My grass is now a lawn :o) (Qualcast Power Trak 34)

Member Name: tallpete33

Product:	Qualcast Power Trak 34
Date:	17/07/09 (69 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good performance, light weight, easy to adjust height, good in the wet

Disadvantages: Tricky to store and carry

Having owned two Flymo Hover 330s for 3-4 years apiece, when the second went "pop" I decided to invest in a Power Trak 34 after reading good reviews about it in Which. After over a year's trouble free mowing, I'm happy to report that it has been a very solid buy. The "34" relates to the cutting width of the mower which I chose as my garden is small/medium in size and it was at my price point of around £100.

FEATURES
1200w MOTOR
40 litre Grass collector
Rear roller
Single lever height adjuster
11kg weight

IN USE:
The mower is quite light and manoeuvrable though with the grass box in place it is quite long. To start it you push the button and hold in the lever on the handle. If you release the lever the motor cuts out which is a good safety feature, standard on most mowers these days. The handle is full width so good for right or left handers.
The best feature of the mower is the height adjustment. This is done instantly by a single lever and adjusts the cutting height from 20-70mm - no tools required, unlike the Flymo which required removal of blade and spacer nuts for a paltry 3 different heights. I generally cut on notch 2, occasionally level 1 if my grass is dry and looking very healthy. I use notch 3 for a higher cut during dry spells.
The main drawback is the handle which may come adrift of the body once or twice per session but is easily pushed back in place. The handle is permanently connected to the main body via the cable which makes carrying awkward, if like me you live in a terrace and have to take it through the house to cut your front lawn. I got around this by cutting the cable and putting an orange Perma-plug in the break (approx £2 from B&Q) so I can disconnect it for carrying and storing. It's an easy job but best for somebody qualified to carry out.
The cable is a decent length and the 40 litre grass box is easy enough to empty.

PERFORMANCE
Helped by the rear roller, the mower delivers excellent results with a slight striping visible if you're good at walking in straight lines. It cuts well in the wet without tearing up your lawn provided you raise the cutting height appropriately. It cuts almost up to the edge well.
Thanks to this mower, I can now call my grass a lawn :o)

TO HOVER OR NOT TO HOVER
I would recommend a wheeled mower if you have a flat-tish lawn with not too many nooks and crannies. The Hover mower is slightly easier to move around trees etc and store but the finish is not as good

ADVANTAGES
Good finish
Light weight
Easy to adjust height

DISADVANTAGES
Not easy to carry with handle attached (see "IN USE")
Quite tricky to store

ALTERNATIVE

A similar option which is easier to find is the Bosch Rotak 34 currently on sale at amazon for a competitive £79.99. Replacement blades for the Qualcast are £21.79 on amazon but I've seen these cheaper in DIY stores.

Summary: Wheely good