ALLET vs. SWARDMAN: Watch before you buy
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 มิ.ย. 2021
- Today we will be comparing the Swardman Reel mower vs the Allet Reel Mower.
We will be using the Swardman Edwin 2.1 and the Allet Kensington 17H.
This video is not sponsored.
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Thank you for watching! - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
🔴1 YEAR UPDATE: I SOLD THE ALLETT.
Over the past year... The plastic lever that engages the reel gave me nothing but problems so I sold it.
Both of these mowers are built with VERY cheap parts.
What did you replace the outlet with?
What do you have now?
@@wmartonejr For now Tru Cut but i cant give a solid recommendation on it just yet
@@darrensardina7356 For now Tru Cut but i cant give a solid recommendation on it just yet
No surprises there then-these Allett Kensingtons are just badge engineered Suffolk rubbish dating back to the 80's.Take a look at Protea for real value.
🔴 If you are a Swardman or Allet owner and have had issues like the Swardman in this video, please help other potential buyers and post your experience along with pictures at thelawnforum.com under the "Equipment & Tools" section, thank you.
Sheesh I’m soo glad we are in good hands with this Allett. The Allett isn’t perfect I’ve had a issue stop me from cutting but issue was resolved within 24hrs and no issues since. I can say I LOVE MY ALLETT!! Great vid dude!
Awesome video! Thank you so much for comparing the two mowers!
thanks steve!
Im excited to see this video. No one has done this comparision. Allett vs Swardman striping. Keep up good work!!
Princess Cut Exclusive
Works great! th-cam.com/users/postUgkxprGGPRQoChQaA8u58dt7miEpxQBKiWeJ More difficult with longer grass, though, but I was expecting that. I have a small back yard, it seemed like overkill to buy a lawnmower with an engine. This is easy to carry in and out of the basement through the bulkhead. Very sharp (be careful). At the back of the mower are little wheels, which I use when pulling the mower backwards, so it's easy to readjust direction. I'm including a photo which shows the before and after for my lawn when it was at its longest. For long grass like that you really have to put some muscle into it, and I needed to go into a new section of grass with some momentum, but when the grass is only an inch or two higher than regular cut height it's quite easy. The lawn is still patchy and full of weeds, but at least it's a good height! A step in the right direction.
Simple and to the point. Thanks guys
Excellent video guys
I have that Allett for two years now, absolute quality product and I’ve never had an issue with it. I purchase the 10 blade cartridge and wow, what a cut it gives.
Thanks!
The 10 blade cartridge is next on my list!
Subscribed! Love this channel! My new favorite lawn care channel! Thanks...
Thanks! That means a lot!
Great video, the allett has been tried and tested over a number of years so most of the problems that might occur have been ironed out. I have an early version originally made by qualcast Suffolk punch which is about 10 years old and the only thing I’ve had to change are the belts. The cartridge system is a massive plus for this mower with plenty of cartridges to choose from although these are expensive.
Great point!
The convenience of sending of the cartridges for service are a game changer!
I was looking forward to this video, you are one of my favorites lawn channel, and i have Bermuda
Thanks! Really appreciate that!
See ya around!
The Allett is a longstanding fundamental design which they have tweaked over the years with minor improvements. It's allowed them to gradually iron out those weaker points. The swardman may look sleeker as it's a newer design but it seems like they have some fixes to make to the design and components to reach the same longevity.
There was no tweaking with the Allett the design of the mower is from the Suffolk Punch range of mowers the only thins that they had to change is the engine and rear roller. Suffolk Iron works made the old cast iron flat head engine and the split roller was added when they moved to making wider mowers. The Swardman needs back lapping to match the cylinder to the bottom plate. if you leave it catching it will be noisy and keep wearing the drive belt. Easy job just need a drill and some valve grinding paste.
I've been waiting for someone to do a comparison on these two mowers. Thank you, will purchasing a Allett in the near future.
Good choice! If your a tall guy (over 6ft) do not buy an older model, go w the newer models
*be
I have the 17" Allett Liberty...battery powered. Great mower, easy height adjustment and removable cartridges. Bought the scarifier and 6 blade reel. Quiet and quick. ..was hundreds less than the Swardman. Love it.
Very nice! Thanks for sharing
Such a helpful video makes me.wanna real mow but i know what mower id be choosing!!!
