Einhell Expert GE-EM 1233 Electric Lawn Mower Review

Assembling the Einhell Expert GE-EM 1233 was straightforward. The large photos in the instruction manual made assembly even easier. Not all lawnmowers provide clear images, so this was a great start.

To assemble, there are three main steps. You have to install both handlebars by screwing them together, assemble the grass box and secure the wire to the handlebars using the three cable clips provided. The manual went the extra mile here and even told you (in pictures) where to place the clips for maximum safety.

Fitting the handlebars was fairly simple, but like most lawnmowers, it’s easier with two people. I managed to do it by myself, but having someone else hold it upright while I screwed everything together would have been easier.

Despite this, unboxing, unwrapping and assembling still only took me around 20 minutes.

The Einhell Expert GE-EM 1233 has a matt red grass box and base, a black handlebar and engine cover, and a few splashes of grey on parts of the grass box.

On the front of the mower, the Einhell logo is prominently displayed and gives it a clean and presentable look.

Boxed up, there was nothing particularly special about the Einhell Expert GE-EM 1233. The back of the box highlighted all the key features, which was very useful.

As an added layer of protection, the lawnmower’s engine was wrapped up in clingfilm. The only other plastic was found on the handlebars and the bag that contained the bolts and accessories.

The grass box is made from high-grade, impact-resistant plastic and feels durable and secure. Since it’s made of plastic, this makes it easier to clean. The only downside to the grass box is that it’s full of holes. Although this is presumably to help with airflow, it led to a slight spray when mowing- even when the box was empty.

Practically speaking, the handlebar design was unusual. Since I usually use the lowest setting (for my 5 ft 6 self), I was surprised to find it was way too low. Even moving the handlebars to the highest setting still felt low.

While it wasn’t a major issue, it didn’t feel like this mower was designed for anyone significantly taller than me. If you’re 6 ft+, a larger model like the Bosch Advanced Rotak 650 may be a better choice – it has more variety in handlebar height.

It was also strange to me that only the top handlebar folded away for storage. This meant that it took up more room in the shed than most other lawnmowers. Plus, there isn’t a clip provided to secure the plug to the wire once you’ve finished wrapping it around itself, which I thought was an oversight.

With its high-power 1250 W carbon-powered motor, this Einhell mower is designed to cut through all types of terrain, including high growth and wet grass. When using this mower on areas of the lawn with medium to low growth, it was true to its word and easily glided through.

However, I didn’t think that only trimming shorter grass was a fair test of its capabilities. That’s why I tried it again on some longer patches of grass that were damp from the morning dew. As expected, I needed to apply slightly more pressure, but it still progressed through the taller, damper grass like it was a breeze.

Unfortunately, this powerful engine does come at a price and it was noticeably loud. For some reason, the mower also made a strange, screeching noise just before the engine cut out. This could have just been from the new blade and the noise may lessen over time, but combined with the loud engine, it was noisy.

For its size, the Einhell Expert GE-EM 1233 gave an impressive performance. It’s small and nifty with a high-power motor, and this showed in the cut it gave. Every patch of grass was clean and evenly cut.

In terms of the time it took to cut the grass, I spent no longer than usual mowing a medium-sized lawn. The 33 cm cutting width is about what you’d expect from an average lawnmower designed for small-to-medium lawns. Since I didn’t need to go back over any patches either, it was a swift process overall.

The only area that the Einhell Expert GE-EM 1233 didn’t perform well in was its edge cutting abilities. When put to the test cutting around my raised sleepers, it gave a poor performance.

Huge wads of grass were left standing upright and it wasn’t even close to getting into the corners. I was disappointed, but I know how tricky cutting around these tight edges can be. If you don’t have raised sleepers like me, or you’re just willing to do lots of strimming afterwards, the poor performance in this area shouldn’t be a dealbreaker. But, if it is, the Flymo EasiMow 300R is another smaller lawnmower with an impressive close-edge cutting feature – which can eliminate the need for strimming entirely.

