Anyone have any opinions on the Rolux versus the Revolution 26? I was looking at both, I know they are both relatively new but cant find many side by side comparisons. Not in really any hurry to snatch one up, Im sure you cant go wrong with either one. Thank you!
ImJacobJames
Since they are both new mowers and not even sure if they have been released yet to the public, it’s going to be awhile before you see side by side comparisons.
You can garner a good bit of information from the vendors websites and here to make a comparison based on features and cost. I am trying to decide between one of these mower and a used greens mower. I usually prefer commercial equipment but many people seem to value their used greens mowers more than I do.
As already mentioned, I think once they are both in hands of consumers later this year you'll be able to see practical comparisons. I can think of a few basics - the handlebar style, the method of backlapping (spin vs. relief grind), heights of cut, and available options (e.g. number of blades on reel).
I ordered the 25” rolux in January. Should have it in the next few weeks. Was originally supposed to be delivered late Feb however the cargo ship couldn’t pass through the Suez Canal and that’s added a few weeks to their timeline.
My takeaways…
Rolux offers cost savings. I think I paid around $23-2400 after tax for a 25” 9 blade with ribbed roller. The smooth roller is extremely light weight and felt like the only subpar part on the mower to me. I demo’d before ordering. The ribbed roller is around $250 where that is a standard feature on the Rev. I chose the B&S engine to save another 2-250ish. Honda is standard on the Rev.
One of the biggest differences I can see is that the Rev allows you to run the mower without engaging the reel. The Rolux does not. I’ll go about 10 ft from garage to front or back lawn so that wasn’t important to me.
The customer service from Rolux has been world class. Everything I’ve read from the Reel Rollers team leads me to believe their support is also top shelf.
All in all I don’t think you can make a bad decision between the two.
My decision was largely driven by cost as well as my interactions with the Rolux team.
My takeaways…
Rolux offers cost savings. I think I paid around $23-2400 after tax for a 25” 9 blade with ribbed roller. The smooth roller is extremely light weight and felt like the only subpar part on the mower to me. I demo’d before ordering. The ribbed roller is around $250 where that is a standard feature on the Rev. I chose the B&S engine to save another 2-250ish. Honda is standard on the Rev.
One of the biggest differences I can see is that the Rev allows you to run the mower without engaging the reel. The Rolux does not. I’ll go about 10 ft from garage to front or back lawn so that wasn’t important to me.
The customer service from Rolux has been world class. Everything I’ve read from the Reel Rollers team leads me to believe their support is also top shelf.
All in all I don’t think you can make a bad decision between the two.
My decision was largely driven by cost as well as my interactions with the Rolux team.
@ImJacobJames - Reel Rollers just updated their website with new pictures & information on the Revolution. Just thought I’d mention this if you haven’t checked it out in the past couple days.
Just a few differences.
Rolux:
-the mower ground speed is like speed walking
-the handlebars are uncomfortable, don’t fold, and the throttle “spin” is weird.
-you can’t move the mower without turning up rpm’s, spinning reel, then you can move
-the mower is very rear heavy and bounces a lot
-the Honda GX was a later add on, but they are having problems with the throttle cable working with it still
-British sized chains
-smaller chains
-metal grass catcher
-no relief on reel
-height of cut adjustment on outside and can hit stuff
-height of cut sticker on outside, so you can’t see it when adjusting height unless you have 5 foot long arms
-smooth roller super light, grooved roller is like McLanes washer style and sinks into soil if moist and is hard to turn (washers dig in)
-price point was unrealistic (already increasing prices)
-bedknife is like swardman, squared so it jams into soil when cutting low
Rev26:
-adjustable front and rear rollers
-bedknife screws easy to remove
-thicker curved bed knife
-perfectly balanced mower
-smaller reel diameter
-100 dealer network already supply parts nationally
-fins strategically placed to throw grass evenly into grass catcher
-metal plate height of cut guide (not a sticker)
-USA chains easy to find anywhere
-same bolt pattern throughout mower (one socket to rule them all and USA standard)
-hex bed knife screws (why anyone uses flathead anymore idk)
-easily adjustable ground speed
-easliy backlap without removing chains
-folding and adjustable handlebars
-independent drive/ground control
-front 18lb grooved roller is the biggest/beefiest damn roller I’ve ever seen
-support video QR code easily accessible on the mower itself
-all sealed bearings (no zerk fittings)
-2 year warranty
Im probably forgetting a few things, but there you go. I have a GM 1000 and a Swardsman 2.1. The GM is a beast and can be a workout to handle. The Swardsman is easy to throw around and manuever, but isn’t the most durable machine. I think the Rev26 is going to be the perfect medium and the 26” cut is going to be a game changer for me. I’ve dealt with ReelRollers for years since buying the Swardsman and they are easy to get in contact with, always respond and always have made things right for me even when they really didn’t have to. Great people to deal with.
