Reel Lawn Mowers

Push reel lawn mowers are ideal for small flat lawns

Manual mowers are idea for small areas or very small yards, and they can't be more eco-friendly. In addition, you get a workout.

Among manual reel mowers, the 18-inch Fiskars Momentum 6201 (*Est. $200) earns kudos for its innovative design -- including a 2010 Design Award from Popular Mechanics. The Fiskars reel mower has a high maximum cutting height of 4 inches, and positions the blades in front of the wheels instead of behind them. (Most reel mowers require a second pass to cut the grass the wheels passed over.) The Fiskars Momentum also throws the clippings forward instead of back onto the user. Its handle is also more ergonomic than most, and the blades cut grass without touching each other -- so they may never need sharpening.

The "Momentum" in the name comes from the way the Fiskars mower makes it easier to push the mower once you've got it going. Early testers report that this does work, but the few reviews we've seen are mixed when it comes to how easy it is to push. At 43.5 pounds, the Fiskars Momentum is heavier than most manual reel mowers. This can be advantageous for cutting grass evenly, but it's still a lot of weight to push. How easy it is really depends on the user's strength and fitness, as well as on the lawn condition and grass height.

If a maximum cutting height of just 1.8 inches is okay for your lawn, consider the lightweight, well reviewed 15-inch Brill Razorcut 38 (*Est. $240) or 13-inch Razorcut 33 (*Est. $200). Like the Fiskars Momentum, the Brill mowers incorporate no-contact blades that require infrequent sharpening (every five to 10 years). Handles fold twice for easy storage, and they're light enough to hang up; the Razorcut 38 weighs only 17 pounds, compared with 43.5 pounds for the Fiskars Momentum. The low maximum cutting height is the main drawback.

If you have thicker bent grass such as Bermuda, Zoysia or Centipede -- typical in hot climates -- experts say you need a seven-blade reel mower such as the 16-inch American Lawn Mower 1705-16 Bent Reel (*Est. $120). These tough grasses are healthiest when cut short, so this mower has a max cutting height of 2.25 inches. It weighs about 27 pounds. The Great States 705-16 reel mower (*Est. $95) is essentially the same device.