6 Best Lawn Mowers for Bermuda Grass – Reviews 2021 Buyer Guide. No motor lawn mower

14.06.2023 Boath bermuda, best, lawn, mowers

Best Lawn Mowers for Bermuda Grass – Reviews 2021 Buyer Guide

Affiliate Disclaimer: My content may contain links to products I use and love. As an Amazon Associate and participant in various other affiliate programs, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you from qualifying purchases. I only recommend products I personally vetted!

When mowing a Bermuda grass lawn, you want a precise, clean cut that leaves behind a greener, healthier and very attractive lawn. To get that right, the best lawn mower for Bermuda grass is one that snips the leaf blades instead of hacking, splitting, tearing, and chewing up grass blades.

If you have a Bermuda grass lawn, you should choose a reel mower over a rotary mower – all the time. It will produce the best cut without damaging the leaves of your lawn, causing browning and possible disease attacks.

But since there are quite many of them out there, I’ll recommend the very best (from testing) and tell you why they’re the best.

Top 3 Compared

Clean, even cut at 1-4 inches (no hacking grass blades).
60% easier to push than other reel mowers.
Won’t scalp your lawn even at low cutting height.
Directs clippings downward (but not on your feet)!
5-position height adjustment 1.25 inch to 3.3 inch.
Best budget-friendly self-propelled mower.
Cuts 400sq. meters on a single charge.
Clean, even cut with rear bagging and mulching.
Very clean cut at 1″ to 3″ height adjustments.
Lightweight (34lbs), easy to push and maneuver.
Wide cutting deck. 20-inches.
Does not jam even in tall Bermudagrass.
Clean, even cut at 1-4 inches (no hacking grass blades).
60% easier to push than other reel mowers.
Won’t scalp your lawn even at low cutting height.
Directs clippings downward (but not on your feet)!
5-position height adjustment 1.25 inch to 3.3 inch.
Best budget-friendly self-propelled mower.
Cuts 400sq. meters on a single charge.
Clean, even cut with rear bagging and mulching.
Very clean cut at 1″ to 3″ height adjustments.
Lightweight (34lbs), easy to push and maneuver.
Wide cutting deck. 20-inches.
Does not jam even in tall Bermudagrass.

Affiliate links and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-06-10

Without a doubt, the best lawn mower for Bermuda grass lawns is a reel mower type as opposed to a rotary one. However, you can still use good rotary mowers if you have and maintain sharp blades (super important for grass health).

Top 6 Reel Lawn Mowers for Bermuda Grass Lawns

If you mow Bermuda grass tall, it will easily go to seed. If you mow it too low, you’ll cause brown patches in your lawn due to scalping. You have to get the mowing height right. That also goes with the lawnmowers. Bermuda grass thrives when cut between 3/4″ – 1.5″, so be sure to set the height setting on your mower in that range.

Here’s a list of the 6 best push reel lawn mowers for Bermuda grass lawns. Be sure to check out user reviews and the best in the links I’ve provided.

Fiskars StaySharp Max Reel Mower – Best For Smaller Lawns

Some Bermuda grass varieties are tough and can be hard to cut, but this lawnmower makes the job lighter.

Quality Yardcare Tools: Designed to help you take back your yard, Fiskars lawn and gardening tools are equipped with Smart technologies and award-winning, ergonomic features that make it easier and more enjoyable to transform your outdoor space.Advanced design is 60% easier to push than other reel mowers
Advanced Technology for best-in-class cutting performance: The InertiaDrive Reel boasts twice the cutting power of standard reel mowers, while the StaySharp Cutting System eliminates the cost and inconvenience of manual blade sharpening.
Superior Ergonomics: Reversible grass chute can direct clippings away from your feet making it easier to mow tough patches while limiting messiness. One-touch handle height adjustment enhances your comfort and control.

Affiliate links and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-06-10

New technology makes it cut grass without touching.
A lot less friction which is perfect for pushing when mowing Bermuda grass.
Has a cutting height of 1-4 inches, which is perfect for Bermuda grass.
It does have high-quality blades for long-lasting performance without costly annual blade sharpening.
It is easier to push and turn the Fiskars reel push lawn mower – it weighs 52lbs only.
This mower is quiet and will cut 99% of your grass perfectly.

First of all, reel mowers are my absolute favorite for mowing Bermuda grass lawns. Why? Because you don’t want to scalp and cause brown patches (reel mowers won’t scalp your lawn). If you have a few dips here and there, a reel mower will simply scalp the areas regardless of the setting you use.

The Fiskars Stay Sharp Max Reel Mower is one of the best for Bermuda lawns. Formerly known as the Fiskars Momentum Lawn Mower, this advanced push-mower is great for cutting Bermuda grass even when it gets really dense during the months of summer.

This mower does a great job mulching your lawn although it does not leave a thick layer of clippings on the grass. I wouldn’t recommend heavy mulching anyway because if you’re using a reel mower to cut your grass, the next time you mow will definitely be a big task of pushing through the mulch.

The only disadvantage of the Fiskars 18’’ lawn mower is that it struggles to cut anything that’s taller than 6 inches. If you want to enjoy its work, ensure you mow your Bermuda lawn frequently enough to prevent it from growing too tall for an easy cut. Check out this interesting article I did on the best mowing frequency and height for Bermuda grass. You’ll find it useful.

Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower

Classic Scotts 20 inch push no-motor manual reel rotary lawn mower features 20″ cutting width, 5-blade ball bearing reel, and 10″ dual tracking wheels
Quick-snap 1″-3″ cutting height adjustment for a clean, even cut every time with this Scotts classic hand push reel rotary 20 inch lawn mower
Blades on the Scotts classic hand push reel rotary 20 inch lawn mower are made of quality, heat-treated alloy steel for staying sharp longer

Affiliate links and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-06-10

Here’s a quick rundown of the pros and great features of this mower for Bermuda grass:

Has the widest blade width and cutting path: 20 inches
It is lightweight and very easy to maneuver, weighing only 34 lbs
Allows an adjustable mowing height of 1 and 3 inches, which is recommended for Bermuda grass
Produces a clean cut with blades snipping evenly across, leaving no torn blades.
Has great maneuverability and stability for a 34-pound lawn mower.
This mower is the easiest to adjust thanks to the quick-snap adjusters.

What should interest you most if you own a Bermuda grass lawn is getting a clean and healthy cut when mowing. For one of the healthiest cuts, the Scotts 200-20 push reel lawn mower gave the best in this sense.

The 2018 version of the Scotts manual walk-behind reel mower comes with a sharpening kit as well as a grass catcher, which is definitely a value add in my opinion.

While testing and reviewing this reel lawn mower, it did not jam at all unlike most other mowers on the market today. You’ll notice that there’s a lever for each wheel for adjusting the cutting height. This produces an accurate height setting, which is very important when mowing different varieties of Bermuda turfgrasses.

Mowing Bermuda grass at 1-1.5 inches produces great turf quality in terms of thickness and health. See this guide on ways to make a Bermudagrass lawn thick.

On the downside, like with all other reel mowers with a push-behind feature, you have to keep tabs on your lawn not to allow the grass to overgrow. The Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower did struggle a little bit when I pushed it through an overgrown, dense patch of Bermuda grass. That is expected since it’s intended use is on grass that’s well-manicured and mowed at least twice a week.

