# Allett users?



## 1FASTSS

I bought a lightly used Allett Classic 17b last year and mow 2-3 times per week on Celebration Bermuda turf. I am wondering what other users are seeing with their mowers....here is a small list of things that have failed in my short time with the mower:

(2) small upper pulley bearing have gone bad. 
(2) belts (the first one was related to the pulley bearing) second one wasn't. 
Throttle cable housing split. 
Scarifier cartridge gear drive sheared off 3-5 teeth. 
(2) springs at the end of the drive cable and the reel cable broke and failed. 
Some paint is flaking off in spots. 
Mower sometimes pops out of its height adjustment. 
6 blade reel comes out of adjustment every time I mow and actually while I mow. I notice the right side stops cutting after about the first 5-8 passes. Then I readjust and the same thing happens again so I usually just double cut everytime I mow.

I have the original receipt and it was purchased on 5/2018. The guy moved from Georgia to FL and had St. Aug grass so I got a fair price for it. Is anyone else having similar issues with their mowers? The other main thing is getting parts. The closest service dealer to me is very hard to get a hold of and is very unresponsive to part requests. Good thing I used to race cars in the past so sourcing other ways to get items to keep it working has been the only way other than used parts via ebay from England.

My plan for the future is to get a John Deere/Toro greens mower and to use this one for strictly for scalping and verticutting. I hoping that I can limp it through the rest of this season though has my doubts at times.


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## Reelrollers

PM me and I can send you a few contacts that work at Allett to see if they can help get you the parts you need.


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## jimbeckel

I also have the same mower, throttle cable is a poor design, height of cut wheel pops out consistently. I haven't had issues with belts or bearings. I do like the removable cartridge system. The cut is nowhere near as good as a greens mower. I bought mine used on EBay for $200 so I'm not out a lot of money


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## DFW_Zoysia

I always wondered about these mowers but info seemed scarce.

It seems many people canceled their Electra orders and immediately ordered Allet mowers. I'm thinking we will soon have a larger sample pool to determine their quality on a larger scale.


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## EagleRising26

I just received my Kensington 20H w/scarifier yesterday, so I guess time will tell. Initial impression, build quality seems good, no complaints. I turf raked the front and side yards, and then mowed.

I chose Allett over Swardman for a few reasons: 1. How long the company has been in business since 1965 (well established)2. Dealer network in the US, lots compared to 1 (I have no doubt Reel Rollers is a great company). 3. Allett has a good commercial base as well, mowers used for MLB, and Football. Swardman the company seems a lot smaller and is definitely young, and since they really only have 1 US distributor it will be tough to get parts if something were to happen to Reel Rollers.

I reached out to a few of the Horizon dealers and was able to get one out of Florida. It shipped the day it arrived. I emailed them over the weekend, they responded Monday that they had a few unit inbound. It arrived Wednesday and shipped to me the same day.


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## DFWLawnNut

I have a Liberty 43 on order so we'll see how it goes but I echo what EagleRising said in regards to why I went Allett over Swardman. I almost went CalTrimmer but decided I really wanted individual reel and drive control and the cartridges let me sell the other equipment to make room.


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## DFW_Zoysia

I hope the mowers work out well for you guys and you enjoy them.


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## 1FASTSS

EagleRising26 said:


> I just received my Kensington 20H w/scarifier yesterday, so I guess time will tell. Initial impression, build quality seems good, no complaints. I turf raked the front and side yards, and then mowed.
> 
> I chose Allett over Swardman for a few reasons: 1. How long the company has been in business since 1965 (well established)2. Dealer network in the US, lots compared to 1 (I have no doubt Reel Rollers is a great company). 3. Allett has a good commercial base as well, mowers used for MLB, and Football. Swardman the company seems a lot smaller and is definitely young, and since they really only have 1 US distributor it will be tough to get parts if something were to happen to Reel Rollers.
> 
> I reached out to a few of the Horizon dealers and was able to get one out of Florida. It shipped the day it arrived. I emailed them over the weekend, they responded Monday that they had a few unit inbound. It arrived Wednesday and shipped to me the same day.


I'm sure they were responsive. When you want to purchase items like mowers and cartridges Horizon is very responsive. I got my verticutter cartridge within a week. If you need small parts etc then they are not very responsive at all.

I thought the Allett rep here in the states would be able to help my find the parts I need but its going on 3 weeks now and I'm still waiting to hear if I can get them, how much they costs...etc...etc. Remember that when something does down with these mowers, the parts are all located in England. Prepare to be without a mower for a while so I would suggest holding onto your current mowers as backups. The first year it did great...mowing 2-3 times a week wasn't much of a problem until my second year.

I recently purchased a Baroness LM56 after my experience with Allett. I'm hoping to rebuild it and use for scalping and leaf pickup but I basically need all new pulleys and gears otherwise I'll have to fab up my own running gears in order to get it to work at all. Guess I had too high of hopes for it.


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## Lust4Lawn

@1FASTSS Wow that is a horror show for such an expensive investment.


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## 1FASTSS

Lust4Lawn said:


> @1FASTSS Wow that is a horror show for such an expensive investment.


Luckily for me I found mine on craigslist and only paid $375 for it. But I purchase 2 other cartridges that put my total investment at double that.

I was surprised at how quickly things went downhill with it. I guess there really just aren't enough people with them yet and if there are, certainly not maintaining Bermuda at .500"

I have gone on a PGR program just to help save the mower even though I liked mowing with it. They are pretty easy to use for a first time reel.


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## Tassoty

I was looking to get Allett Liberty 43 mainly due to the noise reduction but the more I read the more I am leaning toward waiting to see if they will come with an updated version next year. I was mowing one Saturday morning around 9AM(with rotary)and a neighbor looked at me and said "Really"....I guess this might be considered early? I know Kensington is quieter than rotary but is it still good for morning mow?


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## Spammage

Tassoty said:


> I was mowing one Saturday morning around 9AM(with rotary)and a neighbor looked at me and said "Really".


I would have looked at my wrist (as if there was a watch there) and responded with my own "Really?".


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## DFWLawnNut

Tassoty said:


> I was looking to get Allett Liberty 43 mainly due to the noise reduction but the more I read the more I am leaning toward waiting to see if they will come with an updated version next year. I was mowing one Saturday morning around 9AM(with rotary)and a neighbor looked at me and said "Really"....I guess this might be considered early? I know Kensington is quieter than rotary but is it still good for morning mow?


I agree with Spammage. Its 9am, who isnt up besides teenagers??

Should get my Liberty 43 this week finally.


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## Tassoty

@Spammage @DFWLawnNut Thanks, that makes me feel better.
I have only one LCNut at my street who likes to get up early and work on the lawn. I do not whish everyone to be LCN, but juts to have understanding. I still like to get the battery mower or find good push mower like Ransomes or Webb(unfortunately not sold in US).
@DFWLawnNut Keep us posted about Liberty 43. I have watched a video regarding the cut quality and some people have noticed lower cut on the left side due to motor/batery weight. The resolution was 10 pounds magnet on the right.


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## DFW_Zoysia

DFWLawnNut said:


> Tassoty said:
> 
> 
> 
> I was looking to get Allett Liberty 43 mainly due to the noise reduction but the more I read the more I am leaning toward waiting to see if they will come with an updated version next year. I was mowing one Saturday morning around 9AM(with rotary)and a neighbor looked at me and said "Really"....I guess this might be considered early? I know Kensington is quieter than rotary but is it still good for morning mow?
> 
> 
> 
> I agree with Spammage. Its 9am, who isnt up besides teenagers??
> 
> Should get my Liberty 43 this week finally.
Click to expand...

I had a neighbor call neighborhood security on me two weeks ago as I was mowing on a Sunday at 11AM. It's illegal for me to pay someone to mow my lawn on a Sunday in our neighborhood so they thought that meant I had no right to mow.

