7 Best Push Reel Lawn Mower Reviews -Buyer Guide 2021

Push Reel Lawn mower are best for people who desire to mow their lawn with an affordable lawn mower that helps you save hundreds of dollars on fuel a year.

Push or Reel Lawn Mower refers to a manual lawn mover that depends on the power of the user to trim the grass. 

They are pushed in order to cut grass. A reel lawn mower is not for every yard though.

If yours has rocks, debris, weeds, slopes and other obstacles, you honestly do not need a reel mower.

It runs smoothly when a yard is smooth and small, as pushing is work.

This lawn mower is considered an old school tool that is way passed its prime when there are so many other more convenient options such as Self-propelled lawn mower, electric and gas powered lawn mowers.

However, the push reel lawn mower still maintains its popularity and has a small group of loyal followers that enjoy using it despite the physical requirements of having to push it around the lawn. 

Best Value

 Fiskars Stay Sharp Max Reel

Fiskars Staysharp Max

  • 5-blade ball bearing reel
  • Cutting width: 18”
  • Cutting Height: 1–4”
  • weight 52 Ibs
  • Price: From $200

Best of The Best

5-Blade Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower

Scotts 2000-20

  • 5-blade ball bearing reel
  • Cutting width: 20″
  • Cutting Height: 1-3″
  • weight 34Ibs
  • Price: From $140

Also best

Hand Reel 14 Inch Push Lawn Mower

Great States 204-14

  • 4-Blade Push Reel
  • Cutting width: 14”
  • Cutting Height: 1/2″ to 1-1/2”
  • weight 19.9Ibs
  • Price: From $69.99

What Features Should You Look for in a Push Reel Lawn Mower

Well, the best push lawn mower is basically the one that best cuts the grass and the most reliable way to know whether it does that is to read reviews by actual customers.

That being said, there are a number of other features that will tell that you are looking at a decent lawn mower.

Weight:

At first, one can think it is best to get the lightest lawn mower because it will require less effort to push around. The truth is a heavier lawn mower is advantageous when it comes to thick grass or weeds. St.

Augustine, Zoysia and Bermuda are some examples of thick grass types that are hard to cut with a manual lawn mower.

When so many of these strong grass stems come together they can sort of lift the lawn mower from the ground and you will have a hard time getting the blades to cut them.

A heavy mower like the Fiskars StaySharp will do better imposing the blades down on the tough grass types as well as weeds.

Number of Blades: 

Most reel mowers have either 4 or 7 blades and the more blades it has, the more effective it is on thick grass because it will hit the grass stems more often.

However, number of blades does not alone make a lawn mower the best. As we’ll see below, Fiskars Lawn Mower slashes its way through all kinds of grass even though it has five blades and that’s because of its innovative design.

Durability:

A manual lawn mower is exposed to a lot of physical strain when being used. Unless it has a robust construction it will break sooner or later.

Before we get started discussing these benefits, let’s discuss the best push reel lawn mower on the market. You can check our comparison between push reel and riding mower HERE.

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

The first thing we liked about Scotts 2000-20 is its wide cutting path (twenty inch) and easier maneuverability. Scotts 20-Inch 5-Blade Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower

Although it is a manual, traditional mower, this equipment offers a very exceptional rear wheel design that helps to lessen drag and increase maneuverability.

9 different grass size options. which is equivalent to one to three inches, and instant height adjusters, the Scotts 2000-20 is very practical.

To drive it you will have to push manually but you will not exert a lot of pressure as there are five heat-treated steel blades that will ease your work.

Other great parts includes the five-spider ball earing reel, six-inch wide rear tire tracking wheels, ten inch wide front tire wheels QuickSnap height adjusters and a foam grip loop handle.

Measuring 28 L X 18W X 11 H, the Scotts Push Reel Mower is very light weight and easier to maneuver around corners and crevices.

Pros

  • Safest reel mower we have seen and perfect for homes with pets and kids.
  • Non-pollutant as it does not make noise or produce smoke or fumes
  • Light weight and easy to maneuver even around hidden places
  • Manual and does not need gas or electricity to run, making it cheaper.
  • Easy for beginners and best for smaller yards without hills, rocks and other obstacles

Cons

  • When cutting thick grass or mowing on a hill, more physical effort is needed.
  • Tall grass and weed that have grown past six to eight inches won’t face the cutting blade at all.

