# New lawnmower required - recommendations please.



## Proto (16 May 2020)

Moving house on Thursday, and I'm going to need a new lawnmower. My 20 year old petrol Fly is beyond economic repair. I started Googling and I became overwhelmed by choice, there's gazillions of brands making gazillions of models. Help!

Fairly small 'lawn' (*I'll come back to that) maybe 400 square metres, plus a couple of other side bits. Needs to be petrol.

Make? Webb, Mountfield, Honda, Ryobi, plus about a dozen others I'd not heard of before. I'm guessing most are made in China and might be the same model rebranded.

I'm guessing about 20" cut, or so?

Rotary I think. Self propelled?

Engine size? Honda? Briggs & Stratton? Any other?

Electric or cord pull start?

Plastic deck? Metal? Pressed steel? Aluminium?

No need for stripes.

Discuss and recommend please. Thanks.


*To describe it as lawn is being more than kind, it's sort of bumpy, soft, green stuff. Rabbits seem to be at home eon it. Mixture of meadow grass, moss and lawn type grass. It's never going to be a lawn.


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## Poacher (16 May 2020)

More rabbits needed. Shouldn't be too difficult.


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## Proto (16 May 2020)

There's a problem with that. I've got a dog. A lurcher. I think the rabbits will be moving out.


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## Poacher (16 May 2020)

Proto said:


> There's a problem with that. I've got a dog. A lurcher. I think the rabbits will be moving out.


In that case, I'd plump for Honda. No particular reason except that they seem to have a decent reputation lately.


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## Chromatic (16 May 2020)

Honda Izy.


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## screenman (16 May 2020)

Honda.


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## bikingdad90 (16 May 2020)

If you go for a metal casing go for self propelled as they are heavy and hard work. The self propeller makes life easy to push until the cord breaks!


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## Slick (16 May 2020)

Mountfield for me, although if your lawn is as rough as you describe I would rotate the lot, spread a couple of ton of sand and start again. Obviously just projecting what I wish I did instead oh hollow tineing every year. 

https://www.mountfieldlawnmowers.co.uk/

Good choice of working dog though.


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## Mr Celine (16 May 2020)

I replaced an elderly Briggs and Stratton powered Stiga mower a couple of years ago. Replacement is a Mountfield S461. The old mower was a pig to start, the new one starts first pull every time and uses half the petrol. It can be used with a grass collector or a mulching plate, invariably it is used with the latter. Purchased from my LLS it came fully assembled with a full tank of petrol.


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## Proto (16 May 2020)

Thoughts on cut size?

I'm beginning to think Mountfield with a Honda motor, this sort of thing, but there are others

https://www.chipperfield.co.uk/moun...led-3-in-1-petrol-lawnmower-honda-engine.html


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## sleuthey (16 May 2020)

The cheapest you can get brand new in Argos or Supermarket. Then when it breaks A couple of years later there is no dilemma on whether to repair it or not and it gets given away ideally for spares if not recycling


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## Slick (16 May 2020)

Proto said:


> Thoughts on cut size?
> 
> I'm beginning to think Mountfield with a Honda motor, this sort of thing, but there are others
> 
> https://www.chipperfield.co.uk/moun...led-3-in-1-petrol-lawnmower-honda-engine.html


Looks like a pretty good choice. 👍


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## tom73 (16 May 2020)

Another vote for Honda Lzy own one and used one commercially for years know plenty who also use them. 
Cope with most things never fails will go all day long.


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## figbat (16 May 2020)

No love for Hayter? I have a Harrier that is at least 20 years old and starts first pull through the summer and maybe 2nd or 3rd after the winter break. It’s a B&S motor that is criminally abused and ignored and it still goes like a train. Self-propelled always.


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## cosmicbike (16 May 2020)

Proto said:


> There's a problem with that. I've got a dog. A lurcher. I think the rabbits will be moving out.


Well if it's anything like my lurcher, give it a week and there won't be any grass. Zoomies see's great clods of turf flying around, we pretty much have a figure 8 in what's left of our grass...
The offender


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## Slick (16 May 2020)

cosmicbike said:


> Well if it's anything like my lurcher, give it a week and there won't be any grass. Zoomies see's great clods of turf flying around, we pretty much have a figure 8 in what's left of our grass...
> The offender
> View attachment 522762


I always found them very docile animals. We worked them back in the day and one family member still has one and walks the hind legs of it so has very little energy left to sport in the garden.


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## nagden (16 May 2020)

Honda without a doubt. We have had a Honda mower 16 years and a rotovator for 35 years and they have been excellent.


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## Drago (16 May 2020)

After damaging my Honda and rendering it uneconomical to repair I bought one of those hundred quid petrol jobs from B&Q. Very pleasantly surprised.


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## Venod (16 May 2020)

I don't have a petrol mower,our lawn isn't big enough, a hand or electric is used, but we have lived here 19 years with the same next door neighbours, who have a much bigger lawn, in all that time they have had the same Honda petrol lawnmower, if that's any recommendation.


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## rogerzilla (16 May 2020)

Honda Izy. Again.


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## fossyant (16 May 2020)

My dad swears by his Honda mower ! He was doing gardening for others for a while in his retirement.


