Reel mowers: A disappointing trio

Thinking green? You might be tempted by a reel mower. But some could have you seeing red. We tested (from left) the $380 Brill Mantis 811073, $90 Bully Luxe 38 15050, and $120 Scotts 2000-20S. The Brill has a battery-powered motor that spins its blades as you push it.

Comments

[Dean Goodhill]

I strongly disagree with your comments. Reel mowers give you a much more even cut than any of the rotary mowers you praise. Unless you've got St Augustine grass, or some other really tough customer (are there any other really tough grasses?) reel mowers are not at all difficult to push, unless you're badly out of shape in which case you really need a reel mower and lots of time on it. But the big thing is that reel mowers give you a very even cut, much more even than a rotary mower. If you want that putting green look, you'll only get it from a reel mower.

[Don]

Review and rate review Mc Lane type
power reel mowers for those of us with bermuda grass lawns please

[arleen]

Which reel gas-powered self-propelled lawn mower is recommended? Can you use the mower on grass hills--banks?
Thank you.

[Carolyn]

Don,
Thanks for the comment. I'd been looking forward to using a reel mower this summer and the abbreviated CR review is pretty discouraging. However, based on your comment I'm buying one. Manual mowers are designed differently than they were when I was a kid - the handle joints seem like a stress point which could spell trouble. I'm disappointed that I can't find a detailed rating on the CR site.
Carolyn

[Alexandra]

Give push reel mowers another try! I got one this year and love it. Granted, I'm in good shape and have a very small lawn. Nonetheless, pushing this Brill is easy, fun and QUIET. Be sure the grass is dry and get the optional grass catcher attachment if you don't like raking (or mow twice a week and leave the cuttings).

[Ryan]

Dean,
What make and model do you use?
thanks

[lori]

I agree with the reader above, what is the point of saying dont pick a reel mower in a review of reel mowers. I understand the reviewer did not like them, but I want to know which of them performed the best because I have the ideal situation for one.

[Stephen Burton]

I also disagree with this review. I've had two reel mowers for the last thirty years, on Saint Augustine, Argentine Bahia, and now Centipede. The exercise is wonderful, and the soft sound of spiraling scissors is much more welcome than the whine of a motor or the fumes of an engine. If you have a small yard, it makes for no muss, no fuss. Sharpen once a year and your lawn will look perfect. Shame on you, CR.

[Diane]

I was considering a reel mower largely because of weight/ bulkiness. I have to cart a mower up several flights of steps to store it in a shed, high on my back hill. So the electric/ gas models seem almost impossible to manage. But your reviews of reel mowers make them undesirable too. Any recommendations for better reel mowers or very, very light/ manageable gas or electric mowers? Thank you.

[themattie]

My wife recently bought me a Scott's reel mower and the quality of cut well exceeds anything I ever got out of my Toro rotary mower. My lawn has never looked better. It took a little getting used to the extra work as the Toro is self propelled, but well worth it. I always mow in a couple directions to ensure an even cut as the reel mower does not benefit from the vacuum action of a rotary mower. If you are interested in having the nicest looking lawn in your neighborhood, a reel mower is the only way to go.

[Patrick]

I think CR is pretty much right though. I own the Scott's reel mower, and though on occasion you have to hit some spots twice just to cuts all the grass, the real killer is that it won't touch weeds (unless they are short and sticking straight up) or tall grass.

If you're lucky enough to have s golf course quality lawn, then you can probably get by--otherwise it's not worth the hassle for the average joe who's uber busy with work and just wants to keep the lawn mowed to keep the code inspectors at bay.

I've been using the reel for the last two months and in all honesty my wife will show up and tell me to mow the lawn within a few hours of me having mown it.

[Roger Ducker]

Could you please forward my comment to Dean Goodhill. I'd like to know the brand of reel mower he has. It sounds like a good one for the rest of us.

[Rob Miele]

I admit, I was disappointed with the Great States mower I bought at Home Depot, but only because of the cheap handle. My next one--I'm keeping it reel--I'll rig some brace for the handle before I use it. An electric or rechargeable is not green, it's a coal burner. And you'd need a shed to keep it in.