Security was nice about it and I asked the security office to convey a message to the complainant verbatim for me. It was "Get a life". He laughed and said he would.

Even though I was finishing up when security came, I then proceeded to get out my gas blower (way louder than my mower) and blow off absolutely nothing on my lawn for another 20 minutes. Just so they didn't think they were able to silence me.


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## DFWLawnNut

DFW_Zoysia said:


> DFWLawnNut said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tassoty said:
> 
> 
> 
> I was looking to get Allett Liberty 43 mainly due to the noise reduction but the more I read the more I am leaning toward waiting to see if they will come with an updated version next year. I was mowing one Saturday morning around 9AM(with rotary)and a neighbor looked at me and said "Really"....I guess this might be considered early? I know Kensington is quieter than rotary but is it still good for morning mow?
> 
> 
> 
> I agree with Spammage. Its 9am, who isnt up besides teenagers??
> 
> Should get my Liberty 43 this week finally.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I had a neighbor call neighborhood security on me two weeks ago as I was mowing on a Sunday at 11AM. It's illegal for me to pay someone to mow my lawn on a Sunday in our neighborhood so they thought that meant I had no right to mow.
> 
> Security was nice about it and I asked the security office to convey a message to the complainant verbatim for me. It was "Get a life". He laughed and said he would.
> 
> Even though I was finishing up when security came, I then proceeded to get out my gas blower (way louder than my mower) and blow off absolutely nothing on my lawn for another 20 minutes. Just so they didn't think they were able to silence me.
Click to expand...

I really wish your name was Florida zoysia lol. I could see the crazys there doing that but I don't want to even think about it here lol. 11am, my goodness the Karen hoa members make it worse for everyone.


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## weirj55

I have had my Allett Liberty 43 for a couple of weeks now. I have not noticed the height-of-cut issue that others have stated, with the motor/battery side being lower. I am mowing at 3/4". I was hoping to drop it down to 1/2" to really test my lawn and the machine out, but Fall temps have slowed my growth down considerably, and I didn't want to shock my grass too much before winter.

Overall I am considerably pleased. I wish my lawn were in better shape and was growing more so I could really try it out. I did get a large capacity, 6.0AH, battery and I am glad I did. I will be adding another one of those batteries to my kit soon as I find a double mow only gets me through a little more than half of the yard.


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## JerseyGreens

Got my Allett Kensington 20H about a month ago.

Cutting at 3/4 inch, baby KBG. I've been in touch with the lead engineer in UK to work out some issues. His name is Steve Copnall. Smart dude. Helped me quite a bit with reel issues. What company can say they gave an international user access to one of the companies lead engineers? Not many if you ask me.

Allett USA rep is Roland Hall. One man team right now and definitely needs help. They are actually coming out with a US consumer website/store to buy products and replacement parts. That in itself will be a game changer. Not even Swardman has that here...yes you only make one phone call to Lee for parts but can't do it without a phone call...aka on a website.

So far I'm happy. Has a nice Honda engine on it - belts look to be heavy duty. The reel is...heavy. It's a non golf course reel for sure meaning it's a very hardened steel that will last a long time.

Yes some paint is chipping in my reel but I really don't care about cosmetics. My quality of cut is great which is what matters most. See my journal for my last pics. Finally getting used to it.


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## DFWLawnNut

weirj55 said:


> I have had my Allett Liberty 43 for a couple of weeks now. I have not noticed the height-of-cut issue that others have stated, with the motor/battery side being lower. I am mowing at 3/4". I was hoping to drop it down to 1/2" to really test my lawn and the machine out, but Fall temps have slowed my growth down considerably, and I didn't want to shock my grass too much before winter.
> 
> Overall I am considerably pleased. I wish my lawn were in better shape and was growing more so I could really try it out. I did get a large capacity, 6.0AH, battery and I am glad I did. I will be adding another one of those batteries to my kit soon as I find a double mow only gets me through a little more than half of the yard.


Got mine last week finally. Which 6.0ah did you get? I have two of the 4.0ah but didn't see the 6.0ah. I'll have to get one. I also added grip tape on the rear roller due to the slope on my front yard and slipping. Worked great and doesn't interfere with anything.


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## DFWLawnNut

weirj55 said:


> I have had my Allett Liberty 43 for a couple of weeks now. I have not noticed the height-of-cut issue that others have stated, with the motor/battery side being lower. I am mowing at 3/4". I was hoping to drop it down to 1/2" to really test my lawn and the machine out, but Fall temps have slowed my growth down considerably, and I didn't want to shock my grass too much before winter.
> 
> Overall I am considerably pleased. I wish my lawn were in better shape and was growing more so I could really try it out. I did get a large capacity, 6.0AH, battery and I am glad I did. I will be adding another one of those batteries to my kit soon as I find a double mow only gets me through a little more than half of the yard.


Got mine last week finally. Which 6.0ah did you get? I have two of the 4.0ah but didn't see the 6.0ah. I'll have to get one. I also added grip tape on the rear roller due to the slope on my front yard and slipping. Worked great and doesn't interfere with anything. I wonder if the hoc issue is a weight thing. Maybe add weight to the flat side and see if it stops?


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## 1FASTSS

JerseyGreens said:



> Got my Allett Kensington 20H about a month ago.
> 
> Cutting at 3/4 inch, baby KBG. I've been in touch with the lead engineer in UK to work out some issues. His name is Steve Copnall. Smart dude. Helped me quite a bit with reel issues. What company can say they gave an international user access to one of the companies lead engineers? Not many if you ask me.
> 
> Allett USA rep is Roland Hall. One man team right now and definitely needs help. They are actually coming out with a US consumer website/store to buy products and replacement parts. That in itself will be a game changer. Not even Swardman has that here...yes you only make one phone call to Lee for parts but can't do it without a phone call...aka on a website.
> 
> So far I'm happy. Has a nice Honda engine on it - belts look to be heavy duty. The reel is...heavy. It's a non golf course reel for sure meaning it's a very hardened steel that will last a long time.
> 
> Yes some paint is chipping in my reel but I really don't care about cosmetics. My quality of cut is great which is what matters most. See my journal for my last pics. Finally getting used to it.


@JerseyGreens Would you mind sharing the contact you've had success with? Its going on 2 month now and I still have yet to hear anyting from Roland after he gave me his personal log in to get the parts list I needed? I emailed a few people in England and nothing either.

Thanks :thumbup:


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## DFWLawnNut

Have you tried contacting a Horizon dealer? They can order and ship parts too.


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## weirj55

@DFWLawnNut I have the Greenworks branded 40v 6.0 AH battery. Got it off of Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MVJW9SY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## 1FASTSS

DFWLawnNut said:


> Have you tried contacting a Horizon dealer? They can order and ship parts too.


Yep, leave voicemails and emails without any return calls or emails. Not sure but I've tried and tried.


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## JerseyGreens

1FASTSS said:


> DFWLawnNut said:
> 
> 
> 
> Have you tried contacting a Horizon dealer? They can order and ship parts too.
> 
> 
> 
> Yep, leave voicemails and emails without any return calls or emails. Not sure but I've tried and tried.
Click to expand...

Did you email the owner in the UK as per my private message to you?

Just asking because that's what the social media person told me to do if Roland doesn't answer in a timely fashion. I have a close relationship with the marketing person who runs their IG account and she's put me in touch with numerous folks at Allett.

Worked for me.


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## DFWLawnNut

1FASTSS said:


> DFWLawnNut said:
> 
> 
> 
> Have you tried contacting a Horizon dealer? They can order and ship parts too.
> 
> 
> 
> Yep, leave voicemails and emails without any return calls or emails. Not sure but I've tried and tried.
Click to expand...