Thanks vin! Which mower would you choose??
1:10 Your heigh adjustment screw is missing. It goes below the yellow sticker on the right side and is necessary to lock in the height.
2:35 That noise is not normal. Some ideas for you to try: Your reel-to-bedknife may be too tight. Also, try backing off the throttle and tighten your drive tension so it propels at the proper (higher) walking speed. Full RPMs on mine means I am walking as fast as I can to keep up. Mine has made that grinding noise once before when I dented the reel/bedknife with a big rock, so inspect that too. Happy mowing.
The missing height adjustment screw probably stripped out the first time he tightened it like mine did. I tapped the hole out to the next bigger size and don't tighten it too hard.
Great comparison guys!! I'm every day more inclined to the Allett Liberty 43 (battery) when I finally transition to reel mowing. Keep up the great videos bud!! 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
Thanks everyone love those liberties!
I’d like to try one out one day
@@PrincessCutLawnCare If I end up getting it, you should come over Buffalo and try it out lol 💪🏻
@@upnylawn3519 will do!
The allett Kensington 20H is a boss. My 1st season with it. The thing I love about it. I know with the Honda motor I can cut whenever I feel like it. Easy to change the hoc. The rear differential is a game changer. Self propelling pretty much goes on it's own up steep hills. It was engineered well. Only thing I find awkward is the bar that holds the catch box. I think it could've been designed differently but that is peanuts.
totally agree, i wish the catch bar was more stable so you could lift it from the bar rather then popping out
Great video. Keep us updated as you put more hours on your Allet. Sounds like the Swardman was good at first as well. Hopefully the Allet holds up better
Will do!
Nice video. You just saved plenty of people $$ and headache from this video. I own and Allett Kensington 17H and simply love it!!
The honda engine is much quiter then i was expecting!
🌞Great video! I knew the Allett would win. 👀 Wish Reel Rollers would carry the Allett brand. 😎 The Allett isn't perfect either, but I've really enjoyed mine. ⛳
George my man. Great collab and review. Allett for the win :). Aaron is a great guy with an amazing lawn. One of the best I have seen around.
Thanks! Video doesn’t do his lawn justice, it’s unbelievable in person. Best I have ever had the privilege to seein real life
I wish the rear diff on my Allett would lock once its engaged going forward. I find slipping happens and only one side of the rear drum is spinning. The allett also has plastic gears in some areas. Plastic should last as long as the proper material is used. I also broke the drive spring on mine, its a wear item unfortunately but was covered under warranty.
I’ve owned two Alletts, a petrol one and now a battery one, not had a problem with either except having to regrind the cylinder which is normal wear. Their differential is super smooth.
Which would you recommend from either the electric or petrol?
@@timsly7870 depends on how large the lawn is, petrol for a large lawn definitely
Nice videos dude. Greetings from Germany!
Hello my friend!
the allet also has a plastic differential
::Knock on wood:: I haven’t had any issues with my swardman. Not sure if that has anything to do with production dates. Mine was delivered in November if I remember correctly and I mow usually 2 times a week. The complaint I have is the drum in really loud on concrete and slides on any kind of slope. Outside of that, it’s been great for me but only time will tell.
Yup we were mowing on a slope in this video and you can see how much it slides, especially when coming up the slope.
Only thing i can say is make sure you baby it, you dont want these things to happen
Been running the allett for a few weeks now, sweet ride and WORTH IT.
sweet! which one did you get?
@@PrincessCutLawnCare 20h, scarifier and 10 blade
Yep, after about 6 or 7 mows on my swardman the spring with the hook that connects the throttle cable broke.... pretty bad.
Nice video thank you! This is what is keeping from purchasing either. Mowers in this class seem pretty light duty. Seems like used commercial might still be the way to go. Until then I can buy a SunJoe battery reel every year for 10 years and still pay less. Was this a Swardman 1.0 or 2.0?
Thanks! it was the edwin 2.1
I have a Swardman. I have replaced the reel cable twice. My engine carburetor crapped out after 1 month and after being replaced by Briggs dealer is giving me more problems again. Oh and today my rear differential just went. Just as you guys talk about.
Sorry to hear about that boss, after owning the allett for a year, i cant tell you its no better than the swardman. Im starting to think the only good reel mowers are the american ones.
