
What is the best brand of reel mower?
View the Best Reel Mower, Below.
- Great States 415-16 Push Reel Lawn Mower. There's nothing like a little muscle power to keep your yard looking amazing. ...
- Fiskars 362050-1001 Stay Sharp Max Reel Mower. The Fiskars 18 inch cutting reel mower has been specifically engineered to be 60 percent easier to push - you'll swear you're ...
- American Lawn Mower Company 1204-14 Mower. ...
Is a reel mower right for You?
Whether or not a reel mower is going to be a reasonable option will depend on the size and type of lawn you have and how well maintained it has been. But if you tick the right boxes, a reel mower is an excellent investment in your yard care toolbox in more ways than one.
Are reel mowers any good?
Since reel mowers snip your grass in a scissor-like way, it’s healthier for your lawn. Results are even and professional and your lawn retains its natural moisture, is resistant to disease and insects, and simply looks better. Cons; Harder to Use. Since you’ll be pushing you reel mower with your own momentum, you’re doing the legwork.
How to sharpen a reel mower properly?
Step 1: Basics
- Make it so the blades rotate the wrong way
- Put grinding compound on the blades, this makes the blades into there own sharpening stones
- Push the mower around until it is easy, this is called lapping (maybe reverse lapping...)
- Wash off the grinding compound
- Make the blades so they go the right way again
- Mow the lawn

Is a reel mower better than rotary?
Reel mowers cut by a helical blade meeting a bedknife, like scissors. They offer a better quality of cut and perform better than rotary mowers at lower heights of cut, making them well suited for the finer turf conditions required for highly competitive or professional sports.
What is the benefit of using a reel mower?
Most notably, reel mowers are better for your lawn's health. They provide a clean, scissor-like cut, which helps your grass heal faster (and also makes for a tidier look). In comparison, power rotary mowers rip and shred your grass, which can leave your lawn vulnerable to insect attacks and disease.
Are reel mowers better for your lawn?
Compared with a regular walk-behind mower, reel mowers are better for the lawn's health. They snip the grass blades like scissors, while rotary mowers tend to shred grass blades.
Why don't more people use reel mowers?
Mine is barely harder to push than a gasoline mower. There are two drawbacks: 1) To get an even cut you often have to go over an area twice at a right angle. 2) If you let the grass get too long it simply doesn't work: the reel will just push over the blades instead of cutting them.
Can you mow wet grass with a reel mower?
They are designed to effectively cut in damp or wet conditions. BUT Don't run it through standing water! You are more likely to damage the lawn in turns when it's wet, so be mindful of that.
Can reel mowers cut long grass?
Can a reel mower handle cutting tall grass? The short answer is, yes a reel mower can handle long grass.
Are reel mowers hard to push?
A reel mower shouldn't be hard to push. They're neither heavy nor cumbersome. So if you're struggling to push yours from the first time you use it, or you've noticed it has become harder to push recently, there's something not quite right.
How long do reel mowers last?
For gas- or battery-powered rotary mowers, that's twice a season. New push-reel mowers go about three years between resharpenings.
Why do golf courses use reel mowers?
A reel mower (also called a cylinder mower), cuts the grass by trapping the grass between the reel edge and the bed knife. This process cuts the grass similar to how scissors cut paper. They're much friendlier to the turf since the grass isn't injured as much during the mowing process.
Will a reel mower cut weeds?
Will a Reel Mower Cut Weeds? As with dandelions, reel mowers don't care for cutting weeds. Their scissor-like action is designed for neatly clipping low stems of grass, not tall and tough stems and leaves. However, if you set your blade to its highest level, it will have a good go at mowing your weeds.
How often should you sharpen a reel mower?
Contact mowers like the Scotts, American, Great States and most others require sharpening on the average of every 1-2 years and spring is the best time to do this. You can purchase a do-it-yourself sharpening kit and sharpen your own reel mower or send it in to the shop.
Can you use a reel mower on uneven ground?
Reel mowers need even ground to produce an even cut. If you have a bumpy yard, it may be necessary to go back over sections that were cut unevenly. It can also cut sections of your lawn too short, often referred to as scalping, which is very damaging to the grass. Bumpy lawns are no problem for rotary mowers.
What are the pros and cons of a reel mower?
Modern versions are easier to use than older models because lightweight plastics and alloys incorporated into their framework have made them more maneuverable. But reel mowers come with some disadvantages, too. They can't chop up twigs and the twigs get lodged in the blades, requiring manual removal.
Why do golf courses use reel mowers?
A reel mower (also called a cylinder mower), cuts the grass by trapping the grass between the reel edge and the bed knife. This process cuts the grass similar to how scissors cut paper. They're much friendlier to the turf since the grass isn't injured as much during the mowing process.
Are reel lawn mowers hard to use?
