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Bosch Rotak 18V or 18V2: one slot against two slots

Updated: October 2026

Both names contain 18 V, and a box with two batteries looks like a mower plus a spare. On these Rotak listings it is not. A Bosch Rotak 18V or 18V2 choice is one slot against two slots, and the weight that comes with a 38 cm or 43 cm deck. The listings are on the [Bosch cordless lawn mower comparison](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/bosch-cordless-lawn-mower). Peter F. used those pages, Bosch’s GB site, the English instruction table for the 18V2 models, and the UK review notes on 22 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. A small lawn is shorter on the [small garden page](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/bosch-cordless-lawn-mower/sub/bosch-cordless-lawn-mower-small-garden). Width and kit versus body are on the [buying guide](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/bosch-cordless-lawn-mower/sub/bosch-cordless-lawn-mower-buying-guide).

Both names contain 18 V, and a box with two batteries looks like a mower plus a spare. On these Rotak listings it is not.

Our top picks

Bosch Bosch Rotak 18V-32 kit

Best overall

Bosch Bosch Rotak 18V-32 kit
9.5/10about £181.00
View offer
Bosch Bosch Rotak 18V2-38 kit

Alternative

Bosch Bosch Rotak 18V2-38 kit
9.5/10about £269.99
View offer
Bosch Bosch Rotak 18V2-43 kit

Alternative

Bosch Bosch Rotak 18V2-43 kit
8.9/10about £319.00
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.One slot or two slots
  2. 2.Both packs fitted, not a hot spare
  3. 3.Weight, drive, and the 40 or 50 litre bag
  4. 4.Stay on one pack when the lawn is small

One slot or two slots

The single-pack Rotaks are the 32 cm and 34 cm kits, each with one 18 V 4.0 Ah pack and an AL 18V-44. A second pack can charge while you mow. The 18V2 kits do not work that way. Bosch’s page for the ROTAK18V2-38 says 18V2 means two battery slots, with both 18 V packs used together for what Bosch calls 36 V power, for about 500 m². The 43 cm page goes to about 600 m². The amazon titles do not print 36 V. The 38 cm kit is about £269.99, with two 4.0 Ah packs, and 23.5 kg on the listing. The 43 cm kit is about £319.00 and 28 kg. The manual’s 15.8 kg and 19.6 kg are without battery, so they are not the amazon item weights. The best Bosch cordless lawn mower page uses the 38 cm kit as the medium-lawn pick on that basis.

Both packs fitted, not a hot spare

UK reviews of the 43 cm kit say both batteries must be in the machine for it to run. You cannot mow on one pack while the other charges. Two packs in the box are both for the deck. The 38 cm kit’s reviews are kinder about area. The 38 cm body at about £191.94 does not change the rule. It is still an 18V2, the box is the mower and a mulch plug, and the written reviews are not from the United Kingdom. The £78.05 gap is a saving only if you already own two green 4.0 Ah packs. One pack does not turn it into a Rotak 18V.
Bosch Bosch Rotak 18V-32 kit

Testsieger

Bosch Bosch Rotak 18V-32 kit
9.5/10about £181.00
View offer

Weight, drive, and the 40 or 50 litre bag

The 32 cm kit is 14.3 kg on the amazon item line. The 38 cm kit is 23.5 kg. The 43 cm kit is 28 kg, and the 43 cm body, with no packs in the box, is still 23.3 kg. None of these listings says the mower is self-propelled. Which? marks the Rotak 18V2-38 as not propelled. A UK review of the 43 cm kit calls it about as heavy as you would want without drive, and others call it too heavy for stairs. The bag conflict sits on the 43 cm pair. The kit title prints 40 litres. The body title prints 50 litres. The instruction table and Bosch’s 43 cm page print 50 litres. You cannot pick one number and call it settled. The 38 cm titles agree on 40 litres. One new 43 cm kit had the blade hit the mulch box with the power on. That is a stop for the seller. The instruction PDF says grass should not be above 15 cm on the highest setting. That limit does not make a heavy deck lighter.

Stay on one pack when the lawn is small

Buy 18V2 when the lawn is in Bosch’s 500–600 m² band, the gate is wide enough, and you can push the heavier deck with both packs fitted. The 38 cm kit at about £269.99 is that buy if 23.5 kg is acceptable. The 43 cm kit at about £319.00 only fits when 28 kg and the both-packs rule are acceptable too. Stay on one pack for a small garden. The 32 cm and 34 cm kits are the Rotak answer, and the EasyMower at about £173.13 and 7.5 kg has no 18V2 slot. A second pack on a single-slot mower can charge while you work. Two packs on an 18V2 are the power supply.

Common questions

What does 18V2 mean?
On Bosch’s ROTAK18V2-38 page it means two battery slots, with both 18 V packs used together for what Bosch calls 36 V power. The 32 cm and 34 cm Rotaks, and the EasyMower, are single-slot mowers.
Can you use one battery while the other charges?
On the 43 cm kit, UK reviews say no. Both packs have to be fitted. On a 32 cm or 34 cm Rotak, a second pack can charge while you mow. Two batteries in an 18V2 box are not that spare pair.
Is 36 V printed on the amazon title?
Not on these listings. The 36 V wording is on Bosch’s page and in the instruction table as 36 V (2 × 18 V). Quote that source if you use the figure.
How heavy is the 43 cm kit next to the 32 cm kit?
The 43 cm kit’s item weight is 28 kg. The 32 cm kit’s is 14.3 kg. The manual’s 19.6 kg for the 43 cm model is without battery, so it is not the same measurement. Neither listing says the mower is self-propelled.
Why do the 43 cm listings disagree on the bag?
The kit title prints 40 litres. The body title prints 50 litres. The instruction table and Bosch’s 43 cm page print 50 litres. Leave the conflict in view rather than averaging the titles.
When is the single-pack 34 cm still enough?
When about 200 m² on Bosch’s band matches the lawn and you want one pack plus the vertical-storage claim. The kit is about £201.54 and 14.9 kg. It is the wrong machine once you are in the 500 m² band and you can push the 38 cm kit.

Related pages

How to use a Bosch cordless lawn mower

Bosch cordless lawn mower

Best Bosch cordless lawn mower for small or medium

Bosch cordless lawn mower buying guide: width, kit

Bosch cordless mower for a small garden: 32 cm kits

Sources

Sources for this comparison, last reviewed on 22 October 2026.

  1. Bosch DIY lawn mowers (GB) (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  2. Bosch ROTAK 18V-32 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  3. Bosch ROTAK 18V-34 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  4. Bosch ROTAK 18V2-38 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  5. Bosch ROTAK 18V2-43 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  6. Bosch 18V POWER FOR ALL (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  7. Noise Emission Regulations 2001, Schedule 3 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  8. Which? Bosch EasyMower 18V-32-200 (retrieved 22.10.2026)