Introducing the Black & Decker LM175. If you have got some light duty lawn care to do and you want an affordable upgrade from a push reel mower then this one really should be a contender. Granted, you are not going to get any bells and whistles with this. It is a bog standard machine, but it will cut your lawn, so what more do you need? It does the simple things well and for the amount you pay its good value.
Black & Decker LM175 Review - Specifications |
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Manufacturer | Black & Decker |
Model | LM175 |
Motor | 6.5 Amps |
Deck Size | 18 inches |
Cutting Modes | Bag or Discharge |
Height Adjustment Type | Single Lever |
Cutting Heights | 1 - 3.5 inches |
Weight | 35 lbs |
Black & Decker LM175 Review – Key Features
- Build Quality – Because of the price of this mower you will probably have doubts over it’s quality. Don’t! It’s actually built pretty decently and we are impressed with the electric cord connector, which is pretty solid compared to other models. You get a lifetime warranty on the polymer housing which is a nice little bonus.
- Cutting Deck – A really nice sized mower on the whole. You have got an 18 inch deck so its big enough to get a decent amount of grass cut on each pass but it’s also small enough to get into tight spaces and easy to manoeuvre.
- Motor – It’s powered by a 6.5 amp motor, which is adequate for a small lawn as long as you take good care of it and don’t let the grass overgrow frequently.
- Cutting Options – Primarily this mower discharges the clippings back onto your lawn but you can get a grass bag as an optional extra if bagging the clippings suits you better. You won’t be able to mulch with this mower, so if you were really after a mulching mower you could try looking at the Black & Decker MM275.
- Safety Features – If you release your hand from the lever on the handle the motor will shut off almost instantly. This gives you piece of mind if you have small children or if you need to turn off the mower suddenly for any reason.
- Easy to start – In the summer heat the last thing you want to be doing is repeatedly yanking on a cord and tiring yourself out before you’ve even started the job. It takes literally no effort to get this mower started. It’s as easy as pulling a lever. Sounds a lot easier doesn’t it?!
- Discharge Chute – The discharge chute on this model is on the right hand side. To be totally honest we are not a big fan of attachments on the sides of mowers. This is because it makes it more difficult to trim the edges of lawns, especially those which have walls or fencing. You can’t get close enough on the side where the attachment is because it sticks out. In this instance, with the LM175 you have to always approach from the left if you want to cut close to fences and walls which is a bit of an inconvenience really.
- Power Cable – You don’t actually get one with the mower so please do bear this in mind before you purchase. It doesn’t make this entirely clear in the product descriptions. It also takes a bit of getting used to too. You need to plan a route and it’s always best to start close to the power outlet and then move outwards. This can be a bit of a pain if you have lots of obstacles, so you need to think this through before committing to a corded mower. Having said that, it’s nothing that can’t be solved with a bit of planning and some common sense.
- Eco Friendly – Are you doing your bit for the environment? Well this is a real good way to make a start. You’ll be producing zero harmful emissions with this mower which is good news.
- Easy to maintain – Maintaining a lawn mower is not a chore most people look forward to so you’ll be pleased to know that this model requires you to do very little. Pretty much all you will have to do is keep the blade sharp and balanced and keep the undercarriage clear & clean. A very light maintenance mower.
- Easy to store – This mower’s design is fairly compact which is good in terms of storage because it’ll obviously take up less space in your shed or garage.
- Affordable – If you only have a small yard and some light duty lawn care to take care of then this mower is perfect. It’s not too expensive and it’ll do a good job.
Black & Decker LM175 Review – Assembly
Black & Decker are good at this in general. The mower is almost ready to go as soon as you get it. All you will have to do is put the handle on and you’re ready to go.
Black & Decker LM175 Review – Performance
- Cutting Ability – It does a good job at maintaining a small garden as long as it’s used fairly often and the grass isn’t left to grow out of control. Using on long or wet grass is a definite no-no. You just have to remember that you are using a 6.5 amp motor and it simply isn’t designed to devour anything you throw at it.Keep on top of it and cut when your yards dry and it works a treat. If you do use it with long grass it can tend to clog up the exit vent on the side of the mower, so just be aware of this.
- Manoeuvrability – At only 36lbs it is certainly very light and is light enough for pretty much anyone to use. It’s so light that you can easily push it with one hand and going uphill won’t even be a problem.
The Bottom Line
Still not sure? Below are what we consider to be the main pros and cons of owning and operating the Black & Decker LM175.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
You have probably got a good idea of what this lawn mower is about now. It has plenty of plus points if you use it in the right conditions. Most of the people who complain about this mower have bought it and used it in the wrong conditions. This mower is the perfect fit for an average sized, well kept lawn. Its practical, easy to use and best of all…………its affordable.
Our Rating
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