The reel mower is cheaper, lightweight, simple to use, easy to store, and environmentally friendly that delivers a clean cut. It’s became a favorite tool for most of the users having a small – medium sized yards. Whereas for larger yards, one has to look for best riding mowers. This easy to push lawn mower not only keep your lawn healthy but also let the user get proper exercise while walking throughout the lawn with this mower. Also, you can simply opt for string trimmers as an easier option to trim the grass in a smaller yard. So, one has to consider these 3 main factors to speed up their selection process and choose the best one.
Cutting Width – The width or size of the cutting blades will let you the amount of grass it cut at a time. Choose the larger cutting width like 20-inch reel mower rather than 14-inch mower for best results. Number of Blades – Different reel mower models comes with various number of cutting blades. For quick and clean cutting, you have to choose the one with higher number of cutting blades. Size and Weight – Check the size and weight of the mower while purchasing. To push the reel mower to all corners of your backyard and to have a clean cut of grass, one has to choose a small, compact and lightweight mower rather than heavier large mowers.
Not only these 3 factors, there are so many factors to consider when you’re going to purchase the reel mower. All those are clearly mentioned in the below “Buying Guide”. We came up with some of the best reel mowers in the market that help to maintain your lawn with perfect trim of grass.
Top Push Reel Mowers in 2023 List
The 7 Best Reel Mower Reviews
1. American Lawn Mower Reel Mower
American Lawn Mower Company is a company that makes a wide range of lawn mowers right here in the states. You can also find various reel mowers from this brand, including the 1204-14 reel mower. The American Lawn Mower Company 1204-14 reel lawn mower is present in the 1st position in this article as it is the cheapest option present in this article. But even then, it offers various things to its users that makes it an excellent value for money option. You get a 14-inch wide blade in it that makes it one of the most compact options out there. You get a total of 4 blades in this reel mower that is quite decent for its given price. It offers a wide cutting height range that can be easily adjusted between 0.5 inches to 1.75 inches as per your needs and requirements. Since its blade is made out of heat-treated alloy steel, you get a clean cut while cutting grass using it. This reel lawn mower has 8.5-inch wheels on the side that are quite decent. These offer a decent grip and allow you to easily use this lawn mower on uneven surfaces as well as in thick grass without any issues. Best Features:
14-inch cutting width 4 cutting blades 5 to 1.75-inch cutting height 2-year warranty 5-inch wheel size Heat-treated alloy steel blade High value for money Ergonomic cushioned handle
Components:
Lawn mower User manual Warranty card
2. Great States Reel Mower
Scotts Outdoor Power Tools is a brand that makes various kinds of power tools. And as you would expect, it also makes garden tools, including multiple reel mower models, that can be handy for different users. Scotts Outdoor Power Tools’ 304-14S reel lawn mower is present in the 2nd position in this article as it can be another great option if you are on a budget. While it is slightly more expensive than the previous option, you get some extra things that make it worth its given price. You get a 14-inch blade in this lawn mower that is quite decent for its price. But it comes with a total of 5 blades that result in a clean-cut while cutting grass. Despite its affordable price tag, you get decent build quality along with a 2-year warranty. As a result, this lawn mower can easily last longer than most other budget reel mower options out there. It offers a cutting height range of 0.5 inches to 1.75 inches that is quite easy to adjust. Just like the previous reel mower option, this one also has 8.5-inch composite wheels. A great thing about this lawn mower is that you get comfortable grips on its handle. Best Features:
14-inch cutting width 5 cutting blades 5 to 1.75-inch cutting height 2-year warranty 5-inch wheel size Lightweight and compact Affordable option Heat-treated alloy steel blades Cushioned grips on the handle
Components:
Lawn mower User manual Warranty card
3. Great States 815-18 Reel Mower
Great States is one of the most popular brands of garden tools and equipment out there. You can also reel mower options from Great States, including the one we have mentioned here in this article. This Great States 815-18 reel lawn mower is present in the 3rd position in this article as it offers a large-sized blade without having a high price tag. It comes with an 18 inch wide cutting blade. Since this is much larger than other options out there, you can cut a lot of grass at once. And this reel mower can offer an excellent cutting performance along with clean cuts since you get a total of 5 cutting blades in it. Unfortunately, since this is a comparatively budget lawn mower option, you only get a 1-year warranty with it. But even then, this reel mower is decently durable as you get a great build quality with it. It comes with large-sized composite wheels that have a size of 10 inches. You also get a cutting height range of 0.5 inches to 2.0 inches that is possible due to these large-sized wheels. It has a loop design handle that is quite ergonomic and comfortable to use. Best Features:
18-inch cutting width 5 cutting blades 5 to 2-inch cutting height 1-year warranty 10-inch wheel size Loop design handle Tool-less assembly Affordable price
