Customer Reviews for Scotts 20 in. Classic Manual Walk Behind Reel Mower

This is the best and most environmentally sound product I've ever purchased. I just bought mine today and it does the trick. This motor-less lawn mower cuts the grass on the lowest setting to the length the grass should be cut at. There are reasons to own weed-wackers (different from mowers). For those who are lazy about their lawns, hire a landscaper. This is the best investment I've made. I can mow my lawn at any time of day and not affect my neighbors. My nine-year-old niece mowed the backyard...it's just that simple to use. Stop being lazy, reduce your carbon footprint now!

I was hoping to save money on gas so I bought this old school product. I was excited when I opened the box. I even threw the box out before I used it. Big mistake. It does not cut evenly nor is it good for grass with some weeds. I have to go over the same spots numerous times and still need the weedwacker. Never again. Do yourself a favor: spend the extra 10 dollars and buy a low end mower. I am stuck with this worthless piece of garbage and paid way too much for it.

I purchased this mower in an effort to "go green" with my lawn. I bought it yesterday, put the handle together and attached it to the mower in about 20 minutes, and mowed the back lawn. It was easy to push on my backyard hilly side . A bit difficult to turn - wish the wheels were on pivots. I was the quietest mower on my street this afternoon. Since purchasing it, I heard of 3 other people I know who use the same one and love it too.

If you are looking at these reel mowers as updated versions of the REEL mowers that were successfully used for a century or more, these are not it. The blades are too closely set together, on too small of a cage and are connected directly to the drive wheels. This doesn't seem like a problem in the store, but when you are at home and the drive wheels loose traction on the ground, THE BLADES DON'T TURN! IF the blades don't turn, no grass gets cut. In addition, with the cage and blades on a direct gear instead of on ball bearings, the cage doesn't spin fast enough to cut each blade 2-5 times in each pass as the older models did. It was this functionality that allowed the older mowers to slice the grass clippings 2-5 times before they were redeposited on the lawn. Thus giving an early mulching effect if you double cut your lawn; and that perfectly manicured look. The worst travesty of engineering with these mowers is the narrow cage, single cutting edge and the too closely set blades. Longer grass or dandylions don't get a chance to stand up and be scissored even once. The mower merely gently bends over the longer blades and leves them perfectly untouched while clipping the shorter blades. In the older models they would cut in both directions to avert this problem and would BREAK the longer stems so the mower would scissor the broken longer blades. I have dreamed for the past 9 years of the old reel mower I foolishly gave away when we moved to a 5 acre property. I thought these newer, longer and lighter models would be an improvement. I have never been more wrong and more disappointed. I will be returning mine after only one "use". If you could call the incredibly poor performance achieved with this mower, use. Our electric trimmer cuts more effectively.

I am the type of person that loves a nice lawn, but I have no interest in spending a tonne of time mixing gas or pulling extension cords. I guess you could call that lazy? I am extremely happy with this mower. I mow the lawn about 3 times a week and it's just a matter of grab the mower, push it over the lawn and then put it back. It's fast and easy to use. I'll never go back to gas or electric as this mower is a joy to use.

I bought this mower because I didnt want the hassle of trying to fix my power mower. I used it 3 times and my lawn looked like a jungle. It cuts grass nicely but only grass. My lawn has many dandelions and some of the higher wild grass but it only pushes those over instead of cutting them.After using it three times there were so many dandelions that it didnt look like the yard had been mowed at all. Also the handle isnt as strong as it should be as when I went over any uneven areas I could feel it bending. This mower would only be effective on a flat yard that has no weeds . For me it was a waste of money as now I can't use it and I am out 140. dollars.

