Search: I Can Fix Up My Home
index sitemap advanced
search engine by freefind

www.icanfixupmyhome.com home page Read the icanfixupmyhome.com blog Read electrical & appliances articles Read green building & energy efficiency articles Read home interior articles
Read home exterior articles Read drywall and framing articles Read plumbing articles Read painting and wallpaper articles Read tools and woodworking articles

Reel or Push Lawn Mowers


Green Landscaping Gains Momentum; No Greenhouse Gasses and Low Decibal Levels

© 2008 by all rights reserved; content may not be copied, rewritten, or republished without author’s written permission

You bet they’re for sale! It had to happen, didn't it? The combination of the green landscaping movement and high gasoline costs have conspired to bring back that old standard, the reel lawnmower. If you've used on years ago, your age is showing. But these modern push mowers aren’t the ones that grandpa kept in his shed.

How a Reel Lawn Mower Works

A motorized or electric rotary mower works by spinning the single blade in a circle at a high rate of speed. This action has a ripping effect which severs the top part of the grass blade from the bottom.

Better models feature a mulching blade which eliminates the need for raking or bagging the clippings. Reel lawn mowers, on the other hand, feature a blade assembly that rotate around a central, horizontal reel.

The rotation of the wheels is translated to a rapid spinning of the reel through the use of gearing. Because of the way this operates, the cutting action has been described as "scissor-like".

Advantages of Reel Mowers

These mowers have some very real advantages -

  • No gasoline to buy. This is a real money saver in the long run.
  • They’re quiet. Wouldn’t you rather listen to your MP3 player rather than a motorized mower? I know I would!
  • They start every time. As long as you’re motivated, that is. I used to have a gas model that broke down about once a month, requiring a mechanical fix. Who wants to spend all day on a one hour chore?
  • Lightweight. Without a motor, there’s really very little to weigh these babies down. This is a decided advantage if you need to load it up in the pick-up or in the trunk.

Top Mower Manufacturers

Those landscape equipment manufacturers that are already in the game are well placed to cash in on the sudden interest in these environment-friendly machines. For German engineering, go for a Brill Razorcut 38. Brill Razorcut 38 It features 5 blades which it claims can go up to eight years between sharpening!

As you might expect, Scotts is heavily in the game. One of their best sellers is the Scotts Classic Reel Mower. It also has 5 blades but they will need to be sharpened every season or every other season, depending on usage. The advantage to this model is its high cutting height (3 inches).

Sunlawn chimes in with their LMM series of mowers. They will cut lawns as high as 2.2 inches and they also feature 5 blades with an estimated eight years between sharpening.

What if You Want to Hire a Professional Landscaping Company?

Some folks are so busy that they prefer to hire a lawn care contractor. Understandable. But how do you know you’ll get bang for your bucks? I highly recommend Angie’s List - Ratings, reviews and sometimes revenge. See what local homeowners say about the service companies they hire.

Did you find this article helpful? Find more content and DIY information at ICFUMH Tools Articles.


Recommended Related Articles

Try Angie's List!

CompostBins.com

Return to the Tools article page

Return to ICFUMH Homepage

© 2008 all rights reserved; content may not be copied, rewritten, or republished without author’s written permission.