How and Where To Find the Best Reel Mower For Your Small Yard
There are many good reasons why so many people are still sticking to their reel mowers and prefer these for their small and medium-sized lawns. On the other hand, we’ve also seen many homeowners having them both – the reel mowers and the gas-powered push mowers.
But what are the advantages why many homeowners want to keep the best reel mowers? Why are these simple cutting tools still very popular in spite of the advancement in lawn mowing technology?
Let’s identify the best answers to these questions.
Advantages of Having the Best Manual Push Mower
- Perfect for small to medium size yards.
The best reel mower can be very useful for those who own small to medium-sized yards. For example, why buy a walk-behind lawn mower when you only have a 50 square meter yard of a lawn unless of course if you are too lazy to manually mow your piece of lot, a walk-behind lawn mower is your only best option. 
- They are cheaper than any kind of mowers.
Reel mowers are the cheapest types of mower next to the gas-powered lawn mowers. If you are a practical buyer and you think you don’t really need a self-propelled lawn mower for your small yard, why not try the best manual push mower first?
- Eco-Friendly at its finest.
A reel mower is 100% pollutant-free. It is actually the most environmentally-friendly type of lawn mower that depends only on human’s physical strength and endurance.
Did you know that according to the EPA, a single gas-powered push mower can release hydrocarbons equivalent to 11 new cars? Reel mowers don’t produce noise pollution and they are oil-free except maybe greasing them their ball-bearing wheels for a smoother push.
- Gives you the exercise you need at home.
Isn’t it obvious that whenever you use a reel mower it requires your physical energy and yet you still feel stronger and healthier when regularly using it? That’s because you have to use almost every part of your body in using a reel mower.
Reel mowing is much like doing the aerobics and chest exercise at the same time but on a lighter mode. In just 30 minutes of pushing, you can already feel the tightness of muscles in your arms, chest, and thighs like working out in a gym using different equipment. 
- No maintenance needed.
There’s almost no maintenance required in owning one of the top reel mowers because all you’ve got there are the twisted blades, the large wheels, metal support for the blade and the handle. Other than sharpening the blades and lubricating the bearings of the wheels from time to time, nothing follows.
Nonetheless, be reminded that not every time a reel mower could effectively cut grasses that are long, tough or thick on a single pass. In this case, a second or third pass is necessary.
Today, let us present to you the kinds of reel mowers that can deal with some types of tough grass which other reel mowers can’t do. But when it comes to the newly-sprouted grass or tall grass with soft stems, all these mowers will cut these grasses like butter.
Here we have found 6 reel mowers that are the best in their class. With so many excellent reviews and keep getting more, we feel that you also deserve any of these and you won’t regret buying them because aside from their positive feedback these are all very durable, efficient and more innovative than the rest. They also don’t cost much and their prices only range from less than a hundred to less than a couple of hundred dollars.
6 Best Reel Mowers With
Fiskars 362050-1001 StaySharp Max Reel Mower, 18 Inch, Black
There’s actually the first version of this Fiskars max reel mower which was marketed at Amazon a few years ago and people still love it. This Fiskars StaySharp Max is actually the improved version of that unit that’s why lots of people are excited to own this updated model. But what does this little guy do why people see this as the best reel mower made by Fiskars?
Well, we’ve found out that this reel lawn mower is 60% easier to push than other mowers and also more efficient in cutting and has better features. Unlike the gas lawn mowers that leave your grass like chewed at the tip, this reel mower allows you to cut your grass with a very neat cut so your yard would look really manicured and cleanly trimmed off. 
Special Features:
The bar handle is adjustable to adapt to the user’s heights so even if you’re 5’2” to 6’3” there’s no problem using this Finnish-made lawn mower. The handle is fully foam covered which provides comfort and will not give you the blisters even if you mow for hours.
According to Fiskars, this mechanical manual mower offers twice more cutting power than other reel mower models. Its blades have a StaySharp Cutting system that eliminates the hassles and cost of blade sharpening. 
It also has an adjustable cutting height through a lever and offers a cut height option from 1 inch to 4 inches. So if you want your grass cut very short to about 4 inches, now you have an option.
The nice thing you will also like about this Fiskars reel mower is its design. It has the inset wheels that will provide you the advantage for reel edging. These inset wheels are smaller wheels that are placed forward. Unlike the standard reel lawn mowers, the inset wheels will allow you to mow even the grass on the edge of the sidewalks and fences and no need to manually cut the grass or hit it with an electric grass trimmer. 
