In article ,
"Bob Hobden" writes:
|
| Petrol ones need a HELL of a lot more attention - not just all the
| hassle of regular maintenance, but the fiddling about. The cheaper
| ones are mostly unreliable, and the more expensive ones tend to
| be heavy and are often poorly suited to small or fiddly areas. For
| those, electric ones are generally much better.
|
| I wouldn't touch petrol for any garden of below 1,000 square yards,
| and it doesn't become a definite win until they exceed about 5,000
| square yards.
|
| Don't take much fiddling or attention these days and the maintainance is
| minimal, basically cleaning if it's a two stroke motor. You would need to do
| that with an electric one anyway and fight with the cord every time you use
| it. Yes, after years of use you may need to change the plug and do some
| maintainance but then with the cheaper electric one you have to throw it
| away and buy another, and another......

A lot of people have said that to me, and then I have watched them
use the things. Almost everyone ignores lots of small overheads,
including that needed to buy and/or mix the fuel, plus the times the
damn thing took several minutes to start. "This isn't typical - it
usually starts first time - gasp, gasp." You may be luckier.

Also I have great difficulty believing that relatively cheap, exposed
to the elements, garden equipment engines are MORE reliable and
easier to start than modern car ones. Pull-cord or battery start?
If the former, it had better start first time, every time or you had
better be strong in the arm; if the latter, I plain don't believe
the absence of maintenance - batteries just aren't that long-lived.

We have used our electric mower for well over 20 years, and I don't
maintain it in any way more than once a year. Indeed, clean WHAT?
There's nothing that needs cleaning.

| As far as I'm concerned all your comments are mitigated by not having a cord
| trailing about (trip and electrocution hazard and a right PITB), the
| increased power, and being able to use it anywhere. (last bit is important
| for me, no electric on the allotments)

Cords are a nuisance, but not as much as is made out, and their
disadvantages/dangers are mitigated by the fact that electric
motors are controlled by a dead man's switch. If you let go, they
stop - not instantaneously, but without positive action.

And your last point is is why we used paraffin fridges in Africa.
The argument applies only if you have the problem. Most people
don't.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.