# Gardena mini electric reel mower



## vnephologist (Aug 4, 2017)

Jayhawk got me thinking about a battery operated blower, so then I started looking to see if I could use the same battery for a mower. Of course, I took it one step further and searched for an electric reel. Well, it appears Gardena makes one! It only has a 15" cut so definitely on for small yards, but it looks like it'd make some cool mini stripes with its back roller. Maybe its time to start the mini-reel low club.  Anybody have experience with this thing?

http://www.gardena.com/int/products/lawn-care/cylinder-lawnmowers/380-li/965863701/


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## M311att (May 22, 2017)

I wish there was a super mini electric that was 6-8 inches wide because my Jacobsen can't get anywhere near a wall.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

M311att said:


> I wish there was a super mini electric that was 6-8 inches wide because my Jacobsen can't get anywhere near a wall.


A Maruyama Landscape Blade is what you seek. :thumbup:


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

vnephologist said:


> Maybe its time to start the mini-reel low club.


This would have to be your theme song


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## stogie1020 (Sep 10, 2019)

it looks like the 380 Li is no longer sold in the US.

Anyone know why?

For my small lawn it would be perfect and it seems to be the only sub $500 electric reel mower that can cut below 1" HOC.

Can these still be bought anywhere in the US?


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## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

Not sure, but if your if your lawn is only 900ft2, would you consider a model that is corded?

Depending on how handy you are, I bet it would be a fun project to convert a corded reel mower to battery power using components from a battery rotary mower.


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## avionics12 (Jul 2, 2018)

I used the 380Li on a Zoysia lawn about 6-7 years ago. I had 750 sq ft which took about 30 mins to mow. The first pass would be a North/South cut, followed by a East/West cut. I loved that mower so much I had it saved in a wish list on Amazon. I bought an extra battery to swap out for every other cut.

The quality of cut was very good, the battery was quite strong as well as the drive motor itself. I never sharpened or backlapped it as I did not know(at the time)it was needed. It still cut well for three years. The only reason I don't have it now is because the buyer of that house really wanted it and I thought I could get another easily on Amazon.

I wanted another Gardena to do close-in reel low cutting at my current home and to live again in the near silent cutting days. I was quite disappointed when I saw the "Not Currently Available" tag on Amazon. I did a North America search and discovered, as you now know, Gardena chose to exit this market. Damn shame.

The saving grace will be a Swardman Electra. At 10x the price of a Gardena, and worth every penny I'm sure.


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## hsvtoolfool (Jul 23, 2018)

What Ward said: the nicest low-mow precision "edger" is the Maruyama Landscape Blade. Mine is about to whack a bunch of old perennial flower stalks.

I'm not sure what you all mean by "close-in" mowing, but the right side of my Swardman Electra mows to within about 1/2" of objects and curbs. So I always mow counter-clockwise for my border passes. It's a very clever design and saves me TONS of time edging.


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## stogie1020 (Sep 10, 2019)

Gilley11 said:


> Not sure, but if your if your lawn is only 900ft2, would you consider a model that is corded?
> 
> Depending on how handy you are, I bet it would be a fun project to convert a corded reel mower to battery power using components from a battery rotary mower.


Absolutely would consider corded, if I can find one that cuts at 1/2". The Sun Joe only goes down to 1", which I get with my Scotts' 20" manual reel.

Without Gardena, my best bet is probably a Great States/American manual reel, since they cut down to 1/2"...


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