Worx WG712 Review

Worx WG712 Review – Key Features

• Design – As we just mentioned, the Worx WG712 has a very distinctive, kind of futuristic look about it that will definitely catch your attention.
• Cutting Deck – The deck of this mower is a compact 16 inches and is constructed from plastic. This is big enough to cut a decent amount of grass if you choose to use the mower in open spaces, but at the same time it is small enough to weave in and out of the harder to reach areas you might have. This deck size is actually smaller than most of your other corded electric options out there, with only then the Mow Joe MJ401E having a smaller deck size. Another important thing to mention is the positioning of the blade – basically the blade reaches right up to the edge of the deck. (On some mowers there is sometimes a gap of a few inches from the end of the blades cutting diameter to the edge of the deck). This means you’ll be able to cut up close to things like walls and fences, minimising the need to take out the trimmer after you’re done mowing.
• Motor – The 13 amp motor, combined with the 16 inch cutting diameter actually gives you one of, if not the best power to cutting diameter ratio on the (corded electric mower) market today. Personally I think this mower packs plenty of power for your average small lawn or perhaps for trimming edges on a larger yard.
• Construction – The plastic construction, pretty common with electric mowers, allows the WG712 to remain light weight. That does come with a slight compromise though as plastic is undoubtedly not as durable as a steel construction. But as the saying goes, “you can’t have everything”. On the under carriage you have got a double lined construction surrounding the blade area. This is a good design as it strengthens this area which is particularly susceptible to damage from debris.
• Cutting Heights – On this particular model you have 6 height settings ranging from ¾ of an inch to 2 ¾ inches. The lowest setting (3/4 of an inch) is actually lower than anything else on the market (The WG712’s sibling, the Worx WG718 only cuts down to 1.5 inches). So if you want to create a putting green finish then this is the one! Towards the front of the deck, on the left hand side, you have got a lever which controls the cutting height. It’s an easy to use lever that changes the height of all four wheels simultaneously, which is very convenient and does allow you to change height a lot quicker than if you were setting the height for each wheel separately.
• Handle – The feature that really gives the mower that futuristic look is without doubt the handle construction. It’s an ergonomically designed handle that is designed to reduce fatigue and also improve control. The handle itself is nice and padded and this definitely improves comfort levels whilst getting on with the job. You’ve got a dead man’s bar, which runs the length of the handle – not something that’s too common on electric mowers actually and handle also folds up which is very convenient for storage as it takes up a lot less room.
• Grass Catcher – The grass catcher is a 2 piece, moulded plastic unit which is shipped out to you in 2 halves. You are required to clip these two halves together (read more about this in the section on assembly below). Personally I actually like the grass catcher. The fact that it is solid, as opposed to a mesh bag style one that you get with a lot of lawn mowers, means it remains above the ground at all times because it has a more rigid structure. This will certainly increase it’s lifespan as it will not rub along surface of your lawn and cause wear and tear. It’s also really easy to remove, empty and then put back on. So if you do intend to use the grass catcher a lot, after you’ve spend an initial potentially tricky few minutes assembling it (read section on assembly) it’s actually a dam fine piece of equipment.

Worx WG712 Review – Assembly

The assembly of this futuristic grass eatin’ machine is not too bad. And I’m sure that’s exactly what you want to hear. But…..You were waiting for the “but” weren’t you. Well the hardest part is the grass catcher. It’s a moulded plastic grass catcher but it comes in 2 halves and you have to “snap” the two halves together. There’s a series of clips on the grass catcher and you push these together. The problem is that it’s hard to get the two halves stable enough to snap into place, because let’s face it plastic does flex. The manual will tell you to start at the rear of the box and work your way towards the front. Scrap that! If you want to get it done, start at the front (it’s ten times easier to get those clips “clipped” in) and by the time you get to the rear clips the catcher will be a lot more stable, making it easier to get those tough clips done. Phew! Glad we got that sorted. As for the rest of the mower, well it’s a breeze and you should be ready in 15 minutes or so after un-crating her.

Worx WG712 Review – Performance

• Cutting Ability -The quality of cut achieved with this mower was better than just satisfactory but I would stop a bit short from saying it’s excellent. At certain times (mainly when the grass catcher was empty or when mulching) I did get a more uneven cut in higher grass where the ground was a bit uneven. I think this is due to the fact that the mower is light in terms of weight and the wheels are fairly small, so on more uneven ground it did tend to “rise up” a bit. But in terms of the quality of cut, this is really the only issue I had. One thing which I did find particularly impressive was its ability to cut close to solid objects such as walls and fences. This is because the blade is positioned close to the edge of the deck. So that trimmer stays in the shed 🙂
• Manoeuvrability – This mower handles very well. With the more compact size and the lighter weight you get great manoeuvrability. Backing up and going round tight corners is easy peasy! The fact that its light also means dealing with slopes and gradients is easy with this mower, so if you have anything like that, don’t sweat!
• Noise Levels – Another thing always worth mentioning is the amount of noise you will be subjected to. I’m not going to lie and tell you a load of fluffy nonsense like “this mower is virtually silent” or “it sounds like a fan”. This mower does produce an amount of noise that you will definitely notice, but it is significantly quieter than a gas machine and is relatively easy on the ears. You’ll still be able to hear your family calling you to tell you that your dinner is ready!

Worx WG712 Review – Pros

• The majority of the mower is easy to set-up
• Compact design combined with a foldable handle means this mower is easy to store and takes up very little space.
• Built in safety mechanism (dead man’s bar) to prevent accidental start-ups. Especially important if you have children.
• Easy to start
• Easy to push and manoeuvre due to it being lightweight and compact in size.
• Great power to cutting diameter ratio
• Provides a good quality of cut.
• Ergonomic design reduces fatigue and increases your control over the mower
• Relatively quiet
• Large capacity grass catcher
• Easy & convenient height adjustment system
• Easy to maintain & clean

Worx WG712 Review – Cons

• Light plastic material used in construction – not as durable as a more solid steel deck
• Grass catcher is a little tricky to assemble
• Performance deteriorates on uneven ground – the light weight of the mower and the small wheels do not lend themselves well to these conditions
• Instruction manual is pretty useless, contains small, poor quality diagrams with badly co-ordinated verbal instructions.