A manual push reel mower is basically a manual reel mower. It’s not powered so you will have to provide the power by pushing it. As such, you need to be very careful when settling for one because it can make or break you and your lawn. The best manual push reel mower should have all “push-friendly” features because you don’t want to hurt your back and hands in the process. Also, evaluate your lawn before buying any push reel mower to know what features you should prioritize.

In this article, we are going to look at the top 7 best manual push reel mowers to help you make the best decision for you and your lawn.

Why Use a Manual Push Reel Mower?

They are not only cheaper to buy but also to operate and maintain. Manual push reel mowers are also environmentally-friendly, and no noise pollution plus mowing this way is a better aerobic exercise. They cut precisely and cleanly thus better for your lawn.

Best Manual Push Reel Mower In The Market

Below is a review list of some of the best manual push reel mower that you should have for your yard.

7. Earthwise 1816-18EW 18” 5-Blade Economy Reel Mower

Price: Low price tag. Weight: 27 pounds Cutting width: 18″ Height adjustment: 1 – 3 inches Warranty: 2 years Check It Now on Amazon

The Earthwise 1816 reel mower snip and cut grass with each blade like scissors, unlike other rotary mowers that hack the grass blades tearing and ripping the grass leaving it open to insects and diseases. With Earthwise 1816 reel mower you are sure of a clean cut and an attractive lawn. Again, you can mow your lawn in total silence because it’s very quiet.

Better still, the handle features an ergonomic design that makes it easy to push, and it’s also well-cushioned for comfort. It’s also easy to assemble and thanks to the large 10”composite front wheels and the 6” tracing rear wheels, the mower is very maneuverable and fast.

Moreover, this mower weighs 27 pounds which is easy to push on uneven ground, and it’s actually very lightweight compared to our first two options.

Additionally, it the cutting height adjustment is between 1-3 inches meaning it’s a quite versatile mower. And, storing Earthwise 1816 reel mower is easy since it’s quite compact and it doesn’t take a large space. You can store it in your shed, garage or hang it on the wall.

Pros and Cons

Pros Alloy steel construction makes it sturdy and durable.

It is easy to assemble.

It has a wider cutting width than most. Cons The mower has a hard time working on a yard with a lot of debris, say twigs, walnuts, acorns, etc. so you might want to rake them off before starting to mow.

6. Remington RM3100 18-Inch Reel Push Mower

Price: Fairly priced. Weight: 13 lbs. Cutting width: 18 inches. Height adjustment: 0.75-2.5-inches Warranty: 2 years. Check It Now on Amazon

The Remington RM3100 is a high quality push mower which is sturdily designed with more focus on its ability to operate with a lot of ease. Its 18-inch cutting path makes it an ideal choice for anyone looking for a small to medium sized lawns. Perhaps one of its notable feature is the 2-in-1 mulching capability which lets the user collect clippings easily as they do the mowing. It also features a unique dual-lever adjustment function which makes it snap easy and convenient to adjust the mower to your desired height.

Every bit of this push reel mower is lovable. From its sturdy design and incredible performance and ease of use, you will find real value with it. If you are looking for one super performer on modest terrains, then this is it.

Pros and Cons

Pros Collecting clippings and debris is very easy.

It is sturdily built making it durable.

It requires little maintenance. Cons It is not good in handling taller grass.

5. Fiskars 18 Inch Staysharp Max Reel Mower

Price: Fairly priced. Weight: 52 lbs. Cutting width: 18″ Height adjustment: 1-4 inches, one-touch Warranty: 3 years (limited) Check It Now on Amazon

The Fiskars Staysharp 18 inch Max reel mower is quite expensive compared to most manual push mower options, but it’s definitely worth the extra bucks. Coming from a company that specializes in making high-end scissors, the blades in this are super impressive.

First, this reel mower works on small twigs and thick grass easily, thanks to the incorporation of the inertiaDrive reel technology that has heavier-than-normal blades with a larger-than-usual diameter that gives it more power to get the job done faster. If you have used a different push reel mower before, you’ll definitely notice the difference with this.

It also cuts any type of grass perfectly thanks to the proprietary VersaCut technology which also reduces internal friction. About sharpening, you will go years without thinking thanks to the hardened steel, precision-ground blades.

It’s easy to push thanks to the looped handle, and you can easily adjust the height from 1-4 inches. Again, the edging tasks are easier to handle thanks to the well-thought design where the wheels are on the inside of the mower. This is the one most important feature that makes Fiskars better than Scotts classic.

The cutting deck is 18-inches wide, and the mower discharges clippings forward, and even though it’s heavier than most options, it’s much easier to work with.