I read the reviews here and other places, and have to agree with the general comments. The mower is very quite. It cuts short grass well, but does not do well on weeds. It will cut long grass, but many stalks will remain. If you have a mixed yard of weeds and grass, this mower may not be right for you. Pushing the mower is a slight workout. I say slight because some people have trouble at first, but once you're use to it, there's no effort at all. I find it very easy to push. Much easier than my push mower. With a reel mower, you may need to do trimming. The reel mower will not get close to trees or fences like a rotary mower. This is a disadvantage. I do not own a trimmer, so I'll need to get my garden shears out to finish the job. Some people comment on the mower jamming on small twigs. This is true, but I didn't find it much a problem. I have several trees and twigs in my yard. Most of the time, I roll over the twigs. It doesn't jam that much on me. Not enough to complain. My only real complaint is the flimsy handle. The handle consists of several pieces you bolt together. If it was a one piece handle, maybe this wouldn't be much a problem. Compared to a $150 non-self propelled lawn mower, this mower is much quieter. No fumes. It's nice to smell the grass while you're cutting. At first, a reel mower might be harder to push, but once you get use to it, I think you'll find the reel mower easier to use. You can stop and start any time. No worries about hitting rocks. The cutting swath is about the same, but I tend to overlap more with the reel mower. So I do more walking. It's much safer. I can mow the grass while playing with my kids in the yard. A reel mower will not do an even job of cutting all the grass like a rotary gas mower. And that's the decision you'll have to make on whether this mower is right for you. Do you value the appearance of a perfect lawn, or do you value safety and a quietness? Ironically, I bought this mower out of laziness. I don't like the prep work of changing oil, sharping blades, and buying gas. Or the cleanup work of washing off the mower deck. With the reel mower, I just pick it up and go.

I had my doubts but this mower worked great. I have a tiny city yard with a steep hill. This mower was far easier to manuever than my old gas mower. It cut well, but takes a couple passes on each row. No motor to maintain and no noise. Eco-friendly. I like it.

This reel mower is great the only problem is when you cut tall grass not to ceep it on the the setting on the wheels. We losend a bolt on the blade a little bit to make it easyer to push now it works great! No problems cuts grass stright and looks better than with gass powerd lawn mowers. No geting dirt in your eyes or gas fumes and best is no burnt lawn. Depending on how tall your lawn is will decide if you realy need a grass catcher (Are lawn don't need it we don't let it get that tall) I would only get a grass catcher for tall lawn or if you have a lawn mowing buissness. Over all this better than any lawn mower!!! :)

What i liked: 1. Relatively Quiet 2. Virtually no upkeep 3. Easy to Maneuver once you figure it out 4. Quick to Assemble (about 10 minutes) What I Didn't Like: 1. Won't even touch Bermuda. About 5% of my yard (total yard size is .35 acres) is Bermuda. I read it was difficult to use in some types of grass, but it was downright impossible for me. This is the main reason i took it back. 2. If a blade of grass is curling over, about half the time you will have to find the perfect angle to cut from. 3. I went over some areas 5,6,7 times with quite a few pieces still standing. I read that 2-3 times with 1/2 overlap was about it and it did not work out that way for me. Summary... If it wasn't for the problem with Bermuda, I'd have given it one more shot when the grass was a little shorter, as it was around 6" tall when I cut this past weekend. I would still recommend this to someone with a small yard, few weeds, and no thick types of grass.

I bought this reel mower last summer. It's great! Lighter and easier to push than my gas mower. The lawn gets done faster with less effort. You do have to cut more often, once a week usually, only because it does't like cutting down grass that's too long, but I don't find that a problem, considering the no gas or noise pollution. I can now cut at any time of the day without the worry of disturbing the neighbors. Our lawn is large enough (1/2 acre) and not perfectly flat, but because of it 's light weight going sideways on the hills are no problem either! I highly recommend this Scotts mower if you are looking to switch from your old gas push mower.