Try emailing Toley. He was always super responsive even when he was out of town on vacay.
MCGETTIGAN, TOLEY <[email protected]>


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## dfw_pilot

Don't forget you can post up in the Allett thread too.


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## 1FASTSS

Reelrollers said:


> PM me and I can send you a few contacts that work at Allett to see if they can help get you the parts you need.


Pm sent....I'm going to try one last time to get this mower fixed before it gets tossed! :bd:


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## 1FASTSS

1FASTSS said:


> Reelrollers said:
> 
> 
> 
> PM me and I can send you a few contacts that work at Allett to see if they can help get you the parts you need.
> 
> 
> 
> Pm sent....I'm going to try one last time to get this mower fixed before it gets tossed! :bd:
Click to expand...

Must be my lucky day. Roland actually called me back just after and said my parts order from last fall had just come in... :lol:

Guess I'll get it back up and running in time to verticut soon this spring. :thumbup:


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## JerseyGreens

1FASTSS said:


> 1FASTSS said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Reelrollers said:
> 
> 
> 
> PM me and I can send you a few contacts that work at Allett to see if they can help get you the parts you need.
> 
> 
> 
> Pm sent....I'm going to try one last time to get this mower fixed before it gets tossed! :bd:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Must be my lucky day. Roland actually called me back just after and said my parts order from last fall had just come in... :lol:
> 
> Guess I'll get it back up and running in time to verticut soon this spring. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

I sent a screenshot of your message to the Social Media employee who lives in UK. Roland hates it when someone goes above his head. Hope it helped.


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## 1FASTSS

JerseyGreens said:


> 1FASTSS said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1FASTSS said:
> 
> 
> 
> Pm sent....I'm going to try one last time to get this mower fixed before it gets tossed! :bd:
> 
> 
> 
> Must be my lucky day. Roland actually called me back just after and said my parts order from last fall had just come in... :lol:
> 
> Guess I'll get it back up and running in time to verticut soon this spring. :thumbup:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I sent a screenshot of your message to the Social Media employee who lives in UK. Roland hates it when someone goes above his head. Hope it helped.
Click to expand...

Well, I usually don't like to do things like that even though they might be more effective. :lol:

To their credit they finally found the parts needed to get the mower up and running again. Since it taken so long they are giving me the parts for free including the shipping. So I guess that helps offset the cost of my new Baroness LM56 a little :lol:

I'll be nice to scalp/verticut the yard and do some work on my future green with it. With it getting less use it might actually last a little longer now.


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## JerseyGreens

1FASTSS said:


> JerseyGreens said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1FASTSS said:
> 
> 
> 
> Must be my lucky day. Roland actually called me back just after and said my parts order from last fall had just come in... :lol:
> 
> Guess I'll get it back up and running in time to verticut soon this spring. :thumbup:
> 
> 
> 
> I sent a screenshot of your message to the Social Media employee who lives in UK. Roland hates it when someone goes above his head. Hope it helped.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Well, I usually don't like to do things like that even though they might be more effective. :lol:
> 
> To their credit they finally found the parts needed to get the mower up and running again. Since it taken so long they are giving me the parts for free including the shipping. So I guess that helps offset the cost of my new Baroness LM56 a little :lol:
> 
> I'll be nice to scalp/verticut the yard and do some work on my future green with it. With it getting less use it might actually last a little longer now.
Click to expand...

I hate doing that too but I hear they care about brand reputation as they are blowing up in the USA. They are also going away from the dealer model and beefing up Allett USA with a large warehouse and their own employees. I personally think that's a smart move.

One source for products, and parts.


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## briansemerick

just ordered my Allett Liberty 43B (battery). Should be here next week.


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## DFWLawnNut

briansemerick said:


> just ordered my Allett Liberty 43B (battery). Should be here in June.


Get any accessories? I have the scarifier/verticuter/10 blade reel lol. Already dinged both blades lol. Learning curve I guess haha. Super annoying though.


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## briansemerick

DFWLawnNut said:


> briansemerick said:
> 
> 
> 
> just ordered my Allett Liberty 43B (battery). Should be here in June.
> 
> 
> 
> Get any accessories? I have the scarifier/verticuter/10 blade reel lol. Already dinged both blades lol. Learning curve I guess haha. Super annoying though.
Click to expand...

update: now should have it by Monday. Had to order in the US though and paid $600 more than UK. 

I got the scarifier. I'll never need the 10 blade, won't be able to cut that low. But I'll do the verticutter after the sticker shock has worn off my wife someday....

I have a Fiskar's Staysharp Max right now so I've been a little used to it and backlapping. should be much easier with the Allett. I'll be using the scarifier to pull out sticks, rocks and pine needles from my yard before I mow so hopefully that will help


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## JerseyGreens

I have the turf rake, 10 blade and 6 blade. Used the turf rake for the first time not too long ago and loved it. Overall I'm pleased with the purchase.


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## briansemerick

JerseyGreens said:


> I have the turf rake, 10 blade and 6 blade. Used the turf rake for the first time not too long ago and loved it. Overall I'm pleased with the purchase.


glad to hear it. Really excited to check it out.


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## JerseyGreens

briansemerick said:


> JerseyGreens said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have the turf rake, 10 blade and 6 blade. Used the turf rake for the first time not too long ago and loved it. Overall I'm pleased with the purchase.
> 
> 
> 
> glad to hear it. Really excited to check it out.
Click to expand...

The coolest thing is you get to control how aggressive you want the turf rake to run. I'd recommend starting on level 2.5 and see how much debris comes out. Then step down to 2, 1.5, etc. This way you find the sweet spot of raking the turf versus pulling out too much.


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## briansemerick

JerseyGreens said:


> briansemerick said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> JerseyGreens said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have the turf rake, 10 blade and 6 blade. Used the turf rake for the first time not too long ago and loved it. Overall I'm pleased with the purchase.
> 
> 
> 
> glad to hear it. Really excited to check it out.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> The coolest thing is you get to control how aggressive you want the turf rake to run. I'd recommend starting on level 2.5 and see how much debris comes out. Then step down to 2, 1.5, etc. This way you find the sweet spot of raking the turf versus pulling out too much.
Click to expand...

good call. the turf rake might be the thing I'm most excited about. I have a ton of pine needles in my yard, as well as rocks. There's no good way to get pine needles out and bag them, other than this. Even my Sunjoe isn't that useful since you can't really use the bag and it just leave it on the ground after it pulls it out.


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## briansemerick

I just got a brand new Allett 43B. After using it for an hour the gear right next to the motor started making a squealing sound. Anyone else have this issue? Dealing with Roland right now.


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## DFWLawnNut

briansemerick said:


> I just got a brand new Allett 43B. After using it for an hour the gear right next to the motor started making a squealing sound. Anyone else have this issue? Dealing with Roland right now.


No squeals here with it.


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## DFWLawnNut

I'm actually disappointed with the verticutter. It doesn't go low enough to touch dirt. I was hoping it would to help with seeding. The scarifier does a much better job. I wish they had an aerator cartridge that actually worked too. The current one has terrible reviews.


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## potatochip

DFWLawnNut said:


> I'm actually disappointed with the verticutter. It doesn't go low enough to touch dirt. I was hoping it would to help with seeding. The scarifier does a much better job. I wish they had an aerator cartridge that actually worked too. The current one has terrible reviews.


Are you using the verticutter at your normal cutting height or lowering it to the 's' setting when using it?


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## Beardiful

I have a 20B. 
For me the aerator is garbage. It does nothing. Super disappointed in that.
The verticutter is ok. Yes it doesn't dig deep but it does cut the stolons on my Bermuda.
My 10 blade reel was never right from the beginning. The 6 blade cuts better unfortunately. I would like to get them to correct the 10 blade as I am told its out of round some how... also unfortunately the dealer network has seemed to fall apart and Mr. Rolland Hall is not reliable. It would be nice to send just the reel off instead of loosing my mower to a shop for a few weeks. Anybody got a GOOD contact for Allett?


