American Lawn Mower Company 1304-14 14-Inch 5-Blade Push Reel

I've been using a traditional gas rotary mower for years and had heard good things about reel mowers. There's a lot of options, and I tried out a Scotts 16" Elite Reel Mower first from a local store before upgrading to this 18-Inch 5-Blade Reel American Lawn Mower, and overall, I am pleased with it so far. Assembling the mower fairly easy using the provided instructions and it didn't take long before I was ready to start cutting. One of the standout features of this (and any reel mower) is its clean cutting ability, sort of like a pair of scissors. The five-blade reel spin as you walk and push the grass up against the cutting bed to give a consistent cut, every time. The speed of the reel is dependent on how fast you are walking, so a good moderate pace is required. I tend to do some perimeter cuts first, then go back and forth (switching from 'horizontal' to 'vertical' or 'diagonal' every few times to switch up the pattern. The cut quality is truly superior to that of traditional rotary mowers. However, there are a few considerations to keep in mind. The mower may struggle to catch all the grass if some blades are bent down or if the grass is too long. With this, its recommended cutting the grass more frequently, going in opposite directions, and overlapping each pass. While this may reduce the effective cutting width from 18 inches to around 12-14 inches, it ensures a thorough and even cut. It actually takes around the same amount of time to cut the ~4000 sq foot I cut with this than with the rotary gas mower and that is comparing a 21" cut to this. Perhaps its because its lighter, I can walk faster, and turning is easier too? For maintenance and accessories - Maintaining the sharpness of the blades is important for optimal performance, and although I haven't had the need to sharpen them yet, there are sharpening kits available. Additionally, the option to purchase a bagger is available, but personally, I prefer leaving the clippings on the lawn as natural fertilizer. Just be sure to pick up any twigs or anything else the blades may catch on during use, as you'll come to a complete stop as it jams into the cutting bed. At least with a reel mower you don't have to keep your hand on the push-bar, so you can easily stop to pick something up. I even look around to 'de-weed' the lawn in that area as I come across things. Sometimes I'll carry or attach a small bag to the unit to store the twigs or anything else I pickup so I can throw it out when done. Also, it's worth noting that the mower throws the clippings backward, so wearing long pants and shoes is key to avoid getting them on your legs. Though I'm sure it would work with some additional leg-power, this mower works best on flat lawns without too many weeds, as it may struggle with uneven terrain as it's self-powered and the weed stems can also stop the blade reel in its tracks if they are too thick. One other thing, is that you won't really get the traditional 'stripes' of a rotatry mower. I've seen others modify the reel mower to drag a lead / pvc pipe with sand in it, but personally I don't bother. As long as the grass looks trimmed and neat, I'm happy. You also can't beat the workout it provides - I get a solid ~30 minutes of mowing every few days and you work up quite a sweat. Overall, I wanted to try reel mowing for the season and the 18-Inch 5-Blade Reel American Lawn Mower is a solid choice that fit my needs. While it may require some additional effort one of the standout things is since its nearly quiet, you can mow at any time, and even when its wet - two things a gas powered mower just can't (or shouldn't) do. Really - you can't bet the cut quality and that's why I'm doing this, for a healthier lawn.

I like this mower very much. It does a wonderful job cutting delicate, newly grown rye grass, and the stiffer, and more robust weeds and feskew in our side yard. The cut from this mower is significantly more even and straighter than a power mower. There is a hypnotic effect from watching the blades rotate, while tossing up grass blades, nice a quietly. It does not kick up loads of dust when rolling over bare sections, which is very nice when it's super hot out. the mower only weights about 15-20 pounds, so it's very easy to push it up hill, or down hill, or over uneven and bumpy spaces. It is easy enough to push and I don't think I could call it a "work out". This mower completely takes the "chore" out of cutting the grass. Pulling out the big mower, filling the gas tank (and GETTING gas), priming the engine, and pulling to start the super loud piston engine. All that "prep" is gone. no need to psych yourself up to mow the lawn, so you can cut your grass regularly, to keep it looking good all the time. a slight down side is that the blades are approx 2-3 inches from the outside of the wheels, so plan on using an edge trimmer if there's a wall, or a barrier adjacent to the grass. Initial assembly was simple, and occurred in 5-10 minutes max. You need not be a mechanical engineer to assemble this. Anyone will assemble this with ease, regardless of mechanical aptitude. I purchased and installed the matching catcher, that clips on to the sides and hangs from the handles. It took less than two minutes to assemble and install and works pretty well. It does not catch 100 percent of the clippings. Last evening, while cutting grass in the wind, some of the clippings blew away before landing in the catcher. The range of adjustability of blade height is also quite nice. You have three holes in the mower, to raise or lower the cutting height, and three other positions in the plastic fitting to raise or lower the cutting height for a good incremental range of height. You must use a wrench to unscrew the nut to position the bolt in the correct spot. It is not a quick lever adjustment like on many power mowers. But this thing costs less that 100 dollars. Despite this lack of quick adjustment, it's still a fabulous mower, and a great value that provides a great result. I am very surprised that these manual, or "reel" mowers are not more popular, or mainstream. If I had a very large yard, I'd go for a larger 18-20-24 inch version, and still get the job done, quickly, quietly, and efficiently.

Correspond à la description. idéal pour de petite parcelle de gazon, facile à nettoyer, robuste et silencieux. Bien vérifier qu'il n'y ais pas de branche, brindille ou cailloux dans votre gazon avant de tondre, cela pourrais bloquer la tondeuse et endommager les lames.

Shipping time was good. Product looks well built and works well. No complaints. Very happy

It's a dream to cut with this mower