Struggling with finding an eco-friendly and efficient mower for your lawn care needs?

In this blog, we explore the best lawn reel mowers, perfect for homeowners who prefer a more environmentally friendly, manual approach to lawn maintenance. We cover a range of reel mowers that provide clean cuts and are easy to maneuver, from lightweight models ideal for small yards to more robust versions for larger lawns. This includes options that cater to different lawn sizes, grass types, and user preferences, ensuring there’s a reel mower for every gardening enthusiast.

With over 18 years of experience in gardening tools and lawn care equipment, we’ve assisted countless gardeners, from casual hobbyists to seasoned landscapers, in choosing the right reel mower for their lawn’s specific needs. Our selection of the best lawn reel mowers is grounded in comprehensive testing and real-world usage, ensuring our recommendations are practical, durable, and effective. These mowers aren’t just about being manual; they excel in offering a quiet operation, minimal maintenance, and a healthier lawn through precision cutting.

We’ve evaluated them for their cutting efficiency, ease of use, adjustability, and overall lawn health benefits, finding them ideal for anyone looking to maintain their lawn with an eco-friendly and exercise-promoting tool.

Best Lawn Reel Mower For Small Yard 2024

Fiskars 362050-1001 StaySharp Max Reel Mower, 18 Inch

The Fiskars 362050 is an excellent reel mower that offers a plethora of features for easy cutting. It has sharp blades, and you can mow your lawn on the go using this efficient reel mower. Also, the handle makes it easy to maneuver, and the wheels stick to the ground for better traction and excellent mowing.

InertiaDrive Technology

The InertiaDrive reel has two times better cutting efficiency as compared to regular reels. You can use this reel mower to cut hard and soft grass. It will chop the grass off with its sharp reel-cutting system.

Height Adjustable

You can easily adjust the cutting height with this reel mower from Fiskars. It has a 1-4 inch height adjustability feature, so you can turn the height-adjusting handle to get the desired height according to your lawn.

Easy to Maneuver

The users will be able to maneuver this reel mower easily with its gripped handle and excellent design. The wheels provide better mowing on edges and corners. Also, the blades remain sharp for a long time, and there is no need to sharpen them multiple times.

Pros
  • Affordable
  • Excellent cutting power
  • Adjustable  grass chute
  • Easy to push
Cons
  • Assembling can be quite hard for novice users

Verdict

If you want to mow your lawn with ultimate ease, then there is nothing better than Fiskars 362050. It has height adjustability, and you can use it for different lawns as well.

Great States 415-16 16-Inch, 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower

Here is a durable reel mower that needs less maintenance and is perfect for mowing your lawn. It has a 16-inch blade, which is ideal for small and medium-sized lawns. You can choose up to an 18-inch blade size if you have a big lawn that requires a huge reel mower.

High-Quality Blades

The reel mower has high-quality blades made with a heat-treated steel alloy that lasts longer. There is no need to worry about the maintenance of the blades, as this reel mower is built to last.

Comfortable Handle

The T-shaped handle makes it easier to push the reel mower even on sloped lawns. Also, the handle is small, and you can hold it for long. It comes with a comfortable grip, so you will not feel any strain while mowing your lawn.

Bigger Wheels

It is challenging to use reel mowers with small wheels because these get stuck while moving, and you cannot use them on rocky terrain. But this is not the case with this Great States 415 reel mower. It has bigger wheels so you can use it on any types of terrain without any hassles.

Pros
  • Adjustable cutting height
  • Durable
  • Highly affordable
Cons
  • The blades are not very sharp

Verdict

If you are not willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a reel mower, then this machine is perfect for you. It comes with an affordable price tag and can mow your lawn with perfection.

American 1204-14 14-Inch 4-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower

Due to the dependability and durability of these machines, American-made lawn mowing equipment is well-liked. The same is the case with this 1204–14-inch reel mower. It is easy to use, and you can mow your lawn with ease. The wheels are big enough to run on any type of terrain, even the sloppiest ones.

No Tool Assembly

The assembling process of this reel mower requires no tools, and you can assemble it on the go. There is a clamp on the handle, and the users can assemble this mower in merely a couple of minutes.

Adjustable Cutting Height

The cutting height is adjustable, and you get the option to set this reel mower between 1 and 1.75 inches. The adjustment process is easy, and you can use the handle attached to the cutting blade for adjusting the height.

Ergonomic Handle

The handle of this reel mower has a comfortable grip and is ergonomic to help you with easy mowing. You can also adjust the height of the handle, which is great for small people.

Pros
  • Durable steel alloy blade
  • Easy to use
  • Easy assembling process
  • A real roller bar for better mowing
Cons
  • Blades need timely sharpening

Verdict

American is a famous brand, and the machines manufactured by this brand are reliable. This reel mower has a scissor-like blade, and you can use it to cut different types of grasses with ease.

Fiskars 17 Inch Staysharp Push Reel Lawn Mower (6208)

Here is another reel mower from the house of Fiskars that will help you mow your lawn. It comes with a blade cover so you can easily store it when not in use. This mower has four wheels, so it will be a lot easier for you to push it as compared to other reel mowers.

InertiaDrive Reel

The InertiaDrive reel provided 50% more power while cutting the grass. There is no need to apply immense power because this reel mower has an easy-cutting blade. 

Scissor-Like Blades

The blades of this reel mower are sharp like a scissor and are perfect for cutting any type of grass. The mower requires less maintenance, and you can bid adieu to the problem of sharpening blades multiple times with this reel mower.

