Will a Push Reel Mower Work for You?

If you read the glowing reviews and manufacturer promises for many push reel mowers you might wonder why everyone isn’t using them. And, then of course you may very well come to believe that since they cannot be as easy to use as promised, they must be terribly difficult and impractical.

The truth is somewhere in between. For many of us (particularly in neat urban backyards) the chances are a push reel mower would be just as easy to use (and probably more enjoyable) as using a gas mower or an electric mower with its awkward cord. But there are times when you simply need more power than a reel mower can provide.

If you can say yes to the following, the chances are a push reel mower would be a good choice next time you are in the market for some lawn care machinery.

If not then you might be like me, and find that you end up with one anyway (since it is a better choice than gas or electric on a practical level); and then you will find you have to change your gardening ways a little to make a manual push mower practical too.

Is a Push Reel Mower a Good Choice in My Backyard?

• I have .5 acre or less to worry about keeping tidy.
• My lawn is not too hilly and not too bumpy.
• I like the grass to be cut very neatly.
• I am happy to pick up twigs, stones and debris from the lawn and won’t expect my mower to mow everything in its path.
• I am happy to leave the clippings to mulch the lawn.
• I don’t mind some exercise in the garden.
• I am happy to mow regularly and keep the lawn short and manageable.
• I like mowing quietly.
• I am scared of cutting the power cord on my current electric mower.
• I don’t want to buy gas and oil, or mix them in the correct ratio just to mow my lawn.
• I prefer not to fight with a pull cord to start my mower.

If you said yes to all (or most) of the above you should be using an environmentally friendly push reel mower!