# Allett Liberty 43 - Battery Powered - Preliminary Review



## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

Here's a quick review of the Liberty 43. Some notes to those who are considering buying it; Get the Greenworks 6A, 40V battery and the Greenworks rapid charger (sold separately) 

I received the sacrificing attachment as a separate addon (total cost with shipping was ~=$2900)

The packing was very simple, and I had to flip the box on it's side to remove the unit. All I needed to do was just set the handle verticle, secure it via the side hook/screw. Boom. Easy. The battery had about 40% charge, so no testing today.

















The height adjustment is on the back, which is very cool:



A setting of 4 is inch and a quarter cutting height:



Pros:

- Quality construction
- Very simple to use. 
- Lots of attachments! 
- The height adjustment knob on the back (Swardman has something similar, I believe) 
- The weight isn't -that- bad. It's slightly heavier than my honda push mower but more mobile. 
- Metal construction (The Californa Trimmer has a rubber cylinder) 
- Self-propelled Speed settings are in sync with the reel turning speed? (will verify tomorrow) 
- Battery life is pretty good
- Support has been fantastic 
- It comes with some wheels to allow you to cut 2 inch+ grass.
- The manual gives you a ton of more information, like decibels of the machine when it's cutting (I know, this is silly but it's still neat to know)
- 5 different speed settings. 
- Rollbar comes pre-attached

Cons:

- The Greenworks batteries are very expensive. 
- Cost is high
- 17-inch cutting width vs 21 inch 
- I wish you had a charging port on the mower (think of a Tesla) to charge the battery
- You have to stop the mower to look at the battery for how much charge % is remaining. 
- Going smaller on the cutting width takes longer to cut (4 inches difference is huge, i have to make 4 more passes on a 1900 sqft area)


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## ZEM (Apr 20, 2020)

You stated 18" cutting width, box shows 17". Does seem pricey.


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## Tmank87 (Feb 13, 2019)

Is the red handled throttle (I think) made of plastic?


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

Tmank87 said:


> Is the red handled throttle (I think) made of plastic?


Yes.


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

ZEM said:


> You stated 18" cutting width, box shows 17". Does seem pricey.


Sorry, slight mistake. I fixed it.


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## BrentAR (Jul 4, 2018)

Where did you order it from? Did the price you pay include the battery and charger?


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## ZEM (Apr 20, 2020)

tneicna said:


> ZEM said:
> 
> 
> > You stated 18" cutting width, box shows 17". Does seem pricey.
> ...


It is a sweet looking piece of machinery and I am jealous of the cartridge swap system.


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## AFBiker2011 (Jun 3, 2020)

@tneicna, thanks for your initial review. The more information about these electric reel machines, the better. Your insight really does help others make informed decisions. I'm looking to purchase an electric reel mower at some point in the future (maybe in a couple seasons). But for now still enjoying my recent Tru-Cut purchase.


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

BrentAR said:


> Where did you order it from? Did the price you pay include the battery and charger?


Allett has a US dealer in South Carolina. The $2900 included the Battery + Charger, Dethatch attachment, the mower itself and shipping.

Without the Battery and the dethatching cartridge, it would have been about 700$ cheaper.


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

I added some more details.


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

I just did a dethatching of my front lawn with the kit. Holy moly so much thatch. for a 1500sqft area I had 3 grass catchers full of excessive thatch.

It's pretty impressive so far, but I am beginning to grumble at the battery life.


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

I am going to end up buying a new battery (The 6A one and a quick charger). This unit came with a 4A, 40V battery and a slow charger. It takes 120 minutes to charge the battery from nearly empty.

Another thing I notice is the battery gets really warm after usage. I am going to maybe remove the battery cover case to let it breathe.


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

So far, it took about 3 minutes to change out the chartages. This is easy.


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

After using this for a couple of days, I'm beginning to not like it. The battery life is pretty meh, and I'm spending almost 3x longer cutting my front lawn compared to my rotary mower!

It's leaving grass uncut and I checked the bed knife and it seems OK.

I think a gasoline-powered Californa Trimmer HC (Honda) is a better deal.


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## ADanto6840 (Apr 1, 2021)

What batteries are you using -- are they brand new? Are you quick-charging them, or are you also slow/trickle-charging them as well?