Great States Lawn Mower 1815-18 18-Inch Push Reel Mower

The Great States motor-less lawnmower with an adjustable cutting height of 0.5″-2.75″ for a clean, even cut
18″ cutting width 5-blade manual push mower with 5-blade ball-bearings, and 10″ composite wheels
Push mower blades are made of high-quality alloy steel that stay sharp longer

Affiliate links and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-06-10

Fine grass cutting-height adjustments from ½ inch to 2 ¾ inches.
The 5 tempered alloy steel blades are very durable.
18-inch blade width means faster mowing of your lawn with fewer passes.
10-inch wheels mean this mower is balanced with very strong traction.
Plated loop-type handle with full-length foam grip

In a few words, the Great States mower 1815-18 is one of the most durable reels out here. That’s thanks to its tempered blades that last long without the need to sharpen.

The wide cutting width is also impressive, meaning you’ll cut your lawn faster. But what makes the Great States Lawn Mower 1815-18 18-Inch Push Reel Mower great for Bermuda grass lawns?

This lawn mower comes with a fine cutting height adjustment capability. You can literally adjust from as low as ½ an inch to 2¾ inches height.

Bermuda grass is a tough southern grass species and can pose a great challenge to most push reel lawn mowers. You need a mower with great traction and this Great States Lawn Mower brand is just the one for this job.

Weight is a major concern when choosing a lawn mower, so with this, you get a lightweight reel mower for your Bermuda lawn. Yes, it is light enough and you can easily lift it, push and pull, and move it to store. Needless to say, you should keep your hands away from those sharp blades.

On the cons side, the Great States mower 1815-18 suffers similar shortcomings like other competitors on this list.

One of the major issues is cutting grass that is too long. This lawn mower will struggle to cut grass that’s above 5 inches long. This, however, is not a unique problem to this model since almost all reel mowers struggle with weeds and long grass.

Another issue is that it does not mow anything when pulled back. Again, this is common with most push mowers so it shouldn’t be a big issue.

Greenworks 18-Inch Reel Lawn Mower 25062

18″ cutting path gets the job done quicker and more efficiently
2-in-1 feature provides mulching and rear bag capabilities
9 position height adjustment offers a range of cutting height from 1 3/4″ to 2 3/4″ for the perfect cut on all grass types

Affiliate links and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-06-10

When I tested this one, I didn’t expect much since most push lawn mowers can be a challenge to use in a large area. However, I was impressed with the Greenworks 18-Inch Reel Lawn Mower on the large areas of Bermuda grass I pushed it over.

This mower is great because it allows you to cut down to 1.75 inches, which is good for Bermuda grass lawns. It also comes with a grass catcher bag included in the package, which is something I liked about it. The other lawn mowers we tested did not include it as part of the overall price.

In a nutshell, here are a few good things and features of this Greenworks reel lawn mower for Bermuda grass lawns:

It is available in varying deck sizes from 18 inches to 20 inches.
The 20’’ version is fast.
What I did not like is that the mower gets easily snagged on twigs and sticks.
Like most top push lawn mowers for Bermuda lawns, it is very easy to adjust the cutting height.
It is VERY lightweight and easy to maneuver around the yard

Overall, this is a great push-behind reel lawn mower for Bermuda grass. However, there are quite a few things I did not like about it.

One of the biggest concerns is the amount of noise it makes. While it is easy to push, I found it makes quite a lot of noise than I like. The blades cut with ease, but the faster you push them, the noisier they become. To me, this is quite a bit of a turn-off because I prefer a quiet lawn mower.

If you’re looking to mow a very small Bermuda lawn, you might want to consider this Greenworks 18-Inch Reel Lawn Mower 25062. For an acre of lawn, this may not be the best for guys who like a quiet mowing time.

Great States 415-16 16-Inch 5-BladeLawn Mower

Manual mechanical mower with a quick, adjustable cutting height of 1″-2.5″ for a clean and even
Lightweight lawn mower has 16″ cutting width, 5-blade ball bearing reel, and 10″ composite wheels for optimal maneuverability
Push blade mower with high-quality heat-treated alloy steel blades that stay sharp longer

Affiliate links and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-06-11

Here are the great features you’ll like on this lawn mower:

Produces a clean cut on grass blades, leaving no damage on Bermuda grass.
Precise cutting height with easy adjustment.
Lightweight reel mower – only 27 lbs
Easy to maneuver – the highest model of the range has 10’’ composite wheels.

This handy yard tool is an absolute pleasure for anyone looking for a solid performance in cutting tough grass using a push reel lawn mower. It comes in 4 deck sizes – 14-inch 4 blades, 14-inch 5 blades, 16-inch 5 blades, and 18-inch 5 blades.

When shopping for the best reel mower under 100, this has got to feature on your list but not just for the price. It comes with some decent features worth considering.

The most important feature that makes this reel mower suitable for Bermuda grass is the clean snip. The cut is so clean you’ll not notice any brown crowns on your Bermudagrass lawn after mowing.

One of the main problems with this Great States push lawn mower is its inability to cut some tough weeds. It also has an 18-inch cutting deck width, which is quite small compared to some of the best models and brands on this list. You’ll need to do a lot more passes to mow a 2000 sq. ft. Lawn with this as opposed to fewer passes with a 20’’ model.

It also does poorly in lawns with sticks. It will get stuck quite often. If your lawn is under a shade with sticks littering it, you may want to consider a gasoline mower rather than a push reel.

Earthwise 1715-16EW 16-Inch 7-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower

Hand-push reel mower with 16″ cutting width, 7-blade ball bearing reel, and 10″ composite wheels; Durable steel side plate design
Versatile Earthwise Power Tools by ALM push lawn mower for cutting bent grass- Bermuda, Zoysia, Centipede, St. Augustine, and Seashore Paspalum
Alloy steel 7-blade mower stays sharp longer

Affiliate links and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-06-10

In my reviews of the top lawn mowers for Bermuda grass lawns, the Earthwise push reel mower comes in second. I highly recommend it for not only Bermuda grass but also paspalum, zoysia grass, St. Augustine grass, and centipede grass.

Here are the great features that make this lawn mower perfect for Bermuda grass:

It has an adjustable cutting height between of 0.5″ and 2.5” which is perfect for Bermuda grass turfs.
Available in 16-inch 7 blade, 18-inch 5 blade, and 20-inch 5 blade options
It is very easy to assemble without the need for any tools.
I found the handle well-cushioned for comfort while mowing Bermuda lawns. This lessens hand fatigue.
It has heat-treated alloy steel blades that remain sharp for long.
The 7 blades make it a lot easier to mow and get a clean cut with just one pass.

The Earthwise push lawn mower is a great recommendation for Bermuda grass lawns because it produces a very precise, clean cut, which is exactly what we want when mowing lawns.

It is a piece of lightweight lawn equipment, weighing just 29.5 lbs, meaning you can easily mow a small to the medium-sized lawn without feeling fatigued. I’ve to remind you, though, that you have to time the mowing properly and cut before your grass grows taller than 6 inches.

