Mowerland Multitool (4 in 1)

[rayj]

I have just recently ordered one of these from Ideal World TV. Has anyone else bought one? More importantly if you have, how do you find it's performance. Unfortunately I am still waiting for mine to be delivered and have various jobs lined up for all four functions - Trimming, Brushcutting, Hedgecutting and Pruning.

[rayj]

Well the machine arrived safely and I spent three-quarters-of-an-hour assembling the various tools. Little bit worried about the plastic casing on the motorised stem also the fact that the plastic fuel tank has foil sticky tape applied to act as a reflector to the heat (expelled from the exhaust). as has part of the casing on the engine. Will report back later as to how it all performs.

[rayj]

Obviously nobody else has invested in one of these - has anyone bought the Ryobi version with the "Expand It" items? I have found the pruner (chainsaw on extension), brushcutter and strimmer easy to use and effective - the hedgecutter will, I think, be ok once I have cut heavily into the hedge to remove last years growth with the old hedgecutter and use the multi-tool version to keep it in trim.

[rayj]

Ever get the impression "you are talking to yourself"?? Well just in case I'm not, I would stear clear of this beast (Mowerland 4 in 1 Multitool). After only a few days use, the coupler which engages the shaft to the motor to the shaft to the tool stopped engaging. Only to find that instead of being engaged on both shafts it had slipped down wholy on to the lower shaft. Have had a Refund and am now awaiting arrival of a Ryobi model. Will post when I've had a chance to "give it a good burn"!!

[rana]

Keep reporting RayJ, it might just be that nobody else has invested in a multitool yet, but I am interested in your experience.

[NOG]

We are hear but hiding.....

The foil is standard on most petrol items these days.

Give us a report on the Ryboi...I like the idea of the attachments.

[rayj]

I will do - should be with me tomorrow hopefully??
But having seen the Flymo versions on Ideal World TV this morning they look a bit "tacky" (I mean very plasticcy). The Ryobi models I looked at in B&Q today looked much more robust, pretty much like their Chainsaws, of which I have had one for about twelve months and have no complaints about it.

[NOG]

Well let us know how you get on.

[rayj]

Arrived safely by courier this morning. Having opened the Packaging, the Ryobi seems much more robust than the Mowerland. It has the advantage of a Pro Cut head where you just have strips of thicker strimmer nylon which just pull through the head, as well as the Reel Easy head where the nylon roll can be loaded without having to take the head apart. The Pruner (10" chaninsaw on a pole) and the adjustable Hedgecutter must be manufactured by Husqvarna, which is good, as I only found out the other day that Husqvarna, McCulloch and Gardena appear to be part of the same company??
Have tried out the pruner on a Flowering Cherry which has been establised about 16 years and has never been pruned back and where some of the branches are about 4 inches thick, all has gone well. However I may have to invest in an extension bar (£12.99 @ Screwfix) to reach some of the branches towards the middle of the crown of the tree - don't fancy chancing my luck by standing on a chair or ladder for the additional height!!
Will let you know how the Brushcutter, Pro Cut II Head, Reel Easy Head and Hedgecutter perform when I have put them to the test. But if they perform like the Ryobi Chainsaw I bought last year, I will be more than happy.

[NOG]

Sounds good how much you pay for that lot and where did you get it from?

[rayj]

£199 from Idealworld TV (Channel 644, 651 or 668) on Sky. I reckon if I had got a Tree Specialist in to cut back the Flowering Cherry they would have charged at least that. So I feel the tool has already paid for itself.

[NOG]

I will investigate this it sounds like a good price

[WrexTheDragon]

I have the Ryobi one, nice bit of kit.

I use the chain pruner with the extension bar that you can buy.

Made light work of an old apple tree, I was told that it would cost me £200 to have it pruned back in January. I did it myself, but still have some sawn branches left.

I did not buy mine on IW, but paid £99 for the basic unit and hedge trimmer. You cannot tilt the head on the trimmer like the IW one. I then bought a Lawn edger and the chain pruner that may have cost an extra £100.

It has paid for it's self about 3 times over now.

[rayj]

Well I have now put the other attachments to the test and am more than happy with the two Line Trimmer heads, Brushcutter and the Hedgecutting attachments. Although the pole on the Pruning attachment was about 6 feet long (added on to the length of the shaft which the motor is on, I still resorted to buying the extansion shaft from Screwfix (but well worth it - cheaper than buying it from Ideal World TV).
Spoke to a Tree Surgeon at the weekend and asked roughly how much it would cost to "cut back an established Flowering Cherry "and he indicated a minimum of "£150 - so I think the kit has already paid for itself.
Noticed Ideal World TV are now selling the "next version up" - with an electronic start at the press of a button. However with the add ons of the attachments I had with mine the cost would be in the region of £310 (£249.99 plus £59.99 for the Brushcutter). If you can live without the Brushcutter and the Pruner they are selling at £189.99. But I think I can live without the "electric start" for the sake of £110.00!!

[NOG]

Thats all worth knowing...thanks