{"id":1729,"date":"2024-07-01T00:26:24","date_gmt":"2024-07-01T08:26:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardeningwizards.com\/?p=1729"},"modified":"2025-02-14T04:19:28","modified_gmt":"2025-02-14T12:19:28","slug":"best-reel-mower","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardeningwizards.com\/best-reel-mower\/","title":{"rendered":"A Traditional Approach to Gardening: The Best Reel Mower On the Market Today"},"content":{"rendered":"

What stands between you and a perfect lawn<\/a>? Your grass going wild! What can you do? Mow your lawn to perfection with the best reel mower! After that, all you need to do is take out a rocking chair, lay back with your favorite book or magazine and a glass of a cold drink and enjoy the fruits of your labor- a perfectly symmetric, gloriously green lawn!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Rank<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Image<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Product Name<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Score<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

\u200b<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

\n

1<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\"Great\n

Great States 815-18 18-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\"Fiskars\n

Fiskars 18 Inch Staysharp Max Reel Mower<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\"Fiskars\n

Fiskars StaySharp Max Reel Mower<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

4<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\"Earthwise\n

Earthwise 1715-16EW 16 Inch Wide, 7 Blade Push Reel Mower for Bent Grass<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\"Sun\n

Sun Joe MJ502M Mow Joe 20-Inch Manual Reel Mower with Catcher<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Why Choose Reel Mower?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We all know how rapidly the technology develops nowadays, and the world of lawn mowers is no exception. The modern mowers look like spaceships and are advertised to be almost self-sufficient, but do you really need all that technology that can malfunction at any time and leave you with a half-trimmed lawn? We say NO!<\/p>\n

It is better to forsake all the electric, battery-powered and gas mowers and opt for a traditional, eco-friendly, reel mower. These classic machines might have been invented in the previous century, but they are still going strong as ever. Why is it so? Well, they have a few advantages worth mentioning:<\/p>\n

1. Good for your health as well as the health of your lawn<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

You might be a bit skeptical and wonder how in the hell can a reel mower be good for my health, but we assure you it is really so and will explain it. First of all, you need to hand push the reel mower, and that requires physical effort.  Afterall, pushing the mower will not be very easy as the rotating blades will provide resistance. In fact, pushing the reel mower for twenty minutes will burn you about 150 calories, or approximately 30% more than you would burn when using the gas push mower<\/em><\/strong>. Therefore, using a reel mower makes for a great exercise and fat-burning<\/em><\/strong> activity!<\/p>\n

As far as the health of your lawn is concerned, reel mowers are also a better choice than rotary mowers, and there are environmental horticulture studies that prove it. Namely,  the reel mowers cut the grass like scissors, unlike the rotary mowers which shred the grass blades. In that way, the tissue is less damaged, less water is lost, and the plant goes under less stress. Furthermore, the grass is less prone to diseases and even looks better when you use a reel mower to keep it in check!<\/p>\n

2. Low maintenance<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

In the hectic modern world, we appreciate every free moment we can get a hold of and thus tend to choose things that do not need a lot of our attention- the great news is that a reel mower is exactly such a machine! It really requires minimal time and effort to be maintained. You need to lubricate it from time to time and sharpen the blades every couple of years and that’s it!<\/p>\n

3. Low Noise Level<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Do not expect the soundless operation, but in comparison to the smelly and noisy gas mower, the reel mower will feel like music to your ears. The sound it produces is most often described as the gentle snipping, and no one seems to be bothered by that!<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, it is not all bells and whistles! There are actually a few downfalls to using the reel mowers we need to mention as well if we want to be objective- and we always strive to be!<\/p>\n

Using a reel mower on a large lawn can be quite tiresome<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. If your lawn is larger than a quarter of an acre, do not even try it! In the spring the grass grows very quickly, and the temperatures can be pretty high, so mowing a lawn this big can really exhaust you and cause health issues rather than resolve them.<\/p>\n

Secondly, using a reel mower requires great diligence<\/span><\/em><\/strong> and keeping to a strict schedule. If you allow your grass to overgrow reel mower will not be able to cut it but rather just push it down and roll right over it. You also need to remove all the leaves or twigs from your lawn before using the reel mower, so if you have a lot of trees on your property it is not the greatest option for you!<\/p>\n

Finally, if your lawn is nowhere near flat, it is best to avoid a reel mower altogether<\/em><\/strong>. Bumpy lawns will prove to be a nightmare for a reel mower as the wheels will lose the contact with the ground, and the reel will not turn and cut the grass evenly. As a result, the grass will be cut unevenly, and there will be spots completely unmowed. It is also impossible for a reel mower to cut the grass in tight spaces such as near the fence or walls, so take that into consideration as well.<\/p>\n

How To Choose The Best Reel Mower For You and Your Lawn<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"The