[john franz]

I just wish CR would do their job and tell me which is the best. I don't care that it doesn't do a great job or that I have to cut the same spot over and over. I also can listen to my iPod while I mow, watch my neighbor work in getting his tractor started, driving to the gas station to get gas, etc. Americans are idiotic about their lawns. The use of fertilizer and other poisons on lawns should be outlawed. I'm an overweight 57 year old and I've been using these mowers for about 10 years. Great exercise. Do I have the nicest looking lawn in town? No! Who cares? The pollution caused by morons and their lawns is a joke. Add the cost of cleaning up the poisons from our environment and the health costs of indiscriminate use of herbicides, foul smelling exhaust fumes and the incessant noise on a Sunday morning and tell me that it's more important that you are able to get in your car to drive to the beach sooner and leave behind a bright green lawn and I'll tell you that you are the problem. Climate change may cause our extinction, it will cost billons perhaps trillions as we try to save our low lying cities. Wars will be caused by displaced populations. But you'll still have your nice green lawn. What a joke! If more folks bought these mowers the companies that make them would do some R&D and they would improve. We who use them are visionaries and good citizens. I thought CR was one of us but sadly they are caught up in this "let's destroy the planet so we can have one big green lawn from coast to coast." Don't be so lazy! What's wrong with spending a 1/2 hour each day pushing these mowers around? I guess it's more important to got home and change and drive to your gym for a workout.

[john franz]

One more thing. Based on my experience the ones with 2 handles are not the best. The handles bend. Get the scotts with one curved handle. Believe me, I buy new one every few years and always have at least 2, just in case the wife wants to get some exercise. When I put old ones out on the curb for the garbage man they are always scooped up long before the truck comes. So I feel like I'm spreading the use of these mowers around the world. Please don't listen to CR, these mowers are great!

[Allison]

Anyone recommend a reel lawn mower? We are wanting to purchase one but being first time purchasers of one we wanted to go with recommendations and Consumer Reports had disappointed us in not providing any recommendations even thought I know that some out there have got to work really well or they would not be on the market. No one stays in business making a product that does not work.

[LadyValinor]

Don,
I too am disappointed that there is not a more detailed report on push mowers. I am considering installing an eco lawn and would like to find the best push mower to use with it. I was hoping for a review of the Brill Razorcut 38 Push Reel Mower which an eco site had recommended as the best because I wanted to see if you concurred with their view. Surely, we need a more in depth look at these types of mowers as more of us want to reduce our carbon footprint.

[Lori]

John Franz: I agree with you! I have argued with lawn service providers for years about lawn fertilizers and refused them ALWAYS...one guy even brought me the bag so I could see "how safe" it was...the bag said something inane like: "proven safe for grounds of hospitals and nursing homes...warning: do not ingest, do not let babies or animals ingest" ..no way am I going to expose my dog to such poison! Lawn care is a huge business and I too am frustrated that I cannot learn more about a good 'green' human-powered reel mower from CR! I will just keep trying other resources!!

[johnny]

The Scott's reel mower works great on smooth level ground, where it does a better job than power and is enjoyable to use. However, you must sharpen it every season as per owners manual, it will not work at all if dull; and they don't work well on bumpy or uneven ground.

[Steve]

CR wrote: "20-inch Scotts left uncut strips beneath its wheels."

Really? That's amazing. Please tell me what mower does cut grass beneath it's wheels.

Perhaps you need a reviewer who understands basic common sense.

[johan nordenstam]

What's the deal? I don't pay for CR in order for them to test and compare only certain classes of products (i.e. lawnmowers). I would like to see a table comparing "excersize" lawn mowers. I am buying one and will obviously find recommendations elsewhere.

[C. Becker]

I've used the Brill mower for about 6 years now, and while it does work beautifully it has one major drawback: it does not cut high enough. Also, the reel cannot be sharpened (as per manufacturer's instructions): you have to buy an entire new reel and install it yourself. And, as with all reel mowers I'm sure, you need to keep up with the grass and not get too far behind. Then you gotta borrow yer neighbor's gas guzzler! The Scotts does not even compare to the Brill. the Brill is miles better than the Scotts. The reel of the Brill spins so effortlessly even after you stopped pushing whereas the Scotts seemed to stop immediately. Also, the Brill's handle is a little flimsy where the plastic connects the two main metal pieces.

