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“big mower little power AVOID”

written by caroledge on 19/05/2013

After six months it's now obvious: This mower is not up to the job. I upgraded from a small mountfield self-push, so why does it take nearly twice as long to mow the same lawn?

mountfield have attempted to create a mid-range mower but compromised ALL the features. Basically, it's a big car with a little engine. A Ford Focus trying to be a Range Rover and failing dismally. mountfield marketing call it 'high specification' but the SP535 is a spectacular fail. High specification maybe, but low performance.

The SP535 is essentially made to fit in a box for easy distribution, or it wouldn't be so awkward to use if someone had actually considered the end user. It has not been tested or they would understand how user-unfriendly the construction is: for example the metal hooked end of the self-propulsion handle is right in the path of the pull cord. Yes, you've got it, fingers and knuckles bashed against the metal sticking out.

Or how about the metal handle strut, placed right where the user wants to hook on the grass box. Result: the user has to bend down under the handle bar EVERY TIME to fit the grass box. It never used to be like this, but this bar allows mountfield to fold it and put it in a box. They aren't concerned what happens once you get it on your lawn, only how they get it to the lawnmower shop.

GRASS BOX: This model is larger than the smaller models - so why are mountfield supplying same small 60 litre grass box from their smaller models to use with the SP535 and other models? Result: stopping and emptying twice as often.

SELF PROPULSION: is feeble and may as well not be there. It has no power and can hardly move the mower empty, when the grass box is full, forget it. So hopeless and slow I no longer use it (after being overtaken by a snail reading a newspaper.)

VARIABLE SPEED, like the feeble self-propulsion, it is hardly there. It runs at one speed FULL speed. Set to 'idle' it stops, set to lower than full speed, it can't cut the grass.

CHOKE: There is none on this model, WHY? it's not electric start, or any more efficient at starting. So users have to yank the start cord about 15 times before the mower finally kicks over.

The claim that this is a self-propelled, variable speed mower is not true if either can only just cope (poorly) with the job they are expected to do. Much of the problem lies with the heavy steel body and steel height adjustment, another pointless feature which makes the mower too heavy to function adequately.

I have always been loyal to Mountfield, but as this is their idea of a 'high specification' mower they've lost a customer. I shouldn't be saying that the cheaper, smaller model is better, lighter and more efficient, but it absolutely is - and that's a damn shame. I won't buy from them again.