I just got a tru cut and it is miles ahead of both of these machines mechanically, all metal, no plastic.
My greensmaster was the same way built like a tank, just to large for my little lawn.
Love this channel!
Is it possible to backlap/ sharpen the blades on the Allet yourself if a professional is not in your area? Being able to use that $50 tool with the McLane is why I'm considering it. My bermuda is extremely bumpy. I'm trying to level it but thinking that a reel mower may be the way to go.
Thanks roz! much appreciated!
The allet uses a cartridge system so anytime you need to get it sharpened..you just send it by mail to have it serviced. Super convenient.
People should look at the Atco clipper it comes in three different variants, 16 inch 20 inch and 20 inch club (10 blade rather than 6 blade) I have recently purchased the clipper 16 incredible build quality for a reasonable price compared to others. All metal construction and Briggs and Stratton engine. My only gripe is that the cartridges are not interchangeable.
If i had a shop to sharpen i would!
No one will grind my mclane as it is
Many of Britain’s sports turf is cut with Allett mowers. You should see their professional range. Great video chaps 👍🏼
Thanks mate!
I’ve seen the Manchester United field, beautiful!
Love your videos. Can I cut my Minneapolis lawn at 1.25 inches ? I have tall fescue, rye grass.
Thanks for putting out the video!
I’ve been waiting for someone TH-cam to do a side by side review comparing these two reel mowers. $3k doesn’t come easy, so I’ve been hesitant to make the purchase. Feeling better now about getting one by fall.
Could you also do an additional video closely comparing the cut quality and striping ability?
Thanks again.
you got it bud! Aaron and I will be collaborating on more future content so stay tuned
Did u
Wowsers.....Lemons in this video and Limes in the latest @Ron Henry video!
Haha you caught the Easter egg huh?
Real good stripes!
Aarons lawn is one of the best!
You had to know you’d catch some flack for putting this out but honest is good! Glad I’m in the Caltrimmer and Greensmaster club! I’ll sit back with my popcorn now 🤣
A little drama keeps the blood flowing 😀
I just bought a Kensington last fall and finally used it this spring. It is very quiet but I fear the drive is going to go out at anytime. When mowing sometimes the drive hesitates and I am wondering if I am mowing to deep. You folks may think I am crazy but I also bought a California Trimmer. This is a beast and the engine runs RPMS a lot higher than the Allett and seems to get a better cut. I was thinking maybe I should have bought the Swardsman but hopefully I will learn to use the Allett at its greatest potential. I bought the Trimmer for a back up incase I had issues with the Allett. Does anyone else think that the Allett does't have enough RPMS to do the proper cutting?
i recently got a new mower
Don’t blame the plastic gears. The Allett uses plastic gears too, yes even for the differential and ring gear for the roller. Fibre reinforced nylon gears are very durable and self lubricating, they are a good choice for a domestic mower. If they’re wearing prematurely in the Swardman it’s likely flawed design not a fault of the material.
I reached out to Allet about their differential and they said they have no documented cases of it failing ever.
Or manufacturing/quality issues
Well, now you put me at stand by getting Swardman... need a second thought. Thanks for the content.
No problem, good luck 👍
Nice video lads, I came close to buying that Allet myself. Then the John Deere appeared for the right money...
JD is a beast and does a great job making your lawn pop!
Love the Chicago accents
Waiting for your TH-cam Soundtrack to come out 😆
GEOR GE !! Loved this video 📹 I'm so glad you made this, been asking these same questions.
Thank you Sir for your great videos and soundtracks 😎
One of my favorite parts of making videos is mixing the music, im glad you enjoy the soundtrack:)
Of course he’s going to love the one the he got for free(post invoice if it wasn’t free). And, why not pull the covers and show all the plastic and cheap parts on the Allett. I have heard about lots of throttle levers breaking. Show the difference in things like changing cartridges..
Add me on ig I’ll send it you
I see in some of your other videos that you have used an older McLane reel mower in the past. How would you compare the Allett to the McLane?
Looking at them both, a brand new 25-inch McLane reel mower with a Honda engine retails for about $1,000 less than a 20-inch Allett (largest one in the Kensington line).
Is the main difference that the Allett has interchangeable cartridges or is it more that the McLane is such a pain to sharpen compared to the Allett?
I appreciate you!
