Scotts 20-inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower

by Tim
(Kentucky)

Scotts 20-inch Classic Push Reel Mower

I just moved into a small house with a small lawn that needed regular care. I've used self-propelled gas-powered mowers in the past, but I was looking for something that was cheap to operate, quiet, and with a low environmental impact. Reel mowers fit the bill.

I decided on the Scotts 20-inch Classic mower after reading a few reviews online. Assembly was easy: just hand-tighten a handful of bolts with large, knobbed heads to affix the handle to the mower body, and you're finished. The directions gave pretty clear pictures of the process.

Scotts recommends lubricating the blades and wheels regularly. I wipe them down with WD-40 after each mowing session, but I'm sure that's overkill. Since it's a simple mechanical device, this is all the maintenance it needs.

As a young, out-of-shape adult, I find the mower pretty easy to use. I have a small lawn in the neighborhood of 1000 square feet with a mild incline, and it takes me well under an hour to mow. You'll work up a sweat, for sure--you're pushing the mower and powering the blades as you go. I usually brace the handle against my hips and walk at a moderate pace.

The mower does best with regular grass that isn't out of control. It pushes tall weeds over instead of cutting them down, so it's difficult to use in poor-quality grass. There's also a 2" distance on either side between the outside of the wheel and the edge of the reel's blades, so you'll need a fair amount of overlap on each pass and edging will be difficult. I have an electric string trimmer, so I'm not bothered by these problems.

Overall, I'm quite satisfied. It's more work to use when you're behind the handle but you don't have to worry about keeping gasoline and oil on hand. If you're physically able to use a walk-behind mower and your lawn is a manageable size, the Scotts reel mower is a good choice.