Components:
Lawn mower User manual Warranty card
4. Fiskars Reel Mower
Fiskars is a premium and expensive brand of power tools when compared with other options out there. And this is also true for its reel lawn mower that is slightly on the expensive side when compared with other options out there. You get a decently large 18-inch wide cutting blade in the Fiskars 362050-1001 reel lawn mower. This cutting blade has a total of 5 blades that are highly sharp and result in a clean-cut while using this lawn mower. It also comes with a 3-year long warranty due to which this lawn mower can last much longer than other options. One of the most unique things about this lawn mower is its wheels that make this reel mower 60% easiest to use when compared with other options out there. It also comes with a reversible grass chute. You can use this to direct the grass clippings either towards the front or towards the back as per your wish. This lawn mower comes with StaySharp cutting system that keeps the cutting blade of this reel mower sharp and functioning for a long time. Best Features:
18-inch cutting width 5 cutting blades 1 to 4-inch cutting height 3-year warranty Unique wheel system 60% easier to use StaySharp technology for keeping the blade sharp Inbuild grass chute Loop design handle for comfort
Components:
Lawn mower User manual Warranty card
5. Scotts Outdoor Reel Mower
As mentioned earlier, Scotts Outdoor Power Tools makes all kinds of lawn mowers. Thus, we are here with another reel mower that is much larger than the previous one and offers better features. Just like the previous Scotts Outdoor Power Tools reel mower, this 2000-20S lawn mower comes with decent build quality and a 2-year warranty. But the biggest difference between this and the previous one is that you get a 20 inch wide cutting blade in this one. As a result, you can easily cut a lot of grass at once using this reel mower. Since this has a total of 5 blades, it offers clean cuts while cutting grass as per your height adjustment. Speaking of height adjustment, you can choose a cutting height from 1 inch to 3 inch as per your wish. It offers this large height range due to its 10-inch dual tracking wheels. You also get a set of smaller wheels at the back for extra stability while using this lawn mower in your backyard. Another great thing about this reel mower is that it uses heat-treated alloy steel blades that stay sharp for a long time without any issues. Best Features:
20-inch cutting width 5 cutting blades 1 to 3-inch cutting height 2-year warranty 10-inch dual tracking wheels Heat-treated alloy steel blades Tool lees assembly Lightweight and easy to operate
Components:
Lawn mower User manual Warranty card
6. Greenworks 25072 Reel Mower
Greenworks is a brand of power tools that makes highly reliable electric options. While its reel mower is not powered by an electric motor, it is certainly as reliable as its electric models. One of the best things about the Greenworks 25072 reel lawn mower is that it offers a great build quality. And when combined with its 4-year long warranty, you can easily expect it to last much longer than most other reel lawn mower options out there that come with just a 1 or 2-year warranty. You also get an inbuilt grass catcher in this lawn mower that is quite handy. It collects all of the grass so that you do not have to clean your lawn afterwards. As per the name of this reel mower, you get a 20-inch cutting blade in it that has a total of 5 blades. And due to its large blade size along with sharp blades, you can expect a great cutting performance. You get 10-inch wheels at the front and 6-inch wheels at the rear of this reel mower for ease of use. Due to its wheels, it offers a large cutting height range of 1 ¾ inch to 2 ¾ inch. It provides all of this while having a very justified price tag. Best Features:
20-inch cutting width 5 cutting blades 1 ¾ to 2 ¾ inch cutting height 4-year warranty 10-inch wheels at the front 6-inch wheels at the rear Comes with a grass catcher 2 in 1 cutting modes 9 position height adjustment system
Components:
Lawn mower Grass catcher User manual Warranty card
7. Earthwise Reel Mower
Coming to the last reel mower option present in this article, we have Earthwise that also makes various lawn mowers. And we are here with the Earthwise 1715-16EW reel lawn mower in this article. One of the most unique things about this reel mower is that it comes with a total of 7 blades. And since these blades are quite sharp, this reel mower offers excellent cutting performance with clean and sharp cuts while cutting grass. You get a 16 inch wide cutting blade in this reel mower. This provides a great balance between cutting performance and size as it is quite sharp while being neither too big or too small. Just like various other options present out there, you get a 2-year warranty with this Earthwise reel lawn mower. Thankfully, the build quality of this reel mower is much better than most other options present out there as it comes with alloy steel blades. It offers 10-inch composite wheels that allow you to easily use it over uneven surfaces. Such a large wheel size also results in a decent cutting height range of 0.5 inches to 2.5 inches that can be easily adjusted as per your cutting needs and requirements. Best Features:
16-inch cutting width 7 cutting blades 5 to 1.75-inch cutting height 2-year warranty 10-inch wheel size Alloy steel blades Easy to store Decent build quality
Components:
Lawn mower User manual Warranty card
Buying Guide for the Best Reel Mower
What is a Reel Mower?