MClane is solid I have ran them for year zero issue and perfection in my lawns. once you get the hang of backlapping its a breeze.
Initial cut quality on both was really good, but looking at the build quality, I have to give the award to Allet. Wish they had swardman and allet dealers all over the US so people could demo before buying.
totally agree!
Get a wider Allett if you like wider stripes, I have the 20H
Dennis are proper luxury lawn mowers!!!
Hand down a million times better than my Allett
How tall are the handle bars? i am looking for a new mower because the allett handle bars are too low for me
My rotory mower doesn't have any of those issues... just saying. 😂🤣😂 Great video guys.👊🏼
lol i hear ya on that!
George how long to get the smile off of your face? You totally exposed Aaron. So proud of you. Unlike me you were totally civil. I would have been on the turf laughing about plastic drive gears. My mother in law’s sock helper contraption is a racing car compared to that Swardman.🤣
Lol are you a comedian dude? We gotta get you on the channel!
You guys didn’t say how the problem was resolved with the reel hitting the bedknife. How was it fixed?
I've used my Allot for years in my yard without any maintenance. It's the quality standard
What happens with your swardman?
I feel bad for your friend. Spending $3k on a mower shouldn’t have any of those issues. I have a California Trimmer and I have had zero issues with it so far (2 years in). It was a little over $1k but it is built like a tank. Not the most maneuverable mower, but it does give a really good cut
Heard so many good things about the cal trimmer, wish we had shops up here to service them! I’d pick up one for sure
I'm a 6 weeks owner of a CT and you're spot on, not the most maneuverable, but solid freakin unit and reel adjustments are super easy! Great for what it is.
Same, I have a rotary motor that barley even gets an oil change and it’s been 3 years and never had a problem with it 😂😅🤪
@@robertjohnston25 same here, I have had a rotary for three years, changed the oil once, thing still works fine.
I got a John Deere 180sl for 1600 completely rebuilt
Great video, glad you guys tell it how it is rather than an infomercial. Over here in the UK the Kensington comes with a Briggs engine now rather than the Honda, boo. Briggs is ok I guess :) Did you have any issues with the plastic parts in the Allett like the cogs? May try and buy a used 20K with the Kawasaki engine, heard it's very reliable.
Haven't had the allet long term but when and if i do... i will be sure to report any findings.
And yes! get the kawasaki version! The kawasaki FG150 on my greensmaster is my favorite small engine of all time! Bulletproof
@@PrincessCutLawnCare "Haven't had the allet long term". Do you think your comparison is still valid?
It’s all new for me but that Allett is 🔥🔥🔥
Hey George the New Allett Stirling is announced. They teamed up with Ego and the battery powered mower is awesome. Zwardman needs to go back to the drawing board. That metal grass catcher is so heavy. The new Sterling has a grass catcher that is light weight and holds more grass clippings. With EGO backing the battery lineup ALLETT is still King.
Ryan needs to do a draw for his (free) Swardmans and get an Allett.
I am enjoying my manual reel for 100 bucks. Worst case it breaks. I already got my moneys worth
Oh boy!
That sucks, my Swardman has been flawless so far. I've heard some issues of others have had with the Swardman. I do have spare parts just incase something does go wrong.
Be sure to treat it very tenderly
@@PrincessCutLawnCare I'm actually pretty rough on it. He got a lemon. Sucks but it happens.
I also have had zero issues with my Swardman since purchased two years ago, love it…
Had my Swardman a year been great so far ….really like it 🍻
I've heard nothing but good about the Swardman in every other review.
Swardman has reel sharpening service. What about Allet, where to sharpen the reel? How about the maintenance support of Allet?
You mail the reel to allet and they sharpen it
@@PrincessCutLawnCare so what address you send the reel to? Looked all over Allett page and nowhere there is mention on sending your reel to be sharpened or how to go about it.
Seems like he should push Swardsman harder and have it replaced. Not sure what the warranty is on them but that’s terrible.
It’s crqzy
I have a Swardman Electra and it has been great! No problems besides the on/off switch, which I replaced myself in about ten minutes. I also find it funny that you dogged the Swardman in this video but then sold your Allett afterwards.
in my humble opinion, they are both bad.
but if it works for you, thats great
That swordman reel should’ve been set right back. Bedknife to reel way to close. I don’t know if these are supposed to run contact but my JD mower recommends 0.001 to 0.002” gap to reel. NO CONTACT.
