Today we’d like to touch on a frequently asked question which we receive a lot at Allett Mowers - Which should I buy? The Allett Classic 17L or the Kensington 17B? So we're going to have a look at some of the differences and similarities between the two machines to help you determine which may be best for you.
Similarities
One of the first similarities people will notice about these machines is that they’re both 17 inches wide. They are self-propelled machines so they both drive the cylinder and the rear roller to help you obtain the best finish to your lawn. With use on a fairly square lawn without too many awkward areas, you can cover a lawn about 280m², in approximately 20 minutes worth of mowing time.
Both machines were built to deliver a minimum height of cut of 6mm and a maximum height of cut of 32mm. So no matter what time of year of it is or however long you prefer to cut your lawn, both the Classic and the Kensington can help you achieve the perfect finish.
Differences
Now if you were to look at both machines side by side you’d notice that both are 17 inches wide however the Kensington is almost 40% more expensive compared to the Classic 17L. So let’s take a look at this and explain what is it that you get for the difference in the money.
Weight
When it comes to looking at buying a new lawnmower, or many other things for that matter, weight is a really good indicator of what the differences are between each product. The Classic 17L, for example, is 41.5kg while the Kensington if 51kg. This has to do with the extra steel and components in the Kensington. What this added weight then does is help you achieve a better and stronger lasting stripe when compared to the 10kg lighter Allett Classic 17.
Front Roller
One of the major differences between these two mowers is the front rollers. The Classic 17L is equipped with a polyethylene plastic front roller while the roller on the Kensington is made of steel. The polyethylene plastic front roller on the Classic 17L isn’t equipped with bearings whereas the Kensington’s steel roller is equipped with a bearing on each side, for more precision and longer-lasting stripes. Also with the Kensington's roller being steel, the roller has been galvanised to protect from rust.
Grass Rake / Auxiliary Wheel Kit
The Kensington 17B has a grass rake fitted behind the front roller which the Classic 17L does not. This helps comb any lateral flat lying grasses up before being cut by the cylinder. This gives a cleaner cut aswell as a stronger stripe. The Kensington comes with an auxiliary wheel kit that can be fitted in place of the front roller for cutting longer grass for example if you go away on holiday and your grass has grown too long for your cylinder mower. The Classic doesn't come with the
auxiliary wheel kit however it is available as an optional extra.
Cylinder
The Allett Classic 17L is fitted with a 5 blade cylinder (66 clips per metre) whereas the Allett Kensington is fitted with a 6 blade cylinder (79 clips per metre) as standard giving a slightly finer cut.
Height of Cut change
The Allett Classic 17L has 6 pre-set heights of cut ranging from 6mm-32mm- these are pre-set so you cannot work at any other height of cut. With the Kensington you have an incremental step-less height of cut change which allows you to set the height of cut to any height between 6mm and 32mm; for example if setting 2 was too short for your lawn and setting 3 was too long than you can set it between the two- this gives great precision especially when using the cartridges.
Rear Roller
The rear roller on the Allett Classic 17L is a single piece rear roller with the Allett Kensington roller being a double section rear roller with differential on the 17'' machine. The double section rear roller helps to stop scuffing at the end of a run.
Engines
The Allett Classic 17L is fitted with a 87cc Loncin engine. The Kensington is fitted with a Briggs and Stratton XR550 engine which is 127cc.
Grassbox
Another quite significant difference between the two machines has to do with the grass boxes. These are both located on the front of their respective mowers but are both quite different from one another. The Classic’s 40-litre grass box, for example, is quite lightweight and open and sits on top of the cradle which is attached to the front of the mower. This allows for easy access and manoeuvrability when emptying thanks to the grassbox's lightweight structure. The Kensington’s 62-litre grassbox, however, is a more heavy-duty grassbox all together, allowing for the collection of much more grass clippings before requiring to be emptied. Also due to the increased size and overall weight of the Kensington’s grassbox, it was designed with a handle on the top and an indentation on the bottom for easy manoeuvrability with both hands whilst emptying.
As you can see there are quite a few differences between these two mowers but choosing which one is best for you is all down to personal preference. For a better look at both of these mowers, you can visit their dedicated pages on our website (Allett Classic 17L / Allett Kensington 17B).
Or, to carry on learning about the differences between the two mowers, take a look at our video which talks you through the differences in more depth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XvXrfteYN0&t=36s