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## JerseyGreens

Beardiful said:


> I have a 20B.
> For me the aerator is garbage. It does nothing. Super disappointed in that.
> The verticutter is ok. Yes it doesn't dig deep but it does cut the stolons on my Bermuda.
> My 10 blade reel was never right from the beginning. The 6 blade cuts better unfortunately. I would like to get them to correct the 10 blade as I am told its out of round some how... also unfortunately the dealer network has seemed to fall apart and Mr. Rolland Hall is not reliable. It would be nice to send just the reel off instead of loosing my mower to a shop for a few weeks. Anybody got a GOOD contact for Allett?


Do you have social media? If so I've had luck getting a hold of the UK folks on IG. They put me in touch with the right people.


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## Beardiful

No @JerseyGreens I do not have social media. But maybe for this I will make an account. The amount of money I have invested in this product I don't think this is acceptable.


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## timwors

I agree about the aerator, which was the 2nd cartridge I bought (after the scarifier). It only goes about 5mm into the soil at best, although I have convinced myself that the slitting action prunes the roots and stimulates root growth. Maybe this is wishful thinking!

It would be great if they brought out a sarel spiking cartridge. I guess the design of the mower/cartridge isn't deep enough to give enough space for the spikes though.

I'd definitely recommend getting in touch with Allett UK. I have found them to be very helpful in the past.


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## qball

DFWLawnNut said:


> Got mine last week finally. Which 6.0ah did you get? I have two of the 4.0ah but didn't see the 6.0ah. I'll have to get one. I also added grip tape on the rear roller due to the slope on my front yard and slipping. Worked great and doesn't interfere with anything.


@DFWLawnNut, I realize this is an old post, but I am curious how the grip tape is holding up on your rear roller? Did you go with full width (coverage) strips or narrow strips?

Thanks!


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## Allett Canada

briansemerick said:


> I just got a brand new Allett 43B. After using it for an hour the gear right next to the motor started making a squealing sound. Anyone else have this issue? Dealing with Roland right now.


This is very likely the loss of tension on the drive puller from the pinion gear. Open the housing and check that the tension is good right away. It is an easily replaceable part, but I have seen the little belt that connects the pinon gear stretch with use, heat, etc. If it stretches, it could miss a tooth and start spinning inside the teeth and shred the belt. You can move the power unit towards the back of the mower to increase tension. My demo unit squealed for a while and I ignored it and shredded the belt.

Heres a link.


----------



## DFWLawnNut

qball said:


> DFWLawnNut said:
> 
> 
> 
> Got mine last week finally. Which 6.0ah did you get? I have two of the 4.0ah but didn't see the 6.0ah. I'll have to get one. I also added grip tape on the rear roller due to the slope on my front yard and slipping. Worked great and doesn't interfere with anything.
> 
> 
> 
> @DFWLawnNut, I realize this is an old post, but I am curious how the grip tape is holding up on your rear roller? Did you go with full width (coverage) strips or narrow strips?
> 
> Thanks!
Click to expand...

Been off the forums for awhile and didnt see the post. It lasts probably half a season before I have to replace it but it does work at full width coverage. I stopped putting it on though as I dont use it on the slope anymore. Allett is releasing some new mowers today and I may upgrade lol.


----------



## JerseyGreens

DFWLawnNut said:


> qball said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> DFWLawnNut said:
> 
> 
> 
> Got mine last week finally. Which 6.0ah did you get? I have two of the 4.0ah but didn't see the 6.0ah. I'll have to get one. I also added grip tape on the rear roller due to the slope on my front yard and slipping. Worked great and doesn't interfere with anything.
> 
> 
> 
> @DFWLawnNut, I realize this is an old post, but I am curious how the grip tape is holding up on your rear roller? Did you go with full width (coverage) strips or narrow strips?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Been off the forums for awhile and didnt see the post. It lasts probably half a season before I have to replace it but it does work at full width coverage. I stopped putting it on though as I dont use it on the slope anymore. Allett is releasing some new mowers today and I may upgrade lol.
Click to expand...

Watching for the same news. Do you think we would get a good return on our Kensington's in the secondary market at this point? Allett is slowly getting popular but that's my biggest hangup. Not trying to take a massive cut on a year old machine.


----------



## DFWLawnNut

JerseyGreens said:


> DFWLawnNut said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> qball said:
> 
> 
> 
> @DFWLawnNut, I realize this is an old post, but I am curious how the grip tape is holding up on your rear roller? Did you go with full width (coverage) strips or narrow strips?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> Been off the forums for awhile and didnt see the post. It lasts probably half a season before I have to replace it but it does work at full width coverage. I stopped putting it on though as I dont use it on the slope anymore. Allett is releasing some new mowers today and I may upgrade lol.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Watching for the same news. Do you think we would get a good return on our Kensington's in the secondary market at this point? Allett is slowly getting popular but that's my biggest hangup. Not trying to take a massive cut on a year old machine.
Click to expand...

Id think with the supply issues we are having, it would hold value better. Its hard to get anything right now and the used market is going strong in lots of areas. I have a friend who may buy mine and the cartridges I have but we'll see what happens today. Dual motors has me very interested!


----------



## JerseyGreens

DFWLawnNut said:


> JerseyGreens said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> DFWLawnNut said:
> 
> 
> 
> Been off the forums for awhile and didnt see the post. It lasts probably half a season before I have to replace it but it does work at full width coverage. I stopped putting it on though as I dont use it on the slope anymore. Allett is releasing some new mowers today and I may upgrade lol.
> 
> 
> 
> Watching for the same news. Do you think we would get a good return on our Kensington's in the secondary market at this point? Allett is slowly getting popular but that's my biggest hangup. Not trying to take a massive cut on a year old machine.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Id think with the supply issues we are having, it would hold value better. Its hard to get anything right now and the used market is going strong in lots of areas. I have a friend who may buy mine and the cartridges I have but we'll see what happens today. Dual motors has me very interested!
Click to expand...

Sounds like you already have a plan in place!! Good move on your part and if it does happen - your friend is in for a good deal as well.

The dual motors do sound interesting...matching HOC with FOC, in theory, should be easier to attain no matter the number of blades in the reel.

If the thing runs on Ego batteries I'm buying one. Hopefully I have enough people in NJ/NY following my journal that unloading the Kensington won't be that hard.


----------



## DFWLawnNut

So half allett half ego. Im in if the price isnt too high.


----------



## jahsoul

DFWLawnNut said:


> So half allett half ego. Im in if the price isnt too high.


Half Allett, Half Ego....All Mine when the 51 is released to the US


----------



## JerseyGreens

Looks like a solid machine. I like how the battery is centered.

I'm not liking the amount of plastic on this higher-end model though...


----------



## DFWLawnNut

I just wish they would list it already so I can know if Im gonna order one or not. I got a feeling they are gonna out price most people on this, but the dual motors and EGO deal are probably going to do just that.


----------



## DFWLawnNut

Finally found the link and damn, that counts me out. $4919 shipped

https://www.allett-usa.com/products/allett-stirling-51-battery-cylinder-mower


----------



## fajitamondays

DFWLawnNut said:


> Finally found the link and damn, that counts me out. $4919 shipped
> 
> https://www.allett-usa.com/products/allett-stirling-51-battery-cylinder-mower


Gulp. Just saw that too.

Want vs. need :roll:


----------



## DFWLawnNut

Exactly. I want a 20" mower, but I dont need it. At least not at that price. I can justify up to $2999 by selling my Liberty 43. But thats just a whole different ballpark.


----------



## JerseyGreens

Way overpriced. They have lost their minds...


----------



## jahsoul

And seeing the price changes everything. Lawn mower vs regrade and resod?


----------



## LawnEnforcement

If they could just find the right price point to sell these ....they would be knocking it out of the park.