As an addition to the perfection of this reel mower, it has a reversible grass chute that you can position in 3 directions if you want to direct your clippings – backward, forward and downward. This provides you the advantage if you don’t want the clippings messing up your shoes or if you hate to see the clippings piling up on the path of your mower.
Now, it’s quite obvious on how this manual reel mower can do an excellent cutting job once you check on its basic features. Basically, it has a large diameter reel which is very thick and loaded with 5 heavy blades that allow you to cut even thick weeds on tight spots. 
Weighing only about 50 pounds, the Fiskars StaySharp Max is unbelievably easy to push that even kids can push it. This is due to the chain-drive design that minimizes friction and prevents the blades from thoroughly hitting the grass but only the tip that’s why the blades stay sharp even for years.
There’s almost no maintenance required by the Fiskars StaySharp Max and that’s because the 18-inch blades were precision-ground to make them very durable.
So what do you get from this reel mower?
PROS:
- 60% percent easier to push than other reel mower brands
- Inertia Driven technology delivers twice the cutting power
- StaySharp cutting system for long-lasting blade sharpness
- With reversible grass chute to direct clippings
- Front inset wheels allow the blades to extend in full width
- Chain-drive design to maximize reel speed
- 5 steel precision durable blades
- 1” to 4” blade height adjustment
- Mow well on hills
CONS:
- May not cut tough grass or grass over 6-inch tall
- Accordingly will cut only in a forward direction
Our Verdict:
This piece of equipment can shorten your lawn mowing time much shorter than the other reel mowers that’s why it boasts of its 60% easier to push thanks to its chain-drive design.
And because its 5 blades can stay sharp even for months without the need to constantly re-sharpen them we think this product is really worth having. However, we’ve seen a review that this tool won’t easily cut certain kinds of grass especially the hardy, thin grass with smooth stems.
In this manner, this requires you to take a second pass on such a type of grass with a more aggressive push to enable the blades to spin faster and cut the grass.
Overall, this Fiskars 1001 is really an ideal item and it can be your best manual mower for many kinds of grass and will be perfect for edging.
American Lawn Mower Company 1815-18 18″ 5-Blade Reel Lawn Mower, Inch, Black
The American Lawn Mower company is one of the oldest lawn tool manufacturing companies that produce some of the best reel mowers the world knows today and the American 1815 is a good example of how astounding the products the company is producing.
The American 1815 has an 18-inch cutting reel which is perfect for small to medium size yards. With very sturdy construction and a wide cutting path, this could be the best manual reel mower that could trim up even one-third of an acre of lawn in less than an hour. 
Special Features:
The American 1815’s best feature is its 5 tempered alloy steel blades with ball bearing design. These blades don’t need frequent sharpening because they were heat-treated. With such features, this tool is built for more precise cutting. And what about the 10-inch wheels which are large enough to track any kinds of land terrain with ease?
This reel mower allows for easy maneuvering and also gives you an option to adjust your cutting height from .5-inch to 2.75-inches. Weighing only 29 pounds, it also has an adjustable handle which can be folded for easy storage. 
The handle is also a plated loop-type with a full-length foam grip so even if you don’t wear gloves to protect your hand, the heat of the sun won’t be able to heat up the metal you’re holding.
The nice thing people like about this American-made reel mower is its weight which is very light thus it is very easy to maneuver. You’ll feel like a kid pushing a cart. Plus, it has a cast iron roller for brackets with a quick adjusting nut. There’s no need to assemble this tool but only need to unfold the handle once you unbox it. 
For the uniqueness of this tool, it has two rubber rollers that support the whole body of the mower and these also help for its effortless pushing.
PROS:
- Very durable and solid construction
- Equipped with 5 tempered steel alloy cutting blades that are extremely sharp
- Height adjustment is .5-inch to 2.75-inch
- 18” cutting width right for small and medium-size yards
- Foldable handle with foam grip
- Light and easy to push
- 10-inch wheels that can go to any terrain
- Cast-iron brackets to ensure durability
- Steel side plate to add strength to the body
- With rubber rollers
- Ergonomic cushioned handle
CONS:
- Adjusting the height needs a screwdriver
Our Verdict
We saw this mower on many review sites and it is always among the top reel mowers so we started to seek for more of its positive reviews. And true, this mower in spite of its compact size is doing a good job to all who bought it.
Very easy to use with almost no effort, easy to store away, light and sturdy which makes it easy to navigate across a lawn, it always performs at its best leaving the grass with a clean cut with every single pass of its 18-inches blade path.
