Clipper Push Reel Lawn Mowers. Old time lawn mower

Clipper Push Reel Lawn Mowers

Absolutely the Cadillac of Reel Push Mowers. Made in the USA. Extra heavy-duty commercial-grade construction.

An easy-to-push reel mower with a solid handle, adjustable cut heights, six extra hardened blades, hardened bearings, old-fashioned mower wheels, steel roller brackets, and knobs.

Details

Reel mowers are still popular for those who have a small yard and little space to store a gasoline mower.

These are easy-to-push mowers built with a solid handle, adjustable cut heights in 1/4″ increments, “zinc plated” steel roller brackets, and knobs. These mowers can be hung on a wall in a small storage unit or garage

The Clipper USA series provide a high-quality silent-type hand push reel mower that simply can not be matched by any other reel mowers on the market today. In fact, the Clipper USA mowers are built just like the original silent reel mowers were.

Note: The Amish shop sets the mowers with a tight tolerance of just touching the blades against the bed-knife. They have found this setting provides the best cut and keeps the blades sharper longer. You may adjust to your individual preference including the silent mode if you would like.

Cutting widths in 17”, 19”, and 21” The price above reflects the 17” select other sizes below using the drop-down box. The additional sizes will incrementally add to the price of the 17”.

Cutting depth range 1″- 2 1/2″ with 9-5/8″ tires and 3/4″- 2 1/4″ with 9″ tires. It is not recommended to cut uneven lawns at the lowest setting as it will likely scalp over high areas and dull the blades quicker.

The standard wheels are now 9-5/8”. The 9-5/8” wheel provides a balance between the 9” and 10” wheels for both bent and tall grasses. A 9” wheel is available using the drop-down boxes for those who may want the ability to mow at ¼” lower for home golf or croquet courses. An additional upcharge applies for the 9” wheel option to cover the labor cost of switching the wheels prior to shipping.

The original Clipper 9” wheel which some use for bentgrass mowing or a 10” wheel which some may use for tall grass mowing has been combined into a 9-5/8” wheel. The 1” difference in the 10” size would seem to provide an additional 1” mowing height. However, only half of the wheel touches the ground, meaning there was only a ½” height difference using a 10” wheel. The 9-5/8” wheel provides an additional ¼” over the previous 9” wheel.

The mower is shipped with the wheel axles tightened down to secure the wheels in place. The axle nuts will need to be loosened just enough to free up the adjustment levers, and then retightend before mowing. This keeps the gears meshing inside of the wheels at the correct angle. Leaving them loose will cause uneven wear on those gears.

We also receive calls about the T-Handle saying that the bolts are too short to put on the nuts. They are carriage bolts with a square shank next to the head. The purpose of this shank is to pull down inside the smaller hole and seat so that you do not have to use a wrench or screwdriver. The tops of the bolts will need to be tapped in with a hammer into the hole until enough thread is showing for the nut to begin to thread on, then take a wrench and pull them down into the handle until they are flush without splintering. Sending any longer bolts could easily cause hands and sleeves to catch on the extended bolts once they are tightened down.

• Heat-treated bed-knife is made of special materials to give ultimate toughness and long-lasting sharpness.
• The six-reel blades are riveted just like the original Silent Scotts were. Riveting does not distort the reel cage like welding the blades.
• High-tolerance bearings and heat-treated adjustment levers are standard
• Metal wheels with rubber tires
• Heavy Duty Roller
• Ultra-Fine, a one-nut adjustment in 1/4″ increments (One thumb nut on each side)
• Hardened, grade 8 bed-knife bolts
• Convenient kick bar for mowing tight corners
• Powder Coated finish with weather-resistant decals
• Fully Warranted against any defects
• 9” standard rubber tires, 9-5/8” tires available as an upgrade for the higher cutting height

Add the USA-made rolling grass catcher. Click Here for the optional grass catcher. The grass catcher will fit all sizes from 17” to 21” and folds flat for easy storage.

Reel mowers were commonly used for mowing yards before the gasoline engines were invented and sized to fit onto a lawnmower. They are still popular for those who have a small yard and little space to store a gasoline mower and the gas can to fuel it. These mowers can be hung on a wall in a small storage unit or garage.

Reel mowers are also still used in the Amish sustainable living communities where these reel mowers are built and sold for long-term use. Other reel mowers are on the market but do not hold up to the quality that these mowers provide for long-term ownership.

