Product reliability: Outdoor
Our annual reliability survey reveals which outdoor appliances are most reliable.
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About our survey
We asked our members about products they’d bought new since 1 January 2013. We wanted to know the brand, the year it was bought and whether it had ever needed repair. We also asked respondents if they were satisfied with their product. Our thanks to all who participated.
We only analyse brands that got 30 or more responses in a category. For each brand, we calculate our reliability score as the percentage of its products that have never needed repair. Satisfaction is the percent of owners who were “very satisfied” with their product (scored 8, 9 or 10 on a 0-10 scale).
Where we haven’t re-surveyed a particular product, we’ve included the reliability data from our 2016 and 2017 surveys.
BBQs
Total number surveyed: 1969
Reliability by brand
| Brand | Reliability[width=medium] | Satisfaction |
|---|---|---|
| Gascraft (33) | 100% | 55% |
| Weber (1098) | 96% | 93% |
| AVERAGE | 93% | 80% |
| Matador (35) | 92% | 69% |
| Broil King (98) | 90% | 81% |
| Gasmate (204) | 90% | 60% |
| Jumbuck (79) | 88% | 51% |
| Masport (168) | 87% | 68% |
| Goldair (70) | 87% | 53% |
Reliability by type
| Type | Reliability[width=medium] | Satisfaction |
|---|---|---|
| Gas Sml Patio (1-3 burner) (38) | 96% | 86% |
| Gas Portable (294) | 95% | 87% |
| Gas Med Patio (4 burner) (665) | 94% | 75% |
| Gas Lrg Patio (6+ burner) (61) | 93% | 72% |
| Charcoal Portable (636) | 92% | 67% |
| Charcoal Kettle (260) | 87% | 82% |
Top problems
| Problem | Occurrence |
|---|---|
| Rust on body, frame or grill | 43% |
| Ignition not working | 35% |
| Gas connection and leaks | 22% |
For more on finding the best barbecue, see our buying guide.
Lawnmowers
Total number surveyed: 1718
Reliability by brand
| Brand | Reliability[width=medium] | Satisfaction |
|---|---|---|
| Ozito (54) | 96% | 61% |
| EGO (63) | 96% | 76% |
| Stihl (65) | 92% | 85% |
| Morrison (70) | 84% | 77% |
| Jobmate (37) | 83% | 65% |
| Flymo (53) | 83% | 45% |
| Ryobi (161) | 83% | 74% |
| Masport (307) | 83% | 69% |
| LawnMaster (215) | 83% | 76% |
| John Deere (65) | 80% | 82% |
| Victa (111) | 80% | 70% |
| Bosch (37) | 79% | 68% |
| Husqvarna (107) | 71% | 64% |
Reliability by type
| Type | Reliability[width=medium] | Satisfaction |
|---|---|---|
| Battery-electric (cordless) (340) | 88% | 77% |
| Mains-electric (corded) (151) | 87% | 61% |
| Push mower (80) | 85% | 45% |
| Petrol push/walk-behind (880) | 83% | 72% |
| Ride-on (267) | 74% | 74% |
Top problems
| Problem | Occurrence |
|---|---|
| Not starting | 22% |
| Controls/throttle not working | 17% |
| Petrol engine runs poorly | 14% |
| Engine failed (petrol models) | 13% |
For more on finding the best lawnmower, see our buying guide.
Line trimmers
Data is from our 2016 survey
Total number surveyed: 1567
Reliability by brand
| Brand | Reliability[width=medium] | Satisfaction |
|---|---|---|
| Bosch (50) | 96% | 52% |
| Black & Decker (232) | 90% | 51% |
| Stihl (327) | 89% | 82% |
| Flymo (74) | 88% | 34% |
| AVERAGE | 87% | 60% |
| Husqvarna (89) | 87% | 74% |
| Ryobi (344) | 87% | 56% |
| Ozito (50) | 81% | 38% |
| Morrison (52) | 79% | 48% |
| Homelite (60) | 78% | 37% |
Reliability by type
| Type | Reliability |
|---|---|
| Cordless-electric (373) | 94% |
| Corded-electric (417) | 89% |
| Petrol (777) | 83% |
For more on finding the best line trimmer, see our buying guide.
More from our survey
See which other products and brands our members rated as being reliable and satisfying to own.
