Bosch Rotak 34R Review – Electric Rotary Lawn mower

Bosch Rotak 34R Review
Bosch Rotak 34R
Performance/Quality
86
Features
84
Durability
86
Value
90
Warranty/Support
84
What I Like
Very Good Build Quality
Large 40 Litre Grass Box
Light Weight (11.1 KG)
Rear Roller for a Striped Lawn Appearance
5 Cutting Heights (20mm to 70mm)
What I Don't Like
No Grass Box Level Indicator
Single Right Handed Starter Lever
No Mulching Option
86
My Overall Rating

Bosch Rotak 34R Review

The Bosch Rotak 34R is a nifty and reliable lawn mower that is great value for money. As mentioned on this site, this mower is the slightly bigger brother of the Bosch Rotak 32R with a 34cm deck size as opposed to the Rotak 32R’s 32cm cutting width and a more powerful motor.

Let’s take a look at this Bosch Rotak 34R to see how well it performs and if it is the best choice for your lawn.

Summary

The Bosch Rotak 34R is a corded mower and needs its 10 metre power cable to be connected to a mains socket that provides a very respectable 1300 watt motor. The build quality is what you would expect from Bosch and being built in the UK makes getting parts easier and cheaper should they be required. A metal blade is used on the 34R as opposed to plastic proving a good cut and allowing for the blade to be sharpened if needed. The 34cm cutting width makes it ideal for small to medium lawns and for taking up less storage. There are 5 different cutting heights, this is pretty standard for a mower of this size and ranges from 20mm to 70mm which is perfectly adequate to adjust to the changing length and conditions of your lawn. There’s more good news, this mower also has a rear roller for that very British striped lawn effect.

OK, lets take a look at this Bosch Rotak 34R in more detail and see what’s good and what’s not so good with this mower.

Main Features

  • Lawn size recommendations: Small to medium lawns up to 350m² in size. (OK for larger lawns but the box will need to be emptied more often)
  • Power: 1300 watt Power-drive Electric Motor (Corded)
  • Cutting Width: 34cm
  • Cutting Height: 5 adjustments from 20mm to 70mm
  • Capacity of grass box: 40L
  • Weight: 11.1 Kg
  • Grass comb for easy edge cutting
  • Roller for a professional striped lawn appearance
  • Foldable handles for compact and easy storage

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Difference Between the Bosch Rotak 34 and Rotak 34R

Before we dig into this review, I am often asked what the difference is between the 34 and the 34R, well it is quite simple. The Bosch Rotak 34 has no rear roller and the Bosch Rotak 34R (R=Roller) does have a roller at the back of the lawn mower. This allows you to create professional looking stripes on the lawn if you so wish.

Difference Between the Bosch Rotak 34R and Bosch Rotak 32R

 

SpecificationBosch Rotak 34RBosch Rotak 32R
Cutting Width34cm32cm
Cutting Height Settings20-70mm20-60mm
Power1300W1200W
Cable Length10m10m
Max Cutting Area300m2250m2
Weight12kg11kg
PriceAround £110Around £95

 


Bosch Rotak 34R garden

Power System

The Bosch Rotak 34R features a powerful 1300 watt Power-drive electric motor. That is plenty of power and will give you professional results with minimal effort. It is a decent sized motor so even if you have let the grass grow a bit on the long side, you will not have any difficulty.

Whilst it is by no means the biggest and most powerful lawn mower on the market, unless you have a jungle to contend with it will do a perfectly good job with ease.

The cable that comes with the Rotak 34R is 10 metres long so ensure you have enough extension cord to cover the required area.

Also the power system is completely electric so it produces zero emissions and works extremely quietly.


Power Cable

The lawn mower comes with a 10 metre power cable. If more range is required an extension cord will be needed. This length of power cable is relatively standard for mowers in this class.


Features In Detail

Blades

Bosch Rotak 34R Blade

The Bosch Rotak 34R has strong 34cm steel blades. Whilst these will need to be sharpened occasionally, the extremely durable blades will provide a clean and neat cut. If you ever need to replace them, parts are easily available and reasonably priced.

The 34cm cutting width is ideal for small to medium gardens. This mower provides a good combination of speed and efficiency whilst still being easy to manoeuvre.

The Bosch Rotak 34R is equipped with one blade that provides two effective benefits-

  1. Metal blades generally wear less quickly than plastic blades, which results in you needing to replace the lawn mower blade on this model less often.
  2. Metal blades are generally sharper and provide a cleaner cut to the grass blade, resulting in a neater, tidier and superior finish to your lawn and garden. As stated above, the metal blades can be sharpened when needed unlike plastic blades.

