Electric Lawnmowers

[carlyai]

Got a smallish patch of Malay grass and some rough weedy bits I want to mow. Any good electric lawnmowers around? Recommendations?

[Crossy]

The 5-6000 Baht mowers are much of a muchness. B&D always had a good reputation, but they are now made in China along with all the rest. Get down to your local place that sells these things and have a look at build quality, weight, handling on the corners, grass collection/emptying arrangements, don't get anything less than 1400-1500 Watts.

 

Many come without cables so a long lead will also need to be on the shopping list.

 

If your outlets are not RCD protected you need to make some arrangments for that. WHEN (not if) you cut the cord you don't want anyone picking up live ends! (better get some barrel/choc-blok connectors and electrical tape too).

 

Just how big is your lawn? For anything more than a postage stamp a small petrol mower may be better. It will certainly be more powerful (and noisy, smelly, oily and occasionally difficult to start).

 

[tonray]

If it's really small as mine is...just really a side yard with a wall as my neighbor...use a String Trimmer. My cheapo one from HomePro still going strong 18 months now....I think I paid 1600 baht.
 

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, tonray said:

If it's really small as mine is...just really a side yard with a wall as my neighbor...use a String Trimmer.

 

Yeah, a Strimmer/Weed Whacker type device is cheaper than a mower and perfect for that sort of area.

 

You need one to get up the the walls and around trees anyway, unless you are in to crawling around using shears.

 

[Daffy D]

You beat me to it.

 

Yes a strimmer, lightweight electric one you can also use for hedge trimming.

 

I've had a Black & Decker for some years and apart from replacing the nylon strim cord a couple of times it still works just fine.

 

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/blackdecker-300-gl300-i355024498-s695408093.html?exlaz=d_1:mm_150050845_51350205_2010350205::12:1498579383!58089999096!!!pla-296030489971!c!296030489971!695408093!135279005&gclid=CjwKCAjwxev3BRBBEiwAiB_PWJYSLDNDT_90voNUNBdUpahd6pIaG2jdq9PQQI21WXjQhGb5k6Y7hRoCqd0QAvD_BwE

 

 

[northsouthdevide]

I saw an electric strimmer on wheels last week, looked pretty nifty. 

May have been in global house but not sure. 

[bankruatsteve]

I got a Makita 1100W mower about 4 years ago (Home Hub) and, except for a badly needed blade sharpening, it has performed well.  It is prone to rev down in long or thick grass but going slow with a back-forth motion it gets through nicely.  Have grass sheers for the parts it can't reach.  I've owned several brands and types of the cord cutters over the years (including in the states) and end up trashing them within a year because the damn cord doesn't last long or it's a bitch to replace.  And I do realize it might just be a thing with me, but IMO they are c_r_a_p.

[stouricks]

On the question of mowers, electric or petrol, WHY are the wheels always wider than the blade cowling, meaning that you cannot cut right up to a wall. Anyone?

They could put some sort of protecter on the outer edges of the cowling to stop scratching if that's your answer.

Edited July 1, 2020 by stouricks

[carlyai]

5 hours ago, northsouthdevide said:

I saw an electric strimmer on wheels last week, looked pretty nifty. 

May have been in global house but not sure. 

Yes I saw a Thai electric strimmer next to the Thai ĺawnmower. Both had the same chassis but different cutters. I thought then, why would you buy the strimmer and not the mower?

[carlyai]

A friend has an electric Makita and he's been talked into bringing it here to see how it goes on my grass.

 

[kamalabob2]

Living in Buriram Thailand I have owned several corded electric lawn mowers since 2008.  I have bought Talon brand, Bosch Brand electric lawn mower, but am far more satisfied with the self propelled 1800 watt Makita Electric lawn mower. Yesterday I ordered two parts that my wife had broken. If I was to buy a lawn mower today, I would seriously consider the Makita 36 volt battery lawn mower. It is not self propelled. Parts for popular Makita garden tools have been easy to source for me. Parts for Talon, Asgatec, Euro, Castel Garden lawn mowers in Thailand can be a challenge if they are over four years old.  I currently own a Troy Bilt TB280ES petrol lawn mower, but the Honda HRJ216K3 self propelled lawn mower would be my choice today. I see which lawn mowers come for repairs, and how long it takes to get parts to Buriram. I would seriously buy an EGO brand self propelled battery lawn mower manufactured by Chervon (owner of Skil Tools) yet there still is not an authorized importer of that brand of garden tools. It has been my observation that the importer of the tool brand plays a key role in ownership satisfaction. Even the store in Buriram sells Makita electric lawn mowers on line via a Lazada storefront. You need not settle for junk brands that look like they are sold at Grocery Outlet Store. 