We offer all three Amish-made reel mowers to provide our customers with greater selections, options, and price ranges. Too many selections sometimes create more confusion so let’s break them down for a better understanding of the pricing differences.

All three different Amish reel mower companies offer heavy-duty reel push mower models that are hands down much higher in quality than the average reel mowers being sold in hardware and home improvement stores.

The Clipper Reel Mower is the Cadillac-Mercedes of reel mowers. It is all USA-made by the Amish using USA-made parts. The reel has riveted blades and the bed-knife is higher quality US steel and is extra tempered for the longest cutting sharpness. The Bed-Knife and spiral reels were patterned from the vintage Scotts Silent mowers. It is also the most expensive of all reel mowers. Despite the price, it is also the most popular between the Amish and Non-Amish. Clipper is our best seller.

Mascot Silent Reel Mowers use all imported parts and are assembled overseas. It is strictly quality controlled by an Amish company that personally inspects, sharpens, and tunes each one before it ships to a customer. The Amish company developed it from the vintage Scotts Silent mowers. Many of the parts will interchange with the old Scott mowers. It is a popular mower with high satisfaction for the Amish and Non-Amish who are looking for long-term durability and performance. In fact, we had so many calls about why we did not carry the Mascot Mowers we figured we better check them out and were pleasantly surprised with what we found. We categorize it as a Buick of reel mowers and is priced mid-range of the Amish reel mowers.

Silver Pro Reel Mower was developed by an Amish Company as a more budget-friendly option for Amish families. It uses a combination of imported parts and the US-made parts cousin to the Clipper mowers. It is fully assembled in the US, sharpened, and tuned by the Amish. By some accounts, it would be considered made in the USA since many of the parts are made in the US and it is fully assembled in the US. The reel was just recently improved as shown in the newer pictures to now include riveted spiral blades like the Clipper and Mascot. It also uses imported tempered steel blades. It still features steel wheels and solid rubber tires. We categorize the Silver Pro as the Chevy of reel mowers and it’s priced accordingly. It is still much higher quality than other Non-Amish reel mowers.

Click Here to see all our Amish reel mower options.

A note on returns: Reel mowers are not for everyone as they will give you a good physical workout.

We do provide a 30-day return on our products. Realizing that no one has ever returned a Clipper Reel mower and realizing if one was to be returned, to resell it to another customer, they will be expecting a discount for it being used and returned. Thus a 25% restocking fee would need to be discounted from any refunds for a return.

Watch Demo Video

Push Reel Lawn Mower Maintenance (USA Clipper)

Caution: blades and the bedknife are very sharp. Although we demonstrate in the video taking a bare hand across the blades we are being careful not to run our fingers on the edges of the blades or to place our fingers near the bednife and the reel cage when spinning. Note: The ultimate test of the proper adjustment of the bednife is by using strips of paper. Although the mower may seem stiff out of the box, the bednife may be set properly as shown in the video. This is where many feel that it is too tight and begin adjusting without doing the paper test only to become frustrated with poor performance. New mowers will loosen up over time and the bednife will need to be checked with the strips of paper and adjusted accordingly before each season.

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

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.

Messed up and cut under 1/2 inch cutting grass ~ reel mowing double stripe ! Webb Push Mower h12r

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!

See Why An Old-Fashioned Push Reel Mower Is A Great Eco-Friendly Alternative For Mowing Your Lawn

That’s when I’ll be pushing out my reel mower on a weekly basis to manicure my landscaping.

I received my reel mower, a Craftsman hand-push model from Sears, for Christmas back in 1998 when I was a teenager.

No, I wasn’t forced to do yard work. I actually asked for the lawn mower for Christmas because I have always loved getting outside and tending to the lawn — much to the chagrin of my seasonal allergies, I might add.

After nearly 2 decades, my push reel mower still works smoothly.

• Sharpening the lawn mower blades
• Greasing the wheels
• Applying household oil on the gears and other moving parts
• Cleaning old grass, dirt, and grit off all parts of the mower

The Benefits Of Owning A Reel Mower

There are also many other reasons I love my push reel mower:

• I don’t have to buy and replace spark plugs.
• My reel mower makes barely any noise when I’m cutting the grass (which my neighbors assuredly appreciate).
• The reel mower helps me to squeeze in some exercise — especially when chopping down the thick St. Augustine grass that loves growing in my Central Florida yard.
• Reel mowers are great for cutting grass in tight areas, such as around flower gardening beds and near trees.