RE: Batteries -- I'd seriously consider using an "adapter" [custom made/printed] for my Ryobi "40V" batteries, which I have a number of (they're actually 36V); if you're in any other ecosystem's 40V, I'd definitely consider doing similar too...

UNRELATED --> Out of curiosity, how long did it take for you to receive this after you purchased/paid? Were they backordered at the time, or were they "in stock"?


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

ADanto6840 said:


> What batteries are you using -- are they brand new? Are you quick-charging them, or are you also slow/trickle-charging them as well?
> 
> RE: Batteries -- I'd seriously consider using an "adapter" [custom made/printed] for my Ryobi "40V" batteries, which I have a number of (they're actually 36V); if you're in any other ecosystem's 40V, I'd definitely consider doing similar too...
> 
> UNRELATED --> Out of curiosity, how long did it take for you to receive this after you purchased/paid? Were they backordered at the time, or were they "in stock"?


4A battery (40V) with the stock charger. Rapid charging batteries generate a lot of heat, which is likely not good for battery cell life!

I ordered it and it was delivered a week later.

Followup post coming soon (with tons of more information)


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## ADanto6840 (Apr 1, 2021)

Looking forward to your follow-up!


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## BrentAR (Jul 4, 2018)

Wondering if there is a power advantage of the Kensington over the Liberty when using the scarifier cartridge?


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

Doing the follow-up review now. Had to grab some pictures.


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## ADanto6840 (Apr 1, 2021)

Still interested in hearing any further thoughts. I'm seriously considering either the Allett Liberty 43 or the Swardman Electra 55. The latter is Fall 2021 ETA though, and at a nearly 50% higher price (not quite that high once you add cost of battery & cartridges, but still), the price difference puts me off a bit & I'd definitely prefer a 'modular' battery system.

I also am already quite-heavily invested in the Ryobi ecosystem -- especially their 18V lineup, but also pretty extensively into the 40V lineup at this point, too -- and so if I was to go with the Liberty, I'd probably try to customize/tailor the battery setup to take my existing Ryobi 40V batteries since I already have multiple 40V batteries (both 4AH & 6AH versions).

Any chance you could take a close-up of the battery "slot" / "seat" for me (without the battery in it). I'm guessing it has 2 prongs, or possibly 4, though I'm guessing that it's simply positive & negative -- in which case I can buy an adapter and solder it onto the terminals & mount it somewhere so that my Ryobi batteries will "just work". If I can get my existing batteries to work with it, it's probably the clear winner since it eliminates most any runtime related issues, plus saves me money as I have extensive lineup of batteries & charging infrastructure for it already.

BTW, Ryobi recently announced (but is not yet selling) an 18V aerator/scarifier/dethatcher unit. They previously were selling a reel mower in AU, too, though it looks like they've since discontinued it (reviews on it were mixed, at best). I sure wish they'd just bring a moderately-decent reel mower to the US -- even if it was priced in the $500-range, if it was half-way decent, it seems it'd fill a fairly big void that currently exists in "middle market" reel mowers, specifically battery-powered reels.

Anyways, definitely quite interested in hearing additional info / thoughts / pictures / etc...! =D


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## DFWLawnNut (Jul 7, 2020)

ADanto6840 said:


> Still interested in hearing any further thoughts. I'm seriously considering either the Allett Liberty 43 or the Swardman Electra 55. The latter is Fall 2021 ETA though, and at a nearly 50% higher price (not quite that high once you add cost of battery & cartridges, but still), the price difference puts me off a bit & I'd definitely prefer a 'modular' battery system.
> 
> I also am already quite-heavily invested in the Ryobi ecosystem -- especially their 18V lineup, but also pretty extensively into the 40V lineup at this point, too -- and so if I was to go with the Liberty, I'd probably try to customize/tailor the battery setup to take my existing Ryobi 40V batteries since I already have multiple 40V batteries (both 4AH & 6AH versions).
> 
> ...