Adjustable Cutting Height

The cutting height is adjustable between 1.5 and 3.5 inches, and you can cut different sizes of grass with this reel mower. There is a small handle dedicated to height adjustability so that you can do it with ease.

Pros
  • Produces less noise while cutting
  • Sharp blades
  • Durable, comfortable handle
Cons
  • A bit pricey
  • Assembly is hard

Verdict

This reel mower from Fiskars is ideal for buyers who want ultimate ease while cutting. The blade cover will protect the blade from any damage, and you can store this reel mower wherever you want.

Great States 815-18 18-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel Lawn Mower, Grey

Here is a 5-blade push-reel mower from the Great States. It is easy to assemble so you can save a lot of time during the assembly process. This mower is available in four cutting deck width options, and you can choose the one according to your needs.

Loop Handle

The loop handle of this reel mower will make it easier for the user to push. You can hold it freely to push it on different types of terrain.  Moreover, you can adjust the height of the handle as per your needs.

Sharp Bladed

The blades are sharp and can cut through most of the grasses, including the challenging ones. There is a cap over the blade so the grass will not fall on you and will get evenly spread over the lawn.

Easy to Maneuver

You can maneuver this reel mower with ease due to its excellent design. The blades are adjustable for height so that you can cut different sizes.

Pros
  • Noise-free cutting
  • Low on maintenance
  • Easy to assemble
Cons
  • The blades need timely sharpening

Verdict

You can purchase this reel mower without thinking twice because of its handy design. It has a comfortable handle, and you can glide it on any terrain without any difficulties.

Features, Advantages, Issues and Maintenance of Reel Mowers 

Some features, advantages, and issues come attached to reel mowers.

Here we have explained them in brief so that you can get a complete idea about a reel mower.

Advantages of Reel Mower

Cost-Competitive

Using a reel mower on your lawn is easy on your pocket. First of all, you don’t have to invest a considerable sum of money to buy these machines. Another thing is that there is no need to buy any gas or fuel because you have to use them manually.

Healthy Grass

It is essential to trim the grass timely to maintain its health. And if you want your lawn to look lush green, then a reel mower can solve your purpose. Using a reel mower regularly will make the grass healthy. You will also feel the difference after some trims.

Quite

Have you ever experienced a gas-powered lawnmower? If yes, then you might understand how noisy these machines are. A manual reel mower is probably less noisy so you can cut your lawn without any noise pollution.

Eco-friendly

Using a reel mower is eco-friendly because these machines emit no fumes or pollution. By using a reel mower, you are not just trimming your lawn; you are also contributing something to nature, which is the need of the hour.

Less Maintenance

Maintaining a reel mower is a cakewalk. You don’t have to invest in expensive tools to maintain it. Use some lubricant to keep the machine working, and you will not have any issues with it.

Safe

Reel mowers are safe to use because there is no motor involved in them. The blades are not harmful to humans or pets because they rotate at less speed as compared to motorized lawnmowers.

Maintenance Tips

Maintaining a reel mower involves no rocket science, and you can do it at home with a few tools and items.

Lubricate It

Lubricate all the moving parts of the reel mower, including the blades, and the rotating shaft. You can use standard machine oil or buy some lubricant to keep it moving.

Sharpen the Blades

Next, you need to sharpen the blades to keep them cut like scissors. Either you can visit the nearest technician, or you can sharpen the blade at home using a blade sharpener.

Editors Choice

Fiskars 362050 is the best reel mower for the money because it is easy to use and can work on any type of terrain. You can assemble this mower on the go while referring to the instruction manual. Plus, it has a justifiable price, and you will never regret buying this reel mower. 

Amazon’s Choice

This American reel mower is a durable machine that can last longer, even if you use it regularly to mow your lawn. The 14-inch blade can cut through the grass easily. Also, you will have the option to choose from a range of cutting deck width options.

Our Recommendation

We highly recommend the Fiskars 17 reel mower due to its design. It can work in any terrain and will mow your lawn neatly. This mower is easy to maintain, and the blades are scissor-sharp to cut the grass seamlessly. 

Reel Mower Buying Guide 2024

You may think that buying a reel mower is easy, and it requires no knowledge. But purchasing a reel mower can be daunting if you are a novice buyer. In this buying guide, we have highlighted some crucial factors you need to consider before buying a reel mower.

Weight

A reel mower is a manual device, so you have to push it to mow your lawn. If you choose a heavyweight device, then you will not be able to mow the lawn in one go, as pushing a heavy-reel mower is intimidating. Go for a machine that is light in weight so that you can even use it on steep slopes.

Every reel mower has a different weight and size, so the choice is up to you.

Cutting Deck Width

An ideal reel mower should make your job easier, so you should choose the one that has the perfect cutting deck width. If the cutting deck of the mower is small, then you have to run it more times on the lawn to mow it correctly. Also, a reel mower is a massive cutting deck that is hard to maneuver. So you should select the option that has at least an 18-inch-wide blade.

In this article, there are a myriad of mowers that have an ideal cutting deck width, and you can buy them to mow your mid-sized, big lawn. 

Cutting Height

Cutting height is another important factor that will impact the performance of the reel mower. Not all the grass in your lawn is the same size, so it will be challenging to trim the grass neatly without any imperfections.

Some reel mowers selected by us have an adjustable cutting height, so you can easily change the height as per your requirements. We advise you to invest your money in a mower with an adjustable height. If you want to mow a small area, then you can buy the regular reel mower with a non-adjustable height.

Conclusion

These are the best reel mowers of 2023. You can buy any one of them based on your requirements to mow your lawn correctly.

These machines are affordable and will keep your garden healthy at all times. Consider our buying guide to help you choose the ideal reel mower for your money.