Tips For Dealing With The Downsides Of Owning A Reel Mower

Nothing is perfect, and neither is owning a reel mower.

• Many reel mowers don’t cut every blade of grass on the first pass. I usually have tomake 2 passes on some of the thicker areas of the lawn to achieve a good, even cut. Sharpening the blades periodically can alleviate that issue.
• It does take longer to mow a lawn with a reel mower than with a power lawn mower. For this reason, reel mowers are usually best suited for cutting small yards measuring under 1/4 acre.
• Debris such as twigs can get caught in the reel mower blades and cause the mower to stop. Carefully removing the twig from the blades will get you mowing again in no time.

All around, I find the many benefits of owning a reel mower outweigh the few downsides — which is one reason why I still swear by my old push mower.

Excellent Push Reel Mowers

Looking for a good reel mower to help keep your green looking green while you stay green for little green? (Um, er – I hope that play on words makes sense.)

• Craftsman Hand-Push Reel Mower – This is the model that has lasted me for nearly 20 years so far and provides a generally easy, even cut. The included bagger is great for catching lawn debris, but many green thumbs will tell you that leaving grass clippings on the lawn will help feed it necessary nutrients and is also more environmentally friendly.
• Fiskars StaySharp Push Reel Mower – From the brand well known for their outstanding scissors, Fiskars push mowers offer exceptional cutting power and efficient operation. These are among the more expensive reel push mowers on the market, but they are worth the money for their ease of use.
• Scotts Push Reel Mower – The name famous for its lawn products has released a push mower that is lightweight and offers tool-free adjustments. This reel mower is about on par in price with most other models and offers a simple design and is easy to operate.
• American Reel Lawn Mower – With ergonomic grips, a lightweight design, and user-friendly operation, this is a great option for those who want a good reel mower without the bells and whistles.

About Eco-Friendly Reel Mowers

As an advocate for good health, I usually try to choose the ‘greener’ option over other more dangerous and/or wasteful options. Generally speaking, if it’s bad for your health or the planet, I try to avoid it. In my effort to live green, I like to find new (healthier) budget-friendly ways to do things — from cleaning to recycling to home decorating. My goal is to help you take the chore out of living green by sharing fun new ecofriendly ideas that you can try today… or any day! My all-time favorite way to live green is to repurpose items and give them a new use — and I’ve written a lot of DIY articles showing how I’ve done it.

The Best Reel Mowers for Your Lawns in 2023 Buying Guide

Reel lawn mowers can be a wise choice for yard maintenance because they are relatively inexpensive, quiet, and easy to maintain. Plus, they only take up only a fraction of the space required by a typical mower.

But that’s not all, they are also better for the overall health of your lawn since they cut grass blades the way scissors would. This is unlike a traditional rotary mower that tends to rip and tear grass, leaving brown tips and exposing it to diseases.

If you’re wondering why else you should consider a reel mower and which ones are the best reel mowers in 2023, then this article was specifically written for a lawn owner like you!

We go over not only what the best reel mowers are, but also what exactly you should look for, and how they work to help you make the best decision for your lawn.

Scotts Classic

Produces NO toxic fumes for the environment to absorb.- just a couple of footprints!

What is a Reel Mower?

A reel mower has vertically spinning blades. This differs from the majority of lawnmowers, known as rotary mowers, in which the blade spins horizontally.

Historically, reel mowers are mechanically powered, necessitating the use of muscle to cut grass. However, today you can also find reel mowers powered by gas, which are particularly useful for cutting larger turf areas.

How Does a Reel Mower Work?

Most motorized push mowers use rotary blades. The cutting edge is parallel to the ground and goes around and around in a clockwise motion (or maybe it’s counter-clockwise, but you get the point).

By contrast, a reel mower’s five to eight spiral steel blades spin at an angle perpendicular to the ground. As you push the mower, the reel turns and snips the grass in a scissor-like motion. It provides a finer cut than a rotary mower — no ripping or tearing — and seals the grass blade, which keeps moisture in and lawn diseases out.

People purchase reel mowers primarily due to their clean, short cut. The truth is that only reel mowers can achieve a cutting height of half an inch or less. If you’ve ever wondered how golf courses maintain such short grass, the answer is a gas-powered reel mower.

