Lawn and Garden Reviews

This looks like a great idea, but it just doesn't cut my grass. If I get a running start, it might cut a few blades before it chokes. Now I understand why Europeans don't have lawns - they can't figure out how to make a machine that will mow grass. Sorry, but scissors would be faster.

I admit, I have never cut a lawn before. In an effort to save on costs of hiring someone, I decided to find a nice quiet reel mower for the small patch of lawn in back. I did pretty extensive research and came upon this model, top seller in Europe somewhere, as I recall. Anyway, after a bit of a tousle putting it together, mainly because I could have used another pair of hands beside my own, I pulled it out onto the lawn to watch it do its stuff. And work it does. Really. I am surely no expert on lawn mowing, and the first time I used it I tackled much overgrown, high grass on slopes in wet weather. All supposed no-nos for a reel machine. But this thing really works. It seems to cut well. It obviously takes longer than a power mower, but I wanted to enjoy the silence, and I like the exercise. It is light to carry, easy to handle, and I only give it 4 instead of 5 stars because this is the first mower I have ever owned and have nothing to compare it with. But if it can plow through my hilly, tough, high, wet grass, surely it can do the same for you. I am really enjoying this machine.

I bought a Leaf Hog, tried it for one day, and will return it as soon as I am able. Here is my laundry list of complaints:

1. the leaf bag, since it is has a narrower opening than base, clogs very easily when trying to empty.
2. leaf bag attachment/clip is flimsy, as others have noted.
3. plastic handle attaches to the fabric-enclosed metal ring at the top of the leaf bag using 6-7 plastic "clips". the very first time I tried to lift a full bag by the handle, it came off.
4. very, very hard to disengage bag from blower without spilling some amount of mulch on the ground.
5. clip/hook intended to keep your extension cord plugged into the blower is virtually useless. I wound up tucking a coil in my hand as I used it.
6. while the vacuum has a "saddle horn" for your left hand to hold while mulching, in blower mode there is no knob or spur for your left hand to grip to help direct. (The Toro has this, and I missed it immensely)
7. after one session's use there were surprisingly large pits in the plastic turbine blade, and whitish star-shaped discolorations in the orange plastic at the top of the vacuum attachment (heat? impact?)
8. the plastic sections of the vacuum attachment are defying my best efforts to separate them again (in my case, for returning to the store, or, in theory, to store during the off-season)

1. Bag is a pain in the rear to get on and off.
2. Bag tore around the carrying strap so stuff flies out.
3. It is heavy and awkward to use.
4. Worst of all, the on/off switch broke. It turns on when it is supposed to be off and vice versa. I almost lost a finger when I had it turned off and the nozzle removed.

I'm exceedingly sorry that I purchased this item. I'm looking for a better quality model because this one got put in the trash.

It's absolutely hysterical! He is complaining because he's emptying the bag from the nozzle end,NOT the zippered end! Lol!

Anyway,awesome machine in every way! Love it!

after a few months of sporadic use I get the famous three blinking lights. the fan starts and stops a few times then the blinking lights start. I mail orderedlast summer so I am SOL but registered here...just to say... that anyone reading this should avoid the flowtron mt-200 like it was a swarm of mosquitos. the performance here in seattle was poor. sirmrks KSCA

Worked well for two years then the fan motor quit. I'm looking into getting a new motor.

This is amazing I check the trap twice a day! The thing is capturing Mosquitos like there is no tomorrow! My kids can go out into the yard without having to put Off on and when we usually have to come in at dusk its not bad at all and we have a stream on our property. Thanks to the folks at Flowtron for letting me use my yard again!

mark

I purchased the Troy-Bilt version of this (both Troy-Bilt and Ryobi are manufactured by MTD) Trimmer-Plus gizmo - looked good. The gear box gears (which allows for the 'straight-shaft') lost their teeth after about 2 months of light use. Came in here to see what a new 'trimmer attachment' cost since I hate to lose the whole thing - excellent and reliable engine.