One of the major disadvantages I found with the Earthwise 1715-16EW 16-Inch 7-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower is that you can’t adjust the mower without unscrewing the wedges on both sides. This is not the same case as the 5-blade version. This means you’ll take quite a bit of time to adjust the deck. They should’ve made it a lot easier to adjust everything here.

Another issue I noticed with the 7-blade version is the locking up of the rollers when mowing areas with heavy mulch from the last cut. I think this is caused by the rollers on the reel mower. I prefer wheels to rollers, as these hardly lock up while in use even in areas with dense Bermuda grass.

Best Rotary Mower for Bermuda Grass

Rotary mowers are not the best for Bermuda lawns because they tend to hack and chew up grass blades. They simply leave your lawn looking awful after a few days of mowing.

However, if your lawn is too big (as in the case of golf courses), you’ll need to use a rotary, gas-powered or electric lawn mower to cut the grass.

The top-rated rotary mower for Bermuda lawns is the Greenworks 16-Inch 40V Cordless Lawn Mower. You charge this thing, and you’re ready to go out there and mow your lawn.

This one is good if you have a smaller yard, like under 1000 sq feet.

CORDLESS LAWN MOWER – Get more done, faster, with Greenworks electric lawn mowers. This 40v push lawn mower provides the power you need with up to 45 minutes of runtime on a fully charged 4.0Ah battery. The battery completely charges in 120 minutes.Brushless motor : No
LIGHTWEIGHT, EASY TO USE – A lightweight 16” cutting deck allows for easy maneuvering through small to medium yards (up to ½ acre) more efficiently. Easy push button start and lighter weight make it a great choice for your lawn.
VERSATILE – Battery powered lawn mower has a single lever 5-position height adjustment with a cutting height range from 1-1/4″ to 3-3/8″ for the best cut in all environments. The 2-in-1 feature offers versatile use with mulching and rear bagging options.

Affiliate links and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-06-11

If you have over 1000 sq feet to mow then here is something more powerful yet still green. I’m getting more and more impressed each year on electric mowers.

80V 21” MOWER. Provides up to 60 minutes of run-time with 2 fully charged 80V 2.0Ah batteries (varies based on grass condition and operator technique)
TRUBRUSHLESS MOTOR – 2 x more torque, more power, longer runtimes, quiet operation, and extended motor life
GAS-LIKE PERFORMANCE

Affiliate links and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: 2023-06-10

Take a look at the review of the Greenworks Pro 80V in this video:

Reel Mower vs Rotary Mower for Bermuda Grass

If you want a lawn that has a soft and inviting appearance, then your best choice is a reel push mower. Rotary mowers that are corded or powered with gas or batteries can give your lawn a “chewed” look at the tip, making it start to brown.

One of the advantages (the one that interests me the most) is the precise cut of the rotating reel along the bed knife at the bottom of the mower. It cuts like a pair of scissors.

The reel cut is beautifully clean and is easier on the grass than a rotary blade, which can tear the grass blade if it is not extremely well-maintained.

Buying Guide: What to Consider

Although reel mowers are the best for Bermuda grass, it doesn’t mean you cannot use a rotary mower at all. Choosing the best lawn mower comes down to your personal preference and most importantly, things to consider.

Here are factors and things to consider when choosing a lawn mower for Bermuda grass:

Cutting height adjustments

Grass cutting height is perhaps the most important feature to look for when choosing a great mower for Bermuda grass lawns.

You want to be able to cut your grass as low as 1-inch. Too low can easily scalp the lawn and cause bare spots.

Pro tip: Choose a mower with the finest cutting height adjustments from 0.5 to 3 inches. This will give you great control in taking care of your Bermuda grass at all stages.

Size of the lawn

Your choice of lawn mower really depends on the size of your lawn. If it is more than 2000 sq. ft., you’ll be so exhausted after each mowing that you’ll not mow often enough.

Bermuda grass requires frequent mowing for the best health and growth.

Is the lawn level enough?

Reel mowers can easily leave swirls in your lawn if it has bumps and uneven ground. To avoid this, you may want to buy a rotary mower for a lawn that’s not level enough. However. For level lawns and yards, a push reel mower is a great choice.

Cutting width (blade width)

The width of the blades on the reel mower, or any other mower for that matter, determines how many passes you’ll need to make to mow the entire yard.

The best push mowers for Bermuda lawns have a blade width between 14’’ and 20’’. For the fastest cut, choose the widest blade width.

However, wider cutting decks might not always be the easiest to push. It can mean more load for you to push and cut, and that may affect maneuverability.

Weight of the mower

Since all of the reel mowers on this list are self-propelled, you want to get a very lightweight mower. This will ensure you get less tired but mow your lawn with ease.

The weight of the mower also affects maneuverability. If your body is well built, you can consider a slightly heavier model in the range of 30 lbs and above. However, most people consider the best reel lawn mower below 28 lbs.

Maneuverability

How easy is it to move around, turn and twist the lawn mower. Bermuda grass is quite tough and you want to move the mower around the lawn without too much struggle.

Lightweight mowers are easier to maneuver. However, you need to check factors that affect maneuverability such as the following:

To best determine this, read and watch reviews to see what to expect when you buy the lawn mower.

Durability

Needless to say, models that give you a longer lifespan for the buck are the most preferred. Most of the mowers I reviewed above come with great strength, durability, and price.

When checking durability, consider the material that makes up the blades and other important parts such as wheels. Some blades are made of tempered steel alloy, meaning they stay sharp and durable for long.

Warranty

A 2-year warranty is a great sign the manufacturer has confidence in their product. So, when buying a push reel mower for Bermuda grass, check if there’s a warranty before making the purchase.

s

What are the Best Cordless Leaf Blowers? Reviews Buyer’s Guide

How to Replace the Drive Belt on a Husqvarna Zero Turn Mower

Hi, Alex Kuritz here. Growing up I remember that my family had one of the best lawns in the neighborhood. Richly green and lush. I did a lot as I grew up in terms of caring and tending for not only my family’s lawn but also my neighbors. I can say I have years of experience, and I am here to share it with you.

1 thought on “6 Best Lawn Mowers for Bermuda Grass – Reviews 2021 Buyer Guide”

Depending upon individual likes and preferences, a person can either opt for a traditional gasoline-operated mower or go in for the electric variety. Both kinds of mowers – that is, gas-operated as well as electric mowers – have their own individual features. While selecting a mower for a lawn, the overall area of the lawn is a prime consideration. Thank you for the tips and the list. I love this.

About CGL

CrabgrassLawn is a Wiki for Lawn Enthusiasts by Lawn Experts.

Sunday is our Recommended DIY Lawn Care PlanSee Our Sunday Lawn Care Review

Need Recommendations? Start with our Lawn Care Product Recommendations

Best Reel Mowers for Your Lawn Needs

Choosing the best reel mower for your needs is crucial. Our buyer’s guide breaks down what you need to know and offers our recommendations.

If you want to keep your lawn well-manicured and your grass healthy, it’s time to invest in a reel mower. A push lawn mower is a perfect way to snip your grass without damaging it. Above all, it’s eco-friendly and, unlike gas-powered lawn mowers or electric mowers, you’ll never have to worry about engine maintenance or power needs!