I looked into the same thing you did between the Allett and the Swardman and couldnt justify the Swardman cost. Removable battery was a huge deal as well. I have about 3500sq ft of yard and I use the 6ah battery with it and have only had it die once(double cut the front). I also have two 4ah batteries for backup but the 6ah battery has done just fine for me. Sun Joe had a plug in reel for a bit as well. I bought one of the cheaper battery reels amazon carried for a bit and it was absolute junk compared to the Allett.

They do offer this now but the reviews look bad.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sun-Joe-24-Volt-iON-Plus-Cordless-Push-Reel-Mower-Kit-with-4-0-Ah-Battery-and-Charger-24V-CRLM15/315448314


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

I wanted to grab some pictures today of the lawn (about a month of using the sacrificer). It's raining, so I can't do it.

I talked to Roland on the phone a while ago and he indicated to me that Allett is going to move completely away from gasoline-powered equipment and be specifically battery-based equipment.

I have about 5 pictures of the lawn between when I first used the equipment and when Roland indicated to not use it for cutting right now but use a sacrificer cartridge to clean up the canopy. All I can say is that my lawn looks very good, even though it's been hot lately (in the 80s and 90s). It would never look this good a year ago around the same time.

Get at least 2x of the Greenworks 6.0A batteries with a quick charger. The 4.0A just doesn't have the life a 6.0A would (It's $$$ because of material shortages right now). The quick charging will generate a lot of heat for the cells, so if you do not put it in a climate-controlled environment you may degrade the battery cells (Don't charge them in a hot garage)

*IF YOU ARE TRANSITIONING FROM A ROTARY TO A ALLET REEL BATTERY: READ THIS!
*
- You -have- to do a few things before you consider this. The most important one is that you must dethatch/sacrificer on the lawn a few times a week to clean up the thatch. Start with the highest height on your Allett. Then slowly reduce the height. (say a quarter of an inch lower per week) until you have little to no thatch in your collection hopper. You will disturb the topsoil when you get down close to the "S" setting, so it helps by agitating the soil some to allow for more water/air infiltration into the canopy. 
- Keep mowing with your rotary at whatever height you want. 
- Since I was late getting the product, I couldn't lower the canopy height in the early spring and just use the reel. I have to wait until later this year to do it (I don't -have- to, but you get the idea) 
- My uneven lawn needs to be levelled. The drum has terrible traction in some parts of it. You may wish to get your lawn levelled. 
- OPTIONAL/RECOMMENDED: PGRs on the lawn, organic feeding. Do not encourage a surge of growth because you'll just end up stressing the lawn more with the sacrificer cartage. Using synthetic ferts while you are doing this might make you spend excessive amounts of time cleaning up more thatch! (The rate of microbial decomposition of thatch is partially dependent on the lignin content of organic matter. See my post here: https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=377195#p377195)

Pictures are coming!


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## ADanto6840 (Apr 1, 2021)

Yeah, I'm definitely going to be leveling. I similarly can't really seem to justify the cost of the Swardman. Even the Allett is only _really_ bearable if I'm able to get my existing stock of 40V Ryobi batteries to work with it, especially since I have multiple chargers [rapid & non-rapid], and can use the batteries for all my other outdoor tools too.

I'm _relatively_ confident that I'll be able to make the Ryobi batteries work with it, I'm pretty solid when it comes to electrical projects / soldering / etc.

The other reason I'm super interested is specifically the de-thatching & scarifying capabilities (aeration as well, to a lesser extent). Regardless, I'll be using my Ryobi rotary for another few months no matter what -- I'm not SUPER off-level, but I'm also not level enough to be at-or-under 1" right now I don't think, either.

Looking forward to pictures. Also would love to get a pic of the battery 'port' / location, like I mentioned. It's probably a $500 difference (and space savings, better usage/value from battery purchases, etc) if I can make my Ryobi batteries work, so any pics of it would be much appreciated. =)

BTW -- Who is Roland? Is that a local contact, or a US regional contact? Would appreciate any guidance or referral as far as contacts for sales, etc....


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

ADanto6840 said:


> Yeah, I'm definitely going to be leveling. I similarly can't really seem to justify the cost of the Swardman. Even the Allett is only _really_ bearable if I'm able to get my existing stock of 40V Ryobi batteries to work with it, especially since I have multiple chargers [rapid & non-rapid], and can use the batteries for all my other outdoor tools too.
> 
> I'm _relatively_ confident that I'll be able to make the Ryobi batteries work with it, I'm pretty solid when it comes to electrical projects / soldering / etc.
> 
> ...