Also, unlike power mowers, which create a vacuum that pulls up the blades of grass as it cuts, the snipping action of a reel mower causes minimal disturbance to the natural growth pattern of turf.

This interwoven network of leaves (blades of grass) just above the soil level is a key element of turf’s natural ability to retain moisture and crowd out weeds. Reel mowers cut the grass in place, reducing the vertical height but leaving the grass with blades of varying lengths.

Professional groundskeepers prefer the cutting action of a reel mower because it allows them to cut at the lowest recommended height and still maintain a beautiful healthy look.

It also produces a natural mulch by dispersing clippings in a fine spray (no clumping) that decompose quickly. Left on the lawn, these clippings release nutrients into the soil. Over the course of a growing season, that mulch is equivalent to a free application of organic fertilizer.

Deluxe Light

Ideal for ALL grass types including Florida’s thick-bladed St. Augustine grass.

Why Consider Using a Reel Lawn Mower?

There are multiple reasons why you should consider using a reel lawn mower. Let’s look at some of our top reasons:

• First of all, they start every time.
• They’re much quieter than gas-powered mowers, so quiet that you can mow early Sunday morning without waking the neighbors.
• They’re fuel-free unless you count those bowls of cereal or peanut butter sandwiches that power your engine.
• They don’t degrade air quality (lawn mower engines are terribly inefficient and emit more than 10 times the hydrocarbons per amount of gas burned than auto engines).
• Not only are reel mowers great for the environment, but they also require little maintenance and are a great means of exercise.
• They’re cheaper than gas-powered mowers, both in initial outlay and operating costs.

Are Reel Lawn Mowers Better Than Gas Mowers?

Reel lawn mowers are definitely better than gas-powered, rotary mowers.

Rotary lawn mowers tend to tear off the tops of grass blades, leaving them exposed to disease. Ever notice how the tops of each grass blade turn brown after mowing with a gas machine?

A reel mower snips the grass, like scissors, leaving finer trimmings to mulch in your yard. This mulch not only nourishes your lawn but also prevents weed seeds from germinating.

Rotary mowers also create a vacuum as they pass (that’s why they’re great for cutting tall, droopy weeds). They literally vacuum the mulch layer off the ground, providing an opportunity for weeds to find space to take root.

On the other hand, reel mowers will cut shorter (approximately 1-3/4 to 2-1/2 inches depending on the model) without disturbing the soil surface.

What About the Disadvantages of Using a Reel Mower?

No doubt you’ve heard of the drawback associated with reel push mowers from some disgruntled neighbor or relative.

They’re hard to keep sharp and don’t cut evenly.

They leave the dandelion crowns standing.

These concerns are mostly a thing of the past. New materials and technology have made reel mowers lighter and more efficient. And a few changes in your lawn care strategy will not only make life with a reel mower easier but will result in benefits to your yard — and your health — as well.

Standard Light

Easy to store whether you park it in the garage or hang it up on a wall.

When was Reel Mowers Invented?

Push mowers, invented in 1830 by Edwin Budding near Stroud, England (you can see one of the originals in the London Science Museum), have improved since I discovered that old reel back in the woodshed.

Today, they’re lighter, smoother rolling, and made of stronger alloys. Blades stay sharper longer — about twice as long as a power mower’s spark plug lasts — and some machines are designed for specialized uses such as cutting thick, low-growing Bermuda and Zoysia grass.

With a little care and planning, a push reel mower will not only give you years of quiet, fuel and pollution-free service. It will help you keep a better lawn.

Things to Consider When Buying a Reel Mower

Size and Terrain

Reel lawn mowers are best used in smaller, level yards. The wider a mower is, the harder it will be to push.

Steep hills can make mowing difficult (as they do with power lawn mowers) but maneuverability with a reel mower, especially those with rear wheels, is better than with most power mowers.

Still, a reel mower may require pulling the mower back and pushing it in the new direction. This assures a clean cut as it trims any grass missed while rotating the reel.

Weed Control

Push reel mowers tend to run over tall weeds, like dandelion flowers, rather than cut them. But a reel lawn mower makes weed control easier. You’ll want to inspect your lawn for obstructions as you mow. A rock can chip mower blades. I always cleared twigs and fallen fruit from beneath my trees before making a pass with the mower.

Type of Grass

It’s best to consider the type of grass you’ll be mowing and the height you prefer as this will affect the cutting width and number of reel blades to look for in your reel mower.