But are all reel lawn mowers created equal? No, and that’s why we’re here. Here are our top recommendations if you’re looking for a reel mower for your yard. We’ll also break down the most crucial elements of its construction and durability that you’ll need to watch for to get a sturdy, long-lasting product.

Best Reel Mower Reviews

Great States 5-Blade Reel Lawn Mower

Manual mechanical mower with a quick, adjustable.
Lightweight lawn mower has 16″ cutting width.
Push blade mower with high-quality heat-treated.

The first on our list is the Great States 415-16 push reel lawn mower, known for its excellent cutting power. With an adjustable blade height of 0.5-2.5″, this mower does a fantastic job of manicuring your lawn.

We chose it as our top pick due to the blade quality – constructed with heat-treated alloy steel, the blades retain their sharpness for a long time, making this reel mower a quality long-term investment. The sharpness of the blades allows you to create neat borders along your lawn. The mower comes with a cushioned and comfortable grip that is easier to push, even on the most overgrown lawn

All it needs is one push to get it started, making it a no-hassle manual lawn mower. The Great States 415-16 reel lawn mower is also lightweight, making it easy to maneuver across the yard.

The reels snip the grass off without any ripping or tearing, resulting in a well-trimmed, smooth lawn. And, if this wasn’t enough, the mower is also easy to store. You can hang it on a wall or tuck it in the corner of your garage.

Blade height adjustment of 0.5”-2.5” for clean grass cut
16” cutting width with 5-blade ball bearing reel
Smooth, composite wheels are easy to maneuver across the yard

Scotts Outdoor Power Tools Reel Lawn Mower

Classic Scotts 20 inch push no-motor manual reel.
Quick-snap 1″-3″ cutting height adjustment for a.
Blades on the Scotts classic hand push reel rotary.

Our pick for the best-value reel mower for healthy, precision cutting is the Scotts 2000-20. They’ve really outdone themselves with this one. With a 20” cutting swath, the mower efficiently snips off grass in one single go without any tears or rips. You won’t ever have to run Scotts 2000-20 mower over your yard multiple times.

The blades are constructed with heat-treated alloy steel that stay sharper for longer and cut the grass with amazing precision. Blades can be adjusted from 1-3″ inches. The dual-tracking wheels enhance maneuverability on the lawn, allowing you to create a smooth green carpet.

Scotts 2000-20 Outdoor Power tools mower does its job exceptionally well. Its mower features ergonomic, cushioned handles that ensure proper posture as you mow the lawn. Assembly is easy and quick with no additional tools needed. This lawn mower is one of the best manual lawn mowers on the list at its price point as it’s easy to operate, store, and use.

20” cutting width allows less passes over your lawn
Blade height adjustment from 1-3″ inches for a precision trim
Cushioned, ergonomic handle for easy grip
No-tool assembly
Wheels can degrade quicker than other models
Blades degrade quicker than other higher-priced picks

Fiskars StaySharp Max Reel Mower

Quality Yardcare Tools: Designed to help you take.
Advanced Technology for best-in-class cutting.
Superior Ergonomics: Reversible grass chute can.

Fiskars has re-defined reel mowers for lawns. With an 18-inch cutting swath, this reel mower takes only a few minutes to get the job done.

The quality of the StaySharp Max Fiskars reel mower blades allows you to cut grass for years without ever needing re-sharpening. Fiskars mower blades cut without any unwanted contact with the grass. This means there are no rips or tears, making for a smooth lawn-mowing experience.

The Fiskars StaySharp Max is really easy to push and maneuver across the yard. With its InertiaDrive reel, Fiskars performs with a superior cutting power to trim down tough spots without any damage to the grass. Fiskars also features a reversible grass chute that works amazingly to direct the clippings forward and prevent any mess. The cutting height is adjustable from 1-4″ inches, which is ideal for trimming down thicker tufts of grass.

The only possible drawback is that Fiskars is slightly heavier than other mowers. At 51 pounds, you will find it tedious to push it across the yard after a while. You might also want to store it in your garage instead of hanging it on the floor. Finally, the Fiskars StaySharp Max Reel Mower also comes with a 3-year warranty should anything go wrong.

StaySharp cutting system ensures long-lasting blades
InertiaDrive reel delivers superior cutting power and easily cuts through thick grass
Inset wheels that allow blades to work across the mower’s full width
Limited 3-year warranty
At 51lb it’s heavier than other models
Doesn’t perform well on a grade, common of all push mowers

American Lawn Mower Co. Push Reel Lawn Mower

4-blade reel mower with a cutting width of 14”.
This push lawn mower has an adjustable blade.
Manual grass cutter is environment-friendly.

The 4-blade classic push reel lawn mower by the American Lawn Mower Company is a fantastic, durable choice. With its 8.5” composite wheels, this mower is easier to push on a big yard. It comes with an adjustable height of 0.5”-1.75” for optimal grass-cutting. The blades are built from heat-treated alloy steel, which keeps them sharp for a long time.

This is a low-maintenance mower and an eco-friendly alternative to electric-powered mowers. The high-quality 4-blade system can snip various grass types, like bluegrass, rye, and fescue with supreme versatility.

The machine also has a T-shaped ergonomic cushioned handle that allows for an easy, comfortable grip. All in all, this 4-blade push reel lawn mower does a super-efficient and quiet job at cutting the grass with zero hassles.

Efficient scissor-like grass cutting action
4 smooth-spinning blades that snip the grass without damaging it
Height adjustability of 0.5”-1.75” for optimal grass-cutting
Easy-roll wheels make the mower easy to push and maneuver
Difficult to snip a lush, thick turf
Might have to go twice over a piece of ground for proper grass cutting

GreenWorks Reel Lawn Mower

18″ Cutting path gets the job done quicker and.
2-In-1 feature provides mulching and rear bag.
9 position height adjustment offers a range of.

Next up is the 18-inch reel lawn mower by GreenWorks. This one has simple and practical features to get the job done quickly. The wide 18” cutting path will allow you to snip the grass more efficiently and in less amount of time. The mower also comes with a 2-in-1 feature with rear bag and mulching capabilities. This can serve as a lawn fertilizer while protecting you from the mess as you mow the lawn.

GreenWorks also features a versatile height adjustment with a cutting height between 1.75-2.75″ inches. This range can cover almost every grass type without running the mower over it multiple times. However, the main reason why this manual mower stands out is its dynamic wheel system. With 10” forward wheels and 4” rear wheels, these rotary mowers make maneuvering across the thickest tufts of grass a breeze.

18” cutting path with fast scissor-cutting action
Rear bag and mulching features to fertilize the lawn while clipping
Dynamic 10” wheel and 4” rear wheels
Build quality isn’t durable over 3 years unless you’re careful
Not good for thick, tough lawns

Sun Joe Manual Reel Mower

[REEL MOWER]: Ideal to quickly mow Small to.
[ADJUSTABLE]: Tailor your cutting Height settings.
[RAZOREEL]: 5 durable Steel blades swiftly slice.

The 16″ Sun Joe manual reel mower is ideal for small lawns and yards. It is also the best reel mower for creating aesthetic borders around the boundary of your lawn. Its easy height adjustability and lightweight quality allow precision cutting in a short amount of time. Built with a rust-resistant deck, the mower will remain in pristine quality for a long time.

