Hello
We’re not quite there yet, but very soon.
We definitely need a lawn mower for the summer, but we’re not sure which one to get. I’ve done a bit of research but haven’t made much progress.
Lawn area: about 250m² (2700 sq ft), maximum 300m² (3200 sq ft)
Previously, as renters, we had an old corded electric mower. The advantage was that it was very quiet, didn’t require gasoline, and was easy to start (just push a lever and go). The downside, of course, is that you can’t run over the cable, which can also be annoying as it’s always in the way.
Then there are battery-powered mowers, which don’t have a cord. However, I have doubts about the battery life and the fact that after 2-3 years, the battery capacity tends to deteriorate significantly. Eventually, the battery may no longer be able to mow the entire lawn in one go. Also, battery mowers generally have less power than gas mowers.
That leaves the typical gas mower, preferably self-propelled. The advantage is that there are no cables to get in the way. The downside, in my opinion, is that starting often requires a strong pull on the cord (not ideal for women or children), and you have to store gasoline safely. On the plus side, it has the most power and can easily handle taller grass if you’ve been a bit lazy.
We haven’t really settled on a brand yet. I’d like to get a robotic mower in a few years, but my partner isn’t convinced. Still, 250m² (2700 sq ft) is manageable with a good traditional mower.
Do you have any recommendations? Is it worth buying these devices online in terms of price?
We’re not quite there yet, but very soon.
We definitely need a lawn mower for the summer, but we’re not sure which one to get. I’ve done a bit of research but haven’t made much progress.
Lawn area: about 250m² (2700 sq ft), maximum 300m² (3200 sq ft)
Previously, as renters, we had an old corded electric mower. The advantage was that it was very quiet, didn’t require gasoline, and was easy to start (just push a lever and go). The downside, of course, is that you can’t run over the cable, which can also be annoying as it’s always in the way.
Then there are battery-powered mowers, which don’t have a cord. However, I have doubts about the battery life and the fact that after 2-3 years, the battery capacity tends to deteriorate significantly. Eventually, the battery may no longer be able to mow the entire lawn in one go. Also, battery mowers generally have less power than gas mowers.
That leaves the typical gas mower, preferably self-propelled. The advantage is that there are no cables to get in the way. The downside, in my opinion, is that starting often requires a strong pull on the cord (not ideal for women or children), and you have to store gasoline safely. On the plus side, it has the most power and can easily handle taller grass if you’ve been a bit lazy.
We haven’t really settled on a brand yet. I’d like to get a robotic mower in a few years, but my partner isn’t convinced. Still, 250m² (2700 sq ft) is manageable with a good traditional mower.
Do you have any recommendations? Is it worth buying these devices online in terms of price?
B
Bauexperte29 Apr 2016 18:46Hello,
I’m not talking about chain stores you find in every smaller or larger town; those locations are interchangeable – the only difference is the name on the town sign. I’m referring to genuine specialist retailers – for example, a dealer for agricultural machinery. The advice you get in these shops – if there even still is one near you – is generally thorough and very good. Of course, I have to choose within their range; but that, by the way, is no different from what is always discussed here regarding providers. It is also certainly not true that specialist retailers on site have to end up with the short end of the stick when it comes to prices. Rather, the internet gives the impression that it is always and everywhere cheaper there. But even if the specialist retailer is a few euros more expensive – which I doubt, since a lot of rubbish is sold online – it’s worth it to me; both for myself and for the jobs that can only be secured through turnover.
I also notice this mindset among some of my phone contacts who are looking for a suitable building partner. Some of them seem seriously convinced that a new build can be handled via email and self-study of building regulations and so on. I politely remove myself from such conversations and wish them success with their upcoming house-building adventure.
Regards, Bauexperte
Payday schrieb:This attitude shouldn’t really surprise me anymore; yet it still does.
To be honest, I don’t care at all. I see no added value on site.
I’m not talking about chain stores you find in every smaller or larger town; those locations are interchangeable – the only difference is the name on the town sign. I’m referring to genuine specialist retailers – for example, a dealer for agricultural machinery. The advice you get in these shops – if there even still is one near you – is generally thorough and very good. Of course, I have to choose within their range; but that, by the way, is no different from what is always discussed here regarding providers. It is also certainly not true that specialist retailers on site have to end up with the short end of the stick when it comes to prices. Rather, the internet gives the impression that it is always and everywhere cheaper there. But even if the specialist retailer is a few euros more expensive – which I doubt, since a lot of rubbish is sold online – it’s worth it to me; both for myself and for the jobs that can only be secured through turnover.