So are the blades on the Bosch any better than its nearest competitors? Well, no not really. The blades on the Bosch are good but are no superior across other mower brands in this size and class.

As well as being able to sharpen the blades, it is also possible to purchase a genuine replacement blade for the Bosch 34R for around £16. Replacing the blade is relatively easy for anyone with basic DIY skills and tools.


Roller (Stripes)

Like a striped lawn? Well the Bosch Rotak 34R does come with an Integrated Rear Roller for a lovely striped lawn.

 


Height Adjustment

Bosch Rotak 32l Power Drive

It is essential that your lawn mower has a wide range of adjustable cutting heights to accommodate different lawn conditions throughout the seasons. The Bosch Rotak 34R offers six cutting height settings ranging precisely from 20mm to 70mm in 2cm increments. Cutting height is adjusted centrally using a front-mounted lever, allowing the height to be easily set across the entire 34cm cutting width. With this broad 20-70mm range adjusted in small steps, the Rotak 34R can be perfectly suited to any lawn type or seasonal requirements.

If your lawn has been left untended and overgrown, it is best not to cut it on the lowest 20mm setting initially. Starting at a higher setting like 50mm or 60mm and gradually lowering the height over successive mowings avoids leaving an uneven, patchy appearance.

While some comparable electric mowers in this price category only offer three adjustable cutting heights, most models have five settings as the Rotak 34R does, making five heights a standard feature. However, the Rotak 34R’s single lever adjustment from the front is more convenient than the design of the smaller Bosch Rotak 32R model, which requires flipping the mower over to adjust the rear wheels among its three height slots. So though five heights is common, the Rotak 34R’s precise, easy-to-use central lever adjustment across its wide range is beneficial.


Cutting Diameter

If you are cutting a sports field, the bigger the cutting diameter the better. With gardens, however, this is not the case.

The 34cm cutting diameter of the Rotak 34R is ideal. It will allow you to zip around the garden in no time but still will give you the precision and ease of movement for curves and edges.

Remember 34cm is one of the smaller deck sizes so if you have a large lawn, say over 350m², you may want to consider a mower with a larger deck size.


Bosch Rotak 34R Mower

Grass Box Capacity

Having a large grass box is a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it means that all the trimmings are collected and you need to make less trips to empty it out. A smaller grass box or no grass box will make the lawn mower much lighter and easier to manoeuvre.

Once again, Bosch has found a great compromise between the two. As this mower is designed for small to medium gardens the 40 litre capacity of the grass box is ideal. It will let you zip around the garden easily without dragging you down whilst still keeping the trimmings neat and easy to dump. Cutting a larger garden is no hassle, it just means more trips to empty the grass box, which is not the end of the world.

The 40 litre grass box is a good balance of convenience and mobility. It is well designed to be effective at catching much of the grass trimmings, leaving very little, if any raking to be done afterwards. The design is also efficient and compacts the trimmings for maximum space use. Whilst you mow, the grass box will not slow you down or hinder your movements.

The grass box on the Bosch Rotak 34R is very easy to remove and the grass clippings empty from the box with no obstructions.


Bosch Rotak 34R practicalitiesPracticalities

One thing you can expect Bosch to deliver is practical equipment and the Rotak 34R is no exception. Bosch has a great reputation for convenient, easy to use lawn mowers. Many of their lawn mowers have the ‘Ergoflex’ handles which are great and extremely comfortable and easy to work with. The 34R does not have this but it is very unlikely you will notice the difference. The slightly larger Rotak 36R does have the Ergoflex-System.

It is well designed and extremely nimble so it is easy for anyone to use.

As with all corded lawn mowers, being tethered by the cord does mean you may require an extension cable for larger lawns and care needs to be taken not to accidentally cut the cable whilst mowing.

I do prefer the height adjustment to be located central to the mower for ease of use, however, the front mounted lever is very easy to adjust in this Bosch mower.

Does this make it more practical compared to its closest competition? Well, yes I think it does for people with smaller lawns and limited space for storage. There is also a well positioned central handle that makes carrying the 11 Kg mower to the garage or shed very easy.

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Safety Features

Another feature Bosch products are known for is a great safety record. Obviously, if not used correctly, any lawn mower can be dangerous but Bosch has done everything they can to make the Rotak 34R as safe as possible without reducing its effectiveness.

The lawn mower comes with a detailed and clear safety guide and provided you follow these instructions you will not have any problems.

They have also kept vibrations and noise at extremely good levels for a mower of this power.

