Bosch Rotak 43 LI Ergoflex Cordless Rotary Lawnmower (43 cm Cutting Width) 2 x 36 Volt Li-Ion Batteries around AUD 487 delivered from Amazon UK.
Lowest price possibally in the hostory and Amazon UK resume shipping this item to Australia after a long time
CamelCamelCamel 
Keepa.
Agreed, my trusty two stroke is still kicking on but this is very tempting after my Bosch drills arrived yesterday.
I found this add in the trading post for those that want some real life pictures.
http://www.tradingpost.com.au/Garden-Outdoor-Living/Mowers-G…
Wonder what he paid for it a year ago?
Judging from the power plug, he must have bought it off amazon euro as well!
Definitely from uk as well, as german use the 2 pin plug.
how does the charging work? using an adapter?
Just as long as the adapter does not overheat! Fire would not be good just to save a few dollars on a $487 purchase!! I've had a cheap adapter explode.
Adapter is rated as low as 80W!
eg 2x36V batteries charging about 2.6Amp (each 2.6Ah batteries, 1hr charge) (plus losses in power supply) is above that limit.
Better to spend a few dollars more for a reputable adapter that can handle the power & protect your expensive investments.
Far better to simply change the mains plug (Bunnings etc or $3.95 at Jaycar)!
Err why would they overheat? they are not transformers. They pass electricity, and stay at room temperature.
Err… These are simply (often thin) metal conductors - which are mounted in plastic. In the worst cases, the plastic is flamable! These imports are made very cheaply & usually not up to Australian standards.
All adapters are rated for a specific maximum power - as low as 80W as stated in the 1 you posted. Most adapters are designed for travel use with items like low power appliances like phone chargers. These adapters do not "stay at room temperature" if overloaded beyond the rated capacity, as probably would happen with the charger for this mower. I have seen a few charred/melted adapters. Also these cheap adapters are not up to the abuse (dropping on concrete floor etc) that can happen in a garage type environment where charging is usually done.
Using them beyond their rated capacity may cause heating, melting or cracking of plastic, etc. Cracked or melted plastic is an electrocution risk. Overheating may lead to a fire. Insurance is unlikely to pay out if you used an electrical adapter not approved for use in Australia, or used beyond its rated capacity. Plus use of an adapter is not ideal as it may not provide a stable connection. Why would you advise saving $1.75 (over fitting a local power plug) with such a risk? Its a $478 mower.
So knowledge is vital when using electrical appliance & fittings. Advising others to use a fitting like this is worrying. A few minutes work & a few dollars more & you could easily fit an approved Australian 1200W plug which won't fall out! Its not as if you are travelling overseas with a mower & need the UK power plug, so a permanent $3.95 solution is best.
The current/power rating has to do with the size of the conductors. Smaller conductors = more resistance = more heat = potential for fire.
80W in the product description is a typo I believe, it should be 80V (80V to 240V), as it talks about voltage and not power.
I am no expert, but the product does say ISO9001 certified. And I have two of them, one for the mower charger, and the other for the Dyson vacuum which I also bought from Germany.
I guess I can speak based on personal experience, that both perform well, and stay cool.
I am not sure what you mean by "$3.95 permanent solution"? Do you take the appliance into Bunnings or Jaycar and ask them to 'swap' the plug?
You can buy a '240 V Line Plug 10A' with clear 'Safety plastic cover' (soft plastic rather than hard plastic used in adapter which can shatter on impact)
$3.95 at Jaycar #PP-4000 or at Bunnings, etc.
Follow instructions to cut cable & install new plug.
A permanent solution, and so much safer.
Never have to find the adapter again, in case it has walked.
The fact that the outer case of an adapter is cool to the touch, does not tell you what is happening inside - which may be breaking down over time. Its just not worth the risk for a $1.75 saving.
But if a seller can't correctly list electrical specifications, I would be wary of buying from them.
