“There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew.” ~Marshall McLuhan
A little more than a year ago we moved out of our condo with a patio and moved into a house with a yard. As usual, the home didn’t come with a lawn service and we would be responsible for maintaining it ourselves so ….we needed to purchase a lawnmower.
It’s an average sized house with an average sized lawn that is typical in most suburban neighborhoods. There was no question – we wanted a push reel lawnmower.
To be honest, this type of mower has some difficulty in cutting certain types of weeds, especially if you let them get too tall, but there are other weeds that it mows just fine. On the other hand, whatever your reel push mower leaves uncut is probably what you want to pull out of the yard anyway.
A push reel mower is probably not a good choice for overgrown areas or places with rocks or abundant tree litter/branches. It’s best for a yard that is free from all obstructions.
We also use a lightweight, rechargeable, battery powered weed trimmer to help us cut some of the tougher weeds in harder to reach areas.
In case you need some inspiration, here is our top 10 list on why you should consider a push reel lawn mower.
Top Ten Reasons
1. Never needs fuel
2. It “starts” every time – No frustration pulling the start cord
3. Great for the environment
4. SAFER! No toxic fumes or projectiles. Each year 80,000 Americans require hospital treatment for lawn mower accidents.
5. Great exercise – Helps keep you trim for summer
6. Extremely quiet – Neighbors won’t complain if you mow at 7am on Sunday
7. They actually cut grass better, like a pair of scissors
8. Almost NO maintenance and some have self-sharpening blades
9. Very lightweight – Can be hung on a wall in the garage
10. More compact – takes up much less space
There has also been some fear that gas prices may rise to $5.00 a gallon by the summer of 2012 and that alone should inspire you to really consider a reel push lawn mower. We have found we have eliminated the many headaches of a gasoline powered mower by using a push reel lawn mower and we hope you’ll feel the same.
To us, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks and overall, we are very happy with our push reel lawn mower! You really have to admire it’s simplicity.
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Thanks for the insight concerning wet grass. was about to cut mine while wet until i read your article. will wait until the ground is dry.
Thanks, Organic Crafter for your great work, and keep it up!
There are more down-to-earth consequences of using a push reel mower. Gas mowers leave lawns with jagged-edged grass. These jagged edges render the grass more vulnerable to disease and facilitate the loss of moisture. Reel mowers cut grass cleanly and thus ensure a healthy lawn; when you buy a reel mower, prepare to be astounded by the difference between your lawn and your neighbors’.