Rolux:
-the mower ground speed is like speed walking
-the handlebars are uncomfortable, don’t fold, and the throttle “spin” is weird.
-you can’t move the mower without turning up rpm’s, spinning reel, then you can move
-the mower is very rear heavy and bounces a lot
-the Honda GX was a later add on, but they are having problems with the throttle cable working with it still
-British sized chains
-smaller chains
-metal grass catcher
-no relief on reel
-height of cut adjustment on outside and can hit stuff
-height of cut sticker on outside, so you can’t see it when adjusting height unless you have 5 foot long arms
-smooth roller super light, grooved roller is like McLanes washer style and sinks into soil if moist and is hard to turn (washers dig in)
-price point was unrealistic (already increasing prices)
-bedknife is like swardman, squared so it jams into soil when cutting low
Rev26:
-adjustable front and rear rollers
-bedknife screws easy to remove
-thicker curved bed knife
-perfectly balanced mower
-smaller reel diameter
-100 dealer network already supply parts nationally
-fins strategically placed to throw grass evenly into grass catcher
-metal plate height of cut guide (not a sticker)
-USA chains easy to find anywhere
-same bolt pattern throughout mower (one socket to rule them all and USA standard)
-hex bed knife screws (why anyone uses flathead anymore idk)
-easily adjustable ground speed
-easliy backlap without removing chains
-folding and adjustable handlebars
-independent drive/ground control
-front 18lb grooved roller is the biggest/beefiest damn roller I’ve ever seen
-support video QR code easily accessible on the mower itself
-all sealed bearings (no zerk fittings)
-2 year warranty
Im probably forgetting a few things, but there you go. I have a GM 1000 and a Swardsman 2.1. The GM is a beast and can be a workout to handle. The Swardsman is easy to throw around and manuever, but isn’t the most durable machine. I think the Rev26 is going to be the perfect medium and the 26” cut is going to be a game changer for me. I’ve dealt with ReelRollers for years since buying the Swardsman and they are easy to get in contact with, always respond and always have made things right for me even when they really didn’t have to. Great people to deal with.
Thanks for your point of view! I am Stu from Rolux. I am not one to defend normally, but I am going to correct you on a few things, if that is okay. Some of the above sounds like misinformation, which I have read from certain individuals on social media.
I think what is really important to understand is that Rolux is a cradle to grave family business... we are the designer, manufacturer, distributor, brand owner and customer service manager. We haven't taken a Greenman machine nor a Masport and tried to retrofit with a couple of features. Not that our approach is necessarily right and theirs is wrong, but we do not believe this approach is sustainable in the long run.
Because we serve all these functions, we are able to adjust, change and ultimately focus on the most important things to us... our products and our customer service. When you deal with me, you're not dealing with only a sales agent's side hustle but the actual employer of 65 people, selling many machines around the world. If a customer needs an answer, customers can contact me directly.
Our key value proposition is that we offer customers a choice... choices of size, blade count, engine option, choice of color and price point. We offer a focus on simplicity to ensure 1) Your machine lasts 2) You get the very best customer service. We are not trying to be GreenMan, Masport nor McLane or TruCut.
Just a few points of clarity and correction:
1. You can feather the Rolux clutch to reduce/increase the speed at which you walk so its untrue to say it is too fast.
2. Handlebars are different, but I do not think they're uncomfortable. This is of course a matter of opinion, but many tens of thousands of people around the world have been very surprised how much more comfortable our handles are.
3. The mower is very well balanced and with a heavier grooved front roller even more so. The new smooth front roller is +-5LB's heavier than the one you tried. The 25" grooved front roller is around 18lb's.
4. Our view is that no relief grind on the reel is a benefit for homeowners because it lasts longer, especially when homeowners are more likely to have debris on their lawn. Again, 60 years of experience speaking and this is Bernhard's viewpoint too.
