Troy-Bilt FLEX Mower and Blower – First Look

Most of the innovation in the outdoor power equipment category has been focused on electric power.  Those with bigger yards still need gas power and Troy-Bilt has brought on the innovation.  They sent us the FLEX, which is a mower, blower, snow thrower and pressure washer all powered by a single engine.  Basically you have one power base that is easily attached to all of the accessories. This means less space to store all of you equipment and just one engine to maintain. Like everyone we were skeptical about this new to the USA market design.  Once we had some time with it under our belt we started to see the advantages of the FLEX.  Of course with any advantages come disadvantages and this setup is not for everyone.

You start with the power equipment base.  Connecting attachments is a breeze, as demonstrated in the video below. It is so easy a grandma could do it.  You simply lift the kickstand, hook the attachment and lift up which locks it in position.  The base has a 208cc engine which is simple to start although we would have like to of seen an additional electric start.  For winter operations it has a switch to direct the air intake towards the exhaust for better cold weather operation.  The handles are completely adjustable and fold down for storage.  The Power Equipment Base has a 4 year warranty.  Check it out via Lowes

The mower attachment is a 28″ twin blade deck capable of mulching and bagging with a separately available bagging kit.  It has a flap at the back that allows it to leave stripes as you mow.  It is adjustable from 1″- 4″ high, the front casters need to adjusted individually via a plastic wing nut and metal axle pin.  The machine cut on par with most top end mowers we have tested.  Although it feels nimble and turns easy, there is some manhandling required when mowing, especially on hills.  The FLEX mower is big and it feels and operates like a commercial mower.  You can adjust the speed though the trigger on handle bar.  Also on the handle bar is a lever that you need to hold down to keep the deck engaged.  We found this to be fatiguing on long mows and would like to see a different way to keep the attachment engaged for long periods.  As you can see from the video below the deck produced a great cut. The mower base has a 2 year warranty.  Check it out via Lowes.

The blower attachment puts out 1000 CFM @150 mph.  Despite its size you can easily maneuver the unit around.  The one pivot wheel is lockable for straight runs also.  The power base drive system also can propel this blower.  For big yards with a lot of leaves this is perfect.  You can adjust the airflow from 0-15 degrees.  It also includes a right angle deflector so you can blow air out in front of the unit.  The blower has a 2 year warranty.  Check it out via Lowes.

Overall I think the FLEX is innovative and will change the outdoor power equipment category for ever.  Using the one power base will simplify seasonal maintenance and save space in you garage. Troy-Bilt is known for quality and is part of the MTD family of brands. This is a paid endorsement.

*The author has been compensated and provided with the product free of charge in return for their honest opinion.