After deciding to get rid of my gas mower for environmental reasons, the idea of having a "people powered machine" really peaked my interest. I found that the Scott's classic reel mower had the best reviews on this website and on Amazon as well. This mower has really lived up to all of my expectations. I've had it for a little over a month and it does a wonderful job on my lawn. It provides a nice, clean cut and is actually really fun to use. Downsides include precision: you'll need a trimmer of some kind to get in those nooks and crannies of your yard for edging. The mower also does not do well with sticks and twigs, although it will roll over large sticks... it's those small twigs you have to worry about. The best solution to this would be to sweep your yard for sticks the best you can before beginning to mow. Other than that, I have had no problems whatsoever. It actually takes less time to use this mower than gas mowers because you just bring it outside and start mowing. Say goodbye to pouring gas in the mower, checking the oil, etc. This guy is easy! It's clean, lightweight, easy to push, and best of all... GREAT for the environment. I'll never go back to gas powered machines as long as I have this great mower.

I have no real complaints about this mower. The only problem I have with it, which is somewhat expected, is that it won't cut tall weeds. Anything over approximately 5" tall just gets pushed down and springs back up. Makes sense, as there's no suction like a gasoline powered mower has. Also, any small twig (1/2"+ diameter) will stop it cold. I can live with that, though, to never pay for gas. It cuts grass quite well (even thick patches), and doesn't require much more power to push it than a gas powered unit. Definitely recommend to anyone with a managable sized yard.

As long as you don't have a lot of pine cones and small sticks in your yard this thing will fly. I was amazed how easy it was to cut the grass, and how quiet. I was also pleasantly surprised how clean I was and the driveway was when I was done. Makes you wonder why everyone else is using the loud and cumbersome gas-power mowers. My wife even cuts the grass sometimes now! If you have really tall stuff (over 6") borrow a friend's rotary mower at the beginning of the season. Keep things short (every two weeks for me) and no worries.

I got this mower for two reasons: go green with my yard maintenance, and exercise. I have 1/3 acre of grass to mow that nomally takes about 50 minutes to mow. It didn't take any longer to mow with this mower (once it was dialed in). There are actually many benefits to the mower that I didn't realize until I used it. 1. I don't smell like gas when I'm done. 2. There is no grass mess to blow off the sidewalks and driveway. 3. No dust is being kicked up into my face making my nose run, eyes itch, lungs hack, etc... 4. The lawn looks better then the gas mower - no circle cuts if I pause. 5. It was actaully easier (once dialed in) to push then my self propelled mower! Imagine that. I gave this mower a 4 star since it did take a while to dial in the cutter. The mower I got was obviously returned from someone that failed to realize the blades had to be adjusted. If the mower came pre adjusted, I would have given it a 5 star.

I've been extremely happy with my mower. It's light, isn't really much more effort to push than a regular mower, and there's absolutely nothing to throw away as opposed to the bags of clippings I used to have to deal with. Now that I'm used to it, It doesn't take very much more time to cut than my gas mower . My lot is a quarter acre, FYI. Some cons are that the blades can't cut through twigs and it has some trouble cutting REALLY long grass, having a tendency to simply push the grass down rather than cut it if it's too long. Neither are a real problem if you mow once a week. Also, the handle, because it's held by screws as opposed to being a solid piece, feels a little wobbly when I'm maneuvering around. Finally, I found that I occasionally had to back track to recut; but that was only if I was feeling picky and wanted a cut to be perfect. But my overall experience has been great. There are no fumes, no gas to buy and it's quiet; so it's really nice to be able to listen to music while I mow. I've also noticed that my lawn has been looking healthier since I switched to the reel mower. I don't know if it's the way it cuts or because of the fact I'm mulching; but it's just something I noticed.

Having moved into a new rental home with 2 small strips of grass in the front, I couldn't justify hiring a gardener (who would likely use a gas-powered mower) or buying a gas-powered mower for such a small lawn. So, I picked up this push mower a month or so ago. The free shipping was nice, and unlike some of the reviews here, the handle pad was already installed (nice!), so I only have to bolt the handle together and attach it to the pre-assembled cuter. The width of this mower makes it a tad clunky to change directions and spin around, but the cutting area is nice, which saves time overall. It does take a little muscle and generally 2 passes for an even cut, but the exercise is good for you and besides some of the parts which use petroleum products, this baby is green (in every sense of the word). You'll have to weed-eat any tall weeds and keep your lawn mowed regularly as this mower doesn't cut anything too thick or tall, but after 5 mowings, I've only had it lock up (due to a big weed) twice, and this is with the out-of-the-box alignment, which was good. BTW, this mower likes dry grass, so don't try it right after you water or when there's dew on the lawn. I'm knocking off 1 star here because the handle is a bit flimsier than I would expect and as compared to the cutter, which is very sturdy, but it definitely works. Happy mowing!