I have used the Ryobi Trimmer-Plus gas trimmer for about 4 years now.The only reason I had to replace my original 825r trimmer shaft was because I tried to use an Echo quick release spool which was too heavy and broke the rod inside the shaft. Now that I have read the instructions on how to correctly use the speed spool,I've found myself not changing the line every two minutes. I just bump the bumperhead on the ground and the line comes out with no hassle.

I am very happy with my Ryobi. Three years old and it starts every time. Some reviews say they can't start them and end up with blisters, but that's because they do not maintain them correctly. Just remember to add fuel stabalizer to your gas so that the fuel doesn't break down. These carberators are small and it wouldn't take much to plug 'em up. Even then, you can usually fix them by adding "Barrymans" gas additive to your fuel. Then allow the unit to idle for 5 minutes or so. Barrymans will break down any small varnish particles that may be plugging the fuel ports in the carb.

I really like the optional attachments and how quick I can change them from one tool to another. It sure makes yardwork more of a pleasure.

So, if your are ready, purchase the best...buy Ryobi.

Just bought the device, does not activate unless you are 6 inches in front of it. So, it is not very effective unless the animal walks really close to the device. Tried to speek with tech support but they don't really help, they want me to ship them the item with my money although it is a product defect.

This item doesn't work very well. For starters, the range of motion detection is about 4-5 feet, not the 30 feet claimed by the manufacturer. Once triggered, the sound and strobe light only activate for a short period (1-2 seconds) so that it's really not all that distracting for the racoons. It sounds constantly when it rains. And finally, it takes a long time to reset once it's been triggered. I purchased the unit to keep the raccoons away from my garbage cans, and it helps to some degree, but it does not keep them away permanently as I had anticipated.

Sensitivity range is less than advertised. Only alarms when directly in front of unit and within 4-5 feet.

I think this device is actually meant to attract birds.

I would have loved to been in on the product planning session for this piece of junk. I am continually amazed at what people will do to make money for themselves. And I am continually amazed at the people that give it to them for useless products such as this. People that buy this type of item should get a clue. Or go back to school and finish that science class they kept cutting.

i had a very good experience with this product. bought one then bought six more and have had them up a few years now. they successfully stopped the challenge we were having of song birds flying into the picture windows. we tried the strips, the sonic thing (didn't work and i was scared of what else it might be doing) the hologrphic butterflys on suction cups (worked, looked goofy - blocked view and blew off in 1/2 a season) also tried the black silouettes of the rapters (they were creeepy looking i thought). this bye-bye birdie worked for us and i was just on here going to get the info for some neighbors and read these bad reviews and had to let people know that if you are trying to stop birds from flying into your picture windows and killing themselves this product worked well for us.

We bought this for the backyard and right now there are three mounds around it within 4 feet. Doesn't work.

I have fought moles for years. I have tried poison pellets, gassers, the old water hose, etc. and nothing works. (I have not set traps because I don't want to dig another hole in the lawns.) I bought the Molechaser. I was taken in by another dream seller. Hills popped up less than three feet from the new device. Save your money. Even at half price, it is a rip-off!!!

WE HAVE 45 ACRES OF BEAUCOLIC ROLLING HILLS IN UPSTATE
NEW YORK. 13 OF WHICH ARE CLEARED AS PASTURES, NEED I
SAY MORE ABOUT OUR CONQUEST OF THE "MOLES"!!! YOUR
P3 MOLECHASER DOES THE JOB. WE ARE MORE THAN SATISFIED
AND HAVE SHARED OUR SUCCESS WITH OUR FRIENDS AND
NEIGHBORS. THANK YOU P3!!
SPENCER MILLBROOK

This product does NOT repel mosquitoes at all three settings. It's a waste of money. The best way to kill mosquitoes is by using chemicals.

If the frequencies on this product do indeed work it must attract mosquitoes because it does not repel them. As the previous writer said, A complete waste of money.

