Flymo EasiMow 340R Electric Rotary Lawn Mower Review: The Striped Lawn Dream with a Few Rough Edges

I remember staring out at my lawn one Saturday morning, coffee in hand, feeling a familiar sense of dread. It wasn’t just grass anymore; it was a patchwork of uneven tufts, creeping weeds, and stubborn edges that laughed in the face of my old, wheezing hover mower. Every mow felt like a chore—a wrestling match with a tangled cord and a machine that seemed to scatter as many clippings as it collected. I wanted that satisfying, manicured look: clean, defined stripes and edges so sharp they could have been drawn with a ruler. But the effort always seemed to outweigh the result. This frustration is the silent struggle for many homeowners with small to medium-sized gardens; we crave a professional finish without the professional price tag or the hassle of a complex, heavy machine. The search for a powerful, easy-to-use, and affordable mower that can deliver that coveted striped lawn is what led us to test the Flymo EasiMow 340R Electric Rotary Lawn Mower.

What to Consider Before Buying an Electric Rotary Mower

An electric rotary mower is more than just an item you tick off a list; it’s a key solution for achieving a healthy, aesthetically pleasing lawn. Unlike hover mowers that float on a cushion of air, rotary mowers use wheels for stability and a single, high-speed rotating blade to cut the grass, much like a scythe. This action creates a clean, precise cut that is healthier for the grass blades. The primary benefit is versatility. They excel at handling slightly longer, tougher, and even damp grass where other mower types might struggle. Many, like the Flymo EasiMow 340R, also include a rear roller, which is the secret to creating those classic, beautiful lawn stripes by gently bending the grass blades after they’re cut.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone with a small to medium-sized lawn who values a neat, striped finish and requires a machine that is both effective and easy to store. If you have a power source readily available and don’t mind managing a cord, an electric rotary offers consistent power without the fumes, noise, or maintenance of a petrol engine. However, it might not be suitable for those with very large, sprawling gardens where a 10-meter cable would be restrictive. In such cases, a cordless or petrol mower would be a better alternative. Similarly, if your lawn is extremely bumpy and uneven, a hover mower might offer more forgiving manoeuvrability.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Power & Cutting Width: The motor’s wattage (W) indicates its power. A 1400W motor, like the one in this Flymo, is robust enough for most typical lawn conditions. The cutting width—34cm in this case—determines how many passes you’ll need to cover your lawn. A wider deck saves time, but a narrower one can be more nimble around flowerbeds and obstacles.
• Cutting Height & Adjustment: A good mower should offer a range of cutting heights to adapt to the season and your lawn’s condition. Look for a central height adjustment mechanism, which allows you to change the cutting height of all four wheels with a single lever. This is a significant convenience feature compared to models that require adjusting each axle or wheel individually. The Flymo EasiMow 340R offers an impressive 7 positions from 20mm to 60mm.
• Materials & Durability: The mower deck is typically made of plastic or metal. Plastic decks are lighter and won’t rust but can be more susceptible to cracks from impacts with stones. Metal decks are heavier and more durable but require care to prevent rust. Pay attention to the quality of the wheels and handles, as these are common points of failure, a concern we’ll explore in detail with this model.
• Ease of Use & Storage: Consider the mower’s weight, handle design, and storage features. At 10.8 kg, this model is relatively lightweight. Features like dual-lever handles offer flexibility, while foldable handles are essential for anyone with limited shed or garage space. Also, check the capacity of the grass box; a larger box (35 litres here) means fewer trips to the compost bin.

While the Flymo EasiMow 340R Electric Rotary Lawn Mower is an excellent choice for many, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models and to understand which features matter most for your specific needs, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

Unboxing and First Impressions: A Mix of Simplicity and Concern

Straight out of the box, the Flymo EasiMow 340R Electric Rotary Lawn Mower has that classic, recognisable orange and grey Flymo livery. It feels sturdy enough for its price point, with a solid plastic deck and chunky wheels. Assembly was, for the most part, straightforward. The main handles clicked into place with minimal fuss, and the instructions were reasonably clear. We had it ready to go in about fifteen minutes. However, the one area that caused a bit of a headache, a sentiment echoed by several other users, was the grass box. Clipping the plastic halves together required a surprising amount of force, and we were slightly concerned about snapping the plastic tabs. It’s a one-time task, but a redesign could certainly make it a more pleasant first experience.