As expected, this model conforms to all the main local and international quality and safety standards.

Another safety feature they have built in is double insulation to prevent any risk of electrical shock under normal conditions and use. It also has a protector to prevent the motor from overheating. When it reaches a certain temperature, the motor will shut off. Only once it has cooled down to acceptable levels it can be used again.

To get the most from your Bosch Rotak 34R, ensure it is kept clean and well maintained. Use only Bosch approved replacement parts for best results and safety.

As with all corded lawn mowers, there is a safety button that needs to be held in order for the starter grip to be activated. There is no additional removable safety key with the Bosch 34R and this is standard with almost all electric corded lawn mowers (unlike their cordless lawn mower counterparts).


Mulching

The Rotak 34R does not have a mulching function. This is normal for lawn mowers in this price range and class.


What’s Included in the Box?

Included in the box is the following:

  • Bosch Rotak 34R Lawn Mower
  • 40 litre Grass Box
  • Instruction Manual

Bosch Rotak 34R User Manual Download

Click here to download the Bosch Rotak 34R User Manual


Downsides

  1. No Ergoflex handles – available on the Rotak 36R, Rotak 40 and Rotak 43. Also available on the Bosch ARM 34.
  2. There is no grass box level indicator as with some of the other models.

While the positives far outweigh any negatives, as with any products, there is some downside. Whilst we believe the price and easy manoeuvrability of the Rotak 34R make up for the minor negatives, it is important to be aware of them.

Although ideally designed and suited for use in small to medium gardens, some people might find the power cable, at 10 metres, to be a bit short. This can obviously easily be sorted out with an extension cord.

Another issue people with slightly larger gardens might have is that the 40 litre grass box will fill up rather quickly. All this means is that it will need to be emptied more often.

The blade size will result it taking longer to cut large areas of lawn, but the advantage is that it makes the mower more precise and easier to move.

Although the blade can be sharpened or replaced with ease, some customers might want a harder steel that lasts longer between sharpening or replacement.

Now the above may sound trivial and are common to most mowers but should be taken into consideration anyway. They are part of the package and it’s better being aware of them before a purchase than after.

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Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Very Good Build Quality
  • 40 Litre Grass Box
  • Light Weight (11.1 KG)
  • Cut to Edge Grass Combs
  • Rear Roller for a Striped Lawn Appearance
  • 5 Cutting Heights (20mm to 70mm)
Cons
  • No Grass Box Level Indicator
  • Single Right Handed Starter Lever
  • No Mulching Option

 


Conclusion

If you want a reliable and dependable lawn mower for a small to medium garden the Bosch Rotak 34R is a very good choice. Bosch has a good reputation and they make quality products. Best of all, it is really good value for money.

Bosch Rotak 34R CutWhilst the blade and grass box are not the biggest available, they make the Rotak 34R extremely light and easy to use. It will glide around the lawn effortlessly and is particularly good at corners and edges. The inset front wheels are also helpful to get close to walls, edges or in tight areas.

The grass combs, sharp blade and powerful motor will give a nice clean cut. The rollers are a nice option and will give the lawn a very professional striped look.

It has all the other standard features one would expect from a quality lawn mower such as a good range of cut height options and a decent steel blade.

It comes standard with a 2-year guarantee that can be extended to 3 years. After-sales service is good and replacement parts are easy to obtain and are well priced.

Feedback from customers that have purchased this model is extremely positive. There are very few negative comments and most people are very happy with their choice.

Overall, I think this is a fantastic mower and I encourage anyone looking for a practical mower that gets the job done quickly and efficiently to seriously consider this model. In fact, I think it’s one of the best value corded compact mowers you can purchase right now!


Should You Buy This Model?

Bosch Rotak 34R Specification

Before making this decision, you have to look at your garden and consider the amount of lawn space. A large garden will probably mean you should look at a mower with a slightly larger blade and grass box. If you do not have a vast lawn then this is an excellent option.

This mower is ideal for those that:

  • People who have a lawn up to 350m² in size.
  • Those who like a striped lawn as it is supplied with a rear roller.
  • People who want a reliable and easy to operate mower that is great value for money.
  • Those who want sufficient power for most lawns, even longer grass.
  • Those who like a lightweight mower with good built quality.
  • Good after-sales service from a trusted brand – Bosch.

There is very little you will not like about this lawn mower.

If you are looking for an easy to operate mower for a small to medium garden, the Rotak 34R makes an excellent choice. The Bosch name is known for well priced, hardworking and reliable garden tools. Bosch has been around since 1886. Their products like the Rotak 34R are easy to use and Bosch is a trusted and popular brand.