If the frequencies on this product do indeed work it must attract mosquitoes because it does not repel them. As the previous writer said, A complete waste of money.

I bought both this as well as a Lentek model. I figured I'd test which was better. Neither work. The gophers ate two 4 foot high hollyhocks less than 18 inches away from the noisemakers. I'd say that pretty much says it all. I'm looking into castor oil and castor seeds now. If those don't woerk, it's back to poison.

This doesnt work. We had it for 2 weeks and the mole still came back. It also makes a VERY irritating noise. I would never recommend this to anyone. Worthless noisemaker!

I bought one of these last summer. Since then, we've been moving it around the yard to keep the moles/ground squirrels out of those areas. They do move away from the product, but move back when we move it to another place in the yard :(

The reason we love it now, though, is that it is keeping the RABBITS out of our garden! We used to have three cats that did the garden patrol to keep the rabbits away, but unfortunately, we lost two of them over the winter. In the spring, when I planted my broccoli plants in the far corner of my garden, the rabbits started to eat it, killing about 3 plants and severely 'pruning' about 10 more. I tried putting the mole repeller in that patch, and it has worked like magic! The rabbits are living up to their reputation of being afraid.

In addition, we haven't changed the batteries in the repeller yet! We took them out for the winter, but our Duracells are still going strong!

I don't think I'd be enjoying my great broccoli crop without this product, so I'm one satisfied customer!

Being an engineer, I`m amazed when a product is sold with such glaring design flaws. In general, this is a well-designed weed trimmer save for the last three inches at the business end, which completely flunks lunch.

On the positive side, it's a well-balanced tool, and seems adequately robust for a lightweight trimmer. I didn't sense the motor was ever bogging down, or in danger of overheating.

Now the negative... Like others on this post, I've spent more time looking for the plastic cap on the string spooler than using the tool. It constantly flew off, and the whole spool assembly burrowed into the weeds. After the third disintegration, I lost the cap for good until I stumbled on it the next morning 25 feet from where I lost it. 5 more minutes, and it was again lost to the ether. (later found ~40 feet away)

Back to the store, and, after looking at other models, I walked away with a second Grasshog, figuring I had a spare cap still somewhere in the yard.

I lost the cap for the replacement three times, but managed to find it each time. I then modified it by adding a sliding shim behind the clips for the cap. This was successful, but...

After 20 minutes, and 5 rethreadings, the autofeed failed. Taking the cap off, I found a little brass bushing, that was part of the centrifugal feed lever, loose in the housing, and the plastic nubbin it was intended to be part of, worn down to nothing.

My advice to B&D, Field test your equipment before putting it on the market, and replace this string spool with something that works, and you'll have a good little tool.

My advice to you, find another trimmer until B&D figures out that good design should apply to the entire tool.

Do what I did after the spool hub cap flew across the yard after only 20 min. of use, file a complaint with the Consumer Product Safety Commission online. The CPSC are coming to get this trimmer from hell today! A small price to pay if they force a recall!
Black and Decker "help line" is useless, told to return to retailer! The person at the other end of the line has probably never seen a blade of grass, much less a string trimmer! They were not interested in the safety issue of flying hub caps across the yard at a high rate of speed!

Never again will I buy B&D products!

I bought the B&D GH1000 because it had a 14" sweep and because it was remarkably well-balanced and ergonomic.

I used it for five minutes and the string spool flew off and the string went everywhere. I tried to rewind it and reinstall the spool. Again after five minutes the spool flew off and the string unwound.

I took it back to the Lowes where I purchased it. They gave me another one just like it. I used the 2nd one for about 10 minutes. The spool flew off and the string went everywhere.

I took it back to the store and got a Troy-Bilt electric string trimmer for about $30 less. It was not so well-balanced or comfortable to use, but the spool did not fly off, so I was actually able to use it for some work.

Shame on B&D.