A reel mower used to maintain the lawn perfectly by trimming/cutting the overgrown grass, with its blades by using a scissoring action. The push mower is a basic type with less maintenance which suits best for those who are looking for an alternative to powered mowers. It has 2 or 4 wheels with 3 – 7 cutting blades, which are steel or other metal for durability and long-lasting sharpness. It is a best option for many people who want a healthier, affordable, quieter and low maintenance mower. How it Works – When you start pushing the mower forward then its blade will spin vertically and cut the grass in between them. Simply, they create a scissor cutting action that snips blades to cut grass properly. It operates silently without emitting any harmful fumes.
Types of Reel Mowers:
One can categorize the reel mower into two different types – manual & electric. Knowing about them in detail will help you to select the best product, as per your need.
A. Manual Reel Mower:
This type of reel mowers is mostly used by people who are cardio junkies, environmentalists and budget-friendly. The less buying cost and low maintenance will make them cheaper than motorized mowers. It won’t have an engine to make noise or pollution. Here, as the name implies, you have to put your efforts to move the reel mower and thereby to mow the lawn properly. Pros –
The blades of this mower won’t shatter even though they hit pipes, rocks or any hidden objects in the grass while mowing. Unless and until the high-speed rotary blade hit something hard. Moving a reel mower manually in your lawn will make you get proper exercise.
Cons –
It is a time-consuming process and requires a lot of work and effort, as one has to mow frequently. Not suitable to mow on places where a lot of thick weed, tall grass and a lot of brush.
Suitable For – The manual reel push mower suits best for small & flatter yards with 2000 square feet or less area.
B. Electric Reel Mowers:
This electric / motorized mower works with a motor that runs with electric power supply. The engine will let the mower mow the yard without any putting any effort/strain. It is categorized into two types – Corded & Cordless. Let’s know about them in detail. Electric Corded – They are operated with electric power by using an extension cord of about 100 – 150 feet from any standard electric power outlet. Pros – They are easy to start, easy to use and won’t weight a lot. Cons – Its range is limited, as it is operated with an electric cord. Suitable for – This electric corded will suit best for small to medium sized lawns with below 3500 square feet.
C. Electric Cordless/Battery Powered:
Here the engine is powered by a battery to run the mower. This is considered as the best environmentally friendly motorized lawn mower, why because they won’t produce any toxic fumes. With a full charge battery, one can easily run this mower for about 45 minutes. Pros – It can used in any place without having any limitation on its range. Cons – It runs on limited time, till charge in the battery lasts. Suitable for – It suits best for medium to larger sized laws with 5000 square feet. Do you know…?
All reel mower models won’t cut the grass at same settings. It works best with regular cutting regimen to prevent hard cutting of overgrown grass. It is best to mow for smaller lawns of less than 10,000 square feet of lawn (quarter acre). A sloped or bumpy lawn may result in an uneven trim and leave patches, and one has to mow it from different angles.
Want to know some more interesting facts about reel mowers and choose the best one. Then just go through this buying guide.
How to Select the Best Reel Lawn Mower?
As a buyer, you should know all the information regarding the reel mowers along with factors to be considered while purchasing a reel mower. This will help you to pick the perfect one, as per your backyard requirement. In case, if you still have any queries about its selection then feel free to share it with us in comments section, we are happy to clarify your doubts and help you in selection process.
1. Cutting Width
The cutting width of the reel mower will determine the amount of grass, a mower can cut at a given time. A larger cutting width aids in better cutting performance, as it offers a larger contact surface area and thereby allows you to cut a lot of grass at once. One can find the cutting width options like 14-inch or 20-inch when purchasing the reel mower, in which 20-inch reel mower will provide a best cutting performance in your backyard lawn and saves your time.