----------



## MasterMech

At nearly $5k, we are talking about competing with nearly new greensmowers. How long until we start seeing more Toro E-Flex units show up off-lease on the secondary market?

I get that someone with a small lawn and looking to reel mow is already resigned to spending much more time and $$$$ on the mower than the masses, but $5k is putting this thing in the same tax bracket as the EGo ZTR and guess which one is going to be the envy of the sub-division? :|

I do wonder why the switch to EGo 56V vs the Greenworks 40V they were using on the Liberty. Greenworks also has 60V and 80V battery platforms. I am surprised, but impressed to see that EGo battery pack on there.

And no ≈25" version, really? :bd: Can't be serious about the US market then. :roll:


----------



## JayGo

MasterMech said:


> And no ≈25" version, really? :bd: Can't be serious about the US market then. :roll:


I agree that they're probably shortchanging themselves by not offering something "meatier" for the more serious lawn enthusiasts.
However, I think they're targeting those folks that maybe recently jumped on the lawncare train.

I'm in the Allet Owners Facebook group, and the majority of the group members are prissy about their mowers. There are folks seriously asking for suggestions on how to protect their rear roller from scratches. (One popular solution among group members is to lift up on the handle bars to roll the mower on the front roller. 🤦🏽) And then there are others expressing their surprise that paint chips off of the reel.

I'm not necessarily knocking those folks, but I think it points to the kind of consumer Allett is targeting.... Pretty mowers with lots of adjustable parts and accessories. And let's not forget that some folks perceive a higher price tag as "better." After the video where Allett revealed the new model just yesterday, it's impressive to see how any folks in that group are already talking about selling their current Allett to replace it with one of the newer models. It's like folks and the latest iPhone. Gotta have it.

Still, I like my Allett a lot. It's served me well.


----------



## JerseyGreens

@MasterMech - rumor has it that they are already sold out of the 500 units on this machine...absolutely crazy! People are drinking the kool-aid big time.

I guarantee my Kensington 20H can do absolutely everything this new mower can do with the exception of swapping cartridges in 12 seconds...no big deal since I'm not swapping them out much any way!

One can spend 20k (including the reel) for this 27 inch...

https://www.allett-usa.com/collections/evolution/products/allett-c27e-evolution-cylinder-mower


----------



## MasterMech

Quite a few improvements to meaningful hardware - I can see these being much less finicky for adjustment than previous Allett homeowner models and the Swardmans.

I like the new grass catcher design - long term durability? Replacement Cost?

The upgraded cartridge change system is brilliant.

After watching the vid, I can see exactly why it's an EGo battery instead of the GreenWorks. They got a massive upgrade to the handle assembly and controls in the deal. This was a major gripe with previous units.

Wish List:


Still need a ≈25" version for the US.
That rake is a no go for warm season grass.
Would also like to see a grooved front roller option as well.


----------



## MasterMech

JayGo said:


> MasterMech said:
> 
> 
> 
> And no ≈25" version, really? :bd: Can't be serious about the US market then. :roll:
> 
> 
> 
> I agree that they're probably shortchanging themselves by not offering something "meatier" for the more serious lawn enthusiasts.
> However, I think they're targeting those folks that maybe recently jumped on the lawncare train.
> 
> I'm in the Allet Owners Facebook group, and the majority of the group members are prissy about their mowers. There are folks seriously asking for suggestions on how to protect their rear roller from scratches. (One popular solution among group members is to lift up on the handle bars to roll the mower on the front roller. 🤦🏽) And then there are others expressing their surprise that paint chips off of the reel.
> 
> I'm not necessarily knocking those folks, but I think it points to the kind of consumer Allett is targeting.... Pretty mowers with lots of adjustable parts and accessories. And let's not forget that some folks perceive a higher price tag as "better." After the video where Allett revealed the new model just yesterday, it's impressive to see how any folks in that group are already talking about selling their current Allett to replace it with one of the newer models. It's like folks and the latest iPhone. Gotta have it.
> 
> Still, I like my Allett a lot. It's served me well.
Click to expand...

There are some people that will have to have new, and a used greensmower would never satisfy them, no matter how good the condition. I def see this fitting in for them.

I think they are certainly on the right track of where the machine needs to be before it makes sense to go to a greensmower. It's important to remember that these mowers come from the UK, and small "gardens" are the norm there, regardless of income. So someone who may consider a $5k mower for a 5k lawn, is a far more common occurrence than here in the US where a 25+HP ZTR mowing a 10k lawn is nothing out of the ordinary. Also, Bermuda, Zoysia, Centipede, St Aug - Not a thing there. Look at the turf he's standing on in these videos. It's healthy for sure, but it's not anywhere near what we'd consider an "elite" lawn here on TLF.


----------



## MasterMech

JerseyGreens said:


> @MasterMech - rumor has it that they are already sold out of the 500 units on this machine...absolutely crazy! People are drinking the kool-aid big time.
> 
> I guarantee my Kensington 20H can do absolutely everything this new mower can do with the exception of swapping cartridges in 12 seconds...no big deal since I'm not swapping them out much any way!
> 
> One can spend 20k (including the reel) for this 27 inch...
> 
> https://www.allett-usa.com/collections/evolution/products/allett-c27e-evolution-cylinder-mower


The price tags on commercial-grade equipment have long been well above what 99.9% of homeowners are willing to invest in for their equipment. If you listen to what the commercial contractor is saying in the vid about the battery machine making him money and attracting clients, just because of the nature of the battery powered machine, there's truth there and I think that will become more common here in the US in certain areas.

Even in my neighborhood, which is 1/2ac+ lots, I can hear at least one mower running at any given time, especially 12pm-sunset.

Did you catch the comment on "would make a great Christmas gift".... Yeah, I bet it would! :lol: Sign me up to be on the receiving end! :thumbup:


----------



## JerseyGreens

MasterMech said:


> JerseyGreens said:
> 
> 
> 
> @MasterMech - rumor has it that they are already sold out of the 500 units on this machine...absolutely crazy! People are drinking the kool-aid big time.
> 
> I guarantee my Kensington 20H can do absolutely everything this new mower can do with the exception of swapping cartridges in 12 seconds...no big deal since I'm not swapping them out much any way!
> 
> One can spend 20k (including the reel) for this 27 inch...
> 
> https://www.allett-usa.com/collections/evolution/products/allett-c27e-evolution-cylinder-mower
> 
> 
> 
> The price tags on commercial-grade equipment have long been well above what 99.9% of homeowners are willing to invest in for their equipment. If you listen to what the commercial contractor is saying in the vid about the battery machine making him money and attracting clients, just because of the nature of the battery powered machine, there's truth there and I think that will become more common here in the US in certain areas.
> 
> Even in my neighborhood, which is 1/2ac+ lots, I can hear at least one mower running at any given time, especially 12pm-sunset.
> 
> Did you catch the comment on "would make a great Christmas gift".... Yeah, I bet it would! :lol: Sign me up to be on the receiving end! :thumbup:
Click to expand...

:lol: Agreed that this would make a great Christmas gift...served with a side of divorce papers, ha!!

They are definitely on the right track and I wish them nothing but success. I love my Allett and it's been a true Swiss Army knife in my toolkit.


----------



## MasterMech

Does anybody remember what a Swardman Electra sold for, sans any extras, just the mower with the lithium battery?


----------



## JerseyGreens

MasterMech said:


> Does anybody remember what a Swardman Electra sold for, sans any extras, just the mower with the lithium battery?


I had an order for a 55cm Electra for $3,399. The receipt isn't detailed but I believe that included the Reel.


