Advice Required for a New Battery Powered Lawnmower

jinxnz on 26/08/2024 - 11:26
Last edited 26/08/2024 - 11:42

Hi OPs

Wanted to see anyone who's knowledgeable in this area can provide me with some advice regarding whether the current promotion on Stanley Fatmax products at Mitre10 would be a good purchase.
https://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/stanley-fatmax-v20-cordless-l…

As you guys may or may not be aware Stanley fatMax have a current promotion with Mitre 10 at the moment which provides you with a product that you can redeem after a certain amount of purchase.
I'm currently considering getting the brushless two battery powered lawnmower for 499 which will qualify me to get a another product roughly valued around 150 to 200 dollars which I hope to resell on Trade Me to recover value.

Does anyone have any advice as to how I can maximize this purchase or alternatively whether you think that the battery powered lawnmowers are not that great against petrol-powered lawnmowers and I would be better off buying a secondhand petrol lawnmower and save (?) money?

for reference I only have a little bit of an incline section of a corner property on a street that requires me to cut grass on about a 30 degree uphill which spans about six meters deep into the property around a house. Otherwise your small standard backyard enough 5m*15m but the last purchase I made with BOSCH electric lawnmower was not a great one. I found that the corded model was underpowered and flimsy to deal with the grass I had. The plastic components broke off so easily.

General Discussion

Comments

  • apieceofpie on 26/08/2024 - 13:33

    When I looked at lawn mowers ~1.5 years ago, the electric ones didn't seem worth it cost/utility wise especially if the batteries don't hold up well- BUT I also have at least 4x the area to mow as you. In the end I managed to snag a good condition second hand briggs and stratton for $250 from someone on a tiny section who was switching to electric.
    Given your 15x5 m2 area I could see myself putting up with the downsides of an electric for the convenience factor, but I'd also have a look at what's on the secondhand market in case there's a deal to be had.

    Also a bit of a side note but curious if anyone's got anything to say on this; has anyone here tried just using a line trimmers/weed whackers to mow their lawns?
    I feel like on some of the newer tiny sections it'd be just as fast and a million times cheaper/more convenient. I've seen plenty of people doing it overseas but never in NZ. I know it means not catching the grass but so long as you did it regularly enough it would be the same as mulching.

    • spam on 26/08/2024 - 13:40
      +1

      I use ozito line trimmer to mow my ~100m2 lawn as I couldn't justify spending much on a lawn mowers for my small lawn.
      Doable but if I keep the lawn too long it'll take time to do and the battery that I have isn't enough (only have 1.5Ah battery). The plastic blades also fly all over the place if you hit rock/branches/soil so probably handy to keep spares around

  • Jexla on 26/08/2024 - 13:45

    If you had a bad experience with the BOSCH breaking I'd be hesitant to buy the STANLEY that has the same complaints.

    This has a lot of reviews (about the same price and higher voltage), mostly good, but you can read the bad ones too.

    https://www.bunnings.co.nz/ryobi-36v-46cm-brushless-lawn-mow…

  • CheapJimmy on 26/08/2024 - 14:14
    +1

    I got mine from Trade Tested. GreenWorks. Can’t fault it tbh!

  • Madao on 26/08/2024 - 15:26
    +1

    Got a Ryobi 36v about 5 years ago. Just about made the cut in one charge at my last place providing the grass wasnt too long and wet. Place we're in now has a smaller garden, maybe 1/4 of the size and flat. Different type of grass though, its that springy stuff (couchgrass?), and it does struggle.

  • jjjj on 26/08/2024 - 17:43
    +1

    Don't buy the 18V Ryobi ones - I got one for Boxing Day and it was like they built it for a 10 year old to learn how to mow. Incredibly underpowered, light, plastic, and not at all fit for purpose. There's a reason the pros all use petrol still. I have a EV, solar on the roof, induction cooktops and all, but for mowing I still need petrol.

    I tried the Evo from Mitre10, a bit overpriced in my opinion.

    Sadly my Storm 500 mower from Bunnings with B&S engine is what I have to use. Would happily sell it if I had found anything better. Sorry I can't offer you any suggestions other than what I've tried and failed.

    • Avantime on 03/09/2024 - 11:55

      Some people, especially seniors, just can't pull the draw cord anymore, and electric start petrol mowers are just too expensive for what they are.

      The higher the voltage the more grunt it has, but battery life will be short. Problematic for many people but pensioners will have enough free time to make it worthwhile, or people with small lawns.

  • doggos2 on 26/08/2024 - 18:07
    +1

    I have the ozito from bunnings, the bigger one, I find it great, have to charge the batteries a second time to get all the lawns done- I have a 652m2 section but obviously not all in lawn. I have a chronic neck issue so for me it works, its light, easy to handle, easy to start and does the job. When I first got it it felt flimsy and I didn't hink it would last. I have had it over a year and it still cuts great and has been worth what I paid $400. I mowed a friends lawn while they were away with their heavy petrol mower, hard to start and heavy to move- did the same job, just was harder to use. Im a fan!

  • kiwijunglist on 27/08/2024 - 07:14
    +1

    A good quality battery mower is great. I have a small lawn like you and got an ego battery mower, really happy with it, but the cost is a lot higher around $1000. Prior to the ego i had a corded flymo hover mower.

    I think given the slope you could consider a good quality weed Wacker, i had a flymo corded Wacker and it was crap. Just upgraded to an ego one and it's way better.

  • meathorse on 27/08/2024 - 07:22
    +1

    Likely overkill for your situation but we got the 58v AEG mower after a friend with an old school 1/4 acre recommended it.

    Bloody awesome and stronger then the under maintained 4hp Briggs n Stratton it replaced even in longer grass although I do try to avoid wet where I can.

  • desikiwi on 27/08/2024 - 07:33

    I removed my lawn put cardboard mulch planted fruit trees .

    • jinxnz on 27/08/2024 - 09:01
      +1

      Renting so can't do this but definately when I get my own property…

  • digitalbugsy on 27/08/2024 - 08:45
    +1

    I got a Makita 36v a couple of years ago. It only just lasts a full mow if it’s dry and not too long with the batteries it came with (5ah). I have a second set if batteries which gets me through on those situations.

    I like the quietness, I like not having to service. I don’t like that it’s not quite powerful enough to get through long kikuyu and gets clogged and stops. A petrol mower would just keep going.

  • Huntakillaz on 27/08/2024 - 10:13

    You'll want to check what powertools which ever brand you go for has too, you're basically buying into an ecosystem unless you want tons of diff batteries and chargers.

    • jinxnz on 27/08/2024 - 10:46

      Yeah I think the only reason i was looking into the Stanley's was because I have their power and impact drills. The free product redemption offer seems alright when I take this into account

      • manu b on 02/09/2024 - 13:21

        What did you end up purchasing ? I am in the market to buy one so been following this too.

        • jinxnz on 02/09/2024 - 15:32

          Ended up buying the Stanley Fatmax V20 (36V) Self Propelled Brushless model from Mitre10. My local Mitre10 had a clearance / managers special on it for $449 on Father's day weekend

          I had about $1k+ Air point dollars, so used the Mitre10 voucher to buy it. Also it qualified for a free v18 6.0ah brand new battery because Stanley is currently doing a promotion for products over $449.

          • manu b on 03/09/2024 - 00:10

            @jinxnz: Thanks would love to know how it is going once you have given it a go few times.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join