Difficult to adjust the reel. Probably cause it is 20". But once I got is adjusted properly, it had no problem eating grass. Adjust one side at a time. The thicker areas I had to go over twice, but then again I usually went over it twice with the gas mower too. Lighter than the gas mower, cuts at 3in high. Good workout.

Use only if you have lots of time on your hands!! It cuts the grass, but only the blades that are sticking straight up. If the blade of grass (or weed)is bent over, good luck on cutting it. You do need to go over the lawn multiple times to get it evenly cut. 2 good notes... no gas and it does not send rocks flying. Needless to say i'm taking mine back.

I bought this mower after my Black and Decker electric mower bit the dust after 4 years. I didn't want to buy a gas mower and pay for gas, oil, etc., and another electric mower would have been too expensive for me. I remember my grandmother used to use a mower like this back in the day, so I thought I'd give it a try. All I can say is I really wish I had gone with a mower like this in the first place. It isn't much more difficult to push than an electric mower. Actually, I like this better because I don't have to mess with an extension cord. This mower also has an adjustable height feature, and it did a great job of cutting the grass. In fact, I cut the grass in less time with this mower than it used to take with the electric mower! I think it has to do with the fact that this mower is wider and again, I don't have to constantly move the extension cord. No, this mower won't cut tall weeds, but I took care of the few I had in my yard with my electric weed wacker. It works great on grass, it's quiet, and in Oklahoma, which has "ozone alert days" (smog alerts), I can still use this mower without worrying about contributing to the problem.

It does cut the grass but not the weeds. So...if you have too many weeds, I wouldn't recommend it. It is good for the environment since it doesn't use gas or electricity. It is pretty easy to use. The instructions were pretty vague. It's not difficult to assembly.

This mower is just what I needed. I am very happy with it, but it may not be for everyone. Here are the pros and cons: Pros: Quiet. I can listen to my iPod while I mow. This was a huge pro for me as I get bored easily. No projectiles. My kids can play nearby while I mow without any danger. Free workout. You can mow on a Sunday morning without bothering the neighbors. No nasty fumes to breath in. Doesn't take up much space in the shed. Of course, no gas to buy. Easy to clean / maintain. It only take slightly longer than my gas mower. Cons: It does require some effort to push. You need to move at a brisk pace for the mower to work (hence the free workout). Once your grass gets too long, the mower is almost impossible to push, so you have to mow regularly (at least once a week). It does get stuck on even small twigs. It won't cut bendy weeds like dandelions. I can see that I will have to spend more time on edging. If you are really fussy about a "perfect" lawn (straight lines etc.) this mower may not be for you. I am mowing one-third of an acre. This is fine. A bigger yard may be too much work.

These things are great. I upgraded from a 14" to a 20". Of course it's more work, takes 2 passes 1 way and a 3rd pass perpendicular to it for mowing, but then again everyone could use the excercise. My lawn is actually healthier than my neighbours 3 years in a row using this thing.