[Joan]

I purchased the Scott's reel mower. For my front yard which is small with a slope it works fine. But for my backyard which is flat and large it is very difficult to mow the back yard. I agree with some of CR's comments that if you have a large yard and the grass is wet you might be better off using something else or plan to spend an extremely amount of time huffing and puffing mowing your yard. For those of us who are older (late 50's) I don't want to have a heart attack mowing my yard.

[Ray]

If you want a top-notch lawn, you use a reel mower....if you want an unhealthy, mediocre lawn then get a rotary mower that will rip yor lawn to pieces.

Think of it as cutting your own hair: would you use scissors or some rotating contraption?

No self-respecting golf course will use a rotary mower...figure it out!

I use a Scotts 20" smooth, adjustable height, easy to push. No it doesn't cut under it's wheels, but I don't know of ANY mower that does! I'm doing less fertilizing due to clippings left in to mulch and the clippings virtually dissapear without clumps!

Too many benefits to list.

[Natalie]

I bought a membership to Consumer Reports to help find a good quality reel mower. I'm disappointed that I'm not able to find any comparison between brands. I expect the good, the bad and ugly from objective reports. I did not expect no analysis. Disappointment.

[George]

I have to agree with the general sentiment here. If i'm thinking about a reel mower I probably know there are challenges and am interested, due to environmental and health concerns, to use them anyway. I do think CR needs to come up here to the north west and talk with the hundreds of thousands of happy owners.

Myself, I'm wanting to become an owner and just want to know which one is the easiest to use, the best performer and most reliable in the long run. Come on CR, you can do a better job on this one, I know you can!

[Mel]

shame on CR for not providing a more thorough evaluation of push mowers given the envirnonmental(quiet sound, simple concepts, no energy use etc.), physical benefits, cost issues. For many it does not matter if the grass is cut prfectly. Evaluate adn let teh reader make the choice.

[james]

Ok, if CR isn't actually choosing reel mower that they like better than the others, perhaps someone out there has tried more than one to give an analysis of their own. What say you?

[Lori-Ann]

Very disappointed to not find any comrehensive review for reel mowers - the whole world is trying to go green - can you give us more help than this, CR? Reviewing just 3 reel mowers and telling us not to bother with this whole class of mower? Why do we pay for a subscription? Lame!

[Mary Perry]

Here's a link to info on rotary mowers:
http://www.peoplepoweredmachines.com/index.php

[Karen Monte]

My husband and I have subscribed to Consumer Reports for many years and are very disappointed that they do not have any recommendations of which reel mower to buy. I want a reel mower so that I can mow my "tea garden" that my grandkids use. I don't want to use our huge John Deere or our Buxton. We have 6 acres to mow and my little garden would not even fit a big mower. If you have any recommendations I would love to hear from you. Thanks

[Judd]

I own a Scott 20" and have to say its not so great. The main issue I have is that it does NOT allow you to cut short enough. the cut is too high even on the lowest setting.

The blades need sharpening right off he bat too - don't forget.

I DO think reel mowers are great though - my neighbour has one that cuts super close and his lawn looks like a golf course - he puts me to shame.

[TommyDean]

I used a reel mower with 4 wheels, like the Scotts, years ago. I can only assume that what CR means by "left uncut strips beneath its wheels" is that the extreme left and right edge of the blade reel leaves a thin strip of uncut grass (because that grass is outside the cutting edges of the reel). If the rear wheels then lay that uncut grass over, it would be difficult to get it trimmed, even when you go back over the same spot.

I too am disappointed that there is no head to head comparison. Could it be that not enough readers have reel mowers to make a full blown review worthwhile for the magazine?

[Eric C.]

I made the mistake of buying a push reel mower. Listen to CR's advice. Don't Do It! If you care anything about what your lawn looks like, you will only be kicking yourself if you get one. I read some of the comments listed here, and thought I'd take a chance. I purchased the Scotts 2000-20S. What a waste of time! I live in Illinois where we can see good growth in one week due to the frequent rain. I started using my mower the week after I canceled my lawn service, so I had a good cut to start with. When I finished the first couple passes, I noticed anything sticking up more than a couple inches over the cutting height wasn't cut. Dandelion stems laughed at the Scotts! Run over it again right? Didn't work! I came at it from every angle. It kept bending over and going under the blade. I am taking this thing back going to get my electric mower for this weekend.

[mark]

I've had a Scott's for a month now. I like it, but it's not as effective as a power mower.

