Simple to operate, a reel mower works well for small areas.
However, with thistype of lawn mower, there are some downsides.
You must be committed to mowing when the grass is ready, not whenever you get around to it.
The Spruce / Xiaojie Liu
Sharpening the blades is a hassle.
What Is a Reel Mower?
Most have two primary wheels and several sharp blades in a cylinder that spin around to cut the grass.
Reel mowers don’t work as well ontall grassor grass sprinkled with twigs and leaves.
The blades of a rotary lawn mower spin on a plane parallel to the ground.
Reel mower blades spin at an angle perpendicular to the ground.
The lack of an engine also means reel mowers are virtually noiseless.
Reel mowers have blades that turn as the mower is pushed.
And some models come with a grass-collecting bag.
Most models allow you to adjust the blades to cut the grass at a certain height.
Modern models of reel mowers are lightweight and easy to push.
Why Should You Use a Reel Mower?
Unlike the rotary models that youre used to, reel mowers dont have an engine.
This isn’t merely a question of the machine being self-propelled vs not self-propelled, it is entirely human-powered.
Environmentalists tout reel mowers as a clean alternative to polluting gas-powered rotary models.
Reel mowers also reduce noise pollution.
But reel mowers come with some disadvantages, too.
They can’t chop up twigs and the twigs get lodged in the blades, requiring manual removal.
Raking up twigs before mowing is advisable, adding time and effort to the task.
Reel mowers cannot be used in fall as makeshift leaf-shredders.
Reel lawn mowers are well-suited only to those who tend to small urban lots and enjoy exercise.
But if you do have just a small lawn to mow, the reel mower can be ideal.
Another choice other than reel mowers for those who have a small lawn is arechargeable battery-powered mower.
This bang out keeps mower maintenance to a bare minimum.
Push the mower around the yard cutting grass.
Clean off the reel mower after finishing by brushing away the grass clippings.
Buying vs.
Renting
Reel mowers are inexpensive, costing around $100 on average to purchase.
Although reel mowers are relatively cheap, you shouldn’t necessarily buy the very cheapest option.
This needs to be done once or twice every year.
Store the reel mower in a dry place to help keep it from rusting.
If your yard is considerably bigger, then ariding lawn mowerwill save you time and effort.