I bought Allett Kessington 20H in November 2021 and it has not worked for a day. The safety latch wont engage to cut grass,it cuts and disengage intermittently.I contacted US office and she told me the part shipped 3 weeks ago and still waiting to receive the part.The lady in US office wont take my call or reply my mails again I wrote to London office and they wont reply.
It is frustrating that i would be treated so badly by Allett after paying so much for their mower.
Please post your experience under the "tools and equipment" section of the lawn forum to let others know your experience.
Btw i have since sold my allett
Thanks. So, which one are you using now?
Aaron definitely got a lemon..but I can't believe how many cheap parts are on that Swardman, considering it's price tag. Yikes.
I’m sure this will get the attention of the Swardman folks. Serviceability is huge, be it a mower, car, stereo amplifier, etc. When I watched RK’s video on all the work it took to swap the reel, I thought this looks too complicated and the design wasn’t for me.
@@themoistgreenorganic first off, your screen name is off the charts 😂. But yes I agree with you completely. I looked into getting a Swardman last year and I'm so glad I didn't grab one. I couldn't justify the price tag even before seeing how cheaply made they are. Glad I went with the used Toro. The thing is a tank.
@@LAWNLIFE the Toro or jd is the way to go for sure. But the cartridge system idea is super cool. I wish the wider alletts weren't so damn expensive.
The plastic inside the Swardman's rear diff roller was one thing, but that side view of all the pulleys, loose rubber belts, and thin metal springs was the most concerning to me. Embarrassing for the brand.
@@nathankooistra7788 right? It's crazy how cheaply made it is considering the cost of the machine.
Doesn't the Allett have plastic gear drives for the reel and other cartridges?
yes
I must say, I just got my swardman last month and I'm not very happy with it.. the sound and vibration is just too much.. my trimmer runs smoother but I do love the drum drive and the maneuverability of the swardman.. 💸
Aaron told me he cant even mow with the grass catcher on because the vibration is so intense... only thing i can rec to you is treat it with tender loving care, its not built like the trimmers, those things are tanks
@@AdmiralTwitchy Thats awful though. The machine should be able to run at any throttle. Especially one that costs as much at this one.
I am kinda missing the look behind the cover of the allett. You are commenting on plastic an flimsy but I was wondering how the allett looks. As I understand is that the real is a lit thinner and the gear driving it is plastic.
I will be doing a more in-depth look into the allet, say tuned
The Allett, also has a plastic Differiental..
How would you compare the Allet to a new McLane? They are similar in price...the Allet being slightly higher...
Allet over mclane brand new allday BUT
If your on a budget and have a dealer to service a mclane... you cant beat the price for a used one. I got my mclane for 200 and it was a great deal.
Thanks! Can you sharpen your blades on the Allet? I'm not sure that I could find someone to do it professionally.
@Princess Cut Lawn Care @Reel Rollers I have had the same issues with my Swardman and have been further turned off by the lack of support received (so much that I’ve pretty much given up and now have an Edwin 2.1 that makes me sick when I look at it) … Lee, I would be simply amazed if mine, and everyone else’s issues were actually addressed.
I have an Edwin 2.1 that was purchased September of 2019, a 6 blade reel, a 10 blade reel, verticutter cartridge, scarifier cartridge, and the brush cartridge … so there was a good chunk of money spent and I’ve been disappointed since the very start of that process with delay after delay and poor communication from Lee and Reel Rollers. Those particular issues are unique, however, the ongoing issues and lack of making them right seem to be more commonplace.