Buy Push Reel Lawn Mower

Fiskars Staysharp Max Reel Mower, 18-Inch

Fiskars Stayshar Max is a reel mower with an eighteen-inch cutting width.

Offering InertiaDrive option, Fiskars is very easy to manipulate. It is up to sixty percent easier to run compared to other reel mowers sold today.

Mostly it drives itself and we tap it to offer direction.

Boasting a StaySharp Cutting System, a unit that allows the mower to cut grass without the bladestouching, Fiskars will save your blade sharpening money. And if you have sharpened blades previously you know how expensive this is.

Fiskars is designed for all grass types, including St. Augustine, Bahia, Bermuda and Zoysia.

If you have the toughest varieties we have mentioned above, you are good to go with this reel mower.

With its inset wheel design, this machine provides a very close side edging while the grass discharge chute tosses grass clippings to the front.

Best Fiskars Stay Sharp Max Reel Mower

Pros:

  • It does not pollute the environment with fumes and noise
  • Compared to most gas lawn mowers, Fiskars StaySharp can do a better job.
  • Offers a height adjustable handle
  • Can cut turf in lovely ribbon strips design

Cons:

  • It is not recommended for overgrown turf, tall, curved weeds or wet grass.
  • No bagging option for grass clippings and cuts only when moving forward.

Fiskars Staysharp Max Reel Mower, 18-Inch

Great States 204-14 14-Inch Deluxe Hand Reel Push Lawn Mower

Great States 204-14 is a 14 inch reel push lawn mower.

It is a very stylish machine, suitable for anyone who does not mind doing some exercise. It is a push reel mower, and so you expect to burn some calories throughout a mowing session.

Despite that, we do enjoy using our Great States 204 device. It is so quiet and does not wake up our neighbors with noise.

With 8.5-inch diameter heavy duty polymer wheels, with molded treads, Great States is really powerful.

It consists of an adjustable cutting height, between a half inch and one and a half inch that also have an adjustable three-section roller. There is also a three-spider one blade reel.

The reel itself is made of solid steel metal while the blade looks like a super sharp knife. On the sides you will find steel plates and a formed torsion tube.

Great States is one of our favorite self-propelled lawn-mowing equipment. Besides being lightweight, this mower is easy to propel, but sweating is guaranteed.

Hand Reel 14 Inch Push Lawn Mower

Pros

  • Easy to cut grass with it on the first pass
  • Lightweight and fun to push.
  • Ideal for a small yard with flat, square areas.
  • Without noice

Cons

  • Would be the wrong choice for hilly areas and spots with odd shapes.
  • Narrow and quite the wrong match for a big yard.

Great States 204-14 14-Inch Deluxe Hand Reel Push Lawn Mower

GreenWorks 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower with Grass Catcher

Greenworks Push Reel Lawn Mower with Grass Catcher

GreenWorks 5-Blade Reel Mower enjoys decent sales but not quite enough to make this brand the top push lawn mower supplier.

The popularity of it due to cheap price and the little bribe that is the free grass catcher.

Greenworks Lawnmowers are lighweight, they range between 26 lbs to 32 lbs depending on the size. Available size options are 16”, 18” and 20”.

Cutting height can be adjusted from 1.125” to 2.25” for the 16” deck model and between 1.75” to 2.75” for the larger models.

This is not quite the widest range of height options but is still OK.

There are numerious reports about these mowers getting jammed very easily when they encounter stuff like tree barks.

The blades are also said to get dull quickly.

The alarming thing is that several people who bought GreenWorks to replace an old reel mower say their decades old, decrepit push lawn mowers work better and they are going back to them.

The bottom line is that this is a brand that is chosen by people who want to get a lawn mower for the least possible cost.

However, with the quality issues listed above, even the current low price seems to be more than these lawn mowers are worth.

I suggest you to check the better products below before you make your final decision.

Greenworks 20-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel

1415-16 16-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower

American Lawn Mower Company Push Reel Lawn Mower

This is a cute, little mower with a decent price and high quality. Weighing no more than 25 Pounds, the 1415-16 model is manufactured by American Lawn Mower Company.