Most mower reels contain five blades and are fine for cutting Kentucky bluegrass, perennial rye, fescue, and other common grasses. Thicker grasses found in the South and areas prone to droughts, like Zoysia, Bent, and Bermuda grasses, are best handled by seven-blade mowers.

Models with seven blades and an 18-inch cutting width are good for medium-sized lawns. If they are consistently maintained, most small to medium-sized lawns can be successfully cut by reel mowers with four or five blades and smaller cutting widths.

American Lawn Mower Company 14 Inch 4 Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower

Cutting Height

In warmer, wetter climates where grass grows quickly, an adjustable blade height feature found on some more expensive reel models can be a lifesaver. Most of the time, these settings range anywhere from 0.5 to 4 inches.

Consider the amount of moisture your lawn receives and the kinds of use it gets so that you’ll know just how short to cut.

Other Features

To increase comfort when mowing medium-sized lawns, some reel lawn mower models feature ergonomic, cushioned handles, attached grass collection bins, and other features.

An InertiaDrive reel is another feature to look for in a reel mower; it provides a more precise cut and is especially helpful for cutting tall and thick grasses.

Planet Natural’s Picks for Best Reel Mowers in 2023

Here are our top picks for the best reel mowers you can buy in 2023:

Best Overall Reel Mower: Great States 18-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower

The Great States 415-16 push reel lawn mower is the first on our list and is well-known for its cutting power. This mower does an excellent job of trimming and shaping your lawn thanks to its blade height adjustment range of 0.5 to 2.5 inches.

This reel mower is our top pick because of the high quality of its blades; they are made of heat-treated alloy steel and stay sharp for a very long time. The blades are sharp enough to use for trimming precise lawn borders. And the mower’s cushioned handle makes it simple to push through even the thickest grass with a solid grip.

It requires only one push to start, making it a hassle-free manual lawn mower. Plus, the lightweight design of the Great States reel lawn mower makes it easy to maneuver throughout the yard.

The reels cut the grass cleanly and efficiently, leaving behind a neat and even lawn without any ripping or tearing. In addition, the lawn mower is simple and easy to store. It can be hung on a wall or tucked away in a garage nook and so requires minimal storage space.

Best Wide Cutting Width Reel Mower: Scotts Outdoor Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower

The Scotts 2000-20 is our top pick for a reel mower with a wide cutting width for healthy, precise cutting.

The mower’s 20-inch cutting swath allows it to quickly and cleanly remove grass in a single motion, without tearing or ripping the blades. With the Scotts 2000-20 mower, you’ll never have to go over your lawn more than once.

The blades are made of heat-treated alloy steel, which maintains its edge for a longer period of time and allows for exceptionally precise grass cutting. The blade adjustment range is from 1 to 3 inches.

The enhanced maneuverability on the lawn is a result of the dual-tracking wheels, which allow for a more even cut when moving around your lawn.

Mowing is a breeze with the Scotts 2000-20 Outdoor Power Tools mower. Ergonomic padding on the mower’s handles promotes healthful posture as you cut the grass.

It can be quickly and easily assembled with no extra hardware and tools required. It’s one of the most user-friendly and space-efficient manual lawn mowers on the market, making this model a top pick at its price point.

Best Lightweight Reel Mower: American Lawn Mower Company 14-Inch 4-Blade Mower

With being the lightest reel mower on the list, the 14-inch American Lawn Mower weighs just 20 pounds overall. It has four cutting blades made of a steel alloy that has been heated to prevent them from becoming dull. It also has 8.5-inch polymer wheels and rear rollers to make it more stable.

This smaller American Lawn Mower is ideal for mowing a small lawn, and its light weight makes it easier to operate for smaller individuals. It has both a T-handle and a padded handle to make mowing more comfortable.

Plus, this compact, low-maintenance reel mower has a fold-down handle for storage and is light enough to hang in the garage if preferred. The cutting height can be adjusted from 0.5 to 2.75 inches.

Since there are only four 14-inch blades cutting against the bedknife, this mower provides the least resistance out of all the models on the list, making it a good one if you’re a beginner or worried about manual mowers being too difficult to push.

Overall, this four-blade reel mower is sturdy and simple to operate, though it might need a second pass to finish cleaning up tougher patches due to having fewer blades.

You could use it to maintain the paths in your vegetable garden or other low-traffic grassy areas effectively with this manual mower.