The only problem we have seen in this mower is the cut height adjustment which is not manually adjustable like with other brands and this one has a semi-fixed height adjustment. So if you decide on a certain height, you need to use a screwdriver to adjust the screw height and it stays there until you want to readjust again.
Nevertheless, if you want your small to medium-sized lawn be cut by a noiseless, gasless, and oil-less piece of a tool which is literally just under the $100 price category, we advise you to check this one first because frankly, this is getting very popular right now for many good reasons.
Great States 415-16 Lawn Mower, 16-Inch, 5-Blade Silver
This is another type of reel mower that we have in our reel mower review and in the most affordable category. Very well-made, always deliver precise cuts with heat-tempered alloy blades that stay sharp for months and are very easy to maneuver because of its lightweight features.
This mower, accordingly, can be the best reel mower for the newly sprouted grass that grew from last week’s mowing. Its blades can snip cleanly on young stalks and if you do once a week mowing on your small to medium-sized lawn, this will surely be the best reel mower for lawn maintenance. 
Special Features:
As mentioned, the blades of this reel mower are really durable and have no need for constant sharpening because these are alloy steel blades. And with a 16-inch cutting blade, you can finish mowing a small yard in just a few minutes and you’ll get a bit of the exercise you deserve.
The wheels are 10” in diameter and these are ball-bearing wheels which allow you to roll them up so smoothly on any kind of terrain and make navigation very easy. On both sides of the reel are heavy-duty steel plates that provide protection for the blades especially when mowing on edges and ramps. 
What is unique with the Great States 415-16 is its T-style handle which is designed to provide the full force of your push going right into the head of the mower. Its handle grips are also cushioned and the whole length of the handle is powder-coated to prevent rusting.
You have 4 cut settings for this product which ranges from .5-inch to 2.5-inches so if you have a certain type of grass in your lawn that needs a certain cut height, you now have a good selection for the height. However, you have to use a flat screw to adjust the height though adjusting the height is quite easy. 
Finally, there’s also these two rubber rollers that provide stability to the reel and add to the effortless push of the mower.
PROS:
- 16” cutting width ideal for small and medium-sized yards
- 5 heat-treated steel alloy blades for utmost sharpness, strength and durability
- Cutting height adjustable from .5-inch to 2.5-inches
- 2 large rubber roller bars for extra support for the wheels
- T-style handle with cushioned grips
- 10-inch diameter wheels suitable for all terrains
- Very compact, simple design yet durable it can last many years
- Ideal in maintaining grass with new sprouts
- Cuts short grass in a single pass
- Classic design, heavy-duty made,
CONS:
- Can’t cut small twigs
- Only cuts in forwarding motion
Our Verdict:
The Great States 415-16 is one very affordable reel mower with a compact but heavy-duty design which a lot of people really wanted in a reel mower. It could be your best manual push mower not only of what it can do but also for its pretty inexpensive price.
In spite of its size and classic design, this product is fully reliable and can always deliver a precise and clean cut that you won’t see in other mower brands. Yes, we understand that when it encounters twigs or small branches on its path, it gets stuck. But this is understandable because this is just a small manual reel mower that’s designed for small mowing tasks and for ground maintenance.
However, this mower has been tested a lot and reviews say this can tackle even overgrown grass. So aside from its adjustability and ergonomic design, we agree that this mower can be your best manual mower to maintain your home yard
Remington RM3100 18-Inch Reel Push Mower
This Remington reel push mower is always included among the best reel mowers with great reviews that’s why we also took a shot in introducing this to you as this is also perfect for the small and medium-sized yard.
Well, the first thing that you will notice about this little guy is its black solid figure that can intriguingly attract your attention. You may also think that this unit is built for some serious work. 
So let’s see now what it can brag about and we will discover if this really deserves to belong among the top reel mowers people are rooting for.
Special Features:
This 18-inch reel mower can cover a good sized lawn in over 30 minutes like many reviews say. For such a wide cutting dimension, it’s still very easy to push and you’ll feel that you’re not pushing it at all but guiding it. It’s more like you’re just walking behind a mechanical toy while holding on to its handlebar. Ease of pushing is possible because it’s equipped with 5 durable steel blades that cut on the grass with so much ease.
And with 10-inch wheels made of composite materials, this is also one of the reasons why you have an easy maneuvering system with this mower. Also, not all reel lawn mowers have quick adjustable cutting height but this one does. It has 2 levers, one on both sides of the wheel, which allows you to choose cut height from .75-inch to 2.5-inches. 