5 blades with 16″ cutting Width. Not surprisingly, people who own this mower verify it does well with a variety of grass including Bermuda.

The cutting height can be adjusted from 0.5 to 2.25 inches. That is the shortest cutting option available in any push lawn mower and is an advantage if you want to keep your grass very short.

Customer reviews indicate that Great States 16” lawn mower has a strong build. There are are almost no reports of any part of the mower bending or breaking.

On the whole, 1415-16 model is the optimum choice if you have an average lawn with typical variety of grass and few geographical features.

Concerning cutting ability it is very good, although it is not a beast like the Fiskars StaySharp. It is also sturdier than its peers at the same price range. I can confidently recommend this lawn mower as a great buy.

One last word:  This model is apparently sold under two different names on Amazon. The two lawn mowers you see here are the same item. If you want this one, make sure you get the best deal.

American Lawn Mower 16"

Gardena 12-Inch Silent Push Reel Lawn Mower

12-Inch Silent Push Reel Lawn Mower 300

If you are looking for a smooth running push reel lawn mower that requires little effort to push, the Gardena 12 inch silent push reel lawn mower will be a solid choice.

This lawn mower uses a contact-free cutting technique that allows you to mow your lawn at any time of the day because it is very quiet and easy to push forward.

I think this is perfect for people with small garages because this lawn mower can be easily folded to be stored in any corner you wish to place it in. This one of the most stylish push reel lawn mowers on Amazon.Gardena 4020 Silent Push Reel Lawn Mower

American Lawn Mower 1204-14 Deluxe Hand Reel Mower Reviews

American Lawn Mower Company Push Reel Lawn Mower

This American deluxe hand reel lawn mower is known as the turf grass killer on Amazon. It provides a clean scissor like a cut that will have your lawn looking perfectly manicured.

This lawn mower will greatly enhance your curb appeal and will attract the attention of people walking or driving by your home. One thing you have to keep in mind is that assembly is required, but it is pretty simple if you follow instructions closely.

This lawn mower comes with a limited 90-day warranty so you should have enough time to make sure it works as effectively as they guarantee it does. Lastly, it might require a little more effort to pull, but you can’t beat the $ price tag making this the most affordable lawn mower on the list.

I owned this one for a few years before I was able to afford a more expensive lawn mower and I can promise you from first-hand experience that it does the job well.

It is one of the best push reel lawn mowers for beginners trying to figure out if mowing their own lawn is for them.Buy From Amazon

OVERVIEW BEST PUSH REEL LAWN MOWER OF ALL TIME

Now that we have gone through the list, it is time to discuss the benefits of owning a push reel lawn mower. The first benefit is that it will keep your lawn mower clean and healthy.

They don’t use electricity or gas so you will not be polluting your lawn while you are mowing it. These lawn mowers work pretty simply. As an example, you can imagine the way scissors snip and chop right through your hair when your barber is giving you a haircut.

The process is that smooth and simple, but you may be wondering what happens to the grass after you finish cutting it. I realize a lot of gas powered mowers come with bags, so most of the grass ends up in there after you finish mowing it.

A push reel lawn, mower doesn’t work like that, and most of the shredded grass ends up dying on your lawn but it isn’t as bad as it sounds. Grass that is freshly cut usually heals pretty quickly so you won’t have to worry about it so much.

CHOOSING THE BEST PUSH REEL LAWN MOWERS THAT FIT YOUR NEEDS

Choosing the best reel law mower for you is much easier than it sounds because most of them are relatively the same besides some extra features that the more expensive models come with. The first thing you have to consider is the cutting width of the mower.

If your lawn is small, cutting width of 14″ to 18″ inches is fine. Getting a larger one would be a waste of money, and it would also be pretty heavy to lug around when you don’t even need the hassle. If you have a large lawn, you should consider the 20″ mower which can help you go through your lawn 20-30% quicker depending on the pace you choose.

Another factor you have to consider is the number of blades the push reel lawn mower comes with. This is crucial, and it orders to figure out how many you need, it is important to know what kind of grass you have in your lawn. If you can identify the type of grass you have, you can easily identify which push reel lawn mower to purchase.

Most of these lawn mowers come with 4, 5 or 7 blades. If your grass is thin and light, you should consider a 4 blade mower. However, if your grass is very thick and constantly grows out of control, you are going to need the much larger and heavier 7 blade mower.

