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Manual lawnmower

PepPep Posts: 501
edited July 2019 in The cake stop
Anyone here has experience with a push lawnmower, compared to electric or petrol?
I've only ever used electric lawnmower.
We will soon have a huge garden, and I really do not fancy the idea of a mile long cable always around when I mown.
Battery not ideal either, too much surface area.
Petrol could do. But I'm put off by maintenance etc.

Manual one: no noise, other than a pleasant clipping. Cheap. No pollution, not CO2. Not having to pay for the privilege to damage our planet.
But they seem to be suitable only for small surfaces....???!!

Your experience?
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  • Darius_JedburghDarius_Jedburgh Posts: 675
    Used to use one years ago. Glad I got rid. Hard work if grass is a bit too long or a bit too wet. If you have a big lawn get petrol. You wont regret it.
  • dabberdabber Posts: 1,887
    Get a petrol.... I can recommend Honda.
    “You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”

    Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut
  • Harry182Harry182 Posts: 1,168
    Parents had a manual mower when I was a kid - no fond memories. Depending on length of grass/sharpness if blades/etc they take more effort to push than a powered mower - potentially a lot more. They also tend to mow a narrower strip than a powered mower.
    We now use a gas mower. It’s noisy, smelly but gets the job done fast. 10-years old and no maintenance beyond gas once or twice a year and oil top off every 2-3 years.
  • eric_draveneric_draven Posts: 1,192
    Another one here for a petrol mower,I have not an overly big lawn but the grass is quite thick and the area holds dampness as well,i have an electric mower and it is quite hard work wished i had bought a petrol one now,my late mother had an electric Honda mower and it was really good,somehow my brother ended up with it
  • robert88robert88 Posts: 2,696
    Get one of those robot lawnmowers. I have no idea if they are any good but they look kind of cute.
  • DeVlaeminckDeVlaeminck Posts: 8,455
    I'd just put up with a cord or look at rechargeable mowers - petrol garden machinery is a faff in my experience.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • FocusZingFocusZing Posts: 4,373
    I would like to try a Lithium Brush-less but the lawns too big for the mAh available at present. Never had a problem with petrol all you've got to do is change the oil/filter twice a year and clean the air filter (takes half an hour).

    I have to laugh about the pollution comment, it's not exactly a car, bus, lorry, train, plane (Hi Theresa May), ship, Elon Musk hypocrite rocket....I wouldn't let that deter your choice of efficiency, practicality and convenience.

    Just watching Le Mans where they go round and around... a track for 24 hours for the censored of it! I will do the grass then.
  • mrb123mrb123 Posts: 4,214
    Honda petrol would be my recommendation. Get a self propelled one with a roller if you can stretch to it.

    The mower will last you a lifetime.

    There's no real hassle involved. A can of petrol lasts a summer season. Get it serviced every year or two. That's about it.
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,586
    edited June 2019
    MrB123 wrote:
    Honda petrol would be my recommendation. Get a self propelled one with a roller if you can stretch to it.

    The mower will last you a lifetime.

    There's no real hassle involved. A can of petrol lasts a summer season. Get it serviced every year or two. That's about it.
    I agree with that. But if you really want to be eco then get a sheep or a goat.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • monkimarkmonkimark Posts: 1,266
    I wouldn't worry about maintenance, I have a petrol Honda mower that I got from my father in law. He thinks he had it for about 20 years and never did more than filling up the petrol.

    I've replaced the oil and filter because it seemed about due and the pull cord because it snapped, I also sharpened the (very blunt) blade last year. It's done me 4 years with no more than that so far - never had any issues with it.
  • orraloonorraloon Posts: 11,687
    Good value and reliable petrol option is Masport, Briggs & Stratton engines.
  • craigus89craigus89 Posts: 887
    Get a gardener.
  • bonk_kingbonk_king Posts: 219
    One thing's for sure, if you decide to go down the manual route you'll probably end up the fittest guy on the the forum!!

