Just moved to a house that has about 200sqm of lawn (some parts undulating) and it's already looking in need of a trim only after 3 weeks. Looks like it's mostly couch, perhaps a bit of kikuyu, but not entirely sure (definitely not buffalo though).
Have a budget somewhere between $300-$450, prefer petrol (4 stroke) and a minimum of 18" cutting diameter. I could walk into Bunnings and pick one off the shelf, but would rather use that as my last resort.
I bought a cheap Chinese one from Kmart 5 years ago and it's still going strong.. and I've mowed some real crazy grass, like at least 1m high with it. I've seen the same one rebadged at Becks Home Timber & Hardware. So don't be afraid of the cheapies :P
Id love to see more retailers do this. Only a few years ago, bigw and kmart were selling them cheap and were making bunnings keep their prices down. The cheapest at bunnings is now $289…crazy.
I'm so over Bunnings. I've been watching their price creep for a few years now as they strangle the competition. I went to Home Timber & Hardware because Bunnings didn't have the right circular saw blade, and the range and prices were at least on par, if not better than Bunnings in the blades at least. I'll be going there first from now on.
2 stroke is still king in small engines.
hard rubbish collection. I'm serious. every complete mower that i have picked up during hard rubbish (as long as it has compression) I've have gotten running.
do you test compression on the side of the road, or bring it back home anyway?
Test beside the road. All you need to do is give the cord a pull or manually turn the blades. If they spin easily with no resistance then no compression.
Oh that's easy. For some reason I had the picture in mind of you running about with a compression tester and spark plug socket lol
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-190cc-4-stroke-lawn-mower_…
I have this one solid and doesnt fell like it's going to stop when going through long grass like some do.
I have the Ryobi too. Cuts through everything with ease
Reviews on this model look pretty good - I see they have the 175cc version for $399, is it worth the extra $100 for the 190cc model?
No idea about that one it wasn't there when i bought mine last year.
but i bought cause of the amount of people on whirlpool who recommended it.
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2621418
one person at the bottom here like his.
Don't know about the 175cc but the 190cc compared to my retired Victa, it was a big difference with power and ease of mowing. Just need to maintain/service it. Oil change, blade change, air filter, spark plug etc.
I prefer mower shop than bunnings - they fill up the mower and get it ready to run for you. Plus I can walk back anytime with simple problem and they fix for me on the spot. Don't think it'll be hard to find something new in that price range meeting your needs.
Probably go for a Briggs stratton engine in that price. I did get my honda-engine mower for $495 when it was on a special.
How about a base model EGO mower… 56v electric, Tradetools seems to have the best price on these. Very happy with mine, cuts the grass with enough torque for an overdue mow here in subtropical Queensland. Goes for about 40mins on a charge and no petrol to muck about with, no fumes, so much healthier. Also hardly any noise and LED headlights lights, so mow at night on those hot Summer days with abandon, forget the earplugs or be able to listen to music or podcast easily. Just a great option IMHO. But I note that it doesn't fit the bill for you (petrol, max $450). Still, worth a thought. You can also call the EGO mower distributor or look on their website as sometimes there's a "freebie" redemption deal of fast charger/cashback/something else… not every month though unfortunately.
Husqvarna - I just got a LC19 Husqvarna up and running - It was a hard rubbish find. nice machine.