Reel Lawn Mowers: The Ideal Choice for Small Lawns

Manual reel mowers definitely have a few well-known drawbacks. These include not working well on uneven lawns, an inability to get close to raised edgings or to handle long grass or weeds – which means you have to do additional trimming. Small twigs can get caught in the blades, and, of course, they can’t mulch leaves. And if your lawn has any slopes, you’re in for some pushing. However, there are still some lawn types which can easily mowed using this type of mower, as well as other benefits.

For flat lawns of a smaller size, up to about 1/3 acre, a reel lawn mower doesn’t represent much exertion. They work well on short grass, and have the added benefit of low noise. Plus, they don’t throw up much debris, which make them a good choice for those who suffer from allergies. Reel lawn mowers are also more-environmentally friendly due to a lower consumption of gasoline.

These are the reasons why manual reel mowers continue to be a popular choice. The best mower for you depends on your variety of grass. Reel lawn mowers with five blades are intended for use on upright grasses (rye, fescue and tall fescue, and similar varieties). However, if your grass is the bent, creeping kind – such as Zoysia, Bermuda, or Centipede – you’ll want to purchase a seven-bladed reel mower.

A majority of professional reviewers find that five-bladed reel motors with a cutting adjustment that allows for a high maximum height are the best choice, citing the fact that cutting your grass too far exposes it to heat damage. This is an important factor in the favorable reviews surrounding the 20-inch Scotts Green Classic (also sold under the name Scotts 2000-20, approx. $140), as this model offers a 3-inch maximum cutting height. The width is perfectly adequate, similar to many other reel motors, so you don’t sacrifice cutting area for cutting height. It does weigh around 30 pounds, but it is equipped with a second set of wheels on the rear, making it easier to push, on even ground at a minimum.

To adjust cutting height on the Scotts Green Classic, there are two levers; there is also a shrub bar located at the front, preventing low bushes from becoming stuck in the blades of the mower. The blades themselves generally require sharpening only once a year, sometimes every two years, and there is even a home sharpening kit available for purchase (approx. cost: $12). Also available is a mesh grass catcher (approx. $20); however, this feature has gotten dim reviews by users at Amazon.com, for its loose fit and inability to catch the cuttings cleanly. A complaint from a few users is that the handle is not sturdy enough, and isn’t long enough to be used comfortably by taller operators. Also, both the wheels and the gears are constructed of plastic.

Despite these moderate drawbacks, the Scotts Green Classic has been overall well-received thanks to its even results and overall user-friendly design. At Amazon.com, over 400 users gave this mower a positive rating, similar to the results you can find at HomeDepot.com.

The Scotts Green Classic, as well as some models for the Craftsman and Great States brands, are manufactured by the American Lawn Mower Company. These ALM models, although they come in at smaller widths of 18 and 16 inches, get better reviews, thanks significantly to their reduced breadth and therefore lesser weight. Simply put, they are less work to push. A range of prices on these models can be found in stores, because they are available in multiple grades and maximum cutting heights.

The manufacturer of the Green Classic mower, American Lawn Mower Company, also makes manual reel mowers under the Great States and Craftsman brand names. The narrower 16-inch and 18-inch models actually get higher ratings -- partly because they're lighter and easier to push than 20-inch-wide reel mowers. Prices at various retailers vary partly because these mowers are made in different grades, with different maximum cutting heights. At approx. $120, the Craftsman 37619 (*est. $120) appears to be the best of the 18-inch models, with a cutting height of up to 3 inches, as well as an extra set of wheels on the back.

The 16-inch Great States 415-16 (also sold under the name American Lawn Mower 1415-16, approx. $85) suffers from a limited cutting height of 2.25 inches. While changing the cutting height is a bit more difficult than other models, its narrow width makes it ideal for wiggling into tighter spaces. Also, its weight – less heavy than other models - makes it the right choice for some owners, as well as its minimum cutting height, as low as 0.5 inches.

Now then, if your lawn is composed of a denser bent grass (like Centipede, Zoysia, or Bermuda), the experts all recommend reel mower with seven blades. A good choice American Lawn Mower’s 16-inch model, the 1705-16 (approx. $90). Since these grasses are tougher, they do benefit when cut low, so the ALM 1705-16 allows you to select up to a 2.25-inch cutting height. This mower comes in at around 27 pounds. Basically identical to the ALM is the Great States 705-16 (approx. $95).

For lawns which do well when mowed extremely short – even as low as 1.8 inches – many reviewers are recommending the Brill Razorcut 38 (approx. $250), which replaces the also well-received Brill Luxus 38. The reviewers at Which? Magazine (the UK equivalent of the US publication Consumer Reports) have made the Razorcut 38 one of their top recommendations. The blades on this German-made mower are set only a hairsbreadth away from the guard. Thanks to this design feature, the Razorcut 38 not only extraordinarily quiet when compared to other reel mowers, but also reduces the need for sharpening to once every several years. Not only that, the collapsible handle comes down twice, making storage a snap, and the mower as a whole is user-friendly and cuts superbly (though, as with any manual reel mowers, it is not for cutting tall grass or other plants). At Amazon.com, one reviewer even states that the family’s youngest child (at six years of age) can push this mower.

Drawbacks discovered by the reviewers at Which.com include, precisely, its feathery 17-pound weight – the wheels have a tendency to drag or slide along – that is, not execute a clean turn - which causes jumps in the mow. In addition, the adjustment of the cutting height – somewhat awkward – as is the carrying of the mower. The grass bag (optional), while “reasonably efficient” doesn’t manage to catch all the clipped grass. There are also a few quality-control concerns.

Task Force reel mowers, made in Taiwan and sold at Lowe’s, receive quite poor ratings from users at the Lowe’s website. For example, the 20-inch Task Force 26153 (approx. $140), while it includes a grass catcher and has a maximum cutting height of 2.75 inches, has very low ratings for quality. The 16-inch Task Force 26143 (approx. 100) receives even more dismal ratings.