2. Cutting Height
Most of the reel mowers offer a variable cutting height range, which allows you to change the cutting height of the mower. This cutting height will allow the blades to cut the grass neatly without harming the blades in a longer run. Simply, set the specific length or required height of the grass you want to trim. One can find the adjustable cutting height range of reel mowers as 1/2 – 3 inches (1 – 2 ½ inches or 5/8 – 3 inches). Most of the users prefer larger cutting height range to get precise control over grass cutting while mowing. The height can be adjusted by using its inbuilt levers and handles while some other require a tool to adjust the height. A few modern models come with tool less cutting height adjustments.
3. Number of Blades
The reel mowers have vertical blades that cut all types of grass efficiently in the backyard. Different reel mowers come with different number of blades, resulting in different cutting performance. So, most people prefer to have high number of cutting blades in the reel mower for a smooth & clean cutting. A few models offer 4 blades while others come with 5 blades or even 7 blades, in which the mower with 5 or 7 blades are better than 4 blades. The mower with higher number of blades then it last longer why because the higher blade count will keep it stay sharp for a longer time.
4. Wheel Size
All reel lawn mowers come with wheels that allows you to push the lawn mower around the backyard to cut grass. Since the reel mowers won’t have any motor or engine, the wheels use gears to power the cutting blade. So, it is essential to check the wheels and wheel size offered by the reel mower before buying. Experts advice to use a large wheel size to have a smooth operation of the reel mower. This will allow you to use the reel mower even in thick grass and on uneven surfaces without much issue. One can generally find wheel size options like 10-inches or 12-inches while purchasing the reel mower for backyard. So, you have to choose the large wheel size of about 12-inches for better utilization of reel lawn mower.
5. Size and Weight
The weight and the physical size should also be taken into consideration while selecting the reel mower. Choose a small and compact size reel mower to make it easily get into all corners of the backyard without any problem. Also, it takes less space for storing it in garage while not in use. Even though, a bigger reel mower means a faster, & wider cut but it is difficult to handle while cutting grass. Coming to weight of the mower, most of these mowers are manual and won’t have any motor or engine and one has to push manually. So, prefer to choose a lightweight mower rather than heavy weight mower, which is hard to push around the backyard to cut the grass. Here we are providing some guidelines to select the perfect size & weight of the reel mower.
The wider mower will cut more grass in each row you push. One won’t observe any difference in the length of time/time period to mow for a small sized lawn. It only shows a bit noticeable difference in mower width, as the amount of grass gets larger. The small mowers are lightweight and easy to carry and easy to push through the grass as well. Never ever over-grow the grass and have a regular trimming or cutting of the grass to get control over ease of using the mower and time to mow the lawn. Also, for manual reel push lawn mower, the user has to act as a motor to put all their efforts to mow the lawn. So, if not done regular mowing, you have to do extra work to cut the grass and maintain the garden effectively.
6. Durability & Reliability
The reel lawn mowers are widely used for cutting a lot of grass in the backyard. Want to use this mower without facing any issues even after using it for a longer time, then simply choose a reel mower which is durable and reliable. How to know whether the selected reel mower is durable or not? This query will arise in your mind while discussing about durability. Its simple, the durability mainly depends on the build quality, construction material and warranty period. One can find mowers with a minimum warranty period of 1 year to a maximum of 5 years. Also, a well-built mower with stainless steel blades and strong handle will make the mower last for a longer time without any issues.
7. Price
The price of the reel mowers will range in between $70 – $200. The manual mowers are affordable than electric or gas-powered mowers. They won’t associated with any operating costs like electricity, batteries, and not paying for any oil or gasoline.
8. Maintenance
The manual reel mower is virtually maintenance – free rather than electric or battery powered mowers. The reason is that they won’t require any replacement parts, refueling, charging or oil-changing. All you need is to sharpen the blades of the mower regularly to make it work perfectly for every few years.
Advantages of Reel Mower
Other than sharpening and lubricating the blades for every few years, you won’t have to upkeep to do on reel mower.
It requires less maintenance and work quieter than other regular mowers. The usage of these reel mowers is quiet, healthy, peaceful and good for both user and their lawn. The manual push reel mower is inexpensive than electric and gas mowers. The price of manual reel mowers may vary by depending on its quality and design. Most of the reel mower user hear a gentle snipping sound the tool makes while mowing. Although, the manual one will make less noise than either any other electric or gas-powered mowers. Regular mowing of the lawn will prevent diseases like brown patch and thereby won’t leave your lawn pockmarked with areas of dead grass. Also, the rust signified by red pustules on the grass will be prevented. It is easy to store, as lightweight smaller models can be easy to hung on the garage wall. It is free of fumes and exhaust while mowing the garden. For best mowing, leave the mower dry in the sun after use then sharpen the blades once in every 2 – 4 years depending on the model and lubricate the gear assembly.
