Why aren't push reel mowers more common? Here's a review of one | Hacker News Reader

Why aren't push reel mowers more common? Here's a review of one

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6 pointsMikeCapone16 comments

Having had to use one for many years, I can tell you why - because they do an inconsistent job and they're hard work.

When I was young, I went with my parents to buy one (to replace a really old gas mower). We tried out a few at the store on the patch of grass out front, and they were a lot of work. I could just barely push it. Then we pulled out the instruction manual and read how to adjust the blades, made one small adjustment, and it instantly became really easy. Even easier than our old gas mower.

I've heard TV stores intentionally adjust some TVs (which would otherwise all look virtually the same) to look worse, to convince you to buy one nicer than that. Could it be that lawnmower stores keep some push mowers sitting in the back, with the blades cranked all the way down to "impossible to push", to convince you to pay a lot more for a gas mower?

I'd never buy a gas mower again. They're bigger, more expensive to buy and operate, harder to clean, and loud and stinky to use. The push mower I've used was neither "inconsistent" nor "hard work".

> they're hard work.

Not my experience at all. Mine is barely harder to push than a gasoline mower.

There are two drawbacks: 1) To get an even cut you often have to go over an area twice at a right angle. 2) If you let the grass get too long it simply doesn't work: the reel will just push over the blades instead of cutting them.

#2 was the deal-breaker for me. I couldn't keep up with the grass, and once it got to a certain length, it just became impossible.

Unless the grass is long enough to need a scythe, you should do fine with a push mover - just go over the area a couple of times and don't worry about an even cut the first time.

I had a Brill (imported from Germany, I think) reel mower in Austin. It was awesome. Quiet, and did a great job, as long as you cut the grass regularly--if it gets too long, it just pushes the blades down rather than cutting them. And then you're kinda SOL, since there's no way to get back to a regularly mowed state with the reel mower. It also obviously didn't smell as bad as a powered mower. No gasoline smell and the grass wasn't pulverized into sneeze-inducing particles...just snipped off in pretty little pieces.

I, for one, hope my neighbors never stop using their gas powered lawn mowers. It just brightens my day every time I get to hear the sweet music such machines make

I'm sorry, but this article just doesn't pander to the audience enough. Please edit the title to something inane like "The Gear You Need for Agile Yard Hacks" or something.

They are not easy to push around. They do not do the best job the grass is usually cut but uneven. But I like mine because it allows me to chat with my wife or the neighbors or play with my dog while getting a pretty good work out. Also they are cheap and easy to store.

Maybe we should focus on getting people to trade in their riding mowers for push mowers first before making the jump to reel.

It's like asking an SUV owner to buy a bike.

Also, my enviro-green conscious parents bought an electric rechargeable mower a couple years back and love it.

I had a push mower (made in USA, BTW) some 4 years ago. Like the mower in TFA, it came with the type of handle that comes in n parts that you need to bolt together. It worked for a month or so, then the handle fell apart. Bought a gas-powered push mower, which I still have, and it has worked OK these years.

Maybe I'm too much of a caveman, I don't know. Still waiting for a push mower with a 1-piece handle like they used to have.

Because they blow? I was stuck with one for the last few years; they're fine out of the box, but a few months later they're extremely hard to push and they leave tufts of grass uncut and smooshed down so they can't be cut on a second pass.

More importantly, what the hell does this have to do with this site? Have you invented a better mower? Tell us about that.

I find mine exceptionally easy to use, though my back lawn in SF is about the size of a large living room rug, so a power mower would be, well, nuts.

I enjoy the exercise I get from push mowing. When one's actual work doesn't involve manual labour, doing physical work can be a real enjoyment.

Anyone who's had to use one can tell you why. They're freaking hard work.

I prefer saving the earth by being lazy; I don't mow my yard very often.

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