1. Extreme vibration - my unit feels as if it is going to explode from the shaking if run more than 75(ish)% throttle. In fact the throttle doesn’t even do anything until I get to about half, so I only have about 25% of actual usable throttle. I contacted Lee about the excessive vibration early on and the response I got was “you don’t need to run it at full throttle, just don’t go past where it starts to shake” - REALLY? That’s the was the best non-addressing a customer’s issue answer I think I’ve ever heard. The violent shaking has also rendered the grass catcher unusable due to the screws that hold the o-rings constantly shaking loose and falling off as well as it it just rattling and bouncing way too much. I’m terrified to tighten them because of the next issue…
2. Height of cut set screw - mine is also gone. Why? Well the first one disappeared one day, likely due to the extreme vibration. Next one wouldn’t stay in either, and I found this time that it was because the threads that it screws into were stripped. Again, contacted Lee, and the response was to take it somewhere to have them cut new threads, “it must have been over tightened.” Again, passed the buck, and this time he went ahead and just assumed it was over tightened; I definitely did not appreciate being accused of this. Well, that didn’t work either as the new threads and sized screw worked a few times, but then it vibrated out again, and guess what, threads are stripped again!!! And no, I am not over tightening the screw. Now, my height of cut remaining even across the reel is nonexistent. I would love for this design flaw to be addressed and new parts installed on my Swardman, or, how about replacing the lemon that I got!
3. Drive roller & belts - I too have had to replace belts and springs because they wore out WAY too fast, and now is just futile. My drive lever does NOTHING until I get past halfway up on it, then the drum really only goes if I give the mower a push start, or if I am going down a slope! So begins the viscous cycle: turn the throttle up and have the unit shake itself apart, or, push the needed pressure for the mower to move only to then have to deal with uneven cutting because I don’t have a set screw to hold the height of cut consistent.
I would be totally floored if either Swardman or Reel Rollers would stand behind the product that they are selling and either replace my unit with one that isn’t a lemon, or, even better, refund me and take this thing and all of the cartridges back. You could even use it to figure out how to improve by studying an actual lemon as opposed to just being ok with the fact that my approximately $4,000 that you got was a good exchange for the approximately 3-5 months of use I fought through just to have it sit there now, unusable, and angering me every time I look at it!
Sorry to hear that brian, i pinned your comment. Hopefully Lee or Swardman will reach out to you and make it right.
Hey brian, i saw Lee from Reel Rollers reach out to you on the lawn forum, please let us know when and if he fixes and/or replaces your unit, thanks!
Lee emailed me this evening and I have responded with my concerns. I’ll see where it goes from here.
@@brianbier Hi Brian, any update?
@@PrincessCutLawnCare
UPDATE (finally) for everyone:
First, I want to apologize for taking so long to post an update as I have been extremely busy. I want to publicly commend Lee and his staff at ReelRollers as he and the team have absolutely stepped up to work with me and make things right.
Rather than a very long story, allow me to summarize where we are at -- Lee reached out to me very quickly after my initial post and I'm very happy to say that he has swapped my original Edwin 2.1 with a brand new Edwin 2.1 (the really great-looking Captain's Gray color!). Not only did Lee agree to swap it out to make things right, but he and his brother delivered it personally to Texas. I'm sure there are quite a few happy customers recently since Lee and his brother took a road trip from Reel Rollers to personally deliver LOTS of new Swardman Mowers across Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama, and who knows were else. That was a very pleasant surprise to get a chance to meet Lee face-to-face and discuss some of the issues that I have had with my Swardman -- the only downside is that he didn't get to see my lawn in all of its glory that the Swardman can produce when it is operating at peak performance.
I would like to share my personal opinions regarding ReelRollers as well as Swardman so that everyone is getting a fair shake. When I chose to purchase a Swardman, I reached out to Lee to ask about support being that he was the only person in the U.S. that was distributing the Swardman. I felt confident enough with our exchange that I placed an order -- my setup includes an Edwin 2.1, 6-blade cartridge, 10-blade cartridge, scarifier cartridge, verticutter cartridge, and the brush cartridge. One of the deciding factors to go with the Swardman was the ability to swap the cartridges out, thus giving you multiple machines in one.
I will say that out of the box, these machines are impressive! The cartridges are great, although, I have not really used the brush so I probably could have saved money on that. Where the issues start is the durability/longevity of some of the components, as well as me potentially just getting a bad machine (that will happen from time to time with anything). My concerns are very similar to a lot of other owners that I've read -- unbelievable vibration, screws coming loose (from vibration), weak points in the metal (height of cut set screws), cables that seem a bit too weak, belts that stretch WAY TOO SOON, and the drive roller becoming almost useless unless going down a slope!
