Manual Push Reel Lawn Mowers

How to Choose the Best of Scotts versus Brill versus Gilmour

Mar 15, 2009 Yuen Kit Mun

Simple, classic, mechanical push mowers are

* Emission-free and environmentally friendly.
* Low maintenance.
* Safer than gas mowers.
* Pleasant to use: quiet, smokeless and smell-free.

Standard Lawn Mowers

Pushing the mower causes the wheels to spin the barrel of curved blades (the reel), which move across the bottom cutting bar (bed knife). This slices grass just like a pair of scissors. Like scissors, the revolving blades are forced against the cutting bar by the tension in the mechanism. This prevents thin blades of grass from slipping through.

This does make noise and the friction dulls the blade after about a year. Sharpening kits are available for some brands (gritty grinding cream is spread on the blades and the reel is spun backwards).

Popular brands include Scotts and American Lawn Mower Company.
Self-Sharpening Push Mowers

Self-sharpening mowers (such as those made by Gilmour) cut grass in the same way as standard mowers. There is an additional mechanism to sharpen the blades as the reel is turning.

The disadvantage of such mowers is that they can be noisier. Some people find the noise unremarkable. Others find it unbearable even with the blades freshly oiled. "Try before buy" is the best way to avoid disappointment.
No-Contact Push Mowers

Mowers from brands such as Brill and Sunlawn have reel blades that do not touch the cutting bar. Their precise construction allows a constant gap of about 0.05 millimeters to be maintained. The gap is small enough that grass cannot slip through unmolested.

This results in

* Quieter operation.
* Longer life for the blades. Claims of over 5 years between sharpenings are not uncommon.
* Less effort pushing the mower.

The gap should be checked every year with a gap gauge: a strip of metal as thick as the required gap (normally provided with the mower).

Because the blades stay sharp for years, contactless mowers are sometimes mis-labeled as self-sharpening mowers.
Major Mower Features

Reel mowers are specified by the length of the reel. A 20 inch mower will mow a strip 20 inches wide. Most mowers range from 14 to 20 inches. The wider models are good for larger lawns but

* may require more effort to push
* will be harder to maneuver in tight spots

Mowers have an adjustable cutting-height setting to vary the height of the cut grass. Most can go as low as 1/2 to 1 inch and as high as 2 inches. Some can be raised up to 3 inches. The higher the setting, the fewer problems there will be from fallen sticks jamming the mower.

Grass catchers are useful to collect grass for compost. Unfortunately this is a big problem area for reel mowers. Complaints of grass catchers

* not catching grass
* detaching from the mower

are common. A mower with a matching grass catcher is best, but no guarantee that it will work well. Some mower brands do not have matching catchers and rely on third party manufacturers.
Disadvantages of Push Mowers

Push mowers are not suitable for some situations

* Large lawns.
* Some varieties of thick grass.
* Lawns with many fallen branches and pine cones (need to be raked or will jam the mower).
* Lawns with many weeds, dandelions.

Troubleshooting Tips

Problems with reel mowers can often be resolved by

* Sharpening the blades.
* Adjusting the alignment of the blades and the cutting bar.
* Adjusting the cutting height of the mower.

Gas versus Push Mowers

Push mowers aren't just practical and green. They're also fun. Their relatively safe operation means that children and pets don't need to be locked in the house when mowing.

Quiet mowing means being able to

* mow at any time without disturbing neighbors
* listen to music or the birds, while mowing

Homeowners should also consider electric lawn mowers.