If you are a homeowner with a lawn on your property, you are probably worried about keeping it looking flawless at all times. One of the most important characteristics of a perfect looking lawn is a decent manicuring job. And doing that requires a lot of time and effort. We say that because while electric mowers are an option, they are not in everyone’s budget range. The only real alternative option remaining is a reel mower. However, using it requires effort and energy. And the low budget strain can also mean you intend to keep it for as long as you can.
Therefore, you are probably looking for the best reel lawn mower that you can get for your money. And that is exactly what this article is all about. Electric mowing options have come into the market only recently. Before that, reel mowers reigned supreme in the gardening business. Not only that, it is actually a much more reliable tool in the eyes of a lot of professionals and season garden keepers.
So, if you have a relatively small lawn and you want something that can help you make it look clean and beautiful all the time, a reel mower will do the job just fine. Bonus point? They do not use any kind of fuel and are manually operated. So not only are you being completely environmentally friendly, but you also get to burn some calories and stay healthy. On the plus side, these are also relatively light so carrying them around is also not an issue.
With all being said, the only real thing that you care about is finding the best quality reel mower. If it does its job right and you have a beautiful looking lawn, all else fades away right? So, let us take a look at what your best options are to achieve a perfectly manicured lawn.
Comparison of 10 Best Reel Mowers in 2020
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Greenworks Push Reel Lawn Mower |
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American Reel Lawn Mower |
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Great States Push Reel Lawn Mower |
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Snow Joe Manual Reel Mower |
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Remington Reel Push Mower |
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Fiskars Staysharp Push Reel Lawn Mower |
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Earthwise Push Reel Lawn Mower |
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Scotts Outdoor Power Tools Push Reel Lawn Mower |
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Goplus Electric Push Lawn Corded Mower |
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Sun Joe Electric Reel Lawn Mower |
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Top 10 Best Reel Mower Reviews in 2020
Let us take a look at the top options that we have collected for you after extensive research.
1. Greenworks Push Reel Lawn Mower
Greenworks is a company that prides itself on making carbon emission-free products and the Greenworks 20-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower with Grass Catcher is a product that they can be proud of. If you have been looking for a machine that can do the job without creating a mess and with efficiency, this is what you get. Quality is a big requirement here and we want to make sure what you buy is something that lasts long.
The Greenworks 20-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower with Grass Catcher comes with a comprehensive 4-year warranty that should take away any worries that you may have about the product. The first step in using any lawn mower is to put it together when it arrives. The simple design of the Greenworks 20-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower with Grass Catcher allows you to be done with the whole assembly in a matter of minutes.
Once you are ready to use it, you can choose to either go for a rear discharge from the mowing or perform mulching with the cut grass. This is a very basic feature that quite a few mowers tend to miss at times. For the discharge that comes during mowing, you can carry it in the added bin that you can attach directly to the mower. The size of the collection bin is not that big though. This can be a concern for some people who are trying to work on slightly bigger lawns.
But for that shouldn’t be a problem for small sized lawns. As for efficiency. This mower is capable of creating a big 20-inch path that allows you to cover maximum ground in the least amount of time. The height of the mower can also be adjusted to 9 different levels, giving you full control over the size of your grass. The big front wheels and small back wheels also allow for a smooth operation on most surfaces.
- Good build quality
- Great warranty coverage
- Problem free design
- Sharp blades cut thick grass easily
- Gets jammed occasionally
- Collection bin is a bit small
Also Read: Best Lawn Mower Batteries in 2020 – Reviews & Buying Tips
2. American Reel Lawn Mower
If you want to buy the best manual reel lawn mower that also doesn’t cost you a huge amount, you may want to consider the American Lawn Mower Company 1304-14 14-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower. This is a product that does a decent job for a decent amount of money and keeps on working for as long as you want. These qualities are not found all at once, even in other manual mowers and that is what makes it a great deal for you.
It sports a pretty basic design that you don’t have to hassle with a lot, especially during assembly. With hardly any parts to put together, the job is super easy. But once it is put together and ready to roll, you can see why it is a popular product. The mower has a 14-inch width that provides decent coverage, making it possible to trim small lawns quickly.
For maximum stability and ease of movement, the mower comes with composite wheels that are 8.5 inches in size. While the product itself may look like you can only move it around, it does have some other features as well. The height adjustment feature is quite good and consistent on this lawn mower. It provides a range between 0.5 inches and 1.75 inches, giving you complete control of how you want your grass to look.