I want to reiterate again - these concerns are NOT due to Lee and ReelRollers. These concerns truly lie with Swardman and their ability to improve. Lee should be applauded for the vision he saw with bringing the Swardman mowers to the U.S. market and the time he has put in working with them to make improvements to the machines. Being the first to take on any endeavor will come with some great highs, but will also have quite a few lows along the way, and the support that you get from a company once issues are found is what sets that company apart. Lee and his team at ReelRollers are 100% committed to doing a great job, providing amazing service, and taking care of their customers. My faith in Lee, and ReelRollers, has been more than restored by his commitment to taking care of me and standing behind the products that he sells! Yes, there are some opportunities with the Swardman units, but that is not Lee's fault and he is working very diligently with Swardman to improve based on the feedback that we provide.
So, my thoughts on the Swardman? I do not have an Allett, Greensmaster, or any other powered reel mower, so I cannot compare to those units. My thoughts at this moment, however, are very similar to when I first ordered the Swardman -- I am extremely excited to see how this new mower compares to the previous unit I had and if it holds up over time. I have every intention to continue to work with Lee and his team at ReelRollers to provide feedback. My hope is that my previous machine just had some quirks that were a bit off and that all will be well with the replacement machine.
I plan to provide another update in a few months once I have a moment of time to get my own lawn back in order with the help of the new Swardman!
This video was the amazing
Thanks frankie
Thinking about buying the Liberty 43
Also…when would you recommend to top dress Bermuda in Northern Texas?
I would not buy the liberty for Bermuda, it’s too light of a machine to get a good cut on Bermuda. I would go with a Honda Kensington or a greens mower
If your going to do it than I would do it pronto as your guys season is coming to an end
From the video it looks like the cable you are unhappy with is the same cable as cyclist use on their bikes. If so replacing is no big deal at all. Also if it is the same system turning the black knurled knob counterclockwise on the cable should tighten up that loose belt as the bike cable has some slack in it. It is normal for these bike cables to become slack during the initial break-in period and then need tightening. After this, they are usually good to go. If this is the same system it is actually a big plus for the Swardsman as opposed to a negative as you describe.
Sounds like there’s a good reason my local pro stihl retailer doesn’t stock the swardman. Makes me sad cause I know it would make a neighbor of mine jealous.
I don’t like the plastic in the homeowner Allett either but the swardsman is even worse, the Kensington is not a bad mower but some things on it that suck like the rear roller coating comes off easily. This is an old Atco mower that Allett bought, it’s a quiet mower and mows well but there are flaws. I’ve just come off a commercial Allett and those cylinders are super thick but if you damage them it’s $4000 to replace. I am intrigued by a mower I saw recently that is a cartridge system at a much more reasonable cost and that’s the cobra fortis but looks like they are only taking preorders at this point. I recently hurt myself badly so I’m going to try the Allett Stirling 51 but I’m not happy about the USA mark up that they have on these which is about $1200 per unit and then the mark up on the cartridges. Horizon was a recent dealer of Allett commercial mowers and is no longer selling them as they are sold from one distributor out of SC and it’s a British guy who tries very hard to impress you with his so called knowledge but I don’t know if I see these being successful long term with the mark up to import into the USA. The cobra fortis has a 25 inch mower also which is what I would ideally love to have in a cartridge mower for homeowner use
Allet prices are much higher in North America than Britain. 17 inch scarifier is approximately double the cost. Machines are also much more expensive to. Australia doesn't suffer from the same increases so it isn't the shipping.! Can't comment on reliability of swardman but they do not suffer from same price increases either.
This video was the mail in the coffin for Swordman in my book. The Allett’s new Stirling is going to be the the future king of high end mowing.
That new mower looks pretty cool!
@@PrincessCutLawnCare I plan on shooting an unboxing when it arrives in April if they are still in time.
Hello l currently own for 2 years allett k 20 and swardman 55 Edwin 2.1 . In all 2 mowers over the years or hard various mechanical problema more with swardman than allett. Allett traction roller stuck in neutral plus plastic Gear breakage to get cartridge in motion.swardman Bell design but problema of cutting cartridge too sensitive for adjustment breakage of the flange to the handle where It Is fixed to the motore resistant metal,too many metal vibrations betwen the collection basket and the machine currently solved a Little with some velcro tape.continuos adjustments of the accelerator lever from the handlerbar with a 10 and an Allen Key various belts broken.in conclusione the Kawasaki engine on both lawnmowers are eccellente,many problema on the swardman mechanics.better for me at all. Hello from Riccardo Italia 🇧🇬
aye brother you got such incredible tools you need to start throwing chalk lines to stay straight
What else should I look at besides these 2 for residential stripping?