Disadvantages of Reel Mowers
The mowing swaths are narrow, which makes quite a few passes to mow the entire yard. Not suitable to mow the thick grass, as the blades gets clogged, even small twigs gets stuck in a reel mower. Also, the lawn has to be raked of debris before mowing. For a small lawn not more than a quarter acre (10,000 square feet) will find manual reel mower frustrating, especially in a spring when grass grows quickly and make you mow twice a week for about 20 minutes. One has to go for a regular cutting schedule with strict adherence and diligence. In case, if the grass is overgrown, the mower has to push down and roll right over it. The mower can’t mow over twigs and leaves. So, a pre-mow lamp cleanup is required. The mowers won’t work on sloped or bumpy leaves. The torque will turn the blade along the wheels. So, on an uneven surface the wheels may lose contact on the ground. So, one has to end-up mowing from 2 – 3 different angles to try and mow properly.
How to Maintain Push Reel Lawn Mowers?
Here is a detailed way of maintaining the reel mower properly. Have a look and follow it properly.
Wipe off the mower occasionally. This cleaning will help to keep the mower to last longer. Adjust the cutter bar properly without over tightening. One can find that vibrations, which are associated with mowing may loosen it over time. It’s must to lube the bearing, blades and cutting edges of the lawn mower regularly. Also, purchase and use a sharpening kit on the blade of mower. But make sure to check the manufacturer recommendation while buying this kit for your mower.
How to Sharpen a Reel Mower?
The blades of the mower get dull after using it for several times why because they are pushed over the curbs, rocks, thick twigs and other hard surfaces. The dull blades will resist smooth operating and thereby make the mower difficult to push. Then simply check the alignment of the mower and if it is fine then it’s time to sharpen the blades of your mower. Here are a few ways to sharpen your reel mower.
For most of the models, the manufacturer is offering a kit, which is attached to the mower. It is like a sandpaper strip that allows the mower to sharpen its blades while pushing on it. Simply purchase a back-lapping sharpening kit. This kit includes a handle and some sharpening compound. To use it, one has to attach the handle to driving gear on mower and apply the sharpening compound to the blades by using a paint brush. Then crank the mower in opposite direction to restore the sharp edge. One can also perform this backlapping task by using a power drill and sharpening attachment, in which the power drill will work like a polishing brush attachment. Simply pull the trigger of the drill and run the attachment. Make sure to remove the blade reel or secure it properly to prevent any accidental injuries. However, most of the high-quality blades will retain a sharp edge for so many years. So, it’s always best to sharpen your blades as an annual routine while at the beginning or end of the mowing season.
So, always remember that proper maintenance will ensure that a reel mower will offer a best possible performance. For this, when once the blades are sharpened, you have to apply a thin coating of any edible or vegetable oil on the blades. This will help to prevent the formation of corrosion or rust for not to leave any harmful residue on the grass.
Conclusion
If you want a simple and straight forward, then you go with a reel mower. These offer an excellent cutting performance while being quite affordable in comparison to powered options. Thus, we have mentioned some of the best reel mowers in this article, along with their features as well as differences. You can even find a detailed buying guide in this article with all of the details regarding reel mowers. These can be quite handy to pick the perfect reel mower for your usage easily. But if you can’t select a reel mower for your needs and requirements, here are some of our recommendations:
The American Lawn Mower Reel Mower can be an excellent pick for users who are on a budget. It is the cheapest option present in this article and even then offers a lot of things that make it a great value for money option. As per its name, you get a 14 inch wide cutting blade in it that offers a total of 4 blades. Due to this, you can expect decent cutting power from this reel mower that can be quite handy. You also get a 2-year warranty with this reel mower. You can also consider the Great States 815-18 Reel Mower if you want a larger lawn mower without paying a lot of money. Just per the name of this reel lawn mower, you get an 18 inch wide cutting blade in it. Due to this, you can cut a lot of grass using it at once. This reel mower comes with a total of 5 blades that result in clean cuts while cutting grass in your backyard. The wheel size of 10 inch offered by this lawn mower is quite decent for its given price. But if you want a highly reliable and durable reel lawn mower, then you can go with the Greenworks 25072 Reel Mower. It offers an excellent build quality along with a 4-year long warranty. Due to this, you can expect it to last for a long time without any issues. You also get a 20-inch wide blade with 5 blades in it for a great cutting performance. Another great thing about this reel mower is that it comes with an inbuilt grass catcher that can be quite handy.
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