Of course, all those even cuts will be impossible to achieve with a strong and sharp blade and that is exactly what you get here. The blades are made of alloy steel and are also heat treated for longer sharpness retention. With its straightforward design, you do not need to perform any maintenance on it for quite a long time. Add to that the fact that you are also being environment friendly and you can see why this is a mower of choice for so many people.
- Easy to assemble and use
- Sharp blades
- Decent build quality
- Does not get stuck on regular surfaces
- Handles can get bent under pressure
- Difficult to use on thick or tall grass
3. Great States Push Reel Lawn Mower
Seeing a lawn mower do a precise cutting job is not something you get to see very often. There can be a mess and sometimes the grass can get torn as well. To avoid that kind of situation, something with a more precise cutting power is required. That is exactly what you get in the Great States 815-18 18-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower. This is a product that takes even cutting of grass very seriously and 5-blade design is what ensures that even cut.
A lot of other rotary lawn mowers can be a problem to deal with in terms of doing a clean job and with this best rotary mower, you don’t have to worry about that. The whole process with the Great States 815-18 18-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower is quite simple and straightforward. The assembly is a key part of making sure your lawn mower performs at its best every single time.
For this product, you do not even need any tools and you can assemble it in no time with minimal effort. Once it is ready to go, you can look forward to having many easy-peasy sessions on your lawn. The Great States 815-18 18-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower comes with large 10-inch composite wheels. These are key to ensuring a smooth flow when you are pushing it across your lawn.
While the whole point of a manual lawn mower is to put in some physical effort, it does try its best to make sure you don’t have to do any extra work. The lightweight body is very easy to maneuver, and you can get uneven patches from different angles without feeling exhausted. The alloy steel blades also make sure that you don’t have to do the same patch too many times. They are heat treated for longevity and sharpness that doesn’t go away for a long time. The simple design also helps with storage as you can easily park it on any side in your garage.
- Lightweight design for ease of use
- Simple design with the great build quality
- Ball bearing movement allows for quiet operation
- Big wheel size makes movement a lot easier
- Doesn’t perform very well on taller grass
- Height adjustment can be a problem sometimes
4. Snow Joe Manual Reel Mower
If you want a lawn mower that can a good job without having to spend too much money, then you may want to consider the Snow Joe MJ500M 16-inch Manual Reel Mower w/Grass Catcher. This is a decent sized lawn mower that can do the basic mowing tasks without giving too much of a headache to the user. The simple and easy to use design makes it a good choice for many small households.
It is certainly not the largest mower in the yard, but for its size and the cost it comes at, it offers a lot of functionality. The construction of this mower is in such a way that it is completely maintenance free. There is a grass catcher attachment that does need cleaning but that is basically how you use it anyway.
The build quality is quite good as well and it can certainly stand the test of time with ease. The key component of this lawn mower, the blade, is made of steel and it has five of those for cutting grass efficiently. Depending on how tall or low you like your grass, you can choose between four different adjustment points ranging between 0.88 inches and 1.81 inches.
For a small lawn mower, this is quite an impressive range. Speaking of impressive, there are very few lawn mowers out there that actually provide a grass catcher in a package with this price! Add to that the fact that it is an easily detachable 6.6-gallon catcher and you really start to see the value of this lawn mower.
- Easy to assemble
- Works well on most patches
- Great value for money
- Decent build quality
- Can get jammed easily
- Handlebar isn’t very sturdy
5. Remington Reel Push Mower
When it comes to quality lawn mowers, we simply cannot go anywhere without mentioning at least one Remington product. And while they have some great products in their collection, the Remington RM3100 18-Inch Reel Push Mower is a completely different experience. Imagine wanting to buy a lawn mower that doesn’t give you a headache, and then finally finding something that is just the tool for the job. That is exactly how you would describe most lawn mowing tools from Remington.
However, with this mower, you get to go a step further and enjoy a great price a well. If you have a small lawn in your house then you certainly don’t need to invest heavily in mowing equipment. A manual lawn mower can do the job just fine. However, the real challenge is to find a lawn mower that does what it does without breaking the bank and Remington RM3100 18-Inch falls exactly in that category.
The large 18-inch cutting deck is something that you don’t find in this price range and even if you do, you are compromising in some other area. Remington takes well thought product development and quality build process to create a lawn mower that delivers great value for money. You get two pairs of wheels, the larger pair being 10 inches to provide easy movement on all surfaces.
