If you are a homeowner who likes to keep your garden manicured without any mess, then the lawnmowers are what you need. However, the walk-behind reel mowers are the best choice for most people because this eco-friendly machine does not require any maintenance or fuel.
But if you look online, you will be presented with so many reel mowers with different features and price range. Choosing the one that will suit your needs is a tough task, and if you were to miss any critical detail about the mower, then you may end up buying a wrong machine which is a waste of your money.
So to help you solve this problem, we have tested many reel mowers according to their performance and features, and after testing them for so many days we came up with the reviews of best reel mowers in 2020.
| Great States Push Reel Lawn Mower (Best Overall)
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| Fiskars StaySharp Max Reel Mower (Best High-end)
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| American Reel Lawn Mower (Cheapest yet Quality Mower)
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| Greenworks Reel Lawn Mower
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| Scotts Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower
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| Sun Joe Manual Reel Mower
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| Earthwise Reel Lawn Mower
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Quick Answer: The Best Reel Mower
1. Great States 415-16 Push Reel Lawn Mower
The Great States 415-16 is one of the most affordable and versatile reel lawn mowers we have used so far. This incredible well-built tool delivers the precise and sharp cuts that result in a well-groomed lawn.
This reel mower is available in three sizes such as 14-inch, 16-inch, and 18-inch width for the user convenience. In this variant, you will get an adjustable cutting height of 0.5 inches to 2.5 inches for even and clean cut. If you want to cut taller grass, then you can opt-in for 18-inch cutting width variant.
This particular model comes with 16 inches of cutting width that will cover the vast area, and you will be able to mow your whole garden in no time. Just like all the other reel mowers, the Great States 415-16 requires some getting used to too.
One of the biggest advantage of this machine is that it requires no maintenance other than sharpening, and it does not produce any noise or carbon footprint and harmful gas emission.
I have used many lawn mowers in the past, and most of them had one major problem of not giving the consistent cut throughout the whole moving process. Well, that is not the case with Great States reel mower because mainly due to the fact that the mower itself does not jingle or bumps even on uneven terrain.
I really liked the t-style handle of this machine that features the cushioned grip and lightweight design so you can mow for a long time without straining out your hand.
This reel mower is incorporated with 5 blades that are mounted on a 4-spider ball which means you don’t need to apply too much effort to run this machine but instead it will start spinning with one gentle push.
Also, the 10 inches of composite wheels of this machine is durable, and it will last longer. Weighing 20 pounds, I thought this mower is massive, but when I used it the first time, I was surprised to see how lightweight and easy to maneuver this machine is. You will get one year of hassle-free warranty on this product to make sure it will last longer.
2. Fiskars 362050-1001 StaySharp Max Reel Mower
The Fiskars is a well-known brand in the lawn & garden industry, and their products are durable enough to last for years. The Fiskars 362050-1001 is an upgraded version of the older model and comes with many new features and improved design.
The Fiskars 362050-1001 is a great choice for those who are looking for a greener and healthier way to manage their landscaping tasks. If you have owned any lawn mower in the past, then you will find this reel lawn mower to be easier to push because of its advanced technology and lightweight parts.
The elongated design of this machine has both vertical and horizontal sides that lets you easily push this machine around without putting too much effort.
The vertical handlebar gives you the excellent traction as you push it down, and thus you will easily be able to cut short grass.
As you may know, the electric and gas powered mowers are a big headache when it comes to maintenance, but there is no need of any maintenance in this reel mower except for periodic sharpening of blades after every few years.
The Fiskars 362050-1001 reel mower is incorporated with InertiaDrive which is specially designed for all types of grass, and it also delivers twice the cutting power to slash through even the thickest grass with ease.
I was impressed by the reversible grass chute of this machine that can be positioned to discharge the clippings of the grass in forward or reverse direction according to your needs.
The StaySharp cutting system requires minimal sharpening; thus, you will be able to mow for longer periods of time without worrying about the blades getting dull.
The wheels of this reel mower are inset meaning that its blades can extend across the mower’s 18 inches of full width.
This configuration will make sure you don’t miss strips or grass even on the patches next to sidewalks, foundation, and fences. You will be treated with 3 years of solid warranty on this product.
3. American 1204-14 Reel Lawn Mower
If you own a small yard and looking for a budget-friendly lawnmower, then the American lawn mower 1415-16 is the best choice for you.
On top of that, this reel mower is offered in 4 different widths; 14”, 16” and 18” so it will accommodate the needs of every user.
If we talk about the product, then it has got a total of 14 inches of cutting width and 4-blade ball bearing reel that will help you mow your grass efficiently. Furthermore, the 8.5-inch composite wheels enable you to easily push this mower without any effort.
Moreover, the reel is mounted on a 4-spider ball bearing that makes the blades spin faster with a gentle push. You will be surprised to know that the blades of this machine are made from high-quality heat-treated alloy steel that stays sharp for a long time.
As you may know, this reel mower is manual and does not use gas; thus, it is very eco-friendly and requires no maintenance.
The blade of this machine is sharp enough to cut through any thick and tall grass, including fescue, bluegrass, Rye, and mixed weed/crabgrass.
Apart from that, you can adjust the cutting height from 0.5″ to 1.75″ for a precise and clean cut every time you mow. The mower itself weighs around 20 pounds and measures 20 x 24 x 42.5 inches.
Overall I really liked built-quality and compactness of this machine and its affordable price range is one of the top reasons you should choose this reel mower over others.
4. Greenworks Reel Lawn Mower
Greenworks is one of the biggest brand that produces all sorts of accessories and equipment related to lawn care, woodworking, carpentry, and much more.