With two large 10” wheels and two smaller 6” wheels, this reel mower makes maneuvering on the lawns extremely easy. The comfortable foam grip and manual height adjustment with 9 potential settings make the Sun Joe Manual reel mower a good pick at the cheapest price on our list. However, this model does not include a grass catcher — if you want a grass catcher included, consider one of the others.

Excellent for small lawns
Comfortable foam grip to make pushing easier
10″ forward wheels and 6″ rear wheels
Rust-resistant deck and lightweight
The front wheels aren’t as durable as other models
Height adjustment a bit too low
Noisier than expected

Earthwise Push Reel Lawn Mower

Hand-push reel mower with 16″ cutting width.
Versatile Earthwise Power Tools by ALM push lawn.
Alloy steel 7-blade mower stays sharp longer

The 16-inch Earthwise push reel mower offers some real advantages to gardeners. Earthwise has really outdone itself with this low-maintenance and zero-hassle machine. Perfect for both small and big yards, all the reel mower needs is a nice push to get started. If you’re ready for some exercise, mowing the lawn with this machine is going to be a wonderful experience.

But perhaps what truly makes it the best is its easy usage and storage. The lightweight build makes it super easy to move around and maneuver over the thickest of grasses. You can park this reel mower in a garage or hang it over a wall until the next use.

With the 7-blade ball-bearing deck, this reel mower is perfect for cutting through grass with precision in a short amount of time. You can cover large areas in one single sweep without having to run the mower multiple times. Blade quality is also quite nice at this price point.

16” cutting width with 7-blade ball bearing reel
10″ composite wheels with a side steel plate
0.5-2.5” adjustable cutting height
The rollers on the blades can cause the mower to lock up sometimes
Height is adjustable but requires unscrewing the wedges

What Is a Reel Mower?

Reel mowers feature a cutting reel that comprises 3-7 blades and a bed knife. They’re built with either two or four wheels to allow for noiseless, fast-cutting mowing of a lawn. When the mower is pushed forward, the blades begin to spin vertically. The motion causes the mower blades to lift the grass between themselves and the bed knife, in turn clipping off the grass blades in a scissor-like action.

Compared to cylinder reel mowers used in the past, these new models are easier to push and result in a cleaner, healthier lawn. The biggest benefit of reel mowers is that they don’t tear or rip the lawn during the cutting process. Like rotary mowers, reel mowers don’t hurt individual grass blades.

Are Reel Mowers Effective?

Reel mowers or push lawn mowers are effective as they improve the health of your grass, but they aren’t as powerful as electric or gas-powered mowers. The mower blades use a scissor-like cutting action that doesn’t tear up the grass blades.

The snipping action of a reel mower allows the grass to retain its natural moisture, thereby making it more resistant against insects and diseases. Grass blades become weak and vulnerable to diseases when they’re habitually torn or ripped apart as they would be with a traditional lawnmower.

Above all, most reel mowers are noiseless and extremely easy to use. All they require is a push to get the cutting started on the lawn. They are also economical and are relatively low maintenance. They don’t even require any gas or oil for power, resulting in zero fuel costs. Easy to assemble and lightweight with lots of bonus features, a push lawn mower is a great one-time investment for your lawn.

If you live in a close-knit neighborhood, the grinding sounds of a rotary mower can quickly annoy people…trust me! On the other hand, push mowers only make a gentle ‘snip-snip-snip’ sound. Before you know it, the job is done.

Lastly, push mowers are excellent for the environment. They don’t use any fuel and hence, don’t contribute to pollution. Push mowers are simple, practical, and hassle-free machines for modern gardeners.

Features of Reel Mowers

To determine the best reel mower for you, it’s important to analyze its different features. There are many things that constitute a high-quality reel mower. Here we’ve explained the major features of a reel mower.

Blade Cutting Height

A reel mower usually has an adjustable cutting height of a few inches, usually 1-3 inches. Staying in these parameters allows the blades to neatly cut the grass without harming it in the long term. Adjusting the blades at a proper height depends on the length of your grass blades.

By setting the right blade cutting height, your grass remains more vigorous and healthy.

Number of Blades

The number of mower blades greatly influences the performance of the machine. The number indicates how many times the blades can cut through the grass within a meter-long span. For example, a 5-blade reel with a high number of revolutions will result in cleaner and well-trimmed grass as compared to a 10-blade reel with a low number of revolutions.

A high revolution count can easily damage the blades with aggressive cutting. This can also influence the service life of the reels and the quality of their sharpness. The ideal rule is to ensure a high-quality cut with a moderate number of blades, somewhere between 4-7.

Blade Durability

The blades of a rotary mower can be aggressive and, therefore, not that durable. The rough cutting motion causes the blades to lose their sharpness quickly. When buying a reel mower, always make sure that the blades are constructed with high-quality material, preferably alloy steel.

A reel mower whose blades are heated with alloy steel tends to stay sharper for longer. Alloy steel has an extremely high tensile strength, which makes the blade resistant to corrosion and extremely durable over many uses.

Swath Width

The standard swath width of a good reel mower ranges from 15-20 inches. A wide swath width would mean that you have to mow more frequently. This can also make the machine difficult to push because the grass can become resistant. Therefore, a good swath width is around18 inches, which will help you use the mower blades to their maximum capacity.

Slope

If you have a uniform and level lawn, you can use any reel mower. However, if your yard is bumpy or slightly sloped, you should look for a reel mower that can cut across different angles. This way, you won’t have to run the mower multiple times across the same path.

Grass Spray

All the grass a reel mower cuts will eventually have to go somewhere. If you don’t want to be covered in the clippings, you can use a frontal grass spray to keep your feet away from the mess or select a mower with a grass catch.

Weight

It’s important to choose a lightweight reel mower as the weight can be a huge problem the longer you push the mower. You might be tempted to choose a heavy reel mower for a big lawn as it’s easier to push over a large area. That’s not a bad idea, provided you won’t become fatigued. Lighter machines are easier to push but can also not adhere as well to the ground over bumpy surfaces. The best reel mower will be light enough to push easily for a long period of time while still being heavy enough to effectively do the job.

Factors to Consider When Buying a Reel Mower

There are many factors to consider when you are looking for the perfect reel mower. When choosing a reel mower for your lawn, you need to inspect its effectiveness, affordability, maintenance, and price. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose a reliable reel mower – one that your lawn will love.

Effectiveness

The best reel mower will quickly prove its effectiveness on the lawn. Choosing a manual mower over the electric-powered one helps reduce carbon emissions. It also eliminates a major concern of damaging the grass due to tearing and ripping.

A high-quality reel mower should have an excellent cutting height and durable blades to be effective on different grass carpets.

Affordability

The best reel mowers offer great cutting power at an affordable price. Most budget models don’t cost more than 70, while premium ones are usually around 200. But perhaps the biggest financial benefit of reel mowers is that after the initial investment, they’re virtually cost-free. There are no fuel charges or replacement costs involved.

Limitations

Reel mowers are essentially built for mowing short grass. So, yes, you may face limitations with mowing grass taller than 4 inches. You will need to go over a few passes initially. However, maintaining the lawn is usually easy after that.

