"I bought this mixer in preparation for a fence I built. After using it to mix numerous loads of concrete I feel it has passed the test and warrants a review.
First, this machine will hold an 80lb bag of premixed concrete. The caveat comes when trying to load the entire 80lbs into the machine while it is running (as the instructions tell you); the front opening is a bit on the small side and the mixing bars inside the drum will often snag the bag causing spills and wasting concrete. I found it is better to use the smaller 40lb bags to load the machine (not to mention a *whole* lot easier on your back). The machine will do a fine job of mixing the cement; what I experienced was some of the cement would hang up or stick to the back of the drum requiring you to use a stick to help break it loose to get it mixed. It might be a good idea to spray the inside of the drum with silicon spray before using it ...can't vouch for whether that works or not.
The machine is set up like a wheelbarrow so you can mix and dump directly into your forms ...or, like I did, into a large plastic pan. Be careful if mixing 80lb batches because it does not take much forward tilt of the machine to slosh the concrete out of it ...you just barely lift the back end off the ground to move it forward. Less than 80lb batches should present no problems. Make sure you loop and knot your power cord to the frame of the mixer and then plug the stubby mixer lead into it; I didn't and on my second dump I managed to stand on the cord causing the mixer lead to rip out of the plastic switch box ....fortunately it was easily repaired.
My only skepticism with this machine is the motor and drive. While it seemed up to par with what I was doing, I don't think there is a whole lot of overkill in its design. You must have the machine running prior to emptying a bag of cement into it which tells me the motor is not all that powerful. The gear drive housing can be opened for cleaing and regreasing the gears ...something that will no doubt add to the machines longevity. I took a star off for this.
Overall, it's a great little mixer if used within it's design confines. It is relatively compact (the handles come off for storage) and takes up about the same room in my shed as my 20" pushmower."
What is your level of technical expertise? Home Handyman
