Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38686 in Home Improvement
• Brand: Flymo
• Model: 5011759014618

Manufacturer's Description
Unique easy to empty central grassbox, collects and compacts more grass for less emptying. Light and easy to use hover mower for greater manoeuvrability. Unique interactive "Vision" grassbox viewing window. Unique "Easi-Reel" offers tangle free solution to lawnmower cable storage. Compact design for easy storage. 38cm cutting width for quicker mowing. Powerful 1500W motor with belt drive system for cutting in tough conditions.

Customer Reviews

A hover mower that doesn't hover
I bought the Vision Compact 380 because I had owned a smaller Flymo at my last house which I'd been very happy with. However, the lawn at the present house is bigger, so a bigger mower was required. I was advised by the folk at the garden centre that the 380 would be sufficient for my needs, so based on previous good experience with Flymo, I bought one.

It soon became evident however, that the previous good experience was only due to the fact that my previous lawn was completely flat. My current lawn isn't. It has a few gentle undulations in it. Consequently, every time the 380 leaves a level bit and gets to one of these slight sloping patches, it stops "flying" and bumps to a halt.

To add insult to injury, as this Flymo collects the clippings, it becomes increasingly heavy, forcing the machine closer to the ground. As such I spend most of the time physically forcing the thing over the lawn.

Whilst on the subject of grass collection, it does not collect the clippings like it shows in the brochure (a nice neat compacted pile). I find several unscheduled stops are required in any one mowing to unblock the collection chute which very easily becomes blocked with cuttings - regardless of cutting height. - which incidentally, gets shorter the heavier the mower gets with clippings!

The first 380 I had expired after just three or four mows, though to be fair to Flymo it was immediately replaced with another one which has held on now for over two years. That said, I don't use it that much any more. I now use a petrol powered Hayter instead, and only bring out the Flymo to "vacuum up" the clippings left.

On the plus side, the "easy reel" in the lid is a good idea - if you can excuse the fact that this just adds further weight to the collection box lid.

I'd say that if you have a lawn as level as a billiard table, the Flymo VC 380 will do you fine. If not, get a mower with supporting wheels - unless you fancy a good strenuous workout.

Hover- no, heavy, yes
This is a lot of mower to lug about. constant problems with the grass collection chute means you spend more time unblocking it than mowing. As the grass collection box fills up the mower becomes difficult to move around.Damp grass? Forget it. Unless the lawn is totally dry you might as well keep the mower in the shed as it will be a pain. Slopes, undulations - hopeless. It doesn't hover much and the effort of pushing is a pain For a big mower it isn't made for big lawns.

Bowling green type lawn that you keep short and only mow in dry weather, then this is the mower for you. Problem is, when the rain comes the grass grows and when it gets dry enough for this mower to cut it will be a huge effort.

Sorry but this is a lemon.

Flymo's Most Rubbish Mower
I hate being negative, but this has got to be the worst mower I have ever used. It replaced a Flymo 350 machine which was really good. In total contrast, the VC380 is extremely difficult to manoeuvre - it doesn't really hover, it doesn't cut the grass - it just beats it to death, the collection box inlet blocks up if you even look at it in a funny way, it clogs up underneath and inside and is extremely difficult to clear the bits of grass that get wedged inside. The only good thing about it is the cable reel system. Don't buy this until Flymo has redesigned it (hint, hint). I only gave it 1 star because you can't give no stars at all.