Lawn Mowers – Petrol vs. Battery
The mower comes out of the shed after ‘hibernation’ and we realise it has gone past the best of its days and you could really do with a new one. We asked our expert Chris Thorne, his advice on choosing a new mower…
“There is a myriad of types to choose from. Just look at the Cobra catalogue for example, there are over 75 models to choose from and some of those you can specify with engines from a choice of Briggs & Stratton, Cobra or Honda. We can also talk about the Stihl range. When you see professional people working, the equipment is usually orange and grey Stihl coloured. They are depending on reliability for their income.
When you start to examine the Stihl range you will see the batteries are interchangeable with other equipment. You could run a mower, hedge trimmer, strimmer blower or chainsaw from the one battery, so that when you buy the second machine you make huge savings.
Battery machines are charging up the popularity ratings. It’s great to be able to cut the grass with battery power supplied from a green energy company, but it is no good going down that root if the battery runs out before you finish. The first question then is “How big is your lawn?” From that answer we can start to narrow down the choice and offer the best options.
Petrol engines are quieter and much easier to start than their older counterparts. Gone are the days of using up your energy before you even start the job. They still have a part to play in maintaining the larger areas of grass, and are generally more highly powered than battery models, coping with longer or wetter grass, but if your wallet allows, we can show you battery powered mowers from the professional range of Stihl products that will cope with all this.”
Chris’ Top Tips for Storing Your Lawn Mower
Petrol mowers. With the introduction of ethanol into fuel, we are seeing problems arising where fuel is stored for long periods and moisture is adsorbed into the it. Use and store only small amounts or add “Fuel Fit” to your petrol. This is a product that keeps fuel fresh in storage… A £4.99* bottle treats 25 litres of fuel.
Battery mowers. Keep batteries unplugged. Even if all switches are off, the batteries can “trickle out” their charge over long periods of time. So, if stored overwinter on a low charge then come spring, the battery needs to be recharged by engineers.
If you would like any further information, please call us on 01727 822255 or email us at info@aylettnurseries.co.uk
We stock a great selection of battery and petrol lawnmowers and accessories and can place orders for models not stocked too.