
The Flymo Glide Master 380 is a hover mower aimed at medium sized lawns. It is actually the heaviest Flymo hover mower on offer at 13.7kg’s and has the most powerful motor at 1750 Watts. It has a grass box that has a decent 35 litre capacity and has a host of other little extras which the cheaper Flymo mowers don’t have. But how did it perform? Well read our review below and find out the pros, cons and the best kinds of gardens to use this mower in.
Flymo Glide Master 380 Review - Specifications |
|
---|---|
Manufacturer | Flymo |
Model | Glide Master 380 |
Motor | 1750 Watt |
Deck Size | 38 cm |
Cutting Modes | Integrated Grass Collection System |
Blade Type | Metal |
Height Adjustment Type | Spacers |
Cutting Heights | 12 - 32 mm |
Number of Cutting Heights | 4 |
Grass Box Capacity | 35 litres |
Cable Included? | Yes, 15 m |
Weight | 13.7kg |
Extra Features | Vision Window - to see when grass box is full, Rear Roller & Easi-Reel cable storage |
Flymo Glide Master 380 Review – Key Features
- Compact & Functional – This mower really has some nice little features which have been packed onto a compact design. First the fact that the grass box is concealed within the main body of the mower its self is a great idea as you don’t have one of those external ones hanging off the back of the mower (which obviously increase the size of the mower). The features like the Easi-Reel and the folding handle don’t add any extra size to the mower but are real assets. For this mower to perform at its best, you NEED to spend some time performing some simple maintenance after every mowing session if possible.There are so many nooks and crannies which dust and grass cuttings collect in which makes cleaning pretty difficult and time consuming. You should concentrate on cleaning the air filter intakes, the roller and inside the mower
- Good storage features – On the Flymo Glide Master 380 there are 2 elements which make it super easy to store in a small corner of your shed or garage. The “Easi-Reel” system on top of the mower means you can wind the cable in after you’ve done mowing and it will be stored inside the mower. This is a great way for avoiding getting your cable all tangled up. There’s nothing more annoying that going out to do the mowing and having to spend a good 5 minutes untangling the cable first. Secondly you have got a folding handle which you can fold over the main body of the mower when it’s not in use.
- Simple height adjustment – You’ve got a choice of 4 different height settings that range from 12-32mm and you have the simple system of adding spacers to adjust this height. All you need to do is flip the mower over before you start (obviously make sure it’s not plugged in), remove the blade (be careful and wear gloves), add how many spacers you want and then re-attach the blade. That’s it. Not the quickest height adjustment system but it is simple and effective.
- Large Grass box capacity – The fact that you’ve got a 35 litre grass box on this Flymo means you really are equipped to handle those medium sized lawns. It’s even potentially a big enough capacity to use on a large lawn (providing you don’t mind making a few extra stops to empty it).
- Not too heavy – You are at the heavier end of the Flymo hover mower range, in fact it is the heaviest one you can get, but at 13.7kg’s it’s still a lot lighter that any petrol mower would be.
- Easy to use – As with all of the Flymo Hover range the actual know-how you need in order to operate this mower in minimal. It’s another great example of a “plug-in-and-go” mower.
Flymo Glide Master 380 Review – Assembly
If you’re not a fan of DIY then the fact that this mower requires no assembly will probably be a relief for you. It’s a real time saver as you can just un-box your mower and it’s ready to go straight away.
Flymo Glide Master 380 Review – Performance
- Cutting Ability – This mower cuts the grass cleanly and provides an even finish. It is by no means the best finish we have ever come across but it does tidy the lawn up.It doesn’t seem to cut the grass really short so if that’s the kind of finish you are looking for then this won’t be the mower for you and it’s also not great on longer grass. It will cut cleanly providing you are going to use it regularly and keep your grass to a respectable length.
- Grass Collection – In this department it’s not up to usual Flymo standards. It tends to blow quite a lot of the grass out of the back end of the mower and you do get some on your legs. In order to try and get maximum efficiency on the grass collection, use the vision window to monitor how much grass is in the grass box and try and empty it as soon as its getting full. The “pop-up” grass back is so quick and easy to empty. You’ll be able to unload it and get back to mowing in a matter of seconds (providing your compost heap or dustbin is close by!)
- Manoeuvrability – Whilst it does glide excellently on flat lawns it is a pain on uneven ground. The mower is a little bit heavy to get the kind of “floating” effect a hover mower needs to work efficiently and this is really exposed when going along uneven ground as you end up pretty much just pushing it without the cushion of air and it becomes seriously hard work.
The Bottom Line
In this section we're going to leave you with a few final thoughts about the Flymo Glide Master 380.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
“Could be better” I think is the verdict which should be assigned to this mower. It is pretty ineffective on uneven lawns, which I am sure will count out a whole bunch of you right now. But if you are one of the lucky ones that has a small to medium sized flat lawn then the Flymo Glide Master 380 is still worth thinking about as it does work well in those conditions. It cuts well providing you mow regularly, has a pretty long cable for a Flymo and has a decent grass box capacity. Mowing regularly will also help to improve the efficiency of the grass collection.
Our Rating
Leave a Reply