A Year of Mowing with the Stihl RMA 239C Cordless Lawn Mower
More than a year ago I needed to replace my cordless mower as the old one was creaking everywhere and had various repairs keeping it together. So after much thought I bought the Stihl RMA 239C Cordless Lawn Mower as its replacement - it would have big boots to fill but I have not been disapppointed. Having used the Stihl for nearly 18 months now a quick article about my thoughts on it would be worthwhile as picking a cordless mower is more of a challenge these days with so many to choose from.
What was I looking for from my new mower?
When I started out I bought a WORX WG927E Cordless Lawn Mower which did a sterling job for 5 years but having cut hundreds of lawns and been hoofed in and out of the van, dragged across fields and everything else it had to deal with, it was definitely well worn out and deserving a rest.
As much as I liked the Worx, finding basic spare parts like the wheels and handles etc. was difficult (in the end I bought a shop return one on eBay to use for spares). Also I was asking it do more than it was really capable of but it was a great little mower and is now gambolling around the allotment keeping the grass there in check.
What to replace it with? The replacement would need to meet the following criteria:
- Cordless with capability of using larger batteries.
- Lightweight (I have to be able to carry the mower through tight spaces - don't ask!)
- Good build quality as it is going to be used most days and several times a day.
- Good spares availailbity.
- Ideally use my existing batteries (I had WORX and Stihl AK batteries)
I discounted another Worx simply because of the issue with spare parts. Yes, the blade is easy enough to get but things like wheels, the grass collector were just not easily available.
After a lot of consideration, I decided in the end that the Stihl RMA 239C was the one to go for.
Why the Stihl RMA 239C?
The Stihl met all of my requirements, I already had two AK30 batteries which should be more than enough for all the lawns I deal with but it is compact, folds up and down easily and is light so I will be able to move it though difficult places (stacked garages, narrow gates, twisty paths).
After over a year of using it - what do I think of it?
I have been using the mower for nearly 18 months now I have had plenty of time to conclude on the things I like about it and those I am not so keen on. Here we go...
What I like about it (see pictures at bottom of article)
- It is very quiet, very quiet.
- It feels "tight" even after 18 months - nothing flaps or wobbles around.
- Good quality cut.
- As the collector is moulded plastic it has vents rather than the mesh of a fabric bag. This means vents can be cleaned which allows air to flow out, improving the pick up. A fabric bag eventually clogs so pickup efficiency gets reduced.
- The collector fills completely so although it is a smaller collector, it is better at filling.
- Very good at picking up, even when the grass is wet.
- The lip on the collector slots into the mower and stops the tumble of grass as you take it off.
- The collector lid lifts up making much easier to empty.
- The asymmetric handle makes removing the collector easy.
- The asymmetric handle also means when mowing close alongside shrubs and hedges they are less likely to get caught.
- The handle opens and closes in a couple of seconds - avoiding the nonsense of those daft thumb wheels.
- It has handles front and top to make it easy to lift and is nice and light.
What I don't like (see pictures at bottom of article)
- No "Eco" mode although I believe it automatically adapts to the load so this isn't a big deal.
- The battery compartment cover is stiff to clip closed or to open so I just let it rest kinda closed.
- The height adjustment is still quite stiff and difficult to use.
- It doesn't have a roller for those clients who want fancy pants stripes.
- No indicator when the collector is full (though you can lift the rear flap to check).
- It is all moulded plastic so I can envisage it getting damaged when given a good hard accidental bash.
How much?
From Stihl directly it is currently £439 including an AK20 battery and charger. Just the mower on its own is £319.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely! It is a great mower and meets all my needs. It is perfect for keeping in the van for doing the smaller lawns but will still manage a medium sized lawns without any trouble.
Since I bought it, I see Stihl have introduced a few more options offering wider cuts and still using the AK batteries so when it comes to changing again I might go for a slightly larger model but would otherwise I am looking forward to many more years mowing with it - a very happy gardener.