Easy job. Plug in appliances are (usually) exempt from needing an electrician. Just needs something to cut old plug off, strip cable back, and a screwdriver to secure wires.
This safety issue of cheap imported adapters arises now & then on OB.
thanks for the info
I see, thanks, learnt a new product today. So I am glad we had this conversation. I would pop in to local Bunnings and check it out. I hope this job does not require certified electrician to perform.
iamcoke, direct from iso.org: ISO 9001:2008 specifies requirements for a quality management system. It is a certification that the company has an adequate quality management system, and it has nothing to do with the safety of an electrical equipment.
The eBay listing, This AUS Power plug converters on ebay are ISO9001 System Qualifying items, is misleading you to think otherwise. I do not trust this vendor.
An electrical adapter can melt if you overload it because:
An electrical current passing through a real conductor always produces heat. The amount of heat produced depends on the resistance the current meet on its way and the amount of current passing through. (High school science assumes perfect conductors with zero resistance that generate zero heat.)
In the real world, all metals have some resistance, however small. The thinner a wire (or the smaller a strip), the higher the resistance. Micro fractures in a metal (say from dropping the adapter on to concrete) increase its resistance many-fold.
Contacts between metal surfaces are imperfect, and the resistance from imperfect contacts can be significant. The less the clamping force applied by the socket, the higher the resistance.
In summary, an electrical adapter has some internal resistance. Its shell is made of plastic which will melt at a certain temperature, therefore it can handle some maximum amount of electrical current before it will fail. A higher grade adapter will be made of better plastic and designed to minimise its internal resistance (bigger metal strips, higher clamping force, better copper).
The suggestion above is to remove this weak link in the electrical chain, by replacing the problematic adapter with a certified plug. It is a good, cheap and sensible precaution.
ISO9001 certificate is shown on linked site. It only means there was a management system in place covering "Sales & Appearance Inspection of Electronic Components" at the time the business was audited!! (ie - does this look OK? Well sell it on eBay.) It does not cover electrical safety or meet Australian electrical standards.
Items: GBP 292.08
Postage & Packing: GBP 22.58
Total before VAT: GBP 314.66
VAT: GBP 0.00
Order Total: GBP 314.66
Payment Total: AUD 508.06
You pay extra for using amazon's currency conversion. If you have a credit card that doesn't charge you exchange fees then it comes in at $487 at today's exchange rate.
Which credit card does not charge exchange fee?
28 degrees
Cool, but not sure about 28 degrees exchange rate. Some banks hide the feeds by charging a higher rate. You rarely get the rate that you find on xe.com, just like the buy/sell rates are different.
28 degrees.
No fees and mastercard rate is excellent, on par with the true exchange rate ie very little built in margin IM experience.
Agreed, 28 degrees exchange rate is excellent. No fees for withdrawing money from many overseas ATMs too.
28Degree Master Card (previously named Wizard Clear Advantage) is one and Citibank Plus Visa Debit Card is 2nd.
Just applied for a 28 degree card :)
Dont forget to pay it off in full every month otherwise youre up for a 21% interest charge! Its no surprise that this is a GE Money card.
Good price, easily 50% off the local RRP. I bought a 37 with 1 battery for $380 last year from amazon.de, which was being sold for $799 in Bunnings.
just checked amazon.de http://www.amazon.de/Bosch-Rotak-Elektro-Rasenm%C3%A4her-Erg…
37 Bosch Ergo flex is approx AU$216 at today's rate. but i dont understand germnan, not sure if it comes with a battery. and not sure about the postage either.
That one is not cordless, it does not come with Li battery.
This was what I bought:
http://www.amazon.de/Bosch-Garten-Rotak-Akku-Rasenm%C3%A4her…
Quite abit more expense than when I got it, and this deal. So this deal is certainly the best around!
iamcoke how do you rate these? Are they any good? Why did you pick it over a petrol mower?
