Lawnmower recommendations?

[Andrew Gabriel]

For electric, make sure you buy an Induction motor mower. A while since I bought one now, but that ruled out all the cheap ones in the sheds, and you probably have to find a proper lawn mower stockist.

Induction motors are much better suited to grass cutting than the universal motors which things like flymos always used to have. You may find induction motor mowers are lower power rating for same cutting width, but you'll still get more cutting power, as they're matched to the task, whereas universal motors are exactly wrong for the task (but dirt cheap, and short lived, as rather more of the power goes into heating up the motor than cutting the lawn).

[The Natural Philosopher]

IIRC you have it exactly the wrong way round. Induction motors are NOT what you want. You want a brushed universal motor with decent starting torque.

[Andrew Gabriel]

No, I had it exactly the right way around. Starting torque isn't important, but being able to maintain speed under load is, so it doesn't slow or stall when you get to tough/thick grass, and continues cutting properly. Universal motors, by definition, can't maintain speed as torque (load) increases, because they can't draw more power without slowing down proportionally, which is why they're unsuitable for grass cutting.

You will only find Induction motors in better quality electric mowers.

[Mark]

I find the newer Bosch lawnmowers feel cheap and flimsy. They cut well but I am skeptical they will last a good time.

AFAIK The 'wolf-garten' mowers are better, but more expensive.