What is it?
The Gardena PowerMax 37/36A P4A is a moderately compact cordless lawn mower, and depending on the battery configuration used, is designed to take on lawns up to 350m2.
The Gardena PowerMax 37/36A P4A uses two Lithium Ion 18V batteries (and it can't run on a single battery) - it can be purchased as a bundle that includes two 4.0 Ah batteries and a quick charger for around £399 (as reviewed here), or with two 2.5 Ah batteries and a quick charger for around £359, but don't expect to cover the same ground with these less powerful batteries. Alternatively it can be purchased as a standalone mower for around £275.
Why buy a mower without batteries? Well, just like the Husqvarna Aspire H50-P4A hedge trimmer we tested recently, the Gardena PowerMax 37/36A P4A has been designed around the 'Power for all Alliance' battery system, which means batteries are cross-compatible with another ten plus manufacturers (this includes Bosch, Husqvarna, Flymo and Wagner). The thinking is that rather than having to invest in multiple battery packs and chargers for different cordless devices, you can keep the cost down and have a couple of batteries that are compatible with a wide range of different gardening tools. For example, the 2.5 Ah battery that came with the Husqvarna hedge trimmer will happily work with the Gardena lawnmower and vice versa.
As the model name hints at, the Gardena PowerMax 37/36A P4A has a cutting width of 37cm, while it provides four cutting heights, ranging from 65mm down to 35mm. That will provide a moderately fine cut, but if you want to get an ever shorten cut you'll need to look at something like the EGO LM1701E, which has a cutting height that goes down to 20mm.
There's a large 45-litre collapsible grass box that comes with a full indicator, while there's an LED battery level indicator on the handle and a three year warranty.
What's it like?
If you're keen to get cutting your lawn, first thing to do is charge the batteries up - we found each battery took just over an hour to charge, and with two to top up, you'll need to factor in this time. We'd always recommend after a cut to charge your batteries ready for next time, rather than having to do it on the day you want to use it. And don't forget to charge them before you pack your mower away for winter - this avoids the risk that the batteries might have depleted so much over the winter months that they simply won't charge come the spring.
Pull the mower out of the box and all you really have to do is pull out the handle into its upright position - this is locked in place with a couple of handles either side of the chassis that can be tightened. You can then extend the height of the handlebar to suit your individual height.
Attach the grass box and once the batteries are both fully charged, you can slot them easily inside the mower. Thanks to the lightweight nature of the Gardena PowerMax 37/36A P4A, it's easy to carry and features a sturdy built-in handle, making it relatively easy to move from its storage to your lawn.
Before you start, you can set your cutting height. Compared to the Karcher LMO 18-33 that had quite a flimsy adjustment handle, the PowerMax 37/36A P4A's is a much more durable and quality solution - it uses what Gardena calls a QuickFit-Plus button that allows you to easily adjust it to the desired height.
Once you're ready to get going, switch the mover to the 'on' position inside the battery compartment and then press the button on the side of the handle while simultaneously pulling back the red bar round the handle and it'll fire into life.
Without any leads to avoid, you can make quick progress and the handle provides a comfy working angle. One niggle we did have though was that if the lawnmower needed an extra shove on some bits of terrain, the telescopic handle would droop on occasion and lower the height of the handle regardless of how much it was tightened up.
We'd also have liked to have seen a slightly lower minimum cutting height than 35mm to get a closer cut, but overall the Gardena PowerMax 37/36A P4A is easy to use, while it's also pretty quiet in use - expect around 80 db(A) when using it.
We found we were using the mower for around 30 minutes or so and still have 50% charge left.
Should I buy one?
You'll probably find more affordable cordless mowers out there but the Gardena PowerMax 37/36A P4A is nicely made, has a good cutting width and is easy to use. We also really like the versatility of the 'Power for all Alliance' battery system, which can make the price point even more competitive if you've already invested in the system.