This allett is on fb marketplace. Woot
I sold it a week ago
@@PrincessCutLawnCare I debated it!
Can I cut my tall fescue lawn to 1.25 inches? I live in Minnesota.
you can but you will see yellow due to the higher height of stalks, i would do a reno if you want to mow low
Glad I bought a 180sl
Wise choice my friend, your gonna love that thing
I’m thinking the greens mowers are designed at 200x what I’m going to be using it so it should hold up good for my purpose
@@PrincessCutLawnCare thanks buddy I started off with a worn out mclane with all the bearings out can’t wait for her to get here ❤️ I’ll have to send you a post mow
The throttle and drive cable are 10 bucks. The drive cable on my flex 21 was 110 dollars just for reference. Allet has been around a lot longer than Swardman. No doubt allet has gone through the same development process Swardman is going through right now. It just appears that allet is 5 years ahead of Swardman in that respect. I currently run the 45cm sward and it does a great job. But there are some nuances like you mention in this video that take some attention.
Terrific content! Thanks.
The Swardman looks beautiful -- but everyone seems to be having issues (e.g., I noticed that Ryan Knorr is using a push mower this week -- easy to read between the lines). But the larger-model Allet prices... OUCH. And... I can find no reliable way to get *any* reel mower serviced. My lawn mower mechanic has said, "absolutely not," and Reel Rollers is just too far away. This market might bloom if one of the big companies would offer a consumer-priced machine with the appropriate service options. Perhaps they're all scared that they'd be cannibalizing their golf course businesses?
Thanks! I think once reel mowing becomes more common the big dawgs like toro will start jumping, for now we have to deal with these units
dry dead land sun beats grass quickly
solution to both your problems buy the 20" or 24" allett
i just sold my 17h today
I’ll stick with the TC27....
Those tru cuts are nice!
I told you the English mower would prevail ... ones a lawn mower the other is a boat anchor and thinks it can cut grass. Those little English mowers are used by the top teams in football.
you guys do have the nicest lawns in the world, ill give you that!
I got nervous seeing your friend mow the lawn in flip flops
Supposedly the founders of Swardman worked for Allet. They wanted to branch out and make more unique home owner mowers but Allet didn't want to.
You know i used to like the swardman design but i have to admit the classic green is growing on me
@@PrincessCutLawnCare it looks like a nice mower to me! Appears to be well built too
When your company was selling Volvo cars in 1990, did you work for Ford? (Ford bought Volvo in 1999)
Your comment sounds like Swardman is just a fork or copy of Allet but it's not true in any way. And by the way the founder is now working on a new reel mower (and it will not be Swardman brand :-) ).
Hopefully you get someone to help you figure out how to calibrate your tools
There are pros and cons to all of them. Love my Cal Trimmer it's built very well and cuts amazing but it's not very nimble. For what these mowers cost I'm not thrilled with the plastic components.
I’ve been hearing a ton of good things about the cal trimmer lately, would like to get my hands on one
@@PrincessCutLawnCare come on down and take mine for a spin.
I plan on taking a lawn care road trip, you will deff be one of the first stops!
Jo! I am pretty sure, the gears on the Allett are made of plastic, too. Not a real honest comparison for me.
I contacted allet about their rear drum and they said they don't have even 1 documented case of failure, ever.
Dude those lawnmowers are waaaay too expensive, yes it’s cool, you can cut bent grass, still a cool video 👍👍
Thanks mike! totally agree, my wife thought i was goin crazy when i dropped the money of one of these lol
@@PrincessCutLawnCare for sure crazy
Diagonal striping tip! Start in the middle corner to corner and work your way out, always check back on your first line and correct it before you continue on. You will have way straighter lines and avoid the Indy 500 look 💪🌱😁
totally agree but to both of our defenses, the slope is much steeper then it seems on camera and we choose that angle to present the strips the best, i know they were not the prettiest!
I figured you also may just have been not worrying about it as much as you were paying attention to the mower more. More of a public service announcement lol
So far must have convinced 5,000 people to go Allet over Swardman. Solid gentlemen!
Almost bought a swardman.
Yowza 😳
💯