Before you make any purchases, you need to figure this out and ask for help from a professional if you need to.

THE END OF THE LINE

We have reached the end of this guide, so it is time to wrap it up but I want to leave you with these ideas in mind. Push reel lawn mowers are still in vogue, and they are very simple to use while doing the environment a favor by not leaving a carbon footprint behind with a dirty gas powered mower. Also, if you are busy and want to kill two birds with one stone, you will also get a nice work out with all the calories you will burn pushing it around. I hope this guide has convinced you to make the best choice possible and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Lawn Care and maintenance – Tips to keep it green

The lawn is the largest area of the landscape, and a lush, green lawn creates the perfect canvas for planting other plants, such as shrubs, ornamental trees and plants, and flowerbeds as well as other landscape features. With the proper care, you can keep the lawn turf in Nanaimo green and healthy.

Before a person can keep the lawn green, he or she needs to know what makes the lawn green, how to do Lawn Care and maintenance effectively. Green, healthy grass gets its deep, green color from chlorophyll that is produced by each blade of grass. When the lawn is a good green color, it means the grass is getting all the nutrients, moisture and oxygen it necessary for vigorous growth. The taller and thicker the grass grows, the greener it appears.

Proper mowing is important if a gardener wishes to have green grass. Longer grass appears greener because it can hide thin spots and reduces some weeds due to shading. Longer grass blades also use nutrients more efficiently, which results in a healthier lawn. The mower cutting height should be set to 2 to 3 inches. Cutting the lawn too short promotes shallow root development. This reduces a lawn’s ability to resist damage from foot traffic, dry spells and also increase the amount of thatch on the lawn.

Thatch is a layer of dead grass plant crowns and surface roots that can pile up at the soil surface under the turf. While a small amount of thatch, one-half inch or less, is good for the lawn and acts as a natural mulch, a layer thicker than this amount can harbor disease and cause other problems for the lawn. When thatch is too thick, gardeners can use a rake to loosen and remove thatch from the lawn.

To maintain a lush, green lawn all season, it is best for gardeners to choose a seed mixture or turf made up of several varieties of grasses. Using a combination of grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass or tall fescue, assures that if one type of grass in the mix develops the disease and turns brown, not all of the lawn will be affected. This means the lawn is likely to maintain its green color. Over-seeding the lawn using a mix of the newest varieties can help a gardener take advantages of the latest in disease and pest resistant grass seeds available.

Nanaimo turf, like other plants, requires certain nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. To keep the lawn green adequate amounts of nitrogen is necessary, especially during the active growing season. For this reason, a lawn fertilization schedule can help ensure it is getting necessary nutrients, including nitrogen. In the spring, begin fertilizing the by spreading a slow-release, granule fertilizer on the lawn. This will provide steady supple of all the necessary nutrients for up to eight weeks. Slow-release fertilizer allows nutrients to become available over time and is less likely to cause fertilizer burn in the grass.

A common cause of brown patches of browning of the lawn is drought. Grass will turn brown and go dormant if water is scarce and temperatures are too hot. Gardeners can prevent browning and keep the lawn green by making sure it receives at least one inch of water per week when rainfall does not provide it. Water lawns deeply and infrequently and not lightly and often. Deep infrequent irrigation allows grass to develop a deep root system, which helps increase the lawns resistance to disease.

If a gardener needs a greener lawn for a special occasion, he or she can spray the lawn using a liquid fertilizer. These products have a fast-acting nitrogen that stimulates bright green color for a couple of weeks. Wasn’t it easy to do Lawn Care and maintenance?

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Shahid Maqsood

CEO

Shahid Maqsood is an experienced writer and journalist with 10+ years in the industry. He is the CEO and founder of TheWisy, where he writes daily articles covering topics like books, business, news, sports, and more. Shahid holds an MBA from Virtual University of Pakistan and a Master's in Mass Communications. He is based in Faisalabad, Pakistan. His work spans multiple platforms like dosttrusty.com and newsbreak.com,Quellpress.com , airriflehunting, and bruitly.com showcasing his versatility and depth. Shahid's insightful articles reflect his expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness, making him a respected and reliable voice in digital content creation. His contributions engage and inform readers, embodying professionalism and passion in every piece.