One of the key selling points of the Einhell Expert GE-EM 1233 is its ‘manoeuvrable helper’ design. Because of its large wheels, it’s designed to exert less stress on the lawn and make it easier to push, especially in difficult terrain. During testing, I had no issue pushing the lawnmower, even in damp areas. Nor did I encounter any significant problems when turning it around in tight spaces.

Carrying the lawnmower from A to B was also a breeze. Weighing in at around 11kg, it’s considered one of the more lightweight lawnmower designs. Lifting it was simpler than expected, too, since it’s fitted with a large, rectangular carry handle.

My only dismay was that, when turning the lawnmower, the base kept getting caught on the grass. It even ripped out a few roots. When I switched the cutting height to the highest setting, it still caught a few times, even in drier areas.

I realised that tilting the lawnmower slightly made it easier to pivot without stressing the grass. For safety reasons, I only did this when the engine wasn’t running and the blade had come to a complete stop.

With 5 cutting heights, a quick-release handle for storage, and a 30-litre grass box (with a built-in indicator that notifies you when it’s full), the Einhell Expert GE-EM 1233 has everything you need for small-to-medium domestic lawns.

When testing how to change the cutting height, it was easy, but it required a fair amount of effort. There’s a lever on the outer wheel that you pull towards you to adjust the setting. Conveniently, the lever is accompanied by a set of engraved numbers that tell you in millimetres which cutting height you’re on.

Since the mechanism to change the cutting height was quite stiff, I found it easier to tilt the mower slightly as I pulled the lever backwards. Over time, this should get easier as the springs weaken. For safety reasons, you should only tilt or lift the lawnmower when it’s switched off at the plug.

The quick-release handle was somewhat useful when it came to packing the lawnmower away. After twisting the side caps a few times, it’s possible to fold away the top part of the handle. However, that’s the only part of the lawnmower you can fold. Most mowers let you fold the top and bottom handles, but this one only allowed you to tuck the first one in.

The folded lawnmower measures around 95 cm long, 40 cm wide and 75 cm high. It isn’t the most compact design, but it still didn’t take up too much space in the shed.

Starting the Einhell Expert GE-EM 1233 involves pushing the red button in the centre of the top handle and pulling the lever underneath it towards you. This felt very safe, but pulling the lever required a firm grip, which could become tiresome if you’re mowing for long periods without stopping.

As an extra safety feature, the Einhell Expert GE-EM 1233 is also equipped with cable-strain relief. To use it, you simply loop the wire into the hook on the top handlebar. This is designed to protect the cable from general wear and prolong its life.

For its price, the Einhell Expert GE-EM 1233 provides excellent value for money. While there isn’t a long list of notable features, it has everything the average household needs to mow the lawn efficiently.

The plastic used for the mower’s body and grass box seems durable and high quality – I think both components should last a long time.

As the Einhell Expert GE-EM 1233 is relatively inexpensive and does the job you’d expect, it seems like an ideal purchase for anyone looking for something affordable and long-lasting.

Overall, the Einhell Expert GE-EM 1233 is a nifty lawnmower with a great set of features. The 30-litre grass box will suit small-to-medium lawns. Provided you don’t mind emptying the grass box a few times, you could also make full use of the 5 cutting heights if you purchase this product for larger domestic lawns.

Even though the Einhell Expert GE-EM 123 was noisier than some of the other corded electric lawn mowers I’ve tested, this factor alone wouldn’t stop me from buying it. However, I personally wouldn’t buy this lawnmower because I need something that cuts closer to the edges in my garden and reduces the time I spend strimming. If this feature is a dealbreaker for you, I’d suggest purchasing a similarly small lawnmower like the Flymo EasiMow 300R, which performs exceptionally in this area.

Nevertheless, since the Einhell Expert GE-EM 1233 is easy to use, easy to carry and efficient at mowing, it’s the perfect lawnmower for the average gardener looking for something nifty, affordable and effective.