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As you might have guessed, manual reel mowers were the very first generation of lawn mowers. It’s remarkable seeing the incredibly sophisticated types of no-turn riding mowers that are common today, and to think that they actually evolved from the seemingly primitive reel mower.
Reel lawn mowers are still preferred today, and while they remain the most basic form of lawn mowers on the market, they are still incredibly efficient and work much better than reel mowers of the past. Some models can even compete with riding mowers thanks to their assisted cutting technology and even lawn clipping catchers.
Like all the other types of mowers in the marketplace, the manual mower market is constantly evolving and expanding which has made a variety of different products available to choose from. There are many more alternatives readily available that will definitely cut grass better than that old reel mower in the shed, so let’s have a look at a couple.
Here are the 4 best manual reel mowers:
1) Scotts 2000-20 Reel Mower
The Scotts 2000-20 is one of the stand out reel mowers in the marketplace. It’s been extensively tried and tested proving its worth as a dependable reel mower that can handle even the largest of lawns. This is one of the best products on the market, making it one of the most popular mowers available.
The Scotts 2000-20 Reel Mower features large wheels (10” front and 6″ back) to give you additional stability that helps to increase the mower’s maneuverability overall. The cutting blades include five 20-inch blades that can be adjusted to 9 various levels with a simple lever.
The weight of this mower is 34.5 pounds.
2) Fiskars 362050-1001 18-Inch Staysharp Max
The Fiskars 362050-1001 18-Inch Staysharp Max is a very intriguing looking mower as it does not conform to the typical design of standard reel mowers. Because of its unique style, this mower is just about as close as you can get to a full blown electric mower. It utilizes “InertiaDrive” innovation which uses gears to drive the lawn mower as you press it, making the entire lawn mowing process much less tiring. As a result of this extra innovation, the weight of this reel mower is well above average at 52 pounds, which should not pose as much of a problem thanks to its assisted driving feature.
The cutting blade is 23.5 inches and the blades use “StaySharp” innovation which helps to keep the blades sharp and ready to cut. Another distinct feature of this Fiskars reel mower is that the grass clippings are thrown forward so they do not wind up covering your feet. This mower works well even on tough southern grass varieties such as Bermuda, St. Augustine, Bahia and Zoysia.
3) GreenWorks 5-Blade 20″ Reel Mower
The GreenWorks brand has made a name for itself in the lawn and garden equipment market and this specific model shows exactly why they have become so successful. It comes with 20-inch cutting blades, 10-inch wheels, and helical blades. All these features for under $125.
This GreenWorks 5-Blade 20″ Reel Mower also features a grass clipping catcher which is rather rare for this type of mower.
All GreenWorks items come with a 4 year guarantee which is double the market requirement of 2 years so this company definitely stands behind their products. They also put a lot of effort into making excellent looking lawn mowers with as many helpful features as possible.
4) Great States 415-16SK1
It wouldn’t be right for a reel lawn mower review article without adding a standard model to show off. So we have done just that by including the Great States 415-16SK1 in this list. This authentic-styled reel mower is equipped with 16 inch cutting blades, 10 inch ball bearing wheels and it even has heat treated blades that are powder-coated to help avoid rust.
The weight of this Great States 415-16SK1 model is just 26 pounds and the typical price is under $125.
While this reel lawn mower may not look like much when compared to a few of the other designs reviewed here, it is an incredibly solid and trustworthy mower. While other manufacturers seem to only care aboout adding fancy functions and innovating with various ideas, Great States has done the opposite by sticking to a more standard style that is simply reliable.
Should You Get a Reel Mower?
These devices typically have a cylinder shaped body with a number of blades that will rotate as the mower is pushed forward, cutting the grass in turn. They have very few moving parts and as a result are a much simpler maker than an electric or gas push mower.
Pros:
There are a variety of advantages when selecting this kind of lawnmower over another type of lawnmower, however some of these may also be thought as negatives, such as not having a battery.
- No pull cord
- No spark plugs to change
- No battery to charge
- No rocks and shrapnel flying around
- No running expenses
Cons:
The downside of owning one of these mowers is that everything is manual, and while there are some that have gears to assist you with cutting, they generally require more strength to operate. You will also have to clear the yard of any twigs and other obstacles as these machines will not deal with them so easily.
- Totally manual operation
- Can be tough to do the edges
- Large lawn is a killer
- Should not have rocks or twigs in yard
- Should have an extremely level surface area
How to Pick the very best Manual Mower
Prior to heading out and ordering a reel type lawn mower, you should really take some time to think about your exact requirements and needs. Reel lawn mowers can be simply won’t work in particular situations, so let’s take a look at some of the important things you need to think about prior to purchasing.
Is Your Lawn Flat?
When I state flat here I actually mean no bumps. You can still utilize a reel mower on a hilly surface area but the ground has to flat so the blades do not bounce and catch, as this would stop the mower completely. With electric or gas mowers, the blades will still turn and do the cutting for you, however reel mowers need to be moving in order to cut.
Size of Lawn
Is your yard too big to push your lawn mower around? Reel mowers are best suited for those who have smaller yards since they can be quite tiring to push around for long periods of time. Luckily, some models combat this with features like “InertiaDrive” provided by the Fiskars 362050-1001 18-Inch Staysharp.
Weight
Reel mowers vary greatly in size and weight, so you should consider whether one will be too heavy for you or not.
Type of lawn
If you have difficult grass such as St Augustine, Bermuda, or Zoysia you must opt for a heavy mower as the extra weight will help you drive through the tougher grass.
If you have simple yard you might look at a lighter design, since the additional weight is not needed and will just make your mower sink into the grass.
Tough grass = heavy mower.
Sand
Sand is a killer for this kind of lawn mower. If you have sandy soil the lawn mower will be very tough to turn and it will typically sink and bite into the lawn which is very aggravating.
Edging
If you have a lot of edging to do you should look for a design that is developed to assist with edging. The wheels will typically obstruct and make edging very difficult, which is why the Fiskars 362050-1001 18-Inch Staysharp has a distinct design to help with edging.
Do you need a Catcher?
If you want to use a yard clipping catcher your search will be narrowed down quite a bit and the best solution for you would be one of the GreenWorks models.
Operating a Manual Mower
If you’re used to a gas-powered mower, well you’re in for a bit of a shock once you try out a manual reel mower. Check out this video for a bit of great advice on operating a reel mower.
Conclusion
Hopefully you are now armed with a better understanding of manual mowers and can more easily decide whether or not a reel mower would work for you. Remember to take in to consideration things like added features, type of lawn, weight, and other factors that will help you to find the product that works best for your needs.
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