Reel Lawn Mowers

Push reel lawn mowers are ideal for small flat lawns

A reel lawn mower could be an alternative for lawns of up to 1/3 acre. Sales have grown steadily each year, with users praising this type for its environmental advantages, low noise and good exercise.

Manual reel mowers are as quiet as you can get, and they don't throw up any dust or debris as you mow -- a bonus for allergy sufferers. They don't work well on bumpy lawns or on long grass or weeds, however, and of course they're harder to push up a slope. Maximum cutting height can also be an issue. Flat edgings are no problem, but reel mowers can't mow very close to raised edgings -- which means more trimming is needed. Nor can they mulch leaves the way a gas or corded electric mower can. Twigs are apt to get stuck in the blades.

Reviews say the best reel lawn mower depends on the type of grass you have. Five-bladed reel mowers are designed for upright grasses such as fescue, tall fescue, St. Augustine, rye and similar types. For bent, creeping grasses (e.g. Bermuda, Zoysia or Centipede), you need a seven-bladed reel mower.

The main professional reviews favor the five-bladed reel mowers that offer the highest maximum cutting height, saying that cutting grass too short can cause heat damage. Partly for this reason, reviews recommend the 20-inch Scotts Green Classic, also sold as the Scotts 2000-20 (*Est. $140), which can leave grass as high as 3 inches. Its width is close to that of most rotary mowers, so you cover the ground quickly. Although it weighs about 30 pounds, it has a second pair of wheels at the rear, and most reviewers say it's fairly easy to push -- at least on level ground.

The cutting height is easily adjusted using two levers, and there's a shrub bar in the front to keep low-hanging bushes from getting caught in the blades. The blades normally need sharpening only every year or two, and a home sharpening kit is available (*est. $12). A mesh grass catcher is also available (*est. $20), but this accessory gets poor reviews at Amazon.com, where owners say it doesn't stay on securely or catch the grass well.

However, users like the Green Classic mower itself, praising it for ease of use and even cutting (though the handle may not be long enough for tall users). Over 400 owners give it a positive average rating at Amazon.com, and it earns a similar rating from owners at HomeDepot.com. Some users complain that the handle is flimsy, and note that the gears and wheels are both made of plastic.

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. The Craftsman 37619 (*est. $120) looks like the best 18-inch reel mower because it cuts as high as 3 inches and has extra helper wheels in the back.

Limited cutting height (of 2.25 inches) is the main drawback to the 16-inch Great States 415-16 (*Est. $85), also called the American Lawn Mower 1415-16 (*Est. $100). Owners report that adjusting the cutting height requires more work, but that the narrow width gets into tight spaces well. Some owners prefer it for its lighter weight -- and even for the way it can cut grass extremely short, down to half an inch.

If you have thicker bent grass such as Bermuda, Zoysia or Centipede, experts say you need a seven-blade reel mower such as the 16-inch American Lawn Mower 1705-16 (*Est. $90). These tough grasses are healthiest when cut short, so this mower has a maximum cutting height of 2.25 inches. It weighs about 27 pounds. The Great States 705-16 reel mower (*Est. $95) is essentially the same.

Task Force mowers (sold at Lowes) are made in Taiwan and get unusually low ratings from owners reviewing them at Lowes. The Task Force 20-inch Reel Mower 26153 (*Est. $140) includes a grass catcher and can cut as high as 2.75 inches, but users rate it especially low for quality. The 16-inch Task Force 26143 (*Est. $100) gets even lower ratings.

If your lawn can thrive when cut as close as 1.8 inches, several reviewers recommend the Brill Razorcut 38 (*Est. $250).The German-made mower's blades are set a tiny fraction of a millimeter back from the guard. This not only makes the mower much quieter than most reel mowers, but means the blades need sharpening only every five to eight years.

The Brill Razorcut 38 replaces the well-recommended Brill Luxus 38, now discontinued, and has a stiffer handle. It's one of the top picks at Which? magazine, the U.K. equivalent of our Consumer Reports. Reviewers there praise the way the handle folds twice for easy storage, and say the mower cuts well and is easy to use. One owner reviewing it at Amazon.com says the six-year-old in the family can push it. (Like all manual reel mowers, however, it's not designed to cut tall grass or weeds.)

The reviewers at Which.com say the main drawbacks are that adjusting the cutting is height is a bit awkward, and the mower itself is awkward to carry. The optional grass bag is "reasonably efficient" but doesn't catch all the clippings. Other reviewers note that the light 17-pound weight can be a mixed blessing; some users complain that the mower wheels tend to slide or drag instead of turn, causing a skip in the cutting. We also found some reports of quality-control issues.