Once assembled, the mower feels well-balanced. The central height adjustment lever is a standout feature, moving with a satisfying and solid clunk between its seven positions. The dual-lever handles are comfortable, allowing for easy operation with either hand. Our initial feeling was one of cautious optimism; it has all the right features on paper, but a few of the plastic components, particularly the wheel fittings and grass box handle, gave us a slight pause about its long-term durability. You can see its full feature set and user reviews to get a better sense of its construction.

Performance Under Pressure: A Deep Dive into the EasiMow 340R’s Capabilities

A lawn mower’s true worth is proven not on the spec sheet, but on the lawn itself. We put the Flymo EasiMow 340R Electric Rotary Lawn Mower through its paces on different types of turf, from a well-kept lawn needing a trim to a more neglected patch of longer, slightly damp grass. This is where the mower’s character truly revealed itself, showing flashes of brilliance alongside some frustrating quirks.

The Heart of the Machine: Cutting Power and Lawn Finish

The 1400W motor is, without a doubt, the star of the show. It’s powerful and confident, spinning the 34cm metal blade with an authority that belies the mower’s budget-friendly price tag. On a standard weekly cut, the mower glided through the lawn, leaving a crisp, even finish. We were particularly impressed with its collection efficiency; the airflow design seems to do an excellent job of lifting the clippings and firing them into the 35-litre grass box. The vision window is a nice touch, genuinely helping you see when it’s nearing capacity before it starts leaving clumps behind.

The two features that truly elevate the cut quality are the close-edge cutting and the rear roller. The specially designed combs on the sides of the cutting deck do a commendable job of guiding grass into the blade’s path, significantly reducing the amount of follow-up work needed with a strimmer along fences and flowerbeds. The rear roller is the real game-changer for those who love a classic British lawn. It lays down beautiful, defined stripes that make the garden look instantly neater and more professional. During our testing, this combination of features consistently produced a finish that we’d expect from a more expensive machine. Even on a slightly longer, tougher patch of grass, the motor didn’t bog down, confirming one user’s experience of it “cutting foot long wet grass with one hand.” It offers a level of performance that is genuinely impressive at this price point.

Ergonomics and Day-to-Day Usability

Flymo clearly designed the EasiMow 340R with user comfort in mind. At 10.8kg, it’s light enough for most people to manoeuvre around the garden without strain. The dual-lever handles are a fantastic ergonomic choice, allowing you to switch hands on the fly, which is particularly useful when navigating around trees or turning at the end of a row. The 10-meter cable is adequate for small to medium gardens, and the integrated cable storage hooks on the handle are a simple but welcome feature for tidy storage.

The single-lever central height adjustment is another huge win for usability. Being able to change the cutting deck’s height in two seconds with one hand is a luxury you don’t appreciate until you’ve used a mower without it. It makes it effortless to adapt to different parts of the lawn or to raise the deck for the first cut of the season. However, the folding handle system is a bit of a letdown. While it does fold for more compact storage, it requires you to completely unscrew two plastic wing nuts. As one user noted, this is “fine for storing it over the winter but it would soon get on your nerves if you needed to do it every time you use it.” A quick-release clamp system would have been a significant improvement for those with tight storage spaces who need to collapse it after every use.

The Elephant in the Room: Build Quality and Durability Concerns

This is where our review must take a critical turn. While the core performance of the Flymo EasiMow 340R Electric Rotary Lawn Mower is strong, the user feedback and our own inspection reveal a concerning pattern of inconsistent build quality. The most frequently cited and serious issue is the front wheels detaching during use. Multiple users reported that a wheel simply fell off during the very first or second mow, often due to a small retaining cap or pin failing. As one frustrated owner put it, “Could not even finish quarter of my garden before the left front wheel fell off on its very first use, absolutely useless.” This is a significant quality control failure that turns a functional tool into an unusable piece of plastic instantly.

A second, related issue that some users have experienced is the height adjustment mechanism failing to hold its position. One user described how “it slowly drops out of location, dropping to a lower height which is rubbish,” resorting to tying it in place with string. While we did not experience this specific failure during our short-term test, the number of reports suggests a potential weakness in the plastic gearing or locking mechanism. Add to this the complaints about the grass box handle snapping under the weight of a full load and the general difficulty of the initial grass box assembly, and a picture emerges of a product where cost-saving measures may have compromised long-term reliability. It feels like a lottery: you might get a perfectly good machine that lasts for years, or you might get one with a critical flaw out of the box. This is a significant gamble, even at an attractive price, and it’s a trade-off every potential buyer needs to be aware of before they check the latest price and availability.