But keep in mind that due to their manual nature, even the best reel mowers are only practical for small or medium yards that are less than 3000 sq ft. Anything larger than this will require an electric, gas, or sit-on-top mower.

Price

One good thing about a reel mower is that it’s far more affordable than one powered by gas or electricity. Most of them usually cost under 200 and have zero maintenance or operating costs. A reel mower is truly a one-time investment for your garden.

Maintenance

The greatest benefit of a reel mower is that it’s maintenance-free. It doesn’t require any fuel, which means no oil changes, charging, refueling, or replacement parts. All you have to do is sharpen the blades once every few years.

Size of Your Lawn

Again, reel mowers are suited for small and medium-sized yards. This is because the average cutting width of these mowers is usually 14”-20”. Pushing them across a large-sized lawn will make the task extremely tedious.

Using a Reel Mower

The best reel mowers are those that are easy to use. Since the entire exercise is manual, a high-quality reel mower should offer easy maneuverability on the lawn. Here’s a quick guide to help you use your reel mower.

Sharpening Reel Mower Blades

The most major maintenance of a reel mower is sharpening its blades. Thankfully, you don’t have to sharpen the blades often as alloy steel doesn’t dull very quickly. They retain their sharp cutting edges for a long time. However, after a few years, it’s time to give them a quick sharpening.

Start by checking the alignment of the reel. If it’s fine, then sharpen the blades. You can do this with a backlapping sharpening kit. The kit usually offers a sharpening compound with a handle. Attach the handle to the driving gear of the reel mower and use a normal brush to put the sharpening compound on each of the blades.

Now, twist the mower in a reverse direction so that the blades can scrape each other down and become sharp again. While this is the best way to sharpen the blades, you can also do the job using a power drill with a sharpening attachment.

Cutting Tall or Thick Grass

Even when reel mowers are excellent for maintaining healthy and well-hydrated grass, they can get blocked while operating in overgrown lawns with thick or tall grass. It can be hard to push them forward. If your grass is taller than 4 inches, you can still use a manual lawn mower, but you will need a little patience.

The best technique is to mow by overlapping. What this means is that once you’re done mowing one row, you should turn back with your mower and start clipping while overlapping the previously mowed ground by a few inches. This will ensure that there are no high streaks of grass between each mowed row.

You can also do the job using the checkerboard pattern. Mow the lawn twice, except the second time, mow in the opposite direction. The crisscross pattern will ensure that there are no thick tufts of grass remaining.

Definitions : Reel and Rotary

A Reel Mower is a mower in which the blades spin vertically (north to south) and use a scissoring action to cut the blades of grass. A reel mower should have between three and seven blades, depending on the model type.

Golf courses are most often cut with reel mowers which are pulled by a tractor.
A Reel mower pushed by people does not cut very high grass as well or as easily.
However, once the lawn is under control, the scissor-like cut of a reel mower is healthier for the lawn.

A Reel mower snips the grass, cutting each blade like a pair of scissors. It’s a precise, clean cut that makes for a healthier and more attractive lawn.

A Rotary Mower is a mower in which the blade spins horizontally (east to west) and uses a sucking and tearing action to cut the blades of grass. Rotary mowers usually have one blade which rotates very fast. The rotary mower design is simple and adapts very well to small engines. Rotary mowers can cut a wide variety of grass conditions. Rotary mowers are usually powered by gas engines or electric engines.

Over the course of a cutting season, leaving lawn clippings as you mow is equivalent to a free application of fertilizer.

Mulching (“Grasscycling”) means laying a “blanket” of organic matter over the lawn which helps to retain moisture and add nutrients. With the cutting action of a reel mower you can leave reel clippings on the lawn. A reel mower creates a fine spray of clippings that act as a mulch and decompose quickly, releasing nitrogen into the lawn. Over the course of a cutting season, that mulch is equivalent to a free application of fertilizer.

Many states (24 at this writing) and Washington, D.C., have passed laws banning the disposal of yard waste, including grass clippings in landfills. According to the Composting Council, yard trimmings are the second largest component of municipal solid waste (18 percent or 35 million tons).The Professional Lawn Care Association of America is promoting Grasscycling. This term means either composting or mulching the clippings where they are produced.

Reel Mowers

Earthwise 16″ Bent Reel Mower

165.00 FREE shipping

This reel mower is specifically designed to cut low-growing, creeping grasses.

Earthwise 18″ Quiet Cut Reel Mower

189.00 35 shipping

The Earthwise 18-inch Quiet Cut Reel Mower features a non-contact quiet reel system for quieter and smoother operation.

Scotts 20″ Classic Reel Mower

169.00 30 shipping

This large reel mower cuts as wide as a traditional gas powered mower but without the harm to the environment and loud noise.

Hudson Star Classic Cut Mower Reel Mower

2190.00 FREE shipping

Hudson Star Greensmowers have lower cutting heights than most reel mowers and will mow low enough for a putting green.

Rotary Mowers

Earthwise 20″ Cordless Electric Lawn Mower

139.00 31.99 shipping

The Earthwise 14″ Corded electric mower delivers the performance of a rotary lawn mower without gas, oil or pollution.

Resources ::

PPM has enthusiatically developed an outreach page for gas mower emmissions and related research. Find:

In Praise of the Push Reel Mower

I recently became a homeowner and along with my first house came another first: my very own little piece of land to tend. And since Kate and I had been living in apartments for all our married life, I needed to buy a mower to take care of our lawn. Like most Americans, I grew up using and being surrounded by gas-powered mowers. The sound of two-stroke engines firing up around the neighborhood was the unofficial soundtrack of my boyhood summers.

But despite my immersion in the cult of Lawn Boy, I’ve always been intrigued by old-fashioned manual/push reel mowers. Maybe my curiosity about them came from flipping through old magazines depicting a happy 1950s suburban dad mowing his small patch of green heaven. Or maybe it was from watching groundskeepers use giant reel mowers to mow the infield at baseball stadiums.

Whatever the reason for my lifelong pull towards the manual reel mower, when I was in the market for my own mower, I decided to look into whether the old-fashioned push reel mower was a viable option for my lawn mowing needs. To my great surprise, I discovered that the reel mower isn’t just a viable option, but is in some instances superior to its gas-powered cousins.

How a Push Reel Mower Works

Your typical power rotary mower has a spinning blade that chops off the top of the grass as it rotates like a helicopter, resulting in torn and shredded turf. Instead of tearing and chopping your grass, a reel mower cuts your grass just like a pair of scissors. It’s easier to understand how this works when you can see the mower, rather than just describing it, so check out the video below for a full explanation:

Oh, and it goes without saying, but unlike a power mower that requires gas or electricity to work, you provide the power to your manual reel mower.

Choosing a Push Reel Mower

Mowing with my Fiskars Push Reel

The basic construction of a reel mower is pretty much the same across brands. They mainly vary in characteristics like:

Weight. How heavy will it be when you’re pushing it?
Cutting width. The longer and bigger the mower is, the heavier it will be, but the less passes you’ll have to make back and forth on your lawn, and thus the faster you’ll get the job done.
Cutting heights. What’s the range of heights you can adjust the blades up and down?
Direction of grass spray. Does the grass spray behind the mower or out in front? Obviously the latter has an advantage in not covering your feet with clippings.