----------



## JerseyGreens

Swardman Electra 55 Reel Mower (#ZSE00032)	$3,393.00

Reel Cartridge:
Reel Cartridge 6-Blade - Electra 55
(#PMO00131-E)	1	Subtotal: $499.00

Color Choices:
Orange Matte RAL 2009
(#MZA00342)	1	Subtotal: $119.00

Front Roller:
Swardman Smooth Front Roller - Electra 55
(#PMO00052)	1	Subtotal: $77.00

Transport Casters:
Swardman Transport Casters - Electra 55
(#PMO00134)	1	Subtotal: $59.00

Side Protection Cover:
Right Side Protection Cover - Electra 55
(#POB00032)	1	Subtotal: $14.00


----------



## Austinite

My Kensington broke. Drum/drive broke loose, no longer moves. They are sending replacement. The Liberty broke a belt after just a few uses. No big deal but took almost 3 weeks to get replacement. Also the screw-HOC mechanism is faulty on Liberty. If there is any weight in the catcher and it is left for a few hours, the HOC drops to lowest setting.

At any rate, the rep has been helpful. Hoping the replacement mower is not as problematic as the other 2. That being said, that greenworks looking new battery mower is interesting. Price is outrageous. Their videos make everything look great, good marketing. I'm not getting my hopes up on that one. Hopefully my replacement mower will change my mind.


----------



## MasterMech

JerseyGreens said:


> Swardman Electra 55 Reel Mower (#ZSE00032)	$3,393.00
> 
> Reel Cartridge:
> Reel Cartridge 6-Blade - Electra 55
> (#PMO00131-E)	1	Subtotal: $499.00
> 
> Color Choices:
> Orange Matte RAL 2009
> (#MZA00342)	1	Subtotal: $119.00
> 
> Front Roller:
> Swardman Smooth Front Roller - Electra 55
> (#PMO00052)	1	Subtotal: $77.00
> 
> Transport Casters:
> Swardman Transport Casters - Electra 55
> (#PMO00134)	1	Subtotal: $59.00
> 
> Side Protection Cover:
> Right Side Protection Cover - Electra 55
> (#POB00032)	1	Subtotal: $14.00


Thanks! I thought I remembered those coming out to about $4k or so. Seems like Allett has these priced to what the market will bear. Remember, they stated this is a limited run of about 500 units. I wonder what's holding them back? My biggest concern so far is the traction drive. If it's not more durable than the Swardman and the Liberty/Kensington units - $4,500 is a tough pill to swallow even for the most hardcore lawn enthusiasts.

I don't think the $5-600 premium over a comparable Electra is outrageous considering you get the EGo battery and handle system (presumably the motor too?) combined with the far better bedknife (and adjuster) design and tool-less cartridge change.

@Austinite makes a good point that it all looks swell in the video. But once you have it in-hand, will it feel and perform like a $5,000 purchase should?


----------



## JerseyGreens

All good points and theoretical questions @MasterMech !

From what I'm hearing they are only able to deliver 500 of these due to supply chain issues on various parts. They are even having trouble sourcing Honda engines for their "H" models.

I'll be asking an Allett Product Specialist (in the UK) some of your questions tomorrow. Especially about the motor...if Ego engineered and manufactured the motor on these that's game changing for me.

I've had no issues with my Allett Kensington. Truth be told most issues came from those folks mowing warm season grasses which I know very little about.


----------



## JerseyGreens

From some of my discussion with an Engineer at Allett.

Ego supply us the twin motors and battery unit with handlebars, powerful 1.4kw brushless motors.

@MasterMech - sounds like a pretty strong "engine"


----------



## Bombers

Not feeling the price and even then they use (what I think) is a cheaper quality mesh hopper/basket and not the typical poly molded one.


----------



## MrT

The list price for the stirling 43 in the uk is 2200 uk pounds (without tax) which is roughly 2970 US dollars.


----------



## Austinite

MrT said:


> The list price for the stirling 43 in the uk is 2200 uk pounds (without tax) which is roughly 2970 US dollars.


Yeah, they are excessively charging for freight/taxes. I can get a car shipped from UK for around 2 grand. I am in support of for profit, on everything, but this is price gouging the US market.


----------



## MasterMech

Austinite said:


> MrT said:
> 
> 
> 
> The list price for the stirling 43 in the uk is 2200 uk pounds (without tax) which is roughly 2970 US dollars.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, they are excessively charging for freight/taxes. I can get a car shipped from UK for around 2 grand. I am in support of for profit, on everything, but this is price gouging the US market.
Click to expand...

We just need an actual competitor machine here in the US. One that isn't so heavily slanted to cool-season turf would be fantastic. Will this wake up Tru-Cut, McLane, and California Trimmer? Unlikely. :roll: Our best bet lies with whatever the @Reelrollers crew is working on.


----------



## HungrySoutherner

Allett can spin the new Stirling however they want but the reality is it's basically a Buckingham frame, with a minor change to add the belt tension release lever for the cartridge to swap. The HOC adjustment on the Stirling is the same on the Buckingham with a window cut out. Everything else on this mower was Allett going to the Ego parts bin. My understand the the only thing changed for the double motor setup on the Stirling compared to to the $400-500 Ego pushmower with a battery is the potentiometer settings are adjusted for the reel since its pulley drive vs direct drive. Since we aren't even getting batteries included in the price in the USA that's a massive markup for Allett for some really cheap EGO parts bin items. This will represent a huge profit margin product for Allett compared to their other residential mowers because there is less in house production and they are getting the motors, handlebars, batteries, electronics and battery container for almost free because EGO wants as many people in their battery eco system. I could be wrong but my understanding is that Allett isn't bothering with modifying the 2 motor config other than the potentiometers for speed control of the mowers, its basically a stock config from ego rotary. That means the reel speed is always fixed and you are only changing the drive speed. They are pitching the grass catcher as an innovation, but its a huge cost saving because they have reduced cost to manufactory the catchers and removed the additional metal bar for retaining the catcher. I'm not mad at them for going to EGO and working a partnership and digging in their parts bin but considering the total cost of manufacturing and total parts in the system is actually going down not up its crazy that the price is heading in the wrong direction for what you get. If you were brave you can actually take an existing Allett mower now, buy a Ego rotary with battery and pretty darn easily strip the parts and make one of these mowers


----------



## MasterMech

HungrySoutherner said:


> ....Since we aren't even getting batteries included in the price in the USA ....


Ouch. Insult to injury on that one. $4,600 for a mower and then you are on the hook for a $250 - $450 battery? :? Of course, the argument is you just go buy an LB6504 for $300 and use the 5.0aH battery with the mower and get a $50 blower. Never mind that the mower has already exhausted that battery when you need to use the blower - LOOK! MILO ON SALE! *POOF* _Disappears in a cloud of clippings_ :lol:



HungrySoutherner said:


> ....Allett isn't bothering with modifying the 2 motor config other than the potentiometers for speed control of the mowers, its basically a stock config from ego rotary. That means the reel speed is always fixed and you are only changing the drive speed. ....


Ugh. Again, Allett NOT sensitive to things that matter on warm-season turf and/or cutting reel low. This is not really a big deal mowing @ .750"+ on cool season bunchgrasses. More reel speed means a better cut right? :roll: Even having a switch or some way to adjust the reel speed for the two different mower cartridges would be big. You may even get more battery life when mowing with a 6-blade.



HungrySoutherner said:


> They are pitching the grass catcher as an innovation, but its a huge cost saving because they have reduced cost to manufactory the catchers and removed the additional metal bar for retaining the catcher.


The durability remains to be proven but if it's a performance improvement over the poly catchers, I have no objection to smarter design making a profit. Of course, they should also feel free to use any cost-savings to make the unit more price competitive.