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## Tail End Charlie (16 May 2020)

Don't bother with electric start.
Definitely self propelled for something the size you mention.
Newer Hayters aren't quite as good as older ones, but still good. Honda are very good. 
I have three mowers, a Hayter Harrier 48 which is at least 27 years old; a Honda GCV 160 and an old Suffolk Punch which gets brought out on special occasions. The Hayter is for my lawn, gives a good finish with stripes. The Honda I use on a paddock and it has a mulching facility (basically double blades and a plug to stop the cuttings coming out the back).
I also use both Honda Izy and a newer Hayter Harrier 41 at work. The Izy are good, but ours aren't self propelled and I don't know if you can get one which is. The Harrier 41 does feel a bit cheaper but works.


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## Soltydog (16 May 2020)

I've had a cheap petrol mower from B&Q lasted a couple of years at most & then burst into flames one day  So spent the extra on a replacement & bought a Honda Izy. It's pull start & been great, even in spring when it's been stood a while it will start 2nd time at worst, & easy to service  Probably had ours 14 years now & had to replace the pull cord a couple of times & that's it. We went for one with a mulching blade fitted to save collecting grass, I presume that option is still available? Think ours is 16" & the lawn is about 60' x 100' doesn't take too long to cut it


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## Tenacious Sloth (16 May 2020)

figbat said:


> No love for Hayter? I have a Harrier that is at least 20 years old and starts first pull through the summer and maybe 2nd or 3rd after the winter break. It’s a B&S motor that is criminally abused and ignored and it still goes like a train. Self-propelled always.


I also have an old Hayter Harrier 41 and my experience is the same as yours.

Just checked the price of a new one though!


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## Bonefish Blues (16 May 2020)

Weibang. No messing, proper, will see you out. Will be the death of me! (as in, like-for-like against just about all their competitors, they're hugely overbuilt, and so rather heavy)

https://www.mowtastic.co.uk/all-products


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## raleighnut (17 May 2020)

I'd love a nice vintage mower.


View: https://youtu.be/52FK1v6lErQ


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## Tail End Charlie (17 May 2020)

raleighnut said:


> I'd love a nice vintage mower.
> 
> 
> View: https://youtu.be/52FK1v6lErQ



If you're near, I can recommend a visit to the lawnmower museum at Southport, very interesting. 
I can also recommend getting an old Suffolk Punch, mine is 55 years old and I love to hear it burbling away on tickover. It's still cuts really well, much cleaner than my other two. It has some interesting features, centrifugal clutch, rear roller disengagement.
Ps don't go on eBay whilst drunk and buy a Suffolk Punch, you may end up with a horse!


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## vickster (17 May 2020)

Tail End Charlie said:


> If you're near, I can recommend a visit to the lawnmower museum at Southport, very interesting.
> I can also recommend getting an old Suffolk Punch, mine is 55 years old and I love to hear it burbling away on tickover. It's still cuts really well, much cleaner than my other two. It has some interesting features, centrifugal clutch, rear roller disengagement.
> Ps don't go on eBay whilst drunk and buy a Suffolk Punch, you may end up with a horse!


No need for a lawn mower if you’ve got a horse


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## Drago (17 May 2020)

Soltydog said:


> I've had a cheap petrol mower from B&Q lasted a couple of years at most & then burst into flames one day  So spent the extra on a replacement & bought a Honda Izy. It's pull start & been great, even in spring when it's been stood a while it will start 2nd time at worst, & easy to service  Probably had ours 14 years now & had to replace the pull cord a couple of times & that's it. We went for one with a mulching blade fitted to save collecting grass, I presume that option is still available? Think ours is 16" & the lawn is about 60' x 100' doesn't take too long to cut it


I've had the opposite experience. My cheap B&Q job has greatly exceeded expectations, whereas my Honda needed a new crank to fix it, which would have cost nearly as much as a new Honda mower for just the part.

Our experiences clearly show that past experience is not a reliable indicator of future performance.


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## Tenacious Sloth (17 May 2020)

Drago said:


> ...
> Our experiences clearly show that past experience is not a reliable indicator of future performance.


That’s what I keep telling the wife - but she’s not convinced.


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## Slick (17 May 2020)

Tenacious Sloth said:


> That’s what I keep telling the wife - but she’s not convinced.


You hang in there. 😊


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## Proto (28 May 2020)

Ok, I’ve been to the local Honda shop, very helpful bloke, and I’m zeroing in on an Izy. Probably an 18” machine. Not sure whether to go self propelled. I’ll report back.


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## Proto (25 Jun 2020)

cosmicbike said:


> Well if it's anything like my lurcher, give it a week and there won't be any grass. Zoomies see's great clods of turf flying around, we pretty much have a figure 8 in what's left of our grass...
> The offender
> View attachment 522762



haha, zoomies, we get them, too. When she’s bored, just goes into ‘run’ mode. Deer are a big problem, apart from nibbling my trees, dog sees one and takes off, boom, gone. Always come back, so far, ......


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## Proto (25 Jun 2020)

Right, been and gone and done it. Kept looking at eBay for Honda bargains, and at new alternatives but in the end put my hand in my pocket and bought a Honda HRG466 self propelled Izzy. They only one they had in stock had a mulching kit fitted, not sure if that’s a plus or not.
Bought locally, very good price, nice people to deal with, very pleased with the mower and the deal. Can’t believe how easy is is to start compared to my abused old Flymo!


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## Soltydog (25 Jun 2020)

The mulching kit is great, if you can keep on top of the lawn, you don't have to collect the grass, just leave it & you'll not even notice any cuttings


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