Couple of years ago I wrote about our first lawnmower, a Stiga Collector model. In couple of summers I have managed to break the thing several times (I always run it against stones), until it felt not worth paying for repairs any more. Also, it had become apparent that the collector part was not really necessary for us — bio-clipping is really enough (like Eki then already commented). Our new model is hopefully simple and durable machine: a Klippo Excellent S GCV model. It has a solid aluminium base and motor built by Honda. To be ready for those stones, I asked it to be installed with a Blade Plate system: six small blades that cut the grass at different levels and which are hopefully more resistant against stones (or, more likely, breaking in a manner that makes repairs a bit cheaper). Lets see. The ultimate goal is to have a smaller lawn in any case.
frans goes blog 
Yes, my bio-clipper Stiga’s running still fine although I once hit a rock big time. I just change the oil once a year and that’s it. But I SERIOUSLY feel the need to reduce the lawn here too. Mowing that 1000 square meters(?) of grass takes a bloody hour and a half (that could be otherwise used on the net or something useful like that!). Now if I could only find some good plants to cover the ground. Something that would be maintenance-free, would grow fairly fast but would not spread everywhere on our and the neighbours’ backyards…