They are pretty good, benefits over petrol:
- no oil, no maintenance
- no need to buy petrol
- one charge can cover 300 sqm and 1 hr per charge
- light, easy to handle and transport
- quiet and no smell
- one button push to start
They are not as powerful as petrol, but for your average lawn, they are more than sufficient. Do a youtube search for reviews.
Something about having a lawn mower delivered from Europe makes me wish I had a lawn!
the BMW of lawnmowers!
I bought my 43 Li back in late Feb 12 from amazon.de (only place that shipped to Oz at that time) for around $512 delivered, pretty much the cheapest at the time. So this one beats that and gets a + from me. Awesome buy from my perspective (used Honda petrol mowers before too) and more than adequate for most lawns, particularly with the 2 batteries and short charging time. Lamcoke covered pretty much the key benefits. You can read more satisfied customers' feedback here: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1302562
It's been around for several years and majority of Amazon feedback is positive, which convinced me to take the risk of having no local warranty. Note that Oz only stocks the lowest model 34 Li (single battery, 34cm cutting diameter) at Bunnings for $599. Fyi, extra batteries tend to cost close to $200+ (even overseas).
Bunnings does have the 37 model, though the previous generation as indicated by the handle.
http://www.bunnings.com.au/products_product_bosch-rotak_92.a…
$597
Oops my bad, yes Bunnings stock only the 37Li which is single battery and 37 cm cutting diameter. Another difference I think the 43 Li has a slightly larger 50L catcher.
Don't forget to get some spare blades. I also got a Carpet and Upholstery Washer as well for an additional 1-2 GBP postage.
Any probs with sending the lithium battery via air?
what do you mean? they cannot fly at high altitude? : )
Asiana 991 and UPS 6; although they were both carrying bulk amounts of Li batteries.
We will see.
Got my 2 batteries no probs. There was a slight delay when UPS Germany placed a "hazard exception" on the parcel presumably due to the contents containing the Li batteries. But this cleared within 3 days after they checked with amazon.de
Postage seems pretty cheap for something that big.
Excellent deal! Just bought one with a spare blade. Thanks to OP.
Half the reason I cut the grass is to impress the little miss next door. This is the least manly looking lawn mower I've ever seen.
Bosch makes heavy duty electric lawn mower. You obviously haven't seen this:
http://www.bunnings.com.au/products_product_flymo-hover-mowe…
And for some reason, I found your post psychological worrisome, and hoping you are not in my neighborhood.
AHAHAHAHA, that mower is hilarious.
And yeah, I'm pretty loose in the head.
So how long 'til you cut your neighbors grass?
Temporarily out of stock.
:(
You can still order it! just you wont get it in 4 days.
I order a Dyson DC34 a few days ago from amazon.fr (France) when it was not in stock. A couple of days later, it was shipped from Germany.
So if you are looking for an electric mower, I would suggest you putting in your order. If you do get it, you are making a significant saving!
looks like the price has gone up
No, it's still GBP 350 sold by Amazon.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B004GTMNZQ/ref=dp_o…
I've ordered one last night + 1 replacement blade = Grand Total: £330.41 = AUD 512 (at current rate)
As iamcoke said, it out of stock but will eventually be processed.
Not sure why you paid 330.
i just bought one and in total including 2-4day delivery the price was 314 quid= 487AUD.
Does say out of stock but usually get stock in pretty quick.
Because I added a replacement blade, which costed GBP 17 (from memory). It also added a couple of pounds in delivery cost.
yeah sorry the pre vat price always gets me :D
If there are multiple seller selling the same product, lowest price would show up. Because amazon sold out of them so the next seller's price shows up. You can still back order from amazon though.
Get it while you can!!!
Ok silly question time. So I'm probably going to have to store this thing outside, would anyone know if there's any water leakage issues? Like if it were to rain whilst cutting and outside storage etc.
I personally wouldnt risk it with mine, as I can see ventilation slots on the battery compartment so possibly water could get into the electronics? You could try finding a download of the instructions and see what that says, otherwise I could try looking for mine but might take me a while :)
I have mowed with wet grass with no issues but not while it's raining.