According to Remington, this manual reel mower is also designed to go into narrow spaces because it is very easy to turn and you can steer its head like a plaything. Weighing about 29 pounds, it is very smooth to handle but can do a very fine cut that produces very small grass clippings which would be nice for mulching.
And did you know that this also comes with a rear collection bag to give you an advantage on how to dispose of your clippings? So where can you find a reel lawn mower that has all the necessary features and still has a giveaway collection bag but only with Remington? 
With such an inexpensive product and the best push reel mower in its class, this one will deserve your purchase and for sure you’ll get your money’s worth with it.
PROS:
- Very easy to push and very light at 29 pounds
- Easy to assemble
- 18-inch cutting width designed for small yards and tight spaces
- 5 heat-tempered blades for an efficient clean cut
- Adjustable cutting height option from .75-inch to 2.5-inches
- 2 lever cut height adjustment
- 6” x 10” front composite wheels
- Comes with a free collection bag for clippings disposal option
- Adjustable handle with rubber coated grips
- 2 back rear wheels for easy pushing and maneuverability
- Less maintenance requirement
- Backed by a 2-year warranty
CONS:
- Can have difficulties in mowing on uneven ground
- Complaints about collection bag always falling off
Our Verdict
The Remington RM100 with 18” blades can be the best reel mower for every household with small to medium-sized yards and with lots of narrow spaces. It is complete with the right wheels, the perfect blades and always performs well even with thick weed patches.
This piece of equipment is basically one of the cheapest but most reliable compact reel mowers that Remington is pursuing to reproduce because essentially, people really love its versatility. Well, we have read from some reviews that the collection bag has some issues and that it easily falls off during mowing.
However, this should not be the case if you can empty your bag from time to time and not let it get heavy. Remember that this is just a light, small tool so don’t let it get burdened by a bag full of clippings or the bag will surely fall out of its place.
Sun Joe MJ503M 14-Inch Quad Wheel 9-Position Manual Reel Mower
The Sun Joe MJ503M takes it strong when it comes to proving itself worthy even though it offers a cheaper price but nevertheless did take its brand name to the next level. Not even exceeding the $85 price tag, this little cool-looking reel mower is just totally nature-friendly and yet it can be your perfect trimming tool for a small to average size yard.
In most cases, when you have such a small reel mower, you don’t expect much from it especially about the features. And if you buy the cheap ones, you may only get frustrated by its performance. But this Sun Joe MJ503M is different. How? Let’s find out.
Special Features:
What is amazing with this best reel mower is it offers a 9-position adjustable cutting height and provides you a range cut height from 1.1-inches to 2.9 inches. For a small tool like this, you can rarely get so many options with height adjustment and this is why this product is seen by many to be amazingly perfect. 
Also, adjusting the height becomes easy with this reel lawn mower and that’s because there are two levers for the adjustment – one for each wheel.
For the wheels which are obviously large to make pushing easier, these are made of solid composite materials but designed for all terrains so even you mow hills and slopes, this thing can go and do its job.
Actually, this unit is quad-wheeled so aside from the large front wheels, there are two smaller wheels at the back to provide the front wheels the sliding push. This is why pushing this reel mower seems to be effortless. 
There are also the 5 twisted alloy steel blades that can slice thru grass neatly and produce the very clean cut which you don’t often see when on gas-powered mowers. This tool only weighs around 29 pounds so it’s very light which makes it highly maneuverable along edges and narrow strips.
The handle is T-Style with foam-covered grips but this is not highly foldable. On the positive side, the length of the handle is the standard length for an average American size.
PROS:
- 14-inch cutting width
- 5 sharp alloy steel blades
- Less than 29 pounds only
- 9 height positions
- Cut range option from 1.1 to 2.9 inches
- 10-inches front tires, 6-inch radius back tires
- Best for hills, edging and narrow spaces
- Padded handle
- T-Style handle with foam-covered grips
- Quad-wheeled for easy to push quality
CONS:
- Handle not highly foldable
Our Verdict:
If you are looking for a small but dependable reel lawn mower with alloy steel blades, has an adjustable cutting height and packed with 4 solid wheels for easier pushing, search no more because this could be the tool that you are looking for.
This product is almost perfect for everything. You can use it for hills and there’s no risk of tipping off unlike with heavy gas-powered engines like the lawn tractors. It is also an ideal tool to use on narrow strips where other mowers cannot reach.
If you are using a self-propelled lawn mower in your medium-size yard, this reel mower is precisely an ideal back-up tool when topping off the grass outgrowths from last week’s mowing. Especially during the rainy season when the grass grows so fast and your gas-powered mower could not deal out the wet grass, this manual reel mower could do the trick.