If you have carefully read and understood all the advantages and disadvantages of using the reel mower and you have decided that it really is the best choice for you and your lawn, you should now try to find the best reel mower on the market that will suit your individual needs. We will, therefore, list all the criteria that separate reel mowers from each other:<\/p>\n

How high\/low can it cut the grass?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Every reel mower can cut the grass at the specific height. Most of them can go very low (up to half an inch), but be careful with this feature as cutting the grass too low<\/a> on a hot summer day can cause it to burn and permanently ruin your lawn.<\/p>\n

It is more important to look for a mower that can cut the grass as high as 2\u00bd inches as to avoid damaging your lawn. Therefore when purchasing the reel mower make sure it can be adjusted to the height you need.\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/a>\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/a>\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/a>\u200b<\/p>\n

How wide is the mower? How much does it weigh?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

The width of your lawn mower will influence the time you need to mow your lawn. In fact, the wider a mower you buy, the more length per run you will be able to cover. However, wider reel mowers will be heavier too so take that into consideration as well.<\/p>\n

Weight can be an issue if you are not very fit and tend to tire out quickly. A wider blade is heavier, so when picking a lawnmower, make sure that the specific blade length fits you and your constitution. If you own a rather big lawn, it might be wise to find balance between a cutting performance and weight.<\/p>\n

How hard is it to push?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Besides weight and width, wheels will have a great influence oh how easy or not your reel mower will be to push. The wheels should provide stability, but also be able to turn the reel without too much resistance.<\/p>\n

Is it suitable for your type of grass and terrain?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

The type of grass on your property greatly influences  the type of reel lawn mower you should buy<\/strong>. Thick, strong, grass calls for thicker blades, while light grass can do just fine with lighter mowers.<\/p>\n

The slope of terrain should be considered as well. A flat lawn can be handled by any reel mower , but sloped and bumpy one can prove to be quite a challenge for most of the mowers. In such a case, you should find a reel mower able to cut at any angle.<\/p>\n

Is it durable?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

The durability of the reel mower is influenced by the quality of the materials it is made from. All- metal construction is usually the most durable, but also tends to be the heaviest option. Special attention must be paid to the blades, as they will dull after certain usage. The reel mower with durable blades is, therefore, a priority.<\/p>\n

The Best Reel Mower You Can Currently Buy<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As we have already said, finding the best reel mower is influenced by your personal needs and type of grass and terrain of your lawn. Therefore, we have picked out five best options so that you can choose the best reel mower for your needs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Rank<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Image<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Product Name<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Score<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

\u200b<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

\n

1<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\"Great\n

Great States 815-18 18-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

2<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\"Fiskars\n

Fiskars 18 Inch Staysharp Max Reel Mower<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

3<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\"Fiskars\n

Fiskars StaySharp Max Reel Mower<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

4<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\"Earthwise\n

Earthwise 1715-16EW 16 Inch Wide, 7 Blade Push Reel Mower for Bent Grass<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\"Sun\n

Sun Joe MJ502M Mow Joe 20-Inch Manual Reel Mower with Catcher<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

1. Fiskars 18 Inch Staysharp Max Reel Mower<\/h3>\n

\"Fiskars

Via Amazon.com<\/strong><\/p>\n

Editor’s Rating<\/strong>: 95\/100<\/p>\n

Price on Amazon: <\/strong>\"\"

<\/p>\n

Fiskars 18 Inch Staysharp Max Reel Mower<\/strong> is the most expensive reel mower we have reviewed, so if you are on a tight budget, you might want to skip this review and move on to the next one. Fiskars is a Finnish company specialized in designing high-quality scissors, but also some impressive lawnmowers. The model we are receiving here is very powerful and can handle not only thick grass but also leaves and twigs it comes across.<\/p>\n

The InertiaDrive reel technology actually means that this reel mower has a cutting reel with a larger- diameter, but also heavier blades than the ones found in similarly priced models and can thus handle the thick grass and twigs we have already mentioned.<\/p>\n

Next, Proprietary VersaCut technology allows for the blades to cut the grass evenly regardless of what type or how thick it is.  There is less internal friction as well. The blades on this reel mower are made from hardened steel and ground with great precision which means that they do not need to be sharpened very often and will be very durable too.<\/p>\n

The mower is quite easy to push, especially once you adjust the height correctly. And, speaking of the height, we must say that this is a rare model that allows you to set the height from one to four inches (quite simply, we must add). Other features that add to the good maneuverability are the ergonomic, looped handle and the wheels positioned on the inside of this reel mower. The cutting deck is 18 inches wide, which means that you can mow your lawn in less time.<\/p>\n

The clippings are thrown in front rather than back at your feet, and although they do jam occasionally, it is a rare occurrence.  Weighing 52 pounds, it is rather heavy, which can be considered a fault. However, the extra weight actually allows it to run more smoothly once you get it going.<\/p>\n

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Things We Liked<\/h4>\n