First off, the only problems I can find with this mower is that the handle needs to be as heavy built as the mower body. That is my only complaint. The mower works just as good as you could ever expect a reel mower to. My favorite thing is, no more adding gas, dealing with a varnished up carburetor in the spring, no oil changes- the list goes on and on of the benefits of using a non- engine mower. Don't let the lack of an engine fool you, this mower is EASY to push. It also CUTS the grass rather than tear it like a gas mower, making the only injury each blade of grass receives from cutting is directly at the end of the blade, whereas a gas motor damages far beyon the tips of the grass. Very easy to use for anyone with common sense. Reel mowers will NOT pick up leaves and cut them, they have no vacuum action like a prop mower to suck the leaves up and cut them. You can fully expect to have to hit a hearty weed several times at different angles with a reel mower. When you start each row of mowing, you should also overlap each row generously to ensure a good cut. With 100+ degree days here in Little Rock in the summer, I can now mow at 2 a.m. when its cool out if I like, with no worry of waking the neighbors. This mower also won't wake my neighbor's newborn baby! Which was one of the considerations I made upon buying this mower. All around a great product, well engineered and quite environmentally responsible. -Josh S. from Little Rock.

I'm a mid-40's woman who has a 1/2 acre lawn to mow, including some serious slopes. I can't start the self-propelled mower or handle it easily on the hills, and decided that this year I wasn't going to deal with ripping out my shoulder or messing with the upkeep of the gas mower, so I purchased this 20" reel mower from Scott's. Good decision! While I don't feel I expend any more effort than mowing with the gas mower, I do notice my upper arms are getting a good workout. Also, since I type for a living, I notice that I don't miss the horrid vibrations I get from the gas mower. The reel mower cuts the grass easily, and it really only takes me about 8 minutes longer than it used to with the gas mower. I also feel like I'm more "in charge," which, oddly enough, gives me a feeling of being proactive ... and even enjoying a chore that I used to really dislike. :-) It's easy to push, and I really would not go with one that cuts less than 20". I find I do like to overlap my "lines" more so than I did with the gas mower. A 16" would be too small, I think. I also like going out in the morning before the gas mowers get started. My neighbors wonder how my lawn is cut before they get going on a Saturday!

I bought this mower this morning and mowed the front and back yards before noon. The assembly was easier than I thought it would be, the instructions looked to be quite sketchy at first, but in fact, it does not take much to put it together, a few wing nut type bolts hold the handles and a spring clamp hold the handle to mower which was fully assembled. It pushes easily and makes a nice chattering noise. I'm very happy with the mower's operation, although it is a bit of a work out, walking with a little extra exercise.

Worthless - Won't Cut More than a foot without jamming even in the littlest about of grass. It is environmentally safe because it doesn’t cut. It will break your back trying to use it. You can't adjust the gaurd because it's painted green. TAKE IT BACK!!!!!!

I had a reel mower, of course, as a kid and remember it as a big clunky thing that was impossibly hard to push. My how the technology has changed. I was looking for a reel mower because my riding mower stayed perpetually out of balance and left my front yard looking chopped up - I wanted a cleaner look for my front yard. I was very pleased with how easy this was to put together (if you can even call attaching the handle "putting it together!") and was very surprised to find it easier to push than I expected. The cut is very clean, though as some reviewers of push mowers note all over the internet, it doesn't do the best job with very tall grass. But I mow once a week anyway, so it's not a problem. The upsides to this mower: Easier to push than I expected - LOVE the quiet whooshing sound it makes (can mow at dawn without disturbing anyone!) - love the slight aerobic workout! - love the tiny little pieces that come out of it, and the fact that they're not blown all over the place like a regular mower would do. Downsides: It IS an aerobic workout if your lawn is any size at all - it can leave longer weeds uncut - I wish the blades rotated in BOTH directions, so that when you pulled back it still rotated and cut - it would save some labor.

My husband and I bought this mower to mow the lawn at the new house we just bought. Our yard isn't that large so this kind of mower works out well. It cuts the grass great and it is so easy for me to use without the hassles of a gasoline mower. You can't let the grass get too long though or else it doesn't work as well. I cut the lawn about once a week. Its a great arm workout and I actually don't mind doing it.

I have a lawn on 2 levels of my backyard and have to carry my mower up 6 stone steps to cut the grass. This mower is lightweight, easy to push, and very effective. It has a wide range of height settings as well, so I don't worry about cutting the lawn too short during the heat of the summer.