If you're going to do that, make some kind of cover or box for it - and not just a tarp - you need to block out the sun. The sun will ruin the plastic, make it brittle, powdery, etc. (Think how old green & white plastic garden chairs look, only worse.)
Don't think it mulches does it? You guys really should consider a mulching mower. I use to HATE mowing the lawn. Push mower, stop mower, bend over, remove catcher, empty catcher, bend over, replace catcher, push mower… then left with a huge pile of grass to get rid of.
Then I bought a mulching mower… Push mower, cut grass from start to finish without stopping with no bending or wasting fuel or restarting mower, put mower away. It nearly makes it enjoyable.
good points guys, thanks for the tips!
FYI, Bosch also sells a "mulching plug" accessory http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bosch-Multi-Mulch-Rotak-Lawnmowers-4… but I can't vouch for its effectiveness as I didn't get it with my 43 Li. I can say however, that the cut grass in the catcher seems quite finely chopped up, much finer than my old Honda petrol mower ever did.
Hope this helps!
awesome deal, order placed! time to throw out my shitty talon mower!
Thanks OP. Got one+ mulch attachment+ extra blade .
All up £346.16 delivered. Now for the wait:(
i think the price has gone up. now is GBP 350.50 thats like AU$546 ish
no, the price is still the same. Amazon will take VAT off the total on check out.
It has now gone up to £408.92.
I guess that helps me make the desion as to should I or shouldn't I.
Amazon just refund3ed my money saying that the order is undeliverable?!
After talking to the help desk they confirmed I've done nothing wrong, but will not say what happened.
BTW the order did not leave GB yet…
Sucks big time!
After my first shipment held in warehouse in Germany for almost 2 weeks,Amazon UK sent out second shipment and held again in Germany.
Probably because of the battery.
I got all accessories though
They re send my order 3 times.
I have 2 spare blades, but no mower.
After escalating the issue I got this:
"I have looked into your orders for 'Bosch Rotak 43 LI Ergoflex Cordless Rotary Lawnmower' and believe that the issues you have been having are due to delivery restrictions that are placed on these products as they contain hazardous materials (Li-Ion Batteries).
In order to assist you with this and obtain an exact answer as to why we these orders are not leaving the UK, I will need to investigate this issue with the appropriate department further. I will contact you again within 5 business days with an update."
Amazon will contact me before 11th May.
I have exactly same trouble.
I ordered them 6th May.
I've got 2 pare blades on 10th May.
But the mower is in KOELN (COLOGNE) DE from 8th May.
It's stopped there. :-(
So I just contact Amazon just before.
One of the support staff said, will check with UPS then contact me by email.
Good luck for me…
Hopefully things work out for you. I too had the same issue but decided to sit and wait on it without doing anything since from what Flyeroz was indicating all that seems to happen if u talk with Amazon is that another order is sent and gets stuck in the same bottleneck. I got a notification today that after 3 weeks of the package being stuck in Cologne with not a word as to what it was doing there, it has finally been processed and cleared and is now moving to Frankfurt and then presumably to Australia from there. Fingers crossed it will be clear sailing from this point onwards.
So yeah, came home to find the lawnmower left on my doorstep (wtf)
To give ppl an idea as to the pattern of travel:
Swansea UK -> Castle Donnington UK -> Koeln Germany (1 Day)
Koeln Germany (20 Days Held in Warehouse)
Koeln Germany -> Frankfurt Germany -> Botany Australia (1 Day)
Botony Australia -> Me (1 Day)
So maybe just wait for about 20 days when it gets stuck in Koeln and clearance will eventually be given to the package… Good luck to the rest of you!
Glad to find out I am not the only one with the same problem.
I re ordered again if this time it does get through I'll refund the lot. Got support to refund everything including shipping.
Good find mate. Don't need one at this stage though.