5. HoC adjustment is on the outside for safety purposes. I have had mine for five years and never hit a thing.
6. The grooved roller is washer style to avoid tearing the lawn. Also, we offer both types of grooved rollers.
7. We are having no issues at all with the throttle. This is an adjustable part which allows the customer to choose when the engine can engage.
8. The bedknife only jams into the lawn if you drop the HoC to zero. Not sure who wants to cut this low, but in my experience, it is nobody. You can however get a Rolux Low Cut bedknife which cuts as low as most greens mowers (again, choice).
9. You can also easily backlap any Rolux (see Youtube for how to do this please)
10.1 Bedknife screws are now hex (this shows me how old the mower is that you were shown).
10.2 Also, a thicker bedknife on a Masport/RR means you cannot cut as low to the ground as a Rolux - a thicker bedknife increases your lowest possible cutting height.
11. We have 60 years of experience worldwide... we are not new to this.
12. We offer 5 year warranty instead of 2 year. We stand behind our products and this proves they are built to last.
13. We also have a QR code on the machine (also not sure how this is a benefit but we have been doing this for years too)
14. For clarity, you don't have to remove chains on the Rolux to backlap either.
15. I am not sure how you see our prices bring unrealistic when every one of our models sits far below the RR?
16. Regarding the ability to run the mower without the reel... once again our global experience is that this feature is a nice to have, not a need to have.
17. For clarity, there are no belts on the Rolux, and the machine is made from 99% steel. It really is built to last.
18. I truly hope the RR/Masport is a success when they do release... I think it is great for the industry, and as they say 'a rising tide lifts all ships'.
Happy to hear anything more!! All the best.
Stu
I think what is really important to understand is that Rolux is a cradle to grave family business... we are the designer, manufacturer, distributor, brand owner and customer service manager. We haven't taken a Greenman machine nor a Masport and tried to retrofit with a couple of features. Not that our approach is necessarily right and theirs is wrong, but we do not believe this approach is sustainable in the long run.
Because we serve all these functions, we are able to adjust, change and ultimately focus on the most important things to us... our products and our customer service. When you deal with me, you're not dealing with only a sales agent's side hustle but the actual employer of 65 people, selling many machines around the world. If a customer needs an answer, customers can contact me directly.
Our key value proposition is that we offer customers a choice... choices of size, blade count, engine option, choice of color and price point. We offer a focus on simplicity to ensure 1) Your machine lasts 2) You get the very best customer service. We are not trying to be GreenMan, Masport nor McLane or TruCut.
Just a few points of clarity and correction:
1. You can feather the Rolux clutch to reduce/increase the speed at which you walk so its untrue to say it is too fast.
2. Handlebars are different, but I do not think they're uncomfortable. This is of course a matter of opinion, but many tens of thousands of people around the world have been very surprised how much more comfortable our handles are.
3. The mower is very well balanced and with a heavier grooved front roller even more so. The new smooth front roller is +-5LB's heavier than the one you tried. The 25" grooved front roller is around 18lb's.
4. Our view is that no relief grind on the reel is a benefit for homeowners because it lasts longer, especially when homeowners are more likely to have debris on their lawn. Again, 60 years of experience speaking and this is Bernhard's viewpoint too.
5. HoC adjustment is on the outside for safety purposes. I have had mine for five years and never hit a thing.
6. The grooved roller is washer style to avoid tearing the lawn. Also, we offer both types of grooved rollers.
7. We are having no issues at all with the throttle. This is an adjustable part which allows the customer to choose when the engine can engage.
8. The bedknife only jams into the lawn if you drop the HoC to zero. Not sure who wants to cut this low, but in my experience, it is nobody. You can however get a Rolux Low Cut bedknife which cuts as low as most greens mowers (again, choice).
9. You can also easily backlap any Rolux (see Youtube for how to do this please)
10.1 Bedknife screws are now hex (this shows me how old the mower is that you were shown).
10.2 Also, a thicker bedknife on a Masport/RR means you cannot cut as low to the ground as a Rolux - a thicker bedknife increases your lowest possible cutting height.