The Stihl RMA 239C Mower - note the Asymmetric Handle
The Plastic Collector Box with Vents
The "lip" on the Grass Collector to stop clippings tumbling out
The Collector Box opens to make it easy to empty
It is very very good at filling the collector box
Opening the rear flap lets you see how full the collector is
The battery compartment cover is difficult to close and open
The height adjustment mechanism is stiff and difficult to use
More than a year ago I needed to replace my cordless mower as the old one was creaking everywhere and had various repairs keeping it together. So after much thought I bought the Stihl RMA 239C Cordless Lawn Mower as its replacement - it would have big boots to fill but I have not been disapppointed. Having used the Stihl for nearly 18 months now a quick article about my thoughts on it would be worthwhile as picking a cordless mower is more of a challenge these days with so many to choose from.
What was I looking for from my new mower?
When I started out I bought a WORX WG927E Cordless Lawn Mower which did a sterling job for 5 years but having cut hundreds of lawns and been hoofed in and out of the van, dragged across fields and everything else it had to deal with, it was definitely well worn out and deserving a rest.
As much as I liked the Worx, finding basic spare parts like the wheels and handles etc. was difficult (in the end I bought a shop return one on eBay to use for spares). Also I was asking it do more than it was really capable of but it was a great little mower and is now gambolling around the allotment keeping the grass there in check.
What to replace it with? The replacement would need to meet the following criteria:
- Cordless with capability of using larger batteries.
- Lightweight (I have to be able to carry the mower through tight spaces - don't ask!)
- Good build quality as it is going to be used most days and several times a day.
- Good spares availailbity.
- Ideally use my existing batteries (I had WORX and Stihl AK batteries)
I discounted another Worx simply because of the issue with spare parts. Yes, the blade is easy enough to get but things like wheels, the grass collector were just not easily available.
After a lot of consideration, I decided in the end that the Stihl RMA 239C was the one to go for.
Why the Stihl RMA 239C?
The Stihl met all of my requirements, I already had two AK30 batteries which should be more than enough for all the lawns I deal with but it is compact, folds up and down easily and is light so I will be able to move it though difficult places (stacked garages, narrow gates, twisty paths).
After over a year of using it - what do I think of it?
I have been using the mower for nearly 18 months now I have had plenty of time to conclude on the things I like about it and those I am not so keen on. Here we go...
What I like about it (see pictures at bottom of article)
- It is very quiet, very quiet.
- It feels "tight" even after 18 months - nothing flaps or wobbles around.
- Good quality cut.
- As the collector is moulded plastic it has vents rather than the mesh of a fabric bag. This means vents can be cleaned which allows air to flow out, improving the pick up. A fabric bag eventually clogs so pickup efficiency gets reduced.
- The collector fills completely so although it is a smaller collector, it is better at filling.
- Very good at picking up, even when the grass is wet.
- The lip on the collector slots into the mower and stops the tumble of grass as you take it off.
- The collector lid lifts up making much easier to empty.
- The asymmetric handle makes removing the collector easy.
- The asymmetric handle also means when mowing close alongside shrubs and hedges they are less likely to get caught.
- The handle opens and closes in a couple of seconds - avoiding the nonsense of those daft thumb wheels.
- It has handles front and top to make it easy to lift and is nice and light.
What I don't like (see pictures at bottom of article)
- No "Eco" mode although I believe it automatically adapts to the load so this isn't a big deal.
- The battery compartment cover is stiff to clip closed or to open so I just let it rest kinda closed.
- The height adjustment is still quite stiff and difficult to use.
- It doesn't have a roller for those clients who want fancy pants stripes.
- No indicator when the collector is full (though you can lift the rear flap to check).
- It is all moulded plastic so I can envisage it getting damaged when given a good hard accidental bash.
How much?
From Stihl directly it is currently £439 including an AK20 battery and charger. Just the mower on its own is £319.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely! It is a great mower and meets all my needs. It is perfect for keeping in the van for doing the smaller lawns but will still manage a medium sized lawns without any trouble.
Since I bought it, I see Stihl have introduced a few more options offering wider cuts and still using the AK batteries so when it comes to changing again I might go for a slightly larger model but would otherwise I am looking forward to many more years mowing with it - a very happy gardener.
The Stihl RMA 239C Mower - note the Asymmetric Handle
The Plastic Collector Box with Vents
The "lip" on the Grass Collector to stop clippings tumbling out
The Collector Box opens to make it easy to empty
It is very very good at filling the collector box
Opening the rear flap lets you see how full the collector is
The battery compartment cover is difficult to close and open
The height adjustment mechanism is stiff and difficult to use