For folks like "Steve" who think common sense is common--the reason reel mowers "won't cut grass under the wheels" is based on the fact that when the wheels depress the grass horizontally--they don't get cut on later passes by the mower. Power mowers create suction which makes such blades of grass "stand up" again. Thus, it's a reel pain:-) Of course, a day later, these blades of grass are now standing inches above their more well-trimmed neighbors. I just take it in stride and mow in different directions more often.

the benefits of less noise and lower emissions (excluding my own) make this a worthy trade.

I wonder if folks like steve ever consider why they aren't in charge of something important if they already know the answers to everything?

[Karl]

CR's bias against hand-operated lawn mowers is just a mirror of the industry. Manufacturers don't promote a simple product when they can sell a much more expensive one. I faced the same bias when I bought my Brill mower in Germany 20 years ago. As lawns were getting smaller, mowers were getting bigger. The retailer had never sold one so he had to order it for me. I've never looked back. It's lighter than our vacuum cleaner; my six-year-old daughter could push it.
Brill had the best mower design on the market, but the hand mowers available in the US were embarrassing, and judging from CR's report, it looks like not much has changed.
So why could a Brill be as bad as you say it is? Many manufacturers make export versions which are often inferior to what they sell at home. European malls carry brand name American goods of poorer quality than those I bought in Vermont but at a higher price.

[David Jenkins]

I just bought as Scotts 20" "classic", and MAN was it lame. For the record, I do not have golf-course-like lawn, but neither do I have lot full of weeds. Rather, I have a natural lawn, with some softer grasses and some harder grasses. Without dragging this on, the scotts cut the soft stuff, but not the hard stuff, even if the hard stuff was only 4-5" tall.

And we bought the scotts because a number of sites said it did a better job on "tougher grasses"!

Sorry, I'd like to do my bit for the environment (and to get some exercise), but this isn't working out.

For the record, we had a reel mower when I was a kid, and there was very little that thing couldn't cut. I wish I could remember the brand.

[Alex]

I live in Florida where I have a quarter acre lot with St. Augustine grass. I have two Reel Mowers; A Scott's Classic 20" and a Great States 16" (Mowers you can usually get at a Lowes or Home Depot).
Anyways, i can tell you I absolutely Love BOTH mowers. Each has their individual advantages. For example, The great States has a lower cut and does fine for the weeds; I usually use this during the fall to keep my cutting times to a Bi-Weekly schedule. I use the Scotts mostly during the summer when the rain comes daily. All year round my lawn is sweet!

I do not bother with Grass-catchers and the like because I use the clippings like a "natural embedded fertilizer" for the dry/pet spots that can occur. The lawn stays thick and lush for the most part; there are places like where tree roots are present that can be a problem.

All in all, I do not agree with this Review of CR. This article reviews only 3 models and "writes off" this entire genre of mowers. This is poor "cutting the nose despite the face" reviewing on their part.

[Brett R.]

I have a Scott's reel mower and all I can say is real men use reel mowers. It works great for a small yard as long as you keep up with it at least once a week, beyond that, it turns into a task that will work up a pretty good sweat requiring you to go over the same area 3 or 4 times to get it all cut. I would still recommend reel mowers for small yards, as long as you able to borrow a neighbor's rotary for when things get out of hand.

[Karl]

I agree, it is lame of CR not to do their job and rate these within category for quality and durability. Isn't that what we pay subscription for?

Anyway, after the annual breakdown of my electric mower, I followed the guidelines at peoplepoweredmachines and purchased a Sunlawn reel mower from True Value Hardware (who seems to carry that line along with Brill).

My electric will be in the shop for 10 days, in the meantime I can use this Sunlawn as a backup.

Pros:
1) cuts grass;
2) doesn't seem to break down with the regularity of fancy mowers
3) inexpensive;
4) eco-friendly;
5) good exercise (really! I mean it!);
6) quiet, pleasant, almost.

Cons:
1) left some longer stemmed things uncut (it cut everything 3-4 inches and below, taller things got pushed over uncut).
2) it takes a bit longer to cut, but what's the rush?

I would say if you are looking to go green, appreciate converting fat cells into to lawn cutting, and have a normal lawn, then this is a fine choice.

Reel mowers seem to be well suited for people who take the stairs when there is a perfectly serviceable elevator right next to them.

