Has anybody else found that the belle mini mixers have gone downhill of late, particularly motor & switch becoming unreliable and lasting maybe 2 years if you're lucky.
Upto a few years ago they would go on and on for 6-10years with no faults then just die.

I'm lucky mine is about 7/8 years old. My friends have used it more than me as it is almost permanently lent out, which means I can at least get in my garage

I've found this aswell as they have become more popular they have become unreliable, although they are still better than barrowmix mixers which don't just breakdown they give you a massive electric shock, we had 3 of these mixers at one time and they all lasted about 18 months - 2 years and just before they died they would become totally live.

i think that's what they call in the manufacturing industry "built-in obselence"! where if you make things that last forever - no one will need to buy one off you again! So you try and get the balance right between ensuring it lasts longer than your manufacturer warranty, and doesnt break early enough that you have to repair loads of them or your reputation for quality products is tarnished!

I have used belle mixers for years the last one i have for 12 years constantly used for rendering and pebbledashing jobs... and i do 1000's of M2 a year anyway i loaned it to a mate and he got kicked of a job for one reason or another and i lost the mixer... needless to say he never got paid so he couldnt afford to buy me a new one... so i bought myself a shiny new one and although its not shiny and new i have laid about 100 tonne of concrete with it and its still going strong... so in my humbble opinion they are good value for money... fit in an estate car no problem... simple repairs... and quite cheap... if you buy one to build a house for yourself for £300 and use it to do its job when its not needed then just sell it on as they are better et holding there price than any car i know

Belle Mixer's, had an electric one for 10+ years, used it regularly, never had any problems, gave it to my son in law who used it constantly for a further two years, until it passed away. Bought a new Honda Powered one, just for D I Y duties, used it twice it broke, had it repaired under warranty, used it four more times it broke again, same fault. Notwithstanding that it is the same fault Belle wont repair it F O C, now that it's out of warranty. So far that equates to about £80.00 a mix, this will rise to over £100.00 if I send it back to Belle, not what you can can call good value for money, thinking about buying a mixer, well check out your options first. I won't be buying Belle again.

I bought another one as I coudn't risk it breaking down on site 1/2 way through a job.
I note that they now have a warning sticker stating something like 'if the mixer cuts out leave for 1/2 an hour before re-starting'
What good is that???? on site.
trouble is there just isn't a competitor that has a better mixer for the money.
Hire firm I know has 1200 belle mixers, is well aware of the problems over the last few years but doesn't think anyone else is any better.

we have had this problem with 4 mixers in a row. this time i bought a new switch off ebay to see if it cures the persistent switching itself off.

was only a tenner

fin
please let me know if it works?

will do mate,

i dont see why not though. it seems liek its probably just the contacts in the switch have become carboned up. kind of like when electric windows stop working in cars but theres no visible wiring damage.

If i sit there and hold the button in the mixer works but as soon as i let it go it turns off.

for a tenner its worth a shot.

but i agree for the money they cost there absolute shite. lucky to get 18 months before they conk out

fin, did you have any success?
I am now on number 4, all seem to just about last the warranty then something is going wrong and replacement switches isn't working for mine.
So i've got a brand spanker on one job (110v), 1 about 6 months old on another(110v), 1 about 2 years old but it looks like the motor is burnt out(110v), and 1 more (petrol) that I haven't looked into but is a good few years old.
Trouble is if something as pivitol a piece of equipment as this is unreliable what options are there? hire?

sorry mate. ive been on the sick for the past 10 weeks due to a hernia opperation. im back soon so ill look into it.

seems to me that its just the switch though. try lookin on ebay for belle mixers and there whould be loads of switches come up for about a tenner.

they should be self explanitory to fit i think. havent looked inside a mixer for a good 3 months now though

changing the switch didn't work for me.

ohh dear. i had figured it was the contacts in the switch all carboned up.

hmmm

have you tried re wiring it to a normal switch? I was going to ask an electrician how this could be achieved.

(normal switch like the older machines. not one of these no volt rcd thingys)

Hi Guys, A new member to the forum, I just purchased a 2005 belle mixer with a Honda GX50 engine, it was never used so filled it up with new oil and petrol but no start. I checked through the manual and none of there silly fixes worked, fuel should be getting to the engine as when I test it petrol comes down the plastic drain pipe. Put in a new spark plug too but didn't start either. When I pull the starter cord the drum turns but the engine doesn't start, Any idea's from you guys would be much appreciated.