BS: Ride on mowers

Subject: BS: Ride on mowers
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 31 Jul 24 - 06:02 PM

Age is beginning to show and I am contemplating buying a ride-on mower. Anyone have any experience of them?

I have up to 2 acres to deal with but some of that is on slopes and I wonder about 4 wheel drive, so that could be expensive. Some will always have to be cut by a small mower as there are trees to get round etc.

Perhaps I will have to stick with the hand propelled petrol mower a bit longer.

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: Ride on mowers
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 01 Aug 24 - 08:56 AM

What about a robot one?

Subject: RE: BS: Ride on mowers
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 01 Aug 24 - 10:32 AM

BBCW:
Not to dissuade you, but you might want to consider this Mudcat Song Challenge: Death by Mower

Subject: RE: BS: Ride on mowers
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 03 Aug 24 - 11:07 AM

It is the threat of turning the thing over, combined with difficulties getting round trees that is making the choice difficult.

A robot mower is not going to work as they have to be able to plug themselves in to recharge, at least the one owned by the bloke next door does. I have the sides of a track to mow as it crosses two fields to get to our house. By the time it got to the far end it would already have had to turn back to plug in again! The one next door forever seems to need reprograming as well.

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: Ride on mowers
From: Neil D
Date: 06 Aug 24 - 12:35 AM

Forget robot mowers and just get a gasoline powered model. The best ones can do a 180 on there on footprint, great for getting in and out of tight spaces. I don't know enough to give you any brands, but my son worked in landscaping so when I see him I'll ask for recommendations.

Subject: RE: BS: Ride on mowers
From: Neil D
Date: 07 Aug 24 - 05:20 AM

Ok Bbcw I talked to my son. First of all robot mowers are really only effective on a very flat yard with few obstacles like trees and shrubbery. The other options are a regular ride on mower and a zero turn. The regular mower is easier to use and better on hills but as you said, you would have to get out the old push mower to get around the trees. Now the zero turn, which turns 360 degrees on the spot, are great for mowing around trees, etc. They do take some practice to operate properly. They don't have a steering wheel but, rather, a hand control for each hand, so it requires a bit of coordination. For instance hills. You have to go straight up and down whereas with a regular mower you can go sideways across the slope if it's not too steep. Price wise: a robot mower starts at around $1600: a regular ride on runs around 2500 and a zero turn starts at $3000. (I remember when that would have bought a new Chrysler with a couple hundred left over)

Subject: RE: BS: Ride on mowers
From: Neil D
Date: 07 Aug 24 - 06:00 AM

I didn't mean to scare you off when I mentioned learning how to use a zero turn so let me add that, even though my son does most of the mowing, both my wife and daughter-in-law are comfortable using it. The one we use belongs to the landlord and is called a Bad Boy and is adequate. Toro is a good brand but my son prefers Ferris mowers.