So, yes, this unit deserves our recommendations.
Fiskars 17 Inch Staysharp Push Reel Lawn Mower (6208)
Fiskar does not only manufacture garden tools but this is also a lawn mower company that creates the most sophisticated equipment and machines that are always quality made for the world to use.
One ideal example that Fiskars create is the Fiskars 17-inch 6208 reel mower which is actually the previous version of the Fiskars Max Reel Mower we have discussed above. But why are we still showing it up here when its newest version is already up for sale? Well, the reason is also obvious. People are still looking for it because it has the original features that no other reel mowers can match. 
As the predecessor of the latest version of Fiskars Max, this Fiskars Staysharp Push reel mower also promises 30% to 40% faster in terms of finishing a lawn regardless of its size. Totally environmentally friendly, this unit introduced to us the much easier-to-push reel design that can deliver more efficient cutting power and can work like a workhorse that will never give up even with heavy-duty mowing.
But what does this uniquely-designed mowing tool can do and why it is still up among the reel mower review sites? This we will know by identifying its specific features.
Special Features:
People like the overall features of this tool and accordingly this is the best manual push mower almost 5 years ago and people still love it. This thing may seem big because it has this wide chute that covers the reel and to direct your clippings backward or forward.
Moreover, this unit can deliver excellent cutting power even against the toughest grass that some reel mowers just leave behind. 
Weighing almost 41 pounds, this mower is very easy to maneuver even it is loaded with a 17-inch cutting reel full of 5 precision ground steel blades. Offering a height range of 1.5-inch to 4-inches, you really can trim up your lawn pretty easily with this tool without putting too much stress on your body.
The uniqueness of the Fiskars 6208 is its inertia-driven reel that can provide 75 percent more cutting power on the grass and enables it to cut through thick grass, weeds, twigs and fallen leaves. The Staysharp system reduces the ground friction of the blade to the reel thus the blade can have long-lasting sharpness and performance.
According to Fiskars, this tool can cut many types of grass such as St. Augustine, Bermuda, Zoysia and Bahia which for some small reel mowers are too tough to deal with.
The Fiskars 6208 is also quad-wheeled (4 wheels) to make it easier to push, can glide on grass smoothly and maneuver it with ease.
On the contrary, you have to be aware that although this reel lawn mower has the qualities of the best manual mower, it doesn’t mean it can take on tough grass with just a single sweep. Or if the grass gets too wet, or there are lots of twigs under the grass, this won’t be able to cut every bit of it with just one sweep but need to do twice or even three times.
The good news, though, is that although this Fiskars has superb cutting quality, this is only lightweight and powered only by your pushing or physical strength. Nevertheless, this is totally the kind of reel lawn mower you need for your small and average size lawn.
PROS:
- Utilizes Inertia Drive Wheel that allows the wheel to deliver more power to the blades
- 17-inch wide cutting reel
- Staysharp cutting system for longer-lasting blade sharpness
- 1.5-inch to 4-inches cut height options
- Totally pollution-free
- Lightweight and very quiet
- Four wheels for efficient rolling
- Easy to assemble
- 2 years warranty
CONS:
- Not ideal for slopes because of its large size
- Can have traction issues
- Can be quite heavy for women and older people
- Can stock up on twigs
- More expensive than other brands
Our Verdict:
If you have a flat topography for your lawn and with a few slopes, the Fiskars 6208 could end your search for the right reel mower for your yard. First, it has many great features that turned out to be far better than any other manual reel mower manufactured by other companies.
Second, it is loaded with advanced technology such as StaySharp cutting system, the Inertia Drive including the directional chute to direct your clippings backward and forward.
Third, it is also equipped with large wheels so the unit can tread over tall grass and do its cutting work. And finally, although this is a bit more expensive than the regular reel mowers, it can still be your best reel mower because of its durability, efficiency and it’s made by Fiskars, which is a name recognized all over the world as a manufacturer of quality tools and equipment.
Conclusion:
Now that we have presented to you the 6 top reel mowers that you can find at Amazon and with many great reviews, we hope we did not fail your expectations because, honestly, you cannot find any other reel mowers that are greater and more affordable than these.
Also, as you can see, we did include their cons so that you will have a good background on the weakness of each item. But then, such downsides would be normal for all types of reel mowers so it all depends on the quality of your reel mower and how you will use it accordingly.
So good luck with your choice and all we can say now is that as long as you pick any of these six mowers, we can assure you that you’ll have the best reel mower that will not fail your expectations.