What Other Users Are Saying

Synthesizing the wider user experience provides a clear and consistent picture of the Flymo EasiMow 340R Electric Rotary Lawn Mower. On the positive side, many users are thrilled with the mower’s performance for the price. One happy customer noted, “This sweet little Flymo mower cuts like a big guy, easy for weak hands to handle… It glides around my garden as on air.” Another praised its core function directly: “It is a powerful mower that cuts well. The close edge cutting works well.” These reviews highlight that when you get a “good one,” the mower delivers on its promises of a great cut, easy handling, and desirable features like the rear roller.

However, the negative feedback is just as consistent and focuses almost entirely on build quality and quality control. The recurring theme of “the front wheel fell off” is impossible to ignore and represents a major flaw for a significant number of buyers. One user’s experience is tragically common: “I have just used it to mow the lawn and luckily the wheel fell off just as finished. Very poor quality from a respected name.” Beyond this critical issue, the difficult assembly of the grass box is another common complaint, with one person stating it “took about an hour to assemble and I cut my hand.” These contrasting experiences suggest a product with an excellent design concept let down by inconsistent execution in manufacturing.

Competitors and Alternatives: How Does the EasiMow 340R Stack Up?

No product exists in a vacuum. To make an informed decision, it’s essential to compare the Flymo EasiMow 340R Electric Rotary Lawn Mower with other options on the market that might better suit your needs.

1. Flymo Hover Vac 270 Electric Hover Lawn Mower

If your primary concerns are lightweight manoeuvrability and tackling uneven or sloped terrain, this hover mower from Flymo’s own stable is a compelling alternative. It forgoes wheels entirely, floating on a cushion of air, making it incredibly easy to push in any direction. Its 27cm cutting width is smaller, making it better suited for smaller gardens. The major trade-off is the lack of a rear roller, so you won’t achieve that striped finish. It’s an excellent choice for those who prioritise effortless movement over a pristine, striped aesthetic.

2. Yard Force 40V Cordless Lawn Mower 32cm

For those who are tired of managing a power cord, the Yard Force cordless mower is a fantastic step up. It offers the ultimate freedom of movement, powered by a 40V lithium-ion battery. While its cutting width (32cm) is slightly smaller than the EasiMow 340R’s, it still includes a rear roller for stripes and offers five cutting heights. The main considerations are the higher initial cost and the finite runtime of the battery. This is the ideal choice for someone who values the convenience of cordless technology and is willing to invest more for it.

3. Makita DLM432Z Cordless Lawn Mower

Positioned at the premium end of the spectrum, the Makita DLM432Z is for the serious home gardener or professional. It’s a cordless powerhouse that runs on two 18V LXT batteries (sold separately), offering a wider 43cm cutting width and robust, professional-grade build quality. This mower is heavier and significantly more expensive, but it offers unparalleled durability, power, and cutting performance. If you have a larger lawn, demand the best in cordless technology, and see lawn care as a serious hobby rather than a chore, the Makita is in a different league entirely.

Final Verdict: A Great Performer with a Serious Caveat

The Flymo EasiMow 340R Electric Rotary Lawn Mower is a frustrating product to review because it gets so much right. The 1400W motor is powerful, the central height adjust is convenient, and the combination of close-edge cutting and a rear roller delivers a genuinely fantastic-looking lawn. For its price, the performance and feature set are exceptional. It is, on paper and in moments of perfect operation, one of the best value-for-money mowers you can find for a small to medium-sized garden.

However, we simply cannot overlook the significant and recurring reports of build quality failures, most notably the wheels falling off. This transforms the mower from a bargain into a potential liability. Therefore, our recommendation comes with a strong qualification: if you are on a tight budget, prioritise a striped finish, and are willing to take a chance on the quality control lottery, this mower could be a brilliant purchase. But if reliability and out-of-the-box durability are your top priorities, you may be better served by looking at alternatives. For those willing to take the chance, we recommend you find the best current deal and inspect it carefully upon arrival to ensure you’ve received one of the good ones.