Pros and Cons

Pros Easier to push than most manual reel mowers.

Great cutting power and efficiency.

It stays sharp and require little maintenance. Cons It’s heavy and quite expensive compared to other models, but it’s easier push, work on edges, and generally worth the extra bucks.

4. GreenWorks 16-Inch Reel Lawn Mower

Price: Fairly priced. Weight: 26 pounds Cutting width: 16″ Height adjustment: 1 1/8 – 2 ¼ inches Warranty: 4 years Check It Now on Amazon

The Greenworks 16-inch manual reel lawn mower is environment-friendly, easy-to-use, with low- maintenance unlike loud, electric or gas powered mowers. It’s a walk behind mower that has a grass catcher. The grass catcher is an added advantage as it has adjustable straps and can sit low, close to the throw of the mowers’ blades arrangements for pleasant collecting of the cut grass.

Additionally, it comes with a detached handle that is easy to assemble with just a wrench, 8 nuts, and bolts. In less than 10 minutes you are good to start cutting grass in your lawn. Moreover, the 5 blade with steel helical design is set up to help cut grass evenly and fine than when using a normal reel mower. The contact-free blades are suitable for silent cutting.

If you intend to mow weekly, you can leave the grass on your lawn as mulch. Nevertheless, this reel lawn mower has four position height adjustment, between 1 1/8 -2.25 inches that make it easy to work on various types of grass. Adjusting from one height to the other is easy.

Again, the front wheels of this mower are 10 inches and the rear rollers are 2 inches which ensure easy maneuverability.

Pros and Cons

Pros Less noise pollution

Very sturdy yet lightweight.

Very maneuverable and easy to adjust its height. Cons Doesn’t do well on really tall grass, but you can avoid this by mowing frequently

It easily gets snagged by twigs and sticks, but you can pull the blade back using your foot to release the twigs or sticks.

3. Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower

Price: Highly priced. Weight: 34 Lbs. Cutting width: 20″ Height adjustment: 1 – 3 inches, nine settings, quick-snap Warranty: 2 years Check It Now on Amazon

Scotts Classic comes among the top in our list of the best manual reel push mower for a number of reasons. One, compared to our number one, Fiskars model, Scotts Classic features a simpler design, and it’s way affordable. Important to note though, the simple design and lower price doesn’t mean lacking in performance.

It has a 20” cutting width meaning you will need just a few passes to cut your lawn. It’s also very easy to push despite the wide deck, and this is why most people prefer it over the other options. It also features 5 heat-tempered blades that are in a unique ball-bearing assembly, and each is inclined at a different angle so as to reduce friction while improving their cut.

It’s the one push reel mower that handles any type of grass well, and it’s very consistency. Height adjustment, nine settings, is easy and it’s also very lightweight thanks to the simple design.

The only downside to going by this mower is that it doesn’t perform very well through large twigs and very tall grass. It’s meant to handle up to 20 inches tall grass, and it performs perfectly on thick or normal grass.

Pros and Cons

Pros Lightweight and easy to push.

Very affordable.

It has a wider cutting width than most in the market. Cons Since the Scotts 2000-20 Classic’s dual-tracking radial wheels are outside the mower and this makes it hard to edge your lawn. Again, as noted above, the more doesn’t do well over large twigs or very tall grass.

2. Great States 415-16 16” Reel Mower

Price: Fairly priced. Weight: 26 lbs. Cutting width: 16″ Height adjustments: 1 – 2.5″ Warranty: 1 year Check It Now on Amazon

The Great States 415-16 is another great manual push reel mower, even though it has a narrower cutting deck, 16 inches, than both Scotts and Fiskars models. It also has fewer height adjustments, 2.5 inches, and has a cushioned T-shaped handle as opposed to the looped design. That aside, the Great States 415-16 is still a really good push mower, and that’s why it made it to the top three in our list of the best reel push mower.

First, it’s powerful, and it handles normal-length grass perfectly. It’s also very durable, and you won’t be looking for a replacement in a long time. It’s also lightweight thus even more easy to push and has enough heft to handle level grounds easily without drifting or bumping. The wheels are 10-inches, and they are in ball-bearing assemblies thus they roll smoothly.

It has five blades, and they are all made from tempered steel, and they are angled to make it possible to handle various lawns with ease.

Compared to Scotts 2000-20, the Grate States 415-16 more is less expensive, but their performance is very close, and they also share a lot in common apart from the cutting deck width and the adjustable heights.

Pros and Cons

Pros It is lightweight and easy to push

the mower is sturdy and durable.

The blades stay sharp longer and is easy to maintain. Cons The Great State 415-16 has a narrower cutting-deck compared to our top two options, and it also has fewer height adjustments.

