practice ...

Lidl currently have those in stock for just £15.
https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/parkside-cordl ... /p10013948
They also do a 20v one (also for just £15 but without a battery) that uses the same batteries that fit the full range of 20v Lidl tools and is a bit bigger and more robust looking. I just bought a 20v one and it seems well made and does what it says on the tin.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305506770229 ... lsrc=aw.ds
Wouldn't want to get down on my hands and knees and do a whole area "bigger than a trampoline" with either model though.
Some kind of small battery powered mower might be just what you need though?

Thanks for the suggestions. I have one of those battery hand held trimmers already, coincidentally to exactly do beneath the trampoline. It only cost twenty pounds and almost my finger one time...

But yes, unfortunately too small for the size I am covering. A small, battery powered mower was exactly what I'd be thinking too, just couldn't find anything that seemed to match. I've seen strimmers that come with wheel attachments so I might go that route, but I would rather find something that doesn't need threads changing out etc...

@ Mike W, thanks for that Lidl link, I went in today as we were passing and got one of the 15v ones. For £15 it is a good buy, I will report back in due course. I would have liked the 20v one but I have not got any of their batteries. My thoughts are this will be good working on a ladder doing my hedges as it is a one-handed tool to complement my mini chainsaw.

DWD

just had an add on a youtube video - for this
any good for you
https://www.uergo.co.uk/products/garden ... 5799946518

etaf wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2024 3:41 pmjust had an add on a youtube video - for this any good for you

Would he not need a working "strimmer" that can have its "working bit" easily removed, as the link is only for a wire brush. (A big wire brush, but still just a wire brush)

Small battery mower. We brought the smallest Einhell 18v mower and it's been fine. Lightweight and easy to use . The link is to the dodgy south american river company but we brought elsewhere .https://www.amazon.co.uk/Einhell-341315 ... 9328&psc=1
We also brought a larger model that takes two of the same batteries

I still think my flymo-type mower is the best solution. No wheels mean it can easily be swept in awkward places the air cushion following the terrain. Finish up with a strimmer around legs etc. Battery or corded it is the easiest stay standing up solution.

DWD

Thanks for all the responses, and sorry I'm only just posting back.

I've basically narrowed it down to three options;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Decker-1 ... 41&sr=8-15

This is a decent price flymo but it is corded (couldn't find a battery flymo that didn't have very poor reviews) I'm also a bit worried the flymos will struggle with four weeks of grass length when I come back from work.

https://www.lidl.de/p/parkside-20-v-akk ... fa8eccae45

Small battery powered mower, about £90 to £100 with battery. Don't know anything about it other than it looks like the kind of thing I am after...

https://www.amazon.de/Gloria-Akku-Rasen ... th=1&psc=1

This looks like it best matches what I might need as the forward blade should handle the long grass easier? Plus it's cordless. But it's also on the more expensive side...

That Black and Decker looks identical to my old Homebase hover mower. The thing I have found is that my mower tends to float over long grass gradually dropping down as it cuts and lowers finally to ground level. 6" grass is different from 12" grass though so if the grass is really long a strimmer pass might be needed first.

DWD

Interesting tool the last one. Being cautious I would have reservations about how good it is though. It is in effect a sort of hedge trimmer used for grass. I have the Sthil combi system and can use my hedge trimmer with it's anglable head for just such a purpose . It works although I do find it slower than a strimmer. That said it does have the advantage of not flicking stones about.
One other thing that might or might not be an issue are the clippings. The small mower should pick up most of them , the last one will leave long bits of grass behind and the hover will leave the clippings but they will be more chopped up so more of a mulch.

petedln just saying...............
You do realise that last one (amazon) is cordless, also it's battery less, you have to supply your own battery, also the reviews mention the plastic is cheap feeling

The parkside one is similar in that it too requires a battery and charger.

I would avoid the Parkside as the blades look similar to a hand-held tool I recently bought from Lidl. It was only £15 but it failed to cut a thin frond on the first outing, the motor seemed gutless.

DWD