When I was looking for a reel mower, I did a lot of research and finally brought home the Fiskars Staysharp Max Push Reel Lawn Mower. This thing isn’t your grandpa’s heavy old contraption. The folks at Fiskars have taken the old manual reel mower design and updated it for the 21st century: it’s 60% easier to push than other manual mowers, boasts twice the cutting power of competitors, sprays the grass out in front of you, and the blades only need sharpening every 5-10 years (that’s the “StaySharp” bit). It’s fast, powerful, and maneuverable. Not to mention kind of fun to use. After mowing with my Fiskars for nearly two months, I can confidently say that it’s given me the best mowing experience I’ve ever had. Kate and I even fight over who gets to mow the lawn now (the compromise: I mow the front; she mows the back). I can’t sing the mower’s praises highly enough ( and I don’t have any affiliation with the company whatsoever, by the way–just a very happy customer ).

Look at that beautiful cascade of grass.

If your only experience with a push reel mower was using a heavy clunker in your youth, I highly recommend giving the Fiskars a try. It will change your mind about manual mowers.

The Benefits of a Push Reel Mower

Push reel mowers are better for your grass’ health. This was my biggest motivating factor for purchasing a push reel mower as opposed to a power rotary mower. As mentioned above, power rotary mowers cut the grass by chopping and tearing your grass, while reel mowers cut the grass by snipping it cleanly like a pair of scissors. Torn and shredded grass leaves your lawn vulnerable to disease and insect attacks; grass that is cleanly cut with a reel mower heals faster and is less vulnerable to those maladies.

Push reel mowers make your lawn look nicer. Not only are reel mowers better for your grass’ health, they leave your lawn looking professionally manicured. Again, it all goes back to the scissor-like way the reel mower cuts the grass. Clean and even cuts make for a clean and even-looking lawn. The reel mower’s superior cut is the reason why groundskeepers at professional baseball stadiums and golf courses use large reel mowers pulled by tractors. The reel cut makes the grass look purty.

Push reel mowers are quiet. One of the things I hated the most about the old gas-powered Lawn Boy of my youth was the noise. First, it’s just grating to have to listen to a loud and obnoxious two-stroke engine for extended periods of time. Second, because the thing was so stinking loud, I couldn’t mow the grass too early or too late in the evening, lest I disturb the neighbors. That’s not a problem if you live in, say, Vermont, where summer days are pleasantly warm and idyllic (if it’s not raining). When you live in hot and humid Oklahoma, however, mowing your yard during the day with the sun beating down on you is downright miserable.

The push reel mower solves both of those noise-related problems. The only sound it makes is a satisfyingly quiet “snip-snip-snip” as the mower cuts the grass. I love hearing that sound. It’s actually rather soothing. And because my manual reel mower is so darn quiet, I can mow my lawn early in the morning without waking up the neighbors. Goodbye 107-degrees-with-a-heat-index-of-a-115 lawn mowing sessions!

Push reel mowers don’t emit pollution. Don’t let the smallness of your power lawn mower engine deceive you. That sucker spits out a crap load of air pollution. If you let a typical gas-powered lawn mower run for an hour, it will produce as much air pollution as a sedan running for two hundred miles. Jeez-um!

The amount of pollution a push reel mower produces? Zilch. Unless of course you count the relaxing farts you rip as you cut the grass.

If you’re an environmentally-conscious guy, the choice is clear between power and manual. You gotta go manual.

Push reel mowers are hassle-free. Push reel mowers are simple machines. You push it and blades spin around and cut your grass. That’s it. No pulling starter cords or priming the engine before you can mow. Just start walking and–bam!–you’re cutting the grass. Also, you’ll never have to buy gas, oil, or spark plugs ever again. About the only maintenance you’ll have with your manual reel mower is blade sharpening, and some folks think that’s more of an enjoyable, mind-settling task than a chore. And again, with the Fiskars, you’ll only have to sharpen the blades every half decade or so.

Push reel mowers are cheaper. Even a “top-of-the-line” reel mower like the Fiskars costs less than most power mowers. And if you get one of the smaller, classic models, they can run you less than 100. Plus, there are no maintenance costs. With gas as high as they are, why waste a single drop tooling around your backyard?

Push reel mowers exercise your body. There’s no autodrive on a push reel mower. These bad boys are man-powered. The Fiskars is particularly heavy for a reel mower (52 lbs), but is designed in a way that makes it easier to push, and it gives me a nice bout of exercise; hard enough to work up a satisfying sweat, but not so hard it leaves me feeling exhausted. It’s kind of like pushing a Prowler Sled around your yard, except for that when you’re done, you’re in better shape and your lawn has been mowed.

Push reel mowers are safer than power mowers. In a careless moment a power mower can turn into a rolling death trap, or at least an appendage mauler. than 75,000 Americans, 10,000 of which are children, are injured in lawn mowing accidents annually, and, get this, 75 people die from lawn mowing accidents every year. Mowing over a grass-hidden rock can turn it into a projectile capable of traveling 200 mph and taking out someone’s eye, and the power mower’s fast-whirling blades have eaten up children’s toes and hands. And even if your power mower isn’t running, you’re still at risk for an accident. I burnt my hand on a hot lawn mower engine as a boy and still have the scar to prove it.

While some dangers still exist when using a reel mower, they’re much, much safer than power mowers. Unless I ran the thing right over someone Tom and Jerry-style, there’s little risk of it chewing up a limb. If you run over a rock, instead of shooting it out like a bullet, your mower just jams. Also, no hot engines to burn yourself on.

Push reel mowers make mowing a pleasure. As a young man, I saw lawn mowing as a chore that you had to do every week. I didn’t look forward to it. I just did it because I had to. Since I’ve started mowing with my Fiskars push reel mower, mowing the grass has turned from a chore into a pleasure. I actually look forward to lawn mowing day. Really! I love pushing it in the cool of the early morning as birds chirp at the day’s start. I love listening to the quiet “snip-snip-snip” of grass cutting. I love the physicality of it–how it feels a little like pushing a plow. I love watching tiny blades of cut grass spit out in front of my mower in a green cascade. Most of all, I love the satisfying feeling I get as I look over my cleanly cut lawn.

Is a Push Reel Mower Right For You?

In Gran Torino, Korean War vet Walt Kowalski calms his mind before confronting a violent gang by mowing his yard with a manual reel mower. Manly.

Now before you head to the home improvement store to pick up a push reel mower, you need to know that it’s not for everybody. Sometimes power or riding mowers are actually better, depending on a variety of factors. Below I highlight a few of these factors you should consider before switching to a push reel mower.

Your yard is a half-acre or smaller. Manual reel mowers are suited for small to medium-sized yards. Most experts agree that if you have to mow more than 8,000 square feet, you’re better off using a power push or riding mower. Although I will say that my yard is on the large end of a medium-sized yard, and it only takes me 45 minutes to mow with my manual mower. And if your yard is the size of most yards in suburban developments, there really isn’t any reason you shouldn’t use a push reel mower.

You can’t bag clippings. If you’re one of those folks who prefer to bag your clippings, then a push reel mower probably isn’t for you. While some push reel mowers have a basket that will catch your clippings, they don’t work very well, and many don’t offer any clipping catcher at all.