HungrySoutherner said:


> I'm not mad at them for going to EGO and working a partnership and digging in their parts bin but considering the total cost of manufacturing and total parts in the system is actually going down not up its crazy that the price is heading in the wrong direction for what you get. If you were brave you can actually take an existing Allett mower now, buy a Ego rotary with battery and pretty darn easily strip the parts and make one of these mowers


Which previous mower of theirs offers a cartridge system, 20" width, and battery power? I disagree that this is merely a parts bin re-hash. They certainly may have taken ideas from other models, and raided the EGo parts bin, but the Buckingham is a dedicated mower with no cartridge capability. I don't see an easy way to convert it to cartridge operation either.

There is room for improvement with these, and that especially applies to the price. I'll stress again though, that there is no competition for this thing, other than -maybe- the Swardman Electra. Assuming I've already got a couple EGo tools and a 5.0aH battery kicking around, I like what I see here for an additional $600 over the Electra. Even at +$850, I think there's plenty of attraction to this. Would I like to see _all_ of these mowers $1,000 cheaper - hell yes! Do I think that's possible, perhaps, if there was a larger market here in the US for reels.


----------



## JerseyGreens

@MasterMech The reel and cartridges are always running at maximum speed - unsure what FOC that translates too but in theory with a 10-blade reel and slowing down the rear drum there shouldn't be issues on low mow and/or warm season grasses.

I can see why the Kensington may have run into trouble on warm season turf as the reel/cartridge's speed is dictated by the rear-drum speed. That is a non-issue on the Stirling. The clip rate is "adjustable" by slowing down the forward speed.

@HungrySoutherner - although this may look like a "baby-Buckingham" it's far from it. The buck is much more beefier, doesn't accept cartridges, has very little plastic on it, and I believe it's chain driven (don't quote me on that) versus belt driven.


----------



## HungrySoutherner

MasterMech said:


> The durability remains to be proven but if it's a performance improvement over the poly catchers, I have no objection to smarter design making a profit. Of course, they should also feel free to use any cost-savings to make the unit more price competitive.


My point about this is relative to needing to invest in molds, dies and materials constantly to be making the plastic catchers, the cost is much cheaper. The down side is the metal hoop and mesh while it maybe fine it won't be as good as the plastic container. A lot of rotary mowers include catchers like this that work just fine. The bigger issue I can see is you are now taking a lighter mower already and reducing your ability to add weight to the front roller, especially if you have low cut warm season grass. A lot of times I want more weight out front to keep the mower from floating on dense bermuda.



MasterMech said:


> Which previous mower of theirs offers a cartridge system, 20" width, and battery power? I disagree that this is merely a parts bin re-hash. They certainly may have taken ideas from other models, and raided the EGo parts bin, but the Buckingham is a dedicated mower with no cartridge capability. I don't see an easy way to convert it to cartridge operation either.


Allow me to elaborate. The Stirling mower design, the body is just an update to the form factor that already exists amongst their residential mowers including the Kensington. The metal body construction of their mowers are all just laser cut steel and aluminum plates that bolts everything together. The dimensions and angles remain stable from the Kensington to the Stirling because they are using the same cartridge framework, with belts and pulleys (like the Swardman Electra) instead of the plastic insert gear. When I'm referring to the parts bin I'm saying that the Handle Bar unit is the exact same as the touch drive handle bars right off of existing mowers with no modification. The same for the motors and the motor controller, all of that is pulled off of the existing Ego rotary setup, and I'm not sure that its even the top of the line setup, it might be the lower tiered ones with brushed vs brushless motors because I haven't heard any mention of brushless motors and that would just add to the cost. The battery cradle on the Stirling looks to be a thermoformed plastic over a ego mold so maybe or maybe not a complete ego part, but the cheaper to make than the previous types of plastic moldings they used. My point was that you can take a Kensington + Ego Rotary mower parts and relatively ease (I'm an engineer so what is easy to me is not to others) convert the Kensington to something very similar to the Stirling including the conversion to pulleys vs gears. It's not an elaborate feat of engineering considering we are talking about some laser cut aluminum plates that accommodate the 2 motor mounts to drive the belts, the rest of the magic is from the handle bars from the ego mower and salvage battery mount. They already are going to sell the screw on pulley that adapt the existing Kensington cartridges.


----------



## HungrySoutherner

JerseyGreens said:


> @MasterMech The reel and cartridges are always running at maximum speed - unsure what FOC that translates too but in theory with a 10-blade reel and slowing down the rear drum there shouldn't be issues on low mow and/or warm season grasses.
> 
> I can see why the Kensington may have run into trouble on warm season turf as the reel/cartridge's speed is dictated by the rear-drum speed. That is a non-issue on the Stirling. The clip rate is "adjustable" by slowing down the forward speed.
> 
> @HungrySoutherner - although this may look like a "baby-Buckingham" it's far from it. The buck is much more beefier, doesn't accept cartridges, has very little plastic on it, and I believe it's chain driven (don't quote me on that) versus belt driven.


I just meant the assembly plate system and design on the Stirling is closer to the Buckingham vs the Kensington. The stirling will have less plastic in the drive chain vs the kensington because of the belts, outer construction of the Stirling is steel and aluminum laser cut plates with thermplastic covers kind of all over.


----------



## MasterMech

JerseyGreens said:


> @MasterMech The reel and cartridges are always running at maximum speed - unsure what FOC that translates too but in theory with a 10-blade reel and slowing down the rear drum there shouldn't be issues on low mow and/or warm season grasses.
> 
> I can see why the Kensington may have run into trouble on warm season turf as the reel/cartridge's speed is dictated by the rear-drum speed. That is a non-issue on the Stirling. The clip rate is "adjustable" by slowing down the forward speed.
> 
> ...


That's just it, we don't want to adjust/increase FoC by slowing the machine down. Every time the reel dips into the turf without cutting it, it "fans" the ends of the grass, bruising and shredding it. That's all well and good as long as subsequent clips remove all of the damage, but that's not always how it happens, especially at lower heights. The slower you run the machine, the worse this will get, unlike with a greens mower or a unit powered by a single drive motor. As @HungrySoutherner points out, these controls are optimized for a rotary mower, where we want maximum blade speed at all times. For a unit that's billed as a "no compromise" effort - that IS a bit disappointing. There wouldn't even need to be additional hardware to correct it so long as both motors are brushless and the speed controllers regulate speed via feedback from the motors.

Fixed ratio reel to traction drive speed is how every mechanical greensmower is setup. No issues there. And for 90% of users, I doubt they would ever recognize a problem from FoC being grossly high, as most with these machines are going to be mowing at 1" or more where the grass blade is flexible enough, and you're removing 0.250", possibly more, at each mow. Even at .500" HoC, a FoC that's half what the HoC isn't really an issue, ask me how I know! :lol: (The Jake FoC with a 7 blade reel is .250")


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## MasterMech

HungrySoutherner said:


> ....
> 
> Allow me to elaborate.


Absolutely - pretty sure I hear pencils scritching in the background while we take this thing apart. :thumbup:



HungrySoutherner said:


> (like the Swardman Electra)


Now there was a "parts bin" unit. :nod: Swardman even touts that you can get parts anywhere for their units.



HungrySoutherner said:


> The bigger issue I can see is you are now taking a lighter mower already and reducing your ability to add weight to the front roller


I don't think you're giving up much here as both baskets are spec'd to 70 liters of volume. 70 litres of grass clippings is still going to weigh whatever 70 litres of grass clippings weighs despite the relatively negligible difference in weight for the empty grass basket assemblies.



HungrySoutherner said:


> ... it might be the lower tiered ones with brushed vs brushless motors because I haven't heard any mention of brushless motors and that would just add to the cost.


It'd be a shame if they weren't BLDC motors in this day and age and at this price point. The advantages are so many that going to market with brushed motors just seems - obtuse. It's not like EGo is cooking up their own version of this thing. They (Allett) do give the motor power - 1200W vs the Liberty's 410W.



HungrySoutherner said:


> The battery cradle on the Stirling looks to be a thermoformed plastic over a ego mold so maybe or maybe not a complete ego part, but the cheaper to make than the previous types of plastic moldings they used.