1. American Lawn Mower 1204-14

Price: Modestly priced. Weight: 19 pounds Cutting width: 14″ Height Adjustments: ½ -1 ¾ inch Warranty: 1 year Check It Now on Amazon

This American lawn 1204-14 is a manual push reel mower that provides a precise, clean, scissor-like cut to turf grasses. It has a 14 inches cutting width and ½ to 1¾ inches cutting height options that you can switch in between, making it efficient for the small-medium lawn but not suitable for heavily overgrown grass, twigs, and branches as it makes the reel to jam.

The mower has high impact polymer wheels with a diameter of 8.5 inches that has a molded design for easy maneuverability. Moreover, this lawn mower features convenient one-blade 3-spider reel and alloy steel reel assembly that makes it sturdy and effective when cutting turf grass with a gentle push.

The mower weighs 19 pounds making it lightweight and has a comfortable T-handle such that it’s easy to push and use as long as you are physically fit and can walk. The footprints are small thus making it compact for easy storage.

Pros and Cons

Pros Simple to assemble and use.

Durable high-impact wheels.

It’s lightweight with sharp blades, making manual work easy. Cons It has a small cutting width forcing you to make more passes across a large lawn.

Factors to Consider when buying a Manual Push Reel Mower Size & Weight Generally, manual push reel mowers are light, but there are still those that are considerably heavy. Keeping in mind that you are manually pushing the mower, you should always consider getting a light one to avoid getting too tired. A good push mower should also be small in size to make it easy to maneuver with as well as store it easily. Convenience Using a reel mower can be hectic if you do not have the right one. To ensure that you enjoy your mowing and have everything easily taken care of, and this can only be achieved with advanced features and the design of the mower you are getting. You should consider getting one that has been designed with sophisticated features that will ease your mowing work. Size & Type of Lawn Push reel mowers are only ideal for use in small-medium sized yards. Since it is manually operated, it is only limited on the size of grass that you can use it on. Keeping in mind the fact that there are different types of grass with varied textures and hardness, you will see different results on how it performs. To make sure that you a getting one that works well on most lawns, the blade angulation and other design features should be highly considered. Slope, Terrain & Lawn Condition The terrain and the lawn slope are crucial aspects to consider when you are getting a manual reel mower. Some are better in handling all terrains while others are not. The type of grass that grows in a particular yard can also have some effect on the performance. Since these manual push lawn mowers are light, there is little traction hence they could slide on some tall and wet grass, therefore, affecting the outcome and cutting performance. Cutting Width & Height This matters most if you have a large lawn. To avoid taking too long to get the job done, go for bigger and longer mowers i.e electric lawn mower or electric riding lawn mower because with just a few back and forth passes you will have covered a wider area. However, bigger and longer mowers might be heavier so decide on what to compromise, weight or fast mowing. You should also ensure that the manual push reel mower you’re considering buying has the ideal range of height adjustments that will give you the desired lawn height.

Final Thoughts



The best manual push reel mower will not only make it easy and to maintain your lawn in the best condition, but it’s also environmentally friendly. From the seven options above, you will get one that meets your needs perfectly. If you are in time to turn to a more advance, please also check our review on the best cordless electric lawn mowers here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a manual push reel mower?

A: As the name suggests, a push reel mower isn’t powered by either fuel, gas or any kind of batteries to work. To function, one pushes it and exerts some force when they are pushing it and the blades will then shave off the lawn that one is working on.

Q: How do manual push reel mowers work?

A: Push reel mowers are manually operated and for them to operate, a person walks behind it pushing it. Traditional push mowers had blades attached to the wheels and when a user pushes them the turning of the sharpened blades cut the lawn. Today’s reel lawn mowers have been technologically advanced to use advanced blades and adjustable axles but still use the same principle.

Q: Should I get a manual push reel mower?

A: Unlike electric and fuel powered lawn mowers, this one is manually operated and demands the effort and active engagement of the user. While it is a good option to consider when you are looking for an environmentally friendly option, it also comes cheap and will also be perfect for anyone who needs to sweat a little doing some exercise in their backyard or lawn garden. If you find yourself needing such an equipment, then the idea of getting a push reel mower is worth considering.

Q: What are the disadvantages of manual push lawn mowers?

A: Manual push reel mowers might not be as efficient and as fast as electric and gas powered but like ever other equipment, it has its downsides. The downside of using a push reel mower is obviously the sacrifice of sweating more as well as reduced time in completing lawn cutting. They are perfect for small to medium sized lawns, reduced noise pollution and are environmentally friendly.