As for the Sunlawn...easy to assemble, cuts well, seems sturdily made.

[Frank]

I'm on the fence about the reel mowers now, after reading the article and comments. It sounds like the Scotts doesn't cut low enough and the Brill can't get high enough.
I live in Seattle, where we have fast-growing and often wet lawns. It sounds like I should go electric... but I'm not convinced.
As for the comments about how reel mowers don't cut weeds, I suggest pulling them! :)

[nancy]

i am also dissapointed that cr choose
not to review reel mowers. many people
say that the "scissor cut" given by a reel mower is better for the blade of grass. why won't you review some reel mowers
and test the notion. many more people
are buying push mowers. i have been a
subscriber for years! DISAPPOINTED!

[Marybeth]

1. Very disappointed in CR that they didn't do a proper review of reel mowers.

2. I own a Brill to mow my small lawn. The Brill is a much better mower than the Scotts, which I had tried at my neighbor's. Yes, if you forget to mow and the grass gets too high, it is a pain to push the mower through the lawn. But, with regular mowing, pushing the Brill is easy and, in fact, delightful. The hum of the reel makes the work relaxing. Really.

[drew]

a green mower can save you alot of money!

[Brady]

CR... which reel mower do you recommend if someone is looking to by one???

[Chuck M.]

Although CR's review of push-reel mowers is weak, I'm still intrigued by them. It is obviously unhealthy to have just 1 source for information anyway. You "greenies" continue to display your intellectual laziness. There are other ways to do research. I'll allow my own research to determine the best push-reel mower for my lawn, and I'll report my results here. In the meantime, "greenies" should lighten up - maybe take an anger management course - Really!

[Gary]

Everyone, please take the Consumer Reports and posted comments with large grains of salt. I own and have used a Brill Luxus 38 (a Mantis without the battery and motorized reel) and a Scotts Classic. The Brill seems to be best if you already have a sprinkler system; cutting as low as it does had my grass drying and dying in the worst of summer. Its blades are adjusted closely without touching and is easy to push when grass is less than 'carpet' dense. The Scotts blades should be adjusted for light contact, and with a 20 inch swath, can be harder to push. Front wheel axles on the Scotts mower can be set using tools to one of three positions; the back wheels are easily adjusted, but not the only means of fixing cutting height. Scotts advises not to raise the front wheels to the highest (lowest cutting) position unless the lawn is very flat, to avoid scalping.

All reel mowers, when cutting as designed, punish grass less than rotary mowers. As a consequence, the grass grows more quickly between mowings, hence the advice to cut more often when using one.

[Kit]

Thanks all for the education I was looking for with my subscription to CR. I just bought a home with a small yard that I plan to make even smaller with a veg. garden. My personal goal is to lessen my footprint and a reel mower is part of the plan; I agree, CR dropped the ball on this one.

[TacomaGuy]

As you can see CR, your paying subscribers are asking for reviews on reel mowers. Please give us what we're asking for. (and not "We pushed three mowers around and found they don't cut under the wheels"). C'mon you can do better than that and we expect better!

PS: I took your advice on the cub cadet gas mower last year. I got a better result pushing a dispoasble bic razor around my yard. This site is good but the mower reviews are lacking!

[George & Kate]

CR, back to the drawing board. You have a lot of paying customers who are asking for an honest review of reel mowers. Please attempt to give us what we're asking for. Before the summer is over!

[drew]

Even if it is hard to push the mower, it gives you a good workout and is green! You can save $$ in gas every year! You should try more reel mowers until you find the perfect one.

[Carson]

I have a reel mower, a Gardena, and have been pleased with it. We MUST start to take steps to avoid over-use of electricity and weed killers.I am planning to dethatch the front lawn, put down some topsoil, and plant clover. Drought-resistant, bee-attracting, and sweet smelling. Only needs cutting once a month or so!

[Brian]

Electric mowers just move the pollution from one geographical area (local) to the power plant (local or non-local). Just because you don't see or smell the pollution at the source, doesn't mean it didn't happen. Even if you use solar power, there are some BIG toxins necessary to manufacture those solar panels... probably left in China or some other 3rd world country that just dumps them into the water. But, hey, that's not what you want to hear, so keep your heads in the sand and continue feel good about your "green" choices.