Lawnmowers are essential for every homeowner, and the mowers help in maintain the lawn in good shape. The neatly trimmed lawn adds beauty to the surroundings, and artistically trimmed lawn speaks volumes about the aesthetic taste of the house owner. Reel lawn mowers are the leaders among the lawnmowers.
Reel lawn movers have a scissors-like action and, unlike other mowers, have a complex-shaped blade. These are good for short lengths of grass and come in the push and self-propelled varieties. Let us see in detail the available reel mowers of each variety.
Table Contents
Push Reel Mowers
Push reel mowers are simple and basic mowers that have the handle and the blade that glides over the grass and chops it off. They are handy for short lengths of grass and in smaller areas of the garden. Running it through the garden, over the grass requires you to push and roll it. It seems to be fun for small space but tiresome for larger areas.
Benefits of Push Reel Mowers
Push reel mowers have several advantages as below.
- Cuts the grass cleanly helping it to heal faster
- Even looking grass gives a neater look
- No noise or air pollution
- Easy to handle mechanism
- Less expensive mower
- Lower maintenance cost
- Work out for the body
Self-Propelled Reel Mowers
Self-propelled reel mowers are easy to use in large areas as you just need to guide the mower and not push it. It takes less effort and can be used on large areas efficiently. The self-propulsion is powered by electricity, gas, or batteries. Depending on the power, the mower performance changes. The ease to operate depends on the weight. Overall they are less laborious and require consistent maintenance.
Benefits Of Self-Propelled Reel Mowers
Self-propelled reel mowers have the following advantages.
- Less effort is required
- The job gets done quickly
- Operate on various speed settings
- Cruise control
- Drive by the front wheel
- Drive by the back wheel
Maintenance Of Reel Mower
The manual or automatic mowers do require maintenance from time to time to keep it fit. Given below are the tips to help you in keeping the mowers fit.
Sharpening
Reel mowers require sharpening from time to time to maintain their performance. The grass cut by blunt mower blades is easily prone to diseases. By saying sharp, I do not mean so sharp that you can cut your fingers. Lawnmowers blades should not be razor-sharp but just enough to cut the grass. Sharpening can be done either manually or using specialized sharpening equipment.
Manual Sharpening
- Tedious sharpening process
- May damage the mower
- Results of the sharpened blade are average
- The process takes a lot of time
- May not achieve the correct angle
- Need to sharpen frequently
- Sharpening using equipment
- Easy sharpening process
- No damage is caused to the mower
- Excellent sharpened blade results
- The process requires very little time
- Designed to achieve a perfect angle always
- Does not need frequent sharpening
If you have lots of time on hand and do not mind some workout and are prepared to sharpen frequently, then manual sharpening is best. But if you are a busy person and value your time and energy, you need to go for sharpening equipment.
Oiling
Oiling the moving parts inside the reel mover ensures the smooth movement of the mower. When it glides the effort smoothly, you need to put in pushing the lawnmower is reduced. Also, the corrosion of parts is reduced as the oil film acts as a protective layer between the atmosphere and the metal. Thus, increasing the life of the machine.
Cleaning
After every use, mower needs to be cleaned thoroughly for grass blades and left to dry in the sun or wiped clean for moisture. Failing to do so will result in rusting of the machine. There may be small pieces of rocks struck in the tricky corners of the mower blades or wheels. These need to be checked for removed as they reduce the efficiency of mower.
Replacement Of Blades
Despite thorough maintenance, the blades may be bent, corroded, thinned, or broken and are beyond repair. The blades for your lawnmower need replacement, and they can be easily replaced by buying or ordering the compatible blades. Replacement of blades is a good idea only when your lawnmower is in good shape, and your blades are not. But if the mower is also losing its life, then you might consider replacing the mower itself.
Disadvantages Of Reel Mowers
They cannot deal with twigs, and twigs get struck often and need to be removed manually. Twigs need to be raked beforehand to avoid this issue.
Wet grass is not reel mower friendly. The wet blades of grass get stuck on the blades and cause corrosion. They are not easily removable. Sometimes the wet grass becomes heavier and bends down and escapes the cut later sticks out oddly when dry.
Reel mowers cannot mow tallgrass. The gas gets folded over and does not get cut. So, using it for long grass is a bad idea.
Lawn Mowing Tips
Lawn mowing is essential to keep the weeds away and makes your garden look clean. Proper mowing makes the green carpet of grass impenetrable by the unwanted weeds and promotes healthy grass growth.
Rule Of Time
There is always a dilemma on what is the right time interval between mowing the grass. The time depends on the growth rate of the grass rather than a fixed time frame. The standard to take into consideration is the length of the grass. Mow only one-third or less but not more than that of the grass length. This is an important rule that helps both in proper mowing and in maintaining the health of your lawn.
Cut Grass Returns To The Soil
Do not collect the cut grass and throw it off. Cut grass, when returned to the soil, serves as food for many worms, and the soil gains more strength from the remaining pieces making it more defensive for the weeds. It also closes the gaps between the soil in the grass, not allowing the weeds to grow in between. With so many advantages, you must realize how important it is.
Right Equipment
When you have the right tools for the right job, it seems more manageable. So, choosing the right lawnmower from the best available reel mowers in the market makes your job easier. If you already own one, then you might consider replacing the blades for your lawnmower for its efficient performance. Suppose the blades are not so worn out, then you can revive the lawnmower with specialized sharpening equipment.
Maintenance
Maintaining your equipment is also an essential part of lawn maintenance. What is the use if you own tons of equipment and keep it to rust? So, through maintenance by cleaning the lawnmower, sharpening its blades, and lubricating, it consistently maintains it always ready for the ride.
Pre-Preparation
Before mowing makes sure to rake the twigs and similar obstacles that can cause to halt the mowing process, by doing so, you will find the process to be smooth, and you need not stop each time to clean the blades or to pick the sticks.
Conclusion
Reel mowers are hot favorites of many gardeners due to their efficiency, and no wonder they are still used in professional landscaping purposes. Push reel mowers have a music of their own and are therapeutic to push around. Self-propelled reel mowers are quick and save time and energy. Each of them has its benefits, but when compared to all other mowers, reel mowers have a slight edge due to their efficiency.
James has been working with lot’s of power tool brands like Husqvarna, Makita and WORX for over 12 years. With his passion for power tools and gardening he is helping both consumers and businesses with his expertise. He now runs the editorial team at HomeGearExpert and loves to support local charities in his spare time.