The small back wheels are also 6 inches in size and are a great compliment to the height adjustment feature. Speaking of which, you get a really good range of grass length which can be as small as 0.75 inches and go up to 2.5 inches. The single piece handle design allows for an ergonomic grip and much less stress on the arms when you push it across the yard.
Finally, it provides a grass catcher in the package as well which does a good job of picking up everything that the blades throw at it. It can also collect clippings from mulching and has pretty good size as well.
- Good build quality
- Easy to assemble and use
- Weatherproof and easy to store
- High quality blades for effective and even cutting
- Can be difficult to use on uneven surfaces
- Gear mechanism is a bit flimsy
Also Read: Best Battery Powered Weed Eaters in 2020 – Review Our Favorite Models
6. Fiskars Staysharp Push Reel Lawn Mower
Do you want a lawn mower that is manual but still does the job for you to some extent? If your answer is yes, and we are pretty sure it is yes, then you should check out the Fiskars 17 Inch Staysharp Push Reel Lawn Mower. This is a product that takes traditional manual lawn mowing and adds a bit of flare to it in some ways. No, we are not talking about the red colored hood, even though it does look quite good.
What we are referring to is the performance this lawn mower can provide with minimum effort. There is so much to admire with this one and if you were to buy this right now you would be doing the right thing. Not only does your body get a good exercise but your beautifully manicured lawn also puts a smile on your face.
Looking at what causes all that happiness, you get a pretty sharp 17-inch blade that is efficient in its job. With the reel not touching the ground blades at all, you get a much better movement and that results in a much better manicure. One of the things that they advertise openly is their StaySharp Cutting System, which is what they attribute their free movement too. Speaking of movement, this product also boasts a patent pending Inertia Drive Reel.
This is a special component that increases the cutting power of the blade by 50%. That makes it capable of going through tough spots with a lot of ease, even cutting through thicker grass and weeds. The product is also quite popular for being easy to use and requiring less force to mow the lawn than most other lawn mowers. If you can mow your lawn and not break a proper sweat, then it could not be a better deal for you. If all that is not enough, perhaps their “lifetime warranty” might tell you how confident they are about the product.
- Good build quality
- Easy to use and store
- Proprietary drive system makes movement a lot easier
- Lifetime warranty
- Assembly isn’t the easiest
- Customer service is quite below par
7. Earthwise Push Reel Lawn Mower
With a big focus on producing green products, Earthwise is a company that you can rely on when it comes to lawn mowers. The reason behind that is the fact that it is owned by American Lawn Mower Company. While that puts quite a bit of credit to their name, their own name is also equally well-established in the industry.
But regardless of all that, the quality that you get from the Earthwise 1715-16EW 16-Inch 7-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower is just enough to convince you all on its own. As the name suggests, this is a reel lawn mower and works on the energy that is the most abundant of all and does not have a carbon footprint.
Yes, we are referring to you and even if you don’t feel like going out and pushing a mower around, you might feel different from this one. Right off the bat, you can notice that this offers 7 blades in its cutting system. This is not very common for 16-inch lawn mowers and it provides a huge advantage to the Earthwise 1715-16EW 16-Inch 7-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower.
With a smaller distance between each blade, you can get a lot more frequent cutting and create a much more even looking patch of grass. The range for grass length on this lawn mower is also quite good, starting at a small 0.5 inches of length and going all the way up to 2.5 inches.
To make those cuts come out the way you want them, they provide sharp alloy steel blades that don’t rip through the grass. the cutting is more like what you would expect from a scissor and is a lot cleaner. It also has 10-inch composite wheels that can take on any type of terrain. Of course, we don’t expect you to use it on a mountain but if it were relatively flat, it might have actually worked!
- 7 blade design for better cutting
- Good build quality
- Good cutting range
- Easy to assemble and use
- Height adjustment is not easy
- Rollers on the rear can cause jams sometimes
8. Scotts Outdoor Power Tools Push Reel Lawn Mower
If you are looking for a cheap reel mover but don’t want to compromise on the quality, then the Scotts Outdoor Power Tools 304-14S 14-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower is a great option for you. This is a product that has a respectable name behind it when it comes to outdoor use equipment. Even though their focus is on powered tools, they know their lawn mowers and this one shows that it is crafted by experienced hands. T
he 14-inch width of the cutter along with a mere 19 lbs. of weight makes it a great choice for small yards or even carrying it around for small jobs. The heat-treated alloy blades provide an excellent cutting experience and you can continue enjoying that for a long time before needing to sharpen them.
