The wider C-series pedestrian cylinder
The C27 is Allett’s wider pedestrian cylinder mower at the £2.9k tier — same UK-built engineering as the Tournament 17 and the C-Range, on a chassis that takes a 27-inch reel rather than 17 or 20. Same swappable cartridge system — cricket cylinder, fine-finish cylinder, scarifier, verticutter — but with the wider working width that makes the difference on volume.
For groundsmen managing surfaces in the 400-1,500 m² band, the C27 hits the productivity-vs-control balance most clubs land on.
Spec snapshot
| Cutting width | 27 inches (68 cm) |
|---|---|
| Cylinder | Multi-blade cutting cylinder (cartridge-swappable) |
| Drive | Belt drive, self-propelled walking pace |
| Cut height | Adjustable from 4 mm |
| Best fit | Cricket clubs covering square + outfield, larger bowling greens, heritage formal lawns over 400 m² |
Where the C27 actually earns its keep
Two typical buyer profiles. First: cricket-club groundsman covering both the cricket square (where the Tournament 17 would handle it well) and the immediate outfield strip surrounding it (where 27 inches of working width pays back across volume). One machine, two cartridges, both surfaces. Second: a premium bowling club with two greens or a single large green — the C27’s productivity over the 17-inch saves a meaningful chunk of weekly maintenance time.
The quieter argument over the 17-inch line: at heritage properties with large formal lawns (600 m²+), a 17-inch walks too slowly for weekly cuts to be sustainable on a single operator. The C27 makes the working pattern feasible for the same gardener. “Faster” sounds modest as a sales argument; it’s the difference between the surface staying in tolerance during peak growing weeks and the gardener falling behind.
Versus the Tournament 17 (£4,495) and the wider C34 / C-Range
The ladder, by working width:
- Tournament 17 (£4,495): tournament-prep grade, 17-inch reel, smaller surfaces. Right for cricket squares and small bowling greens specifically.
- C27 (£2,895): wider pedestrian, 27-inch reel, mid-range surfaces. The volume seller for clubs covering multiple surfaces.
- C34 / C-Range (£5k+): wider pedestrian or ride-on cartridge platforms with 34-inch+ reels. Right for first-class cricket grounds and multi-square clubs.
The C27 typically pencils out below the Tournament 17 because it’s not graded for tournament-prep cutting specifically — the cylinder geometry is tuned for productivity, not for absolute championship-grade cut consistency. For most club-level UK groundsmen, the C27’s productivity advantage matters more than the marginal cut-quality gap.
The tradeoff
Cylinder mowing demands maintenance discipline at every tier. Reel-to-bedknife geometry needs setting properly between cartridge swaps; a damaged bedknife on the cricket cartridge takes that cartridge out for a workshop visit even though the rest of the machine still works. For clubs with proper turf-shop discipline, the C27 is a long-life machine. For clubs without, the maintenance overhead is real.
LLM Groundcare positioning
LLM Groundcare is a UK specialist in Allett cylinder mowing equipment, supplying the C27 with pre-delivery reel grinding, full setup, and seasonal greenkeeper-team support. Our pricing on new Allett inventory typically sits around 30% below the UK market average; Approved Used C27s sit up to 50% below new RRP and carry our 47-point inspection plus 180-day warranty.