    Corded mowers are a right pita, petrol would be best but if you can get a cordless one with a really good battery life then that would be good too. I've just recently gone cordless and it's fantastic. I can do front and back lawn in one go but that said, my lawns aren't that big.
  • Darius_JedburghDarius_Jedburgh Posts: 675
    I spent 20 years working in garden maintenance. If you get a man in just tomow your lawn it will cost far less per annum than any method you opt for yourself.
    Up isn't frozen north even a big lawn will cost little more than £15 per fortnight. That's £7.50 per week. Do the maths.
  • rjsterryrjsterry Posts: 25,061
    Franco di Banco wrote:
    I spent 20 years working in garden maintenance. If you get a man in just tomow your lawn it will cost far less per annum than any method you opt for yourself.
    Up isn't frozen north even a big lawn will cost little more than £15 per fortnight. That's £7.50 per week. Do the maths.

    Blimey. How much are you spending on your lawnmower?!
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • mouthmouth Posts: 1,195
    I inherited my monster-in-law's old petrol Honda when she downsized, and ran it for a few years. needed a service, sharpen and new pull cord so I offed it for a corded electric when we moved house a couple years later. Many, many regrets.
    The only disability in life is a poor attitude.
  • surfercyclistsurfercyclist Posts: 894
    I have a huge garden so have a ride on mower. Simples. :wink:
  • PepPep Posts: 501
    rjsterry wrote:
    Franco di Banco wrote:
    I spent 20 years working in garden maintenance. If you get a man in just tomow your lawn it will cost far less per annum than any method you opt for yourself.
    Up isn't frozen north even a big lawn will cost little more than £15 per fortnight. That's £7.50 per week. Do the maths.

    Blimey. How much are you spending on your lawnmower?!

    My present one i paid 40eur 6yr ago and still as good as new.
    Do the math.
  • de_sistide_sisti Posts: 1,277
    I'd recommend using a manual mower. Just make sure you don't leave the grass too
    long before you mow and preferably when it's not too long. One tip for a healthy
    lawn: don't cut it too short. Aim to cut the height of the blades of grass down by
    about one third.
  • robert88robert88 Posts: 2,696
    SurferCyclist wrote:
    I have a huge garden so have a ride on mower. Simples. :wink:

    Pedal powered?
  • surfercyclistsurfercyclist Posts: 894
    Robert88 wrote:
    SurferCyclist wrote:
    I have a huge garden so have a ride on mower. Simples. :wink:

    Pedal powered?

    Briggs and Stratton powered. Supposedly a "quiet" engine but in reality it's noisy as but I always mow with headphones on listening to music so doesn't disturb me. The cats on other hand are not impressed.
  • orraloonorraloon Posts: 11,687
    Robert88 wrote:
    SurferCyclist wrote:
    I have a huge garden so have a ride on mower. Simples. :wink:

    Pedal powered?
    Hmmm, there's an idea. Low carbon, tick; fitness, tick...
  • surfercyclistsurfercyclist Posts: 894
    orraloon wrote:
    Robert88 wrote:
    SurferCyclist wrote:
    I have a huge garden so have a ride on mower. Simples. :wink:

    Pedal powered?
    Hmmm, there's an idea. Low carbon, tick; fitness, tick...

    Good luck with that. It's takes me an hour on my ride on, if you had to pedal it by time finished cutting be time to start again. The Forth bride of lawn mowing.
  • N0bodyOfTheGoatN0bodyOfTheGoat Posts: 5,519
    A herd of guinea pigs, move their run each day, they will do the rest... Just remove any plants that aren't good for them.
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
    2016 Voodoo Wazoo
  • rjsterryrjsterry Posts: 25,061
    orraloon wrote:
    Robert88 wrote:
    SurferCyclist wrote:
    I have a huge garden so have a ride on mower. Simples. :wink:

    Pedal powered?
    Hmmm, there's an idea. Low carbon, tick; fitness, tick...

    Ahem.

    https://lawnmowerwizard.com/featuredart ... dal-power/

    Just a concept, I think and at a price of £3K, probably will stay like that.

    Or for something a little more homemade.

    bike-mower.jpg
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • orraloonorraloon Posts: 11,687
    :D Wot's that phrase, "great minds think...".

    The green one needs some TLC, that cassette is looking sad.
  • pinnopinno Posts: 49,250
    Get a ride on mower.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,586
    Pinno wrote:
    Get a ride on mower.
    If he's in Wales then I've already suggested that.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • pinnopinno Posts: 49,250
    NitrousOxide wrote:
    A herd of guinea pigs, move their run each day, they will do the rest... Just remove any plants that aren't good for them.

    ...or Chickens.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • robert88robert88 Posts: 2,696
    Chickens are not good for Guinea pigs?
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