Their many years of experience and expertise in this industry is a result of this excellent product. If you are a person who does not like to collect grass clippings after mowing, then you will highly appreciate this reel mower because it comes with grass collector bag.
The sharp blade of this machine allows you to cut even the smallest as well as the tallest grass quickly and efficiently, leaving your yard healthier and beautiful.
Also, the 18 inches of cutting width enables you to mow your whole yard/garden in fewer passes compared to other small reel mowers on the market, and this also increases the overall mowing speed.
The 4 position height adjustment offers a variety of cutting heights from 1-1/8″ to 2-1/4″ so you can cut different heights of grass quickly.
Moving on, the 10-inch front wheels and 2-inch rear wheels offer great stability and maneuverability and you can negotiate tight corners when turning.
The handle is integrated with a rubberized grip that provides the maximum comfort possible, and this also reduces the fatigue and chapping of hands.
Although this machine is heavier and some of you might think it is hard to push but believe me despite its heavy weight, this machine is so much easier to push and requires minimal effort to do so.
Aside from that, the 2 in 1 collection feature allows you to choose either mulching or rear bag. By selecting the mulching, you can fertilize your lawn by letting sit the grass clippings on the lawn, or you can get more professional and tidier garden by choosing the rear bag option.
What I like most about Greenworks is their 4 years of excellent warranty on all of their product, and this reel lawn mower is no exception.
5. Scotts 2000-20 Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower
Scotts 2000-20 is simpler yet reliable reel lawn mower that can handle all terrains, and it is specially designed to cut through any grass you throw at it.
This mid-range priced lawn mower is competing with most of the high-end mowers in terms of durability and performance. Weighing at 34 pounds, this mower is not that heavy, but it is not lightweight either. And the dimensions of this machine are 28 x 18 x 10 inch, so it is relatively smaller and compact.
The 20 inches of cutting height allows you to cover a more area when mowing, and this also increases the mowing speed to a great extent.
On top of that, the 10-inch dual tracking wheels keep the machine stable and even on the rough terrains and uneven surfaces to help you achieve exceptional results.
Unlike other reel mowers, the wheels of this machine are positioned outwards so trimming and edging of spots closer to the fences, walls, and hedges are complicated and require undivided attention.
The reel mower is integrated with a ball bearing assembly and 5 heat treated blades inclined at different angles. The handle is well-built and has a beautiful ergonomic and sturdy design. To top it off, it is fitted with the cushioned grip that provides the maximum possible comfort.
In most of the reel mowers, the handle is welded with the body, and it can not be moved, but that is not the case with Scotts 2000-20 Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower. In this walk-behind lawn mower, you can adjust the height of the handle from 1-inch to 3-inch with a quick snap which is a very handy feature in my opinion.
6. Earthwise 1715-16EW Reel Lawn Mower
The Earthwise 1715-16W is really versatile and handy tool we have seen so far, and it comes in four different cutting width variants including 14”, 16”, 18” and 20”.
What makes this reel mower stand out from others is its 7 blades, and we have not seen this many blades in any reel mower so far.
These blades make this mower special and unique in its own way; here’s how. First of all the general rule of thumb is the more blades you have, the more efficiently and quickly you will cut the grass. In short, this mower has more cutting power than any other mowers.
Also, this reel mower is ideally suited for thick and tall grass, and you will be able to mow your whole garden or farm in single or two passes.
I have used this mower for some days, and I was satisfied with its performance, and I am happy to announce that this mower works really well on all types of short and bent grasses including zoysia grass, centipede grass and St. Augustine grass, Buffalo grass, and Kentucky bluegrass.
Despite its so many advantages, this reel mower does have some downsides too. One of the biggest drawback of this machine is that you will not get a perfect and clean cut when mowing wet and upright grass. And if you have taller grass in your lawn, then we advise you to choose other mowers with fewer blades and broader cutting width.
The more blades have less space between them so they won’t be able to cut the tall grass efficiently and all you would do is just drag your lawn all over the place. So that is why we recommend you to choose the mower with lesser blades to trim taller grass.
The blades are constructed from heat treated alloy-steel that will stay sharper for a long time. You can change the cutting height from 0.5 inches to 2.5 inches for the clean and effortless cut.
As you may, this eco-friendly alternative to gas-powered lawn mower requires no fuel and no cord to start, all you have to do is just push the mower, and you are good to go. And also the 1 year of solid warranty will give you peace of mind.
7. Sun Joe MJ502M Manual Reel Mower
Sun Joe is another reliable and affordable walk-behind reel mower we have added in our selection. This reel mower uses the push drive system to run the mower.
And it does not require too much effort to operate this machine because it employs the advanced gear system to transfer the input power efficiently.
You will be treated with 20 inches of cutting width, which is enough to get your job done faster than other mediocre mowers. Most of the users do not like to clean the whole garden after mowing process as it is so time-consuming and requires a lot of work.
Well, now you will be thrilled to know that this reel mower is equipped with the grass catcher that can handle tough turf and it is the best solution for those who like to keep their garden/yard clean and tidier. And the total capacity of the grass catcher is 8.5 gallons.
By using the 9 different manual height positions, you can adjust the cutting height up to 2.44 inches; thus you are in complete control of your grass.
Although this machine look compact and smaller, but it is heavier and weighs around 30 pounds. You may have a problem during the transportation of this machine because of its heavy weight, but during the mowing process, you will feel like this machine is not that heavy at all.
This is mainly due to the fact that it employs the advanced gear system and wheels so you can quickly push this machine without any hassle.
If we talk about the blades, it incorporates 5 blades to efficiently trim your grass no matter how thick it is and you will get 2 years of solid warranty on this product.