Where Should I Purchase This Model?

Amazon have the best prices that are difficult to match and probably the most reliable delivery system on the web. Considering how valuable this piece of equipment is you want the most for your money and the best service possible making Amazon the best place to go.

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Bosch Rotak 34R Electric Lawnmower (1300 W, Cutting width: 34 cm, In...
  • Double folding handles and stackable grass box for compact storage
  • Grass combs cut right up to and over the edge.

Last update on 2024-11-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Not sure about this mower? Click here to see more Corded Lawn Mower Reviews.


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Last update on 2024-11-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


Specifications


 

Additional Specifications
Working AreaSmall to Medium lawns up to 350m² in size
Cutting Width34cm
Cutting Heights5
Cutting Height max70mm
Cutting Height min20mm
Cutting Height AdjustmentFront Lever
Grass Collection Box Capacity40L
Battery TypeN/A
Cable Length10m
Motor power1300W
Vision WindowNo
Right or left start switchRight
Foldable handlesYes
Weight11Kg
Grass bag filling indicatorNo
RollerYes

Mark Haley Author
Lawnmower Product Expert, Reviewer and Author at EasyLawnMowing.co.uk | 01284 615144 | info@easylawnmowing.co.uk | Website | + posts

As a seasoned expert in the field of garden power tools, I have dedicated over a decade to working with and reviewing a wide variety of lawn mowers. My extensive experience has allowed me to gain a deep understanding of the benefits and limitations of different types of mowers and garden tools.

Over the years, I have honed my skills in writing informative articles and creating helpful videos for various blogs and publications. This has given me the ability to not only recognise what makes a good lawn mower, but also to help you choose the perfect garden tool for your specific needs and requirements.

With my wealth of knowledge and expertise, I am confident that I can provide you with valuable insights and recommendations when it comes to selecting the right lawn mower for your lawn. So, whether you're looking for a battery cordless, electric, petrol, or robotic mower, you can trust in my expertise to guide you towards the best option for your garden.

10 thoughts on “Bosch Rotak 34R Review – Electric Rotary Lawn mower”

  1. Hi I have a Bosch 34 lawn mower and am struggling to get the guard box and the spring to fasten together onto the box itself. Any ideas.
    Thanks Ken Parkes

  2. The box of the 34R depicts the mower folded away to a height of 55cm. How do they do this?, Do you have to take the clippings box apart to fit over the mower (as shown on box) No instructions on how to store in a small space provided

    1. Hi Denise, thanks for your message. Yes you are right, once the grass collection box is assembled it is not easy to take apart to reduce the height of the storage. This is one of the main reasons I prefer hybrid collection boxes, as you have the advantage of the solid top and the cloth/mesh sides for folding flat and better air circulation.

  3. Hi, my Bosch Rotak 34-13 has recently started having a problem where it cuts out during operation. I’m struggling to find someone locally who can advise on the problem, however I wanted to know what the expected lifespan is of this lawnmower? I’ve had it now for 5 years and so far found it to be faultless, but it might be time to scrap it and get something new.
    Thanks for your advice/recommendation.

    1. Hi Paul, you should really get more than 5 years of an electric mower, but it really does depend on the usage, the type, condition and length of grass that is being cut. Does the mower start again after a period of time or is it just continuously starting and stopping randomly. Just trying to work out if it is the motor or something more simple like damaged lead or loose wiring.

      If it is the motor, you may be right and it is probably not worth the cost to repair and time for a new mower. To help you out below I have included a link to my best mower selection tool, simply select your requirements on the left and the most suitable mower/s for your needs will be shortlisted. https://easylawnmowing.co.uk/find-the-perfect-lawn-mower/

      Alternatively see link to my best electric mowers here https://easylawnmowing.co.uk/the-best-electric-lawn-mowers/

      Hope this helps

  4. Mrs. Glenys Riggs

    I bought a Rotak 34R last week and I cannot get the grass box to fit on. It was not easy to set up with only one pair of hand and then just cannot get the box on. Went to local Homebase to look and see but no stock left. Not at all pleased, and think I made a big mistake.

    1. Dear Mrs Riggs, yes the grass boxes can be little difficult to assemble initially, this is common with solid grass boxes. However, you should not have a problem attaching the grass box to the mower, so this sounds very odd.
      Please ensure that you lift the flap fully as far back as it will go, before attempting to attach the collection box. Referring to the manual may also be beneficial or Bosch garden machinery support.
      Please let me know if you manage to resolve this or if indeed there was a fault with your mower.
      Thanks again

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