Flymo Hover Vac 280
Flymo Hover Vac 280 Specifications
| Manufacturer | Flymo |
| Model | Hover Vac 280 |
| Dimensions (H x L x W) | 135 x 144 x 40.5cm |
| Type | Walk behind, hover mower |
| Weight | 8.4KG |
| Power | Corded electric |
| Wattage | 1300W |
| Cable length | 10m |
| Cutting width | 28cm |
| Blade material | Metal |
| Cutting height | 10 - 30mm |
| Grass box | 20L |
| Mulching capability | ❌ |
| Rear roller | ❌ |
| Warranty | 2 years |
| Price | Check on Amazon |
Flymo Hover Vac 280 Review
The Flymo Hover Vac 280 is a relatively cheap hover mower, designed for small to medium sized gardens.
It comes with a 1300W motor, and includes a small 20 litre grass box to collect clippings as you mow. There are four cutting height settings, which can be adjusted using included spacers.
Weighing in at 8.4KG and featuring a 28cm cutting width, this is a small, lightweight lawn mower. It’s designed for beginner gardeners, and is powered by a 10m electric cable.
Assembly
Unlike many lawn mowers at this price point, the Hover Vac 280 actually comes ready-assembled, which is great.
There’s no need to clip/screw any different parts together. However, you will need to adjust the cutting height manually, which we’ll discuss below.
Ease of use
Like most other Flymo hover mowers, the Hover Vac 280 electric lawn mower is extremely easy to use.
Once plugged in, all you need to do is turn it on, and an air pocket will be created in the cutting deck, allowing the mower to float over the grass, guided by your pushing. With this mower, you’re not restricted by where its wheels will take you – since there are no wheels – meaning you can mow side-to-side if you wish. This makes it easier to use than many of its wheeled alternatives, such as the Flymo Chevron 32V. It feels quite lightweight, and is easy to manoeuvre.
However, what isn’t so easy to do on this mower is adjust the cutting height. On many lawn mowers, there’s a simple switch or lever you can use to adjust how short you’re cutting your grass. But with this model, you need to turn it over, and use the provided spanner to install (or remove) one or more of the included spacers.
It’s not a difficult process to adjust the cutting height, but it does take a bit of effort. If you don’t plan to adjust the height that often though, this isn’t a big issue.
Power
The Flymo Hover Vac 280 electric lawn mower is powered by a 1300 watt motor. This isn’t the most powerful lawn mower you’re going to find. However, the included motor does a good job keeping the mower hovering smoothly.
Just be aware that this mower can struggle a little with thick grass – you may need to make multiple passes to ensure a smooth finish. This isn’t down to the quality of the blades, as Flymo have included good-quality steel blades on this mower, that do a good job staying sharp over time. We think it’s to do with the motor being a little underpowered.
Flymo include a 10m power cable with this electric corded mower. Before you buy, it’s a good idea to check whether or not this is going to be long enough to reach your nearest mains power outlet. You may need an extension to get extra cable length, depending on the size of your garden, which you’ll need to factor into the cost.
Mowing effectiveness
For small, flat gardens, this hover mower works a treat. It leaves a clean, consistent finish, on basically any type of grass.
You get most of the benefits you’d expect out of buying a hover mower. You can mow right up to the edges of your garden, without the need for a strimmer – except in those tight corners. You can cut as short as 10mm, all the way up to 30mm – there are four height adjustment settings to choose from, which is pretty good for a mower at this price.
Where it struggles a bit is if you have a very uneven lawn. On bumpy or sloped ground, it can be hard to push. Even though this is quite a light lawn mower, the motor doesn’t have enough power to manage uneven ground.
The Hover Vac 280 electric hover mower comes with a 26cm cutting width. This can make the mower feel a bit inefficient if you have a very large lawn. The grass box is also quite small, at 20L, meaning you’ll need to empty it quite often if you have a bigger garden. But for flat, small and medium sized lawns, you won’t find it inefficient at all.
Something else to be aware of: despite the fact that this mower includes a grass box, it can fail to do a good job picking up grass clippings at times, creating a mess in your garden. The less even your grass is, the more likely you are to run into this issue.
Mulching
Although this mower does a good job compacting your grass clippings to get more out of the relatively small grass box, it doesn’t allow for mulching, unfortunately. You’ll need to collect your clippings as you mow.
View our guide to mulching mowers if this is what you’re after.
Ergonomics
Flymo generally know what they’re doing when it comes to making hover mowers that are user-friendly and comfortable to use, and this mower is no exception.
The height adjustable handle is quite ergonomical, and doesn’t feel uncomfortable to hold over longer periods. Do note though that you’ll need to hold down the trigger on the handle while this mower is in use. This does require some effort, but it’s an important safety feature to have.
There is a decent amount of vibration, as you would expect from this type of lawn mower. Provided you’re using it on a smaller sized lawn, this isn’t an issue.
Durability
The Hover Vac 280 electric lawn mower is quite durable for its price. You don’t have to worry about the motor burning out, or the blades breaking, for the first few years at least.
There is quite a lot of plastic on this mower, which is why it’s so light and easy to manoeuvre. This has made some parts a bit more flimsy than you’d like, such as the handle power switch.
However, metal is used in the places it’s needed – for example on the cutting deck, and with the blades being made of strong steel. You also get a 2-year warranty with this mower. Just ensure to register the product with Flymo, otherwise the warranty will only last for 12 months from the date of purchase.
Value for money
The Flymo Hover Vac 280 is definitely one of the cheaper hover mowers you can buy in the UK right now.
For the price, you do get a lot. This is a lightweight, easy to use lawn mower, that works well for small, flat gardens. Plus, you get a 2-year warranty included.
Provided this mower works for your type of garden, it’s great value for money.
The verdict
3.8/5 – Good cheap lawn mower for mostly small to medium sized flat lawns
There’s a lot to like about the Flymo Hover Vac 280. It’s very manoeuvrable, cuts well, including up to the edges of your lawn, and has a good range of height adjustment settings.
There are areas that let it down somewhat. It can be difficult to push on uneven ground, and isn’t the best on extremely thick grass.
However, if you have a small to medium sized, mostly flat lawn, the Hover Vac 280 is definitely worth checking out.
Flymo Hover Vac 280 alternatives
Looking for a different type of hover mower? Here are some alternatives to the Flymo Hover Vac 280.
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I’m Josh, and I’m the head writer at Lawn Care Pro.
I love everything lawns, but I’m a bit of a lawn mower nerd. I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with mowers, and planning my mowing schedule for the next few weeks.
I’m also into cars, which comes in very helpful when servicing a mower engine!