Do you own, or have you used, a reel lawn mower?

Question

Like an old fashioned push mower that doesn't use electricity or gas.

Did you like it? Or was it horrible? I'd like to get one, but it'd probably be horrible on my lawn. We have lots of holes and an uneven lawn.

If I got one, it'd be a new one :)

Answer 1

Old reel mowers are a nightmare.

But a nice new reel mower is a dream by comparison. The blades whirr effortlessly, they're sharp, they roll smoothly, and the grass flies as you push the mower in front of you.

A few tips, though - have the blades sharpened once a year - and you CAN'T let the grass get too long - otherwise it is very hard to nearly impossible - depending on the length of the grass. Do it frequently, and it's no big deal. Don't leave the mower in the rain to rust. Keep it clean and oiled and it will treat you well. (I could abuse and ignore my gas mower - but a reel mower will not work well if neglected)

Also - if you have some holes and bumps - you'll get to know them and work out your own path so you don't get a wheel bouncing into one. My own lawn has holes and bumps...I've found that with time, knowing where they are is second-nature, and they aren't an issue for me anymore. (though they would be for someone mowing my lawn for the first time).

A note on powered mowers - electric mowers pollute FAR less - though again, you have to be careful not to let the grass get too long between cuts. Gas mowers - with no exhaust filters, are said to produce more pollutants in an hour of mowing that driving a car 1500 miles. (or more, depending on the study source).

I find my reel mower is an asset. I have had to borrow a neighbor's power mower on occasion when the lawn "got away" from me...but it's still a lot fewer pollutants than using gas every time.

Answer 2

I keep one as well as a gas mower for emergencies or heavy cleanup.
1. They're quite light, so the argument that they're hard to push is typically not true. They break even with gas mowers, sometimes easier.
2. You have to mow at LEAST once a week, sometimes twice. If you let the grass get too tall, it won't be as effective.
3. You need to over-lap mow by 50%, so each strip of grass gets mowed twice (you get a smoother finish that way) and if the grass is a bit tall, it's easier to push.
4. Keep the blades sharp.
5. Make sure the blades are adjusted to hit the cutting edge properly - almost no reel mowers are perfectly adjusted right out of the box. It's easy to do, but it make take a couple tries to get it tight enough to cut, but not so tight that the blade jams.
6. Clean any sticks or chunks of mulch out of the yard first. While a gas mower will pulverize wood pieces, a reel mower will jam.

The advantages are:
1. No gas
2. You can stop and start really easily so if someone needs to stop you to say something, it's not an issue.
3. No worries that it won't start.
4. No air filters or oil to change
5. No chemicals that can spill in your garage if you go reel-only.
6. Gas mowers produce as much air pollution in 30 minutes as a car over 100 miles.
7. These are quieter!
8. They take up so little space in the garage.
9. They'll last forever if you take care of them.

I keep the gas mower for precisely this time a year when the yard is growing so fast I can't keep up. By mid June, I go back to the reel mower though.

For the record - you burn around 400 calories per hour with a reel mower too - so the benefit is both health and environmental.

Answer 3

I recently purchased one and just used it for the first time today. I LOVE it ! It was a little more work to use than my old gas power mower, but not much more....just enough to be good exercise. (It would probably be a lot bigger adjustment for folks who are used to using self-propelled mowers, though) I can see where it might be difficult on uneven lawns, because anytime I hit a bumpy spot, it would get hung up a bit. They're cheap though.....I bought the Scott's Classic and it was just $125....so it might be worth a try if it's something you are interested in. It was nice to be able to hear birds chirping while I was mowing instead of the horrible noise of a motor !

Oh, and I have a decent sized lawn.....about 1/2 an acre.... so it's not just for super tiny yards. I wouldn't recommend it for a yard much bigger than mine, though.

Answer 4

When we first bought our house we vowed not to have ones of screaming, gas eating mowers. We had a nice reel mower and a used electric mower.

After several mowing's that took way too long and way too much work, we bought several extension cords for the electric mower.

Now the kids mow the lawn with one of those gas eaters (We like a nice lawn but neither of us wants to mow it any more lol). Gas mowers take much less time.

Of course our lawn was probably way to big to consider a reel mower to begin with. If you are on a small city lot, it may be good choice. If you are in the suburbs, I would sadly recommend a gas mower.

Answer 5

I used one as a child and it works well on smaller lawns but I couldnt deal with on now. The key is keeping those blades clean and sharp.

Anything over a 1/2 acre its better to get a push mower or riding mower. I have nearly 2 acres and several different gardens on it so a reel mower is not an option for me at least until I retire.

Answer 6

I grew up using one. If you have a small lawn, it's fine. The newer ones you can get roll better than the old one I was forced to use as a child. The lawn may not look as manicured, it just depends on what your priorities are. I tried to get my husband and son to just use a reel mower, but they wouldn't. It's so much quieter, easy to maintain, and no emissions. With some work, like raking if necessary, edging, things like that, you could probably have a nice looking lawn with a reel mower.

Answer 7

THESE ARE DANGEROUS IN STORAGE. Also kids think that they can move them because they are so light. But the second they move, the blades are in action. There is no "off" switch. Minor shifting of things around in the garage to get a bike or to take out the trash can be risky. Even for "careful" teenagers. Even if you hang up the mower. Even if the blades are dull. There is simply no safety housing, or stop on the blades.

Answer 8

Yup, if you have a small lawn, they're fine. You have to keep the blades sharp, and you have to keep the cutting bar adjusted properly. They also tend to cut shorter than power mowers.

I wouldn't use one if I had more than a couple of thousand sq. feet of lawn to mow.

Answer 9

oh what a pain in the a&& i cant believe people used those things! for heavens sake dont get one especially if you have a pothole stick infested lawn. these are meant for people with small yards and specific grass that needs to be cut extremely short. let alone sharpening the blades, another pain in the butt if you are not shown how to do it right.

Answer 10

I used these 50- years ago and still remember what a pain they were. I had one at one time that had a gas engine, it worked good on smooth yards as long as you mowed the grass every few days and kept the blades sharp.