I also notice this mindset among some of my phone contacts who are looking for a suitable building partner. Some of them seem seriously convinced that a new build can be handled via email and self-study of building regulations and so on. I politely remove myself from such conversations and wish them success with their upcoming house-building adventure.
Regards, Bauexperte
We also do a lot of shopping online and use it to compare prices. We purchase many items from the retailer with the big A.
When comparing prices, we ordered our complete Gardena irrigation system from a specialized dealer who had by far the best price.
However, there are things we prefer to buy at specialized stores. For example, the brush cutter was bought from an agricultural machinery specialist. They gave us good advice on certain points (including some questions my wife had) and will provide a full demonstration when we pick it up. We will bring along our neighbor, who also wants to use the brush cutter. The dealer gave us a slight discount on price. It wasn’t quite as low as the online price, but considering that we would have had to pick up the brush cutter ourselves from the online seller, the price was fair (taking travel time and costs into account).
Personally, I never buy clothes or shoes online. I once tried ordering shoes in my regular size and half a size larger. The shoes were intended for work and would have been worn several hours every day. Although the half-size larger ones were partly bigger, none fit well. So, I had to return them. In the store, I can try on alternative pairs, one after the other.
I also prefer to try on and feel the clothing. Constantly ordering and returning items would annoy me.
That said, we also shop at discount stores when price and quality match. But who can really judge the quality of an item at the time of purchase?
When comparing prices, we ordered our complete Gardena irrigation system from a specialized dealer who had by far the best price.
However, there are things we prefer to buy at specialized stores. For example, the brush cutter was bought from an agricultural machinery specialist. They gave us good advice on certain points (including some questions my wife had) and will provide a full demonstration when we pick it up. We will bring along our neighbor, who also wants to use the brush cutter. The dealer gave us a slight discount on price. It wasn’t quite as low as the online price, but considering that we would have had to pick up the brush cutter ourselves from the online seller, the price was fair (taking travel time and costs into account).
Personally, I never buy clothes or shoes online. I once tried ordering shoes in my regular size and half a size larger. The shoes were intended for work and would have been worn several hours every day. Although the half-size larger ones were partly bigger, none fit well. So, I had to return them. In the store, I can try on alternative pairs, one after the other.
I also prefer to try on and feel the clothing. Constantly ordering and returning items would annoy me.
That said, we also shop at discount stores when price and quality match. But who can really judge the quality of an item at the time of purchase?
EveundGerd29 Apr 2016 23:06Back to the lawn mower
We have a very old gasoline mower with an unreadable brand, a ride-on mower from MTB, and a brush cutter from Stihl.
The area to be mowed is just under 750 sqm (8,073 sq ft).
We are planning a robotic lawn mower, possibly two, because of the area to be mowed. However, we are quite undecided and are considering a Husqvarna.
We have a very old gasoline mower with an unreadable brand, a ride-on mower from MTB, and a brush cutter from Stihl.
The area to be mowed is just under 750 sqm (8,073 sq ft).
We are planning a robotic lawn mower, possibly two, because of the area to be mowed. However, we are quite undecided and are considering a Husqvarna.
Bauexperte schrieb:
Hello,
This setting shouldn’t (actually) surprise me anymore; yet it still does.
I’m not talking about chains you find in any small or large town; those stores are interchangeable – the only difference is the name on the town sign. I’m referring to genuine specialist retailers – a dealership for agricultural machinery is an example. The advice you get in such shops – if they still exist near you at all – is generally thorough and very good. Unfortunately, that’s often no longer the case today, and it mostly comes down to trying to sell the most expensive equipment possible. They sell professional lawn mowers designed for football fields for a 20cm (8 inches) front lawn, and similar absurdities. It’s just like everywhere else: everyone has to inform themselves. So-called "specialist retailer goods," which are only sold by specialist retailers, are always more expensive but usually not worth the extra cost. You won’t find enough customer reviews online because these products are only sold through specialist retailers. I like to research online and trust reviews from buyers (although I can recognize fake reviews) more than manufacturers’ claims. Online information is also becoming increasingly scarce. Specialist retailer goods are sold exclusively through these retailers to force customers to rely only on them, often leaving them stuck with overpriced nonsense. On top of that, local stores usually don’t offer any exchange rights!
And that’s really the reason why the internet is way ahead of physical stores: a 14-day return policy without any ifs or buts!
@f-pNo: Did you also buy the Gardena pipeline system? How satisfied are you with the system? Our system is still in the living room because we still need to add fill material and don’t yet know the final height.