Edited July 2, 2020 by kamalabob2

[Trillian]

On 7/1/2020 at 8:05 AM, Daffy D said:

You beat me to it.

 

Yes a strimmer, lightweight electric one you can also use for hedge trimming.

 

I've had a Black & Decker for some years and apart from replacing the nylon strim cord a couple of times it still works just fine.

 

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/blackdecker-300-gl300-i355024498-s695408093.html?exlaz=d_1:mm_150050845_51350205_2010350205::12:1498579383!58089999096!!!pla-296030489971!c!296030489971!695408093!135279005&gclid=CjwKCAjwxev3BRBBEiwAiB_PWJYSLDNDT_90voNUNBdUpahd6pIaG2jdq9PQQI21WXjQhGb5k6Y7hRoCqd0QAvD_BwE

 

 

We have three B&D strimmers that are free to a good home but they all suffer from the same problem. B&D is excellent at built in obsolescence which in the case of the strimmer is the hole the plastic cord comes out of, the one that has a lightweight brass bushing on it. After only a short time the bushing falls out which leaves the wire to cut into the plastic of the body. Eventually the device becomes unusable because the plastic has been gouged away by the action of the rotating cord.

[toofarnorth]

I have a Makita lawn mower .Just looked ...ELM 3311.  Been using it for years ,what I like about it is the 4 wheels are adjustable so after a bit of trial and error it suits both lawns on opposite sides of the house.

When it starts to vibrate too much I remove the blade and grind all the dirt and any rust off.

[kamalabob2]

The Makita non corded tool that has serious power, is the Makita DUH551 36 volt battery hedge trimmer. In 2008 I bought the 320 watt corded Makita MUH355 Hedge trimmer in Thailand. It might be suitable for some hedges, but not the hedges at my home in Buriram province. I then bought a Hitachi 18 volt hedge trimmer. It cut Ok, but the 1.5ah batteries faded quicker than me. I then bought the Makita battery trimmer when I realized Hitachi was no longer importing the petrol garden blower. The dual 18 volt 5.0AH Makita hedge trimmer is worth consideration if you have a long or large hedge in Thailand.  It might not be the first choice of a short woman to use. There are no shortage of lighter weight, "slap a name label" on brightly colored hedge trimmers in Thailand. Those odd brands often have zero to no parts in Thailand for repairs. 

[Trillian]

I've been looking at non-corded strimmers and Greenworks scores highly but pricey at 6k, good quality products from Greenworks however.

[Daffy D]

1 hour ago, Trillian said:

We have three B&D strimmers that are free to a good home but they all suffer from the same problem. B&D is excellent at built in obsolescence which in the case of the strimmer is the hole the plastic cord comes out of, the one that has a lightweight brass bushing on it. After only a short time the bushing falls out which leaves the wire to cut into the plastic of the body. Eventually the device becomes unusable because the plastic has been gouged away by the action of the rotating cord.

Never had that problem, anyway you can buy replacement packs which include a new cap.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/3-pack-strimmer-line-spool-cover-cap-black-decker-gl7033-gl8033-gl9035-i1171168941-s2767138297.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.17.15da524eaDKqFJ&search=1

[Daffy D]

I also have a Black and Decker electric hedge trimmer. I am not a B&D agent, honest 

 

Anyway, used to use the lawn strimmer to trim a couple of bougainvillea bushes at the front of our plot, but as the bougainvillea grew that got a bit much for the nylon strings of the strimmer so decided to get a proper trimmer with metal cutting teeth.

 

Been using the B&D trimmer about twice a month on the ever growing bougainvillea for the last 5 or 6 years and never had a problem. Bougainvillea cutting is a lot tougher than your usual hedge, especially as the plant grows and the branches get thicker and tougher to cut.

 

After every use I spray the moving blades with WD 40 before putting the trimmer in the shed ready for the next time. Last week I did have to sharpen the blades but that was the only "maintenance" I've ever needed to do. 

 

 

 

Edited July 2, 2020 by Daffy D
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[kamalabob2]

This Saturday morning I took a couple of photos in the garage of my home in Buriram province. The Makita DUR366L dual 18 volt grass trimmer is very easy for my wife or her sister to use in our yards. The dual 18 volt Makita DUH651 650mm long Hedge trimmer takes some strength. The Makita DUR187 is a lighter 18 volt grass trimmer. I'd put any current model Makita side to side with any Greenworks garden tool actually sold in Thailand. Milwaukee Tools is finally starting to import 18 volt garden tools into Thailand.