It provides a good cutting height, starting from a low 0.5 inches, going all the way up to 1.75 inches. This could pretty much be thought of as the ideal range in a lawn mower this size. The grip and the handle itself is quite good on this lawn mower. Add to that the low weight and it is certainly the easiest lawn mower to work with on small lawns.
- Small size makes it easy to use in small spaces
- Good build quality
- Easy to assemble and use
- One of the lowest trim options in lawn mowers of this size
- Cutting level adjustment is not very good
- Can’t handle large or thick grass well
9. Goplus Electric Push Lawn Corded Mower
While we may be discussing the virtues of push reel lawn mowers, it is not a bad idea to take a look at a couple of electric options as well. Sure, you like to take that weekly exercise and push your lawn mower across the yard. But does it really have to be that way forever? Haven’t you ever wanted a bigger yard or a solution that could make things a tad quicker when you just don’t have enough time?
A lot of people would say yes to that question because well, it is pretty logical to think like that. So, to keep in line with the theme, we have decided to show you something that is not outrageously expensive and runs like a spaceship. Instead, we are trying to provide an alternative that could very well be the best electric reel mower for you.
The real catch, this one actually comes at the price of a medium sized push reel mower! While you try and wrap your head around that, let us take a look at what it offers. There are three different cutting heights on this mower: 1 inch, 1.6 inch, and 2.2 inch.
The handle on top of it is very much like the one you would find on any manual top rated reel mower. The collection box at the back is quite big and the 1200watt motor fills it up quite fast. Of course, we mean that in the sense of your mowing job getting a lot shorter. All in all, this 14-inch-deep mower that weighs just 15 lbs. is probably the best value you would find right now.
- Great value for money
- Safety features on the power switch
- Good build quality
- Very light weight
- The cable is too short
- Might have some reliability issues
Also Read: Best Drop Spreader of 2020 – Top Models Reviewed and Compared
10. Sun Joe Electric Reel Lawn Mower
Let us end the list with another electric lawn mower. After all, it is always good to have options, right? Speaking of options, let us take a look at another lawn mower that could be suitable for people who do not have any space for bigger lawn mowers and want something compact but electric.
The Sun Joe MJ506E 16 in 6.5 Amp Quad Wheel 24 Blade Electric Reel Lawn Mower w/ Grass Catcher may not be as wonderful a bundle like the one above it but its sure gives a great option to people who want power in a small package.
With this lawn mower, you get an electric 6.5 Amp motor that operates 24 steel razors that provide a precise cutting on every surface. A 14.6-gallon collection bag at the back collects all the grass you could possibly trim on a small lawn.
And the 5-position cutter sends in grass pretty quick in order to fill it up. The best part is the warranty which covers two years of usage. And in case of problems, you can claim a replacement “no questions asked”! As far as small packages go, this little guy manages to carve out quite a place for itself.
- Good size to performance ration
- Provides good value for money
- Quite a powerful motor
- Great warranty coverage
- Plastic holder for blades can get cut on bumps
- Not the best overall build quality
Why Choose a Reel Mower?
In a time where electricity is making lawn mowing ridiculously easy, why would you not go and look for the top quality reel mower with electric motors? Well, the answer to that can be found in several different factors.
- Cost: Right off the bat, choosing a manual lawn mower over electric means you may not have the budget to buy an electric or gas option.
- Maintenance: One of the key aspects of manual mowers that make them better is the lack of requirement for maintenance. They also run a lot longer as a result
- Environment: Gas lawn mowers and also some electric lawn mowers are contributing to pollution in some way. Avoiding that is only possible with a manual push reel mower
- Lawn Size: For smaller lawns, it is simply not worth it to invest in electric or gas operated lawn mowers as you can easily do the job on your own.
Conclusion
After reading all the reel mower reviews that we have shared here, you should be able to make a decision now. Finalizing a product should happen only after you are clear about your needs. While most people only think about the affordability, checking the features is also important. You don’t want to spend your money on a cheap model and then find out it was not worth it at all.
So to conclude, the best reel mower for you would be the one that falls within your budget and meets all your requirements perfectly. Now that you know what to look for and how to judge each of the above options, we wish you a happy shopping and lawn mowing experience!
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