!88: Are Reel Lawn Mowers Still Effective?

!±8± Are Reel Lawn Mowers Still Effective?

Reel lawn mowers might seem old-fashioned to a lot of people. These are the manual "people-powered" mowers with a spinning blade that turns as you push the mower. Many of us might remember our grandparents having one when we were kids, but reel mowers are making a bit of a comeback. Let's look at some of the benefits and disadvantages of reel mowers.

The most obvious advantage, and probably one of the main reasons for their resurging popularity, is the fact that they are environmentally friendly. There's no emissions like with a gas mower, and they don't use any electricity. The only power source they need is good old-fashioned manual labor.

They can also be easier on your lawn than the typical gas or electric powered lawnmower. The blades are not nearly as harsh when they're spinning, especially when compared to some of the higher-powered mowers out there. As long as you keep the blades sharp, they cut the blades more cleanly and don't damage them the way other mowers will.

There are a couple of disadvantages to reel lawn mowers, however. The biggest one of course is the fact that you have to power them yourself. This can be a good source of exercise, but not everyone wants to do that kind of manual labor to keep their lawn looking good. And if you don't like doing it, you might find yourself putting it off which can lead to a messy looking yard, and even more work when you do cut the lawn.

Which leads to another disadvantage - reel mowers get progressively harder to manage as your lawn gets longer. If you let your grass grow long between cuts, you might find it's quite a bit of work to maintain it.

Sharp blades will minimize the work, but again it means you need to either sharpen the blades yourself on a fairly regular basis, or pay someone to do it for you. This is actually the case on a gas or electric mower as well, but because they operate using blunt force, they're a little more forgiving of a dull blade.

Reel lawn mowers can be a great way to maintain your lawn, just make sure that you consider everything involved before deciding on one. If you know someone who has one, it might be worth borrowing it and try it out before you go out and buy one for yourself.