To my eye, it looks like a cheap plastic cover disguising the actual battery dock. What we can see of the dock itself is all EGo green and grey.



HungrySoutherner said:


> I'm an engineer ...


Pretty sure there's more than one of us around here. 



HungrySoutherner said:


> ... It's not an elaborate feat of engineering considering we are talking about some laser cut aluminum plates that accommodate the 2 motor mounts to drive the belts, the rest of the magic is from the handle bars from the ego mower and salvage battery mount. They already are going to sell the screw on pulley that adapt the existing Kensington cartridges.


 They'd be foolish not to use as much of their existing engineering as possible. Of course marketing is going to spin it like every single idea is fresh.

I wonder if the bigger C-Range mowers will continue to use the GreenWorks 80V packs or if we'll see them shift to Chervon/EGo as well? My guess is they would continue to use the 80V system but...? Yes, Allett offers a 34" battery reel, with cartridges. $17k for the mower chassis and grass catcher ONLY. :shock: But I think that includes the battery packs at least! :lol:


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## JerseyGreens

MasterMech said:


> JerseyGreens said:
> 
> 
> 
> @MasterMech The reel and cartridges are always running at maximum speed - unsure what FOC that translates too but in theory with a 10-blade reel and slowing down the rear drum there shouldn't be issues on low mow and/or warm season grasses.
> 
> I can see why the Kensington may have run into trouble on warm season turf as the reel/cartridge's speed is dictated by the rear-drum speed. That is a non-issue on the Stirling. The clip rate is "adjustable" by slowing down the forward speed.
> 
> ...
> 
> 
> 
> That's just it, we don't want to adjust/increase FoC by slowing the machine down. Every time the reel dips into the turf without cutting it, it "fans" the ends of the grass, bruising and shredding it. That's all well and good as long as subsequent clips remove all of the damage, but that's not always how it happens, especially at lower heights. The slower you run the machine, the worse this will get, unlike with a greens mower or a unit powered by a single drive motor. As @HungrySoutherner points out, these controls are optimized for a rotary mower, where we want maximum blade speed at all times. For a unit that's billed as a "no compromise" effort - that IS a bit disappointing. There wouldn't even need to be additional hardware to correct it so long as both motors are brushless and the speed controllers regulate speed via feedback from the motors.
> 
> Fixed ratio reel to traction drive speed is how every mechanical greensmower is setup. No issues there. And for 90% of users, I doubt they would ever recognize a problem from FoC being grossly high, as most with these machines are going to be mowing at 1" or more where the grass blade is flexible enough, and you're removing 0.250", possibly more, at each mow. Even at .500" HoC, a FoC that's half what the HoC isn't really an issue, ask me how I know! :lol: (The Jake FoC with a 7 blade reel is .250")
Click to expand...

Ah that makes sense. We do tend to get caught up on number of blades, HOC, and FOC sometimes when in reality I doubt many few of us are anywhere close to matching HOC to FOC.

A turf overly dense/thatched or a yard absolutely out of wack level wise is going to show more waves than the Jersey Shore during high tide 🤣 however we get caught up in the number of blades first and foremost!

If they didn't put brushless motors on this that would be a crime...


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## HungrySoutherner

MasterMech said:


> Now there was a "parts bin" unit. :nod: Swardman even touts that you can get parts anywhere for their units.


I understand you're point but in reference to the parts bin I'm not talking about how Swardman has sourced their parts from different companies, but more like when a car manufacturer chooses to use Ford Parts in a Mercedes car type scenario. Ego makes the motors, handlebars etc and Allett has a good deal to use all the parts they make for rotaries at a very steep discount to have their mowers in the Ego battery ecosystem. I'm not saying that is necessarily bad, just that it significantly reduces the cost to manufacture and source because Allett doesn't have to do any development for the electronics or motors, the handlebar controls, batteries etc. What is interesting is they aren't passing that reduction on to the consumer, but instead going for more profit margin as long as the market will tolerate it. They are a business so if you can get higher margin go for it, especially if they aren't interested in increasing volume. I got a good look at the drive system and there are some interesting things going on with the belt system, but very simple compared to the old Kensington. The idler pulley system could also be points of failure if the belt tension isn't right.



MasterMech said:


> I don't think you're giving up much here as both baskets are spec'd to 70 liters of volume. 70 litres of grass clippings is still going to weigh whatever 70 litres of grass clippings weighs despite the relatively negligible difference in weight for the empty grass basket assemblies.


Honestly if the new grass catcher weight 3-5lbs and the old plastic catcher was 10-15lbs, the empty grass catcher alone provides a reasonable amount of down force on the front roller and that is before it has clippings in it. Ultimately will it make a difference I have no clue. My gut tells me that the injection molding they were previously using was very costly and to save more money they are going to thermoforming plastics to reduce cost.

I will say this. Considering the limit of options out there for consumer facing reel mowers, especially electric at this point its good to see Allett and Swardman providing options. I don't think these types of machines will ever be cheap because there isn't enough competition and the market is pretty small. I totally understand why Allett is looking to make these things as cheaply as possible to realize more profit.


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## briansemerick

I love my Allett 43B, but this Stirling stuff is insane. $4600 vs my $2300 shipped for my Allett 43.


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## JerseyGreens

briansemerick said:


> I love my Allett 43B, but this Stirling stuff is insane. $4600 vs my $2300 shipped for my Allett 43.


Agreed. They aren't trying to lure more customers to the Allett family but rather increase their profits handsomely on the units they do sell...


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## Sonoran Desert Lawn

Tru Cut and McLane are located in California and will no longer be allowed to sell gas engines soon. Sit tight. I am sure something is in the works. I personally use a 10 blade Manual McLane. I would love to see an electric version of it.


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## Reelrollers

my understanding was this only effects California residents. Companies based in Cali can make gas engines equipment, they just can't sell in California.

Does anyone know anything different from what I understand?


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## Sonoran Desert Lawn

Like most legislation now and days, they don't even know what they signed or wrote. The term "sales" may not be confined to the state. I am not an expert in commerce laws. The text is ambiguous and may unfortunately be a matter of law for a judge to interpret.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1346

The bill does not make mention of manufacturing at all.


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## ReelWILawn

curious to know if anyone has and uses both a greens mower (Toro/JD/Jacobsen) & an Allett. I've always liked the idea of adding a Kensington for the versatility of the cartridges. Pros, Cons? Wondering if anyone has both and sees a benefit in owning both, sold your greens mower, or not worth it. I was excited for the Stirling, but then saw the cost.


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## JerseyGreens

ReelWILawn said:


> curious to know if anyone has and uses both a greens mower (Toro/JD/Jacobsen) & an Allett. I've always liked the idea of adding a Kensington for the versatility of the cartridges. Pros, Cons? Wondering if anyone has both and sees a benefit in owning both, sold your greens mower, or not worth it. I was excited for the Stirling, but then saw the cost.


I own a Kens20H and GM1600. Yes, there is a major benefit from owning both in my mind. The cartridges come in handy when needed.

I've also come to realize that if one goes down in the dead heat of summer then having a backup is a major plus. Check out my journal if you want further details as I document the pros/cons accordingly.


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## ReelWILawn

thanks @JerseyGreens ! besides the cartridges, I was also thinking it might be nice to have a back up mower. I also have an area on the side of my house that limits one pattern of mowing with my 220SL just because it's too big/heavy to mow differently in that space.


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## briansemerick

any Allett 43B users put a counterweight on the top of the right side of the machine to compensate for uneven pressure with the engine being on the left instead of centered? My lawn isn't perfectly flat and I have some hilly areas too. Seems like most mows I'll get a deeper line on one side. Looking for how much weight I would need to apply to the right side to even it out. With a brick or something.


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