However, if you’re a devoted-bagger, you might reconsider your stance. Most lawn care experts agree that you shouldn’t bag your clippings and should just leave them in your grass. Grass clippings are fertilizer for your lawn. They provide the same beneficial nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium nutrients that are in commercial fertilizers, except they’re free.

Not great for excessively bumpy and overgrown yards. I’ve noticed that on areas of my lawn that have a lot of bumps, the reel mower doesn’t do a good job of cutting, mainly because the wheels can’t get good traction to move the blade. I’ll usually have to come back and trim that with my weed-wacker. It’s not a problem because there’s only one part in my lawn that gives me trouble.

Also, push reel mowers work best on yards that are already well-maintained. They don’t cut really long grass too well, so if you always let your grass get pretty long before you cut it, you’re better off using a power mower.

What sort of grass do you have? Manual reel mowers work better on some types of grass than others. Most reel mowers have a hard time handling extra thick grasses like Zoysia, St. Augustine, and Bermuda. Never fear. If you have a lawn that’s made completely of one of these grasses, you’re not necessarily relegated to just gas-powered mowers. Heavier, more powerful manual reel mowers like the Fiskars don’t have a problem with these types of grasses. Adjusting the height of the reel mower’s blades can also prevent the mower from getting bogged down in thick grass.

Shave Like Your Grandpa, Mow Like Your Grandpa

After a couple of months of using my push reel mower, I really don’t know why the manual mower isn’t more popular or why most folks get the gas-powered variety. It seems quite analogous to shaving. There are a few things where the classic turns out to do just as good a job (sometimes an even better one), and provides a more enjoyable and satisfying experience to boot. The safety razor is one of those things. And so is the push reel mower. Give it a try!

Reel Mower vs. Rotary Mowers

But one of the most unique distinctions between lawn mowers is whether the mower uses reel or rotary blades.

And no I’m not talking about manual push reel mowers. I’m talking about the REAL, gas-powered reel mowers like the one below:

So, which is better rotary or reel? Let’s find out!

Which is better a Rotary or Reel mower?

To determine which mower is better, we have to weigh the differences of each machine. As well as the pros and cons.

First up is the rotary mower:

What is a Rotary Mower?

A rotary mower is your standard everyday lawn mower. It’s likely what you immediately think of when you hear the word “lawn mower”. Rotary mowers use a blade that rotates parallel to the lawn they are cutting.

How do rotary mowers work?

Rotary mowers work by rotating at incredibly high speeds. This high speed creates a lift, forming a vacuum, which causes the grass to be sucked upwards. Meanwhile, the blade rotates quickly around (at about 200mph or 3000 rpm) and slices the grass at the blade height.

This suction along with the quickly spinning blade or blades is what cuts grass efficiently.

The Purpose of Rotary Mowers

Rotary mowers are all-purpose mowers that can cut just about any type of lawn. They are better for cutting grass on uneven ground, or on lawns where sticks and rocks are present. Further, rotary mowers are best for cutting grass at taller grass.

Pros of Reel Mowers: Can cut tall grass easily, and the blades are cheap and easy to sharpen. Are not easily affected by sticks or even rocks. To get your lawn ready for a reel mower, use these yard clean up tips.

Cons of Reel Mowers: Can not cut grass as low as a rotary mower, and does not cut as evenly as a reel mower can. Does not cut grass as cleanly.

What is a REAL reel mower?

Look, I was shocked when I found this one out myself. Reel mowers aren’t just rinky-dink pieces of metal that serve better as a lawn decoration than actually keeping grass cut.

No, there are also commercial grade high-end top-of-the-line reel mowers that offer some unique features that the traditional rotary mower can not. We will get to those features in a moment. But first…

How do reel mowers work?

Unlike a rotary mower which uses 1, 2, or even 3 quickly rotating blades that spin parallel to the ground, a reel mower uses 4, 5, 7 or even 11 blades on a single reel.

Get this, some top-end commercial reel mowers, like the TORO 121″ Reelmaster 7000 Mower, can have as many as 5 reels. With 11 blades on each reel. That’s 55 blades!

I would hate to be the one that has to sharpen the blades on a mower like that!

So, what the heck is so special about these “reel” mowers anyhow?

The Purpose of Reel Mowers

Here’s the deal, a reel mower isn’t for your average homeowner’s lawn. No, these precision-grade machines are for those who want a PERFECT lawn. And I mean perfect.

As far as use on residential properties, about the only people that use a high-end reel mower, are hobbyist homeowners who love perfecting their lawns.

However, when it comes to commercial properties like baseball stadiums, golf courses, soccer fields, and the like. A reel mower offers a far superior cut, with sharper stripes and a tighter cut.

Pros of Reel Mowers: Reel mowers are excellent at cutting grass low and tight to the ground, best of all they can provide a nice even cut on the lawn. They also offer a sharper, cleaner cut on the grass which avoids grass discoloration.

Cons of Reel Mowers: Easily jammed up by sticks and rocks. Further, they can not cut tall grass well either. Sharpening the blades is not a DIY project. The lower cut may lead to a lawn more likely to become brown in the summer heat. Grass needs to be cut more frequently (twice a week or more).

Which is Better Reel or Rotary Mower?

Well, to be honest. Each mower has its place.

Rotary mowers will probably always be the front-runner choice for most lawn care pros and homeowners. Simply put they are more versatile and easier for the average user to operate and troubleshoot.

However, reel mowers do seem to be growing in popularity among homeowners. The thing is while they offer a superior cut, unless you frivolously maintain your lawn, or pay top dollar to have your lawn perfectly manicured by lawn care pros. You will have more issues than it’s worth to operate a reel mower.

Should I invest in a reel mower for my lawn care company?

While in theory, a reel cutting service may appeal to some residential clients, very few are going to want to pay for 2 or 3 cuts a week.

In my experience, the only practical application for reel mowers is for lawn care companies that specifically service large commercial properties that are willing to pay top dollar to have their lawns perfectly manicured.

Or if you are specifically targeting VERY wealthy clients that want a perfectly maintained lawn and are willing to fork out

Reel Mowers are practical for cutting sports fields, and especially golf courses. So unless you have large commercial clients I would not recommend investing in a reel mower for your lawn care business. The bottom line is it’s not the type of equipment you want if you are just getting started.

In the words of one lawn care pro:

Rotary vs. Reel At the End of the Day

While there are certainly some amazing advantages to using a reel mower on certain properties, overall the rotary mower will always be a more practical solution for a lawn care company.

While they can be a fun hobby for your own lawn, the commercial use of a reel mower for a profitable lawn care company is strictly limited to VERY high-end residential clients and commercial clients that want a perfect lawn.

If you are looking for more great lawn care business tips, check out our lawn care pros section.

Sources:

https://www.crabgrasslawn.com/best-lawn-mower-for-bermuda-grass/
https://www.epicgardening.com/best-reel-mowers/
http://www.peoplepoweredmachines.com/reel_defined.html
https://www.artofmanliness.com/lifestyle/gear/in-praise-of-the-push-reel-mower/
https://www.yourgreenpal.com/blog/reel-mower-vs-rotary-mowers-which-is-best-for-mowing-grass