Roland is the Head man at Allett USA.

Stock lawn; Before the Allett + Sacrificing:



First day of using the sacrificing cartridge (May 4th)



May 7th:



May 14th:



May 16th:



May 24th (Today) - Lots of POA


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## ADanto6840 (Apr 1, 2021)

Any chance of a shot of the battery slot? =D


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## The Lawn Monk (Mar 15, 2021)

I've had my Allett Liberty 43 for over a month so far and absolutely love it. Last fall I went the greensmower route and bought a Toro GM1000. Awesome machine, but just way too big and bulky for my 1600 sq. The Allett stripes beautifully, also it's so quiet, I can now mow after dinner around 7 pm when it's cool and not disturb any neighbors. I can even pick it up and carry it over to where I mow, no more fighting with tight spaces like with the GM1000.

@ADanto6840 I would just pull the trigger on the Allett. I had a Swardman Edwin 45 gas order placed originally, and ended up canceling and going with the Liberty. Best decision I could of made (just speaking for myself of course). I researched so much, it was overwhelming. Yes, the price is steep, but I bought it through Affirm and just make interest free monthly payments. If you're into the lawn and know you wanna be reel mowing, spraying, driving yourself crazy, I'd get it. I'm heavily invested in Milwaukee tools, so when I saw this Greenworks battery business, I was like ehhhh. I originally went with two 4.0 ah batteries off Amazon, but man, the battery life just wasn't there, it was a nuisance. Returned those and went with the 6.0 ah and now I can do about three to four cuts on my 1600 sq foot lawn. If you're gonna spend the dough on the Allett Liberty 43, just get the wacky Greenworks battery ya know? Those were my thoughts when shopping at least. Why stress trying to fit the Ryobi one in there, possibly voiding the warranty or not working properly. If you've got any questions feel free to shoot me a DM!


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## ADanto6840 (Apr 1, 2021)

Thank you. I pulled the trigger yesterday. =)

Is going to cost me -- wife wants some shopping trips -- but I'm really hopeful and excited, I think it'll be worth it. I was able to speak with someone with Allett yesterday evening (for almost an hour!), he answered all my questions, and I feel pretty damn confident about the purchase. Super excited to receive it.

FWIW, I only bought the scarifier cartridge along with the default 6-blade reel cartridge; based on the phone call yesterday, I'm also going to snag the brush & the 10-blade cartridge (via Horizon where it's on clearance).

As soon as it's here, I'll be posting much more info. And I agree, though I was told the Ryobi batteries likely will work, I'm just going to pick up a 6AH battery + charger and call it a day. 6AH should be more than enough to cut my entire lawn 2X, which is my main concern (brush or scarify, then mow). As much as I'd like to consolidate batteries, I'm not going to screw up my investment over saving a few hundred bucks on batteries.

Thanks again for the feedback!! =D


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## ADanto6840 (Apr 1, 2021)

Got my Allett Liberty 43 yesterday and tried it out -- pretty cool little machine. I don't know that it exceeded my expectations thus far, but I'm also still learning it & it's the first reel-mower I've owned (excluding the manual reel my father got me as a kid, some 30 years ago).

I tried the scarifier & 6-blade cartridges so far. Scarifier was solid, though really had to set the HOC level low (ie aggressive) to get much out of my sod / thatch. My lawn isn't level enough yet, so I had to run the 6-blade cartridge at the highest HOC. It definitely cut quite nicely.

I did have quite a bit of "slippage" on the drive roller, which meant I was "pushing it" a _whole lot_ more than I expected to be (and massively more than I had to w/ my 21" Ryobi rotary). I can't tell if both 'sides' of the rear roller are powered, or if only 1 side is; if the latter, then that may be part of the issue. That said, it may be something more simple, and I may just need to tighten the roller drive tension ( video of that here); not sure yet, but I'll continue using it & learning and go from there.


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## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

My Liberty 43 has given my lawn a much-needed boost. I will have to level the lawn in the fall, though. I am also going to do some patchwork in the meantime in a few areas of the lawn.


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