11. We have 60 years of experience worldwide... we are not new to this.
12. We offer 5 year warranty instead of 2 year. We stand behind our products and this proves they are built to last.
13. We also have a QR code on the machine (also not sure how this is a benefit but we have been doing this for years too)
14. For clarity, you don't have to remove chains on the Rolux to backlap either.
15. I am not sure how you see our prices bring unrealistic when every one of our models sits far below the RR?
16. Regarding the ability to run the mower without the reel... once again our global experience is that this feature is a nice to have, not a need to have.
17. For clarity, there are no belts on the Rolux, and the machine is made from 99% steel. It really is built to last.
18. I truly hope the RR/Masport is a success when they do release... I think it is great for the industry, and as they say 'a rising tide lifts all ships'.
Happy to hear anything more!! All the best.
Stu
I am sure over the coming months we will see a few reviews! Going to be an awesome spring/summer for us all. Not just talking for those in the mower trade, but especially for customers who now have some new options in the market, things are very exciting! Compeition and innovation are good for everyone.
I picked the Rev26 over the Rolux. With it being my new (1st) adventure owning a reel, Lee and his team’s marketing sold me on the homeowner friendly maintenance of the mower. I hope this holds true. However, maybe i need to quit reading all this stuff on each mower before I end up buying each of them. 😂
I’ll say this much, I own a 25” Rolux, decent quality mower. However I ordered a bed knife about a week and a half ago and still yet to see them have it shipped. Emailed customer support and the person replied asking for my order number as I was inquiring how long it would take and I yet to hear back from them. Kind of worrisome that parts would take so long to be shipped.
I replaced my c27 with a rolux 25 w/ the ribbed roller & Honda engine. I tried the revolution 26 as well. Im local to atlanta and opted for pick up direct from rolux headquarters. My motivations are to continue reel mowing but with easier maintenance, moderate price and availability.
My Lawn's seen an immediate improvement w/ better stripping than the tru cut.
Some differences have been The speed clutch lever on the rolux versus the other mowers. It resembles a bicycle brake lever & takes some getting used too. I tend to speed up when going downhill, while subconsciously thinking its a brake. Im also re learning how to maintain a consistent speed while keeping a straight line. Its only been 3 mows however. The c27 has plenty of nuances so I'm not worried about relearning to mow. The HOC knob is stiff when new so i carved out a large sockett to make adjustments. The rev26 is a feature added design but at $600 premium plus tax and wait list. It was a close call.
Overall a very positive experience from rolux from testing to purchasing to using it regularly.
My Lawn's seen an immediate improvement w/ better stripping than the tru cut.
Some differences have been The speed clutch lever on the rolux versus the other mowers. It resembles a bicycle brake lever & takes some getting used too. I tend to speed up when going downhill, while subconsciously thinking its a brake. Im also re learning how to maintain a consistent speed while keeping a straight line. Its only been 3 mows however. The c27 has plenty of nuances so I'm not worried about relearning to mow. The HOC knob is stiff when new so i carved out a large sockett to make adjustments. The rev26 is a feature added design but at $600 premium plus tax and wait list. It was a close call.
Overall a very positive experience from rolux from testing to purchasing to using it regularly.
Thanks for the feedback!! Please keep it coming and I’m here for any suggestions, criticisms and general chat 😃
Stu
Stu
The grass catcher is metal. I have the X20. If I had needed a larger mower, it would have been a tough decision between the Rolux and the Revolution. Both are nice machines. If one wants a relief ground reel and an independent drive, then the Revolution is the way to go. I have neither on the Rolux, and I love the machine. IMO, both companies have brought great products to the market.
Thanks both!! Appreciate the feedback and I agree there is room for both. And maybe some collab between brands in future?? @Reelrollers? 😊
Can someone smarter than me explain the pros and cons of the reel and bed knife setup differences on these? Rolux has squared and a beefier reel, while the Revolution has a curved bed knife and a thinned reel. Rolux appears to be more of a Cal Trimmer setup, while the Revolution is set up more like my Toro GM. I’m assuming that the Rolux being thicker and square, it has to do with the its ability to handle more of a beating from a homeowner with rocks, mulch, etc., in the yard. While the Revolution is designed to provide a better cut?!?
Ultimately it comes down to personal preference..I've had my share of reel mowers..tru-cut, mclanes. toro GM1000, Cali trimmer and now a Rolux X20. They all have their Pros and Cons. The toro GM1000 are a beast of a machine and of course are designed for the pro market. I must admit the Rev26 and the Rolux's are going to corner the high-end homeowners market though. Their designs are well thought out and tested.
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