Don't be afraid, though, today's reel mowers are designed so that they take very little effort to push, perhaps less so than a heavy gas or electric mover. If that wasn't enough, a reel mower gives your lawn a better cut by cleanly slicing the tops of the blades as opposed to chopping and tearing them.
Do reel mowers work on hills?
Steep hills can make mowing difficult (as they do with power lawn mowers) but maneuverability with a reel mower, especially those with rear wheels, is better than with most power mowers.
What is the difference between a push reel mower and a rotary mower?
The difference is that when push reel mower blades dull, mowing becomes a lot harder on you physically.
What is a reel mower?
As the grass meets the cutting bar, a blade comes down to chop it. A reel mower can either be a push (human-powered) or powered (gas, electric), although push reel mowers are more common around home. A rotary mower is what most people think ...
What Mower is Best for Your Lawn?
Ever wonder how landscapers achieve the manicured turf look on professional sports fields and golf courses? The reel mower, that’s how.
How much does a push mower cost?
Price. Push reel mowers are your most inexpensive option, retailing from $80 to $200 plus a $25 blade sharpening kit, while gas-powered mowers (whether reel or rotary) start at $200 and go up to $500. You also need to pay for gas and oil changes.
How much does a reel mower weigh?
A rotary mower weighs from 70 to 90 pounds, while you’re also being inundated by noise pollution. In comparison, a push reel mower weighs between 17 to 35 pounds. It may take more effort to get the reel mower to cut, but it’s balanced out by the lighter weight.
Why do reel mowers cut grass?
Because reel mowers cut the grass like scissors, they achieve a manicured, clean-cut edge, while the rotary mower just whacks at the grass. Push reel mowers also have other benefits, including ease of use, sustainability, price, and low maintenance. Contents [ hide]
How long does it take to mow a lawn with a push reel?
If you have a medium-sized, then a push reel mower is still doable, but it’ll take as much as 45 minutes.
What is the difference between a rotary mower and a reel mower?
Weight And Transportation – Reel mowers are light and easily transportable. Rotary mowers are heavy, bulky and cumbersome. You also need an electrical outlet or a can of gas to be able to use them. There is an obvious trade-off here.
What is a reel mower?
Reel mowers are exceptionally simple in design. They all have a ‘cylinder’ (or reel) of blades spinning on a central axle. The wheels on the reel mower turn that central axle and cause the reel to spin.
How does a rotary mower work?
How A Rotary Mower Works. Reel mower blades spin via a horizontal shaft, driven by the wheels. On a rotary mower, the blade cuts in a horizontal position, driven usually by a small engine (electric or gas driven), the drive shaft of which protrudes downwards through the mower deck housing and attaches to a large blade that spins at high speeds.
What is the best lawn mower for small lawns?
For small lawns, the manual reel blade mower does an excellent job, I just picked up a new Bosch reel mower here in the UK, but in the USA, something like the Great States 415-16 16-Inch Reel Mower Standard Full Feature Lawn Mower is an excellent choice.
How effective are reel mowers?
Reel mowers are very effective, providing the lawn is not too undulating and the grass is not too long or wet. The precise ‘scissor-like’ cutting action of the reel mower cuts the grass very cleanly, leaving a nice look and much healthier lawn.
How fast does a rotary mower spin?
The design of the rotary mower is simple and can cut a wide variety of grasses and grass conditions effectively. The blades typically spin at around 3000 rpm. If blades are kept sharp, the rotary mower can produce a clean cut.
What is a deck on a rotary mower?
The deck prevents grass and debris from being thrown out to the sides. Most rotary mowers will come with a grass catcher, but this can be dispensed with if you like to use the clippings to mulch your lawn. The design of the rotary mower is simple and can cut a wide variety of grasses and grass conditions effectively.
Reel Mower vs Rotary Mower
Some of us want the best lawn, while some want a mediocre one. But you’d be surprised what quality of cut will do to a lawn. So let’s have a quick look into both mowers. The cutting mechanism is the major difference between a reel and a rotary mower.
Benefits of a Reel Mower
If you want to trim your lawn as close to the ground as possible, a power reel mower might be the best option available to you. With typically built-in rollers, they are also capable of delivering pronounced and quality stripes on your lawn compared to most conventional lawnmowers.
How Do Reel Mowers Work?
This conventional device comes with a series of blades, a cutting bar in back that blades strike against to do cutting. The bar and blades need to be adjusted and sharpened, respectively.
How to Sharpen a Reel Lawn Mower Blade?
Sharpening a reel mower with a file is immensely economical and gets done within a few easy steps.
Conclusion
Nowadays, many people have realized that sometimes, advanced technology is not a better option. Instead, they opt for going organic, knowing how to keep their lawn in fine fettle and maintain thus. For such people, lawn care has become an integral part of their lives, and they seem to enjoy it.