Best High-Quality Reel Mower: Fiskars StaySharp Max Reel Mower, 18 Inch

This Fiskars reel mower might be pricey, but you certainly get high quality in return for the price. This model has two small front rollers for better balance and stability, and its high-quality StaySharp blades require less frequent sharpening.

In addition to that, it has a design called InertiaDrive that enables the mower to cut through grass that is denser.

Even though the Fiskars Stay Sharp Max mower costs roughly twice as much as the others on the list, it easily outperforms them in every way. The construction, which weighs a hefty 52 pounds, has a heavy-duty feel but operates efficiently.

Even on the roughest terrain, the machine can be maneuvered with relative ease thanks to the ergonomically designed handle.

The wheels on this reel mower are offset in a way that prevents them from flattening the grass before mowing, allowing you to get closer to the edge of your lawn (only an inch away) than you would with most other reel mowers (typically 3.5 inches).

The lever’s height can be altered quickly and easily with one hand and the cutting height can be adjusted anywhere from one to four inches, and the chute can be moved in either direction, allowing the clippings to fall either in front of or behind the mower as desired.

This Fiskars mower has a cutting width of 18 inches, which makes it an excellent choice for maintaining lawns in both smaller and larger sizes. Plus, you can buy a grass catcher on its own if you want to.

If you’re looking for unbeatable quality, you can’t go wrong with this reel mower.

Best Reel Mower for Tall Grass: American Lawn Mower Company 16-inch Reel Mower

Unlike most reel lawn mowers, this 16-inch push reel lawn mower from American Lawn Mower Company has blades and a bed knife made of tempered steel, as well as an unbreakable steel side plate.

This built quality is incredible and definitely worth checking out. The blades slice through grass blades up to 4 inches tall, just like a pair of scissors would without ripping them like rotary mowers would.

One of the things that we love the most about this particular mower is how easy it is to use! If you’re concerned that a manual reel mower will be a lot of physical work, then consider trying this one by American Lawn Mower Company; it makes mowing a breeze and is easy to move through tall grass even with one hand.

How To Use a Manual Push Mower

Single Pass

Back when your grandpa was using a reel mower, the common grass-cutting technique was to saw–pass the mower back and forth in a sawing-like motion. That’s because the blades weren’t all that sharp. Today that’s unnecessary. Just walk at a normal pace and a single pass (or sometimes two) will suffice.

Cut to Shortest Recommend Length

Always cut to the shortest recommended height. That makes it an easier job for both you, the pusher, as well as for the reel push mower.

You’ll want to keep your grass at a proper mowing height (no more than three to four inches) and try to mow no more than one-third of the grass blade at a time. This helps feed the soil and ensures that your lawn will have deeper roots, which makes the grass healthier and discourages weeds.

Stay Regular

That is, it’s better to mow a little bit and frequently instead of waiting for the grass to be too high. Usually once a week will do the trick.

Avoid long gaps and tall grass between mowings. Tall grass means too much work and it will be harder on you and the mower

Overlap Your Mowing Lines

Overlapping wheels while bicycle racing causes accidents. In the case of your lawn, overlapping the mowing pattern is a good thing. It makes it easier to mow and helps catch any errant grass blades that the push mower missed the first time around. (One good hint: if you get sloppy and wait until your grass is too tall to cut, try increasing the amount of overlap between passes.)

Add Variety

Variety adds spice to life and to mowing, so experiment. Try mowing in different patterns and seeing what makes your lawn look best. Heck, if you’ve really got a lot of time on your hands, you could work on becoming the next Picasso of the playing field.

Change Method Depending on Season

To every season, there is a method of cutting. You may find that you need to change your mowing technique as conditions change.

For example, grass grows fast in the spring and is brimming with moisture. You may need to set your push mower at a higher cutting height and mow more frequently than in the fall when the growing season is coming to an end.

Similarly, during the peak of summer and summer heat grass has less moisture and is thinner. You may need to reduce the mowing height to get your lawn to look its best.

Weed Control Tips

If dandelions or other “willowy” weeds take up residence, you’ll find that mowing isn’t the best solution.

This is because they are so tall that when the mower pushes over them, they do not spring back up to be cut by the blade. You’ll be pushing and the mower will be cutting, but the weeds will escape.

Instead of futile mowing, either start attacking weeds with the mower while they are still short enough to be easily cut or explore other forms of weed control.

How to Maintain Push Reel Mowers:

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